Conscious Life Journal by Conscious Life Journal

Exclusive Interview with

LAURA

DAY The Gift of Intuition

CONSCIOUS LIFE

OVERVIEW

Net Zero ENERGY SPIRITUALMASTERY vs.Complacency

The Power of

EPIGENETICS

Living Consciously September/October 2018

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CONTENTS

LIFESTYLE 26

INTERVIEWS 6

Conversation with A Laura Day

FEATURES 10 S piritual Mastery vs. Complacency Michael Mirdad

SPECIAL SERIES— Living Consciously

TO YOUR HEALTH 18 Allopathic or Holistic Medicine

CONSCIOUS PERSPECTIVES 22

B uilding A Winning Business Rob Vachon

E arth: Cultivating Anima Mundi with the Land Melody LeBaron

New Paradigm for Empaths A Elizabeth Locey

S ocial: No Games Is More Fun! Laina Orlando

H arnessing the Power of Epigenetics Deane Alban

25 T he Plastic Predicament Sherri Danzig

H ealth: How You Treat Your Body Christina McCarthy

12 13

S piritual: From Little Lies to Higher Truth Patty Binns Farinola

LET’S GET PERSONAL 30

Melba Black, PhD

O ptimism in the Fight Against Plastic Pollution (insert) Hannah Testa

G et on the Path to Net Zero Energy Joseph Emerson

31 32

C onscious 360 Overview— Summary of the 5 Stages; Question and Answer with Hope Merrill S tage 1/Mind What Is Functional Medicine? Suzanne Turner, MD S tage 2/Body The Woman Who Saw Color Singing Sharron Ragan

S tage 3/Spirit Is Your Emotional Filter In Backwards? Glenn Pearson

S tage 4/Integration You Are the Universe Avril Loy James

S tage 5/Balance Balancing Energy and Stress in the Work Environment Alison Mills-Long

COLUMNS 9

F ully Human, Fully Spiritual Rev. Richard Burdick

G etting to The Harmony Point Jay Fenello

R eal Talk: Transformation 101 Martha Burgess Novak

H ealing with Essential Oils Angila Reid

B ubble Talk with Burge: Do You Have a Fear of the Unknown? Burge Smith-Lyons

38 38

MARKETPLACE September/October 2018

Editorial Board|ADVISORY COUNCIL Tammy Billups TammyBillups.com

Martha Burgess Novak MarthaBurgessNovak.net

Melba Black, PhD SphereInnovationGroup.com

Sharron Ragan SharronRagan.com

Nanette Littlestone Editor in Chief WordsOfPassion.com Nanette@myconsciouslifejournal.com

Robert Dallas, PhD TheDallasCenter.com

Lorelei Robbins RobbinsCosmicNest.com

Elise L. Vachon Editor Elise@myconsciouslifejournal.com

Mary Simpson BeingGoodKarma.com

Brian Perry yesbrianperry@gmail.com

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Contributing|WRITERS

Hope Merrill Publisher myconsciouslifejournal.com Hope@myconsciouslifejournal.com

Kim Grayson Accounting Kim@myconsciouslifejournal.com Dianne McAlexander, Art Direction Graphic Design DianneMcAlexander.com Dianne@myconsciouslifejournal.com Jason Beever Web Design/Development Jason@myconsciouslifejournal.com

ADVERTISE WITH US! myconsciouslifejournal.com/advertise Email us for more information: advertising@myconsciouslifejournal.com

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Deane Alban deanebebrainfit.com

Christina McCarthy mcstina@gmail.com

Melba M. Black, PhD melbadruid@gmail.com

Alison Mills-Long alisonmlong@empoweredbysource.com

Richard Burdick rburdick@unitynorth.org

Michael Mirdad judy@grailproductions.com

Martha Burgess Novak theburgessprocess@yahoo.com

Laina Orlando laina@lainaorlando.com

Sherri Danzig sherri@sherridanzig.com

Glenn Pearson glennpearson1.0@gmail.com

Joseph Emerson josephemer@gmail.com

Sharron Ragan sharron@sharronragan.com

Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission of the copyright holder.

Patty Binns Farinola patty@theawarenessstudio.com

Angila Reid angireid@comcast.net

Jay Fenello Jay@MindVizor.com

Burge Smith-Lyons burge@essenceofbeing.com

Conscious Life Journal is published six times yearly by Conscious 360°, LLC 5930 Vaughn Road, Canton, GA 30115

Avril Loy James avriljameshurt@gmail.com

Hannah Testa hannah4change@gmail.com

Melody LeBaron melody.lebaron@gmail.com

Suzanne Turner, MD drturner@vinemedical.com

Elizabeth Locey elizabeth@elizabethlocey.com

Rob Vachon robvachon1@gmail.com

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The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness. —Lao Tzu

Local|EVENTS Check out a sampling of some of the EVENTS coming up in SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER!

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from

The Publisher

Dear Conscious One,

Welcome to the first issue of our 6 issues exploring the joys and challenges of living a conscious life! This issue is the OVERVIEW issue and sets the stage for our deep dive into subsequent issues regarding our Conscious Mind, Conscious Spirit, Conscious Body, Conscious Integration, and Conscious Balance. Living joyfully and healing is an inside job, but you don’t have to do it alone. It is our extreme pleasure to be your guide, your community, and your resource. Our interview this issue is with Laura Day. And what a joy! Smart, savvy, and gifted, Laura gets practical and mystical at the same time in our conversation and provides sage advice and a unique perspective about using your intuition and your community. I love this quote: “Whether your community is an apartment building, or the people you travel on the bus with to work, you have a community and if you get to know them the resources you need are there. Your intuitives are there. The person sitting next to you has your answers and your healing.” Laura will be in Atlanta in October and I urge you to register for one of her events. www.lauraday.com Our series this issue covers Living Consciously in all areas of your life—Spiritual, Earth, Social, and Health. It is a roadmap, if you will, to creating joy and balance in your life. We also have a new section in the Journal entitled TO YOUR HEALTH. It is in this new section that we will engage in topics specifically prepared to assist you in shifting into a healthier you! We begin with an exploration of Allopathic Medicine vs. Holistic Medicine. If you love the Journal, we could use your help getting the word out. Subscribe and/or join our mailing list, and be sure to share with a friend. And remember, our advertisers are the Journal’s sole financial support. Please seek them out, call them, buy their products and services, and urge others to join you in doing the same. We welcome your thoughts, comments, and review. Simply send an email to hope@ myconsciouslifejournal.com. Our goal is to serve our conscious community and those seeking to live more consciously. Let us know how we are doing! In Gratitude,

www.myconsciouslifejournal.com and receive a monthly email of events in our area. Our conscious community is the perfect place to find events, resources and joyful opportunities to thrive!

SEPTEMBER Sylina Two Bears

Tapping into the Cosmic Wisdom of the Mayan Calendar and Mayan Fire Ceremony

September 8-October 6

Kashi Urban Yoga Ashram/Atlanta

Gregg Braden

The New Human Story

September 14-15 Unity North/Atlanta

Kim Ellet

Are you the CEO of Your Own Life?

September 18

Unity North/Atlanta

Center for Spiritual Awareness MEDITATION SEMINAR with Roy Eugene Davis

September 30

Atlanta Marriott Century Center Hotel

OCTOBER Burge Smith-Lyons ESSENCE OF BEING

October 5-7

Hampton Inn Suites/Atlanta

Forever and a Day

NEW AGE EMPORIUM

Fall Festival October 13

Allyson & Chantal

THE LOVE & MONEY CONNECTION EVENT

October 20-21

The Whitley Hotel/Atlanta

Laura Day

Publisher hope@myconsciouslifejournal.com

PRACTICAL INTUITION and the Structure of Spirit

October 21

DoubleTree Atlanta/Buckhead

September/October 2018

INTERVIEW A conversation with

LAURA DAY CLJ: Your gift of intuition is so important for so many people. Tell us about how that makes life easier. LD: My gift is actually the gift of showing people that they all have the gift that they think I have. We’re taught to give away our power. But everybody is intuitive and one of the things that I do that is most powerful for people is get them to close down parts of their intuition so they stop having arguments with people they shouldn’t be talking to telepathically, or so they fully inhabit their own body and don’t have a lot of other people in there with them. People don’t target their intuition toward the things that make life easier—being fully in yourself and intuitive about the moment so that in the moment you can respond correctly for your goals. Setting goals is a very important part of it, as is really allowing intuition to preview for you in an empowering way what is coming up so that you can make choices about it. One of the things I hate about predictions is that people get a reading and they are so quick to say, “I’m powerless. This is what’s going to happen.” You have options. You can change everything in this moment, now. And that’s what precognition is wonderful for; it’s how to live today in a way that tomorrow is what you want it to be, and you enjoy today. Even with something difficult, if you feel empowered to deal with it effectively, it becomes a challenge instead of a burden. We all think we should be doing everything so much better but if we were less abusive to ourselves and our psyches we would do better anyway. One of the things I’m really focusing on is how do I enjoy this moment while making the next moment good. But let me not throw away this moment. What happens is you keep throwing away the moments, planning for something or worrying about something, and you get to the end and all you have are discarded moments. And every moment is so precious, even the moments 6

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that are difficult, because you find things in yourself that are astounding.

CLJ: What about the people who say, “I can’t trust what I think I’m seeing in the future.” How do you work them through that? LD: I do what I call evidence-based intuition, so trust has no place in that. You learn a methodology to be able to clear photos by Chris Fanning some of the brush away so you can see more clearly, and then you keep track of your predictions both near and far. What you are training yourself to do is make accurate predictions, to notice where your inaccuracies happen, and to be able to use intuition along with judgment and intellect to weed through what’s appropriate and what’s not. If you have had an intuition since childhood that you’re going to die drowning, I guarantee you’re not going to die drowning, because that is not how intuition works. Intuition is immediate and actionable, and unless you’re really unwell, it doesn’t tell you things you can’t do something about. But it’s really important to keep track of your intuition. Even I can be off, so I keep track, and if I’m totally off in the near term I know I was having a bad moment and I discount the far. There’s a methodology to it. Intuition’s not magic. The glory of intuition is that everybody has it, everyone can use it, but just like you trained your intellect in school for at least eighteen years and you trained your emotions starting the day you were born, intuition takes some discipline and training. But it’s so worth it because it makes the rest of your life easier.

CLJ: Everyone has the ability to play music or sing but some people are more gifted and have that ability in a stronger and more present way. Do you believe that applies to intuition?

LD: Well, you clearly haven’t heard me sing. Really good people, like myself, who are exceptional intuitives are defective human beings. They’re not good at the everyday things like communicating, being present, and being consistent. People like me paid an early price for being able to have brains that can do what I do. And not a price I would encourage people to pay. I’ve worked very hard on being a functional, good human being. The blessing for me was that very early in my life a group of researchers wanted me as a test subject, so they took what could have become an illness and ruined my life, and they tested it for their own purposes and showed me that it was functional. They gave me a framework for it and a way to hone the accuracy of it. But usually people like myself are not that fortunate and they can’t figure out what day it is or where they are or do anything practical. They’re not in their bodies so they can’t connect. Having an ego is a wonderful, wonderful thing. An ego is anything you can describe by “I” – I am, I love, I care, I value, I accomplish. And that’s what we’re here to learn. Intuition can just help us do it better.

CLJ: What a gift for you. It shaped your entire life, didn’t it? LD: It saved my life. Two siblings and my mother committed suicide. I was so fortunate, and this is one reason why I will not train very young people in intuition, because the very young should not be able to move accurately into their future or see something on TV and astral project and be there. The very young should be in the here and now, learning the rules and creating the inner structure that makes us human, which is a wonderful, difficult thing to be. People often train in intuition to get more power because it does make you very powerful—you make good investment decisions, you make good emotional decisions, you make good decisions. But what you end up learning is compassion because when you open up your intuition you don’t just see what someone else is doing, you feel what it’s like to be somebody else. My mother used to call it walking a mile in someone else’s moccasins. It really does change you if you’re embodied

enough to be able to make those changes. My life work is how do I learn how to be a good human and then add being a psychic in a conscious way to that experience? And that I have learned from my students.

CLJ: That brings me to a question about using intuition in relationships. As you do workshops do you help people create circles? LD: I have people create their own circles because I’m just one person, I can only teach so many workshops. A circle is about how you work on being human and work on creating a life for yourself with all those things human beings need—love and wealth and connection and purpose. Engaging not just intuition but intellect and the subconscious. The book The Circle has a workbook in the back so you can do the book as a group and then exchange reading and healing, which I really love. But part of being intuitive is knowing where you’re not intuitive. Let me tell you how I met my amazing husband. I finally realized that I was picking partners who resembled the adults in my childhood, as we often do, and those people did not make good partners. So I decided that I was only going to date men that my two best girlfriends, who had long marriages, picked for me, had known for at least ten years, and had been good to their ex-wives and were good fathers to their children. If I went to a party and a man asked for my number I’d ask for his card and then throw it away. And if I liked someone I would leave the party because I didn’t trust myself. I only dated men that were picked for me. And my husband was one of them. Whenever you put too much stress or burden on something it’s hard to be intuitive about it. When you’re looking for yourself, you know your wishes, you know your dreams, you have your subconscious patterns, so there are all these places where you can stumble. The Circle puts your intuition on automatic pilot. You set a goal and experience your intuition without having to know all the data, and it begins to change you without your getting caught up on is this right, is this wrong, do I believe this, don’t I believe this? It becomes an organic process.

“I believe in the gut and I believe in Laura Day.” -Brad Pitt

Laura Day is a 2-time NY Times bestselling author who has trained thousands of people to use their brains and perceptions in effective ways including scientists, celebrities, business executives, and other professionals to realize their goals while creating supportive and inspiring communities. Laura has appeared on numerous programs including The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, The View and CNN. She has been featured in many publications including Newsweek, New York Magazine, The Independent, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire and People Magazine. Join Laura as she leads Practical Intuition and the Structure of Spirit on Sunday, October 21, 2018 from 10 am - 4 pm at the DoubleTree Atlanta Buckhead. In this one-day training intensive you will:

• Experience how your psychic and

healing ability has been operating in your life and make choices about how to use it more effectively.

• Receive powerful psychic healings. • Learn how to structure a professional healing session.

• Discover a community of intuitives and

healers with whom to exchange support in the future.

• Program “cues” into your day that heal you as you do routine activities.

• Learn a simple technique to use your

dream state for healing and guidance.

Laura will be doing healings and readings along with the group. There will be support for ongoing study for those who are interested. For tickets visit: lauraday.com/events

continued on p8

September/October 2018

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In order to create something that’s different from what you’ve created before, you need to look for new methods to be able to find a new path that you haven’t been exposed to. Experience only tells us what we know. But intuition allows you to have a question or a goal and bring in information that you didn’t know, possibilities you didn’t see. CLJ: Tell me more about that. LD: The Circle is a system that engages intuition and intellect and it reforms your subconscious to achieve one single goal. You choose what you want to create right now, and as you go through the nine elements, you learn the intuitive gifts that the elements need in order for you to create the goal. You work through the subconscious patterns that keep you from getting to the goal. So instead of working on your whole life, you’re working on what issues are getting in the way of this particular goal. And your intuition is targeted toward steering your machinery in a way that you encounter your goal without having to have a road map that you see and then follow. My books are a lot of work because they’re all “doing” books. You can sit on your couch and dream all you want, and you can do a lot without actually physically doing. How to Rule the World from Your Couch is called that because you can influence a situation using telepathy from a distance. You can use mediumship and have a really deep connection with someone, even someone you don’t know. You can use remote viewing and astral projection. You can use all of these skills to be in the world from your couch. However, it is also important to get up off your couch. A lot of us spend a lot of time planning and not a lot of time actually living and it’s all about the living. The joke about me is you leave me on February 10 on a corner of the couch, and you come back March 10 and I haven’t moved. I can do quite a bit without ever moving, but I miss a lot of life that way. It is so much quicker and more pleasurable to

Fully Human Richard Burdick Fully Spiritual

“Better questions lead to the

also physically engage in life and not just psychically engage, although it’s a little more risky and a little more tiresome.

CLJ: A lot of our readers are newly awake and may be coming from backgrounds where this sort of thing is woo-woo. What would you say to those people to empower them to recognize that they also have this inside of them? LD: There’s a lot of scientific research on everything from telepathy to mediumship to precognition. I work with Fortune 500 companies, major corporations. But my inner tagline for Welcome to Your Crisis was “rock bottom is a good place to start.” You spend your life holding on to what you have and when it’s taken from you, as devastating as that is, whether it’s a person or belief in yourself, it leaves a space for you to create. In order to create something that’s different from what you’ve created before, you need to look for new methods to be able to find a new path that you haven’t been exposed to. Experience only tells us what we know. But intuition allows you to have a question or a goal and bring in information that you didn’t know, possibilities you didn’t see. If you walked by a wall of doors and you’d never seen a door, you’d keep walking, you wouldn’t know you could open that door and go somewhere else. That is what intuition allows you to do. We live in a time of experts. But we are also each other’s experts. Whether your community is an apartment building, or the people you travel on the bus with to work, you have a community and if you get to know them the resources you need are there. Your intuitives are there. The person sitting next to you has your answers and your healing. These are very easy innate abilities that we can engage right now to dramatically change our lives.h

transformation we seek. Who am I? What is mine to do? How can I make a difference here? What is possible here?”

any people find themselves on the proverbial merry-go-round of life, perennially asking the question why? Why did this happen? Why did that happen? Why can’t I? Why should I? Why is this happening again? History has taught us that the quality of the question determines the quality of the experience, and “why” is a dangerous road to perpetual suffering. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good inquiry to make when considering circumstances, but don’t camp out there. Asking why can afford the opportunity to release, process, and forgive what needs addressing, but eventually, a great remembrance of Absolute truth must dominate our consciousness. Better questions lead to the transformation we seek. Who am I? What is mine to do? How can I make a difference here? What is possible here? These questions more effectively lead us from any consciousness of victimhood and guide us to a place of “verity consciousness” where the Divine idea of life, as each of us, dwells. You and I, and all who have ever walked the face of the earth, are the veritable Presence of love. To the degree we remember this truth, we heal what needs healing and transform what needs transforming. As the prodigal son or daughter “comes to oneself,” transformation becomes less about the changing of effects and more about the recalling of Absolute reality. When we remind ourselves who we are, and the purpose for which we have been born, we create an energetic shift that frees us from the bondage of worldly effects. The vibrational frequency of our attention drops to a more authentic place of spiritual being. This shift reminds us how powerful we are and that we are only one thought away from having the experience we seek. A deep realization emerges that transformation and healing are no longer needed, and never were. We’re already home. Whatever our experience may be, underneath it is a Divine idea, a perfect and omnipresent reality. The quality of the experience is evidence that either the idea has been forgotten or remembered. Behind cancer is the Divine idea of health. Behind poverty is the Divine idea of prosperity. Behind fear is the Divine idea of love. Behind you and every life situation is the Divine idea of life, either remembered or forgotten. Stay present to these Divine ideas, be a causal reality, and remember who you are. Ask good questions that lead you home and know that the only transformation ever needed is in consciousness.h

Rev. Richard Burdick is the Senior Minister at Unity North Atlanta. As a minister, teacher, and musician he is passionate about community building, interfaith cooperation, and transdenominational spirituality. More info about Richard and Unity North at www.unitynorth.org Discover Sunday mornings with Richard Burdick! At Unity North Atlanta, Sunday mornings are about you! We are in this together . . . on a journey of discovery. Learning, laughing, and growing, we take care of one another. Start your week off energized and ready to live your life to the fullest! unitynorth.org September/October 2017

Spiritual Mastery VS.

Complacency by Michael Mirdad

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s human beings develop a greater interest in becoming “Living Masters,” spiritual mastery becomes an essential tool (or discipline) to change our lives for the better. There are three steps to this kind of mastery: 1. R eceive new inspirations on how to improve our lives 2. F ocus our minds and willpower on following through with that new inspiration 3. Take proper actions, which means to get the ball rolling The problem is that many human beings have a tendency to get bogged down with life’s challenges, eventually losing hope and direction. Our ego (the fear-based part of our mind) adds to this problem. It lives on the premise that if it destroys us—even if only emotionally—then its continued survival is assured. This means that if we are ever happy and thriving in our lives, the ego will feel threatened and will do everything in its power to take us off course. Although a quick death (any change in our lives that causes fear and suffering) might cause us to question life and our trust in God, a slow death (the ego’s preferred choice) squeezes out our life force and more assuredly makes us lose all hope and faith. This slower form of emotional death also is more likely to keep us from recovering, regrouping, and bouncing back. This is when and how the human soul learns to become complacent.

HOW COMPLACENCY AFFECTS OUR SOUL

The most obvious forms of complacency include having relationships and/or jobs that are not in alignment with our soul’s purpose or perhaps overt feelings of sickness or depression. In such instances, the average human being knows they are unhappy with something in life and they learn to tolerate such feelings by feeding addictions or by regularly grumbling about their situation. The less obvious forms of complacency, and the most dangerous ones, tend to sneak in “under the radar” and affect far more areas of our lives than the more obvious forms. With the less obvious forms, it’s nearly impossible to recognize that something is even happening in our lives that is not quite right, as it comes on so gradually. And once we “sign on” to this negative pattern, it tends to fuel itself (stoking its fires with wounded fragments of our soul) and doesn’t need our conscious participation. These forms of complacency often manifest in our lives as more subtle forms of depression or an attitude of “why bother” when it comes to taking on new endeavors or completing old or current projects. This might also include having no hope that counseling might save our relationship or that our health and body are in such poor shape there is no hope of improvement. People suffering from this form of complacency rarely date or have healthy intimate relationships. They also tend to gossip, fail to keep their commitments, and fail to heed advice or make changes necessary to alter their lives for the better. Whether obvious or subtle, complacency is often at the root of depressive symptoms such as lack of abundance, lack of direction, and languishing in unhealthy relationships, ranging from family to partners. From these examples it should be evident that “complacency” and “lack” are very closely related. Fortunately, God is aware of the light in our soul growing dimmer by the day and sends many wake-up calls to snap us out of the trance of complacency. Masters learn to listen and follow these calls in order to thrive in their lives. Sadly, many of us ignore these calls, and barely survive among the living dead until our next lifetime. If our soul is a true part of us, and is the manifestation of our inner master, then doesn’t it stand to reason that we can’t feel complete or ever be complete without it? Jesus put it another way by asking, “If you came upon an incredible gift of immeasurable value, wouldn’t you sell everything you had to buy it?” The remembrance of our True Self and our True Life is priceless and worth doing whatever it takes to attain it. This means getting our priorities straight and no longer allowing anything of this world to stand in our way. After all, if we died tomorrow, without having remembered our True Self or our soul’s purpose (both of which come with attaining a sufficient level of mastery), would it not mean that we’d soon be right back here trying to get it right the next time? We must always remember, we have a body and a soul. Just as we feed our body when it hungers, we must also feed our soul, and, in fact, the soul should be a far greater priority than the body. “What does it value a man/ woman to gain the world but lose his/her soul?” What the soul hungers for is not the things of this world but rather spiritual food such as prayer and meditation. The soul also

feeds on a life of love, service, and forgiveness. But the soul truly thrives when we practice having our priorities straight, which means following our spiritual path. To do otherwise causes a sure death of our health, vitality, joy, relationships, and sense of purpose. If we suffer from any of the above, it’s probable that we have allowed ourselves to become complacent and lose sight of our soul’s purpose by failing to commit to our spiritual path in the form of cocreating a new life with Spirit as our God. In so doing, we shift from merely surviving in a life of complacency to more fully thriving in a life of spiritual expansion. Some of us are lucky enough to be doing our soul’s work, having healthy relationships, and feeling a regular sense of guidance. Of course luck has nothing to do with it. We had to have earned these qualities by making this lifestyle a reflection of something we are, rather than something we do only once in a while or merely when it’s convenient. Some people might read an occasional book, forgive once in a while, tithe here and there, sporadically nurture better health, and/or attend a spiritual workshop or conference now and again. But having a life that reflects a general or total sense of wellness and thriving means living this way ALL THE TIME. It might sound like quite the task, as though it means living the devout and austere life of a monk, but this is not the case. The solution is to regularly practice the healthy, balanced life of “Living Mastery” or living as though we are the gods and goddesses that Spirit created us to be.

WAYS TO NURTURE YOUR SOUL AND LIVE LIKE A MASTER Here are three simple ways to accomplish living like a master and nurturing your soul:

1. Say goodbye to things that don’t reflect the better life you seek. This may include saying goodbye to people, objects, and even jobs, as well as opinions, attitudes, and beliefs that no longer serve your Highest Good. If you are uncertain as to what you are ready to let go of, get a second opinion or feedback from someone you trust (e.g. counselor, psychic, friend, etc.). 2. Practice more prayer and meditation, which provides greater clarity, inspiration, and direction. 3. Feed your new inspirations as you would the seeds of a new crop, with the nutrients and waters of Spirit. For example, choose only spirit-filled books and movies, and move toward a healthy life of diet and exercise. If we expect to see and experience a better life, thriving with abundance, then we must plant that new life on the inside, followed by watering and feeding it with only the best choices, decisions, and actions on the outside—not just once but for the rest of our lives.h Michael Mirdad is a world-renowned spiritual teacher, healer, and best-selling author of The Book of Love & Forgiveness and You’re Not Going Crazy... You’re Just Waking Up! For thirty-five years, Michael has transformed the lives of thousands of students and clients and is noted as a “teacher’s teacher” and a “healer’s healer.” www.michaelmirdad.com September/October 2018

living consciously series

spir i t u a l

From Little LIES to

Higher Truth by Patty Binns Farinola

“I’ll be happy when . . .” is one of the biggest lies we tell ourselves. It is a grave mistake to think that someone or something can give us freedom, joy, and balance. I call this “looking for yourself where you are not.” In truth, an inner journey is required. Freedom, joy, and balance are not found “out there.” They cannot be given, nor do they happen by accident. They are states of being that are cultivated through the consistent, daily practice of a spiritual program and the search for higher truth over the course of one’s life. When we look to love relationships, fun times, more money, better bodies, other people, and even spirituality to make us feel happy, we give our power away. That power, our inner strength, is the very thing needed for joy and freedom. To successfully attain the level of consciousness that results in these states of being, two key areas must be addressed: inner connection and outer expression. Inner connection can be achieved through meditation. Spirituality is based in relationship—the relationship we have with our higher self and its innate wisdom, and the relationship we have with a Higher Power. Meditation allows us to make those connections. It establishes a link between the conscious and unconscious minds, and it is through the unconscious that we intuitively connect with a Higher Power, Spirit, God. We cannot intellectualize God, we can only experience God. Meditation opens the channels. At some point you’ll notice that you are less reactive/ emotional and more wise and calm. You’ll have a sense of inner strength that wasn’t there before, and a broader perspective that allows for more detachment and peace of mind. Outer expression is about living according to spiritual principles as well as one’s essential nature. Thus, it is the relationship with your inner self and spiritual program, and how those manifest in external life in relationship with others. If you are not acting in alignment with your belief system, no growth can occur. Trying to achieve someone else’s dream or live a life that someone else has determined for you means you are living contrary to your purpose and nature and there will always be a rub. It will never be enough. The spiritual journey provides an awakening to purpose and essence. The more you explore, the more connected you are with Higher Order, the more easily you can become who you

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really are and express it gracefully. Life takes on more meaning and you become stronger, more aware, and more self-certain. Regarding outer expression, the importance of living ethically cannot be stressed highly enough. When we don’t live ethically, we disempower ourselves by feeding the weakness. It creates karmic debt and reinforces negative patterns. Then we have to repeat the lesson until we finally get it, and the lesson gets harder every time. I call that “Pain is Medicine.” It’s the only way for the universe to wake us up. And that’s our job: to wake up.

We must always apply spiritual principles (such as integrity, detachment, responsibility, honesty, compassion) to what we learn by doing so in continuous upward cycles. Moment by moment. All. The. Time. Not just when it’s convenient, or when it makes us look good or feel good. A tall order, but once we reach the state of knowing, this constancy will be automatic. One last thing. Guilt, fear, and shame keep us from expressing our true self, our higher self, intuition, and innate wisdom. They cause us to have un-spiritual outer expressions: we react emotionally, irrationally, and we behave in ways that are unloving to ourselves and others. Removal of personal issues, negative patterns, and karmic debt is a key component of the spiritual journey and the only way to achieve higher states of being. The purpose of a true spiritual path is increased awareness, self-certainty, and strength of consciousness that allows us to fulfill God’s plan. Freedom, joy, and balance are natural outcomes of that journey.h Patty Binns Farinola helps people create fulfilling and effective relationships at home and work. Patty employs a holistic approach, blending practical, personal, and spiritual modalities for powerful growth, inner development, and long-lasting change. Primary focus areas are: love relationships, leadership development, communication, career management, spirituality, life purpose, and personal empowerment. www.TheAwarenessStudio.com

CULTIVATING Anima Mundi with the Land

ea r t h

by Melody LeBaron

ur indigenous brothers and sisters believe that without an active reciprocal relationship with Mother Earth, our bodies and minds and—eventually—our communities sicken and die. Ancient alchemists used the term Anima Mundi (which literally means the soul of the earth) to describe the deep intimate connection we must all have with Mother Earth in order to thrive. Anima Mundi means to experience the earth—and every living thing on the earth— as part of ourselves, and to experience ourselves as part of the earth, beings who would not exist without her sustenance.

What would it be like for each of us to have a deeply rooted sense of belonging to the land and each other?

This is the inquiry which guides me. This inquiry took me on a spiritual pilgrimage to Ireland, the land of my ancestors, where I experienced the healing power available to my body, mind, and spirit at the ancient sacred sites. This inquiry led to my Celtic Shaman training, where I learned how easy it is to develop a relationship with the land on which we live. If we want to experience Anima Mundi, we can start with the belief that the land we live on “is never just a passive or inert setting for the human events that occur there. It is an active participant in those occurrences.” (David Abram, The Spell of the Sensuous). After years of experimenting with this

belief, I’ve concluded that nature has its own intelligence, that it is aware of us and longs to partner with us. Acknowledging the history of the land on which we live is also vital: settler Americans live on land torn from its native people, a violent loss which is held in the DNA of the land as well as in the posterity of our indigenous people. On my altar and in my rituals, I celebrate the Cherokee as the ancient beloved guardians of the land on which I live. And when I do a Space Clearing for myself or my clients, I always ask if any integration and clearing is needed for that primal loss. For our ancestors, the yearly calendar wasn’t a mental construct, it was an embodied reality. The ancients were never further than a days’ walk from a sacred space like a stone circle, where the community would celebrate the solstices and equinoxes and “cross quarter days,” the turning of the wheel of the year. Since my Celtic Shaman training, I’ve laid out the Wheel of the Year on my land twice. The first time, on our large lot in Roswell, trees anchored the eight holy days of the wheel of the year. We recently downsized to a small cottage in the mountains, and now rocks placed just outside of our home anchor the sacred timings. Laying out the wheel of the year creates an energetic blessing grid around your home and allows you to interact with the land to celebrate the natural rhythms of the seasons.

• Samhain or Halloween: Northwest • Winter Solstice: North • Imbolc or Brigid’s Day: Northeast • Spring Equinox: East • Beltane or May Day: Southeast • Summer Solstice: South • Lughnasadh or Lammas: Southwest • Autumn Equinox: West You can use rocks or trees to denote the holy days, or birdhouses, flags, ribbons, crystals, whatever works for you. The important thing is your intention to deepen your relationship with the land on which you live. When we give our love and attention to our land, when we appreciate the soil and trees and birds, when we listen to its stories and attend to its needs, we also receive. Each morning, as I connect to the soul of the Mother Earth, I experience a subtle but steady power rising up from the land, filling and fueling my body, giving me strength and courage for the day ahead. I promise you that if you will focus your grateful attention on the land on which you live, the land will rise up to meet you. Anima Mundi will fuel and transform you, preparing you for the legacy work that only you can do in the world.h Melody LeBaron is a Space Clearing and Feng Shui practitioner who also facilitates the Shamanic Priestess and Magdalene High Priestess processes in Atlanta and Western NC. www.TransformingSpace.com September/October 2018

living consciously series

soc ia l

No Games Is More Fun! by Laina Orlando

hen and now is divided by time, but more importantly, by consciousness. And that’s a marvelous thing! As I’ve matured physically and spiritually, not only have I shed old relationships, houses, kids living with me, emotional baggage, unfulfilling jobs, my dark hair, taut skin, and a few menopauseinduced pounds, I have also shed the unconscious and manipulative games I played in relationships. As I continue to become more self-aware of the wholeness that has always existed within me, I realize that all of the peace, love, and joy I ever truly desired already existed within me. My belief that external things were the source of these priceless jewels is precisely what blocked me from being aware that I was created full of delicious and never-ending goodness. Like everyone else, I grew up believing that parents, teachers, and friends determined if I was good or bad, happy or sad, and therefore worthy or not. I also learned that growing up meant I needed to acquire external things, many of them, to be precise, so that one day I could become somebody, be happy, and then feel safe and secure.

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Clearly, this notion instilled in me a belief that who I was was not only not enough, but that the really good stuff that matters most was only sourced by others. Chasing down these elusive gems, then attaching myself to them as if my life depended on them, became the bane of my existence during my teens, twenties, thirties, and first part of my forties. Then came the greatest loss of my life: the death of my mother. Mother’s death became the major pattern interrupter that caused me to question everything I had defined as important. Through that journey of self-inquiry, which lasted well over a decade, I began to consciously evaluate every relationship I ever had with men, women, family, friends, children, money, career, health, gardening, dancing, my body, my mind, emotions, God, and most importantly with my-Self. What I discovered was startling and disgusting.

Innocent fun was practically gone from my life because the game of manipulating relationships—all of them—had not just become the purpose of my life, it was the source of my survival.

Once I became aware that I had treated all relationships as the means by which I gained my happiness, security, and sense of worth, it made perfect sense that judgments replaced my joy, anxiety obstructed my appreciation, and fear all but wiped out real fun. Living in a constant state of getting, and then protecting, my own best interest had severely clouded my perception of all I truly—and naturally—had within me to give. And to give unconditionally is what makes life fun! It’s no wonder many of my past relationships had to end because the fun and freedom for each to be had been played right out of them. Today, at 56 years young, I find myself in a new and wonderful romantic relationship that allows me the opportunity to consciously practice giving from the bounty of my wholeness. What is most remarkable is that the more I unconditionally give what I most desire to experience— love, joy, integrity, ease, peace, communication, play, and freedom— the more these characteristics are multiplied within me so I can keep on giving them.

hea l t h

As I continue to become more self-aware of the wholeness that has always existed within me, I realize that all of the peace, love, and joy I ever truly desired already existed within me.

The games of manipulating my beloved so I can get happiness and security have been replaced with the sheer fun of freeing him—and me—to be exactly who we choose to be. Knowing he is not the source of what my Creator already placed within me, nor am I his, has allowed me to see that his peace and ease is a reflection of mine. This freedom to be has generated a childlike sense of wonder within me making the potential to share from my endless well of happiness infinitely exciting. When people feel manipulated to fill up those who feel depleted, fun is never present because Joy gets replaced by judgment as love runs out when fear moves in. However, when partners share from their wholeness, no one will ever want to pick up their toys and go home and miss out on the next magnificent adventure. Never in a million years would I have believed that not playing games is actually a more fun way to be in relationship. So games over! h Inspired by her own awakening, Laina Orlando simplifies spirituality so it’s easy to understand and practical to apply in everyday life. Her mantra is: “Life is fun and easy!” Laina is an author, speaker, Awareness Coach, and creator of The Power of Awareness program and The Awareness Academy. www.LainaOrlando.com

How You Treat Your Body by Christina McCarthy

n a holistic view to health, we must consider our emotional and mental influence as well as the physical body itself. We all know to eat nutritious foods, exercise, and drink plenty of water, but to have a truly balanced, healthy relationship with our bodies we must look beyond what choices we are making to the deeper motivations for them. There are two ways to approach anything in life—from the egoic child’s mind or the ascended adult mind. Are you approaching your health and your interpretation of your body from the child’s old issues, thoughts, and patterns or from the clear place of the adult in the here and now? The approach we take dictates the results we get. Perhaps you feel you are trying continually to improve your physical habits and it feels futile, or, conversely, you are quite routine about your working out and eating clean, but if you are honest with yourself you remain dissatisfied. Even though externally these look different, the beginning is the same, and a journey that begins in the child’s mind will never end in the sustaining balance of joy and peace with yourself. continued on p16

September/October 2018

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Our idea of loving ourselves and rewarding ourselves needs to grow up just as we have grown up. We cannot stay in the child’s idea of indulging ourselves, but must move to the higher ideas of loving ourselves. You may want to eat a piece of cake, but if your body cannot tolerate gluten or sugar you know the more loving choice would be a different one. The child’s response to the cake is “but I do not want to deny myself” or “I deserve a reward.” It is focused on instant gratification. Because the child lives in the belief of lack, that part of you often sees “reward” as anything you were denied growing up. It is time to expand that idea. The adult is open to the myriad of enjoyable possibilities while seeing the big picture and not denying the inevitable consequences of certain choices. As the ascended adult you must listen to the child and take its needs into consideration while responding in a balanced positive way. If there is something we are unhappy with about ourselves, we must address it emotionally and mentally, and not just physically. We can’t push against what we don’t like and expect positive lasting change. We must embrace all aspects of who we are in this moment and then the door is open to loving change through acceptance. Any action taken without the whole system addressed merely keeps you tied in some way to what you do not want rather than freeing you of it.

Jay Fenello

MEDITATION

Getting to The Harmony Point

Navigating Higher Brain States Normal Consciousness

We must embrace all aspects of who we are in this moment and then the door is open to loving change through acceptance. Any action taken without the whole system addressed merely keeps you tied in some way to what you do not want rather than freeing you of it. You are now your own parent. How you respond to the child in you has an impact. The reason you are doing anything and the energy you do it in are as important as the doing or not doing. Are you harsh or compassionate, forgiving or judgmental, supportive or a task master? These considerations are imperative in shaping how you go forward and the results you achieve. What you need in one moment may be different than the next. Perhaps the best choice is to take a nap or maybe it is to go for a walk but either should be without self-recrimination. Napping from avoidance or exercising from self-loathing are equally unhealthy. It is about listening and responding with love. Your body will work with you if you are kind and loving and you will be happier in the process. Be the benevolent parent, be the source of compassion and support that you need. With a new cooperative approach, in time, “I have to do this” or “I should do this” becomes “I want to do this for me.” Above all, be kind to you. h Christina McCarthy has a degree in psychology and is a Certified Master Facilitator in the Burgess Process. Full of compassion for each client’s individual journey, Christina has a passion for helping clients navigate their own unique system of wiring to reveal the potential within. www.marthaburgessnovak.net/ Facilitators

fter comparing many world traditions, from ancient to modern, spiritual to religious, and mystical to scientific, we now have a simple map of consciousness with just two interim destinations:

Each green line represents a different "attention seeker," which can be of a physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual nature

The Harmony Point (THP)

Single Point Awareness (SPA)

There's only one THP

There's an unlimited number of SPA's

• T he Harmony Point (THP) – where you are one with the universe (all attention seekers are quieted). • S ingle Point Awareness (SPA) – where you are totally immersed in a single object of your attention (all attention seekers are quieted, except one). Of these two targeted brain states, The Harmony Point is usually considered the ultimate destination, and the more powerful of the two. It’s also harder to reach directly, because you have to be able to control all of your attention seekers, across all realms of awareness (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, etc.). Diagram (Navigating Higher Brain States - illustrates what the attention seekers are) 1. GETTING TO THP DIRECTLY Getting to The Harmony Point directly is harder, and traditions that pursue this often have elaborate rituals and indoctrination that can take a long time. An easier approach is to systematically use Single Point Awareness to “reset” each attention seeker. . . . 2. A BREATHING MEDITATION • E nter into a meditative position, and focus your attention on your breath. How quickly are you breathing? How deep are your breaths? • N ow focus on taking slower, deeper breaths. Long slow breath in, long slow breath out. . . . • O nce this is comfortable, add expansive breathing. Long slow breath in, breathe in a little more, long slow breath out, breathe out a little more. . . . • Next, add rhythmic breathing and/or other variations as desired. • W hen you are done taking your breath through all of these motions, allow your breath to return to its natural state. • Feel this, recognize this, remember this. This is now your new normal breathing. You have just entered into Single Point Awareness with your breath and become more aware of the normal range and optimal condition of your breathing. In effect, you have just focused in on one green line, stretched and compressed it, then allowed it to return to its natural position. You have just “reset” one attention seeker. Until next time . . . . h Jay Fenello is the creator of the MindVizor, a ganzfeld meditation aid that provides benefits similar to floating, without the mess or expense. Visit the MindVizor.com website for product details, and tips on meditation and mindfulness. September/October 2018 17

TO YOUR

HEALTH

Holi

Allopathic or

e? cin

M e c di i t s Biomedical/ Allopathic model The sum is equal to all its parts

Holistic model The sum is greater than all its parts

by Melba M. Black, PhD

ALLOPATHIC MEDICINE growing number of people have discovered the limitations of conventional (allopathic) The roots of conventional medicine can be traced medicine and its myopic view, which back to Rene Descartes (1596-1650), the famous focuses on compartmentalizing the scientist and philosopher. His philosophy, which body and prescribing synthetic treatments embodied separation of the “mind” from to address physical symptoms. In the the “body,” led to various fields of face of this increasingly inadequate specialization, each of which focuses system, many are turning to on a particular branch of medicine holistic medicine to address their and the organ it treats with little needs, realizing the effectiveness regard to how these parts are intertwined and the dynamic of holistic medicine’s approach to relationship between them. health, which blends body and In the mid-19th century, the mind, science and experience, and discovery of disease-causing traditional and cross-cultural methods microbes added further “validity” of diagnosis and treatment. to the conventional medicine theory. Let’s dive into more detail about these “Germ theory,” which was advocated by Rene Descartes two methods of health care. (1596-1650)

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Louis Pasteur (1822-1895), heralded the birth of conventional medicine with its emphasis on infectious causes of disease. This was followed by the rapid development of microscopy, bacterial cultures, vaccines, x-rays, and antibacterial drugs, which focused on treating specific ailments. It also led to organization of medical schools into departments of specialty—cardiology, nephrology, neurology, dermatology, orthopedics, and psychiatry—and disease classification by the organ it affected— appendicitis, prostatitis, colitis, heart and gallbladder, disease, etc.—which diverted attention from the intrinsic relatedness of all parts of the body. The allopathic model is the whole is equal to the sum of its parts. The guiding principles of conventional medicine are rooted in synthetic measures and departmentalization of various body parts so symptoms can be treated without recognition of the interplay of the rest of the body for proper balance and functionality.

• Preference is to treat the symptoms

through drugs and surgery, rather than searching for underlying causes of disease in order to eliminate physical symptoms, with prevention through diet and lifestyle being a secondary option.

• Patients are diagnosed and

prescribed treatment, following allopathic protocols that focus on the particular condition while not addressing the whole person.

• Care is considered successful

primarily through the absence of symptoms rather than quality of life.

• Management of disease is

considered successful when patients visit the conventional physician regularly, keeping up with prescribed medications and taking them consistently, and keeping current on all recommended laboratory tests and treatments.

The strengths of this system are that it is highly effective in treating both acute and life-threatening illnesses and injuries.

"The guiding principles of holistic medicine are rooted in education, empowerment, and prevention through natural means, taking into effect the dynamic of the entire body and how the individual body parts work together to create optimal health." The weaknesses of this system are that it is ineffective at preventing and curing chronic disease and is very expensive. Self-efficacy of the patients is not a priority. HOLISTIC MEDICINE The underlying concepts of holistic medicine began as early as 5000 BC, when the ancient Sages formulated the healing traditions of traditional, Chinese, and Ayurvedic medicine, and recognized that human beings were comprised of mind, body, and spirit and their health was dependent on the balance of all three factors. This view was also held by the ancient Greek physician, Hippocrates, whose genius was not in the drugs he used or his diagnostic skills. His insight for producing and maintaining natural health included hygiene, a calm and balanced mental state, proper diet, a sound work and home environment, and physical conditioning. The primary role of healers and physicians in each of these traditions was to teach others how to live harmoniously with themselves and their environment, and how to utilize the above categories effectively to obtain true health.

The guiding principles of holistic medicine are rooted in education, empowerment, and prevention through natural means, taking into effect the dynamic of the entire body and how the individual body parts work together to create optimal health. The model is the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The guiding principles include:

• Embracing a variety of safe and

effective diagnostic and treatment options, including education for lifestyle changes and self-care, and complementary diagnostic and treatment approaches.

• Searching for underlying causes of disease are preferable to treating symptoms alone.

• Establishing a history of the patient, who has imbalances in other areas such as emotional, mental or spiritual, not just the physical condition(s).

• Preventing illness is preferable to

treatment and more cost effective.

• Establishing a quality of relationship between physician and patient is paramount, in which the patient is encouraged to take responsibility of their own health.

continued on p20

September/October 2018

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• Considering the needs, desires,

awareness, and insight of the patient, as well as the physician, is ideal.

• Learning opportunities for both the

patient and the physician exist in illness, pain, and the dying process.

• Encouraging patients to evoke the

healing power of love, hope, humor, and enthusiasm to release the toxic consequences of hostility, shame, greed, depression, and prolonged fear, anger, and grief.

The strengths of this system are that it teaches patients to take responsibility for their own health. Also, it fosters the preventing and treating of chronic disease and is essential in creating optimal health. Patients feel more empowered and more in control of their health. The weaknesses of this system are that it is time-intensive, requires a commitment from the patient to the healing process, and is not a quick fix. Lifestyle changes are indeed the patients’ responsibility. In 2007, the National Health Interview Survey concluded that approximately 38 percent of adults used alternative, or holistic healing, practices. In 2017, that number doubled. The current trend of combining allopathic medicine and alternative therapies is now available in many major medical centers in the United States and has been coined “integrative medicine.” In this practice, patients receive the best of both worlds, though conventional medicine remains the mainstay of treatment. As long as we continue to mask symptoms or control health problems and not get to the root cause of the issue and address them through education and natural methods, our quality of life will be diminished. As Dr. Joe Dispenza states, “You are the placebo!” Your thoughts about healthcare matter. It is time to recognize that the way to be empowered and achieve a high quality of life is to adopt a more holistic

approach to our day-to-day habits.h

Melba M. Black, PhD, CLC is a writer, mentor, innovator, and scholar. She has over thirty years of experience in holistic health, spirituality, and energy healing, including Life Coaching, Reiki, Intuitive Development, Meditation, Yoga, Qigong, and more. She currently teaches classes and conducts personal sessions at Sphere Innovation Group. www.sphereinnovationgroup.com

RealTalk

with Martha Burgess Novak

Transformation 101 T

hose of us who work with consciousness know that transformation is about unlearning as much as it is about learning. As a consciousness coach, I go about releasing old energetic issues and patterns for people that have resulted in nonoptimal behaviors. One day they know more, understand more, want more, and do more because this has been in them to develop all along. They’ve unlearned what was in the way of their learning a new way to be. They have transformed. What is spiritual transformation? It is a state of being that dramatically alters one’s experience of living. It is highly personal and will only be understood by the person who goes through it or by people who have been there. It is sometimes confused with peak experiences but peak experiences are temporary. Transformation lasts and it changes one’s life. While the experience is highly personal, the process of transformation is predictable. It follows a sequence: awareness leads to consciousness leads to enlightenment. This sequence is vitally connected to our four bodies: the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual. Awareness is the bottom-line understanding of the intricate system of old wiring that we call our egoic child’s mind. We’re much more than this superannuated system. All four of our bodies are cluttered with debris, and particularly our

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emotional bodies are overburdened with issues and patterns. If you will, it’s an overgrown garden of histrionic weeds that must be cleared out for the virtues of your potential to grow there: unconditional love, forgiveness, compassion, joy, peace, trust, gratitude, and awe. Consciousness opens as you become aware. New and more global perspectives arise. You are resolving the past and have begun to transcend it. Energies that were stuck in the emotional body—what psychology refers to as “fixations”— release. These energies transfer to your spiritual body. This is why, with enough work, one awakens to a more spiritual perspective. Now there is literally more energy in the spiritual body than in the emotional one. Enlightenment comes in advanced states of consciousness. We are never finished transforming because, at last, we are working in those glorious fields of our potential. We don’t want to quit. We want to see how far we can go. The egoic child’s mind has created a structure based on what things appeared to be as children. But a revelation lies beyond: dynamic lives are ultimately based on truth, not on appearances. Now go out there, find out the truth, and conquer your part of the world.h Martha Burgess Novak is a spiritual teacher, author, lecturer, and peak performance trainer who works with individuals and corporations. She also has a school for spiritual healing and development where she teaches her method and is the author of The Life You Want and The Teacup Prophecies. Visit her radio show on www.blogtalkradio.com/marthaburgessnovak. www.marthaburgessnovak.net

The Burgess Process A comprehensive program of healing for all serious students of consciousness that is totally unique! Learn to live the life you really want by unearthing the deep and complex psychology of the egoic child’s mind. Address the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual bodies, while Martha takes you on the most amazing journey of your life through her no-nonsense approach.

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September/October 2018

CONSCIOUS B U S I N E S S

Building a Winning Business by Rob Vachon

C O N S C I O U S

P E R S P E C T I V E S

• Use roundtables where challenges

ast week marked the end of my thirty-eight-year career as a manager with a quote by Maya Angelou: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Isn’t that saying powerful? As a business leader, in order to make your department successful it’s important to focus on your listening skills, not on telling people what to do. Part of building a winning team is evoking positive feelings by making sure people know that they are heard. Active listening involves:

are presented.

• List radical ideas on white boards.

Don’t stop until everybody starts laughing because of the crazy ideas.

• Make it a contest and give awards for the wackiest suggestion.

• Let everyone vote on ideas to be tried.

• Most importantly, volunteers get to

track and report progress to the group.

• Follow-up meetings measure

success. The people that come up with the best winning ideas are rewarded with recognition—gift cards, a lunch out of the office, etc.

1. a llowing people to fully finish what they have to say, and 2. paraphrasing back to them confirming that you get it. You will see their shoulders relax as they destress, knowing that their message has been delivered. Now they are ready to have a conversation. Work on replacing the phrase, “Yes, but” with “Yes, and” to validate what someone says instead of negating them. This simple turn of phrase makes people open up, contribute, and get involved with decision-making for the benefit of the whole department. Having someone in a leadership role consciously and actively listen, encourage and give positive feedback to team members during every interaction, is a particularly powerful form of validation. Another valuable concept for a manager is that if someone shows up at your door and wants to talk, stop what you’re doing and give them the time they need. You may not always change the situation. But the relief they feel from being able to talk openly about their challenges makes them feel validated and that they belong to a team, and their work performance will improve because they’re invested. This 22

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strategy will motivate employees to let you know about policies or procedures that aren’t working. They’re on the front lines, and they know what’s going on better than you. They have valuable suggestions that they can be encouraged to own and implement. Building transparency is also a sure route to success. You want to create an environment where new ideas are always welcome. The last thing you ever want to hear is, “That’s the way we’ve always done it.” Having weekly meetings where all suggestions, venting, and brainstorming are welcome (with much laughing and humor) works well for teams. No one is ridiculed or put down and successful ideas, such as more efficient work flow, can be implemented because everyone understands what their coworkers are doing and how it affects each part of the process. Here are some ways to inspire your employees:

Whether you chose this career path or you became an accidental manager (as I did), it’s important to understand that everyone has something to contribute. A good manager discovers what that something is and helps people refine and exploit their talents, so they feel good, no great, about themselves. Pericles, the Greek statesman, said, “What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.” The key to a winning business is to understand that the lives of the team you are tasked with managing are people first. These people have lives filled with joy, sorrow and everything in between. Managers who implement a daily companywide management style to include a compassionate ear, sympathy, recognition, and understanding will build a happy and productive team.h Rob Vachon enjoyed a career spanning four decades as a Director of Finance for Hilton Hotels. His postings included suburban, airport, resort, and convention hotels as large as 1,249 rooms. While driving results was always a focus, his passion for people (customers, team members, and ownership groups) was where he enjoyed his greatest successes.

CONSCIOUS R E L A T I O N S H I P S

A New Paradigm for Empaths by Elizabeth Locey

mpaths often feel the injustice of being singled out to experience the onslaught of everyone’s emotions. If this is your experience, it’s time to let that go, because Empaths are now being called to step into their power as leaders, healers, and way-showers. A new road is opening regarding empaths and relating—in part relating to ourselves, but also how we relate to the world and how the world relates to us. The gateway to this new road/ world is for empaths to embrace our sensitivity as a gift, not a burden. When we fill our bodies with Light and life force drawn from Gaia and the Universe, others’ emotions have no room to “stick.” Like the Ugly Duckling, empaths have often felt like foreigners to the human community; empaths often lack cultural fluency, not understanding why things are the way they are. (War, injustice, and mass murders are just a few things we don’t understand.) Therefore, empaths can feel that relating to non-empaths is like being hit with a blunt instrument. This is changing, however. No more feeling like a victim or adopting an Ugly Duckling attitude; those days are definitively over. The time has come to step into being the Swan. Everything is connected, of course, so when you see yourself as the bearer of a great gift, so will others. Your sense of worthiness shifts how others interact with you. The primary energetic driver on Planet Earth for many thousands of years has been fear, but as we shift into a new paradigm where the driver is LOVE, empaths have a key role to play. This new paradigm could be called “the world of the connected heart” and, indeed, what defines you as an empath is your heart connection to everything else. Just as one grain of sand can generate the critical mass to shift the balance on a scale, so too will the paradigm shift suddenly, even overnight, from a fear-driven one to a lovebased one. This will happen when more people choose to operate from a place of love rather than fear. Empaths who embrace their gift, their connected heart, each represent a grain of sand. As progressively more heart-connected souls incarnate on Earth or begin to love themselves without judgment, and as the disconnected hearts die off, this balance will shift, ushering in the new way of operating in the world.

Where money and influence have been key markers of prosperity in our current world, in the new paradigm, being built in large part by empaths, if you are born with a connected heart you are primed for success. In essence, being an empath is the new prosperity and the connected heart is the new currency. And it is likely that over the next five to thirty years, empaths will be sought after to act as “alignment officers” in the businesses that survive the Shift. As more people become sensitive to energetic misalignment, businesses will look to empaths to help them stay clear of the public disapprobation that can cause them to quickly fail. In the meantime, as we embrace our gifts, we will step into healing and leadership roles. Because we “siphon off” negativity from those in physical or mental anguish, empaths are natural healers, often in spite of ourselves. In the past, this role might have felt heavy or burdensome, but when we learn to be so Light-filled that others’ emotions simply move through us straight into Mother Earth where they are recycled into new life force energy, we can be lifted up by this work which requires no effort on our part, save the essential self-care steps of clearing out our fields regularly. Even if you don’t see yourself as a leader, because empaths have had lengthy experience with the energetic rug being pulled out from under us, we know how to roll with the punches. As humanity moves through the Shift, it’s as though 100 rugs will be pulled out from under everyone; those who are on their knees will be looking at who is left standing. Guess what? It will be the empaths! Leaders will no longer be chosen in a top-down way via election or selection, but because they have something to offer to their followers. Oh, the riches that await when we plug into our own hearts and open them to our constantly shifting world.

This article is based on information channeled from the Akashic Records of Empaths by Elizabeth Locey at the 2018 Summer Solsticeh

Elizabeth Locey is an Oracle, way-shower, priestess, interdimensional por tal, and bestselling author. An award-winning professor (French literature/Women’s Studies), in 2010 she traded her red pen for a crystaltopped staff to midwife more magick + healing into the world via Akashic Records, crystals, and alchemy. Contact her to discover your Legendary Self. www.elizabethlocey.com/ September/October 2018

CONSCIOUS T E C H N O L O G Y & S C I E N C E

Harnessing the Power of Epigenetics

ntil recently, it was believed your genes determined your health and there was nothing you could do to change them. But epigenetics, the study of gene expression, has blown this outdated notion out of the water. Each of us contains 25,000 genes collectively known as the human genome, considered to be the blueprint for the human body. But these genes don’t act on their own; they need to be told what to do. Epigenetic mechanisms called “marks” or “tags” provide the instructions. No one knows for sure how many epigenetic tags there are, but scientists estimate the numbers run in the millions! A tag can act as a switch that turns gene activity on or off or act as a volume control knob modulating gene activity up or down. Since these tags can be influenced by your environment, experiences, and lifestyle choices, some gene expression is within your control. There are numerous disorders, both physical and psychiatric, thought to have an epigenetic component including asthma, autism, cancer, diabetes, immune disorders, and schizophrenia. A wide array of factors have been linked to epigenetic changes such as stress, nutrition, lifestyle habits, and exposure to chemicals. Dr. Lisa Mosconi, Associate Director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic at Weill Cornell Medical College, sums it up like this: “Genes load the gun, but lifestyle pulls the trigger.” Initially, it was believed that epigenetic changes reset with each generation, but it is now understood that you not only inherit genes, you also inherit epigenetic tags. Incredibly, nematode worms have been found to form “memories” that get passed down epigenetically for fourteen generations! So far, there’s evidence that epigenetic changes in humans can persist for four generations. Thus, not only are you epigenetically influenced by your ancestors’ experiences, the choices you make today can endure for future generations to come. Times of great hardship have provided a window into generational epigenetic changes. Babies who were conceived during the Dutch famine of World War II exhibited increased rates of heart disease, obesity, and schizophrenia later in life. Pregnant women who suffered from 9/11 post-traumatic stress gave birth to babies who exhibited dysfunctional responses to stress and abnormal levels of stress hormones. It’s obvious that the health and lifestyle choices of momsto-be greatly impact the health of their babies. But what is

C O N S C I O U S

P E R S P E C T I V E S

by Deane Alban

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less expected is how significantly fathers epigenetically impact their children’s health as well. Research has found that having a stressedout dad increases the risk of high blood sugar later in life. A dad’s obesity increases his children’s risk of obesity in childhood, and diabetes and heart disease later in life. A man’s diet when he’s young can epigenetically impact his descendants’ risk of heart disease. And perhaps most surprising is that a baby can be born with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder even if the mother never drank alcohol. This can occur when the father drank excessively and the corresponding epigenetic marks were passed on in his sperm’s DNA. Fortunately, epigenetic changes are not always in the downward direction. We can use our knowledge of epigenetics to improve the health of future generations. The factors that positively affect epigenetic tags coincide seamlessly with steps you would take to improve your current health, such as eating a “real vs. processed” foods diet, getting plenty of sleep, being physically active, and taking stress reduction seriously. Dawson Church, PhD is the author of The Genie in Your Genes: Epigenetic Medicine and the New Biology of Intention which has been lauded as a breakthrough in the field of epigenetics. In this book, Church cites hundreds of scientific studies that show how intangibles such as positive thoughts, acts of kindness, optimism, the expression of gratitude, and engaging in mind-body healing techniques positively affect gene expression. Also, there is particularly good news for those who meditate. Measurable positive changes in gene expression have been observed in as little as eight hours of mindfulness meditation! The study of epigenetics is in its infancy and there are currently more questions than answers. But we know enough to understand that taking care of your health is more than a smart move that will benefit you today. It’s also a responsible decision that can improve the health and quality of life of your progeny for generations to come.h Deane Alban is the co-founder of BeBrainFit.com, a website devoted to helping people take control of their cognitive and mental health. At BeBrainFit.com you’ll learn about natural, drug-free approaches to the most common mental health issues of our time including stress, memory loss, depression, anxiety, and attention problems.

CONSCIOUS W O R L D V I E W

The Plastic Predicament by Sherri Danzig

he birth of plastics goes back to the 18th century. First, there was natural plant-based rubber derived from rubber trees. By the early 1900s the synthetic plastic era began with the invention of petroleum-based materials. Today there are hundreds of thousands of different polymers that create different variations of plastics. Their strength, durability, and flexibility created the modern day dependency. Packaging, insulation, toys, building materials, medical supplies, automobiles, and computers are just a few of the ways plastic serves us every day. China is the number one exporter of plastic in the world, followed by Europe and the United States. Regardless of the number between one and seven on the plastic water bottle, moisturizer container, or food wrapper, 95 percent of plastics (when tested) contain chemicals that have the potential to be “endocrine disrupters.” This means they can interrupt the way hormones work in the body, potentially influencing moods, cell growth and development, and the reproductive and cardiovascular systems. Along with personal health risks, the environmental problems due to plastic have reached a catastrophic level for wildlife and the ocean. Tens of thousands of birds, fish, and animals are injured or die every year due to either eating plastic (confused with being food) or by getting tangled in plastic waste. Plastic destroying our ecosystems is out of control. Scientists predict that by the year 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. The EPA cited that every bit of plastic ever made that hasn’t been incinerated is still around. Is there a solution in sight? Potentially, yes. However, one of the attractive qualities of plastic is that it is lightweight. Transportation of materials presents a significant cost to the environment. For example, using a glass container instead of a plastic pouch to transport a packaged food

every year. The really, really big solution is for each of us to REFUSE TO USE SINGLE-USE PRODUCTS! Reusing trumps recycling! Take action:

item represents twenty-six times more in fuel usage and CO2emissions. What is industry doing to address the problem? Circling back to the original natural plant-base source, new bioplastics made mainly from corn are being engineered. This does present an agricultural challenge to grow corn for plastic, in place of for food consumption. However, bioplastics are considered healthier for personal use and decompose faster compared to petroleum-made plastic that lasts 500 to 1000 years. The biggest solution to our plastic predicament lies in what we can do individually and as a community. Recycle. But 93 percent of plastics are thrown away. The average American tosses 185 pounds of plastic every year. Globally, 500 billion plastic bags are used

• • • •

Utilize reusable shopping bags.

Follow the No Straw campaign. Buy non-packaged produce.

se reusable materials to pack U your lunch.

• Bring reusable utensils instead of buying disposables.

• Adapt to filtered water from home in reusable containers.

In addition, we can support organizations such as Plasticbank.org, strawfree.org., Take 3, and the Surfrider Foundation. To save ourselves and our struggling planet from drowning in plastic, we as individuals can and must do our part to resolve this complicated issue.h Sherri Danzig’s wellness journey began twenty-five years ago. Her recovery from debilitating back pain using energy medicine inspired her founding of Wellness Resources International, whose mission is to empower others with natural and simple solutions for Self-Care. Sherri is a passionate speaker and trainer, in particular, on topics of sleep and hydration. www.sherridanzig.com/

Optimism in the Fight Against Plastic Pollution by (fifteen-year-old) Hannah Testa

here is finally some optimism in the fight against plastic pollution. Governments, citizens, and businesses are starting to realize that when you throw plastic away, there really is no “away” as plastic remains on our earth forever. Not only are our landfills filling up due to plastics we use for our convenience, but much of our plastic ultimately flows into the ocean. Scientists predict that by 2050, plastic in the ocean will outweigh the fish! Nations outside of the US are starting to ban single-use plastics, and some jurisdictions in the US are doing the same. Businesses, notably restaurant chains, airlines, and cruise ships, are also moving away from plastics— especially straws because we use so many of them (one billion worldwide

per day!) and because they cannot be recycled. Complicating matters is that China announced they were no longer accepting the world’s plastic trash. Yet if we all do our part, and then try to influence our family, friends, and local businesses, we can turn the tide away from single-use plastics toward more sustainable products (reusable grocery bags, bamboo utensils, glass/steel/paper straws). And to take it one step further, we can work with local politicians to create or support bans or fees on single use plastics. h Hannah Testa, from Cumming, GA, has been a passionate and successful environmentalist and animal rights activist most of her life—all fifteen years of it. Since the age of four, Hannah has made it her mission to fight for the planet and its future. www.hannah4change.org

LIFE

STYLE

Get the Get on on the THE ULTIMATE GOAL is for every home to produce as much renewable energy as it uses, and enough renewable energy to power a family’s electric vehicles. These highly energy efficient homes are called net zero energy homes or positive energy homes.

by Joseph Emerson

ost Americans are concerned about polluted air and global warming. The common belief is that making green choices is the answer. But “green” is a vague term. When referring to homes, it can mean landscaping, finishes, material sources, lighting, or energy efficiency. It’s not a useful term when addressing clean air and carbon emissions. Unlike “green,” net zero energy, or zero carbon, provides a clearly defined, measurable, and attainable goal that directly reduces carbon emissions and improves air quality. To avert catastrophic climate change, the world will need to become carbon neutral by 2050. To achieve that, we need to align our actions with our values by taking concrete steps on the path to net zero energy. The most effective place to begin is with our homes and cars. The ultimate goal is for every home to produce as much renewable energy as it uses, and enough renewable energy to power a family’s electric vehicles. These highly energy efficient homes are called net zero energy homes or positive energy homes. Besides saving energy and reducing carbon, they cost less to own, are healthier, more durable, and more comfortable because they are so well-insulated, wellventilated, and have no energy bills. Already, California and Oregon have put their building codes on the path to net zero, and pioneer contractors are building zero energy buildings nationwide because they are so essential to reducing carbon emissions and pollution. While net zero homes, buildings, and transportation are the ideal, there are a variety of low cost, practical steps everyone can take to reduce their energy use now:

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Path to Net Zero Energy LIGHTING ◊

eplace failing incandescent and fluorescent bulbs with R LED bulbs.

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urn off lights when not occupying rooms or install T motion detectors.

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Use task or natural lighting rather than full room lighting.

ELECTRONICS ◊

Replace older electronics with more energy efficient models.

◊

nplug electronics when not in use or use smart strip U surge protectors.

APPLIANCES ◊

inimize using energy intensive appliances like clothes M dryers, hair dryers, and irons.

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se the energy-savings features of your dishwasher, especially U the air-dry setting that prevents heating to dry dishes.

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Use a microwave; it uses less energy than a stovetop or oven.

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ash clothes using cold water and the high-speed spin cycle W to remove water before drying. When replacing a washer, choose one with high RPMs.

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ry clothes on racks or clotheslines after a high-speed D washer spin.

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Replace older appliances with efficient Energy Star models.

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WATER HEATING ◊

inimize hot water use with low-flow M water-saving showerheads and faucets.

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urn the water temperature on your T water heater to 120 degrees.

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hen your water heater fails, W purchase a heat pump water heater.

HEATING AND COOLING

Increase Energy, Lose Weight, Relief from Aches and Pains, Balance Blood Sugar/Blood Pressure

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I nstall insulated shades to exclude cold on winter nights and exclude heat on hot summer days.

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eep cool with fans rather than airK conditioning.

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TRANSPORTATION: ◊

alk, bike, or carpool to work, school, W or shopping.

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urchase a hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or P fully electric vehicle when replacing your car.

RENOVATING YOUR HOME ◊

I nsulate your attic, walls, and floors. Seal all air leaks in your home.

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I nstall an energy efficient heat pump HVAC system and heat pump water heater.

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ire an energy consultant and zero H energy builder.

RENEWABLE ENERGY SUPPLY ◊

Consider adding solar collectors.

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urchase renewable energy from P your utility or from a community solar project.

FINANCING

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◊

ontact your utility regarding C possible incentives.

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isit the DSIRE.org website to find V out about tax credits and incentives.

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heck out PACE Loans or C HomeStyle Energy Loans.

NEXT HOME PURCHASE ◊

uy a net zero energy home. B Learn more about these homes at zeroenergyproject.org.

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earn about zero energy buildings L certified by the Living Building Challenge, which are both carbon neutral and extremely green, with all materials and sources carefully vetted and all water used coming from the site.

Taking these steps on the path to zero will help your children, your grandchildren, and the planet. You will protect yourself from the financial strains of future energy price hikes and have a more comfortable home. When we eventually become a net zero energy society, we’ll all benefit from preventing catastrophic global warming and have cleaner air outside and inside our homes and workplaces.h Joe Emerson, a former Peace Corps Volunteer, teacher, and businessman, now devotes his life to educating building professionals and the public regarding the benefits of zero energy homes and living, through the non-profit Zero Energy Project at zeroenergyproject.org. He powers his home and electric vehicle 100 percent from solar panels.

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The Conscious 360° model is used as our foundation to organize the wisdom and guidance in the Conscious Life Journal. Following the 5 stages of healing—Mind, Body, Spirit, Integration, and Balance—our goal is to provide you with rich information about your journey to a higher state of consciousness. What does Conscious 360° really mean? Simply put, it is a way to understand your healing and a process that helps you know where you are on your path to a higher consciousness. Hope Merrill | Founder, Conscious 360°

CONSCIOUS 360°

STAGE 1 | MIND—Discover Who You Are STAGE 2 | BODY—Accept Who You Are STAGE 3 | SPIRIT—Connect to Who You Are STAGE 4 | INTEGRATION—Practice Who You Are

QU E S T I O N S

Hope: Q: Dear After my divorce I was ready to change my life! I

3 6 0 º

STAGE 5 | BALANCE—Actively BE Who You Are

Julie: A: Dear I love it! This question is exactly the reason

started with books and took a few classes. I am now aware that there is another way of “being” in this world, but my question is, where do I go from here? What program or workshop or counselor is the best for me to continue to heal and grow?

C O N S C I O U S

Conscious 360º was created. When you are on the path to healing and changing your life, you can get confused and stuck. Conscious 360º was developed to give you a process to follow so that you have a better idea of what you need and when you need it by helping you identify where you are in the healing process. We are all, at any given moment, in one stage or another of Conscious 360º. Either we are just becoming aware of who we are, learning to accept life as it is, connecting to spirit in order to forgive, integrating and making new choices, or in a state of balance and inspired action. Knowing this allows us to be empowered on our journey, so that we can better understand what comes next and what we need to continue our growth.

ince we heal in spirals, you can't really apply a time line to Conscious 360. You will move through each stage in order, several times, both in your life and within each situation in your life. What is important, and why Conscious 360° works, is it aids us in knowing the stage we are in, what we need to do in that stage, and how to move to the next stage. A touchstone or, if you will, a guide map for when we get in the “soup” of personal transformation and are overwhelmed or stuck. With Conscious 360° you just find the stage you are in, do the work inside that stage, and you WILL move to the next stage and ultimately to peace and balance. As you use Conscious 360° you will find your transformational healing easier to understand, quicker to move through, and feel more supported in your growth. This section of the Journal explores each stage, with articles and guidance that are helpful inside each stage. Learn from these articles, apply them to your daily life, study the stages of Conscious 360°, and TRANSFORM!

Conscious Life | Overview This first issue of our new year looks at Conscious 360º from a broad perspective. Here you are introduced to each of the 5 Stages— Conscious Mind, Conscious Spirit, Conscious Body, Conscious Integration, and Conscious Balance. Through these different stages you learn to Discover, Accept, Connect, Practice, and Be all that you are. Whether your path is slow or fast, your transformation is just ahead.

Need help using Conscious 360°? Contact Hope for a private session. Or submit your question for a future issue of the Journal. hope@myconsciouslifejournal.com

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STAGE 1

MIND

What is Functional

Medicine?

by Suzanne Turner, MD

he role of a functional medicine doctor is to explore the root cause of your illness rather than treating with a Band-Aid. We look at the person as a whole, beautifully complex, intricate system where effects on one part have global ramifications. Our bodies are designed to heal themselves if we give them the setting in which to heal. Most illness comes from the body attempting to protect or heal itself without the resources necessary to do so. A stressful relationship or job, a nutritionally incomplete diet, or a belief of self as unlovable or unworthy stimulates in the body a cascade of protective chemicals that cause a Pandora’s box of cellular failure. Should these or other triggers follow a prolonged course, illness ensues. Consider a person with a demanding boss and an overwhelming desire to please, who is unable to sleep. Sleep is the time when your body rids itself of all the “trash” it built up during the day and repairs damages your physical or emotional stress caused you. Not sleeping for several months can cause fatigue, distractibility, and difficulty word-finding. It can injure or damage your intimate relationships, tipping your support system, and affecting your work. Ultimately it can affect the optimal function of your immune system, making you susceptible to infection or cancer. Setting a boundary with that boss, beginning a physical fitness regimen to relieve stress, assuring the quality of nutrients you enjoy, and raising the source of your sense of unworthiness can right your course of recovery. Like a new fruit tree needs to be staked until it is strong enough to stand alone, you

may benefit from a sleepinducing peptide or herb or even pharmaceutical until you sleep naturally. A functional medicine doctor can guide you on these paths to optimal health. In addition to the standard medical and family history, functional medicine also explores environmental exposures, social support systems, spiritual practice, travel exposures, toxic exposures, and your body’s reactions to these. We may test for toxins, allergies, nutrient sufficiency, hormonal balance, genetic risk, detoxification efficiency, and rate of aging. Working together, we individualize a treatment plan for your unique system and regularly adjust this plan as we optimize each system’s environment to reach optimal function. This may include tai chi, energy healing, a meeting with a dietitian, permission to set a boundary with difficult others, intensive nutrition to include IV therapy if necessary, and natural or pharmaceutical therapies as indicated. You are a creation that is beautifully and wonderfully made. I encourage you to seek out a functional medicine provider who sees your brilliant design in all its intricacies and who has time to hear you and the wisdom to guide you into restoration. h Dr. Suzanne Turner is the senior physician at Vine Medical Associates. She completed family medicine training at Emory and her fellowship in functional medicine from the American Academy of Antiaging and Regenerative Medicine. Dr. Turner spends her free time studying, at the gym, or with her beloved husband Chip and their urban farm.

September/October 2018

STAGE 2

CONSCIOUS 360°

BODY

The Woman Who Saw Color SINGING . . . by Sharron Ragan

ave you ever experienced the ability to see music in shapes and colors? Or smell textures? Or feel the temperature of colors? According to Marc-Jacques Mächler, “expert” on the topic of synesthesia and the founder of Synesthesia.com, research shows that about 1 in 2500 people have this ability. Synesthesia is the co-activation of different sensory areas in the brain. It’s derived from the Greek language “Syn” which means together and “esthesia” meaning perception. Loosely translated it means perceiving together.

ONE SENSE CO-ACTIVATES ANOTHER

People who have it can co-mingle or blend their senses, such as feeling color, visualizing music in shapes and movement, and much more. It’s an ability where one sense co-activates other senses. It is indeed a gift, and it has nothing to do with a disease or a mental disorder. 32

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The most common form of synesthesia recorded is the grapheme-color synesthesia. People with this ability will see letters, numbers, and some words as colors. The letter A is always red, D is always green, seven is always yellow, and Monday is always blue, and so on.

THE WOMAN WHO SAW COLORS SINGING

Artist and illustrator Mary Blair was born 100 years ago and was known for her visual style, and her innovative use of color. She could actually see sound. The blending of color and sound in the 1944 Disney animated film The Three Caballeros clearly demonstrates her talents. Her style wasn’t limited to one sense; her colors also sang. This visual style, in which sounds explode into colors, was memorably put to use in 1949 in Disney’s masterpiece Fantasia.

AWARENESS The first step in recognizing if you possess this ability is to pay attention to your senses. Synesthesia is found to be a genetic trait and often times multiple family members have it. Researchers found thirty-seven genes that predict if there is synesthesia in a family or not. Every sense can theoretically be coupled with any other sense and it is not the product of imagination or hallucination.

• Grapheme-color synesthesia:

Perceiving letters and numbers in colors.

• Spatial sequence synesthesia:

Perceiving the alphabet or calendar units such as the year or a week as shapes in space.

• Number form: Numbers are arranged in a mental space.

• Chromesthesia: Perceiving music in shapes and colors.

• Auditory-tactile synesthesia:

Hearing something, and touching it.

• Ordinal linguistic personification: Perceiving letters and numbers as personalities. 1

• Mirror-touch synesthesia and

mirror-pain synesthesia: Seeing somebody being touched or in pain and then perceiving it as well.

WhiteWinds Institute of Integrative Energetic Medicine presents

If you think you have synesthesia and want to learn more, check out Synesthesia.com.h

~ The acclaimed certification program ~ Atlanta, GA – February, 2018

Integrative Energetic Medicine A Holistic and Clinical Approach to Energy Healing With Dr. Fernand Poulin

Sharron Ragan is a brand creativity consultant and intuitive change agent. She’s a former corporate brand/marketing strategist having worked with many Fortune 500 companies including Coca-Cola and Wendy’s. As CEO of Visionary Business Worldwide, she applies her creative and intuitive spirit to inspire professionals to seek a purpose-driven life and career. www.SharronRagan.com

Who would benefit by taking the program? Medical Doctors, Psychologists, Chiropractors, Massage Therapists, R.N., Reiki Practitioners, and whoever is interested in learning this 21st Century medicine.

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September/October 2018

STAGE 3

CONSCIOUS 360°

SPIRIT

Is Your Emotional Filter In Backwards?

“

by Glenn Pearson

y counselor told me my emotional filter was in backwards.” I was sitting across the table in IHOP from one of the guys I’ve been meeting with monthly for about five years. Chris is a great guy who was brought up in a highly dysfunctional family and who was blindsided by his now-ex-wife leaving and turning his children against him. “What do you mean your emotional filter is in backwards?” I asked. “Well, my counselor said that I dismiss anything positive someone says about me and let even the slightest negative comment drill down into my heart and immobilize me.” Given his family history, I can understand that. But truthfully, I, like many of us, sometimes do that very thing. Here’s just one example. Several years ago, I was elected by my 1,500 healthcare executive peers in Georgia to represent them as Regent for Georgia to the 40,000-member American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), the premier personal membership society for healthcare leaders. In that role, I was often asked, along with other speakers, to represent ACHE at educational events. Like most groups, ACHE typically solicits attendees’ evaluations of speakers. When the results came in for one of my presentations, I was pleased to see that I received a score of

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4.3 out of 5. Not bad, I thought. But then I noticed that one of the other speakers received a 4.4 rating, beating me by a tenth of a point. How could that be? I’m the Regent! Furthermore, when I looked at the individual attendees’ ratings, I saw that one participant had only given me a 3. Now, mind you, 3 indicates an adequate job. But the fact that one person considered me “adequate” instead of “great” really bugged me. Never mind my overall outstanding rating and many 5s. Those were swallowed up by a single 3, and that verified that I do sometimes have my emotional filter in backwards. Chris’s comment reminded me that I need to refocus on the many blessings God has bestowed on me including the many abilities he has given me, allthe-while learning from specific constructive criticism without obsessing over anything that indicates I’m not perfect. It’s never appropriate to close the door to legitimate input, but neither Chris nor I need to worry about that. In fact, we have the opposite problem. Let me ask you, which way is your emotional filter positioned?h Glenn Pearson wears many hats. He is a long-time healthcare executive leader, a speaker on both healthcare and spiritual growth issues, the author of That’s a Great Question: What to Say When your Faith Is Challenged, a professional blues and bluegrass harmonica player, and a cycling and fitness enthusiast. www.glennpearson.co (NOT .com)

Healing With

Essential Oils

STAGE 4

INTEGRATION

You Are the Universe

by Avril Loy James

personality. What we may not realize is that we can bring choice to all the mental constructs we practice. We can choose to practice skillful emotions and values like joy, compassion, and gratitude. It is that simple, but perhaps it’s not so easy because of our habits. In yoga meditation, mindfulness meditation, and affirmative and centering prayer, the mind is guided to detach and become dispassionate towards all the thoughts, memories, emotions, and fusions that it has come to experience reflexively. The mind is coaxed into a space where one can witness these mental processes instead of getting lost in them. The more we practice connectedness, oneness, and intentionality of thought, the more we will live with less stress and more happiness. What we rehearse regularly, consciously or unconsciously, becomes effortless. So if we have been selfdeprecating, angry, or impatient for decades, we’ve become experts. And as with exercise, practicing a more skillful version of ourselves may be strenuous at first. But as is proven in the science of neuroplasticity, new synaptic connections can form at any stage of life and, as we reshape our brain, new habit patterns will flow more effortlessly.h Avril Loy James has degrees in exercise science and public health and is an interfaith minister trained in meditation and Yoga. Influential in the Atlanta area for over twentytwo years, she trains teachers in Adaptive Yoga, facilitates employee stress management classes, and leads several meditation sittings at Piedmont Healthcare, Foundation Psychiatry, and Unity North.

Deep Blue

eep Blue, also known as Soothing Blend, Is the oil used to help surrender pain. This oil is a combination of Wintergreen, Camphor, Peppermint,Ylang Ylang, Helichrysum, Blue Tansy, Chamomile, and Osmanthus. Deep Blue comes in several formulations: an oil, a rub for topical and aromatic uses, and a polyphenol (micronutrients) capsule that can be taken as needed for discomfort or taken daily for long-lasting benefits. PRIMARY BENEFITS: Soothing and cooling oil for joint and muscle discomfort. Comforting as part of a massage. USES: Apply Deep Blue rub or oil on feet and knees before exercise. Massage Deep Blue oil with a few drops of carrier oil onto growing kids’ legs before bedtime. Rub Deep Blue on lower back after a long day of heavy lifting/exercise/sitting at your computer. DIRECTIONS: Topically: Apply to desired area. Dilute with a carrier oil to minimize skin sensitivity. Add a few drops to bath water with Epsom salts to create a soothing and relaxing soak. Aromatically: Add a few drops to water in a diffuser. ON THE EMOTIONAL SIDE: Deep Blue (Soothing Blend) is generally used for physical pain, but it can also assist individuals who are resisting or avoiding the emotions that underlie their physical pain. It offers strength to face emotional wounds, allowing the wounds to surface for transformation and healing. This blend can teach individuals how to be the observer of their painful experiences rather than overidentifying with them. Deep Blue can support the mind in staying cool and collected, regardless of the emotional or physical turmoil one may be in. In this way, it helps maintain clarity in the face of discomfort. Negative Emotions addressed: pain resistance, avoiding emotional issues, panic, fear, woundedness. Positive Emotions supported: strength, acceptance, serenity, healing. CAUTIONS: Possible skin sensitivity. Keep out of reach of children. Consult your physician if you are pregnant or nursing. Avoid contact with eyes, inner ears and sensitive areas.h Andi Sells Photography

ccording to Traditional Yoga Meditation, the Universe is made up of pure consciousness— it’s pure awareness. This awareness “appears” to forget that it is the source of all that is as it contracts and becomes everything in the material world. This contraction is referred to as Maya in Vedanta (one of the world’s most ancient spiritual philosophies), and in some forms of Buddhism. This illusion creates ignorance (avidya) of our true nature, which is identical with pure consciousness. Maya is the cause of the ego—a form of mental processing—which causes us to feel encapsulated in a body and limited in our abilities, which are one and the same with pure consciousness. When babies are in the womb, they bask in oneness without a sense of “out there” and “in here.” When they are born they don’t know that they are separate from the breast they are nursing from. They don’t even know what or where their own hand or foot is. Over time, through sensory motor stimulation and the formation of memories they begin to realize it’s their hand and they are on the bed and Mom is over there. It’s all learned, not inherent. In the same way we practice moving our hand, we practice advanced motor skills, language, and a sense of individuality, none of which is negative. However, we also practice the behaviors of our culture, which may include limited thinking about our potential. We practice the habits of our family, which may include anxiety or anger. We practice every aspect of our

by Angila Reid

Angila Reid is a Wellness Advocate and Educator with dōTERRA International, a Cer tified Reflexologist, and received her CNHP from Trinity School of Natural Health. Angi lives in Lawrenceville, GA with her husband of over twenty-five years, and her fur babies Mork and Mindy. Angi’s passion is helping others while educating them on alternative natural remedies. my.doterra.com/feetloveoils feetloveoils@gmail.com 770-356-4443

Balancing Energy and Stress in the Work Environment

STAGE 5

BALANCE

by Alison Mills-Long

CONSCIOUS 360°

ncreasingly, many large, well-known corporations are providing meditation sessions, classes, and dedicated space for employees to manage stress levels during the day. Healthcare organizations are now more aware of the toll stress takes on team members and are offering quiet spaces where they can retreat for breaks. In one recent presentation on stress management to hospice employees, I followed up with sound sessions to demonstrate the effectiveness of a short session, in this case, a fifteenminute practice. The responses were overwhelmingly positive and participants were surprised it took only a short time to achieve relaxation and refreshment. Research on happiness reveals the role of the vagus nerve in promoting connectedness, which in turn increases calm and balance. The vagus nerve is a two-way network of communication between the brain and most major organs in the body. It regulates things like hunger, the immune response, feeling calm or anxious, and much more. Sound is one way to positively affect the vagus nerve and, in turn, the body. Implementing a program for employees that includes therapeutic sound would be a win-win by helping them connect as a team AND reduce stress. Sound can be used for more than relaxation. A professional practitioner

can guide employees through healthy expression of emotions and help avoid explosive behavior or meltdowns. Also, a practitioner can use specific frequencies and combinations of tones to invoke creativity, increase energy and clarity in addition to easing pain and other symptoms of dis-ease. If a room cannot be dedicated full-time for this purpose, reserving it at regular times for individual and/or team sound sessions would suffice. Optimally, offering sessions before the work day begins and during the lunch hour would help offset the draining effects of a stressful environment. Although it’s possible to learn to play singing bowls and tuning forks and acquire moderately priced tools for the work environment, the results would be better with the services of certified practitioners. A good place to seek out these practitioners is from the International Sound Therapy Association’s (ISTA) Certified Therapeutic Sound Practitioner program. Employee stress impacts companies’ bottom lines. If this stress is diffused in a positive way and achieves employee well-being, the rewards for both parties result in health, success, and balance.h Alison Mills-Long has twenty-seven plus years’ experience in the financial services industry. She holds a BA in Music from Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA. She holds certifications in Coaching, Reiki, Sound Therapy, and Neuro-Linguistic Programming and provides training in Meditation, Stress Management, and Dream Analysis. www.empoweredbysource.com

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L E B TA B with Burge Smith-Lyons

Do You Have

a FEAR of the

Unknown?

ave you ever heard “You are perfect just the way you are?” I support people with that affirmation all the time and yet some do not believe it. People may ask, “If I am perfect, then why transform? Or change anything?” Of course, their life may have some issues still and they do not want to “rock the boat.” Instead, you could say, “I am perfect and yet I could be so much more.” I have been teaching transformational workshops and involved in transformation over thirty-seven years and have found that people are afraid to change. You may want more money, better relationships, better health, but the fear of the unknown stops you in your tracks. Getting outside of your comfort zone can be scary. So, you end up settling and staying where you are even if you do not like the results you have been living with so far. You may say, “It’s not for me” or “It is what it is” and forget your dreams. Can you imagine how you could change without the fear? Would you give yourself permission? Just like snakes shed their skin or caterpillars become butterflies, there is a perturbation the moment before you change. This is the dissipative structures theory. For growth to happen, a single cell organism has pressure from the outside and the pressure transforms the single cell into a more complex organism. Change is constant and necessary for the evolvement of humanity. You can evolve consciously or unconsciously. Here is a formula for change: C = (v+b+p)>x. For more explanation, C = Change and V = Vision. A vision must be juicy and make your passion flow with what you are creating from your heart space to reality. B = Breakdown. A breakdown in a marriage is divorce, in health it’s sickness, in business it’s bankruptcy. Most people wait to change through breakdown. This is a painful way to evolve. Why not do this consciously and not wait for the big breakdowns? You can have smaller nudges to move like getting a cold, so you slow down for a minute and practice self-care. P = Plan. A plan is practical steps to achieve the goals in bite-size increments. So, some combination of vision + breakdown + plan must be greater than X which = Fear of Change. The greater the vision and plan, the less breakdown you will have in order to change. Changing and transformation is natural and necessary for growth. You can change your fear by changing your BubbleTalk, the unconscious thoughts that keep you from getting what you want. By changing your thoughts, you can give yourself permission to transform without much breakdown.h

Burge Smith-Lyons is an international best-selling author, motivational speaker, intuitive healer, certified rebirther, hypnotherapist, channeler, minister, and founder and CEO of The Essence of Being, Inc. For thirty-seven years she has helped thousands of graduates globally with emotional and spiritual healing, better communication techniques, relationships, prosperity consciousness, and enlightened leadership. Burgesmithlyons.com www.essenceofbeing.com

Essence of Being is a series of experiential development programs for adults, families and children which specialize in helping you identify what “Bubble Talk” or subconscious negative belief systems you may have that block you from achieving more of what you want on an emotional, spiritual, mental, and physical level for business and personal life. If you want more abundance, self-esteem, trust, love, peace, and purpose in your life, join the thousands of people around the world since 1993 to unlock your inner codes for better communication, loving relationships, and wealth.

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“As a Transformational Life Coach myself I am not easily impressed. Burge and the Essence of Being workshop blew me away. I had thought I had done all the work, but this course helped me peel yet another layer off; allowing me to touch into the most vulnerable places with fearlessness and grace. Essence of Being is the most creative, unique, and life changing workshop I have ever taken." Jennifer Grace, Hay House Author and Radio Show Host

September/October 2018

MarketPlace

Experience REAL Soul Guidance Soul Medicine, Inc offers intuitive counseling, hypnotherapy, healing sessions, Mayan astrology readings, past life regressions, guided meditation and life coaching by Sylina (“Two Bears’), Ph.D. Sylina has worked in the medicine ways of her Creek and Cherokee Ancestors, spent years studying with the Mayan Elders in Guatemala, has been teaching Yoga and meditation since 1995, and has worked as an instructor at the Edgar Cayce Association of Research and Enlightenment, studied at The Monroe Institute and is certified as an Outreach Facilitator. For more information please email

soulmedicinelodge@gmail.com or call 404-984-1714

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Goddess Wisdom Guide Hello Goddess! Your time has come to reclaim your sacred feminine truth, soul wisdom and inner heart powers to create your Goddess life of wholeness, balance and joy! My expertise is guiding women to restore their divine feminine self through sessions, classes, trainings and prayer circles. Book your free session https://laurahosford.leadpages.co/ divine-purpose-clarity-session-/ https://laurahosford.com/

Got Stress? Stop the cycle of self-sabotage at the individual and corporate level creating stress and impacting your bottom line. Integrative training and coaching offers a fresh and effective approach to: • Improve employee engagement • Increase productivity • Stimulate creative thinking • Manage stress Individual, Group and Corporate options available. Free 30 minute consultation. alisonmlong@empoweredbysource.com

www.empoweredbysource.com

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FREE

Initial Acupuncture Evaluation and treatment Eastern and Western Medicine meet! A free acupuncture evaluation and treatment. LIMITED TIME OFFER. Stop suffering from pain, fatigue, insomnia and chronic headaches etc. www.acupunctureandinjury.com

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Looking for trusted resources? Need an Energy Healer, a coach? Look no further! Go to https://myconsciouslifejournal.com/resource-directory/ and find exactly what you need to live a better life!

The Sacred Spirit

Handcrafted Urn Pendants, Keepsakes & Memorial Jewelry As an intuitive artist and healer, I channel natural creations to help support your spiritual journey. It is an honor for me to turn a sacred memory of yours into a tangible piece of art, which you can wear and cherish for all time. ~ Irene Meiller SacredSpiritRelics.com info@SacredSpiritRelics.com

Does clutter in your home stress you out? I get it - clutter is stressful! Live With Less is a professional organizing and decluttering business dedicated to helping you clear the clutter to create space for what’s important to you. Contact Shannon Loe at Live With Less today - let’s create your sanctuary together. Shannon@LiveWithLessLLC.com LiveWithLessLLC.com

Lifestyle Transformations Pranic Healing & Meditation on Twin Hearts Meditation on Twin Hearts and Pranic Healing can increase peace, illumination, awareness, balance, and healing in multiple aspects of your life. These are great ways to recharge, gain clarity and bless our loved ones. APHC offers group meditations, classes, and healing sessions. Join us Free for a Meditation and Healing Clinic.

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EMPOWER BODY, MIND, SPIRIT THROUGH WHOLESOME WELLNESS! Pilates • Young Living • Beautycounter Natural Alternatives • Toxins Reduction Financial Independence Individuals • Small Groups Corporate Clients Wellness Professionals • Community Consultations • Wellness Events Educational Seminars ARE YOU READY FOR THE BEST VERSION OF YOU? angelova@rebellious-intl.com www.rebellious-intl.com

Embrace Possibility DHA offers the highest quality classes, therapies and workshops to help you lead a happy healthy life. We offer Yoga,Tai Chi and Qi Gong in ongoing classes and 4-8 week series. We provide over 12 therapies including Massage, Acupuncture, Reiki, Sound Therapy, Alexander Technique and Holistic Skin Care. Ignite your spirit Heal your body Open your heart and mind

www.decaturhealingarts.com 404-378-6288

Connecting YOU with your Heart and Soul! Depressed? Anxious? Fearful? Empower Yourself! I offer online therapy and coaching after therapy, to simplify your life by combining psychotherapy with energy techniques. If you are open to exploring your hurts, beliefs, and behaviors that are stopping you from living the life you want, I can help. It would be an honor to assist you. www.facebook.com/InnerHealthAndHealing/

Inner Health and Healing, LLC Kelli O’Neill, LPC, NCC

678.861.6513 September/October 2018

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In Control Counseling Services, LLC

FreelanceInk The written word – critiqued, evaluated and edited. Books, fiction, non-fiction, articles, documents, dissertations, technical manuals, poetry, plays and scripts; professionally polished and guided to perfection.

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Are you the CEO of Your Own Life? The Winning Formula for Success in Life & Business Are you leading your life and your business with a CEO Mindset? What’s the real secret to personal and business success? Move beyond your current thinking and into the life you truly want to live. Key Elements of Mindset and Skillset for Success & Happiness 4-Step Process to Move Forward as CEO of YOUR Life And more…

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Compassionate Healing I am Betty Smith Sadler, an Emotional Intuitive and Consciousness Coach. My clients and I work on egoic child’s mind issues to free them from fear, anxiety and frustration that they may live a life of love, abundance, creativity and joy.

Certified Master Healer

by Martha Burgess Novak, LLC.

marthaburgessnovak.net catstarfriend@icloud.com (770) 317-8288

Mack’s Fitness Center We teach proper techniques to fit the needs of the individual. We encourage goal setting, proper nutrition, and sound use of supplements. We use meditation and deep breathing to develop inner strength. We offer personal training and aerobic classes. James McClain Owner and manager since 1982

mack8700@comcast.net www.macksfitnesscenter.com

404-755-9455

Individual Counseling & Coaching Mental Health Evaluations and Diagnosing In Home and Online Post-partum blues, Depression, Anxiety, ADHD, dealing with a traumatic event or stuck in life? If you have the courage to share your emotions and open your life to me. I will offer solutions that are individual to your life, motivate and support you through your journey. Dametria Carson, LPC, NCC dcarson@incontrolcounseling.org Call me: 470-632-0762 www.incontrolcounseling.org

Body Awareness Studio Body Awareness Studio is dedicated to balancing your body, mind, and soul with customized private and group Pilates sessions. We uniquely combine Pilates and body awareness to dramatically enhance your brain and body communication for more embodied joy, ease, and freedom in every area of your life. Free introductory events!

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October 20, 2018 Suwanee Town Center Park Saturday 10:00am - 6:00pm Benefiting

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September/October 2018

Sunday September 30 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

TWO-HOUR MEDITATION SEMINAR with Roy Eugene Davis

The Only Ordained (1951) Disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda Who is Still Actively Teaching

Atlanta Marriott Century Center Hotel

2000 Century Blvd, NE (Continental Room A,B,C) From North on I-85 at Exit 91 turn right on Clairmont Road From South on I-85 at Exit 91 turn left on Clairmont Road At the third traffic light, turn right on Century Blvd Donation Basis

Invite Your Spiritual Friends

Some benefits of meditation can be reduced stress, a stronger immune system, slower biological aging, improved concentration, mental calmness and emotional stability, and satisfying spiritual growth. Enjoyable, effective practice may include prayer, affirmation, breath awareness, mantra, pranayama, contemplation, and transcendence. A guided practice session will be experienced. Roy Eugene Davis has been teaching in the Kriya Yoga tradition for more than sixty years in North and South America, Japan, West Africa, Europe, and India. He is the director of Center for Spiritual Awareness. Pick up a free copy of In the Sanctuary of Silence (32 page meditation guide booklet) and Truth Journal magazine at the Free Literature table. Special Price for Paramahansa Yogananda As I Knew Him at the Seminar, $5.00 Or order by mail (below) Sponsored by Center for Spiritual Awareness PO Box 7 Lakemont, Georgia 30552-0001 Tel: 706-782-4723 weekdays 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. info@csa-davis.org www.csa-davis.org _______________________________________________________________________________________

New Revised and Enlarged 2nd Edition

PARAMAHANSA YOGANANDA As I Knew Him by Roy Eugene Davis Quality Paperback 6 x 9 Format 224 Pages 16 pages of black and white and color photos $8.00 plus $3.00 postage & packing

A clear explanation of who Yogananda was, what he was like, and what and how he taught. Includes a glossary with precise definitions of 150 philosophical concepts and English and Sanskrit words that are helpful to know. CSA Press PO Box 7 Lakemont, Georgia 30552-0001 706-782-4723 weekdays 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. info@csa-davis.org online at www.csa-davis.org