Conscious Life Journal by Conscious Life Journal

Exclusive Interview with

PAM GROUT The Frequency of Joy

Intuitive

painting ACCESS YOUR INNER ARTIST

THE INVITATION by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY Our Soulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Agenda

CONSCIOUS

INTEGRATION The path to REAL freedom

The Conscious Integration Issue May/June 2017

CONTENTS

FEATURES cont.

FEATURES

90 Minutes from Atlanta and a World Away A Retreat Center on 220 Acres of North Georgia Mountain Beauty From the lovely rooms to the fabulous food to the studio to the surroundings – you have created a sanctuary for personal exploration that truly calms the soul in a deep, meaningful way. The land – what an incredible healing place you chose! What often makes or breaks a place is the people – your family and staff – every one

Conscious 360 - Your Conscious Journey Begins Here 3 9 Ways to Be Happier for Both the Soul and the Ego 10 by Robert Holden, PhD The Way to Create Self-Acceptance 12 by Robert Dallas The Yin and Yang—How do you Choose Your Relationships? 14 The Female Perspective by Tammy Billups The Male Perspective by Don Reed Simmons Personal Responsibility Series An Exquisite Dance of Personal Power by Diane Eaton 16 Your Words Have Power by Adele Wang 18 Awaken From Victim Shifting by Bob Lancer 18 Personal Responsibility is Not a Dirty Word! by Burge Smith-Lyons 19

The Invitation by Oriah Mountain Dreamer Intuitive Painting by Carol Iyer

21 22

INTERVIEW Pam Grout—Explorer on the Frontier of Magic and Enchantment 6

COLUMNS

Wisdom Thoughts: “Every Cause has Its Effect, Every Effect has Its Cause.” by Melba Black, PhD 9 Feng Shui Your Life by Marjorie Hilliard 20 Animals As Guides: Animal Wisdom—Integration 101 by Tammy Billups 24 Acupuncture: An Ancient Remedy for Modern Times by Karen Lang 26

of them went out of their way to be accommodating. I will be back again! ~ Nancy G, Boston MA, June 2016

Featured Spring & Early Summer Retreats May 19-21

Embodying Presence Through the Instincts and the Enneagram with John Luckovich and Shari Fox

June 17-18

Lotus Rising: Summer Solstice Women’s Retreat with Jessi Reed and Carol Bradley Ezekiel

June 24-26

Extraordinary Intentions: The Remarkable Power of Self - A Retreat for Nurses with Dahlia Prophet

June 30-July 3 July 7-9 July 9-14 July 21-23

Boldly Going Nowhere - From Striving to Arriving with Bob Sima and Shannon Plummer Awakening to Your True Nature with Francis Bennett Soul Sensuality: Embodiment & Intuition as Fuel in Uncertain Times with Julie Stuart Breathing Into Bliss - Enlightenment Through Breathwork with Kelly Walden and Debi Miller

Visit our website for a full listing of our retreat offerings

elohee.org | 770-316-9195

16 LET’S GET PERSONAL cont.

CONSCIOUS PERSPECTIVES Seeking a Job or Career You Love by Sharron Ragan The Relationship Dance by Laina Orlando The Spirit of My Being by Diane Glynn Real Talk with Martha Burgess Novak Awaking to Action by Becky Arrington

28 30 31 32 33

LET’S GET PERSONAL Choose Your Food Wisely by Brenda Cobb The 6 Steps of Healing by Mindy Strich Embrace Your Shadow Self as an Ally by Melba Black, PhD Star Talk: Your Bridge Between Heaven and Earth by Lorelei Robbins The Ten Commandments of Self-Esteem by Catherine Cardinal, PhD Using Your Intuition to Make Choices by Shelly Dressel, RN

34 35 36 37 37 38

The Gift of Living Your Integration by Anyaa T McAndrew Essential Oils by Maria Angelova

39 39

BOOK REVIEW Conversations with God, Book 4 As Reviewed by Nanette Littlestone

MARKETPLACE

EMERGING AUTHORS

RESOURCE DIRECTORY

EVENT GUIDE REFLECTIONS Original Poetry and Musings: "Being" by Mary D. Simpson

Elohee Center, Inc. is a Georgia Non-Profit Educational Corporation May/June 2017

EditorialBoard

The Conscious 360°

Tammy is a pioneer and specialist on the emotional and energetic animal-human relationship. She is a Certified Energy Healer for animals and is also a Certified Interface (Bioenergetics) Therapist for people. She’s facilitated thousands of sessions on both two- and four-legged clients. Tammy founded the Animal Ministry at Unity North in 2004 and currently facilitates the monthly Praying Paws Service. Her new widely anticipated book, Beyond the Fur, was released August, 2016.

Dr. Melba Black, PhD, SphereInnovationGroup.com

Melba is a mentor, innovator, and scholar. She has a PhD in Health Theology and is a certified Life Coach. She is a Reiki master, Reiki teacher, and a yoga and meditation teacher. She also has 25 years’ experience as former director of YMCAs in Georgia, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Texas. She is a public speaker and co-host of a radio show on Blog Talk radio.

Robert Dallas, PhD, TheDallasCenter.com

Rebecca Hillegeist, SandySpringsPerimeterChamber.com

Rebecca Hillegeist is the Director of Business Relations for the Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber. Rebecca comes to us with an impressive 20-year history including, but not limited to, International Relations, Business and Administrative Management, Marketing, and Executive Life and Business Coaching.

Martha Burgess Novak, MarthaBurgessNovak.net

Martha is a peak performance trainer working 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. You can also find her radio show on www.blogtalkradio.com/marthaburgessnovak.

Nanette Littlestone Editor in Chief WordsOfPassion.com Nanette@myconsciouslifejournal.com Carol Iyer Editor Caroliyer.com Carol@myconsciouslifejournal.com Kim Grayson Accounting Kim@myconsciouslifejournal.com Dianne McAlexander, Art Direction Graphic Design DianneMcAlexander.com Dianne@myconsciouslifejournal.com Melody Dawn Perry Business Development Melody@myconsciouslifejournal.com Jason Beever Web Design/Development Jason@myconsciouslifejournal.com

Sharron Ragan, SharronRagan.com

Sharron Ragan is a brand creativity consultant and an 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.

Advisory Council Shelly Dressel, RN, GoddessLight.net Bob Lancer, LoveTheMethod.com

Lorelei Robbins, RobbinsCosmicNest.com Mary Simpson, BeingGoodKarma.com

ContributingWriters Maria Angelova angelova@rebellious-intl.com

Robert Holden RobertHolden.org

Becky Arrington becky@arringtonassoc.com

Karen Lang dogwoodhealingarts@gmail.com

Brenda Cobb livingfoodsinstitute@gmail.com

Anyaa McAndrew anyaamcandrew@gmail.com

Catherine Cardinal, PhD catherinecardinal.com

Laina Orlando laina@lainaorlando.com

Oriah Mountain Dreamer mail@oriahmountaindreamer.com

Don Reed Simmons donreedsimmons@aol.com

Diane Eaton thewritingdocrx@gmail.com

Burge Smith-Lyons burge@essenceofbeing.com

Diane Glynn diane.glynn@unitynorth.org

Mindy Strich mindy@mindystrich.com

Marjorie Hilliard marjoriehilliard@sbcglobal.net

Adele Wang adele@safehavenhealing.net

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ADVERTISE WITH US! myconsciouslifejournal.com/advertise Email us for more information: advertising@myconsciouslifejournal.com SUBSCRIBE ONLINE myconsciouslifejournal.com/subscribe We welcome inquiries regarding editorial submissions. Please send your ideas to Editorial@myconsciouslifejournal.com Copyright 2017 by Conscious 360, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission of the copyright holder.

Conscious Life Journal is published six times yearly by Conscious 360, LLC 6175 Hickory Flat Highway Suite 110 #356 Canton, GA 30115 myconsciouslifejournal.com This publication is designed for educational purposes only and is not engaged in rendering medical advice, legal advice, or professional services. If you feel that you have a medical problem, you should seek the advice of your physician or health care practitioner.

lanc

STAGE 1: YOUR CONSCIOUS MIND is the stage of healing which uses your mind and the powerful word “why” with the intention to see yourself and your life with greater clarity. In Stage 1 you may experience feelings of Confusion, Denial, and Anger. STAGE 2: YOUR CONSCIOUS BODY is the stage of healing that works through the body so that you can experience true acceptance. In Stage 2 you may experience feelings of Fatigue, Relief, and Gratitude. STAGE 3: YOUR CONSCIOUS SPIRIT is the understanding of forgiveness and how it is imperative for personal healing. In Stage 3 you may experience feelings of Connectedness, Tolerance, and Peace. STAGE 4: CONSCIOUS INTEGRATION explores a deeper level of personal responsibility and choice. In Stage 4 you may experience feelings of Clarity, Happiness, and Empowerment. STAGE 5: CONSCIOUS BALANCE examines the joy and happiness found in living fully conscious and in a state of freedom. In Stage 5 you may experience feelings of Peace, Expansion, and Freedom..

e invite you to join our

conscious community and get involved! There are many ways to live a conscious life. We want to know what you do—no matter how big or small—to live more mindfully, joyfully, and sustainably.

Robert holds a PhD in Counseling Psychology from Georgia State University. He has been a Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice for the past 25 years. He helps people with career and life focus, works with individuals on their anxiety and self-esteem issues, and works with couples in the realm of relationship issues.

Hope Merrill Publisher myconsciouslifejournal.com Hope@myconsciouslifejournal.com

model was used as our foundation to organize the wisdom and guidance in the Conscious Life Journal. The Journal follows the 5 stages of healing: Mind, Body, Spirit, Integration, and Balance. Our goal for the Journal is to provide a roadmap for individuals on their journey to a higher state of consciousness. Used together, stage by stage, while building upon each other, this 5-stage process moves you from confusion and inaction to clarity and peace. ba

Tammy Billups, TammyBillups.com

In this issue, Stage 4,

it is all about Choice!

It is in the Conscious Integration stage that we are able to practice a higher state of consciousness from a deeper level of personal responsibility. In this stage we learn that we can choose how we want to “be” in any situation or circumstance. We are lighter and clearer and we can therefore choose to change something or be totally okay with it. We can now choose our perspective, feelings, attitude, and actions. We realize that we can respond, not react. Our confidence builds as we integrate and understand on a deeper level that our response to anything or anyone is totally within our power. In this stage, our goal is to practice, practice, practice! We are more empowered and able to practice making a choice, then practice changing that choice. Now we can develop and practice a daily routine of self-care and spiritual devotion. Try something new! Lighten up! Explore, choose, integrate your many selves, and find your passion for living!

SUBSCRIBE: Our subscribers receive six issues per year filled with conscious inspiration, wisdom, enlightened perspective, and practical information on how to live a more conscious and happy life. ADVERTISE: Your business connects heart, mind, and soul—tell

the conscious world about it! Our advertisers are awake, aware, and serving with passion, creativity, and a heartfelt desire to bring healing and consciousness to the world.

STAY IN TOUCH: Sign up for our Newsletter and be the first to know what is new with the Journal.

VISIT US: my c o n s c i o u s l i fe j o u r n a l . c o m May/June 2017

“In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.” –Eleanor Roosevelt

from

The Publisher Dear Conscious One!

Usin g th e Jo u r n a l

The mission of the Conscious Life Journal is to educate, inspire, guide, and inform people as they journey towards healing, changing, and embracing their authentic Self. Our heartfelt intention is to be a trusted and valuable companion to those looking to live a conscious life, providing heart-opening teachings, insightful perspectives, transformative services, and powerful products that help them live with greater freedom, joy, and love. Through an unprecedented and unique collection of local and global resources, The Journal seeks to be a bridge to authentic living, a conscious collection of wisdom and support, and a reminder that we are not alone in our journey to becoming our best selves.

I am so excited to share with you our Conscious Integration issue. It is during this stage in our foundational concept (see page 3 for more information on Conscious 360°) that we are able to practice a higher state of consciousness from a deeper level of personal responsibility. We understand and choose how we want to “BE” in any given situation. We are more empowered and able to practice making a choice, then practice changing that choice. We are ready to try something new! Lighten up! Explore new things, integrate our many selves, and find our passion for living! Our interview in this issue with Pam Grout, who wrote the massively popular book E-Squared, is a quick course in practical manifesting and living the vibration of joy! We have also been blessed with a reprint and a special introduction by Oriah Mountain Dreamer to her famous poem, The Invitation. Some of our features are just plain fun—like the 9 Ways to Be Happier and Intuitive Painting. We then seriously explore Acupuncture, which is an ancient remedy for modern times and an amazingly effective choice for getting healthy. We also present a series of articles about personal responsibility. I love one of the titles—“Personal Responsibility is not a Dirty Word!” It has been my experience that shifting from a victim mentality to taking personal responsibility for my choices is THE way to freedom! So come, my friend, and let the Journal be your bridge to authentic living. Learn how to seek a career that you LOVE, how to CHOOSE instead of react, integrate the gift of emotional independence in your relationships, and use your Intuition to make choices. Wake up to the integration of all of your many selves, the call of Conscious Citizenship, living your spirituality, and so much more!

In Gratitude,

P.S. Be sure to check out the big savings from the Living Foods Institute on the Inside Back

Cover and the list of upcoming Retreats at Elohee on our Inside Front Cover. And don't miss the new marketplace ads—this is an impressive collection of amazing practitioners and products! 4

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May/June 2017

training your mind. I use the example in E-Squared of housebreaking a puppy. You keep taking it outside and showing it a different reality. So I say to the Holy Spirit, “Holy Spirit, help me see this differently.” And my Course in Miracles lesson today is “I have invented the world I see.” Where can I fix that but on the inside? I have to clean up the parts of myself that are fearful or that might be doing the things that people out there are doing. I’ve been relying a lot on the Holy Spirit the last few months. But it does work. To hang onto the truth, you have to be shown a way to see it differently.

INTERVIEW

A Conversation With

Pam

GROUT

CLJ: How has the

acclaim of your books and being in the public eye changed you?

PG: It’s funny because some of my friends say, “Pam, you haven’t changed at all. You seem like the same old person.” There were times when I thought I should get a regular job because I was crazy enough to believe I could make a living and support my daughter as a single mom by following my dream of being a writer. So that’s one thing that changed. I don’t have that constant axe over my head. I’ve always believed in an abundant world, but a lot of people, like my mom, felt that pressure. Now people say,“Wow, she made the right decision to do that.” What’s wonderful is hearing from so many people and realizing w w w.myconsciouslifejour nal.com

that the world has become so much smaller. I’ve been asked to speak all over the world, which has made me realize that we’re all connecting on the internet and I’m finding so many like-minded souls out there.That’s very heartening, especially now. CLJ: Isn’t that great? What an inspiration you are to all of us who are stepping up and stepping out away from the corporate world to blaze new trails. PG: In a way, we’re all going to have to start doing that. The whole corporate thing has reached its peak, I think. There’s not going to be unlimited growth in that arena anymore. We all have to step up and do our own thing. CLJ: Do you think that’s a manifestation of the shift in our collective consciousness? PG: For sure. That’s what we’re seeing in the political arena—the last gasp of the old way that hasn’t been working very well. They’re struggling to hang on so they’re going to be bold and extreme.

CLJ: It requires a certain level of consciousness to even know that you need to say, “Holy Spirit, help me see things differently.” How do you help people develop that practice?

It’s a good sign that we’re getting a very clear vision of what we really do want. We want everyone to have prosperity. We want everyone to have everything that they deserve. We’ll never have complete freedom until we don’t need the big walls and barbed wire fences and all that. The biggest secret is that we all really love each other, but we’ve created this other hologram and we’re seeing it clearly and we see that it’s not working. CLJ: In Living Big you talk about the journey beyond the boundaries of what you know and how to relinquish your fear. How do you teach people to make that choice? What do you say when they say they’re afraid? PG: Our little minds like to stay busy and create all these fearful thoughts about our old patterns, looking for what’s wrong and trying to fix it. We spend a lot of time focusing on what is wrong. Being fearful has been a way to protect us in the past. It isn’t necessary anymore, but our minds are still wired that way. I’m a student of A Course in Miracles and it’s a matter of

PG: I talk a lot about frequency in Thank and Grow Rich. It’s so important to get on the frequency of joy and gratitude. A lot of people will discount gratitude. “Yeah, we’ve heard about that before.” But it’s so powerful. When you start looking for all of the things that are going right and you literally start counting your blessings, then you’re more receptive because there really are an infinite number of possibilities out there. Anything can happen at any moment. But because we condense the reality of what we think we’re looking for, we see exactly what we expect to see. Whatever’s hanging out in your consciousness will be out-pictured in your life. That’s why it’s really important to look at what you’re seeing out there and begin cleaning up those places inside that are out-picturing things that look scary. As I did that, my ability to recognize beautiful things increased, which allowed the universe to deliver to me more prosperity. So it’s really powerful to start focusing on what is going right. I think that’s an easier way, a simpler way, to get your mind to see all the beautiful things that are out there. CLJ: Does this tie in to what you call the “Field of Infinite Possibilities”? PG: I call it the Field of Infinite Potentiality (FP). Some people call it God. Quantum physicists call it the field. It doesn’t matter what we call it. What matters is that we start applying it and using it in our lives in a way that benefits us and brings us happiness and joy and a good world for everybody. There really are unlimited possibilities, but we only see that which we’ve allowed in and that’s why I often ask the Holy Spirit to see it differently. Help me see more, help me see the beauty, help me see truth. Otherwise, I’m just going to

see a condensed version of how I’ve decided the world is. CLJ: Are the experiments in E-Squared part of the breakthrough in that ability to help you see beyond yourself? PG: I think the message “ask and ye shall receive” has been out there for a long time. What I did in the book, and why it became so massively popular, was to put this into practice. Let’s put it out there and see it with our own two eyes. So I challenged people; I gave them a specific time period. The experiments in the first book were forty-eight hours. When you’re looking for something in fortyeight hours, it’s going to show up for you. You can say theoretically that I know that the world loves me and there are blessings out there. But we’re not talking theory, we’re talking “let your little eyeballs notice it” in your world. It hasn’t changed the FP; it just changes our relationship to it. It enables us to see it. That’s why the experiments are powerful.The spiritual principles have been out there for a long time, but I set them up in the form of scientific experiments: this is my hypothesis, so if this is true then this will happen.Then people try it out and see it in their own lives. They’re fun experiments, there’s nothing difficult about them, and people had all these miracles. I get such a kick when I open my email and get a message like “you are never going to believe this,” and I do believe it because I know the way the world works. Whatever little tinge of doubt I might have had is completely gone because I get way too many of these stories to have any doubt whatsoever. CLJ: Do you hear from people who say they tried and didn’t get any results? PG: I do. That’s why I wrote the book Thank and Grow Rich, a 30-day Experiment in Shameless Gratitude and Unabashed Joy. I say in the first chapter that this is a book for them. Did you see the movie A Few Good Men where Tom Cruise has Jack Nicholson up on the witness stand? “I need the truth. Did you order a Code Red?” And finally, Jack Nicholson gets so mad he says, “You can’t handle the truth!” That’s what Thank and Grow Rich is all about. Until we can get our joy channels onto that frequency of joy and appreciation, we can’t handle the truth—the truth of all the love and bounty and beauty that’s out there. I also have blog posts called “Let the Universe Do the

. Heavy Lifting” where I talk about how we make an intention and immediately jump in and try to make all these things happen which really blocks the FP. One example is “I want a million dollars so I’m gonna win the lottery.” That’s fine, and you may win the lottery, but you’re putting handcuffs on the FP. The FP is totally abundant and wants to bless you as much as you’re able to take in with your consciousness. To say you want to win the lottery is just one avenue, and the FP has an infinite number. We can’t even get our minds around infinite. CLJ: So our mind limits the universe’s ability to give back to us. PG: Exactly. That’s it in a nutshell. CLJ: Are there steps that you give people to help them open more and move toward that greater ability in a methodical way? PG: The thirty-day experiment in Thank and Grow Rich is what I call my A.A. 2.0 program. The first step is I get up every morning and say, “Something amazingly awesome is going to happen to me today.” So before you even get out of bed you make the intention that something really cool is going to happen. The second thing I do is I text three blessings to my Possibility Posse—three amazing things that happened to me from the day before. The one rule is that you can’t do repeats. I’ve always been big on “Oh, I love my daughter, oh, I love my career.” But each day has to be something new and unique. May/une 2017

“ " Holy Spirit, help me see this differently.” It only takes a minute or two in the morning, but it sets me on this path and gets me on this frequency. When I get off the path, I go back and say, “Holy Spirit, help me see this differently.” In the beginning, when I was trying to change my thoughts, I was appealing to the Holy Spirit pretty much every five minutes. But you get better and better at it as you practice it more often. CLJ: So it circles back to that personal responsibility. Nobody’s going to do that for you. You must choose to do that for you. Is there anything new and juicy for you that I can share with my readers? PG: I just turned in the manuscript to my new book Art and Soul Reloaded about creativity and spirituality. That will come out in August. This year I’ve got several workshops that I’m giving all over—the Philippines in March, Switzerland in October, and quite a few here in the US. But the most exciting news is a few years ago I wrote a TV series set in an intentional community called Milagro Springs. I jokingly call it “Sex in the Country” because the six characters live in this eco village out in the country with hot springs, and people come in to do yoga classes and all this kind of stuff, which is where the interaction happens. Now that so many people are reading my books—from Hollywood and all over—I’m going to polish up the script and send it out and try to sell it. I made the intention to do that and the next day I got a LinkedIn request from a guy that is the head of Netflix, and I thought, oh, that’s interesting. It’s funny how the universe works. h

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As an explorer on the frontiers of magic and enchantment, Pam Grout has served as an extra in a zombie movie, composed a country and western song, created a TV series, and communed with Maasai warriors, Turkish sultans, and Inti the Ecuadorian Sun God. For a living (and she always wonders why that’s most people’s number one question), she writes books (18, at last count including the international bestseller E-Squared: 9 Do-it-Yourself Energy Experiments to Prove Your Thoughts Create Your Reality) and articles for such places as CNN Travel, Huffington Post, and People magazine. She can be tracked down at www.pamgrout.com, @ PamGrout, and/or https://www.facebook.com/ pam.grout.fanpage/

Every Cause has its Effect, every Effect has its Cause; everything happens according to Law; Chance is but a name for law not recognized; there are many planes of causation, but nothing escapes the Law.

WISDOM THOUGHTS by Melba Black, PhD

–The Kybalion

here is a framework of order in the Universe as stated in the first Hermetic law (“All is Mind”) and the Law of Correspondence (“So above; so below; so within; so without”). As we understand that these laws are from the very cosmic, expansive versions of ourselves, we begin to realize our relationship with the cosmos and earth—that we are spiritual beings experiencing life on earth. Some have called this “Earth School.” How, then, do we integrate the physical self with the spiritual self? Each of the Universal Laws builds upon each other from the broad stroke of “All is Mind” to the understanding that everything is energy and nothing is at rest, including our thoughts and feelings. Religious leaders teach that we are spiritual beings and that our souls never die. Scientists say that energy can neither be created nor destroyed. The conclusion is that if we are spirit/energy and cannot be destroyed or die, then surely there is a way that Infinite Intelligence has provided for us to access this Intelligence. The Law of Cause and Effect embodies the fact that there is a Cause for every Effect and an Effect for every Cause. This is the expression of Divine Order. Nothing happens by chance or outside the Universal Laws. Many people live their lives reacting to the events around them without taking the time to examine their thoughts and actions. People who do not take responsibility for unconscious decisions affecting their lives are living in a victim mentality. Karma is an example of the manifestation of this Law. When we act, we have the choice of right action or wrong action directed toward ourselves and others. When we take control of our thoughts and actions, we move toward integrating and mastering the ability to live within the laws in a positive way. External factors and events are influenced by your beliefs, not the other way around. In the book Divine Magic, Doreen Virtue states, “A conscious awareness of cause and effect, combined with intention and practice, helps you rise above external influences.”

According to The Kybalion,“The Universal Laws are structures and guidelines for helping us to evolve and become free. The Law of Cause and Effect provides the knowledge that all behaviors produce either positive or negative results.” Here in “Earth School,” when unpleasant events become a part of life, know that these events have come for a reason—either there is unfinished business that must be resolved before the soul can move to a higher vibration, or there are lessons that must be learned to achieve a higher state of existence and consciousness. The Law of Cause and Effect relates to our freedom of choice. While we have free will to choose our actions in life, we are held responsible by this Law. We can choose our outcomes and, therefore, may develop mastery over lessons such as overcoming pride, learning unconditional love, controlling fear, surrendering ego to Spirit, and, best of all, developing and fostering a desire to be in service. h Melba M. Black, PhD, is a writer, mentor, innovator, and scholar. She holds a PhD in Health Theology and Master degrees in both Psychology and Metaphysics. 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 May/June 2017

for both the SOUL and the ego by Robert Holden, PhD

he Happiness Contract is a statement of belief about how much happiness is possible and how much happiness is too good to be true. It’s a personal agreement drawn up by your super-ego (the rule maker) and signed by your ego. Every Happiness Contract has one central clause: happiness must be deserved. This erroneous belief has led to centuries of unnecessary pain, suffering, and struggle. The good news is that you can re-write your contract whenever you want. First, you remember that your ego, not God, wrote the contract. Next, you realize that your “laws of happiness” exist only in your mind. Thus, if you change your mind about happiness and about yourself, you can be happier.

Let’s look at the nine Happiness Contracts. HE PERFECTIONIST 1 TContract: “I must be perfect in order to deserve happiness.”

The Rule: You have to be better than you are now in order to deserve happiness. The Fear: Maybe you’re not good enough for happiness. Not yet, anyway. The Mistake: Happiness cannot be bought with good behaviour. Soul Meditation: You can rewrite your contract by remembering that the goal of your life is not to make a perfect self; it is to see that you are perfectly made.

Affirmation

“I love and accept myself unconditionally.” h 10

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2 Contract: “I must sacrifice T HE MARTYR something valuable for happiness.”

The Rule: Happiness demands sacrifice. This rule, like all the others, is learned, not real. The Fear: Happiness is selfish, and that’s why you fear that too much happiness is not good. The Mistake: Happiness is not selfish. Social research studies show that happy people are naturally generous, loving, sociable, open, and committed to the happiness of others. Soul Meditation: You can be happy if you are willing to sacrifice (give up) fear for love, guilt for joy, separation for oneness, ego for God.

Affirmation

“My healing and my happiness is a gift to others.” h

ORK ETHIC Contract: 3 W “I must earn happiness.” The Rule: Happiness is earned through hard work. The Fear: Happiness won’t happen unless I make it happen. The Mistake: You are trying too hard to be happy. You think that more success is the key to happiness. Actually, happiness increases your chances of success. Soul Meditation: Happiness is not something to achieve; it is something to accept.

Affirmation

“Happiness is a divine freebie.” h

UFFERING ETHIC 4 SContract: “I must suffer in order to know happiness.”

The Rule: Happiness must be paid for with a suffering tax. You can suffer now and be happy later, or you can be happy now and suffer later. The Fear: I fear I’m not eligible for happiness. I’m a misfit in God’s creation. I’m the one that JOY forgets to include. The Mistake: Suffering doesn’t make you more significant than anyone else or more real. It doesn’t make you a great person. And, by the way, happiness is deep, beautiful, and interesting—if you give it a chance. Soul Meditation: Just because last term you signed up for the school of hard knocks, doesn’t mean you have to take the same class again.

Affirmation

“True joy cures the need to suffer.” h

5 Contract: “I must understand THE UNDERSTANDING what happiness is.”

The Rule: To be happy I have to know how to do it. Happiness is a problem to be solved. The Fear: I’m afraid I haven’t got what it takes to be happy.

The Mistake: Happiness is not learned—it’s remembered. The soul is already happy. Happiness is not to be understood; it is to be enjoyed. Soul Meditation: Notice how good it feels to stop trying to get your head around happiness. Happiness is a quality of the heart; it helps you feel comfortable in your skin and it arises naturally in your mind when you welcome it.

Affirmation

“Happiness happens when I least inspect it.” h

HE SEARCHING 7 TContract: “Happiness is something I have to find.”

The Rule: To be happy you have to search for happiness. The Fear: Happiness is somewhere else. The Mistake: Happiness is not about getting there; it’s about being here. Happiness is not a thing “to have”; it’s a way of being. Soul Meditation: There is a world of difference between searching for happiness and following your joy.

Affirmation

HE GUARANTEED 6 TContract: “It’s impor tant to

“Happiness is where I am.” h

have a guarantee.”

The Rule: To be happy you have to be on your guard. After all, this happiness could be a test. The Fear: Happiness is not safe. The Mistake: For as long as you believe you must deserve happiness, you will look for guarantees, warranties, and seals of approval for even small amounts of happiness. You fear a visit from the Karmic Debt Collectors. Soul Meditation: Happiness research confirms that circumstances have only a shor t-term, negligible effect on happiness. No wonder egos are neurotic. However, the soul experiences unreasonable happiness, which is joy. And joy doesn’t need a reason, and therefore it can’t be taken away.

Affirmation

“Joy is my compass. It helps me to be safe, to feel supported, and to be guided.” h

HE PEACE 9 TAGREEMENT

Contract: “Too much happiness isn’t wor th the trouble.”

The Rule: My happiness must not interfere with the happiness of others. It mustn’t make waves, rock the boat, or stir up trouble. The Fear: Happiness will cause unrest. The Mistake: You believe that if you forego your right to happiness, it will make it easier and less complicated for others to be happy. Soul Meditation: Your gentle smile brings a touch of heaven to this world. Your happy laughter brings us comfort and joy.

Affirmation

T HE BIG

Contract: “Happiness is something I must be in charge of.”

The Rule: Happiness is self-reliance. To be happy I must be strong. The Fear: Happiness will hurt me. Happiness is too soft a thing for this harsh world. The Mistake: You can’t control happiness, you can’t control life, and you can’t control other people. Real strength comes from surrender; and from letting go. Soul Meditation: Franz Kafka wrote about an “indestructible happiness” within. The mystics say that if you look into your heart you will find an “unbroken wholeness.”

Affirmation

“Happiness is a cosmic colonic.” h

“I have a right to be happy.”

Reprint from http://www.robertholden.org/ blog/9-ways-happier/

Robert Holden, PhD is a British psychologist, author, and broadcaster, who works in the field of positive psychology and well-being, and is considered “Britain’s foremost expert on happiness.” He is the Director of The Happiness Project and Success Intelligence and his innovative work has been featured on Oprah, Good Morning America, and media worldwide. www.RobertHolden.org May/une 2017

The Way to Create

Your healthy lifestyle is our practice style

SELF-ACCEPTANCE by Robert Dallas, PhD

Roberta D. Cann, D.M.D., AIAOMT

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SELF-

ACCEPTANCE IS GETTING TO THE PLACE WHERE TRUST AND Unfortunately, we often use some elf-efficacy and WE form of self-attack to motivate “right” ENJOY OUR action, action in general, and carryself-acceptance through. We internalize and carry out ABILITIES. are two useful terms to explore

as we move toward a life of increased ease and flow. In a way, they are reciprocal concepts— one reinforces the other. Self-acceptance increases selfefficacy. And an increase in self-efficacy leads directly to greater self-acceptance. Self-efficacy is closely associated with a psychologist named Albert Bandura, who used it to investigate the concept of confidence in more detail. Self-efficacy means that we handle life as well as we expect to. Bandura popularized this term mainly to study approach-avoidance behavior. In other words, we are more likely to engage in situations and activities that we feel comfortable we can handle well or enjoy. We feel a pushback or avoid situations where we won’t excel. This can be an issue because it limits our actions, and thus our world is smaller. Also, this selfassessment is usually a subconscious process and, over time, can lead to avoidance of new and interesting experiences, even evolving into a generalized belief about how difficult life is or how poor we are at handling it. Self-acceptance is getting to the place where we trust and enjoy our abilities. It is the belief, “I’m a good person, no matter the outcome of any given event or encounter.”

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“the voice of authority” (and responsibility) that we learned so well from our authority figures, against ourselves. When we explore our inner dialogue, we come to find that we are constantly pointing out our shortcomings to ourselves. “You didn’t . . .” “You shouldn’t . . .” “What makes you think you could . . . ?” Over time this self-attack creates an inner split between the “blamed” and the “blamer”—both parts of ourselves. This can lead to a poor self-image and a negative self-assessment that is not at all legitimate. But since it mainly occurs below the level of consciousness, it simply becomes how we define ourselves. Thus, we come full circle to self-efficacy. We expect to handle situations poorly in all arenas of our lives where we have a low opinion of ourselves, which leads to less engagement in new activities or, at least, increased stress and discomfort. How do we move ourselves out of this stalemate? We notice our inner dialogue of self-assessment and question the negative statements. Release the pattern of using the past as evidence of the future. Realize every situation is actually new and different. Own that we are learning and growing all the time and are better able to handle things.

Simply choose to see ourselves in a better light. When we implement some of these self-interventions, the cycle starts working in our favor.The more we accept ourselves, the more we believe in our ability to handle what comes our way. Making these shifts in our self-perspective releases the stalemate of the approach-avoidance trap, thus opening us up to integration. Integration is owning our power through having our various aspects work together in a unified whole. We can then live from a place of balance and see our lives and ourselves in a more positive light. Our self-efficacy quotient goes way up. Congratulations! h Robert Dallas holds a PhD in Counseling

Psychology from Georgia State University. He has been a Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice for the past twenty-five years. He helps people with career and life focus, works with individuals on their anxiety and self-esteem issues, and works with couples in the realm of relationship issues. www.TheDallasCenter.com May/June 2017

YinYang AN EXPLORATION OF OUR There’s an old saying that states: Girls want attention, but women want respect.

o did you swoon or gag when Tom Cruise’s character in Jerry McGuire said, “You complete me”? These examples describe the difference between having a conscious and unconscious relationship: two different choices with different outcomes. If you’re addicted to the idea of a romantic fairytale relationship, you can bet a wounded, unhealed, younger part of yourself is doing the choosing and seeking to get filled from your significant other in ways your inner child did not. And it will never be enough.

by Tammy Billups

This path is a repetitive pattern that may serve you in the short term. Long term? Not so much. The incredible women who have chosen to be consciously awake have tapped into the courage needed to confront the tumultuous waters of their own emotional landscape and social conditioning. They’re on an inner healing journey to feel complete within themselves so they do not (unconsciously) seek a partner to fulfill the needs that only they can fill to truly evolve and mature.

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Being consciously awake means being self-aware. It means being kind to yourself in the midst of your choices and utilizing the outcome of your decisions to the benefit of your growth. You are not selfish but instead have better boundaries, and you trust your intuition. When you’re unconscious, you choose partners who reflect what your unhealed wounds call in to mirror for you—to awaken, heal, reclaim your power, and love yourself as never before. Your desire to awaken must outgrow the comfort and safety of remaining unconscious. When you’re willing to confront yourself, face your fears, and release your emotional wounds, you reveal the vulnerability and strength of knowing and trusting yourself more to make better choices that reflect what you really want in a significant other. So what do sexy, consciously awake women want and choose in a relationship? Many single consciously awake women are choosing to be single versus being in an unhealthy relationship rooted in the fear of being alone. They prefer this path of selfexploration as they are more comfortable being in the right side of their brains. Once you’re conscious and have more self-awareness, you desire the same in your partner. Rather than have a checklist for what a mate will “have,” conscious women ask themselves: a) How do I feel when I’m with this person? b) Is this person kind? c) Does he treat me with respect and compassion? d) Do we have similar core values? e) Do I feel safe enough to reveal all parts of myself? f) Is there potential for us to grow, love, and have fun together? g) Is this a mutually supportive partnership? Being conscious doesn’t mean everything is hunky-dory in a relationship. No one is spared being human. But when you come from a higher state of self-awareness, you can more easily make a choice that reflects your truest desires. f Tammy Billups is a Cer tified Interface Therapist, author, speaker, and founder of the Sundance Healing Center. Tammy’s facilitated thousands of sessions with women to reveal their authentic, empowered selves. With compassion and commitment, she helps them restore a sense of safety so they can embrace the life they truly deserve. www.tammybillups.com

INNER FEMININE AND MASCULINE Stella Adler, the great acting teacher of Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro, and the like, would often tell her students,

“Your talent lies in your choice.”

n reality, you live in a state of perpetual choice. If you consider “choice” as the destination, then the method of choosing is the journey. In general, we think of the feminine way as being “process- oriented,” while the masculine method is “result-driven.” John Gray sold over fifty million copies of Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus, convincing us of that. There is a difference between the masculine and feminine approach to life. By nature, the masculine is a protector and the feminine is the nurturer, so it makes sense that the process of choosing will be different. Men want to get to resolution. Women want to investigate options. In my work as an Intuitive Counselor, many female clients come to me to “get the male perspective.” Rightly so. Often you get locked in to how you see things and it’s hard to see the other point of view. Again, this is mostly from my female clients because they want to “investigate options.” Mostly, my male clients reveal it after the fact, stating they knew what they wanted. This is changing, however. Turning a new millennium from the 1900s (masculine energy) to the 2000 millennium (feminine energy), there is a new approach where “process” is more important than ever before. The masculine energy is turning to the more intuitive and less egoic process of seventeen-plus years ago. Many men who got into relationships because “it was what they wanted,” are getting out because they determined they got in it for the wrong reasons. For the Modern Man, there will be more, deeper awareness before decisions are snapped—more paying attention to the quieter voice within. The masculine energy will maintain its place as protector; just the method of protection may change. Brute force is no longer the call. Intelligent compassion may be the new path. It will be interesting to see how society takes the changes. Perhaps the Men from Mars and the Women from Venus are all now meeting on the planet of Jupiter for a mutual experience of expansion. “Let the beauty we love be what we do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.” –Rumi, 13th-century Persian poet f

by Don Simmons

Don Reed Simmons is a Visionary Consultant, Shamanic Practitioner, and President of the International Sound Therapy Association. www.VisionaryBusinessConsultants.com

May/June 2017

Personal Responsibility

Series

by Diane Eaton

An Exquisite Dance of

Personal Power

Respond toYour

InnerDivinity

y third grade teacher walked into our classroom one morning many years ago and swiftly wrote the word “Responsibility” in huge, looping letters on the chalkboard, apparently to teach her unruly class a lesson. With that one word, and the tiresome hour of discussion that followed, she helped to plant in our young minds the deeply unconscious, automatic programming from our culture, sometimes called conditioning, that would change how my classmates and I would react to that big word from that point forward. Her words didn’t speak as loudly as her disapproving tone of voice, of course, but the message was clear: “Responsibility means hard work, sacrifice, blame, being right, a partitioning of labor, and more. Lack of responsibility means stupidity, laziness, guilt, and ironically, fun, and freedom.”

Sound familiar? THE OLD WORLDVIEW Thank goodness a higher perspective can reveal a very different reality for responsibility. The truth is, it can be pretty grand. 16

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Our society’s understanding of responsibility has been handed down through generations of humans simply trying to survive. Originating from more tribal environments than our own, the idea of responsibility focuses on people’s actions. Get food for the family. Pay your bills on time. Drive an efficient automobile to help the environment. By doing so, you acknowledge that your actions have consequences that affect others. You are answerable to the tribe. And the tribe must survive. It reminds me of a childhood girlfriend who used to pick up whatever litter she came across. Whether she was at a park or walking down the sidewalk, she took responsibility for the trash left behind by anyone who walked before her.

ARE WE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING? But is that the best responsibility can get us? We have to clean up everyone else’s messes? Are we really responsible for the “sins of our fathers”?

Some spiritual people think so. Some people understand the Law of Karma to mean that our actions in previous lifetimes boomerang back to us so we can pay off a debt for which we’re responsible. And some of the most popular and powerful healing methods of modern times lead people to similar disempowering conclusions. Dr. Hew Len, a gifted spiritual teacher and psychiatrist, may have unwittingly contributed to this perspective. He has popularized an ancient Hawaiian ritual of gratitude, forgiveness, and healing called Ho’oponopono. He recommends taking 100% responsibility for everything

we experience in life if we want to make positive and lasting changes for ourselves. He invites us to use the prayerful practice to clean up the messes we see around us. While these are incredibly powerful teachings, some people fall into the trap of misinterpreting the role that responsibility plays. Adopting the oldworld view of it, they think that they are to blame for what’s wrong, and that they are burdened with cleaning up the negativity in the world. But blame—whether directed outwardly or inwardly—can only exist in an atmosphere of victimhood. Like guilt, it puts our personal power outside of ourselves. Also like guilt, it is sustained by the belief that to right the wrongs in life simply means to take action, an outwardly-oriented response. Thankfully, we have another way to wield the alchemy of responsibility, and it is the complete opposite of blame and guilt.

responsibility; with it, we stand in stillness and bring awareness to what is. Because in our essential selves, we are already one with everything, and our attention to our experiences, our “response-ability” to them, helps us heal ourselves and our world at the same time. Guilt and blame have no place at that table. As Dr. Len said, “My job here on Earth is twofold. First of all, it is to awaken people who might be asleep. And almost everyone is asleep. The only way I can awaken

them is to work on myself.” Being responsible puts us in a position to respond to our inner divinity and to transform our world through awareness. And therein lies exquisite joy and empowerment. f Diane Eaton, The Writing Doctor, writes

website, article, and blog content, and is an editor for authors and entrepreneurs who love to help heal, enlighten, and serve humanity. She’s worked with renowned speakers including Colin Tipping and Dr. Robert Jaffe, and is the author of Sedona Speaks. More at www.thewritingdocrx.com.

AN EXQUISITE DANCE OF PERSONAL POWER From a higher perspective, responsibility can be a dance of personal power. With a different attitude, it can reward us with deepened awareness, greater energy, and an expanded connection to our true divine nature. A higher expression of responsibility does not mean we’re responsible for other people’s actions or feelings. We can’t control what other people feel or what they do; we can’t experience or heal their feelings either. So we do not serve others—or ourselves— by feeling responsible for them. We are free to only be accountable for our own feelings and behaviors. Rather than concerning itself strictly with actions, the empowering kind of responsibility focuses more on consciousness. Consider it another word for awareness, love, and service, all rolled into one. It implies that we become aware of ourselves in the moment and do what we can to embrace and sometimes release anything that is other than loving within ourselves. Victimhood is dissolved in the presence of true May/June 2017

Your Words Have Power

Taking Ownership

of your Intent by Adele Wang

oes the concept of “selfresponsibility” make you cringe? It used to make me want to run from the room. The whole thing always felt so heavy and dire. I’d always feel things like fault, shame, and blame. That’s what I thought “self-responsibility” meant.Yet nothing could be farther from the truth. Reading The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz changed my life. In an elegant and simple way, this book helped me see that self-responsibility is not the punitive, shaming concept that I had thought.

In fact, it’s our ultimate superpower to freedom and self-care. The first agreement, “Be impeccable with your word,” is by far the most difficult and transformative of the agreements. It asks us to recognize and take ownership of all the ways we use our own intent against ourselves with our negative thinking. I had never paid attention to this. Not really. But once I noticed how pervasively negative I was towards myself (”I’m not smart enough” or “I can’t be that”), it became easier for me to see what drove many of my choices, perceptions, and attitudes. I saw that many of my reactions came from when I thought there was something wrong with me. I was not being impeccable with my word to myself because I had bought into an illusion that I was somehow not enough. As a result,

my ability to respond to life (self responsability) suffered. Of course, I didn’t see it that way at the time. I thought my negative thinking was just part of “working on myself.” I didn’t see that the basic agenda behind it was still one of illusion, of not being enough. Once I realized this, my consciousness level changed. I was able to respond to things better because I could notice, fairly easily, every reaction, decision, or assumption. I simply asked myself if I was being impeccable with my word to myself or if I was holding a thought that I was not enough in some way. It didn’t matter what the self-care choices were—time management, relationship issues, exercise, business decisions, etc. I was able to make better choices. And it was good! It wasn’t scary. It was very freeing. I encourage everyone to let go of any resentment and fear around self-responsibility. You might discover your hidden powers to create the life you want. f Adele Wang helps smart, spiritual, perfectionist women clear stress so they can create more personal and professional success. As a mentor, energy healer, and Art of Feminine Presence instructor, she helps women reduce overwhelm and increase their magnetic presence so they can attract who and what they want into their lives. Visit Adele at www.safehavenhealing.net.

aware to avoid falling into that pattern of painful dependency. Now here is an even higher perspective—one that frees our true self: The moment you slip into a state of desperate dependency upon anyone for anything, you are victimizing yourself. This does not excuse or condone the evasion tactic of the external victim shifter. It means that the victim shifter outside you is a reflection of the victim shifter within. You see, no one can ever really

Victim Shifting

Dissolving Your Pain in Relationships by Bob Lancer

“Victim shifting” is a term used

in psychological models of dysfunctional relationships that have a narcissistic and codependent basis. Since we are exploring the power of consciousness, and, more specifically, the meaning of conscious integration in relationships, let’s explore how this pattern plays out from that perspective—a perspective not included in traditional psychological studies or approaches. From the standpoint of consciousness, our relationships with others reflect our relationship with ourselves. For instance, how we think about ourselves 18

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is demonstrated by the ways we think about others’ treatment of us. If you feel victimized by the cruelty of another, you can be certain that your habitual ways of thinking about yourself are in some way cruel, callous, and even abusive. Blaming and complaining about the way another relates to you is a form of victim shifting. Mental self-criticalness and selfdowngrading may go on unconsciously, but you can become aware of it by paying closer attention to your thoughts and feelings. You will then see that it not only causes you pain, but it disintegrates your core relationships, causing conflict and unhappiness. As you pay closer attention to how you think of yourself on a daily basis, you will become more consciously integrated—meaning that you will feel more harmoniously connected with yourself and others. Traditionally, “victim shifting” refers to the refusal to take personal responsibility for the ways that we victimize others

and hurt them through words or acts of cruelty or callousness. The tactic typically used by the “victim shifter” is to shift responsibility onto the injured person by focusing on what that person has done wrong. For example, if you accuse me of being unappreciative toward you, instead of compassionately relating to your pain, I may demonstrate victim shifting by stiffly replying, “Look how much I do for you and you don’t even say ‘thank you’!” Once someone engages in victim shifting, there is no way of producing an integrated, harmonious relationship with that person. Victim shifting signals a blockage to love that you cannot fix in another person. Period. Your issue has just been evaded, rather than responsibly faced for resolution, and that is how it will remain. Understand that the other is beyond your power to change or control. Practice being more present and more self-

by identifying with a false mental image. Your thoughts about yourself are not you, but are merely “mental portraits.” When you feel badly, you are viewing a portrait of yourself in a sad state and are unconsciously confusing that selfportrait with your real self. As you free yourself from unconscious identification with painful self-images through the practice of looking within, you allow the divine love, light, inner peace, and joy of your true self to shine more freely through you, integrating your spiritual dimension with your physical dimension for more harmoniously integrated relationships. f Bob Lancer is an author, inspirational speaker, seminar leader, and coach on a process he calls “The Method.” The Method is used for emotional healing and releases internal blocks to allow for a more joyful life of authentic success and abundance. He wrote Parenting With Love, without Anger or Stress and Lighten Up: Harness The Power Of Happiness. www.LoveTheMethod.com

Personal Responsibility

is Not a Dirty Word! Finding The Freedom to

Awaken from

victimize you. No one but you. When you see yourself as needy, helpless, dependent, and abused, you are viewing a mental selfimage that misrepresents the true you. When you blame another for how unfairly treated you feel, you are engaging in victim shifting, because it is you who is causing the painful and powerless experience. As you practice being more aware of your thoughts about yourself you will clearly see when you are hurting yourself

Change

by Burge Smith-Lyons

ome may say “responsibility” is taking care of things and people you feel responsible for, which can merge into being codependent if you are not careful. A new definition for responsibility could be “your ability to respond” to certain situations. Instead of reacting and saying things you do not mean, blaming others, shaming yourself, or justifying your limitations, you can respond in a way that gives you the freedom to change. For example, if someone wrongs you, you could blame them for the act and say “they did that to me.” Or you could shame yourself and say “it’s my fault.” Or you could justify your position and say “they always do that kind of thing and I am right to retaliate.” These reactions are what I call below the line behavior and give your power away.You cannot make a change from any of those points of view because you are vibrating as a victim.

If you blame someone for something, you give your power away and energetically say “I am powerless to do anything because it is not my fault.” If you shame yourself for something, you are giving your power away by energetically saying “I am to blame and I feel guilty.” Remember, guilt demands punishment and you will continue to self-sabotage or attract someone to punish you energetically. If you justify your position or make excuses, you are still blaming and giving your power away to the circumstance, and still vibrating as a victim. The only way to make a change and have freedom from the endless cycle of blame, guilt, and shame is to take responsibility. Ask yourself, “How did I co-create this situation?” “How can I change it next time?” This is above the line behavior and is energetically the only way to shift out of creating the same events over and over. Once you change your beliefs, your outside world will be different and you will create a new pattern. You are free to make a change. Below the line behavior wastes time because nothing changes. We resort to BMW: Bitch, Moan, and Whine! All the while nothing changes and

you remain the common denominator. If you take responsibility for your actions, thoughts, and beliefs, you can make a change. You are not responsible for others’ actions, thoughts, or beliefs. Only yours. Responsibility can mean FREEDOM to create a better life and not be stuck in the same pattern. f Burge Smith-Lyons is an international bestselling author, motivational speaker, intuitive healer, certified rebirther, hypnotherapist, channeler, minister, and founder and CEO of The Essence of Being, Inc. For thirty-six years she has helped thousands of graduates globally with emotional and spiritual healing, better communication techniques, relationships, prosperity consciousness, and enlightened leadership. www.Burgesmithlyons.com www.essenceofbeing.com May/June 2017

The Invitation Using Feng Shui to Establish Healthy Boundaries

by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

About the “The Invitation”

by Marjorie Hilliard It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing. It doesn’t interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love for your dream for the adventure of being alive.

t’s important to create and maintain healthy boundaries in all areas of your life—work, relationships, food, etc. Feng Shui principals can have tremendous impact on addressing boundary issues. In this article, I discuss how to identify boundary issues and offer suggestions on how to heal them. The Feng Shui Bagua is the “road map” used to identify the nine primary areas of your life. Please refer to the picture of the Bagua to see where these areas are represented in each room of your home. I have chosen to focus on Creativity and Inner Child. The Inner

The Bagua is a tool used in Feng Shui to analyze the energy of a space. It consists of nine squares that represent different areas of your life. 20

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Child represents your “child within” that is creative, trusting, fun-loving, and inherently happy. But in order for it to fully express, it needs to be wellnurtured and feel safe, which requires healthy boundaries. Using Feng Shui principals will help you to recognize and take the actions necessary to create the healthy boundaries you desire. Each area of the Bagua has a primary element that supports the aspect it represents. The Inner Child area of the Bagua is associated with the metal element. The metal element can be represented by pastel colors and is considered the element of boundaries and creativity. It is not unusual to work with multiple colors when you feel insecure or need to heal an aspect of yourself. I find clients suddenly deciding to make jewelry, color, or paint when they feel a need to address Inner Child issues. This is a way of providing safe and secure boundaries, but doesn’t remove faulty internal energy patterns. Recognition of the faulty internal energy patterns is the first step in addressing them and ultimately taking action to release them. Using the Bagua, identify where “Creativity and Inner Child” is located in each room of your home. Ascertain what items are in these areas, how functional they are, and how they make you feel. We naturally strive to create the same energy patterns in

our physical surroundings that match the emotional patterns within us. We accomplish this by the selection and placement of furniture, knickknacks, colors, etc. The furniture and decorative items in your physical environment are NOT causing issues. They are merely a reflection of your internal energy patterns. For example, if you find your Inner Child areas are empty, you may have boundaries that are not well-defined. Or if you have a bookcase stacked high with old documents that need to be properly filed or thrown away, then you may be experiencing a resistance to setting up boundaries. Consider your findings and what that means to you. If the space indicates a lack of boundaries, consider adding items or colors that help you feel supported and safe. Or if your Inner Child areas are not very accessible due to clutter, try clearing away that which blocks access. You want your Inner Child area to reflect what helps you feel safe, secure, creative and happy. f Marjorie Hilliard is a Feng Shui Master and owns Feng Shui Solutions, serving the greater Atlanta, Georgia area. Marjorie has over twelve years of experience working with individuals, small and large businesses, interior designers, and charitable community organizations, providing expert guidance on the appropriate application of Feng Shui principles as they apply to the individual needs of her clients. www.FengShuiSolutions.org

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon . . . I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow if you have been opened by life’s betrayals or have become shrivelled and closed from fear of further pain. I want to know if you can sit with pain mine or your own without moving to hide it or fade it or fix it. I want to know if you can be with joy mine or your own if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful to be realistic to remember the limitations of being human. It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself. If you can bear the accusation of betrayal

and not betray your own soul. If you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy. I want to know if you can see Beauty even when it is not pretty every day. And if you can source your own life from its presence. I want to know if you can live with failure yours and mine and still stand at the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, “Yes.” It doesn’t interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair weary and bruised to the bone and do what needs to be done to feed the children. It doesn’t interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the centre of the fire with me and not shrink back. It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away. I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments. By Oriah “Mountain Dreamer” from her book, THE INVITATION © 1999. Published by HarperONE, San Francisco. All rights reserved. Presented with permission of the author. www.oriah.org

“The Invitation” was written in 1994, over twenty years ago. My life, my writing, and the world have changed a lot since then.The day after I wrote it I sent it out by snail mail to five hundred people who had come to study and practice with me. I did not own a computer and was not on the Internet.When I finally got online sometime in the following year, I was surprised to find this piece of writing on over two hundred thousand websites. It would be fair to say that “The Invitation” changed my life. On one level the poem speaks to others, asking, inviting, and challenging them to enter into an exchange that skips small talk and reaches for what matters most to us. But at its heart, “The Invitation” is about longing—about learning to hear and trust our own deepest ache and let it guide our lives. In a world where so much is at our fingertips—whatever we want to buy, a thousand ways to connect with others around the world, forums in which we can exchange ideas and vent our opinions—it is easy to get distracted by immediate and sometimes fleeting wants. But this piece is about the longing that lies beneath the wanting, the ache that continues even in the midst of instant gratification.The challenge of being human is to let the deepest soulache find and guide us, individually and collectively.The longing takes us into deeper intimacy with ourselves, each other, and the world. Intimacy heals and takes us home, together. A lot has changed, but some things remain. In 1994 I had faith in our deepest longing. I still do. f May/Junel 2017

A Creative Practice from Your Heart

by Carol Iyer

s an artist, I’ve repeatedly stared, frustratingly, at a blank canvas wondering what to paint next. One day, while searching for inspiration

on Pinterest, I stumbled upon art that just spoke to me— it was so different, unique, and so rich. I immediately researched the artist, Flora Bowley, and sought out each soul-stirring piece she created. How did she come up with this stuff?! She referred to them as “intuitive paintings” and I discovered that she teaches this method. I immediately signed up for an online workshop and a whole new world of art and healing opened for me.

SUPPLY LIST • Acrylic paint (various colors, including black and white) • Paper plates for pallet • Solo cups for water • An assortment of paintbrushes, foam brushes • Paper towels • 11” x 14” Acrylic paper

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Intuitive painting encourages exploration and play with paint and color without any expectation of the end result.You play with patterns, stamps, stencils, and drips—a slew of different techniques.Your painting evolves as you build layer after layer of paint. Through this creative play, each layer begins to guide and inform what you will do next. The process not only teaches technique but allows you to connect to and express your creative energy, to get “out of your head,” and can be a powerful practice of mindfulness. For me, it’s very meditative and I’m always surprised at what appears on the canvas. This process is great for anyone—beginners through experienced artists. It’s more about the practice, letting go of fear, and allowing your heart connection to flow through your hands onto paper. Here’s how you can try it out at home. Remember to be kind to yourself and accepting of where you are on your journey. If you haven’t picked up a paint brush since elementary school, don’t let that hold you back! Focus on having fun—period! Understand that like any activity, you will only improve with practice. Your first paintings may not be as pretty as you hoped, but wasn’t it fun and didn’t you learn something about yourself? As you continue to practice and allow the creative flow to move through you, you, too, may be amazed at what appears on your canvas.

Step 1:

Take a short walk, stretch, do yoga, or meditate. Center yourself and bring peace into your space. Turn on some relaxing music, if you wish.

Step 2:

Begin by adding warm colors to your paper plate pallet: yellow, red, and orange. Add a dollop of black and white. Play with the paints to see what colors emerge when you mix them—you can make pink, peach, and various shades of warm colors. Using your fingers or a paint brush, begin to paint your first layer. Dip, smear, and spread— explore to your heart’s content. Scribble messages or paint hearts, circles, dots, and lines. Just have fun. Allow it to dry completely before proceeding to the next step.

Step 3:

TIPS

Step 4:

• Be in the moment and have no expectations. • There are no mistakes and often there will be “happy” mistakes! • Be in a space of nonjudgment. Everything is a step towards what will be. • If you feel frustrated, walk away and come back to it another day. • Try reference photos in magazines, books, etc. as you explore and define. • Stay loose with your marks and do what feels good.Variety is key. • Take a hike in nature and collect flowers, seed pods, and leaves to use as reference. • Make stamps out of paint lids, wine corks, potatoes, and other vegetables.

Place some cool colors on a clean paper plate pallet: blues, greens, then some black and white. Using a paintbrush or foam brush, begin painting on top of the first layer. Experiment with different marks, shapes, lines, ziz-zags, etc.—don’t be afraid to try anything. Look around you and emulate shapes that you see. Don’t completely cover the first layer; allow some of it to show through. Set aside to dry before continuing. Using a few complimentary colors, such as purple, aqua, magenta, build another layer. You may want to turn your paper upside-down at this point so you don’t get stuck trying to make it look a certain way. Feel free to experiment with rubber stamps, stencils, or any other household or natural item you can find to make various marks.

Step 5:

As your art dries, stand some distance away and gaze at it. Do you see suggestions of any subjects or shapes in the chaos at this stage? Are there any areas on the canvas that you love? To get a different perspective, rotate the paper and repeat this process. Based on what you are seeing and liking, begin building another layer with colors that will complement the areas you love or outline any shapes with black or white. It’s still all about play. If you don’t see anything, keep layering and experimenting. As you build layers, your story will emerge.

You will intuitively know when you are finished when you are happy with it. If not, keep layering and don’t beat yourself up. Practice positive thinking and remove expectations. Let go and have fun! h Carol Iyer is a fine artist living in Milton, GA. She has been painting for more than 13 years. Her art has been on magazine covers, in a museum showing, the local news, and she has been represented in various galleries and art shows around the US. She believes in the healing power of art in process, color, and form. www.caroliyer.com May/June 2017

ANIMALS AS GUIDES

by Tammy Billups

“Animals aren’t worried about protecting their hearts like people.”

nimals exist in a higher state of consciousness than we do. And there are endless gifts that naturally arrive when you begin to observe the teachings of your animal companions from a higher perspective. At a soul level, they are always hoping for you to embrace and integrate what they are beautifully modeling so you will both reap the rewards within your relationship and, in turn, experience more joy, love, clarity, and empowerment. When you choose to look at the higher purpose of your animal relationships, you automatically begin the ascension process to becoming more conscious. Then you will begin receiving their real messages and begin harvesting the extraordinary intangible gifts that are the hidden keys to your shared evolution. Intentionally integrating the wisdom from your furry role models is sure to bring you more joy and less suffering.

Forgiveness

It’d be difficult to find anyone to dispute animals’ innate ability to forgive. Seemingly ridding themselves of past harms and misunderstandings, animals exemplify this quality. Their ability to have faith and hope time and time again that a person will not betray their love, is nothing short of amazing. Forgiveness is a beneficial gift to your heart to free up space for you to feel more love. 24

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Animal Wisdom

Guy T Gunter, MS, DC Healworks

Healworks is the culmination of Dr. Gunter’s 35 years of experience creating an alternative Health care practice for the community. Our protocols are proprietary and combine the best of Chiropractic care, nutritional testing, and, the hallmark of Healworks, active listening to your situation.

Integration 101

Authenticity

There is hardly a greater gift to a person or animal than being authentic in their presence. Animals are masters at authenticity and will teach you the gifts of how to feel safe and comfortable being you all the time. Being authentic comes with a gift: Freedom. Can you feel the relief?

Vulnerability

Being vulnerable means being willing to love unconditionally, even with the risk of having your heart broken. Animals aren’t worried about protecting their hearts like people. They simply love you and they make it look so easy. Your pets want you to know that the risk and reward of being vulnerable is worth it, as you will be able to feel and open yourself for more love to be in the center of all of your relationships.

Trust

Animals instinctively know who to trust. Beginning to trust your innate wisdom is something they are working hard to teach you. Trusting yourself and your ability to make good decisions, like animals beautifully model, is worth getting out of your comfort zone to try more frequently. This empowers you to stop seeking important answers from others.

Unconditional Love

Animals’ most treasured gift is their extraordinary ability to love their person, just as they are. Many people have only experienced true unconditional love from an animal, which is why they are so easy to love in return. To love another being without an expectation of receiving anything in return is something we should

To eliminate your pain or dysfunction, the cause must be identified and healed. This is best done by a Doctor who is listening to you with full attention, understanding, and compassion. How can one heal a person if one has not tried to know their problem and know them?

all strive to exemplify every single day in honor of our beloved companions. Integrating animal wisdom need not be difficult. Pay attention. You have great teachers! Look deeper. Embrace each teaching as a gift from the divine. As you welcome and follow the guidance that animals freely and generously model for you, you just might find your life shifting from ordinary to extraordinary.

While Healworks specializes in treating pain, especially spinal and joint pain, the path to healing is also the path to Wellness. The ultimate goal of our care is establishing and supporting your health. Unlike most Chiropractic offices we do not routinely x-ray our patients.  Also we do not accept any form of insurance. We have found that offering health care at reasonable prices is impossible if an insurance company is involved.

Ta m m y B illups is a pioneer and specialist on the animal-human emotional relationship. She is a Certified Interface (Bioenergetics) Therapist for people and animals. She’s facilitated thousands of sessions nationwide on both two- and four-legged clients. Tammy’s findings and discoveries are documented in her new best-selling book Beyond the Fur. www.TammyBillups.com TA M M Y H I G H L I G H T S

A CONSCIOUS ANIMAL RESCUE ORGANIZATION

5150 Roswell Road Sandy Springs - just south of 285 404.255.3110 www.healworks.net

However, utilizing our multi-faceted approach we resolve the problem in five office visits, or less. Our statistics indicate that 95% of our patients describe themselves fully recovered in fewer than five visits. Healworks incorporates body/mind strategies including nutrition, herbs, and homeopathic support.

WHAT SERVICES DO YOU PROVIDE? We offer Chiropractic care, Applied Kinesiology, Nutritional testing, and Consultation.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS? We have been at our present location since 1992, 24 years. Dr. Gunter has been in active practice since 1983, 33 years.

WHAT SETS YOUR BUSINESS APART?

Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue recognizes that rescued dogs and cats need more than food, water, and a warm dry crate to restore their spirits and trust. Their commitment to providing human/animal connection is provided by long walks at beautiful parks and trails, loving foster homes, and nurturing by dedicated shifts of volunteers. Mostly Mutt’s weekly bedtime reading program allows their dogs to be near children who comfort them by reading to them. Their goal is to help the animals restore emotional balance, which helps them transition to their forever home.

We are an alternative General Practice specializing in pain and wellness. If our evaluation does not indicate that the patient is best served by our therapies, we consider it a duty to help them find the proper referral. After 24 years, we have connections to many in the healing arts.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR BUSINESS? The documented inability of modern Medicine to keep people healthy and the desperate need of the suffering to find relief offers us the opportunity to fill that need and contribute to the wellbeing of us all. It promises Hope and Love.

May/June 2017

Acupuncture " . . . in Chinese Medicine, every organ system has an associated emotion."

An Ancient Remedy for Modern Times by Karen Lang

ow can a medical system developed 3,000 years ago address today’s physical and mental health issues? By treating the whole person. Chinese Medicine is a holistic medical system that treats the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of a person; the body and mind are one and the same, therefore thoughts and emotions can impact the physical body and vice versa. A simple example of this is a patient that would experience intense stomach pain when she had to make a decision that might end up disappointing someone. When treating her, I addressed the stomach pain but I also used acupuncture points to move her thoughts, to

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suppor t decision-making, and to reduce stress so she was able to make the decision with much less discomfort and distress. Taking this example a step further, in Chinese Medicine, every organ system has an associated emotion. Worry affects the spleen (stomach and pancreas in modern terms). Think about the last time you were intensely worried about something. Didn’t you feel it in your gut? While more Western doctors are beginning to embrace the body-mind connection, it is rarely addressed in any concrete way in most medical settings. Acupuncture is one modality within the larger system of Chinese Medicine that also includes herbal

therapy, dietary guidance, tuina (bodywork) and qigong/tai chi. Acupuncture involves the insertion of fine, sterile needles to stimulate acupuncture points. It engages the body’s own innate capacity for healing in order to resolve the underlying problem, rather than temporarily suppressing symptoms. From a Western perspective, acupuncture stimulates the brain via engagement with the peripheral nervous system. From a Chinese perspective, acupuncture resolves imbalances in the body’s essential energy (Qi) that cause pain and illness. Your body is doing all the work of healing; the role of the acupuncturist is simply to stimulate and direct that process.

Your body’s own capacity to heal is a powerful example of the innate intelligence of our body-mind-spirit! Illness can be the body’s way of telling you that your choices have put you out of alignment with the natural order of your life. This communication from the body often begins as a whisper, perhaps as a vague sense of unease. If ignored, over time the whisper may become louder and louder and the body may produce symptoms that are more and more uncomfortable. The Ling Shu, a famous Chinese medical text compiled between 480 to 222 BC, states, “All disease is rooted in the heart.” Remember that in Chinese

Medicine the heart and mind are the same. This is not to say that every single illness you experience is a consequence of poor lifestyle choices or beliefs, but every pain or illness does give you an opportunity to learn more about what you need to heal. While you may not be responsible for your current state of health, you are always responseABLE. Rather than turning over the responsibility for your own health to someone else, choosing acupuncture means choosing to be a full participant in the care of your whole self. It is an invitation to greater self-awareness and greater self-care. f

Karen Lang, LAc, is an acupuncturist and owner of Dogwood Healing Arts. Karen created Dogwood Healing Arts to be a space of profound healing. Utilizing acupuncture, herbs, and other Chinese medical arts, she treats the full range of women’s health and emotional well-being. From fertility to menopause and other gynecological issues, fatigue, digestive issues, physical pain, anxiety, depression, and stress, Karen works with women who are seeking holistic, natural solutions for vibrant health and well-being. Her journey as a healing professional began as a social worker working with sexual assault and domestic violence survivors and continues now as an acupuncturist. She has experienced that connection and compassion are integral to any deep healing process and she brings the fullest capacity of her attention to each patient. Her clinic is located at Decatur Healing Arts in Decatur, Georgia. www.dogwoodhealingarts.com May/June 2017

PERSPECTIVES

CONSCIOUS

Business

Everyone has advice; there are those who have seen it all and always know what to do when it comes to careers—or so they think. Whether it’s friends or family members offering you great advice, you don’t have to follow their well-intentioned suggestions, but it can be helpful to listen.

World Spirituality

Get clear on the kind of person you are and what you want and don’t want in a position.

SEEKING a Job or Career You LOVE

by Sharron Ragan

The perfect job would be to consciously get up each morning, excited to go to work, and find yourself looking forward to the challenges and opportunities of your day. When you do this every day, you have found a job meant for you—whether it’s washing cars, managing people, or saving lives.

M 28

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PERSPECTIVES

Assess yourself and ask for advice, but don’t always take it.

Relationships

anifesting a job you love happens when you listen to your divine calling, a strong inner impulse, or an inclination to follow a particular activity or career. Sometimes following your inner urges can be difficult. When people are surveyed about their professions or jobs, most of the time they say they would rather be doing something else or would like to become an entrepreneur.

CONSCIOUS

doing, what you’re good at, and what is it that you can do without effort. Set the intention that you WILL manifest the perfect role for yourself.

HERE ARE A FEW SUGGESTIONS TO GUIDE YOU IN SEEKING A POSITION OR CAREER THAT YOU WILL LOVE, FULFILLING YOUR PASSION. Get clear now: Are you in the wrong career or wrong position? People end up on the wrong career path for many reasons. Sometimes the cause is denying their inner calling. They may choose a job to please a spouse or family member, to achieve a certain status or salary, or they just took the first job offer without exploring all opportunities. Maybe you question if you’re passionate about your career choice, or whether your passion is career-worthy. That doubt comes when you focus on money instead of the job. Yes, we must survive and money is needed to feed a family or yourself. But wouldn’t it be great if you could master your inner calling, do what you love, and let the money flow freely?

Dig deep to determine what is truly frustrating you at work. Are there solutions that would change your feelings? If not, seek a career counselor or someone who can help you determine if you are in the wrong place at the right company, or if it’s just the wrong company or career. Write out your dream job description.

Get specific about your day-to-day responsibilities and career goals and write them down! A career vision board can also serve your inner and outer spirit. Most people are passionate and skilled at a lot of things. It’s where those two come together that create the perfect opportunity. Flush out what you enjoy

Are you striving to help others, like in counseling, coaching, or teaching? Do you like to be in the spotlight, as in making presentations or speaking on stage? Maybe your creative side needs to evolve as an artist, creative director, actor, or singer. Or is your nature to be serving spontaneously as a law enforcement officer, minister, or in customer service? Perhaps you are striving to be knowledgeable with deep thinking and an inventive spirit, or maybe you’d like a leadership role or a more “in control” role as an entrepreneur, setting your own rules and work schedule. Advice from professionals can be more helpful if you ask specific questions that will assist in your self-discovery. Most people don’t know their own total personality until they are professionally assessed or experiment with different jobs which reveal information about their passions, behaviors, and values.

BE OPEN TO ALL

POSSIBILITIES

Always keep your options open. Take the time to explore your interests and learn about different career paths or even entrepreneurship. Go with the flow. You must trust your own instincts and refrain from being swayed by naysayers and a job just for the money. Experiencing trial and error in choosing a career path is also part of the process. Finding your career passion, making loads of money, or working from a laptop at the pool all sound like dream jobs and they can be. But the right job must fit with the right person, the right money, and speak to their soul.h 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 CocaCola and Wendy’s. As CEO of Visionary Business Worldwide, she applies her creative and intuitive spirit to inspire professionals to seek a purposedriven life and career. www.SharronRagan.com

Guaranteed Satisfaction - Confidential and Private

For 20+ years, Sharron Ragan has provided intuitive consulting to Fortune 500 companies, career executives, and purpose-driven entrepreneurs, helping them to avoid pitfalls and to maximize opportunities that hasten success. •Business guidance, insights and feedback •Big picture perspectives •Strategies and decision-making •Foresight about issues or people of concern •And more…

May/June 2017

The RelationshipDance Integrate the Gift of Emotional Independence

ll relationships are sacred dances. In some, you lose yourself. In some, you find yourself. In some, you are yourself! This cycle starts, innocently enough, with your first relationships, which are usually with Mom and Dad. As a child, although you are born innately happy, you learn at a very young age that your parents’ happiness is your responsibility. Before you even learn to talk, you discover that Mom’s mood swings are tied to your behavior. And if you run in front of the TV, at the exact moment the Patriots score the winning touchdown on Super Bowl Sunday, you can be certain that Dad’s anger is your fault. This teaches us that we are never responsible for how we feel. When we’re responsible for each other’s feelings, unconscious relationships are formed. Once you are responsible for how others feel, and vice versa, you gradually lose touch with your ability to self-balance emotionally. Patterns of unhealthy dependency begin to take precedence over your own emotional independence. This will render you unconscious to the fact that your emotional well-being is always within your control. For this reason, you will expect others to modify their behaviors so you don’t have to be responsible for sourcing how you feel. The reverse is equally true, blurring the boundaries necessary for sustaining healthy relationships. Inevitably, codependent and emotionally manipulative relationship patterns will only yield what you most desire to avoid: unhappiness. This is because, try as you may, you can’t source someone else’s happiness, and they can’t source yours, because emotional balance is an inside job. The upside to unhappy relationships, however, is that when explored consciously, they serve as the very catalyst that can assist you in integrating the gift of emotional independence. To reclaim your ability to be emotionally independent, you must become curious and courageous enough to ask: Why is it that my emotions change when so-and-so does whatever it is that they do? This question is the first step toward becoming aware that how you feel is completely independent from what another person does, feels, or thinks about you. No one has the power to activate another’s emotions, let alone make them happy or unhappy. Master Teachers, for thousands of years, have encouraged the Personal Liberation of Self and Others! At first, this realization will leave you upset and disoriented, because you are practiced at being emotionally codependent. However, with willingness and practice, you can reverse the

by Laina Orlando

To reclaim your ability to be emotionally independent, you must become curious and courageous... unhealthy patterns that stand in the way of what you most desire to experience—happiness! Think about this: when you believe you are responsible for another’s happiness you lose the freedom to be authentically you! Please note that as you begin to take full responsibility for your happiness, those who are used to participating in the codependent dance with you will feel upset and disoriented when you leave them unattended on life’s dance floor, because they won’t realize what you have discovered. Think about this logically: you didn’t know what you didn’t know until you began the courageous process of selfawareness. Kindness, compassion, and patience are called for here, which are natural expressions of happy people. Once you are aware of this internal phenomenon, you can gladly assume full responsibility for witnessing how you allow, or disallow, the arising of your own happiness. As with anything that you desire to master, committing to the ongoing practice of witnessing your happiness arise or recede allows you to choose between happiness being self-sourced or an unconscious reaction to the behavior of others. And here’s the cool thing: once you master being emotionally independent, you will not only feel emotionally balanced, but your intimate relationships will become healthy, happy, and a glorious dance! h

CONSCIOUS PERSPECTIVES

The Spirit of My Being

Integrate and Live Your Spirituality

s my eyes flutter open to the sound of Lucy meowing at my bedroom door, my mind begins to gently shake the sleep away— and thoughts begin to form. What day is it? What does today’s schedule hold? I rise and move through my morning chores, preparing for the day ahead, and suddenly I pause. Where in here is Spirit hanging out? A little meditation, a little yoga; is that it? Our lives are in constant motion. Routines rule our world. A plan for everything with a few surprises tossed in to keep us awake and aware. If we’re not careful, we can be thrown off hard and find ourselves struggling to pull ourselves back up. It’s times like these when we wish we had a better “practice.” Meditate and pray more, go to church more, read more, attend more workshops, do yoga or tai chi or something. We add these things to our schedules thinking that if we just stick to it this time, things will get better. Until the next time life throws a curveball. In the background of my thoughts, Spirit resides. At any given moment I can call forward this feeling of safety, of understanding, the “I’ve got this” that is the God residing within me. Am I thrown

by Diane Glynn

" I choose to live as One

with the God of my understanding". off center, do I get angry, do I worry, do I make mistakes? Of course I do! I’m human. The difference is that because I choose to live as One with the God of my understanding, Spirit is never further than my thoughts. Having this handy when things get rough allows me to release the discomfort a bit sooner than my human self could do it. This is co-creation. We are never separate from God. We are simply asleep to the experience. Much like we are asleep to the activity of the planet until something affects us personally. We quickly move into action “once we know.” We begin to work shoulder to shoulder with others to find solutions and to make a difference. It’s the same with God. Spirit is always there, waiting patiently to be incorporated into

your life, to partner with you to affect change. All you need to do is be aware. Spirit is in every minute of every day in everything I do. This is a choice. A very pure and very simple choice. It has taken years to realize that I need to stop practicing my spirituality and begin living it. My belief is simple: God is all there is. As your eyes flutter open and you begin to focus on the day ahead, add Spirit to the mix. “God, please think through me, speak through me, see through me, and act through me.” This is the reminder that I am so much more than this flesh suit I wear. I am the God of my being. Knowing this, I am awake and anything is possible. If you choose to allow God to do God’s work and to live as you, the curveballs thrown at you will be less often and more easily caught. Let Spirit guide your life and your life will be well-lived. h In addition to being the Executive Director of Unity North Atlanta, Diane Glynn is also a Prayer Chaplain. She says the first is what she does, the latter is who she is, and both fulfill her wish to be of service. Follow her on Facebook at “This Moment” or www.yesthismoment.com.

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 30

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May/June 2017

AWAKENING TO ACTION A Call for Conscious Citizens

REAL TALK

Learning to Choose, Not React

with Martha Burgess Novak

O H C “

n every life, there are moments of decision. We might think of these moments as huge and profound, but most moments of decision are actually small. Not only do we make large life-and-death decisions, such as making a decision for a dying loved one, but we also make small decisions in the day-to-day, such as leaving a note or not when you’ve left a small dent in another’s car in a parking lot. Out of these moments of decisions come one of two things: a reaction or a choice. Reaction and choice are controlled by our two minds. The first mind is the egoic child’s mind—still present and entrenched in your adult life—which is fear-based, self-indulgent, emotionally immature, and reactive. It does not choose. It has no choice but to react to stimulus as it always has. The second mind is the mind of the highest self—the lovebased, global part of you. This is the part of you that is capable, after enough work on yourself, of unconditional love and altruistic motivation. The highest self is the only part of you capable of making a choice without the lesser influences of the child’s reactive mind. Depending on which mind you are in, you either have a choice or a reaction. Arguments within you originate between your more selfish motivations and your higher callings. In the moment of every decision, you either have a choice to do the right thing out of the highest self, or to have a reaction out of the egoic child’s mind. The reaction is programmed from your childhood. For example, you do something as an adult that you consider “bad,” like speeding in your car and getting caught, and you immediately have the reactions of guilt and shame that you had when you were a child and got caught with your hand in the cookie jar before dinner. In a busy life, you often don’t give importance to what you decide in moments of decision. You forget that every moment matters and reveals to you (and to anyone who’s looking) the greater and lesser building blocks with which you are creating your life. 32

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” E IC

When you are in the energy of the

You are doing the right or wrong thing for the wrong reasons.

You are doing the right thing for the right reasons.

You are self-indulgent. The decision is all about you.

You are supporting your integrity.

You feel fear, guilt, blame, and shame and try to hide these things to preserve your self-worth.

You are creating a win-win to agree or disagree.

reactive mind.

highest mind.

here is a groundswell happening, a call to action unlike anything we have experienced before, and it has little to do with our political affiliations. It may start as a small gnawing when you are triggered by a political figure bending the truth, rights or values being threatened, or witnessing the unfair treatment of another. This disquietude is jolting us out of the blanket of complacency we have snuggled in for years. It is stirring a newfound call for accountability in those who lead and fairness for all. Politically, our forty-fifth president of the United States is taking swift action, enacting executive agendas, and, in the process, pushing many people’s buttons. But that is his role, to be a disrupter. As a spiritual citizen, what can you do? It’s easy to feel as though you have no ability to change something as massive as the government or large institutions. It’s easier to retreat within and hide from the negativity, but that’s not what you are here to do. Your role is to engage and focus on what is in your

CONSCIOUS PERSPECTIVES

by Becky Arrington

heart and soul and begin to envision the kind of life you want and the world you want to live in. As we move forward in this new energy, our thoughts have tremendous power. When two or more gather together, what they create expands. Multiply that by millions who are feeling this call and we may just have the makings of a spiritual revolution. Change begins with you, so be a force for good. In the days ahead we must form unity. Keep the vision of the world you want to create and band together to make that happen. That doesn’t mean we all agree or see things the same way, but we are all connected and affected by the same issues. Start looking at the world around you and ask yourself, “how can I be a better person and make this a better place?” h

SO HOW DO YOU BEGIN?

Becky Arrington is a Success Strategist and Clinical Hypnotherapist. Her intuitive and visionary insight as a psychic channel enables her to help people uncover blockages. The alchemical techniques used allow clients to clear massive amounts of obstructions from childhood, prior experiences, or past lives. www.arringtonassoc.com

 CONNECT WITH OTHERS: Begin having meaningful conversations with others, especially those with differing views. Understand their perspectives, present your side, and engage. Brainstorm ways to enact

from Esteemed Writer

Martha Burgess Novak

 PICK YOUR PASSION: Select something you care deeply about or want to see improved or changed.  RESEARCH: Know your topic, all the ins and outs, the history, the players, and ideas for change.  SET YOUR INTENTION: Envision the results, keeping in mind the highest good for all involved.  TAKE ACTION: If you’re passionate about a cause, buy brands that support it, lobby local retailers to donate part of their proceeds to help others, and talk to local civic groups to get involved. If it is political, call your Senators and Representative or local movers and shakers, join a concerned citizen group, write letters, or find a nonprofit directly involved in the cause or legislation.

change to improve the lives of others.

Available on Amazon

Each moment of decision is cumulative. You define yourself, your consciousness, your integrity, and your character by these things. Choice is the most glorious of opportunities to build a better life. But before you can make clear, inspired choices, you must buck up your courage and face what you are doing. You were trained to react. You had good reason to react. But the past is over and those times are gone. Now you can use a hot sports car to get around instead of a goat wagon. h Martha Burgess Novak is a peak performance trainer working 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. You can also find her radio show on www.blogtalkradio.com/mar thaburgessnovak. www.mar thaburgessnovak.net

MarthaBurgessNovak.net theburgessprocess@yahoo.com March/April 2017

Let’s Get Personal

The 6 Steps of Healing

by Mindy Strich

Surrender Control and Attachment

STEP 1:

Choose Your Food Wisely more natural, less processed W

Self-Care for All Stages of the Journey

by Brenda Cobb

hat you choose to eat is a choice you are constantly faced with every time you see, smell, or think about food. Do you feel you could benefit from making healthier food choices? If you answer yes to that question, just remember that even small changes can add up to new habits and better nutrition over all. Do you know which foods are healthy and which ones aren’t? That is the first step in making good food choices. Do you find yourself making poor food choices when you are down in the dumps or tired? Having a plan can help you avoid these downfalls. Look at the foods you’re currently eating and see if you can find some healthier choices. First, review your current eating habits and write down everything you eat for a few days without judging yourself. Be honest and objective. Don’t leave anything out. Look over your food choices and simply acknowledge things that you want to do differently. Give yourself a pat on the back for the things you’re doing right. If you’re drinking plenty of water, give yourself credit for that. One good strategy for making better food choices is to lean towards foods in their natural state. The less processed they are, the more nutritional value they have. For example, compare the difference in nutrition of a fresh apple (80 calories, vitamins, minerals, fiber) with apple pie (300 calories, less than a serving of fruit, and lots of added fat and sugar). It’s easier to make better choices when you plan ahead, so keep chopped fresh vegetables and fruits on hand in serving size containers or baggies to take with you. Every time you make a better food choice, you’re doing something good for yourself. And you’re one step closer to having a healthier diet overall. Here are some tips for making better food choices: Replace sodas and high sugar fruit juices with plain or sparkling water with a squeeze of lemon or lime; Replace white rice, noodles and potatoes with brown rice, quinoa, and millet; Replace cakes,

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Believe it’s possible. If you believe you have an incurable disease or chronic illness, your perception becomes your reality. Change your belief and you change the outcome. If one person is cured from an incurable disease then it’s not incurable.

cookies, pies, pastry, and ice cream with fresh fruit. As you continue to make better choices, they’ll become new habits, and over time your better choices will be the foods you crave. Kale is a valuable internal body cleanser and very beneficial for the digestive and nervous systems. It builds up the calcium content of the body and is a cancer preventive food, so it makes an excellent choice to add to your diet.

M A R I N AT E D G I N G E R G R E E N S 1 bunch kale 1/2 cup carrots 1/2 cup zucchini 1/2 cup red bell pepper 1 clove garlic 1 Tbs. fresh ginger 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 2 Tbs. coconut aminos 2 Tbs. sesame oil Chop the kale by hand or in the food processor until it is bitesized. Chop the carrots, red pepper, and zucchini into small cubes and add to the kale. Mince the garlic. Toss all with the lemon juice, coconut aminos, and sesame oil. Eat right away or put in the fridge to marinate and enjoy later. h

Brenda Cobb is the founder of Living Foods Institute, author of The

Living Foods Lifestyle®, and featured on documentaries “Healing Cancer Inside Out” and “Eating.” She has an Honorary Cultural Doctorate in Therapeutic Philosophy and the Phoenix Award honoring her work. She personally healed breast and cervical cancer without surgery, chemo, or radiation. www.LivingFoodInstitute.com

STEP 2:

Get the right suppor t. The body’s self-repair system has been proven to activate when you have suppor t.You are calmer and more relaxed. You can heal yourself, but you can’t do it alone.

or the most par t, conventiona l Western medicine has concentrated on drugs and surgery as the main way of treating patients. Even though standard allopathic medicine has developed remarkably advanced diagnostic tools and treatments, Americans are less healthy today than they were forty years ago. People are sick and tired of being sick and tired. Patients and physicians are finally realizing that prescribing a “pill for your ill” is not making people healthier. The average doctor sees forty patients a day and spends seven minutes with each patient. When’s the last time your doctor asked you about your relationships? Your job? How much time you spend feeding your soul? In any area of your life where you are not living authentically there is the potential for dis-ease. You can’t have Health Care without Self-Care. It doesn’t get to the root. You have to go deeper. The “6 Steps of Healing” is based on the research documented in the NY Times best-selling book Mind Over Medicine by Dr. Lissa Rankin. I’ve been a fan of Dr. Rankin’s books, classes, and well-known Ted talks and became one of the first cer tified facilitators of Dr. Rankin’s work. This is the model she used with her patients and now many functional and integrative doctors

are using it as well and finding great benefits for their clients. Blaming, shaming, judging, and raging at yourself or anyone else only activates more stress response and more limiting beliefs that perpetuate the patterns and problems you are here to heal. So let them go. Make a pact to yourself that you surrender control and attachment. Find trust in a higher power. Clients who have worked with the “6 Steps of Healing” are saying: “The experience was invaluable. For the first time I now understand that eating right and exercising are a really good start but it’s not enough to maintain a healthy life. I have to look at every area of my life that might be in need of healing and how being in a job I don’t like or a relationship that’s not working is making me sick. I wrote a personal prescription which gives me the power to make significant changes for a happier me.” So the ultimate question remains. From what lens do you want to live life: Victim or Victor? h Mindy Strich is a cer tified practitioner in Integrative Energetic Medicine, as well as an I.F.C . Life Coach. She is the coauthor of two books and has studied with NY Times Best-Selling author Dr. Lissa Rankin. www.mindystrich.com

STEP 3:

Tap into your intuition. Acknowledge the wisdom of your body and learn that no one else but you is the expert. Listen to your heart, not your head. Notice how your body feels and trust it.

STEP 4:

Diagnose the root cause. Look at your body’s messages. What is your body saying NO to? What does your body need to heal? Are you ready to make a change? The answers may surprise you. Some of us say we want to get better but we aren’t ready to commit to the changes we need to make.

STEP 5:

Write a personal prescription. This is the action plan to bring your life into alignment.

STEP 6: Surrender. Based on steps

1-5 it’s vital to optimize your potential for health and happiness. Eat right, exercise, meditate, get good rest, trust your intuition, get support, and when you have done everything you can, let go. The truth is you can do everything right and still be sick. You are not responsible for your illness but you are responsible to it. You are on this journey together with your cancer, depression, arthritis, back pain, diabetes.

Let’s Get Personal

EmbraceYour

Shadow Self as an Ally Inner Unification is the Key

by Melba Black, PhD

hat if you knew that the way to access the very best in yourself—the light side of your humanity—was to face your darkness? What if you knew that your greatest power could be found in the parts of yourself that you believed to be the most shameful or powerless? One of the most powerful turning points in becoming conscious comes when we begin to understand the shadow as a great teacher, one that serves as an integral part of our psyche rather than an enemy to outrun. No matter how fast we try to run, our shadow not only follows us but is a part of us that we always carry within. In darkness, it waits for the light of our own awareness—to be seen, heard, understood, and embraced. To start the process of integrating with your darker side, you must first understand where it lives. The road to the shadow is found by discovering your (its) projections, and learning how these projections are working to manifest the reality you experience. The reality is the same for us all, but how you experience it is unique to you. According to Jungian John Conger, projections come from the “character armor” generated from the body and heart as a protection mechanism to defend those parts of you that have been hurt, unloved, and judged. This armor is something that has been built around you due to specific programming during childhood and carries over to adulthood. You are defending something that has already happened in the past or something you project into the future based on past events. These projections are outgrowths of unintegrated events or feelings from the past and they will remain your story as long as your past hurts remain unhealed. How do you recognize when you are projecting? Pay attention to when you are comparing yourself to others competitively and judgmentally. Codependency is another way you project, along with the need to control everything in your life, especially in relationships. It is so much easier to project your fears and negative traits onto others than to work on those inner aspects of yourself that are scary and painful. However, in doing so, you become free of those parts that no longer have a hold on you. 36

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As you learn to accept and care for the once-rejected parts of yourself, an extraordinary thing happens: they become your allies. It is attending to difficult or darker aspects that allows you to grow and evolve into your best self. Learning to dialogue with the shadow helps to diminish its power. Making peace with the shadow gives you access to the wisdom that it holds for you at its core. Accepting your shadow allows you to take responsibility for yourself. Acknowledging these dark traits instead of avoiding them stops them from having control over you. A whole and balanced self is a reconciliation of all parts, an inner unification. It is not an indulgence of the darker parts of your nature, but an acceptance and direct experience of them in the light of mindful awareness and deep honesty.

Try this exercise • List the qualities that you dislike in others. • Take each quality and see if you have demonstrated that quality. Be honest. • Just by bringing these traits to your awareness and owning these parts of yourself, integration will begin. • Ask Spirit and/or your Higher Self to assist you in recognizing when the traits manifest in reality. • Love and forgive those aspects of you, which will allow love, peace, joy, and lightness to come into your innermost self.

As you do this for yourself, you will find it easier to forgive and love others.

StarTalk

May-June 2017

Your Bridge Between Heaven and Earth

“Tis true without lying, certain and most true. That which is below is like that which is above and that which is above is like that which is below.” -Isaac Newton

he intention of Star Talk is that you consciously harness the wisdom from the heavens and practically apply it in your daily life here on earth to understand your gifts and talents at greater depth, and to manifest your heart’s desires in perfect Divine timing. You are always at choice to believe that what is going on in the heavens— whatever the “cosmic” weather—the Universe ALWAYS has your back. So, whether planets are direct or “retrograde,” there is always a “rightness” to the season. There are times when a cosmic gateway opens and you have the opportunity to stretch beyond who you know yourself to be. 2017 is one of those years. There is what I love to call a “heavenly setup” for those of us who are paying attention.

The cosmic dance between Saturn (the planet of reality and tradition) in adventurous Sagittarius and Uranus (the planet of originality and authenticity) in courageous Aries is one which affords us the opportunity to align within us the realist and the rebel, the pragmatist and the genius, and the innovator with the traditionalist. This a time when it’s easier to make changes that free you to be more you. Change does not have to be upsetting or erratic now, as this is a good time for experimentation and creative selfexpression.You can find new ways of doing old things without rocking the boat. How cool is it to live each day tuning into your natural rhythms and watching your life manifest in magical and miraculous ways? When you find tools, teachings, or bits of information that support what you know and believe in your heart and soul, embrace them with every breath, as they are coming fast and furiously. May and June create a special cosmic stage for you to be able to find ways to

He continued,“The other is good—he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, kindness, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside of you, and inside of every other person too.” The grandson asked his grandfather,“Which wolf will win?” The old Cherokee simply replies,“The one you feed.” h

Melba M. Black, PhD, is a writer, mentor, innovator, and scholar. She holds a PhD in Health Theology and Master degrees in both Psychology and Metaphysics. 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

by Lorelei Robbins

align the unique, brilliant, and authentic vision that you have for your life with your current reality and beyond. It can be as simple as having your first truly honest conversation with someone, where you really speak your truth. Or it might be risking a “change in form” (notice I didn’t say “end”) in a significant personal or professional relationship because you finally take a stand for what is impor tant to you. The key here is to know that the Universe supports you—whether you are attracting funds for a unique venture; creating the marriage or spiritual partnership you have always envisioned; or increasing your level of physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being by allowing yourself full expression of the love within you. h Lorelei Robbins is a spiritual astrologer, counselor, professional interviewer, and minister. She holds two graduate degrees and was the Relationship Astrologer for seven years on B98.5FM, in Atlanta, GA. Lorelei also has over 25 years of successful personnel consulting for entrepreneurial companies and corporate giants. Currently, she helps conscious business owners energetically align with their business’s vision. www.RobbinsCosmicNest.com

The Ten Commandments of Self-Esteem

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil—he represents anger, envy, sorry, regret, greed, arrogance, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”

Let’s Get Personal

by Catherine Cardinal, PhD

hou shalt not consort with people who make thee feel bad about thyself. Thou shalt cease trying to make sense out of crazy behavior. Thou shalt not keep company with those more dysfunctional than thyself. Trust thy body all the days of thy life (thy mind doth fornicate with thee). Thoust has permission at all times to say “NO,” to change thy mind, and to express thy true feelings. What is not right for thee is also not right for thy brethren.

Thou shalt not give beyond thine own capacity. What thy brethren think of thee mattereth naught. Wherever thou art, therein also is the party. Thou shalt sing thine own praises all the days of thy life. h Catherine Cardinal, PhD is an Internationally Certified Relationship Coach and a member of Resource Realizations,a certified Hypnotherapist, Movement Expression therapist, and an Anger Management Facilitator. She is author of several best sellers, including The Ten Commandments of Self -Esteem. www.CatherineCardinal.com

May/June 2017

Let’s Get Personal

Using Your Intuition to Make Choices Tap into the Big Picture for Your Life

Dianne McAlexander

A RT | G R A P H I C D E S I G N A Visual Communication Ar tist

404.502.9275 diannelayne@mac.com www.diannemcalexander.com linkedin.com/in/DianneMcDesign facebook.com/paintingsbydianne Pr int, web, and mixed media. Making your vision REAL. Professional • Psychic • Medium • Channel • Teacher “The Purpose of Life is to discover your Gift. The Meaning of Life is to give it away!”

– Dr. David Viscott

OFFERINGS: Psychic, Channeled, Mediumship Readings Forgiveness Therapy • Past Life Regressions Group Readings of Messages from Loved Ones Astrology-Natal Chart Workshops Psychic Development Workshops • Private Tutoring These are just a few of the great tools I have to offer you Empowerment, Guidance and Success in your life. I am available in person and via phone. Visit my website for more: www.BrendaStaab.com or call 770-345-5102. I am here for you! Brenda Staab, Professional Psychic, Medium, Channel, Teacher Brenda@BrendaStaab.com

770-345-5102 38

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by Shelly Dressel

hen you are considering your choices in life, there is one direct link to Source that will ALWAYS work for you: your intuition. Your intuition is the line of communication that comes directly to you from your divinity, through your higher self. Your higher self is a place of consciousness that vibrates at a higher level than you in your everyday life, as it brings your soul energy closer to you. This is how you tap into the big picture or broader perspective of your life. Your intuition has alignments within your physical body that may feel like a punch in your gut or pressure in your head.Your intuition also communicates through your emotions. If you are asking to know if a choice is the right one for you, does it make you feel happy, light, or interested? If so, then it is most likely in your best interest. If you are considering a decision and it makes you feel heavy, lethargic, or fearful, then it is probably not in your best interest. How often do you allow yourself to daydream? Can you remember the last time you sat, maybe looking out the window, and thought about what would be fun to do or maybe where you would rather be? When you allow yourself to dream like this, you are tapping into your right brain or your creative self. This is very important to note, as it creates the link to your higher self and intuition. Here is an exercise for you to practice. Sit quietly and allow your mind to drift. As you do so, focus on breathing in and out, gently and easily. Consider something in your life where you are trying to make a decision. Now if your analytical mind jumps in with all sorts of logical steps or criticism about why this won’t work or is a bad idea, gently send a hug to the thoughts and again go back to daydreaming about your decision. This time, ask yourself for possible alternative choices. Sometimes you will receive a response immediately; other times you may realize it within a day or so. This may take practice for it to become easy and natural. The more you access your imagination—your abstract, creative place— the stronger your intuition.This in turn will help you to make choices that create greater ease within your life. h Shelly Dressel creates an alignment through which Angels and Light Beings speak and work with people individually and globally. Angels can help release pain, energy blocks, share information from a higher perspective, and speak with loved ones who have crossed over. Shelly, as a registered nurse, bridges traditional medicine with Reiki Energy work and channeling. www.GoddessLight.net

L Le et t’ s’ s GGe et t PPe er rs soonna al l

The GIFTof Living

Your Integration

We are all multiple personalities and subpersonalities. We each have an inner feminine, masculine, matriarch, patriarch, critic, and several inner children... by Anyaa T. McAndrew

ost of us are pretty familiar with the idea of living our lives holistically. We know that it is essential to pay attention to every level of being including body, emotions, mind, and spirit. If we know how we are operating from each of those places we can sense where we have imbalances. Finding the places that are underdeveloped help us tune into strategies for strengthening those places and calming down the parts that are overdeveloped. Typically, humans are overdeveloped mentally and underdeveloped physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We tend to walk around with a lot of mental static, as if our head is saying, “I’m in charge, I’m in charge, I’m in charge,” while we override our physical needs. Emotionally, we tend to repress, deny, and project our emotions so that either our bodies or our relationships take the brunt. Spiritually, we forget our connection with our Source, forget that we are here for a bigger purpose, and get caught up in threedimensional reality to the exclusion of spiritual reflection and inspiration. Now there is a calling for us to go further, because to co-create the kind of world we all want to live in, we must be whole, healed, and integrated. The times we live in are more complex than ever. The old spiritual dictate, “know thyself,” is of highest priority. We are all multiple personalities and subpersonalities. We each have an inner feminine, masculine, matriarch, patriarch, critic, and several inner children (including toddlers, rebellious and compliant versions of teenagers, and those who have been wounded at various stages of our lives). It’s amazing how unique and at odds with each other they can be! When they are not “all together” around our intentions, decisions, and actions, we suffer. The suffering can

include inner sabotage that results in having to go back and learn lessons over and over again, or it can be as extreme as anxiety, addictions, dysfunctional relationships, depression, and illness. One of my favorite methods to help us identify our inner selves is Voice Dialogue, the work of Hal and Sidra Stone. Another is Alchemical Hypnotherapy, the work of David Quigley. Gestalt Therapy, Psychosynthesis, Family Systems Therapy, and any work with our inner selves can be a place to start. We can also learn who is inside through our dreams, journaling, and personal reflection. Any of these methods will help us understand what our “selves” need from us to do their jobs in our lives and assist us in coming to conscious, integrated decisions with everyone on board. It’s incredibly helpful to know who makes up the primary committee (the six to nine of us that run the show); their qualities, beliefs, needs, wounds, and strengths; and how to work with them towards cooperation, collaboration, and unity. There’s a great peace that comes when everyone has been heard. It’s easier to open to the inner guides and Higher Selves who have another agenda to promote, that of the soul. May you be inspired to return to a favorite way of “self ” discovery, or find a new way that serves all of you, even better. May you accept all of your “selves,” with the inner compassion that leads to living with grace, ease, and balance. h Anyaa T. McAndrew is a sea soned psychotherapist, ordained high priestess, and spiritual guide, residing in Western NC. Anyaa facilitates initiatory processes around the world, integrating a lifetime of therapeutic work with women, men, and couples. Anyaa synthesizes 40 years of wisdom into an accessible and spiritually empowering perspective. www.GoddessOnTheLoose.com

Essential Oils by Maria Angelova

ure therapeutic essential oils are a Pregime natural complement to an integrative aimed to nourish physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.

Ensure to always use pure essential oils, as most of the products available on the market today are synthetic imitations. There is a wide variety of essential oils that support the integrative process and below are just a few suggestions.

RoseEssentialOil

Exquisite and unique, rose oil carries the highest frequency of all essential oils. Its intoxicating aroma creates a romantic atmosphere, arousing to the mind and spirit, yet calming to the body. Rose oil establishes a sense of balance, harmony, and tranquility. Its alluring scent brings feelings of joy, fulfillment, and love.

BergamotEssentialOil

Bergamot is a citrus oil known for its calming properties. In Chinese traditional medicine, it is known to improve the flow of vital energy. Bergamot reduces tension and emotional burden and offers soothing relief from occasional daily stress, anxiety, and blues. Meanwhile, it uplifts the mind and spirit, building confidence and feelings of self-worth. Beware if using topically, as it can cause photosensitivity.

PaloSanto

Palo Santo is a Spanish word that translates to “Holy Wood.” It is an oil from the same family as Frankincense. Palo Santo is considered a spiritual oil and is frequently used during meditation practices. It is famous for its energy cleansing properties and it dispells negative energy and thought prints while creating grounded and clear atmosphere. Palo Santo encourages creativity and uplifts the spirit. It supports the immune and nervous systems. Maria Angelova is the owner of Rebellious Intl, which specializes in individualized lifestyle transformations aimed to empower body, mind, and spirit by incorporating physical activity, natural alternatives, and reducing environmental toxins. www.Rebellious-intl.com May/June 2017 39 May/June 2017 39

MarketPlace

Stop Sabotaging and Start Succeeding Becky Arrington is a Success Strategist and Clinical Hypnotherapist. Her highly developed intuitive and visionary insight as a psychic channel enables her to help people look deeper to see the blockages at work within their business or personal lives. Emotional Clearing, Past Life Regression, Inner Child Healing, Weight Loss, Gender Issues, Grief Clearing, Relationship Issues www.arringtonassoc.com becky@arringtonassoc.com 770-778-2051

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May/June 2017

MarketPlace

The Path of the Priestess Integrative Energetic Healing is a doorway to harmonize the Soul, Mind, Emotional and Body connection. The sessions facilitate personal transformation and restore the natural abilities of the body to heal itself through the process of balancing and restoring the Human Energetic Field. I would love to help facilitate your journey toward a state of health, relaxation and happiness. Complementary 15 min phone consultation. 770-337-6221 www.CatherinePhilippe.com

Connect to Divine Energy Bring the Sacred Feminine into form by walking the Path of the Priestess. Spiritual Companioning Together we can awaken and explore your essence and purpose. New Circles Beginning This Summer Bonnie Salamon 404.502.0497 bsalamon@autumnsfire.org www.autumnsfire.org

Tammy Billups, Founder

Sundance Healing Center

Certified Interface Therapist, Bioenergetics Interface Therapy is powerful, noninvasive holistic modality which combines psychological awareness with deep grounding for an integrated sense of safety and empowerment via healing through the subtle energy field. Through this gentle healing method Tammy saw remarkable healing results with her body, emotions and behavior. Since 2001, she has facilitated thousands of transformational sessions to help others allow in more safety, peace, and joy. 770.235.6609 tammy@sundancehealingcenter.com tammybillups.com

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May/June 2017

A Conscious Read

Personal Growth

Are you ready to get much more out of life?

NEW THINKING NEW BEING

Book Review

Emerging AUTHORS Bookshelf New, Real, Relevant Ever have those days when everything seems to go right and it feels great to be alive? And then the next day, you revert to the same unwanted feelings, the same unhealthy

patterns, the same unexciting to-do lists? You may wonder why those good days are so few and far between, and wish you could experience them more often.

You can. It starts with what you think and what you choose on a daily basis. By

shifting how you look at certain things and by taking consistent action in a different

direction, you can consciously create far more desirable results in your life.

New Thinking New Being offers new perspectives and a holistic approach to funda-

mental aspects of life—including relationships, work, money, time, and personal goals.

It presents relevant stories and insights, as well as practical exercises that will help you achieve better outcomes in any area that you choose. By reading this book, you’ll learn how to:

• Release old beliefs and behaviors that are blocking you from really enjoying life • Shift your focus and energy to live with more passion, purpose, and clarity

•

• Feel engaged, directed, and motivated to make a bigger difference in the world • Experience more love, abundance, aliveness, fearlessness, and personal fulfillment

ERIC ALLEN AT WOOD

• Create a new path for yourself in which you can manifest anything you want in life You don’t have to live the same way you’ve always lived, feeling stuck, fearful, and

unhappy. You know that there is more to life. With the right thoughts and the right

choices, you can get more out of it—loving your life and living it to the fullest!

As Reviewed by Nanette Littlestone

Eric Allen Atwood is a speaker, trainer, presentation coach, and entrepreneur. As a certified Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP) practitioner and a certified Speaking Circles ® facilitator, he is committed to helping people tap into their full potential, express themselves powerfully, and joyously contribute their gifts and wisdom to the world. Visit EricAllenAtwood.com for more.

NEW THINKING NEW BEING Moving From “The Daily Grind” to a More Meaningful, Deeply Fulfilling Life

Conversations with God, Book 4:

Awaken the Species by Neale Donald Walsch

" The fastest way to awaken is to help someone else awaken."

ERIC ALLEN AT WOOD

Dancing with the Divine by Michael Murphy Burke

New Thinking New Being by Eric Allen Atwood

An Oasis of Words. Michael’s Poetic Universe Bridges us All. Poetry of the Ages from an Artist of The Now. michaelmurphyburke.com

Open the door to a more meaningful, fulfilling life. Perspectives and practices to start you on an exciting new path!

Book Release and Signing May 28th at Unity North Atlanta

EricAllenAtwood.com

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Alignment comes from moving in the direction of a particular force (thought) where the focus is desire (the Soul). All that matters is empowering your preference. What you choose to empower is up to you. You have free will, the freedom to create anything you choose. So if the purpose of everything is simply to be, to exist, then the decisions are always about being. It’s not the result that counts; it’s the process, the journey, the experience of your expression. The point of this book is to let people know that they have awakened, even though they may not know that they know. But rather than tell everyone about awakening, it’s up to us to behave the way awakened people would behave. To model that behavior so others will know how to be as well. Because the fastest way to awaken is to help someone else awaken. So how does an awakened person behave? There are 16 ways that Highly Evolved Beings act. The first three ways are to see the unity in all of life, to always tell the truth, and to always do what you say. Easy to think about. Not so easy to carry out. To help integrate these new behaviors,

Walsch gives us five tools that we can use on a daily basis, such as choosing a state of being. Life has less to do with what you do and more to do with what you’re being while you do it. But he emphasizes that there’s nothing to learn. We already know how to stop our negative thoughts and be more loving and act with compassion and kindness. We merely have to choose that behavior and repeat it—often. Will you be one of the people who experiences life as a Highly Evolved Being? Will you say yes? Because, in all sincerity, now is the perfect time for advancement. All it takes is a decision. h

Nanette Littlestone is a best-selling author, editor, writing coach, and publisher with Words of Passion. She specializes in helping women write from the heart so they can put their passion into words and inspire others. Her publications include F.A.I.T.H. – Finding Answers in the Heart and The Sacred Flame. www.WordsOfPassion.com

An intimate and courageous account of one woman’s journey from hear tbreak and tragedy to transformation, healing, and triumph. amazon.com/author/ CathyMassengale

5 Reasons Why You’re Here on Earth by Marilyn Segal Your soul has an agenda. Do you know yours? A guidebook to consciously advance your soul’s growth. MarilynSegal.com/5-reasons

Resource director y Acupuncture Karen Lang, L.Ac. Dogwood Healing Arts Acupuncture for Physical Health and Emotional Well-being www.dogwoodhealingarts.com 404-695-0905

id you know that you’re already awakened? If that question resonates with you or raises your curiosity, then you’re meant to read this. Nothing in this book is new. Yet how many times have you needed to hear or read something before it made an impact? After the CLJ interview with Walsch (March issue) and his talk about Highly Evolved Beings, I had to read this book. I started it one night before bed, read ten chapters before I stopped to sleep, and finished it two days later. I felt he was speaking to me. And the truths contained in the pages of this book were what I needed to hear. There is no separation.We are all part of the same energy, Spirit, Oneness. Everything on the planet communicates—every cell of every living thing—because all life has a foundational intelligence. “The cells of your body will act in unison and in harmony with each other when there is alignment with the soul on the direction each moment in your life will take, from a cellular level, based on the Soul’s agenda in that femtosecond.”

When Life Hands You Lemons, Pucker Up and Sing by Cathy Lynn Massengale

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Astrology Magical Birthday Calculator Makes the Perfect Gift www.magicalbirthdaycalculator.com 404-971-7775 Carpentry Michael Burke Creative Carpentry/Specializing in Mantels 23 years of creating with all species of wood MMB801@yahoo.com 678-469-0340 Chiropractic Services Dr. Guy Gunter Healworks 5150 Roswell Road Sandy Springs-just south of I-285 www.healworks.net 404-255-3110

Dr. Wade Port Lifeworks Chiropractic 2840 Johnson Ferry Road, Ste 100 Marietta, GA 30062 lifeworksatl@gmail.com 678-926-9300 Creative Services Jason Beever Built By The Beev Superior design and development for all online needs www.builtbythebeev.com jwbeev@gmail.com Kim Grayson Gray Matters Editing Copy editing/proofreading of books, websites, brochures, articles, presentations kim@graymattersediting.com

Animal-Human Healing Tammy Billups Sundance Healing Center Holistic Health for animals and their people www.tammybillups.com info@sundancehealing.com Art Carol Iyer, Artist Unique and colorful paintings and portraits infused with healing energies www.etsy.com/shop/carolscanvas caroliyer@gmail.com

Makes the perfect gift.

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404-971-7775 May/June 2017

Resource director y Creative Services continued Nanette Littlestone Words of Passion Writing, editing and publishing to inspire and uplift others www.wordsofpassion.com nanette@wordsofpassion.com Dianne McAlexander Graphic design/web design, fine art, painting instruction/workshops. www.diannemcalexander.com paint@diannemcalexander.com 404.502.9275 Mickey Simon Mickey Simon Graphic Designs Make your great ideas come to life using print, digital and promotional items www.MickeySimonDesigns.com 404-731-3120 The Writing Doctor Diane Eaton Copywriting, Editing, Ghostwriting www.dianethewritingdoctor.com diane@dianethewritingdoctor.com 928.451.5772 Educational and Healing Center Conscious Living Center Hope Merrill Private Retreat Center www.siconsciousliving.com Elohee Breathe in peace, nature and rest 90 minutes from Atlanta and a world away www.elohee.org 770-316-9195 Living Foods Institute Brenda Cobb Raw and Living Foods Educational Center and Healing Spa www.livingfoodsinstitute.com 404-524-4488 Essential Oils Distributor Stephanie Colletti Earth Medicine Practitioner and Essential Oils Educator www.getoiling.com/herbalmama 864-735-0835 Events/Workshops BOOK RELEASE & SIGNING May 28 Michael Murphy Burke Dancing with the Divine Readings at both services—9 and 11:15 Book signing after in the bookstore Unity North Atlanta 4255 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta LIVING IN THE LIGHT A Certification Course to become a Psychic, Channel, Medium www.brendastaab.com Brenda@brendastaab.com 770-345-5102

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Resource director y ESSENCE OF BEING 3-day intensive experiential program to uncover subconscious beliefs that may be blocking you from money, relationships or purpose. Burge Smith-Lyons www.essenceofbeing.com info@essenceofbeing.com 1-888-400-5566 NATIVE AMERICAN PRAYER/PURIFICATION LODGE Sylina TaliniYona Once Per Month During the Full Moon Email for location, times, and instructions soulmedicinesunday@gmail.com Feng Shui Consulting Marjorie Hilliard, Instructor, Speaker, Master Feng Shui Consultant for Home, Business, Design, Staging or Renovation www.FengShuiSolutions.org myfengshuisolutions@yahoo.com 269-615-1648 Healing and Coaching Sheri Bagwell Energy worker and meditation coach www.livingwellinthesouth.com 770-235-7599 Robert E. Dallas, PhD The Dallas Center Licensed counselor, small business consultant on the Beltline, downtown Atlanta www.thedallascenter.com Redallas47@gmail.com 770.337.3243 Bob Lancer Access your full power to joyfully create your own reality FREE Phone/Skype Coaching www.lovethemethod.com bob@boblancer.com Catherine Philippe Experience a blend of modern healing that integrates neuroscience, mindfulness, coaching and the ancient healing art of shamanism. www.CatherinePhilippe.com 770-337-6221 Mary Simpson Healer, Being Good Karma Peace, love, clarity, acceptance, truth and joy through healing http://www.beinggoodkarma.com/ mary@beinggoodkarma.com Mindy Strich Healing Hearts Certified Holistic Healing Practitioner and ICF Life Coach Coauthor of The 28-Day Thought Diet and F.A.I.T.H – Finding Answers in the Heart. www.mindystrich.com mindy@healingheartenergy.com Adele Wang Safe Haven Healing Helping women clear stress, increase their feminine radiance and attract success www.safehavenhealing.net 678-293-8511

Holistic Healthcare Cann Dentistry www.CannDentistry.com www.Facebook.com/CannDentistry 404-233-1102 Holistic Spa Rebekah Warlick Lavandula Skin Spa Natural Facials, Spray Tans, Group Meditations, Yoga and Pilates www.lavandulaskinspa.com 770-331-2543 Metaphysical Book Store and Spiritual Center Forever And A Day New Age Emporium Spiritual and metaphysical products, herbs, candles, incense, aromatherapy, books (20% off all new books), psychics Psychic Fair 2nd Saturday of each month 7830 Highway 92, Woodstock GA www.foreverandaday.biz 770-516-6969 Inner Quest Church Metaphysical Christian Church & Healing Center www.innerquestchurch.org Iqc@innerquestchurch.org, 770-521-2875 Phoenix & Dragon Bookstore Metaphysics, personal growth, incense, candles, aromatherapy, crystals, jewelry, classes and psychics 5531 Roswell Road, NE, Atlanta, GA www.phoenixanddragon.com 404-255-5207 Synchronicity A Spiritual Jewel in Atlanta Book Store, Gift Shop, Jewelry Store 861 Holcomb Bridge Road, Roswell, GA www.synchronicityatl.com 770-640-8184 Natural Markets/Food Harvest Moon Natural Market 10511 Bells Ferry Rd, Canton, GA www.facebook.com/ HarvestMoonNaturalMarket 770-479-4193 Natural Products Natural Mattress Matters Sleep without harmful chemicals! www.naturalmattressmatters.com 770-495-5005 NYR Organic Safe and Effective Skincare Susan Hendrix, Independent Consultant susanhendrixNYR@gmail.com 404-394-6367 Networking Groups Marie Fratoni, CEO Get Clients Everywhere Connecting made fun and easy www.getclientseverywhere.com marie@getclientseverywhere.com 770-263-8179

Personal/Life Coaching Diana E. Cohen Performance Coach Guidance to being your full potential Individual Sessions /Free Consultation www.dianaecohen.com dianaecohen@gmail.com Sharron Ragan Intuitive Business/Career Consultant www.SharronRagan.com 678-315-5171 Don Reed Simmons Visionary Business Consultants (VBC) An innovative/intuitive approach to success in life and business www.VisionaryBusinessConsultants.com Don@AskVBC.com Leslie Welch Heart to Soul Life Coaching Certified Law of Attraction Life Coach and Reiki Energy Practitioner myloalifecoach@gmail.com Professional Organizer Live with Less Shannon Loe, Small Space Strategist & Professional Organizer Clear the clutter and create space for what really matters! www.livewithlessllc.com 404-808-4086 Psychics, Mediums and Channeling Ginny Brock Medium, Usui Reiki Master, Empath and Intuitive Brock7@bellsouth.net 404-825-9336 Shelly Dressel, RN Goddess Light Clear your energy, receive information, create change www.goddesslight.net shelly@goddesslight.net Kady Morgan Shamanism, Crystal Grid Healing, Channeling Divinely integrative ancient Wisdom-Healing for the modern soul seeker www.KadyMorgan.com OurLightisOne@gmail.com 401-855-5235 Beth Peters “Awakening the Souls of others is the responsibility of those who have begun to Awaken” www.bethpeterspsychicmedium.com beth@bethpeterspsychicmedium.com 770-712-4010 Brenda Staab Professional Psychic, Life Coach, Medium, Channel, Teacher www.brendastaab.com 770-345-5102 Real Estate Services Iva R. Butler Serving you, your family and friends www.thebutlerdidIt7.com 404-556-9193

Retreat Center Elohee Breathe in peace, nature and rest 90 minutes from Atlanta and a world away www.elohee.org 770-316-9195 Solar Energy Solutions Randy Flinders Renewable Energy Southeast LLC We install affordable, sustainable, solar hot water and space heating http://renewenergysoutheast.com 404-643-4745 Spiritual Centers Decatur Healing Arts We are your resource center for health and well–being www.decaturhealingarts.com 404-378-6288 Inner Quest Church Metaphysical Christian Church & Healing Center www.innerquestchurch.org iqc@innerquestchurch.org, 770-521-2875 Spiritual Living Center of Atlanta Rev. David Ault 1730 Northeast Expressway NE Atlanta, Ga 30329 info@slc-atlanta.org www/soc-atlanta.org Unity North Atlanta Sundays: 9:15AM & 11:15AM; Wednesday Meditation: 7:30PM, Peace Chapel www.unitynorth.org (678) 819-9100 Spiritual Development/Personal Growth Dr. Melba M. Black, PhD Heart-based coaching: providing a safe anchor and space to explore spirituality and consciousness www.sphereinnovationgroup.com melbadruid@gmail.com 678-862-6088 Anyaa T McAndrew, MA, LPC, NCC Ordained Priestess Initiating women into personal & spiritual empowerment, retreats, circles & workshops in the Great Smoky Mountains www.goddessontheloose.com Hope Merrill Conscious 360 Coach Transformational 5-Stage Personal Growth Program hope@myconsciouslifejournal.com Linda Minnick Psych-K Facilitator www.lindaminnick.com lkminnick@live.com 678-367-3459 Martha Burgess Novak Performance Coach www.marthaburgessnovak.net theburgessprocess@yahoo.com

Kelli O’Neill, LPC, NCC Inner Health and Healing, LLC Connecting YOU with your Heart and Soul Online Psychotherapy 678-861-6513 Laina Orlando Author, Awareness Coach, creator of The Power Of Awareness programs www.lainaorlando.com LainaOrlando.com Lorelei Robbins Thank Your Lucky Stars: Conscious Business Solutions Clarify Your Vision, Create Your Plan/TimeLine, Choose Your Team www.robbinscosmicnest.com 404-226-0902 Bonnie Salamon The Path of the Priestess & Spiritual Companioning www.autumnsfire.org 404-502-0497 Burge Smith-Lyons Essence of Being, Inc. www.info@essenceofbeing.com www.essenceofbeing.com www.burgesmithlyons.com 1-888-400-5566 Sylina TaliniYona Channeling, Hypnosis, Past Life, Healings, Shamanic Energy, Life/Spiritual Counseling www.sylinasoulmedicine.com 404-993-3338 Wellness, Fitness, Yoga Body Awareness Studio Healing the body emotionally, physically and spiritually www.BodyAwarenessStudio.com 404-252-7550 Sheri Danzig Empower the World With Wellness Natural Sleep Solution Specialist 404-431-1682 Carolyn Purvis Purvidise Yoga Providing group yoga classes and individual yoga therapy sessions www.purvidiseyoga.com purvidise@gmail.com Rebellious Intl Wellness, Fitness, Empowerment Empower body, mind & spirit through Pilates, Young Living Essential Oils & Beautycounter www.rebellious-intl.com 678-358-5700 Kathy Shaul Yoga 200-RYT, Roll Model® Movement Therapy, Buoy Marketing, LLC Www.Facebook.com/ChoosingSantosha kathyshaul1@gmail.com The Posture Project Woodstock’s Best Beginner Yoga Studio! Yoga & Massage www.thepostureproject.com 678-494-3450 May/June 2017

R EO rFi g i nLa l PEo e C T I O N S try and Musings

Being by Mary D. Simpson

Practice absolute sincerity. Grace is always present, say Yes. Surrender yourself to your naked self, all of it; taste humility. Share your wisdom secrets of the Universe through your actions. Feel the “I” in I love you more and more each time you say it to another. Your eyes are the Sacred doorway of Authenticity, guiding us to a heart-to-heart connection, where we are One. Soothe another’s Soul by being a peace-filled presence. Allow emptiness to overtake you—it will fill you up! On Truth: What cannot be named is that, and what can be named is not. Even in its un-doneness, things are still complete. Shatter your limitations! Introduce yourself to the You that is patiently waiting to be remembered. Be still and learn to love the stillness. When judgment arises, do not judge it. If you don’t like your life, fire yourself and hire a new actor, producer, and director! When you are feeling down, dance. And then dance some more. Excel at doing nothing. Enjoy the Divine mess you have created. It is not a mess at all; it is leading you home. Recognize you are your own Guru. Love yourself into oblivion. You are already free. Just Be. You. Being. Mary Simpson has extensive business and entrepreneurial expertise, including owning an international software company, years of B2B national advertising experience, and consulting with organizations and individuals on “vision,” as well as working with adults with disabilities. She is now pursuing her passion for the healing arts and writing poetry. www. beinggoodkarma.com 48

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