A Community of Holistic Professionals Our Vision To strengthen and support the community of holistic professionals.
Our Mission Statement To create a unified community of compassionate holistic practitioners that will contribute to enhancing our profession and ourselves by providing a supportive space to share, learn, teach, grow, and lead.
Our Pledge The Holistic Mentorship Network supports the Holistic Professional, as well as the Community by providing the space to network, build a referral base, mentor and support each other in business development and growth, promote community awareness and education of alternative services and products, and meet potential clients.
is an international holistic and wellness magazine that promotes conscious living. MARCI™ was started by Linda Mitchell in 2002 in response to a need for the hyper growth that the holistic wellness industry was experiencing. It was our intention for practitioners to refer to MARCI™ as a resource tool for their daily practice. Much to our joy, MARCI™ has grown by leaps and bounds and now features articles and tips on everything from health and wellness to sustainable living. -Linda Mitchell, Founder of HMN & MARCITM
Inside This Issue: Animals, Our Earthly Companions 5 Linda Mitchell.....................................................................5
Featured Contributor
Board Members
Donna Price, Chair Meira Findel, Treasurer Cecelia Inwentarz, Trustee Vivian Sartoretto, Trustee Linda Mitchell, Trustee
Dawn J. Benko, Writer & Nature Photographer
Nature Photography............................throughout this issue What Part of New Jersey Don’t You Understand?.............9 Human Design: Discovering the Genius Within You 14 Karen Flaherty..................................................................14 Better Than Medicine! 18 LynAnn Edelman................................................................9 Tune Up Your Body With Sound Therapy 20 Dorinne Davix...................................................................20 Wild Places 22 Sarah Collins.....................................................................22
Publishing Committee
Sarah Collins, Chairperson Erin Saxton, Media Strategist Linda Mitchell Joanna DeGroot
Staff
Finding Your Strength 23 Lisa Nichols......................................................................23
Column Project Planet NetworkTM 24 Ana Marie Presti................................................................24
Linda Mitchell
Creative Arts 27 Beth Ann Morrison.............................................................27
Joanna DeGroot
Feng Shui 28 Michelle Zanoni................................................. ................28
Executive Director & Editor-in-Chief Editor & Layout Designer
Aromatherapy 29 Christina Santiago...............................................................3
Letters to We would love to hear from you! Please write to us at: MARCI@MARCImagazine.com
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Natural Health 30 Sarah Collins.......................................................................3 Nutrition 32 Judith Gisser.......................................................................
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...Inside This Issue:
Gonna Be a Bear Jo-Ann Stafford.................................................7 63
Column cont’d
Animals, Omens, and Messages Christina Lynn Whited........................................9 64
Conscious Parenting Beth Haessig & Jordan Brown.........................3 33
The Rainbow Bridge Anonymous........................................................13 67
Everyday Spirituality Justin Buffer......................................................37 36 The Whole Pet Beth Lowell.......................................................37 37
Book Review..........................................69 69
Personal Development Coaching Hueina Su..........................................................3 38
Calendar of Events................................7 72
Announcements.....................................7 70
Business Coaching Donna Price......................................................3 39 Money Coaching Tom Selkow........................................................3 40 Night Sailing ...Interpreting Your Dreams Jefferson Harman.............................................3 42 Legislative Matters Maureen Drummond & Susannah Pitman.........3 44 Q&A Cecelia Inwentarz.............................................3 46
Disclaimer The views expressed within the various articles are not necessarily the views of the Holistic Mentorship Network, publisher of MARCI™. Copyright for all articles, poems, etc. are owned by the respective authors. Permission to copy or use in any manner is at the sole discretion of the writer.
A Life-Saving Bond 49 Bonnie Rosenthal...............................................7 What Can We Do NOW to Protect Our Planet? Charlie Semeraro.............................................951 Lessons from the Geese 54 Dr. Robert McNeish.........................................13 Holistic Dog Training: A Kinder Approach 55 Dee Broton.......................................................15
Contact Information
Testimonials.....................................................858 Yes, Dogs Do Go to Heaven 59 Arlene Rich.......................................................6
23 Main Street, Sparta, NJ 07871 Phone: 973.300.1184 Fax: 973.300.1189 www.HolisticMentorshipNetwork.com MARCI@MARCImagazine.com
Our Care and Responsibility to Wildlife 61 Sarah Collins.....................................................6
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When the Earth is sick, the animals will begin to disappear, when that happens, The Warriors of the Rainbow will come to save them. — Chief Seattle
Animals, Our Earthly Companions
Is it really that hard to imagine our world out of sync when we have had so many wake-up calls that have captured our attention? Tsunami, Katrina, 9/11, Haiti’s Earthquake, and now the Gulf of Mexico’s oil spill which had left most of us feeling helpless as we watched the latest updates of this catastrophic disaster that left its mark for years to come on our planet’s ocean floor, our sea and wildlife and the livelihood of mankind. We live in a world where technology provides us with information and the latest news instantaneously. It raises our awareness to what is happening in the world around us, and unless we are intimately affected, it often goes by the wayside, and we get on with life. The truth of the matter is this, there will be more oil spills and wars unless we wake up and take responsibility for our actions. All action has a cause and effect response. These disasters have a cause and effect response in our ecosystem, an imbalance if you will, in the whole picture. Much like the rippling effect that happens when you throw a stone into the waters, it spreads outwardly, but with much more turbulence. The effect from the oil spill has had immediate effects on our wildlife such as the birds
a message by Linda Mitchell, Founder of HMN & MARCI™
whose feathers have absorbed the oil making them vulnerable to temperature changes and less buoyant in water. It also interferes with the birds’ ability to fly and escape predators. When attempting to clean themselves, they will ingest the oil that covers their feathers, causing kidney damage, altered liver function, and an irritable digestive tract. This inevitably will cause dehydration and metabolic imbalances. Most birds will die unless there is human intervention. Isn’t it truly sad though, that mankind makes these decisions on whether these
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lives have any value? Ironic that this edition will give you, the reader, valuable information and awareness to how potent our domestic animals, wild life and sea world play out important roles in human relationships and within our ecosystem. “When the earth is sick, the animals will disappear”… So who will save them? Sarah Collins, regular columnist on Natural Health and writer in our fall edition “Our Care and Responsibility to Wildlife” speaks out candidly about what is ours to look at, and take responsibility for, “As the more intelligent species on the planet, it is up to us to be the stewards of the planet and all its varied life forms.” Turn to page 24 to hear the voices of our children from Project Planet Network. Kids are so upfront. Isn’t it about time we listened? Our animal world is what many relationships today mostly thrive on. With a rise in mental illness and disease, many animals of varying species have found themselves as caregivers to humans. As Lyn Ann Edelman, Registered Nurse, and animal lover, she suffers from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and speaks openly about the impact her troupe has on her on a day to day basis, the rising statistics of animals who are trained (or are born) as therapy or service animals, and the benefits studies have shown on their humans. Dee Broton, owner of Holistic Behavior Solutions,
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Animals cont’d steps outside traditional training by taking a look at the whole picture between owner and dog. Many pet owners choose a pet based on a desire, or the need to own an animal, but have little understanding of the dynamics that come with ownership. Personalities between owner and
pet can clash, and if you have not done your homework prior, the end result can be devastating for both owner and pet. And yes, pets do have feelings! Often times we humans are so in tuned to our own needs that we do not take into account the trauma that can go on for the animal. It is our responsibility to take ownership of our own actions prior to making these decisions of bringing another
life into our own. Filling a void is one thing, but make sure the animal is a good fit. Animals live in the now, and do not hold it against us humans, so the coined term “unconditional love”! MARCI™, although not an animal, has been a love that I have had the delight to watch grow with the help of our MARCI™ Committee, and regular columnists. New
Photography © Dawn J. Benko This is a fall scene at “Dawn’s swamp” in Stokes State Forest, Branchville, NJ.
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Animals cont’d to MARCI™ is a “Featured Contributor”, in which a writer, poet, and/or photographer will be spotlighted in each edition. Kicking off our fall edition we were fortunate to ascertain nature photographer and journalist, Dawn Benko. Dawn brings us into her world of photography and love for nature at a neighboring swamp found in the “off the beaten path” of Stokes State Forest in NJ. I have had the pleasure of accompanying Dawn on different occasions including one instance during which we were hip deep in snow, sitting along the river’s edge through a thunderstorm, when who would be lurking behind us was a bear who was very curious as to what these two humans were doing in the wee hours of the night! It is easy to capture a moment of ecstasy when Dawn speaks about her visit to the swamp! Every adventure to the woods holds another story
and experience as she talks with enthusiasm about the creatures that are prowling about in her favorite spot. Whether it be an otter, a frog, a frog being eaten by a snake, a nest of great blue herons or a set of cubs, and oh yes with mama nearby, you will find Dawn ready and waiting quietly to tell the story of New Jersey’s finest place to be… “Her swamp”! I do not want to leave you in despair over our present planet situation, but give you hope in knowing that we do get to show up and take the steps that will help our planet heal. The Holistic Mentorship Network has taken the stance to open up their initiative to find grass root opportunities that align to their vision and mission. Viridian, a third party energy supplier, has given consumers of energy and nonprofits an opportunity to “Green the Grid” while saving the consumer dollars, and helping non-profit organizations, such as ours, make money! Charlie Semeraro, an associate of
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Viridian, and part of the Holistic Mentorship Networks legacy with Viridian, shares his lifelong experiences living on the planet, and how times have changed, and so has he… Today, Charlie actively participates in grass root causes because he is concerned about the future of our planet that we share with ALL life forms. We are the “Rainbow Warriors”! It is our hope that this edition of MARCI™ (Mindful, Aware, Responsible, Compassion, Intuit) will enlighten our readers and end up in the hands of those who make decisions that affects our earthly companions and the planet we all reside in and on. This edition is dedicated to “Our Earthly Companions”. Animal Blessings~ Linda PS. We are delighted to announce our first annual Holiday Recipe Contest!! Don’t miss out… details within and the first and second prizes are grand!!
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What Part of New Jersey Don’t You Understand? When I was asked to share some of my nature photos and to write an article for MARCI™, I was really flattered. I just had no idea what I would write about. Every trek into the woods is a unique experience, and there is a story behind almost every photo I’ve taken. There are even stories for the many photos that I’ve missed. Perhaps the best thing I could share with you is what I’ve gotten out of my experiences. I’ve always held a fascination and love of nature. I’ve always wanted to know more about nature. I’ve always wanted to photograph nature. So in my 20’s and 30’s I travelled to different states in search of a place I’d like to live; a place where I could live with, see and photograph – you guessed it – nature. I’ve been to some really beautiful places and taken some really beautiful pictures in those places. The problem was that I
Photo by Linda Mitchell
by Dawn J. Benko
never felt I belonged in any of those places. They’re nice to visit but… One day I finally accepted the realization that I am a Jersey Girl. New Jersey is the place I love. New Jersey is where I am most comfortable. New Jersey is where I belong. That left me with a dilemma. How could I possibly be a nature photographer in New Jersey? You know the adage about not being able to see the forest for the trees? That was so apropos to my existence until about three years ago, because the answer to my dilemma has been right in front of me for my entire life. I grew up in a lake community surrounded by woods in Andover Township. By the spring of 2007,
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I had been living in Montague for over ten years. Montague is home to Stokes State Forest, High Point State Park, the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, and a multitude of nature preserves. Where could I possibly go to photograph nature and wildlife? Duh. I began my search in Stokes State Forest. As is the case with the roads in New Jersey, the trails in New Jersey aren’t always clearly marked, and I soon found myself no longer on a trail. That suited me perfectly, because I find trails to be exceedingly boring. And, on trails you always run the risk of encountering the sometimes scary, sometimes creepy, and sometimes downright annoying two-leggeds. cont’d on next page
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What Part of NJ? cont’d
Photo by Linda Mitchell
You know what I’m talkin’ about. Anyway, I found a little stream and began following it, photographing the frogs as I went along. As I went, I began to notice something that has always been there but that I was never able to really see before – the beauty of New Jersey. At one point I looked ahead, and my eyes widened as the forest opened up. I abandoned my new frog friends and headed for the clearing. I stood there, mesmerized. I had found what I was looking for. It is the most wonderful place on earth. It is the place
where my dreams begin. It is a place I affectionately call “my swamp”. Yes, it’s my swamp. Don’t even try to suggest that it’s not, ‘cause I will fight you. You may be thinking, “Eww, you hang out at swamps?” I don’t just hang out at swamps. I hang out in swamps. I’m becoming the crazy swamp lady, if I’m not there already. Sometimes, on a nice day when I’m hanging out with my friends or at a funeral, I can’t help thinking, “Crap, I could be in the swamp right now. I wonder what I’m missing.” I’ve always loved swamps. There is something mysterious about them, something spooky and even unnerving at times. I’ve cont’d on next page
Photography © Dawn J. Benko A green frog camouflaged in duckweed at “Dawn’s swamp” in Stokes State Forest, Branchville, NJ.
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What Part of NJ? cont’d spent hundreds of hours sitting, floating, and wading chest deep into them, and sometimes they still can make my skin crawl. Or maybe that’s just the leeches. Whatever the case, they are never boring. Maybe what I love the most is that you will never find a place that is more alive. The sun may be the engine, but the wetlands are the heart and soul of the planet. The more I observe them and read about them and the creatures I find there, the more truth I find in
Photography © Dawn J. Benko Nesting Great Blue Herons at “Dawn’s swamp” in Stokes State Forest.
that statement. Everybody is there. I’ve seen bears and deer and mink and otters. There are hawks and osprey and hummingbirds and all manner of waterfowl. There are snakes and leeches and the most hideous looking insects you’ll ever see. Hey, give me a break. I’m still a girl, and bugs are icky. The more I observe, the more I learn and the more connected I feel to these wild places and to these wild creatures – except maybe the bugs. Although, I suppose there is a certain connection there as
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well, as long as they don’t touch me. Before this journey began, I took the natural world for granted. However, the more time I spend in it, the more apparent it is to me how important these places and animals are to our existence. It’s like the human body; everything is connected. When something is out of kilter in one part of your body, the rest of your body is affected. So it is with the natural world. We sometimes forget that we are part of that natural world. Nonetheless, when I
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What Part of NJ?
Photo by Linda Mitchell
cont’d share my photographs, I am not on any environmental or social mission. I want people to draw their own conclusions or to just simply enjoy the photos. If they help to bring about positive action or change, that’s a bonus. My only message is, “Look, this is New Jersey.” “New Jersey?” you ask incredulously. Yeah, New Jersey. You gotta problem with that?
Photography © Dawn J. Benko A bear cub at “Dawn’s swamp” in Stokes State Forest
Dawn J. Benko’s fascination with photography began at the tender age of four, as she leafed through the pages of her mother’s National Geographic magazines. It has seen her through an A.S. degree in photographic technology at Florida Institute of Technology and a twentytwo-year photojournalism career in her native New Jersey — first at the New Jersey Herald in Newton and then at the Daily Record in Parsippany. Her sports, news, feature, and portrait photos have won state and regional awards and appeared in newspapers nationwide. Visit her website at www.dawnbenko.com.
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INTRODUCTION Have you ever wondered what makes you so special and unique from the other people around you? The Human Design System, a new synthesis of ancient wisdom and modern science can help you understand the beauty and the power of just who you really are. Ultimately, you will discover the genius that lies within each of one of us. Human Design is a relatively new system of personality analysis that combines elements of Eastern and Western Astrology, the Chinese I’Ching, the Kabalah (Tree of Life), the Hindu Chakra system, and modern quantum physics. Your personal Human Design chart, calculated from your birth data, gives you very specific knowledge about your personality traits, your health, your personal psychology, your talents, your wisdom, and your vulnerabilities. WHERE DOES HUMAN DESIGN COME FROM? As noted above, the basic elements of the Human Design System originate in the ancients traditions of several human cultures. The arrangement of the information from those systems into a simple chart that can be interpreted by a trained Human Design Analyst comes from one specific man named Ra Uru Hu who was “given” the key to the relationships among those ancient systems. In 1987 a unique astronomical event moved the earth with its drama and beauty. For the first time in hundreds of years on Earth, many of us witnessed the death of a star,
HUMAN DESIGN: Discovering the Genius That Lies Within You by Karen Flaherty
known as Supernova 1987A. At the same time that astronomers at all the major observatories of the world were marveling at this magical event through telescopes, on the island of Ibiza, Spain, Ra Uru Hu was having a mystical experience. During an eight-day period he says he was instructed by a “voice” to write down the information that forms the basis of the Human Design chart and to spread the information to others. After two years of studying the information he had recorded during Supernova 1987A, Ra Uru Hu named the information “The Human Design System” and he began teaching the system and
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interpreting charts for others. For the next 16 years, Ra Uru Hu traveled and shared the Human Design System with the world, bringing his unique teachings to the United States for the last time in March of 2003. SCIENTIFIC VALIDATION FOR THE HUMAN DESIGN SYSTEM In spite of Human Design’s metaphysical origins, the system shows uncanny accuracy in describing the personality traits of individuals. For this reason, scientists have worked very hard over the last few years to validate the system. In April of 2000, social scientist and psychotherapist, Dr. Eleanor Haspel-Portner, statistically validated some central aspects of the Human Design system. Dr. Haspel-Portner and her husband, Dr. Marvin Portner, continue to work to prove the scientific validity and value of Human Design Analysis for applications in modern medicine, psychotherapy, and personal coaching. They continue to discover new aspects of the system and new applications of Human Design for healing and personal growth. The Human Design System has gained tremendous momentum in the United States in the last few years and will continue to grow in recognition as more people discover its usefulness for everyday decisionmaking. THE FIVE TYPES The easiest way to begin benefiting from Human Design concepts is to know one’s Type and to follow the strategy for that type. In the Human Design
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Discovering the Genius cont’d System there are five personality “Types”, each with a unique strategy for making decisions. Knowing your Type can help you develop confidence and trust in your capacity to make reliable decisions for yourself. The five Types are called the Manifestor, the Manifesting Generator, the Generator, the Projector, and the Reflector. Each Type has a different natural role to play when interacting with others and the world. The Manifestor The first Type is called the Manifestor. Approximately 8% of people are Manifestors.
Manifestors can initiate action without waiting. Manifestors are energy beings that possess tremendous initiating power but they have to use their power carefully or risk angering others. Their purpose in life is to initiate action. Some famous Manifestors include Al Gore, George W. Bush, Jack Nicholson, Susan Sarandon and Richard Burton. Manifesting Generators and Generators The next two Types are called Manifesting Generators and Generators. Together these two Types comprise 67% of the population. These two Types are the only Types who possess a special energy center called
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the Sacral Center. For both the Manifesting Generator and the Generator, the most important thing in life is finding the right work. If a Manifesting Generator or a Generator is not working in the right job, he will burn out. When these types find the correct work for themselves, their Sacral Center supplies them with a virtually inexhaustible source of energy. Manifesting Generators and Generators have to wait until things come to them before they take action. Most of us are taught to “just do it”. If we are Manifesting Generators or Generators we can experience deep frustration if we try to initiate things.
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Discovering the Genius cont’d
Other famous Projectors include President Barack Obama, Steven Spielberg, John F. Kennedy, Paul McCartney, Fidel Castro, Karl Marx, and Demi Moore.
Famous Manifesting Generators and Generators include Madonna, John Lennon, Dalai The Reflector Lama, Hillary Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, and Timothy Reflectors are the most rare of the Types. Leary. Less than 1% of people are Reflectors. The Reflector is here to “mirror” or reflect the health of the The Projector community around them. A Reflector is extremely The fourth personality Type in the Human open to all kinds of energy. The Reflector takes all Design System is the Projector. Projectors represent the energy from the world around him deep into about 24% of the population. Projectors can his own energy system and then reflects it back out. become the natural managers and leaders of the Famous Reflectors include Michael Jackson, world. Projectors do not carry energy in their Uri Geller, and Roslyn Carter. own personal energy field, but instead take in the energies of others and manage it. Projectors have CONCLUSION to wait to be recognized and invited into the major The Human Design System is a very deep events in life, such as love relationships, career, and and complex personality assessment tool. A Human right place (where they live). If an invitation feels Design Analyst can sit down and talk to you about good for a Projector and she accepts it, she channels your chart for many hours. At the same time, there an enormous amount of energy and power into that is a beauty and simplicity to Human Design that situation. She can then use that energy to manage makes it instantly useful for anyone who encounters others and the world around her. it. All the depth and the power that was imprinted Projectors are here to be recognized and on you at the time of your birth can be lived out invited by others. Many Projectors are magnetic, gracefully by simply knowing and living the strategy charismatic recipients of amazing invitations. Ringo of your type. Live true to your type and you will Starr is a Projector. He was literally “invited” to join truly live out your own personal Destiny. The Beatles after one of the original band members Karen Flaherty brings many years of left the band. corporate business and life experience to her Human Design coaching practice. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Karen has worked in New York and New Jersey in marketing and sales positions in the fields of licensing and merchandising, retailing, management consulting for the health care industry, and online training. The combination of experiences in business and personal relationships has ignited a desire to help others in their challenges.
Karen is a certified Human Design Specialist and is available for personal Human Design readings and coaching. To get your free report about Human Design and your free Human Design chart, please email Karen at karen_flaherty@verizon.net or visit her on the web at www.CustomHealthSolutions.com.
Blank Human Design Mandala
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When you walk into my home you are greeted by my Diamond, my golden retriever, Dude, my pug, and Princess, Baby, and Rusty, our feline family members. You will also hear the chirps and squeals from my cockatiels Beauty and Jazzy. Seems like a houseful, right? I cannot imagine it any other way. The effect that my pets have on me is one of pure joy. Do they get on my nerves when they are constantly under foot? Yes, of course. But when they look at you with those sad eyes, you cannot help but love them all over again. I suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and the one thing that helps me get through each day is that midday nap with Diamond. Feeling her snuggle up to me in bed is just so calming and reassuring. I find my nap much more effective when she is there. She provides me with a sense of security that I would not experience if I slept alone. There have been many studies done on the effects of pets to their owners. One study showed that heart attack victims who had pets lived longer than those who did not. Another showed that patients watching fish in a tank prior to oral surgery had lower vital signs and were much more relaxed than those who did not. Those patients that were watching the fish tanks were found to be as relaxed as those under hypnosis. The release of endorphins during animal encounters can also help in relieving pain. A survey done in 1996 by Therapy Dogs International,
Better Than Medicine! by LynAnn Edelman
Inc. showed that of the 200 participating facilities 63.5% showed an increase on physical movement/mobility directly related to therapy dog visits. It also showed a 17% decrease in blood pressure, 80% increase in alertness, 86% increase in verbalization and socialization, and a 92% increases were found in positive mood alterations. In the same study, respondents were asked if the visits provided any benefit to the staff. The following answers were supplied: the therapy dogs cheer staff and give them a lift; bring about better moral; reduce stress by breaking routine; occupy residents; create a therapeutic environment; increase communication/socialization between staff and patients; and staff can enjoy patients’ reactions, providing staff with a feeling of hopefulness.
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Why do pets have such an effect on us? Researchers feel there are multiple reasons to explain this. Pet owners (especially children) seem to have more empathy for others. They learn to care for others in addition to themselves. For patients that are mentally ill, it has been shown that having a pet allows them to focus on other things around them beside just their own problems. Nurturing skills are essential throughout life but they are a skill that must be learned. Pet owners have shown tremendous skill in nurturing, which they are then able to pass on their children. Children who have not learned nurturing from their parents can learn it form caring for pets in the home. In addition, the affection we receive from our pets provides for our nurturing needs as well. Animals can provide emotional safety. People often see their pets as their security blanket because they provide unconditional love. They accept us without rules and love us no matter what mood we are in or how we look. It has been noted that an animal’s presence in the room during a therapy session can allow for the patient’s emotional resistance to be lessened. Physical contact is very important for our well being. Pets, especially those who love to be groomed or petted, provide a tremendous source of physical contact. For some people, the touch received from others is not acceptable and they feel as if their personal
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Better Than Medicine! cont’d space is being invaded or violated. Those same individuals experience a completely different reality when physically interacting with animals. They tend to feel safe and welcome the contact. Animals provide a nonthreatening environment for them. This nonverbal connection can be invaluable to the healing process of an abused child or adult. Most importantly, animals and pets provide companionship. This simple gift may heal the broken heart of an elderly woman who just lost her spouse or comfort an adult who feels lonely and lacks significant communication/relations with the outside world. Unconditional love and companionship are essential to the emotional well being of an individual. When did pet therapy (also known as AAT or Animal Assisted Therapy) begin? It is believed that it began in a city in Belgium in the 19th century where an assisted living program designed for people with disabilities. It encouraged caring for animals on a farm to help develop/ improve social, physical, and emotional skills.
Diamond and Dude
When first introduced in the US, most Animal Assisted Therapies were used in conjunction with other treatments for those with mental illness. Today that has grown and pet therapy is used in nursing homes, hospitals, acute care facilities, day care centers, prisons, assisted living facilities, etc. Not all animals qualify for pet therapy programs, especially those in healthcare facilities. These animals must have all of their inoculations up to date and be healthy overall in order make contact with patients safe. In addition, animals, especially those used in the home, should be matched up with their owner’s personalities. Owners who like to be very active may not benefit from a pet that is laid back and loves to sleep all day. In fact, connecting with such an animal may provide more stress for the patient than good. The animals, if used in healthcare facilities, should be pet therapy certified. There are several agencies that provide such a program. One is The Delta Society (www.deltasociety.org) and another is Therapy Dogs International (www.tdi-dog.org). There are also many local organizations you can find on the web for pet therapy programs. LynAnn Edelman, RN is a registered nurse (and animal lover). She is currently working on her Reiki Masters and her MSN in Holistic Nursing. She is Chairman of the Saddle Brook Relay For Life 2011, a division of the American Cancer Society.
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Your body is like an orchestra playing a continuous symphony. But is the audience (the world around you) listening to the symphony? Or is your body responding to the audience’s energy? The cells of your body emit and respond to sounds. Each cell is an instrument playing its own note. Sometimes the instruments are out of tune and need to be ‘tuned up’. Your body, as a collection of musicians, is also influenced by the audience’s response, and will play its symphony better and in tune based on the response. The cells of the body take in sound and give off sound. This process is known in physics as Kirchhoff’s principle and states that the energy (or frequency in this case) absorbed by the cells is identical to the energy (or frequency) emitted by the cells when excited . There is a continuous energy, or frequency transference system, in our cells. Frequency is sound, so a continuous sound transference occurs within all of our cells. When this transference is optimally balanced, the body is in balance/harmony, and ‘in tune’.
Tune Up Your Body With Sound Therapy by Dorinne Davis
chart for the administration of sound-based therapies. A sound-based therapy is defined as the use of some form of sound vibration that impacts the body using special equipment, programs, modified music, and/or specific tones/beats, the need for which is identified with appropriate testing4. Davis further established a test battery, The Diagnostic Evaluation for Therapy Protocol (DETP®), which identifies if, when, how long, and in what order any of the many soundbased therapies can support the person toward better balance. The entire process is based on the voice-ear-brain connection.
The Tree of Sound Enhancement Therapy The ear takes in sound, sends it to the brain to interpret and use, and the voice is trained to become the body stabilizer. It is this voice-earDr. Tomatis found a connection brain connection that supports between the voice, the ear, the interpretation of The and the brain. In 2004, at the Tree of Sound Enhancement Acoustical Society of America, Therapy. The Tree is comprised Davis-Kalugin reported two of the Root System, the Trunk, additional laws known as The the Leaves and Branches, Davis Addendum® to the Tomatis and Body Maintenance. The Effect2. These laws state that Root System relates to one’s Laws of Sound Stimulation the ear emits the same stressed sense of hearing, specifically 4 The concept that the frequencies as the voice, further issues that impact one type of body functions best when its verifying a connection between hearing hypersensitivity. The sound stimulation system is in the voice, the ear, and the brain. Trunk relates to general sound balance was originally identified The action of the continuous processing skills that include by Dr. Alfred Tomatis, a French sound transference system was movement, coordination, Ear, Nose, and Throat physician. first identified by these 5 laws. language skills, social In 1957, at the French Academie Davis developed The Tree of connectedness, oral motor of Science, three laws, which Sound Enhancement Therapy® skills, and more, as well as became known as The Tomatis after studying the major sound- hearing and listening skills. The Effect2, were established. based therapies. The Tree Leaves and Branches relates These laws state that the voice incorporates the 5 laws and to specific auditory processing produces what the ear hears. provides a developmental flow cont’d on next page
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Tune Up Your Body cont’d skills like memory, discrimination, and sequencing, as well as academic skills like reading, handwriting, and spelling. The Body Maintenance of The Tree relates to one’s wellness, or how well the person supports the growth and longevity of The Tree. The Diagnostic Evaluation for Therapy Protocol (DETP®) follows The Tree analogy and provides guidance in the administration of the appropriate sound-based therapy to support an individual towards positive change. All soundbased therapies are not alike. The foundation of Davis’ total person approach, the DETP, supports maximum learning through maximum wellness. Types of Therapies There are many sound-based therapies. Each has an appropriate time and place on The Tree. Names such as Berard Auditory Integration Training, the Tomatis® Method, Fast ForWord®, Interactive Metronome®, The Listening Program®, BioAcoustics®, and Samonas™ are just a few. Davis, in her book, Sound Bodies through Sound Therapy5, discusses each therapy and suggests their appropriate application.
Summary Sound-based therapies help the body self-heal. They help the body find the balance between being in tune and being discordant. The DETP takes the guesswork out of deciding which therapy is most appropriate and guides the person towards improved balance and wellness. Copyright © davis2005 ----------------------------------------Davis D. Sound Bodies through Sound Therapy. Kalco Publishing, LLC. Landing, NJ, 2004, p 30. 2 Tomatis, A.A. The Conscious Ear: My Life of Transformation through Listening. Barrytown, NY: Station Hill Press, 1991. 3 Davis-Kalugin, D.S. The Davis Addendum to the Tomatis Effect, Acoustical Society of America Annual Conference, San Diego, CA., November 2004. 4 Davis D.S. How Sound-based Therapy Can Help the Isodicentric 15 Individuals. Schaumberg, IL: Isodicentric 15 and other Chromosomal Imbalances Conference. June 24, 2005. 5 Davis D. Sound Bodies through Sound Therapy. Kalco Publishing, LLC, 15% discount Landing, NJ 2004 1
MEMBERS CLUB OFFER:
Dorinne Davis Iis the President/Founder of The Davis Center, Succasunna, NJ, the world’s premier sound therapy center. For more information, please visit www.thedaviscenter.com.
Photography © Dawn J. Benko A whitemarked tussock caterpillar plays cat and mouse with a tiny spider near “Dawn’s swamp” in Stokes State Forest, Branchville, NJ.
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Fall 2010
Wild Places by Sarah Collins Where are the wild places? Bulldozed by greed traded for concrete, glass and brick, noise and neglect Unnatural vistas flood the wild places removing all traces of nature's beauty Rabbit holes and beaver dams, black bears and innocent deer, grassland and wildflowers, herbs and trees Replaced with progress, with depravity Spirit devas weep at human arrogance a cancer spreading upon the face of the Earth like leprosy Pray for redemption strike down the artificial god, and bring back Nature's Way Copyright © 2007 Sarah M. Collins
Sarah’s book of poetry, Soul Perception: Exploring the Nature of Reality, Love & Illusion Through Poetry is due later this year from New Pathways Press. Visit www.NewPathwaysPress.com for more info.
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Fall 2010
When you’ve been knocked down in life, just getting from one day to the next seems to take every ounce of energy you have. So how do you find the extra strength you need to pick yourself up and move forward? First of all, quit focusing on what knocked you down in the first place. Don’t hold onto old stories. You already know what happened to you the first time your heart was broken or the first time a parent hurt you. The what can be mom or dad or a former spouse. The what can be a poor decision you made. When you focus on it, you give more life to it, making it big and grand. After I left an abusive relationship I talked up my exfiancé. I talked up my fear of him and made myself even more afraid. When I traveled to the state he had moved to, I started to hyperventilate – seven years after the experience! I made him so huge. He was already 6-foot 9-inches, and I made him 9-foot, 9-inches tall! But you can shrink the what. Here’s how… Visualize the person, thing, or event that knocked you down as a balloon. Blow it up really big, and label it. Visualize holding it in your left hand and a shiny stickpin in your right hand. Gently pop the balloon so the air seeps out nice and slow. Visualize it getting smaller and smaller until you’ve completely shrunk the what that knocked you down in the past.
to do. I didn’t know how to get back to me. So I began to remind myself of my birthright and who I was. I began to seek out people who inspired me such as Maya Angelou. I began to use affirmations to remind myself of who I was and what I deserved... My past does not equal my future. It’s my birthright to experience healthy love. I have the right to feel good about me. If it doesn’t serve me then it can’t stay in my space. Never forget your own worth. It will give you the strength you need to get back up again.
Finding Your Strength by Lisa Nichols
The second thing you can do to find your strength is to simply recognize that you cannot go and find what you already have. This is not an Easter egg hunt. You don’t have to search for it – you already have the strength you need within to get back up. Use it. Finally, remind yourself of your true worth. When you’ve been knocked down, it’s easy to settle for what’s happening instead of for what you really deserve. I know this intimately. I had settled for an abusive relationship. For three months I was in the valley, and my body felt so weak I didn’t know how to climb out. I was stressed and had the shakes. I cried uncontrollably. My son was only three years old. His life was in danger, and I didn’t know what
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Lisa Nichols is one of the most enchanting speakers and seminar leaders of our era in the personal growth market. Celebrated for her signature voice and dynamic style, Lisa has inspired millions around the world with her insightful message about how to brave hardships, find your authentic self, and cultivate the best life. She is the founder of Motivating the Masses and CEO of Motivating the Teen Spirit, LLC, is the bestselling coauthor of Chicken Soup for the African American Soul and Chicken Soup for the African American Woman’s Soul, and bestselling author of her latest book No Matter What! www.Lisa-Nichols.com
Fall 2010
Our Fragile Ecosystem What will it take for all of us to take a good look at what we are doing to damage our environment, our planet, and our oceans? Clearly, it is the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Will we Americans or any citizen of our planet be horrified enough to downsize our consumer lifestyle and consider buying hybrids? I interviewed a handful of young citizens and asked them to give me their thoughts and feelings on the oil spill.
Noah Brown, age 6: “I think this is the worst thing that ever happened on our planet and if we don’t stop the oil spill, all of our oceans will be oil and not water. I’m afraid all of the sea creatures are going to be dead and lost forever. I think the plants will be dying too and that’s really sad to me.”
Jadon Mutz, age 9: “It’s a horrible thing what people are doing to our eco system. I am so sad that the ocean is an unhealthy environment for the animals. There are lots of people who lost their jobs, like fishermen. We need to help and do everything possible to clean our ocean!” Catherine Brown, age 13: “I was so sad when I first heard about the oil spill. I couldn’t watch it or read about it and just hoped it would be stopped. I first saw a picture of one of the birds with oil on it and it hurt my heart. Our water needs to stay pure and available and this can’t happen ever again. We have to do everything we can to speak out and make sure backup plans are ready or find other ways of finding safe energy.”
Kerri Yezuita, a guidance counselor and environmentalist, leads an environmental club for a middle school in Hamburg, NJ. She also leads for the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge. Protecting the water systems is a favorite cause of the students in Yezuita’s environmental club, which has been around for 15 years. Each year, they walk down the Wallkill River to test the water quality. In May of this year, her environmental club worked together with the Hamburg PTA and the Glee Club to raise funds by having a car wash. Profits earned were used to ship hair collected through local hair salons, to be used as mops to soak up oil from the oil spill. Similar efforts need to be continual. We as a conscious collective entity must realize that we are in dire straits and do what we can to improve conditions caused by this devastation to our ecosystem. cont’d on next page
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Fall 2010
A study, from agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the Department of the Interior, says that of the total amount of oil that was spilled into the Gulf of Mexico, (estimated to be 205.8 million gallons) there is stated to be just 26 percent remaining in the water, either on or just below the surface. That means, if this is accurate, 74 percent of the oil that leaked from the well has been collected, dispersed or evaporated, according to a government report released. How realistic is this finding? As citizens of this planet, as Americans, or even just a society governed by leaders and “democracy”, is it enough to accept? I continue to ask younger generations of their perspective on these issues and hope that devastations like this one will result in a more compassionate humanity where life in every level of our existence weighs more than the monetary profits that drive this country.
Kerri Yezulta’s environmental group fundraiser
Visit us on the web at www.projectplanet.us. Project Planet Network™- Together we can heal the planet. Our decisions today are tomorrow’s reality. Let’s create a world that heals our bodies, our oceans, our animals, and our Earth. Ana Marie Presti is a Reiki Master /Teacher, and a member of HMN Northwest Sussex County chapter. She works as a phlebotomist in Sussex County and is an independent consultant for Rutgers’ University Continuing Education. She is Chair of Project Planet Network™, an environmental group that focuses on mentoring and supporting schools in achieving sustainability by developing an environmental board.
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Fall 2010
Column childhood explorations, seasoned by experience and the deeper realities seen through older eyes. But so many “Professional Artists” adamantly deny this connection, as if the mere admission would cause the world to discount their work as that of toddlers’.
Creative Arts with Beth Ann Morrison
Professionalism Aside… Are you a Professional Artist? That question stirs a wide mix of emotions in most creative people. In this society, we tend to attach rigid specifications to that title, even if they vary from person to person. Some stand by their degrees, accolades, and positions in academia to prove their status. Others refer to their history of exhibitions, performances and sales. From the starting gate, this mass of “professionalism” begins to build…
Can we bring artmaking out under the sun and breathe life and joy into it again? …Blow off the dust of study and criticism to find something new and fresh? Can we relax and release all of those weighty expectations? And play! Just play! See where it takes you. Allow others in. Come together, let it grow. Dissolve those old ideas of separation and ownership and let creation surpass your collective limitations… It is a dream that starts with each one of us. If you would like to play a part in blending artmaking deeper into everyday life, I’d love to hear from you. Please feel free to contact me at beth@bethmorrison.com. Enjoy your intuition!
Before we know it, as artists, we can be dragging around a huge ball and chain from home to the studio, to social gatherings, to work. The idea of professionalism starts to leave its particular aroma on your creations and your conversations. We might take fewer risks in fear of jeopardizing our reputations. In essence, we can easily become relics of the bold statements that gained us recognition in the first place. Watching a talented, creative spirit give up or be prevented from pursuing their inspiration are the most tragic events in the field of artmaking. However, this “professional atrophy” is nearly as sad and just as common. So many who fall in love with creation as children and make many sacrifices to follow their dreams and passions become overly serious and heavy as adults. They create strong definitions and categories for their work and stop painting outside the lines. Is there a way to shake up our artists, give them the space and the support they need to be young and playful again? It is clear that art is an extension of our
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Beth Ann Morrison lives and works in Jersey City, NJ. She has shown her artwork extensively in New York City, New Jersey, and Maryland over the last ten years. Ms. Morrison received a grant from the Puffin Foundation in 2007 as well as a residency at Aferro Gallery. She holds a BFA from Maryland Institute College of Art and currently serves as Vice President of Admissions for the Sculptors Guild.
Fall 2010
Column 4. White Tiger The Tiger is associated with the element Metal and the West. A building, a fence, a tree, or a hedge may represent the Tiger. If the Tiger is higher than the Dragon (left) this will be better for the female; if it is lower it is better for the male. It is best for the Dragon to be higher than the Tiger as the Dragon brings in opportunity and the Tiger watches over it.
Feng Shui
with Michelle Zanoni
The Art of Arrangement Most of you are familiar with the 12 signs of the eastern zodiac, but how many of you are familiar with the 5 animals of Form school? Form school was originally used for finding suitable burial sites for ancestors, as this was believed to have a direct affect on wealth and fortune. Form school Feng Shui evaluates your property to see if appropriate landforms are in place, so you will have great support to live a prosperous life. What are the favorable animal symbols/landforms we look for? 1. Yellow Snake The Snake is at the center. It is your home. It represents the element Earth and is a practical animal that stays alert and is aware of what is surrounding it. 2. Black Turtle The Turtle represents the direction North and the element Water. This animal is protection from behind. It is the energy of the mountain and gives support, like the shell on the turtle’s back. A home should have a hill or group of trees, or another building or a fence that will protect it from the back.
5. Red Phoenix The direction of the Phoenix is South and the element is Fire. The Phoenix represents a clear view out the front of your home. You do not want a structure in front of your home to block your view, or to keep the chi from finding you. Check your property to see if you have the proper Feng Shui animals in place. Happy hunting!
3. Green Dragon The Dragon represents the East and the element Wood. It sits to the left of the Snake as you look out the front of your property and allows prosperity to be captured and held in place. This can take the form of a hill, a building, or a large boulder. If you do not find any of these land forms you may want to plant a tree to create your Dragon.
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Michelle Zanoni has been practicing and teaching Feng Shui for several years, creating change for her clients. She uses her intuitive abilities along with her creativity to enhance her clients’ surroundings. Michelle brings years of experience to this refined art and science in a warm, compassionate way. Contact Michelle at mzanoni@optonline .net.
Fall 2010
Column Holly occasionally experiences some pain and limping from stiffness in her joints. Rocco has had a stomach upset from chewing on who knows what. Plus, we may have Shih Tzu mania a.k.a. bark-a-thon or royal rumble. Then, there’s keeping them safe from fleas and ticks. How do we do it in our household? We ONLY use aromatherapy.
Aromatherapy with Christina Santiago
Can Dogs Be Canine Diffusers? According to Wikipedia.com, aromatherapy is defined as “a form of alternative medicine that uses volatile plant materials, known as essential oils, and other aromatic compounds for the purpose of altering a person’s mood, cognitive function, or health.” Nowhere does it mention use for animals. Do you think oils can be used for our furry friends? Well, that depends. It depends on whether you are using the purest, therapeutic-grade essential oils or if you settle for low grade oils that are typically sold in the market. Low grade oils are often diluted with chemicals, synthetics, and fillers. As a certified clinical aromatherapist, I only recommend essential oils made by Young Living. They hold the most stringent purity and efficacy standards in the industry. I would not trust my beloved pets’ health to anything less than the best. I have two wonderful Shih Tzu doggies: Holly and Rocco (pictured). Imagine a lively puppy who’s ready to play vs. his big sister who takes it easy and is not interested in having her ear nibbled. Animals can also benefit from oils for relaxation, pain management, immune system support, etc.
Here are some oils that may help your dogs (consult your vet and an aromatherapy professional): PanAway™, Lavender, and Peppermint for joint stiffness and/or arthritic conditions – apply directly by layering in the area of pain. Oils can be diluted with a pure, organic olive oil or V-6 mixing oil. For smaller dogs, use less oil. Raindrop Technique™ can also be helpful. For stomach upset, dilute a dab of Peppermint oil and/or a dab of DiGize™ on the belly. For hyperactive dogs, it’s Peace & Calming™ to the rescue or Harmony™ applied to their back and rubbed throughout their upper body. This calms the barking and hyperactivity. Shih Tzu mania over in less than 20 seconds! Lastly, we have stopped using chemical flea/ tick repellants on our dogs because of the negative side effects. Instead, we use Purification™ or Melrose essential oils. These oils have worked effectively and are recommended by the past president of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association. As for dogs as canine diffusers… we’ve applied Lavender oil to Holly’s tail. She’s always happy and her tail is constantly wagging. Voilà, a canine diffuser! © Santiago 2010 Christina M. Santiago, CHBC, CCA is a holistic health educator, Certified Clinical Aromatherapist from the Institute of Spiritual Healing and Aromatherapy professional program, and keynote speaker with Sky Diva Oils, a division of Rising Above, LLC. Christina has been featured on CNBC On the Money and Cablevision For the Health of It, and is a contributing expert in Latina magazine and Garden State Woman magazine. For more information on Christina, please call 888.811.8883 or visit her websites: www.SkyDivaOils.com www.RisingAboveLLC.com
Holly, age 12 (left) and Rocco, age 2 (right)
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Fall 2010
Column synthetic flea medicines leave chemical residue on the body and can have long term health consequences.
Natural Health with Sarah Collins
Natural Choices for Your Pet Have you ever looked at the ingredients in the products you routinely use on your pets? Most contain chemicals and substances you’ve probably never heard of. Just as awareness is being raised regarding the use of chemicals in human products, it is also a concern for our earthly companions. Flea and tick collars, shampoo, and other grooming aids and even the toys we give our animals may contain hazardous chemicals that can negatively impact our pet’s health. Over the years, many illnesses such as cancer have been on the rise in domestic animals. Why should this be? It seems that almost everything today contains some type of health risk for our pets because of the chemical components. Why not trade the synthetic products for herbal or natural, organic ones?
Natural, organic food is a hot topic in the pet industry. Companies tout their latest products promising better health for your animal. Many (but not all) over promise and under-deliver where ingredients are concerned. Get in the habit of reading the labels of any pet food you are considering. Many still contain gluten (can add on the pounds if you’re not careful), animal by-products (yuck!) and often have hard-to-pronounce synthetic additives. Dogs and cats do well on a raw food diet including raw vegetables. For other species, consult a veterinarian that cares for the particular animal. If you want the very best for your pet, talk to your vet about alternative remedies. And don’t forget to educate yourself; the internet is full of practical health tips for those who prefer an organic, natural lifestyle for their pets.
What about cleaning supplies? When your pet has an accident, try a natural cleanser before reaching for your typical cleaner. Or you might just use old-fashioned baking soda and water! And don’t forget the health hazard for your precious pet when chemical fertilizer is used in the yard. Not only can it make your pet sick (vomiting, over-salivating), it can attack your pet’s nervous system and could even result in a fatality. Organic fertilizers make good health sense and are environmentally friendly. Most dog and some cat owners protect their pets from heartworm by giving a monthly dose of medicine prescribed by the vet. However, there are herbal alternatives that are not toxic to the animal and do not put unnecessary stress on the liver and kidneys. Many holistic vets favor this route. There are also alternative flea treatments using nontoxic, natural compounds. Flea collars and other
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Photo courtesy of Hillysphotos.com
Sarah M. Collins iembraces all forms of natural healing. She specializes in energetic and vibrational therapy called Natural Force Healing®. It’s great for animals too! Visit her website at www.WellnessCareToday.com. Her book The Little Guide to Big Changes: 6 Steps to Creating Lasting, Positive Change in Your Life is available online at www.Amazon.com, www.BarnesAndNoble.com and also at www.TheLittleGuideToBigChanges.com. Her book is the Award Winner in the Self-Help category of the 2010 International Book Awards, and is an Award Winning Finalist in the Spirituality (Inspirational) category of the 2010 International Book Awards.
Fall 2010
Column Eat Right… Feel Right with Judith Gisser A little more appreciation please! You and I have been blessed with a truly miraculous body and more often than not, we take it for granted, not feeding it the raw materials it needs to keep doing its job of maintaining excellent health. Every day our body removes toxins we breathe, ingest, and create in the process of living. The liver, kidneys, intestines, skin, and lungs work to break down and repackage toxins so they can be eliminated safely. Watch for these signs of toxic overload. Heavy metal signs: fatigue, headaches, joint pain, arthritis, poor memory, poor co-ordination, muscle weakness, numbness/tingling in hands and feet, arthritis, learning disabilities, ADHD, seizures, behavioral disorders, hypertension, emphysema, rashes, excess saliva. Pesticides, herbicide, and plastics create hormone disruption: PMS or menopausal symptoms, fertility issues, miscarriage, birth defects, cancers, nerve damage, BPH, skin problems. Reduce exposure by buying mostly organic produce and free range animal protein, not microwaving in plastic, not drinking from plastic bottles, and avoiding exposure to lawn chemicals or insecticides. Overgrowth of intestinal yeast and bacteria: Abnormal body odor, bad breath, indigestion, bloating, coated tongue, and brittle nails. Fasting, juicing, dry brushing, saunas, and sweat lodges are traditionally used to help speed up detox of accumulated toxins weekly, monthly, or seasonally. Improve your body’s ability to detox daily by making powerful food choices: F Eat organic foods whenever possible to minimize the toxic load. F Drink plenty of filtered or spring water daily to help
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flush toxins from the liver and kidney and to prevent constipation. F Further avoid constipation by including 25-35 grams of fiber a day in your diet. This is easy if you eat mostly whole, unprocessed foods. Healthy bowel function is critical in eliminating toxins from the body before they can be re-absorbed. F Lemon and lime, garlic, onions, rosemary, and green tea increase the enzymes the liver needs to do its job. F Beets and apples actually absorb heavy metals and other toxins. F Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and bok choy are powerful cancer protectors, because they improve the functioning of liver detoxification. F Bitter green vegetables increase bile production which the liver uses to wrap up toxins. F Love your Romaine lettuce, arugula, watercress, endive, broccoli rabe, and dandelion leaf. F Increase fruits and vegetables to 8-12 servings (1/2 cup cooked or 1 cup raw) daily to provide the vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that support detoxification. Extra benefits may include weight loss, reduction of hypertension, and regular elimination. Consider me your “Nutrition Maven”. Send all your emails with successes and challenges to nutritioncoach1@verizon.net. Incorporating your unique constitution and metabolism, Judith Gisser, M.S., C.N.S., C.W.C. excels at developing nutrition and lifestyle programs that raise your level of vitality, resilience and life satisfaction, while helping your reach your wellness goals in a way and at a speed that is comfortable for you. Judith is a Board Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Wellness Coach and a member of the American College of Nutrition. She is Co-founder of Lifestyles of the Healthy Heart, LLC, an author, corporate wellness trainer, key-note speaker and developer of a 30 day Detox with a Difference program available in person, via teleconference and on CDs. 973.625.3169 www.judithgisser.com
Fall 2010
Column children beckon.
Conscious Parenting
Our children call us into life itself, so violently, so peacefully, kicking and screaming. Relationships, whether they’re with our children, our cats, our birds, or our dogs, call us into the breathtaking ache of being alive, with both the pleasure and the pain, the love and the hate, the grief and the joy.
Age 13 & Under with Beth Haessig
Calling us into Life Together, Kicking and Screaming She looked at me, pain dripping from her eyes saying, “I wasn’t meant to have children, and I have two. I already have two.” I just breathed, in and out, knowing her pain but also knowing she was wrong. Not her pain, her pain was true. But about her not having children, because I know she was meant to have children, those exact two children, just the way she did. Softly I encouraged her to feel into where she was, the overwhelming-ness of her responsibility, the depth of the feelings her
When are we going to let go of the angst and the struggle of this fact? Or is this struggle part of the journey? I don’t know. All I know is this – our children grow us as much as we grow them, but we fight with our growth just as they sometimes fight with theirs. We say, NO MORE PAIN! We stomp our feet down deep into our homemade ruts, hopefully hiding us from life. But our love pulls us out again, and again, and again, challenging us to look at ourselves and them differently – with more compassion, more ease, more trust, more peace, more forgiveness. Her tears fell on her cheeks but they entered my heart and she felt more clear, in her remembering. “No, this is good – the way it is right now; I’m the mother of two children and that is a good thing.” I just breathed, in and out, feeling the brightness of her truth, the way she felt it, kicking and screaming. Beth L. Haessig, PsyD, is a licensed psychologist and a Core Energetics practitioner (body-centered psychotherapy). As a holistic psychologist, she works experientially through movement, breath, and mindfulness, to help children and families cope with the 21st century challenges we face in our mind/body/behavior. For more information, see www.BethHaessig.com or sign up for her newsletter at BethLH@optonline.net.
Photography © Dawn J. Benko A lioness and her cub, Tanzania
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Fall 2010
Column Think of our beautiful planet and our amazing children. Imagine YOU are capable and powerful enough to help our planet, promote better health for ourselves and our children by simply making humane choices and saying no to eating animals! It’s time and it’s possible!
Conscious Parenting Age 13 - 19
with Jordan Brown
Animals can be a wonderful and therapeutic way for kids, especially teenagers to learn compassion, empathy, and responsibility. It is important as parents, to model compassionate behavior toward all animals in order for our children to follow. This starts with our diets, to our attitudes, and then our action. One of the best things you can do to help animals is to stop eating them. Animals on factory farms suffer terribly before they are presented to us in neat little packaging in our grocery stores. Many parents feel their kids will not get the right nutrition from a vegetarian diet but that is simply not true. It’s important to do the research and learn how children can benefit physically, emotionally, and environmentally by becoming vegetarians.
Jordan Brown is a Psychotherapist, Empowerment Coach, and owner of Full Circle Counseling in Lincoln Park, NJ. Jordan is the Director of an In-Home Intensive Therapy Program for families in crisis throughout Passaic and Essex County. Jordan is the founder/facilitator of a Women’s Empowerment meet-up on www.meetup.com and has also started www.JordanBrownInspires.com and www.TheSuccessCircles.com. Jordan can be reached at Jordan@fullcirclecounseling.net.
Parents can do their part in encouraging healthier and humane choices and so can schools. 12 states are now promoting Humane Education and passing laws requiring humane education in the classroom. What is humane education? According to PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), humane education follows these five basic tenets: 1. It helps prevent violence and helps students apply the concepts of respect and kindness toward animals in their own lives. 2. It helps students understand current and past social justice movements. 3. It empowers students to realize that they can make a positive difference in their communities and the world around them. 4. It motivates young people – who are naturally fond of animals – to become involved in a cause that they care about. 5. It could change a student’s life… and maybe even your own!
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Photography © Dawn J. Benko An olive baboon baby hitches a ride on its mother’s back in Serengeti park
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Fall 2010
Column
Everyday Spirituality
with Justin Buffer
There Are Those That Need YOU Now: Even in Dunkin Donuts! “But whatever stage he is in, there are patients who need him just that way. They cannot take more than he can give for now.” -A Course In Miracles, Psychotherapy Purpose and Practice I love the above quote from A Course In Miracles. Often, many of us are frustrated by our limitations or by our lack of progress and growth in certain areas of our life. It can be difficult at times to find meaning in our lives at such times, and we all can be susceptible to getting down on ourselves. As stated above, however, although that might upset us at times, there are people that need us just as we are right now! How touching and inspiring! There are people out there that need help, and we may be the answer to their prayer, even an unrecognized one, specifically because we have our limitations; our limitations are a blessing that God and the Universe can use along with our gifts. Some people could not relate to us if we were further along.
As I spoke, words came out of my heart through my mouth that I needed to hear for my own life. I felt myself being uplifted in the process and felt a change in my physiology. I knew that this was God’s way of reminding me to remember that there are those that need me “just as I am”, and that remembering this is one of the major tickets to my own growth and healing. As we teach, we learn; as we heal, we are healed. God will work with us and through us, and help us learn, grow, and heal in the process. It says in many of the great spiritual texts that we will not know what we have “until we give it”. We will not know the many answers that have been waiting for us to our problems and dilemmas until we give them to others; then we can learn from our own wisdom, as I did in Dunkin Donuts that day. Justin Buffer is a Certified Professional & Transformational Life Coach, and the owner of Pure Truth Life Coaching, LLC, a personal life coaching and consulting company. Justin is the author of the forthcoming book titled “Any Day Inspiration” about ways to inject spiritual principles into everyday living. You can learn more about his upcoming workshops based on the ideas in the book, and sign up for his inspirational newsletter at his website www.justinbuffer.com. He has an office in Raritan, NJ and also does phone consultations. He can be reached at Justin@justinbuffer.com.
If we wait until we are wildly successful to feel that we can start making a difference with our words and wisdom, we will be waiting a long time. It is through them that we grow and transform because we are, in essence, helping ourselves. I remember there was a period of time in my life that I was down on myself for not being further along in certain aspects of my life. I had been praying, journaling, meditating, and doing deep contemplation about it. Shortly after, I was sitting in Dunkin Donuts with a friend when the man sitting next to me leaned over, saw my business card on the table, and began speaking to me about his life. He told me how he had been on disability for some time, been living in a boarding house, was a recovering alcoholic, and had been living alone for 15 years. He said he often found it hard to go on everyday and how he felt very alone; his family had practically disowned him. He asked for my opinion and for any feedback.
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Fall 2010
Column Jane Goodall and Marc Bekoff’s book The Ten Trusts – What We Must Do for the Animals We Love sets forth these tasks for humanity:
The Whole Pet
1. Respect all life 2. Live as part of the Animal Kingdom 3. Educate our children to respect animals 4. Treat animals as you would like to be treated 5. Be a steward 6. Value the sounds of nature and help preserve them 7. Do not harm life in order to learn about it 8. Have the courage of your convictions 9. Act knowing that your actions make a difference 10. Act knowing that you are not alone
with Beth Lowell
Recently, residents of Brooklyn, New York held a vigil in Prospect Park for four hundred geese who had been exterminated without forewarning in an attempt to control the city goose population, which was a supposed threat to air traffic safety. The vigil was attended by, among others, the borough president and a New York senator, both of whom were shocked and saddened by the sudden loss of the geese. Activists for humane treatment of animals condemned the act as both cruel and unnecessary. While air safety is of course, of great importance, it’s questionable whether these resident geese posed any danger at all, and experts pointed out that there are many other, less painful ways that the population could have been controlled, starting last year, when it was decided that the population had exceeded comfortable limits.
In the 1920’s, writer and naturalist Henry Beston wrote in his book, The Outermost House that “we need another and a wiser and perhaps a more mystical concept of animals”. I think the time is now, don’t you? Here is the rest of the quote:
While the loss of the geese is tragic, the fact that the story and the public outcry that ensued is popping up over and over again in the media is good news for geese and other wildlife everywhere as it signals an awareness among humans that animals of all kinds are important. While I think most people would agree with this simple fact, I also think it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by policies made by anonymous decision makers and helpless and alone in the face of the number and frequency of atrocities committed against animals. Luckily, like the media coverage of the geese, recent releases, ranging from Louie Psihoyos’ documentary The Cove, to books like Charles Siebert’s The Wauchula Woods Accord and Paul Greenberg’s Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food bring the plight of animals to light, both exposing the damage that humans have done through careless interactions with the wild kingdom, and making a case for more thoughtful choices, from boycotting Sea World to deciding what to eat for dinner.
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“Remote from universal nature, and living by complicated artifice, man in civilization surveys the creature through the glass of his knowledge and sees thereby a feather magnified and the whole image in distortion. We patronize them for their incompleteness, for their tragic fate of having taken form so far below ourselves. And therein we err, and greatly err. For the animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours they move finished and complete, gifted with extensions of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendour and travail of the earth.”
Inspired by dogs, Beth Lowell established her pet sitting company, Good Girl, in 2002. Her services have grown to include Reiki for animals, flower essence consultations and canine massage. She is a regular contributor to the Reiki Digest and an accomplished artist whose paintings grace the homes of dog lovers across the United States. The petsitter with the holistic touch! www.bethlowell.com 973.960.6464
Fall 2010
Column When I looked at the pictures, I was astounded by what I saw. A good chunk of the butterfly’s wings was missing. It’s as if someone, or something, has ripped it off violently. What battle of survival has this little guy fought? I wonder. What courage and strength does it take to fly again? I bet when the butterfly took flight with the broken wings, it wasn’t thinking its wings were no longer perfect. We all have traumas and battle scars from the past. The question is, do you focus on the trauma and imperfection, or your strength and beauty?
Personal Development Coaching with Hueina Su When Broken Wings Took Flight When I came home from a month-long vacation, I was pleasantly surprised by how much my butterfly bush grew. In a sunny spot in my backyard, it’s in full bloom, showing off its purple blossoms. I was admiring its beauty through the kitchen window, when I saw a huge butterfly landing on top of the bush. Being an avid photographer, even though feeling dazed from jet lag, I grabbed my camera and rushed outside. Despite my best effort not to startle the butterfly, it flew away as soon as I approached. I watched it fly away with its stunning wings, and said silently, “Hello butterfly! I will never hurt you. I just want to take your pictures because you are so beautiful.” I said that a few times, then waited. I quieted my mind, closed my eyes, and just enjoyed the warm sun on my skin. When I opened my eyes, a big bumble bee on another flowering bush caught my eye, and I went over to take its pictures. Then, to my surprise, a humming bird showed up! This was only the second time in my life that I saw a humming bird, and I was overjoyed I had my good camera at ready! After the humming bird, I captured some great pictures of a spider, a dragonfly, and more bees. The butterfly came back once in a while, as if checking me out. Each time I greeted it silently, reassuring that I will not hurt it. However, as soon as I tried to take its picture, it fled.
Hueina Su, MS, BSN, CEC, best-selling author of Intensive Care for the Nurturer’s Soul: 7 Keys to Nurture Yourself While Caring for Others, is an internationally recognized expert helping people find the missing peace and balance in their stressful lives. She is on a mission to bring the message of Intensive Self-Care to one million women nurturers worldwide. This article is adapted from her book. Visit www.IntensiveSelfCareBook.com for FREE sample book chapters, bonus gifts, stress relief video e-course, and many resources.
“Oh well,” I thought to myself, “I’ve really enjoyed myself and got quite a few good shots this afternoon. I’m happy with or without the butterfly.” Moments later, the butterfly reappeared. This time, it flew past me and landed on top of the butterfly bush. It lingered just long enough for me to take a few pictures. “Thank you”, I said silently as it flew away gracefully.
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Fall 2010
Column not close the sale, to not add new clients, to not make the mark? Several factors weigh in – we (ourselves) have become bored, complacent, and not action focused.
Business Coaching
As time passes we fall into a trap of selling and we forget to serve the client. The selling trap doesn’t feel good to the client and results in poor results. We have made a MAJOR MISTAKE. We cannot use the same technique and strategy with every prospect or client. Each is unique and has unique situations that we need to address in our sales process.
with Donna Price
Does Your Sales Strategy Work? Do you see yourself as a good sales person, an average sales person or a failing sales person? No matter where you fall on the “sales scale” you most likely are trying to improve. Even the best sales people are working to increase their sales and sell more than they did last week or last month or last year. Basically, no matter how we are doing we still want more! The thing with sales is that even when you have the greatest day of your life, the next day you are back at zero, until you close that next sale. So, how do you improve? You start at square one, right? One is the best and worst thing about sales. Best, the goal is totally measurable. You can easily calculate exactly what you need to do in order to achieve your sales goal. To do this, work your way backwards from the goal to what you need to do to accomplish it. Do you need to make 100 calls per day to acquire one new client? Or do you need to talk with 10 new people to find that one new customer? Know your numbers! On the other hand, it is the worst because each day you are back to zero and climbing that mountain again to reach the top. Constant Improvement is the name of the game. Everyone is behind us, wanting to see us keep rising up. Our employer, the owners, managers, and even our peers, each want us to excel. Training, coaching, books, self study, all lead to new skills, but when it comes down to it, it is just you and the prospect. With everything that is being provided to us, with everything that we are reaching out for ourselves in our constant improvement program, how is it possible to
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Donna Price, President of Compass Rose Consulting, LLC, provides business coaching to small business owners, business leaders, and work teams; using her experience as a senior level manager for 18+ years and extensive background working with people to achieve their goals. Donna is a certified program leader of the innovative and successful Best Year Yet program and is the author of Launching Your Dream, Bizology.Biz: The Science of Building Thriving Businesses, and contributing author to 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life. For additional tips and strategies for increasing sales at: www.morenewsalesnow.com/report More Information is available at: www.compassroseconsulting.com dprice@compassroseconsulting.com 973.948.7673
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Fall 2010
Column perhaps an inaccurate assessment of value or even a less than detailed or hasty job of research, in short an emotional based decision? These factors would indicate the Innocent Archetype was predominant in this Money Coaching that decision. If there was unnecessary or excessive risk with Tom Selkow involved then add the Fool Archetype into the equation as well. Look for other experiences with money that didn’t turn out well and see if there are parallels in the decisions and actions leading up to them. Finding and examining common patterns involved in less than satisfactory One thing is almost certain: at some point we will all money decisions is empowering and a good start to make a mistake or poor choice involving money. Given avoiding them in the future. this probability, what reasonably follows is deciding what to do with the information and experiences generated Remember to be gentle during this process – being harsh by the event. I propose that the information be used and intolerant will keep the stress-based emotional to transform and grow in awareness and money savvy. process firmly in place and not allow useful information While this may seem obvious it isn’t necessarily the to be easily realized. Approach this exercise with the course that is followed by most people. intension of finding useful information and deepening your understanding of money decisions and tendencies Have you noticed in your own experience or someone in your experience. else’s a consistent pattern of repeating poor financial decisions? An example might be getting out of debt only For more information or to schedule an appointment to relax vigilance on credit use and be plunged back onto contact me by email at tselkow@zeropointtrans.com or it. These recurring patterns show a tendency to perform by phone at 862.268.4443. the same type of actions and hope for a different Tom Selkow, Consciousness Technology Practitioner, is outcome. the owner of Zero Point Transformation, LLC, in Sparta, My suggestion is to step back, look at what happened NJ. He is certified as a Matrix Energetics Master with an objective eye, not an emotional one. Look for Practitioner, Money Coach and has a wide range of tools the beginning of the pattern in experiences and actions available to help his clients transform their relationship leading up to the aforementioned money mistake. Was to abundance, life, career, relationships and more. there an unreasonable belief that all would be well,
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Fall 2010
Dear Jefferson, I had a dream about my mother who passed away a few years ago. In the dream, I walked into a service counter area that faced into an open room with many people present. It looked like a nice place to have dinner. The counter was curved and seemed like light oak. I saw a woman putting something away in a closet behind the counter. I stared at her because she seemed like my mother, but something was different. Although she had my mother’s face, her hair was blonder, her lipstick more red, and she was wearing a grayish cardigan with large leopard spots and gold bangle bracelets. She was Mom, but flashier.
I said, “Mom?” and she answered “Yes!” while not stopping what she was doing. I was so happy to know it was her; we were both smiling. She sat down at the counter and we started communicating by telepathy. I knew that she was generating money. She couldn’t spend it because she’s spirit now, but it was OK for me
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to spend it; there was no need for me to feel guilty. I had the impression that Mom was generating lots of money. Can you tell me what this means? Thank you, Mary C., Brooklyn, NY
* * * * * Dear Mary, The open room, the many people, and the nice place to have dinner all represent the banquet of life, so to speak. The service counter is to one side because it is the line between the physical plane and the etheric. It indicates that your mother is working on your behalf on the spiritual plane. The counter is oak for a few reasons. In Celtic mythology, it is the tree of doors, believed to be a gateway between worlds. In your dream, it symbolizes the opening for her to reach out to you and vice versa. Oak also symbolizes strength and endurance. I suspect your mom was a person of great character. And she is continually looking out for your well being. The image of her putting something away in a closet behind the counter is an indication that her methods cannot be shown to you at this time. This may be an indication that if you did know, you might unwittingly interfere. For instance, if the method included help from a relative or friend, that relationship would come into play. She’s showing that it’s better that you don’t know how she is helping, just know that she is doing so. You stare at her, recognizing your mother, but she is no longer the person you knew physically. She most likely
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have had worries about finances in the past. Money is a second chakra energy, so this could also be symbolic of your creativity or relationships. Whatever it may be, she is clearly on your side and helping you. What a blessing! had blond hair because western culture typically sees angels as having golden hair. The imagery you describe of her outfit reminds me of a 1950’s starlet. You are seeing your mom as herself without her earthbound concerns so she is more free-spirited. Also, you used the term “flashier”, a flash being a brilliant white light. I’m sure you see the connection.
Copyright © 2010 by Jefferson Harman. All rights reserved. Printed by permission of the author. Image Credit – “Night Sailing” Copyright © 2010 by Jefferson Harman. Used by permission.
You acknowledge each other, and she continues her work, which is helping you. Her ability to sit at the counter with you indicates a strong connection between you. She is able to cross back over to sit with you. The telepathy accentuates this. Your mother in life was a hard worker, and continues to keep busy in the afterlife. But she is unfettered by it, and the residual is meant for you. This can indicate money, but it can also be symbolic of other rewards, such as awareness or protection. She gives you permission to spend it and says there is no need to feel guilty, showing either you or her or both
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Jefferson Harman reads the symbols present in your dreams and everyday life. By interpreting this invisible language, he identifies your blocks and challenges and ways to overcome them. He offers workshops and private readings in Lucid Dreaming and Overcoming Your Phobias. Jefferson is a recurring guest on “Life Unedited” with John Aberle, on WCHE Radio 1520 AM, in the Philadelphia area (listen live at wche1520.com). He is developing a podcast, “Everyday Symbology”, with psychic medium and certified hypno-therapist Patti Lehman discussing all things metaphysical. Jefferson is a member of HMN and a practitioner at Peaceful Paths in Butler, NJ. Jharman11@mindspring.com 973.839.9317
Fall 2010
scientists from several countries made serious inquiries into the safety and effectiveness of this novel vaccine. New Jersey is still the only jurisdiction on Earth to mandate seasonal flu vaccines.
Vaccine Safety and Vaccination Choice with Maureen Drummond
Fallout Expected From Seasonal Flu Vaccine Requirements Every fall, parents hit the panic button as we try to deal with the onslaught of vaccines our children are required to receive for daycare, and for school. New Jersey’s parents are no strangers to their highestin-the-nation vaccine mandates and more than half of us have reached our tipping point. A recent Harris Interactive poll commissioned by the Center for Personal Rights (http://tinyurl. com/236aqyq) determined that 52% of parents with children under the age of 17 believe that we, not the government, own the right to decide which vaccines our children receive. This is no longer a fringe argument but a mainstream issue of personal rights.
NJ needs Conscientious Exemption now more than ever! NJCVC leaders are keeping the flame alive on Assembly Bill 2450 (formerly A260). This year, we have moved the bill out of the Assembly Health Committee and into the Assembly Education Committee where we have the co-sponsorship of 8 out of 12 committee members, including the Committee Chair. The bill will be posted for a committee hearing and vote soon. We will also be meeting with the NJ Department of Health and Senior Services to offer reforms to a broken system that fails to fully inform its citizens of vaccine risks. A formal request has been made of Governor Christie to fulfill his campaign promise to back NJ parents in vaccination choice. Coming this fall, the New Jersey Coalition for Vaccination Choice will host an all-day seminar and reveal itself as the State’s premiere resource for complete and truthful vaccination information.
This year, the H1N1 vaccine component will be included in the annual, seasonal flu vaccine. There will be no optout of H1N1 vaccine if you are required to have the shot. (http://tinyurl.com/yblr2nx) AND, if you have never received H1N1 before, you will be required to take two doses of the shot (http://tinyurl.com/2wxkd45). Last year, a false pandemic was propagandized. People receiving the shot were more likely to contract H1N1 than those who did not. Countries across the globe balked at compulsory H1N1 programs or recalled them after they were implemented. Reports from around the world told of neurological disease and death following H1N1 vaccination. Prominent
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Maureen Drummond, Co-founder/Co-director, New Jersey Coalition for Vaccination Choice is a long-time activist for vaccination choice. She considers the full disclosure of vaccine ingredients and side affects to be tantamount to informed consent and has provided free educational lectures and materials to thousands of people over the last two decades. She is a founding member of the New Jersey Coalition for Vaccination Choice and currently co-directs the organization’s initiatives throughout the state. Check out NJCVC’s website at www.njvaccinationchoice.org E-mail questions and comments to md1stnoharm@aol.com
Fall 2010
UNTRUTH: Your health care will be rationed when the bill becomes law.
National Healthcare with Susannah Pitman
“We Hold These Untruths to be Full of Doodoo” The number of pages that make up the Health Care Reform bills that were signed into law are in the thousands. If you do a web search for “United States health care”, over 100 million results appear, many of which attempt to interpret the new laws. However, some of the supposed explanations of what is really in the new health care reform laws are actually huge misinterpretations. Unless you read the bill’s thousands of pages, while having a dictionary (a law degree may be helpful as well), it can be very difficult to know what the truth is amongst the millions of articles that are online. While the truth may not fully be understood until the laws are enacted and the general population lives with them, we do know of two important, fear-inciting untruths that are being spread by some of the most influential politicians and media sources in our country.
Over a year ago, Sean Hannity said on his Fox News show Hannity, “We’re gonna have a government rationing body that tells women with breast cancer, ‘You’re dead.’ It’s a death sentence.” The reality is that rationing happens now with our current system. It is still not uncommon to hear of a family member or friend being denied health care by their insurance company for whatever lame reason, including care that physicians feel is absolutely necessary to sustain life peacefully and comfortably. The new health care reform laws will make it illegal for insurance companies to drop your policy because you are sick. It will also be illegal for insurance companies to deny coverage due to a pre-existing condition. While technically this untruth was expressed before the passage of the health care reform bills, a web search on this untruth leads to over 6 million hits, many of which still debate this issue. It is very easy to clutter the mind, and ultimately influence your beliefs, with misinformation from popular sources that may not always have the best intentions. Sources like Open Congress (www.opencongress.org) and Politifact.com remain your best bets for receiving and understanding the truth.
UNTRUTH: The health care bill provides for “euthanasia” or death panels. Sarah Palin actually won “Lie of the Year” by Politifact. com for making this claim on her Facebook page. This untruth instilled tremendous fear, especially among the extremely ill and older populations who were worried their health care would be cut short due to expenses. It should be noted that Politifact.com is a non-partisan, Pulitzer Prize-winning website. A web search on this untruth leads to over 34 million hits, some of which say these panels exist.
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Susannah Pitman, MS, LAc is an acupuncturist with a private practice in Boonton, NJ. She completed her Masters degree in New York City and has traveled to China and Japan to further her studies. She is a co-founder and Secretary of Changing Health, Inc., a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to facilitating and maintaining affordable acupuncture clinics for people in need. To learn more about Susannah’s practice, visit www.balanceacupuncturecenter.com or call 973.257.8924.
Fall 2010
Holistic Psychotherapy for Mental Health An interview with Dr. Beth L. Haessig, Psy.D.
was not through the broad political arena but through education. I decided to become a teacher.
“I envision a time when all practitioners consider the mind and body as one.”
As a teacher and also a mother of young children, I asked myself what I would love to do, in addition to taking care of them. My interest was not just in educating children, but helping them to flourish. This led to a 15-year career in mental health, beginning as a school psychologist. And since I’ve always had a voracious appetite for knowledge, I continued my own education in mental health with a doctorate in psychology.
CeCe: Dr. Haessig, what do you believe about mental health? Dr. Haessig: As a practitioner in the field of mental health, I believe many traditional practices are very beneficial; but some clients need newer interventions as well. Overall, I see that my job as a mental health professional is to help my clients “become who they are,” so they can flourish. I have seen that clients with a disconnection between “who they really are” with “how they are behaving” often results in unhealthy mental health. And “who are they really?” I believe that every person is a manifestation of pure love and God. When someone doesn’t live from their true essence, they are full of stress and anxiety and sadness. This is the root that causes disease. It’s like asking an orange to be an apple, and you are going to be a very unhappy orange!
CeCe: Present day… how have you evolved the practice of integrative mental health? Dr. Haessig: As a licensed psychologist, I integrate what I learned in 8 years of graduate school at Rutgers with the 5 years I spent at Core Energetics Institute, a bodycentered psychotherapeutic modality. I practice a problem-solving approach when working in schools, and practice more holistically using mind/body techniques when adults come to my office for psychotherapy.
Is it a sickness? …absolutely not. Is it a disease? …no. My definition of mental health is becoming clear from the obstructions that keep you from “knowing who you are.”
I discovered Core Energetics by starting to work with a practitioner myself. Her skills so impressed me that I wanted to be trained to practice as she did. Just six months using a body-centered approach led me deeper into personal growth than four years of traditional talk therapy.
CeCe: Back then… why did you pioneer integrative mental health?
CeCe: What does the future of mental health look like to you?
Dr. Haessig: Originally, I started in the Peace Corp because I was interested in the field of Political Science. That all changed when I volunteered in Honduras. I realized that the way to really “make changes with people”
Dr. Haessig: I envision a time when all practitioners consider the mind and body as one. I am trained in psychosomatics, the study of the relationship between emotions
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complementarypsychosomaticandenergytherapiestoheal through the mind-body connection. For more information, visit www.BethHaessig.com or call 973.627.5810. and disease. I envision mental health professionals working closely with medical doctors, to help patients understand what their body’s symptoms are trying to work out, emotionally... and to heal the whole person, instead of just placating and quieting the body’s voice. Dr. Beth L. Haessig, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist and certified Core Energetics practitioner. At her holistic psychotherapy practice in Denville, she integrates conventional mental health talk therapy practices with
Cecelia H. Inwentarz, MBA, RMT, Empowerment Marketer and Holistic Energist, creates “Positive Belief” and detoxifies painful emotions and anxiety, which helps stop stressful thinking. CHi Energy Therapy combines beneficial Reiki energy wisdom, rapid Diagnostic Coaching techniques utilizing Guided Kinesiology, and therapeutic Emotional Vibration Energy Therapy implementing a Bio-Resonance Scanner, a proven 21st century technology used by German naturopathic doctors over 35 years. For more information, visit www.CHiEnergyTherapist or call 973.879.2402.
Photography © Sean Nichols Squirrel Fish in Belize
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Fall 2010
I would have never thought getting a pet at 14 years old would turn into a lifesaving bond 20 years later. It all began with an agreement with my parents that if I got all A’s and B’s in school, I could get a pet. A baby parakeet, Spunky, soon entered my life and was an integral part for seven years. When Spunky died few people understood the toll his death took on me; to them he was only a bird. I then adopted Patches, a tame baby cockatiel. Initially, Patches was like any other pet who would hang out, have meals with me, and have the run of my room playing on his gym. As years passed, he spent most of the time in his cage mainly being a pet who just needed me to change his food and water, cover his cage at night, and take him to the vet one time per year. All this time, I did not realize my love for him or how smart he truly was as I figured his brain was only the size of a pea. Everything changed in the blink of an eye prior to his 13th birthday in September 2008. Life for me in 2008 was difficult. The symptoms of my mental health conditions were significantly exacerbated as I struggled to find purpose in my life given circumstances occurring throughout my world. My depression continued to worsen and was not alleviated by medication attempts that were failing due to extreme medication sensitivities. Friday, September 19,
A Life-Saving Bond: The Story of a Feathered Friend and Human by Bonnie Rosenthal
2008 started out like any other day. Within seconds, this day became the catalyst for change. Patches became significantly injured while in his cage. An immediate trip to the vet was met with advice that Patches be observed for the day. Like other days when he had been at the vet, he spent time with me at work in his carrier, his carrier being the size of a small dog or cat kennel in which he was comfortable. Over the next weeks, his open wound failed to heal causing him to bleed and be in pain at times. There were trips to the vet, and he had to
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remain in his carrier. I refused to leave him in his carrier with little stimulation or observation at home so Patches continued to come to work everyday. My family and I got used to Patches being with us. Six weeks later Patches received clearance to go into a cage; I refused to leave him alone in his cage at home as had I not been home when he initially was injured, he would have died. So, I ended up setting up his old cage at work where he continued to come every day. Given the circumstances, Patches and I now had a strong bond. Patches being with me on a daily basis was helping to decrease my anxiety although my depression continued to worsen. Although Patches wing was 99% healed, I knew something was still wrong. I raised concerns but we were not getting anywhere with the vet. On November 6th after 5 pm, I realized that Patches needed immediate medical attention. I was told that if I wanted to help him I would need to drive 1 ½ hours to a major vet hospital. A family member said “you’re better off having quality time than quantity time”. I refused to accept that and took him for treatment. I soon learned how gravely ill Patches was. By this time, I was questioning my purpose in life experiencing further depression. I did not know how I would survive without Patches as he was
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And upon my recently reading the book about Alex, the famous parrot, I learned that “animals think more than we know and know more than we think”, as Patches has shown me many times. cont’d Thankfully, a little over one year after his crises began, we the only thing that loved me celebrated his 14th birthday with friends who helped he and I to and accepted me for whom I get through the rough times. Currently, it has been close to two was and what I was with no years since his crises began. Patches health remains stable thanks negative judgment, providing to wonderful veterinarians, daily medications, the love he receives me a purpose for living. Patches from my family and me, as well as our special bond. began taking daily medication. I now have a psychiatric service animal that I rely upon. This did not mean that there The law of a service animal is that they must be able to perform a were not emergencies requiring function that a human being would not otherwise be able to perform interventions; people were for themselves. I have found that only dogs are really considered judgmental in terms of how to be official but I know that Patches performs functions for me on much money I was spending on a consistent basis. I am met with judgment about my need for his him, the fact that he was with presence and that does hurt me but I know that my little feathered me most of the time, and how I friend has saved my life on more than one occasion! Patches and I was caring for him. People also travel together now to aid one another and educate others. told me that he had lived a long Never underestimate the power of what an animal, no time, and it was okay to let him matter the kind, can do to save a person’s life. go. On more than one occasion I verbalized that if he went I went; many people found that hard to fathom. I began to realize how smart and emotional Patches was. When Patches was out of his cage at home, he would follow me into another room or if I was in another room, he’d come looking for me by following my voice. If I left him alone he would chirp until I returned. If I was hysterical crying, he would sit at the edge of his cage closest to me, not move, and just stare. Bonnie Rosenthal devotes her life to helping others. As an He had become my psychiatric American Red Cross instructor she teaches curriculums including service pet. His presence Pet First Aid. She works with children who have special needs, is helped to reduce my anxiety, the founder and past-president of DBSA Succasunna, a member kept me alive – as people told of DBSA Speaker’s Bureau having been quoted by media sources, me “he needed me and was and has been a speaker at national conventions. No matter the staying alive because of me”, time or location, she is always teaching, advocating, and helping and he continued to love me. to improve the rights of persons living with physical, mental Patches provided many other and/or emotional disabilities. examples of our unendless Bonnie receives assistance through her psychiatric service bond and love for one another. animal, Patches, who travels her journey beside her. Thus, He has continued to stick by Bonnie spends time educating people that other animals, besides me through many significant dogs, are capable of performing functions to aid their humans. stressors over the past months.
Life-Saving Bond
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Fall 2010
Working with Project Planet and other environmental organizations I am often asked what can I do other than recycling to help the environment. I usually respond by asking how much time, money, and effort they are willing to invest in a project. Most people answer very limited to all three but have a desire to join the green cause. Maybe the Viridian non profit plan has a solution for these people. I think that in the U.S., our world view of the environment and natural world has been redefined to greater depths in the last ten years. I would argue that many more people now have a genuine concern with creating a sustainable economy and greener living environment. The scope of the word environment has changed so much from when I was young. Growing up as a child the environment was limited to air, water, and trees. Today I think of work place environments, social environment, smoke free environment, etc. Growing up in Paterson NJ in the 50’s and 60’s, I had no idea of the natural world and how to relate to it. My only association with the natural world was watching Tarzan of the jungle on TV. The natural
was something people cut and sold as lumber to build houses. Dogs, cats, goldfish, and parakeets were pets. Cows, chickens, and pigs were a part of the food chain for us to eat. Insects were something to kill, step on, or spray as much and often as possible. The water by Charlie Semeraro in the Passaic River was often red, green, blue… depending on what color the dye factory was making. That was ok because people needed the jobs in the factory. There were no smokefree zones. Many of my adult family smoked cigars and cigarettes. Many of my teenage friends smoked and related more to the image of the cigarette commercials then the darkening of their lungs. I can still remember my favorite cigarette world was trees, wild animals, jingles. “Winston tastes good waterfalls, and jungle people. like a cigarette should” or “I As a child I wondered, who would walk a mile for a Camel”. would want to live in the woods? Why is it that I can remember In college, while studying these jingles from 50 years ago engineering, and throughout but cannot remember if I wrote my early adult life, the exchange the check to Public Service last of woodlands and wetlands week for my electric bill? Over the past ten years I for urban development made perfect sense. Many of the have updated my worldview to activities in my life that made one that feels a connection to perfect sense I now find myself everything and everyone. With this shift in worldview I find questioning. In school I learned how myself questioning so many of important natural resources my habits and lifestyle activities. were to our economy. A tree cont’d on next page
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What Can We Do NOW to Protect Our Planet?
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Protect Our Planet cont’d It no longer seems right that the cow and chicken in the factory farm is different than my pets. That the food I eat needs to contain so many chemicals, or that the shirt I bought for $4.00 doesn’t feel the same if it was made by child slave labor in a foreign country. My five-bedroom house is not worth the hours I need to work to maintain it. I wonder how close the garbage from my house is being dumped to the beach I swim in. How much of my lifestyle is related to the oil spill in the Gulf? Will I support nuclear power when one of these plants is built in my town and I have to live next to it? Most organic and green products are so expensive that a voice inside of me convinces me to stay with the conventional product. It seems the Viridian fundraiser has something to offer to people with no time or money to invest but want to do something to green the planet. Here is how it works. You have a choice to buy your electric from a variety of Charlie Semeraro, pictured with Linda Mitchell (Founder of HMN + MARCI) and Ana Marie Presti (Chair of Project Planet NetworkTM)
companies. Viridian can sell you electric for your home that comes from 20% green or 100% green sources. If you switch to Viridian here is what will happen: 1. You will probably save a minimum of 5% on your electric. No contracts, no fees. If you are not happy at any time just go online or call and switch back to your original supplier at no charge. 2. Sign up through a nonprofit website and the nonprofit organization will get a commission every month you buy electric from Viridian. 3. By choosing a green electric supplier your electric demand will be added to the grid by way of a sustainable source such as solar or wind. 4. Your choice of using a green electric power provider such as Viridian will help our state meet its green mandates for 2020.
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Protect Our Planet cont’d If you use the Viridian nonprofit plan your save money, the nonprofit organization gets a donation every month, and the environment get electric from a green source. To find out more go to www.viridian.com/ FEMSALESLLC Charlie Semeraro is a leader in community awareness and pro-activeness. As a social activist he addresses concerns and potential resolutions that affect the
environment and human conditions on a local and global basis. He is a mentor for Project Planet Network and sits on the board of Genesis Farms. Through Genesis Farms he has been trained for Transition Towns leadership, an international grassroots effort formed out an urgency to move communities from oil dependency to community resilience in the face of peak oil, climate change, and economic instability. He has been for the past six years a facilitator for the Just Faith program, a 30week course on social justice
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and globalization. He is a member of the Pachamama Alliance which created the Awakening the Dream Symposium. He also has several certificates from SQ Wellness. He has worked with the Franciscan Action Network on lobby efforts both in Washington and NJ. His home is heated and cooled by a geothermal system. Several years ago, at his place of work, he was the first to receive Caterpillar rebates and install two upgraded air pollution diesel engines for two of his larger excavators.
Unlike traditional, forcebased training that focuses solely on making the dog submit to its handler and perform specific commands, holistic training in my opinion is training the whole dog. My training starts with assessing the situation, understanding the dog ’s personality, and working with the human family to create balance in the pack. Regardless of what kind of behavior my client is looking to modify, I start by teaching the dog that focusing on their person for “permission” will get the dog something he wants. If there is no connection between dog and guardian, there is very little to work with. Many times that connection is built during our first session. Communication is key in every relationship. It makes me sad to think that many people share their lives with dogs, but do not ever really communicate with them. Sure, they may talk to them, but communication is so much more than saying “good boy”. Turid Rugaas, a dog trainer in Norway has coined the term “calming signals”. She has spent a lifetime watching dogs and has captured her findings in a wonderful book and video called On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals that I think every dog guardian should own. She points out behaviors and subtle cues that dogs give off to warn other dogs or their
another dog, the first impression is “he hates other dogs” or “he is acting aggressively”. Maybe and maybe not. He could have barrier frustration knowing he A Kinder Approach is attached to the leash and ultimately confined fearing for by Dee Broton his own safety, so he immediately goes into fight or flight mode. He may be a boisterous youngster who just wants to say hello and has no manners. He may lack confidence once again fearing for his safety. He may be protective of his guardian. Or he may hate other dogs! As I am writing this, I am sitting on my deck surrounded by my pack all peacefully laying amongst one another in perfect harmony. Many would say it would be impossible to have the motley crew of guarding and bully humans when they are scared, breeds living under the same uncomfortable, happy, excited, roof. We have Boss, an English angry, etc. Understanding Mastiff whom we rescued in these cues can help prevent April 2009 at the age of 7 ½ unnecessary dog bites. years; Tyson, an Olde English Most dog trainers know Bulldogge rescued about 4 years they are really training the dog’s ago; Lola, a Cane Corso Mastiff guardian, not the dog. That rescued 2 years ago; Brandan, a is the most challenging part. 5 ½ year old Golden Retriever; People come with pre-conceived and Tucker, a Rottweiler rescued notions of everything. Dogs do last November at the age of 4 not. Dogs live in the moment. ½ months. All males except for They don’t hold on to the past Lola, of course. And then there is and they don’t anticipate the Sydney, the Siamese mix hanging future. They simply are in the amongst his canine comrades. here and now as Eckhart Tolle We achieve this harmonic professes we all should be. If balance by understanding each a dog is barking, growling, and individual personality and their lunging on the end of the leash at cont’d on next page
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Holistic Dog Training:
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takes time, consistency, and a lot of patience. The producers conveniently leave out the cont’d three weeks or three months specific needs. in between taping where all Most people, however, the real work takes place. He have one or two, maybe three has also brought back the term dogs. They are not crazy like us. “dominance”. Now I hear a lot The average dog guardian just of people blaming their dog’s wants their dogs to respect them behavior on being dominant. and be a fun-loving member of Just to clarify, dominance in the family. This can easily be dogs is defined as priority access achieved by being a benevolent to a limited resource. In other leader. There is a popular show words, two dogs and one bone… called the Dog Whisperer. Cesar there is a good possibility that Milan has an assertive, confident one dog will become dominant approach with the dogs he to win the prize of the bone over works with. The film crew does the other dog. Dogs who jump, a great job at making him look pull on the leash, or refuse to like the master of all dogs. One perform a specific task are not minute the dog is dragging his acting in a dominant manner. person down the street, they go They are simply exhibiting a lack to a commercial break and when of manners and respect. they come back Cesar is walking Instead, I like to appear the same dog with his pinky. calm and confident to my dogs This is not realistic. Training and the dogs I work with. Dogs
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need to know you are in control. They thrive on leadership and are able to relax knowing they don’t have to be the one in charge. By expecting your dog to “say please”, many unwanted behaviors will be eliminated. By teaching them impulse control, they will start to understand that the world does not revolve around them. Teaching a dog a solid leave it, drop, watch, stay, and come will improve your relationship in so many ways. These commands will give you the ability to communicate with your dog without using any force. I also utilize the benefits of therapeutic-grade essential oils to help me speed up the behavior modification portion of my training. I have found that essential oils such as Lavender and a blend called Peace &
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Holistic Dog Training cont’d Calming aid in helping dogs overcome their anxieties and phobias. Another blend called Valor is incredible for dogs who lack confidence or are incredibly shy. I highly recommend feeding a raw diet that is species appropriate and providing adequate exercise. Different breeds require different amounts of exercise. A walk around the block might be enough for a French Bulldog, but isn’t going to cut it for a young Labrador Retriever. Many dogs were bred to work whether in the field, on the ranch, or in the mountains. If you share your life with a dog I hope that you will take a deeper look at your relationship and think of ways to improve your communication. For those of you thinking about adding a new dog to your household, please take the time to truly consider the best match for you, your family, and existing pets. Finally, consider making adoption your first option. There are so many dogs in shelters and rescues across the country. Puppies and dogs are dying every day because there are not enough people to adopt them. The appreciation you will receive from a dog that is rescued from a less than adequate situation is like no other. If you have any questions about adopting your next canine companion or have behavior concerns for a dog you already share your life with, I’d be happy to talk to you. I am offering a free 15 minute phone consultation for all MARCI readers.
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Dee Broton steps outside the traditional training box and uses Young Living Essential Oils, flower essences, a natural diet and exercise to assist in her behavior modification regime when it comes to dogs plagued with fear and anxiety, as well as aggression. Dee’s philosophy is to heal the dog’s mind, body, and spirit, and to strengthen the bond with their family by creating harmony in the pack.
MEMBERS CLUB OFFER: 10% discount off services Holistic Behavior Solutions, LLC 973.713.0175 holisticbehaviorsolutions@gmail.com http://holisticbehaviorsolutions.blogspot.com
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WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT MARCITM... “Well worth the read! Powerful and inspiring HMNetwork of Holistic Practitioners share their years of Health and Wellness wisdom in MARCITM Magazine... and they are waiting to help you too.”
Erin Saxton
Former Television Producer for Barbara Walters, “The View” CEO and President, The Idea Network Representing Jack Canfield, Lisa Nichols, and many more fantastic people and companies
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Yes, Dogs Do Go to Heaven by Rosie’s Mom… Arlene Rich
Allow me to tell you about our little Rosie who stole everyone’s heart. We adopted Rosie when she was 10 months old. Rosie is an English Cocker Spaniel with the most beautiful loving brown eyes. Over the years everyone who ever pet her commented on how silky and beautiful her coat was. But it is the love that she exuded in those eyes that captivated all who met her. Rosie was part of our family for almost 16 years. People would call me Rosie’s mom, they may not have remembered my name but they remembered hers! When it was time for her to leave this lifetime it was very emotional for everyone. We knew that we had to make the decision to let her go in peace, dignity, and not to have her
suffer anymore. The day we took her to the vet I held her, told her how much we loved her, and told her how much happiness she had brought to our family and the lives of everyone she touched. I held her in my arms when she took her last breath. Afterwards I was listening to my car radio while driving to meet my friend at the park to walk. I asked God to give me a sign that Rosie was ok now. As a Spiritual Medium I have brought through for my clients many animals that have crossed over. I immediately heard a voice say turn on your CD player. I have a 10-CD changer that I do not use regularly. The answer came in these words as a direct response to my question: “I’ll walk with God from this day on. There is no death though eyes grow dim. There is no fear
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when I’m near to him.” Then in my mind’s eye I “saw” Rosie as a young 10-month-old frolicking in a beautiful meadow, where she was very happy and healthy again! I was amazed!!! This was not a CD I had played even in the last year, nor is that the first song on the CD or were they the first words of the song! What a gift I had been given. When I met my friend at the park I was crying – not tears of sorrow, but tears of gratitude that I had my answer – Rosie was “home” being well taken care of once again. The signs didn’t end there. As we were walking we saw a puppy exactly like Rosie, a Black English Cocker Spaniel about 10 months old! This color and type of dog is rare to see! But I had been given another
Rosie (left) and Remi (right)
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Yes, Dogs Do cont’d symbol just to make certain I knew she was ok. I started laughing through my tears and looked up to the sky and said, “Thanks God! Thank you for answering my prayers.” It was such a blessing to receive these messages for myself and my family. Rosie has been gone physically from my life for 3 years now but she is still very much a part of my life. I can tell by our other dogs, especially Remi (pictured with Rosie) who was Rosie’s pal for 5½ years that she comes to visit! I hope by telling Rosie’s story that it brings comfort to everyone who has ever loved and had to let go of their beloved pet. You will be with them again someday and they are being well taken care of!
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Arlene Rich is a Spiritual Medium and an Advanced Clinical Hypnotherapist as well as an Interfaith Minister and Spiritual Counselor. Arlene feels she has been given her psychic gifts to help others achieve a better life for themselves. She is a bridge to the Other Side! Arlene helps give clients a new perspective on the life they are living by getting them in touch with someone in spirit, helping them through past life regression, and with hypnotherapy sessions. The Spiritual Awakening offers workshops and individual readings. www.thespiritualawakening.com 973.398.0169
MEMBERS CLUB OFFER: 10% off Spiritual Medium private reading
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We’ve all been devastated by the ecodestruction caused by the greatest oil spill in US history. Livelihoods have been lost, a good portion of the nation’s seafood supply interrupted, the marine life food chain disrupted, not to mention the harm to all marine wildlife that live in the Gulf waters. Then there’s the environmental destruction: the full extent of the consequences probably won’t be known for many years or even decades. As distressing as the environmental concerns are, what is even more horrifying is the effect on area wildlife. The images of crab and other sea life flocking together to get away from the oil is appalling and sickening. Even with the heroic efforts of volunteers cleaning the oil off of the animals one by one, the oil still leaves an emotional mark. As of early August 2010, the confirmed number of dead wildlife stands at 3271 birds, 503 sea turtles, and 64 marine animals. The total impact is obviously greater: 4914 birds, 843 sea turtles, and 69 marine animals.1 Many believe that since we can’t save all the sea turtles or all the brown pelicans that we should just abandon them to their fate. Since when did life become less than sacred? We share this earth with other sentient beings (i.e., animals) that feel pain not just physically but emotionally as well. All life is precious and should be
Our Care and Responsibility to Wildlife by Sarah M. Collins
respected as such. Where is the care, the compassion? It should not be the domain of only the few. Isn’t it time we become more aware of life outside our own? To paraphrase Albert Einstein, “A new manner of thinking is required if mankind is to survive”. Modern life is harried and hectic. Every new invention that seemingly will make our lives easier actually has the opposite effect. Take computers for example: how many hours a day do you spend at your computer looking at email, browsing the internet, shopping, looking for a mate, etc.? For something designed to simplify life (and it does in many areas), it sure takes a lot of time – precious time away
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from the things that really matter… like relationships. Then there’s the issue of the almighty dollar. It always seems as if there’s perpetual time for this inexhaustible pursuit, but the real necessities of life – love, laughter, companionship – take a backseat to money. When did our priorities get so screwed up? And when are we collectively going to awaken and see the folly in our self-centered quest for the latest and greatest? With a new world age upon us, isn’t it time we changed our focus and started showing more concern for each other and the wildlife we share the planet with? Not to mention Mother Earth. As the more intelligent species on the planet, it is up to us to be the stewards of the planet and all its varied life forms. The wildlife literally running for its life from the oil spill is our responsibility and not just because we created this mess. Together we can brainstorm and come up with a reasonable solution, first to see that this never happens again, and second, to devise a sustainable plan of rescue for the area wildlife. Many people have good intentions, but this problem would be better served if we could come together as one and implement the solution. You can do your part by acting out at the local level. Write a letter to the editor of the local newspaper,
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Our Care cont’d start a local meet-up with others that would like to be part of the solution. Write your Congressmen and other representatives in Washington, and if you live outside the United States, make some noise so your local politicians know you care about this situation. Because if it can happen here in the U.S., it can happen anywhere. This is not just a local problem or a
US problem; it’s a global problem as well and it’s time to embrace the global community. Show you care by standing up for all life. Begin by changing you mindset; move your focus away from yourself and embrace the concept of looking out for others. Start with your neighbor and let your newfound awareness grow to include the whole world. Together, we can change the world. Defenders of Wildlife statistics, www.defendersofwildlife.com
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Sarah M. Collins loves all animals. One day she hopes to open a foundation to assist homeless animals and to create a solution to animal suffering. Learn more about Sarah at www.WellnessCareToday.com and www.TheLittleGuideToBigChanges.com.
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There are many life forms with whom we share the planet, yet mankind has always had a special relationship with the animals. There is the potential, for those of us living in a suburban or rural environment, to cross paths with a diverse group of animals on a daily basis. Even those city dwellers among us are finding a wider variety of species occupying territories that, in the past, would have been foregone in favor of more rural environs. From the ever-present squirrels in our backyards, to the woodchucks along the roadside, to the elusive blue heron picking its way along the riverbank, to the stately stag in the meadow, there are ample opportunities to learn from the animals. Animals are instinctual creatures, completely in accord with nature and the forces of Creation. The Universe, a vast, complex hierarchy of spiritual energy, intent, and purpose, uses animals to communicate with the less instinctive creatures with whom they share the planet – human beings. Those on the receiving end of this bargain are often quite obtuse and miss the signal and the meaning altogether. We are so focused upon what we need to accomplish each day, upon our personal agendas, that we often forget to look at the world with wonder. We forget to embrace the beauty of the moment, and we forget to look for the gifts of Spirit. One of the most important gifts is the message or the omen that an animal can
long and sorted history related to omens that during the last century, mankind went in entirely the opposite direction, embracing science and fact, refusing to acknowledge the by Christina Lynn Whited existence of omens. Those who live close to the nature, as well as indigenous peoples, have long understood the messages inherent in the behavior of animals. Then along came the Age of Aquarius and the counter culture movement of the 1960’s, and mankind’s collective consciousness began to expand once again. Through the resurgence of interest in Native American cultures, we began to understand the meaning of animal totems and the significance of animals in our lives. There are many good books on the topic of totem bring into our lives. spirits and the meaning and The ancient Romans lessons these creatures have were so obsessed with omens for us, but animals are here to that they rarely made a bring us messages and omens decision without looking for as well. an omen or portend related to It is the animal that their concern. In many ways it stands out, the bird that soars hampered the use of their free too close to your car, the one will; in other ways, it helped that dart across your path to point them in the right when walking in the woods, direction. that brings the message to you. During the Middle Ages Listen with your heart, examine superstition ran rampant. the behavior or the rarity of the Anything that was not event, and the message will understood was suspect and come. those in power often used fear If bluebirds are rare in and superstition to manipulate your neck of the woods, then the people. Omens were a seeing one is a special blessing. very effective way of doing just You could interpret this as the that, and omens and signs were Universe congratulating you often interpreted in such a way for the good work you are as to manipulate the masses. doing, or it could be an omen There has been such a cont’d on next page
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Animals, Omens, and Messages
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overabundance of squirrel medicine hardly signifies something special, yet there cont’d are still special messages within of good things to come, simply the time frame of autumn. If a a good day to be alive. Examine squirrel is sitting on the roof of your thoughts before the bird your car when you venture out appeared – were you planning a for the day, that is a message. new project or working out the Is he clutching a nut or eating details of a current problem? one? What crosses your mind? Then the bluebird is telling Squirrels can be telling you that you are on the right you that you need to store up track. If nothing much was on energy in some aspect of your your mind, what was the first life. Perhaps you need to sit thing you thought of as you still and rejuvenate? Is there glimpsed this elusive creature? a need to be more mindful of Did the Bluebird of Happiness what you are eating? Maybe cross your mind? If so, look you need to take stock of what for special blessings in the days you are hoarding? The message ahead. is yours to find. In the fall, squirrels If on the other hand, are everywhere. Such an every time you go out the back
Animals
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door you find squirrels playing in your backyard, on your favorite tree, maybe the message is more basic. More play for you. Squirrel knows how to create a balance between work and play – something that is often sorely lacking in our hectic lives. Have you found a feather on the windshield of your car? Do you know that it is a gift from Spirit? Some people collect the feathers they find and display them proudly in their homes in lieu of flowers. If you decide to assign a meaning to the color of the feathers, white comes from the angels, gray comes from your Spirit Guides, for example, then Spirit and the animals will cooperate to send you the color
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Animals cont’d feather you need or deserve. The members of the animal kingdom are willing and able partners in the Cosmic Plan, bearers of messages and omens for humankind. Take the time to look for the messages, to assess the omens, to honor the givers. The animals and birds will not cease their offerings, even if we do not acknowledge them, but they will be happier if we do our part and express our gratitude for their contribution to the good of all by being the messengers between our worlds. Connect with them, honor them, and acknowledge their contribution and their wisdom. Your life will be richer for it. Rev. Christina Lynn Whited has developed Soul Path Clearance and created Unconscious Scripts Release as a means of empowerment for her clients. She is head of the Circle of Intention School of Intuitive Sciences in High Bridge, New Jersey, and is available for private consultations. www.CircleOfIntention.com 908.638.9066
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This poem (poet unknown) was sent in separately by two individuals, both who were touched and found it appropriate for losing a loved one being human or animal: Ingrid Werner Rema Originals 201.871.3811 www.saltcrystallights.com
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Vivian Sartoretto Harmony Holistic Wellness Center 973.426.9208 www.harmonyholisticwellnesscenter.com
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Photography © Sean Nichols/Joanna DeGroot Stingrays in Grand Cayman
Book Review contact. Dogs on the other hand greet one another by approaching on an angle as subtle as it may be and then proceed to sniff each others’ rear ends. The people in the equation usually pull their dogs away from one another and typically yell at them to stop thus interrupting the dog’s natural greeting behavior. Suzanne points out that if we take the time to understand the way dogs communicate, we can also learn to communicate with them hence eliminating a lot of miscommunication and therefore deepening our relationships.
If A Dog’s Prayers Were Answered… Bones Would Rain from the Sky: Deepening our Relationships with Dogs by Suzanne Clothier, reviewed by Dee Broton Suzanne Clothier uses a holistic approach to introduce her readers to a method of dog training that uses various forms of communication to bring a deeper sense of understanding between dog and human. Suzanne helps us to see things from the dog’s unique perspective. Dogs in particular experience the world so very differently from us humans. They have their own language and culture. Suzanne explains how our different cultures can collide leading to terrible consequences if we do not respect each other. It is very similar to various cultures of people clashing due to opposing views. An American, for instance greets strangers and friends alike with a hand shake after approaching head on maintaining direct eye
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Aggression is one very common misinterpreted behavior. Dogs are often labeled aggressive when they growl, lunge, and/or bite. There is usually little consideration as to why the dog acted in such a way, just that they did and it is not acceptable in our culture for those thought to be subordinates to act in such a way. Suzanne reminds us in chapter 16 that aggression is very much a part of our daily lives. People get aggressive when they are driving in traffic and beep and yell profanities at the person who cuts them off. The person cutting into traffic is also acting in an aggressive manner. Some people loose their temper quicker than others. Dogs are no different in that regard. Dogs show signs of aggression when they are in pain, fearful, irritated, angry, protective of territory and family (both canine and human), and for self-defense. And again, as with humans, they may have a biochemical imbalance. I would recommend that anyone sharing their lives with dogs or thinking about adding a dog to their family read this book. It is eye-opening and intriguing book that will keep your attention from start to finish.
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Review by Dee Broton, dog training and behavior modification specialist, founder of Holistic Behavior Solutions, LLC, and YLEO Independent Distributor. www.holisticbehaviorsolutions.blogspot.com
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Announcements
Changing Health (formerly called The Nagano Project) opened its first donation-based acupuncture clinic on August 30th at Domestic Workers United in Manhattan. Changing Health is New York State’s first non-profit dedicated to facilitating and maintaining acupuncture treatment centers for people in need. Check out their new website at www.changinghealthinc.org to learn more about how you can help us help a lot of people.
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Announcements
Introducing HMN’s Newest Members of 2010… From New Jersey: Susan Freeman, The Art of the Heart Linda Gros, A Center for Light Eileen Maciejunes, Universal Health, LLC Robin Mansfield, Goddess in Eden Lyn Ann Edelman Arlene Rich, The Spiritual Awakening Center Christine Spaziano, Kwan Yin Center of Light Joan Velardi, Kali Energy Healing Christina Whited, Circle Of Intention Dr. Barbara Gibbons, Gibbons Holistic Barbara L. Finlayson, The Art of Balance Monika Hamburger, ComForCare Home Care Josephine Jacoby, Body Energy Balancing Louise Mikkelsen Sheila Pearl, Mind-Body-Spirit Connections Life Donna Reynolds, Willow Moon Herbals, LLC Louise Umberto, Empowered to Heal Lee Ann LaRocca, Montclair Metaphysical Center Lee VanZyl, Montclair Metaphysical Center Jenifer West (Natural Awakenings - Bergen/Passaic Counties) Miriam Divinsky, Center for Wellness Renae Jensen, Conscious Design Inc. Mei Jin Lu, Feng Shui Catalog Tara Shakti, From Work To Oneness: Bridging The Gap Karen Flaherty, Custom Health Solutions, LLC Colleen Murray-Seig and Rosina Valvo, The Natural Health Center Shelley Tzorfas, Better School Results Joann Bjornson, Interfaith Council of Homeless Families of Morris County
From Outside of New Jersey: Enrique & Kristen Dura, Allá Arriba (Holistic Retreat Center), Argentina Elena Tonetti, Birth Into Being, California
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Now through October 10 Encounters: A Sculptors Guild exhibition on Governor’s Island, NYC www.sculptorsguild.org/governorsisland.html
Monday, September 27 [ 9:00 - 10:00pm Fall Detox With a Difference: Teleconference www.lifestylesofthehealthyheart.org/Lifestyles_of_the_Healthy_Heart/Workshop_Special2.html Saturday, October 2 [ 7:00 - 8:00pm Quartz Crystal Singing Bowl Healing Music Concert Dance Works Academy | Centennial Court, 4 Farm St, Upton, MA 01568 www.tlovereiki.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18&Itemid=30 Sunday, October 17 [ 2:00 - 4:00pm Quartz Crystal Singing Bowl Healing Music Concert Lakeside Concert | 4 Hidden Valley Road, Newton, NJ 07860 www.tlovereiki.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18&Itemid=30 Tuesday, November 16 [ 11:00am - 12:00pm Quartz Crystal Singing Bowl Healing Music Concert Sussex County Community College, Newton, NJ 07860 www.tlovereiki.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18&Itemid=30 Friday - Monday, December 3-6 Matrix Energetics Seminar with Dr. Richard Bartlett, Level 1&2 Doubletree Hotel SEA Airport, Seattle, WA www.Matrixenergetics.com
Tuesday, December 7 Matrix Energetics with Dr. Richard Bartlett - Practitioner’s Certification Class Doubletree Hotel SEA Airport, Seattle, WA www.Matrixenergetics.com
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Holistic Mentorship Network Chapter Meetings New Jersey
Butler: 4th Friday of the month, 7:00 - 9:00pm Peaceful Paths, 7 High Street, Butler, NJ Theresa Flynn: 201.919.5688 | tflyn1@yahoo.com
Middlesex/Monmouth County: 1st Wednesday of the month, 6:00 - 8:00pm The Natural Health Center of Central NJ, North Brunswick, NJ Rosina Valvo: 732.821.5800 | NHCOFEHJ@verizon.net Morris County: 3rd Tuesday of the month, 7:00 - 9:00pm New location: Presbyterian Church, 65 South Street, Morristown, NJ Lisa MacGray: 973.879.1106 | macgral@optonline.net
Northwest NJ (Sussex County): 4th Friday of the month 9:30 - 11:30am Unity Church of Sussex County, 25 Mudcut Road, Lafayette, NJ Tracy Nosal: 973.978.4230 | tnosal1234@aol.com Washington County: 4th Thursday of the month, 9:30 - 11:30am Mount Eden, 56 Millpond Road, Washington, NJ 07882 Eileen Maciejunes: 908.362.6353 | eileenmaciejunes@yahoo.com
! Montclair: 3rd Wednesday of the month, 7:00 - 9:00pm NEW Goddess in Eden, 74 Church Street, Montclair, NJ
Robin Mansfield: 973.919.3600 | goddessineden@comcast.net
! Bergen County: October 21 | 3rd Thursday of the month, 7:00 - 9:00pm NEW Advanced Healing Center, 41 Locus Street, Emerson, NJ Barbara Finlayson: 201.641.9008 | shiatsulady@aol.com
Pennsylvania ! The Poconos: Friday, October 22, 6:00 - 8:00pm NEW Corporate Health School, 753 Phillips Street, Stroudsburg, PA Ellen Suazo: 877.875.9634 | esuazo@mindshiftingintl.com
The launch of Milford, PA and NYC chapters are underway!
Interested in starting a new chapter in your area? Learn more here: www.holisticmentorshipnetwork.com/New_Chapters.htm
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