Conscious Life Journal

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Personal Transformation and healing is an inside job, but you don’t have to do it alone.

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MISSION STATEMENT 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 seeking to live a conscious life, providing heartopening teachings, insightful perspectives, transformative services, and powerful products that help them live with greater freedom, joy, and love.

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CONTENTS

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COLUMNS 9

25

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LIFESTYLE 25

INTERVIEWS 6

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Conversation with Lissa Rankin, A New York Times best-selling author of Mind Over Medicine, The Fear Cure, and The Anatomy of a Calling

FEATURES 10 The Yin and Yang

What is Yin Energy

Melba M. Black, PhD

What is Yang Energy Stan Holt

12 T he Hero’s Journey and Modern Spirituality Sydney Miller and Master Charles Cannon 14

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26 T he Nature of Biophilia Timothy Beatley 28

S potlight on Local Hero Biviana Franco, Founder of Feel Beautiful Today

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aking UP – A Story of Personal W Transformation Patricia Bateson

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F abulous Fermented Foods Brenda Cobb

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SPECIAL SERIES 16

R eligion or Spirituality?

Jane Beach

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H olistic Healing Dr. Guy Gunter

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e Breathe as ONE W Nanette Littlestone L ife is Movement Melba M. Black, PhD

B iophilic Leadership Summit at Serenbe Nanette Littlestone he Autumn Equinox T Michelle Gregg

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CONSCIOUS PERSPECTIVES 32

L oving with Intention Phil Parker

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H ow to Open to the Higher Frequencies that Are NOW Embracing the Earth Tony Samara

34 T he Servant Leadership Role—Your True Purpose in Business Sharron Ragan 35 T he Science Behind Solfeggio Sound Healing Frequencies Eeshi-Ra Hart

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LET’S GET PERSONAL 36

onscious 360 Overview— C Summary of the 5 Stages Hope Merrill

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S tage 1/Mind Intuitive Journaling Eve Willson

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S tage 2/Body Conscious Breathing Melba M. Black, PhD

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S tage 3/Spirit Connecting with Spirit Diane Glynn

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S tage 4/Integration Choose Gratitude and Capture Magic Vanessa Lowry S tage 5/Balance Three Steps to Manifesting More Money Burge Smith-Lyons

W isdom Thoughts Melba M. Black, PhD

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R eal Talk Martha Burgess Novak

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F eng Shui Marjorie Hilliard

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nimals as Guides A Tammy Billups

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E ssential Oils Rollyne Kelm

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S tar Talk Lorelei Robbins

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BOOK REVIEW 43

hatever Arises Love That W

by Matt Kahn Reviewed by Nanette Littlestone

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M ARKETPLACE

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RESOURCE DIRECTORY

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ORIGINAL POETRY AND MUSING 48

Free Spirit Michelle Schaper

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Editorial Board & Advisory Council Tammy Billups TammyBillups.com

Melba Black, PhD SphereInnovationGroup.com

Sharron Ragan SharronRagan.com

Hope Merrill Publisher myconsciouslifejournal.com Hope@myconsciouslifejournal.com

Bob Lancer LoveTheMethod.com

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

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Brian Perry yesbrianperry@gmail.com

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SUBSCRIBE ONLINE Lee Ann Odom LeeAnn@myconsciouslifejournal.com

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Contributing Jane Beach revjanebeach@janebeach.com Timothy Beatley Tb6d@virginia.edu Brenda Cobb livingfoodinstitute@gmail.com Diane Glynn Diane.glynn@unitynorth.org Michelle Gregg astrology@michellegregg.com Dr. Guy Gunter drgunter@healworks.net

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Eeshi-Ra Hart eeshira@eeshirahart.net earthdance23@yahoo.com Marjorie Hilliard marjoriehilliard@sbcglobal.net Stan Holt jaguarhealingarts@gmail.com Rollyne Kelm rklemrn@gmail.com Vanessa Lowry vlowry@gmail.com Sydney Miller Sydney@synchronicity.org

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WRITE FOR THE JOURNAL We welcome inquiries regarding editorial submissions.

Editorial@myconsciouslifejournal.com

Writers

Patricia Bateson pbates@241@gmail.com

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Phil Parker phil@philparker.com Tony Samara press@tonysamara.org Michelle Schaper Banksysbuffy1970@gmail.com Burge Smith-Lyons burge@essenceofbeing.com Eve Willson eve@truecenterwoodstock.org

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.

“When you are in the middle of this [raising your consciousness], you do not fit anymore in the old structures of your life. If you recognize this, please know that you are on your way, that you are not going crazy, and that you are tremendously courageous for taking this journey within.”

Your Soul’s Gift—Robert Schwartz

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Dear Conscious One!

What a journey! This issue marks the beginning of our next series with an Overview of Living a Conscious Life. In the coming year, we will explore Conscious Mind, Body, Spirit, Integration, and Balance. All together, a full year of the Journal represents the very best of wisdom, spiritual guidance, science and technology, lifestyle tips, tools, products, and experiences that support you in learning to live in a state of peace and balance—consciously.

As for me, dear reader, it has been a year of growth, expansion, and healing.

Publishing the Journal has been a labor of love, and together with a team of talented volunteers and core team members, we have poured our hearts and countless hours into bringing the Journal to life.

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It is our sincere hope that the Journal is your trusted bridge to authentic living. In this issue our interview with LISSA RANKIN is so inspiring! She is truly a beautiful soul and I love this quote: “All we have to say to those exiled, rejected, wounded parts is, “Come back. I’m going to love you with my big mama arms. Please know that I’ve got you and you are safe here and there is no part of me that I cannot love and accept the way God loves me and accepts me, because there is God in me. Can you hold all of those parts of yourself inside the loving arms of the God/Goddess within you? That is the ultimate medicine. But we can’t do it alone.”

Indeed, we can’t do it alone—so we welcome you, our reader, to this conscious community where all of the love, support, and help you need is waiting.

In Gratitude,

Give the gift of a FREE issue of the Journal to your friends and family!

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September/October 2017

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INTERVIEW

LOCAL C O N N E C T I O N

A Conver sation With

LISSA

RANKIN

New York Times bestselling author of Mind Over Medicine,The Fear Cure, and The Anatomy of a Calling, Lissa is a physician, speaker, founder of the Whole Health Medicine Institute, and mystic.

Passionate about what makes people optimally healthy and what predisposes them to illness, she is on a mission to merge science and spirituality in a way that not only facilitates the health of the individual, but also uplifts the health of the collective.

CLJ: Your work with functional medicine and the body’s innate ability to heal itself has garnered a lot of discussion. Can you tell us about that?

LR: My mother has been diagnosed

with an incurable cancer called chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. My dad died of cancer so we’ve been through this once before. But it’s important to move through the grief and trauma, otherwise it’s just a spiritual bypass.

I’m doing that with my mother, really tuning into “what does she need right now?” And she needs comfort. She needs to cry. She needs nature. She needs to have conversations about end-of-life issues and how she wants to live in alignment with her values in the face of a potentially “incurable” 6

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illness which I keep reframing for her.

“Mom, just because western medicine can’t cure your illness doesn’t mean it’s not curable.” She has a very deep and abiding faith, knows that death is nothing to fear, and there’s nothing but love on the other side of this dimension.

But she’s also really attached to this dimension and the people in it, and the nature and beauty of life as a human on earth. Sometimes when the soul is ready to break a pattern, it will invite into the three-dimensional space/reality whatever is needed in order to learn the next phase of the lesson.

Codependence, the classic savior complex, and the martyr are not easy patterns to break. Especially for women with the caregiver pattern. I’ve spent ten years working on this pattern and I joke that it’s like trying to put an octopus to bed. Everything in my childhood was about how giving of yourself to others is how to be a good Christian and a good doctor. You violate your own needs in service to the needs of others.

It is literally the foundation of who I am. So if I dismantle that core piece of my identity, who am I without that?

Nobody ever taught me how to be loving and compassionate to myself.

I see this pattern over and over again, where we have given of ourselves to such a great degree in the name of service.

There’s nothing noble in violating the self in order to do this. My needs are equal to the needs of everybody.

When we come from being so full of love, energy, abundance, and money that we have extra, we’re literally looking for a place for our love to land.

That is a completely different energy than the energy of I’m not good enough, I’m not worthy, I don’t have a right to be, I don’t deserve to be here unless I’m depleting myself. I’m on the receiving end of an amazing tribe of humans in my inner circle who suddenly realize that Mom and I need some care. They don’t see us as broken. They see as whole and they’re just serving the wholeness in the flow.

It was beautiful for me to have to learn to take care of the wounded parts of myself, the parts that were always trying to be good enough, always overachieving. How many more things do I need to do to get your approval so you’ll love me so that I have a right to be?

When you’re hooked into that pattern, you think “if only I get there, then this part of me will feel complete.” But it doesn’t work. Everything we have is right here already.

CLJ: How do you access that?

LR: The access point is through my

spirituality, through my relationship with my “inner pilot light”—the spark of the divine that gives me the right to

Holistic Healing teaches you how to communicate with your body, awaken you to the doctor within, and return you to health and wholeness. It is a complement to conventional medicine that will activate your body’s natural ability to heal itself.

“Your body has everything it needs to heal, you just need to learn how to listen.”

~Mindy Strich

Dr. Rankin Certified Instructor

Mindy Strich

www.mindystr ich.com (678) 642-7771

be, just because. I don’t have to do anything to earn that right to exist. I am unconditionally loved and lovable by that and from that part inside of myself. That part doesn’t approve or disapprove. There’s no judgment there at all.

We humans are so adorable. We think we’re so alone in our little dramas. I can see my little octopus arms coming out—oh look, there she goes again. I learned this from my mother, so my mother has the same pattern and there’s no shame around this. We can’t demonize the little girl that’s up there on stage singing and dancing and trying to be good enough. We can’t make her wrong. We just have to love her.

Richard Schwarz wrote a fantastic book called You Are the One You’ve Been Waiting For about how we integrate and reclaim those parts of ourselves that have been exiled, especially in the feminine. They’re like refugees, just waiting to come home.

CLJ: So how do we stay well?

LR: I don’t believe everybody is supposed to stay well.

My spiritual teacher is a seventy-nine-year-old doctor who has had a chronic illness her whole life and is the most enlightened human I’ve ever met. I believe as souls we come to this plane to learn how to love. So if, as a soul, her journey is to be infinitely compassionate with the suffering of others, what better way to learn compassion than to be somebody who has had a lot of suffering? I don’t know that she would have been capable of going as deep and offering the world so much love and service if she had not been sick.

The language I like to use is, “what does it take to make our bodies ripe for miracles?” It doesn’t mean that we’re all going to be cured or that we’re all going to live forever. But what kind of lifestyle makes our bodies ripe for miracles?

First of all, we’ve got to be willing to have a certain humility about our conditioning and our patterns and the way that we’ve been raised, because the American dream is making us sick. You take the story of the rugged individualist, the John Wayne who needs nobody and can take care of himself, and apply that in the spiritual realm and self-help world, and you get the belief “I don’t need anybody else, I can do it myself, I can fix everything that’s wrong with me so I can get what my ego wants and avoid what my ego doesn’t want.” That’s not a true story. The soul is here on a journey and it is here to learn, and we have our greatest

“I know that a lot of people who aren’t feeling their pain are not feeling that ecstasy." transformations when we’re going through the hard parts. I lost six people that I love last year, in six months. There’s a kind of ecstatic grief that’s possible when you’re not resisting life, when you’re not resisting death. I was able to go all the way to the bottom of my suffering and realize that the only reason it hurt that much was because I love that much.

CLJ: That is the definition of being truly conscious.

You’re not avoiding the pain, you’re truly conscious of the pain at the same time that you’re honoring the pain.

LR: I felt like my heart was having contractions. I had to

breathe through it like I was a pregnant woman in labor to just let the grief flood me and not resist it and not fight it, and it would move through my whole body, but then I would get relief. And I couldn’t do this alone. I needed my community, I needed to have self-awareness, I needed to give myself permission. So I let myself be with my grief, not compartmentalize it, not skip it, and not employ some spiritual bypass. And that also felt beautiful, honoring of my experience.

CLJ: I love that. So many people, myself included, have spent a lot of life avoiding pain.

LR: Of course we resist pain. Being human means stuff is

gonna hurt. I get frustrated with the masculine teaching in spiritual circles that says if only you’re enlightened, if only you practice spiritual principles and work on your thoughts, then nothing’s ever going to hurt and you can just live in this state of nirvana. We crave that so much, but I think the most enlightened people on the planet feel everything very deeply.

And they move through it quickly and they see the grace in it even while they’re feeling the pain. They’re recognizing the September/October 2017

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D I S C OV E R

Medical Spiritual Healing and Sufism with Dr. Ibrahim Jaffe, MD Sept. 29 – Oct. 1, 2017, Atlanta, GA Dr. Jaffe will host a weekend workshop sharing how Medical Spiritual Healing and Sufism, together with traditional and complementary medicine, can heal life threatening disease, chronic illness, and personal issues through understanding and transforming the inner causes and experiences that lock disease in place.

No matter what system of healing you use, purifying the inner stresses, emotions, thoughts, and experiences that cause dis-ease within people are always needed to have the best healing results.

As a Murshid Murrabai Ruhi within the Shadhiliyya Sufi Order, Dr. Jaffe, as a Spiritual Teacher and a Caregiver of the Spirit, brings his unique healing ability to the subtle level of the spirit within his students and patients. Sufism is the opening of the heart to the Divine Love so it can penetrate and awaken us to the Oneness and Unity of The Divine Reality.

Since 1997, Dr. Jaffe has founded the Shadhiliyya Sufi Center, the University of Spiritual Healing and Sufism, and Dr. Jaffe MD Seminars & Institute.

For more information go to: https://drjaffemd.com For registration information email: drjudithkeith@gmail.com

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growth and the pain and holding them in paradox. Both of them are true at the same time.

I just got back from two months in Bali where everybody lives in the family compound and the whole family is there, multiple generations.

We desperately need tribe. There’s a movement now towards rebuilding what it means to have modern tribes.

We’re supposed to be eating our meals together, creating art together, doing our spiritual practice together, feeling what we feel, and having collective ceremonies to address our grief. This is very restorative to the nervous system, to have collective places. I’m looking for my mother to have a support group of other people on a cancer journey so that she can have community around her fear and grief and anger and whatever else is coming up.

CLJ: The depth of your pain equals the depth of your capacity for joy.

LR: I fully believe that and I’m really clear that part of my soul journey on this earth is that I’m going to be all the way human. I don’t want to transcend this human experience. The sacred masculine is about transcending, but the divine feminine is about embodiment. I’m going to feel my pain more than the average human, but I also have a whole lot of ecstatic bliss in my life, really inexplicable depths of connection to Source, nature, other humans. I know that a lot of people who aren’t feeling their pain are not feeling that ecstasy.

We don’t know how to do this, so we have to be really gentle with ourselves because our culture is teaching us the opposite of what is natural to the soul. It’s based on the story that we are separate from God, we are separate from each other, therefore, when the other is separate, we can violate the planet, we can violate other humans, we can violate our own woundedness.

Not only do we have people on the planet that are bullying one another, including our administration right now, but we are bullying the feminine within ourselves. And that to me is the saddest part because that is what we actually have control over. All we have to say to those exiled, rejected, wounded parts is, “Come back. I’m going to love you with my big mama arms. Please know that I’ve got you and you are safe here and there is no part of me that I cannot love and accept the way God loves me and

accepts me, because there is God in me.” No matter how messed up some of my parts might be, no matter how much I might be tempted to judge and condemn and reject and exile them, that part that I call the inner pilot light is so expansive and so loving and so feminine that all of me can be held on her great lap and rocked like a mother.

This is what I’m working on with my mother. “Can you hold all of those parts of yourself inside the loving arms of the God/Goddess within you?” That is the ultimate medicine. But we can’t do it alone.

CLJ: So what’s next for you on a professional level?

LR: My initial answer is I don’t know.

Everything is a constantly unfolding mystery and the feminine doesn’t have a business plan. My mother’s diagnosis was a curveball. This was not my plan for the year. So I don’t know.

CLJ: That’s a great answer. It gives our readers permission not to know and to just follow that spiritual guidance.

LR: Right now I’m getting information about healing the trust rift between the divine feminine and the patriarchy and between the masculine and feminine inside ourselves. I feel, especially in 2017 with what’s happening on the planet, that we will never have peace on earth or peace within ourselves unless we have a sort of truce and reconciliation between the separation of those seeming dualities between the masculine and feminine.

In actuality, they’re not dualities.

They’re one.

There’s a certain perverse pleasure for me in watching the world fall apart. The very foundation of who I am, my entire world view, had to get shattered in order for my soul to start to come back into my body, and I feel that on the collective level the same thing might have to happen. f Lissa Rankin, MD, Bridging between seemingly disparate worlds, Lissa is a connector, collaborator, curator, and amplifier, broadcasting not only her unique visionary ideas, but also those of cutting edge visionaries she discerns and trusts, especially in the field of her latest research into “Sacred Medicine.” Lissa has starred in two National Public Television specials and also leads workshops, both online and at retreat centers like Esalen and Kripalu.

She lives in the San Francisco Bay area with her daughter. She blogs at LissaRankin.com.

The Law of

Rhythm

WISDOM THOUGHTS

by Melba Black, PhD

“ Everything flows, out and in; everything has its tides; all things rise and fall; the pendulum swing manifests in everything; the measure of the swing to the right is the measure of the swing to the left; rhythm compensates.”

–The Kybalion

B

alance is a way to neutralize extreme swings pertaining to the Hermetic Law of Rhythm. This principle embodies the truth that everything in the Universe, without exception, is in a state of a pendulum-like movement—the ebb and flow of the tide, rotation of the planets, the moon phases, and the seasons, not to mention the rise and fall of empires and nations.

According to Hermetic Law, the Law of Rhythm permeates all of life— physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. This law is mutable, which means you have a say in how much the pendulum swings either way, but you still have to work within this law. Even your breath adheres to this law as you breathe in and out in a steady flow. For example, you have conscious awareness of your breath and can alter the rhythm of the inhales and exhales, and you can guide the breath using intention and awareness. However, you can only hold your breath temporarily before the automatic response of the body kicks in. Try holding your breath and see what happens!

Self-mastery is the key in overcoming the effects of the extreme swings in your life. Extreme emotional ups and downs no longer have a hold over you when you understand how to neutralize the lower consciousness by rising to the higher consciousness and escaping the extremes. Consciousness resides within each of us and the breath is our vehicle to higher states and expansion. The more you sit in silence and breathe deeply, the less your emotions and “monkey” mind will be in charge. Since the Law of Rhythm is inevitable, you can adapt by choosing your thoughts and acknowledging your emotions to remain in a perpetual flow to the positive side. Your will or mental state is paramount in rising to the higher awareness. If you remain positive it will lessen or eliminate the effects of the negative swing.

Think of a tree with its roots buried deep in the earth. Above ground the strong trunk sustains the canopy of leaves and branches. The tree is exposed to all kinds of elements, seasons, environmental abuse, etc., yet it stands tall—the branches move with the wind but come right back to the center. Imagine yourself as this strong tree. Because of your higher awareness, the rhythm continues, but the negative, lower consciousness is no longer an issue.f Melba M. Black, PhD, CLC is a writer, mentor, innovator, and scholar. She has over thirty years of experience in holistic health, spirituality, and energy healing, including Life Coaching, Reiki, Intuitive Development, Meditation,Yoga, Qigong, and more. She currently teaches classes and conducts personal sessions at Sphere Innovation Group. www.sphereinnovationgroup.com September/October 2017

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YinYang

AN EXPLORATION OF OUR

What is Yin Energy?

"Yin is about nourishment at every level—physical, mental, and spiritual.”

by Melba M. Black

T

he principle of Yin and Yang is a fundamental concept in Chinese philosophy dating from the third century BCE or even earlier. The philosophy and cosmology has been traced to Zou Yan, who believed that life goes through five phases (the five elements of fire, air, metal, water, earth) which continuously interchange according to the yin-yang principle.

The aspects of Yin energy are feminine, black, dark, north, water (transformation), passive, moon, earth, cold, old, even numbers, valleys, poor, and soft. Yin also provides spirit to all things and reaches its height of influence with the winter solstice. Yin is symbolic of the earth, moon, water, female or woman, right, being sedentary, night, darkness, autumn or winter, interior, cold, deficit, bottom, and concave.

In the natural world, this phenomenon is seen in the changing of the seasons. The cold of winter yields to the warmth of spring and summer heat, and then gradually turns cool in fall to become

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winter once again. You can also see this perpetual balancing at work when a thunderstorm clears the air on an unusually hot and humid summer day.

Yin is about nourishment at every level— physical, mental, and spiritual. On the physical plane, Yin energy embodies softness and receptivity to life. The mental nourishment manifests as intuition and creativity, which is beyond linear thinking and embraces the mysteries of life. Creativity is a result of being receptive to the Yin energy of the Universe, plugging into a state of allowing and receiving ideas and answers, meditating quietly and listening to your innate guidance.

On the spiritual level, yin energy connects us to each other, the earth, and allows subtle guidance from Spirit from a place of receiving and stillness. The seat of Yin energy is the heart.

The heart is our communication system to Spirit.

It processes emotions, thoughts, and ideas and shows us whether something is helpful or harmful.

Is it any wonder that the electromagnetic field around the heart is ten times stronger and more expanded than the field around the brain?

Each day a person’s life reflects a continuing need to absorb, transmute, and integrate a balance of Yin and Yang by nourishing both energies.

Sometimes we do this consciously as in meditation or polarity breathing (Qigong exercise), or we do it unconsciously as in how we process our thoughts and make our decisions (collective programming).

By understanding the flow of Yin energy through our bodies, minds, emotions, and souls, we can achieve balance in all areas. f Melba M. Black, PhD, CLC is a writer, mentor, innovator, and scholar.

She has over thirty years of experience in holistic health, spirituality, and energy healing, including Life Coaching, Reiki, Intuitive Development, Meditation, Yoga, Qigong, and more. She currently teaches classes and conducts personal sessions at Sphere Innovation Group. www.sphereinnovationgroup.com

INNER FEMININE AND MASCULINE

What is Yang Energy?

T

he basic concepts from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) teach that Yang energy is considered masculine, while yin energy is feminine. Yang is an active energy, while yin energy is receptive or restful. Utilizing the Native American Medicine Wheel and the direction of the East, this is the realm of daytime, fire, and the sun. Although the animal totems may vary from tribe to tribe, the gatekeepers of the East are the Eagle, Jaguar, and Puma, all of which have keen eyesight to see from great heights and/or in the darkness. These help to “see” into subconscious or unconscious beliefs that may be creating imbalances in the yang energy flow.

Yang is also the realm of the mind, beliefs, childhood conclusions, control, and judgments about self and others. From the age of three till the age of nine, we are learning and concluding who we are in our immediate family and in the world.

This is where our “stories” originate and where our behaviors arise as we live out those “stories.”

As a result, what are our actions and behaviors in life? What does the yang active energy do in our body? How does it play out? Is it to our full potential, or is it weakened and toned down? Are we functioning according to a survival story, or from our heart and soul’s pure desires and empowerment?

Healthy yang energy is balanced as a component of one’s whole being. It is harmonious with yin energy, vitalized and governed by the heart. Returning to Shen (heart energy) is the key ingredient that balances yin and yang.

“Yang is also the realm of the mind, beliefs,childhood conclusions, control, and judgments about self and others.”

by Stan Holt

In working with the Native American Medicine wheel (a model to see all of ourselves), we can begin to reorient ourselves to live from the center of the wheel, which is to function more from the heart. We can see and recognize ourselves with compassion. We can remember the aliveness, joy, and excitement that we were born with. Curiosity and openness can be reignited, and we can truly take genuinely empowered actions according to that being—our core innocence, our Authentic Power. Balanced and healthy yang energy arises from it. f Stan Holt began his journey to energy healing fifteen years ago after being introduced to Dr. Fernand Poulin of WhiteWinds Institute of Integrative Energy Medicine. He became a student in his two-year program, star ted his own practice, and also became an assistant with Dr. Poulin for an additional two years. www.JaguarHealingArts.webs.com.

September/October 2017

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theHERO’s

JW

OURNEY a n d

"A hero properly is someone who has given his life to something bigger than himself or other than himself."

— Joseph Campbell

M o d e r n

S p i r i t u a l i t y

hen you’re ready to ask, “Isn’t there something more to life?” then you’re ready for the holistic version of Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey. Campbell’s “monomyth”— the common underlying story of the one human life we all share—is based on archetypes in the collective unconscious and plays out in the daily lives of individuals (usually unconsciously so). Heroes are the central characters (“protagonists”) of stories and reveal the patterns of much of our behavior. Since transformation is through awareness, not analysis, just becoming aware of root causes can bring a shift and an alertness/attention as to how they play out—if there is an intention to do so.

The phases of the journey occur in many layers, from small to large. They apply to our overall life cycle, the intensity of which is determined by the depth of the stories. The deeper-rooted the story, the more it plays out in our lives. The breakdown of the spiritual journey follows the overview of the 5-fold evolutionary cycle delineated by Master Charles Cannon and then the detailed steps of Campbell’s “hero’s journey” within it.

by Sydney Miller and Master Charles Cannon

"The extraordinary is the ordinary . . . for those who are awake."

— Master Charles Cannon 12

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First of the 5-fold Evolutionar y Cycle PEAK 1. ORDINARY WORLD: Life as separate from Source (God) without awareness or awakening to subtle dimensions of wholeness (oneness with Source/God).

This is the constant experience of 85 to 90 percent of the world’s population, characterized by oscillating polarities that bring conflict, pain, and suffering. Happiness is fleeting, despite its dogged pursuit. There may be occasional questioning whether there is “something more” to life and, if frequent enough, it will lead to the next stage.

Second of the 5-fold Evolutionar y Cycle EVOLUTION (Breakthrough) 2. CALL TO ADVENTURE: Increased awareness begins, perhaps even with glimpses of an awakened, fulfilled life beyond the five senses and the roller coaster of dual polarities. The need for change is seen and the comfort zone of the “ordinary world” begins to be felt as limited and confining. Inner conflicts occur again and again and the “comfort zone” is increasingly threatened.

3. R EFUSAL OF THE CALL: Fears arise with the possibility of losing known comfort zones and the safety of the ordinary world. However, the conflict continues until the Call is accepted, creating an evolutionary breakthrough to the next stage.

Third of the 5-fold Evolutionar y Cycle INSIGHT 4. M EETING THE MENTOR: Insight is freed up by the removal of the block created by stories. The mentor prepares and supports the hero using the guidance, gifts, and tools to face the demons of our minds. But ultimately, the hero must face them alone and clear the demons—his own limiting, debilitating beliefs and stories which prevent him from a truthful, freedom-filled reality.

Meeting a master spiritual teacher is very rare and only happens when there is a strong commitment to truth and enlightening experience.

5. C ROSSING THE THRESHOLD: The hero agrees to take the risk and face the demons of his own making.

There’s no going back to the comfort zones and he moves forward into what may sometimes seem to be the “battle of his life.”

Four th of the 5-fold Evolutionar y Cycle PROCESSING (Clearing) 6. TESTS, ALLIES, ENEMIES: The details of the journey begin to manifest, along with assistance (Allies) or resistance from others (Enemies). This is where the innermost self begins reflecting, in earnest, the depths

of one’s being. There are new rules and conditions to discern in making “the unconscious conscious.” People in our world are all reflections and self-referential mirrors that reveal our illusory, debilitating stories.

They appear as “challenges” yet gratitude is given for them, since they reveal the hidden beliefs that may never have otherwise surfaced for clearing.

7. APPROACH: This is the approach to the inner battleground of truth versus illusion. There are glimmers of battles to be fought, identifications to be released, and soaring freedoms to be experienced.

A major change is coming and there is a pause to inwardly prepare.

8. ORDEAL, DEATH, AND REBIRTH: Ordeals involve the arousal of our greatest fears. The Hero may suffer because he doesn’t want to let go of the “security of the known.” However, the longer he holds onto it, the more intense is the experience until he hits what Master Charles Cannon calls the “sledgehammer effect” (continually hitting ourselves over the head until we see what we’re really doing and stop it). Eventually, we give up the story, let go, and experience a death of the known—releasing into stillness and peace. Having reached this deep level of balance, there is a rebirth—a new form, a new worldview and state of being.

Fifth of the 5-fold Evolutionar y Cycle INTEGRATION 9. REWARD: The ordeal is over and the reward is a marked new level of increased enlightening and awareness of truth.

10. THE RETURN: The hero has to learn how to fit in again, without illusory judgment of others which diminishes truthful and blissful experience. Integrating the outer world with the new inner state of awareness is the journey of these final stages.

11. RESURRECTION: This stage is about demonstrating how well the lesson was learned, showing up in the recurring releases and subsequent return to the stillness and bliss of the new-found state of being.

12. THE ELIXIR: This is the stage of mastery. The inner state has expanded to include more awareness and bliss.

Stillness has increased. Wakefulness is focused to maintain alertness (and avoid lapsing into absence/ samadhi, which is a constant pull into blissful stillness).

Productivity is increased because creativity comes from a quiet (balanced) mind. f Reprint from http://synchronicity.org/blog/item/the-hero-s-journey-and-modern-spirituality

Syd Miller is an officer and director of the Synchronicity Foundation for Modern Spirituality. Master Charles Cannon, the Spiritual Director and Founder, is an acknowledged master spiritual teacher, originating Synchronicity High-Tech Meditation and the Holistic Lifestyle. Go to www.synchronicity.org for fur ther information on cutting-edge products, special events, and retreats.

September/October 2017

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RealTalk

with Martha Burgess Novak

Waking Up

by Patricia Bateson

"I came to the realization that I am solely responsible for me. Like a Phoenix rising, I was rising up from the ashes, reborn with wisdom and strength . . ."

I

grew up in a volatile, chaotic home filled with drama and an enormous amount of fear. I felt helpless, alone, and like a victim. I had no self-esteem, didn’t like myself, never mind love myself, and would have preferred to live as a wallflower and never be seen. I was scared to death of everything.

I became the peacemaker in the family, the healer/ nurse as well as a co-dependent to my parents, which was a sick relationship. In the following years I married and had three beautiful children whom I loved dearly, but there were always the parents—the ones who seemed to come first! They completely ruled my life and it made me crazy. I attempted to

break this co-dependent cycle but the plan went drastically awry and only made life more of a living hell. This twisted relationship with my folks had escalated to an all-time high and something was going to bust. I didn’t know how but I felt danger lurking in the air.

My call to adventure came shortly thereafter when my dad died followed by my mom’s passing five weeks after. Ten months later I was diagnosed with breast cancer which catapulted me into a dark night of the soul. Depression, fear, and anxiety filled my sad and somber days. No one could save me but me and I didn’t have the foggiest notion how to do that.

from Esteemed Writer

Martha Burgess Novak

MarthaBurgessNovak.net theburgessprocess@yahoo.com 14

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Available on Amazon

Thus my journey of the deep, rich work began. Through teachers, healers, books, and complementary therapies, plus a newfound faith in a higher power, I slowly began to heal mind/body/spirit. By practicing self-love and self-care exercises, I realigned with my authentic self which is pure love. Looking at old thoughts and beliefs and changing them was transformational too. The lens shifted and my life was no longer remotely the same. I was given a second chance at life and living with clear intent, purpose, and reverence. I was waking up and remembering who I am.

I came to the realization that I am solely responsible for me. Like a Phoenix rising, I was rising up from the ashes, reborn with wisdom and strength that create a light bright enough to encourage and inspire others on their journey.

Today I describe myself as a goddess, a warrior woman, a victor who seeks the nectar of life. This is indeed a journey of self-discovery and exploration and it can be extraordinary. I no longer resist life but allow life to flow to and through me. I am blessed beyond measure for all of it. Without my past I wouldn’t be who I am today and for that I am eternally grateful! f Patricia Bateson, RN, is a nurse, teacher, healer, and author. She has published articles in Breast Cancer Wellness and Coping Magazine.

Pat wrote and self-published her first book titled Firewalk: Transcending the Fear, Awakening to Love. Check out her website for classes and much more! http://path2healing.us

ARE YOU LIVING IN FANTASY?

I

t’s not like turning on a light. It’s more like waiting for a pot of water to boil. You can stand there and curse up a storm for that water to bubble and brew for your cup of tea, but the water follows the laws of physics and you aren’t going to hurry the process. Consciousness is a process and not a fast one. It’s not a goal you make and then you’re done but a slow, steady opening to who you really are as spirit in physical form.

It’s “tedious” work to open consciousness. It’s “tedious” because the egoic child’s mind is a drama queen. Anyone who lives in the arena of consciousness looks back and says, “Why did I make it so hard?” The irony here is that it’s only easy when you’re past the ego and the mind that thinks like a child.

The child’s mind lives in fantasy and can never understand why reality won’t give in and match it. But that doesn’t happen because it’s not supposed to. Reality is supposed to smash up against fantasy so it hurts. And then, and only then, you’re more inclined to give it up. Either that or you’ll go more into fantasy and never come out.

While the second choice may be appealing to the child’s mind in all of us, it certainly is a poor way to live because fantasy is its own reward. You can’t create anything from fantasy. The whole point of fantasy is to make you feel good, to give you a place to indulge your unreality and to convince you

that you’re actually doing something when you’re not. Fantasy hits the opiate centers of the brain. It’s your drug. We become addicted to fantasy.

The problem is that you can’t create anything from fantasy. You can only manifest from the energy of reality.

Consciousness, on the other hand, is reality-based. Here you merge with the mind of God. If there is a roadmap to consciousness, you can sum it up in one word: change. You have to be willing to change. Look at all those issues you have. Look at the ones your family passed down to you for generations. Ask yourself why you believe the things you do. You might be surprised at some of these things. You will be surprised because you actually don’t want to know any of this, not really, but a good therapist won’t let you get away with avoidance. And contrary to what your egoic child’s mind tells you, finding out what you really believe, allowing yourself to be confronted with what you are doing, and finally talking about all this is a great relief. You will have revealed your burdens and now you can remove them instead of hiding them, at last becoming the loving man and woman that is your glorious potential. f Martha Burgess Novak has a school for spiritual healing and development in the Atlanta area and is a peak performance trainer working with individuals and corporations. She is the author of The Life You Want and The Teacup Prophecies. You can also find her radio show on www.blogtalkradio.com/marthaburgessnovak. www.marthaburgessnovak.net September/October 2017

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Are you feeling stuck, unsure, unhappy or confused?

RELIGION or Spirituality?

by Jane Beach

T

he power and presence of Love is where you are this moment. It knows who you are and it consistently seeks your attention in the smallest of ways: turning your face to the sun just to feel its warmth, enjoying the first bite of your favorite food, the song on the radio that makes you want to sing out loud, a feeling of peace amidst chaos, or your gratitude for a good night’s sleep. In endless ways it whispers to you, “I’m here, and I adore you. I want you to be happy. I’m at the core of your desire to laugh out loud, notice something beautiful, or give yourself credit for a job well done. I’m the relief when you finally release your tears, tell the truth, or let go of trying to control a situation that doesn’t belong to you. I am here and I love you.”

Wherever you are, at all times, the God of your understanding is right there, so why does it seem so elusive? Why doesn’t everyone notice it? I have a 16

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hunch that for many, the answer lies in their childhood conditioning—what they were taught about God. Think back to when you were a child; were you raised in a particular religion or religious philosophy? Did it make sense to you? Did it bring you peace? Did it bring peace to the adults around you? Often, adults are taught about God but struggle with knowing God. It can be very confusing to a little kid!

There are subtle differences between religion and spirituality. The world is filled with many diverse religions and faith traditions, each with its own ideas about God/ Deity and corresponding rules for moral behavior.

Religions have specific beliefs that tend to be exclusive to that group. Their defined approaches to life are outlined, which helps their followers align their own ethical behavior with the expectations of the group. As the group follows the outlined doctrines, one person’s

answered prayer uplifts others and strengthens the beliefs of the whole.

Together, their faith grows.

Spirituality is more of a personal thing; it’s about belonging to you and to the whole of life. It’s inclusive of all religions, as well as those who are agnostic or atheist. Spirituality is about personal transformation, becoming consciously aware of the glory of God within you . . . your own spiritual essence. The awakening to your spiritual nature may take place in multiple “Ah ha!” moments, such as a feeling of oneness with life while gazing at a magnificent sunset, listening to music, reading encouraging words, or hearing a message you know is meant just for you. Life is calling you into its mystery. As you dance your own dance with divine love, you’ll come to know yourself more deeply; you will begin to understand the glory of your worth . . . the beauty of who you truly are. Just stay open. There’s a whole new side of you ready to emerge, and it’s someone you’ll like. f

Kathleen Robinson, Intuitive Counselor B.A., M.S. – Psychology M.Ed. – Counseling

It’s Time to Ignite Your Fire!

This exciting new program combines psychology and counseling skills with Tarot, providing intuitive insights to move you forward to clarity.

Introductory offer with this ad. kcrcounseling@gmail.com or 770-436-9564.

For the first fifty years of her life Jane Beach was an atheist. In a moment of awareness, she discovered that God was real. Her whole life changed! Jane’s passion is her love affair with the one she calls the Beloved, and she writes from her personal experience.

September/October 2017

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s e r i e s

holistic

health

Guy T Gunter, MS, DC

Healworks

The resurgence of holistic healing

Healworks is the culmination of Dr. Gunter’s 35 years of experience creating an alternative Health care practice for the community.

has developed to answer the level of illnesses that are beyond the material paradigm.

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e are spirits in the material world. Our bodies are reflections of our consciousness, which resides within them. In dealing with health care, traditional healing concentrated its scientific investigation and treatment on the actual physical body. This is rational because it is the physical body that manifests the symptoms of illness.

As scientific medicine has advanced, the definition of the body has expanded to include the tissues, fluids, and chemistry that compose the material body, but the subtle energies that support the body have been ignored. This limits the understanding and treatment of illness.

The resurgence of holistic healing has developed to answer the level of illnesses that are beyond the material paradigm.

Physics demonstrates that we are integrated energy fields of multiple frequencies that interpenetrate the actual body.

Studies of acupuncture measured the flow of Qi and tested its reality as coherent flows of electromagnetic energy that have both voltage and amperage. This defines the acupuncture meridians as electronic in nature.

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

Holistic Healing

by Dr. Guy Gunter

Studies of the placebo effect offer definitive evidence of consciousness at work. When a placebo works, the patient does not simply imagine that they are healthy, their body makes the appropriate changes to their very body chemistry and body function.

Hormone levels rise or normalize, brain chemistry shifts back to normal, etc. Since the placebo effect is also measurable and has been demonstrated in various scientific studies, it is no longer possible to claim that a placebo is “all in the mind” and therefore an example of psychoemotional deception. The placebo effect proves that consciousness is capable of healing the body by methods unknown.

It is the recognition of the complex mystery of life and healing that creates the foundation of what is known as holistic healing. There is no doctor or practitioner who heals you; your body heals itself. The best that can be said for the physician is being able to facilitate this natural body response.

What all holistic systems have in common is the perception that something is blocking the natural healing response and seeking to free it. Chiropractic focuses on the nervous system accessed via the spinal vertebrae as a method of freeing the blockage, or restriction, that interferes with health. Acupuncture frees the blockages to the flow of Qi—that mysterious energy that coordinates, nourishes, and motivates the body to function properly.

Massage releases the congestion in the muscles and lymph. Reiki goes straight for the energy flow with that of the practitioner and the Reiki consciousness. Homeopathy seeks to induce the body’s energy patterns to return to normalcy with gentle energetic remedies.

Yoga and meditation are direct selfconnection with the normal energy flow and help restore its path and movement.

It is all mystery. Life is mysterious, so illness must be too.

Thus holistic healing becomes “How do you access the mystery inside you and confront the mystery of your illness?” What you believe and what you are comfortable with can guide you to the healing you seek.

All healing requires the interaction of the consciousness of the practitioner with the patient. What else could it be? Because we are all consciousness, if your physician is going to help you, he must somehow interact with your consciousness and beliefs in a therapeutic way to give you the guidelines for choosing the method best for you. If that method is best, it will make sense to you and you will feel a confidence that you have chosen the right path. The results will follow. f Dr. Guy T. Gunter, BS, MS, DC offers integrated alternative therapeutics at Healworks in Atlanta, Georgia. Healworks represents the culmination of twenty-eight years of practice informed by a lifetime of scientific observation and provides the very best in alternative methods to support the body in healing itself. www.healworks.net

• Our protocols are proprietary and combine the best of Chiropractic care, nutritional testing, and, the hallmark of Healworks, active listening to your situation.

• 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?

• 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.

• 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? 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 well-being of us all. It promises Hope and Love.

September/October 2017

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s e r i e s relationship

s e r i e s

We Breathe as ONE

l i f e s t y l e

by Nanette Littlestone

I

There’s a profound grace that comes with the attentiveness of being more conscious.

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n the beginning there was only Love and Love settled upon the Earth and held it in its stillness, until all upon the Earth breathed in and out in unison. Now we’re in the twenty-first century where we race for the cheapest places to shop, the fastest route from point A to point B, and the easiest way to get things done. Technology is no longer the playground of advanced science but the common ground for our current lifestyle of electronics, hybrid cars, fast food, and much more. We are connected via phones and computers but disconnected from each other.

We have forgotten the concept of universal energy, proved to a more modern world by Albert Einstein with his famous equation about relativity. But centuries before Einstein there were cultures around the world that understood the energy that permeates every living thing—Japanese (Ki), Chinese (Chi), Sanskrit (Prana), Lakota Sioux (Neyatoneyah), Hebrew (Ruach or Roohah), Tibetan (Lung), and so forth.

Not only does the familiar phrase “we are all energy” hold true, but that energy that flows through us, between us, among us, and around us binds us to every other living thing. At the heart of it all is a oneness, a connectedness not just to other humans, but to plants and trees, birds, animals, insects, the oceans, even the very ground we stand on. When you go outside and sink your feet into the grass in your front yard, you send an energy signal to Mother Earth to feel your vibrations, to open a channel of connectivity, to harmonize with your energy. If, at the moment of connecting, you’re feeling happy or joyful or grateful, you bless the earth with positivity. If you’re feeling angry, anxious, or sad, then you imbue those feelings into the ground.

Everything we do, think, and feel becomes part of the fabric of our environment, the people around us, the community we live in, and so on. The butterfly effect, whose name was coined by meteorologist Edward Lorenz, shows how the smallest of actions—the flapping of a butterfly’s wings—can cause major upheaval in another location and time. The first precept of Buddhism states, “I undertake the

training to avoid taking the life of beings.”

The word being applies to all living things, not just humans. Pesky mosquitoes, rodents that carry diseases, unwanted plants and trees are all part of that edict. We’ve been conditioned to believe that it’s okay to kill or remove or get rid of these beings as part of daily life because everyone else does the same. But as we awaken, as consciousness raises, as the collective becomes more enlightened, perhaps it’s time to change our habits and embrace more loving selves.

North Georgian Tom Blue Wolf talks about “all our relations,” the thread of life, of energy that connects all living things. We experience this life in the early morning birdsong, the running of sap through an old growth tree, the rush of clear spring water in a stream near a garden, the majestic wonder of a deer standing in silent salute.

These pieces of life ask nothing from us and exist without our doing, yet how much more significant might they be if we looked on them with more consciousness?

There’s a profound grace that comes with the attentiveness of being more conscious. Through the awareness of the breath, the simple act of noticing the inhale and exhale, we can begin to experience that deeper connection, that quiet that resounds with energy, that relation to all things.

Even one moment is beneficial and carries tremendous importance. Imagine everyone, everywhere, doing the same thing, being in that space of awareness. f

What would happen if we were all to breathe as one?

Nanette Littlestone is a best-selling author, editor, writing coach, and publisher with Words of Passion, helping new and award-winning authors to write with passion and inspire others. Her published works include F.A.I.T.H. – Finding Answers in the Heart, Vols. I and II and The Sacred Flame. www.wordsofpassion.com

– Moshe Feldenkrais

by Melba M. Black, PhD

O

ur lifestyle is the way we live: what we eat, what we drink, our level of exercise, how well we sleep, how well we manage stress and adapt to stressful situations, and our behavior and how we interact with people, not forgetting our sense of belonging and purpose in life. It is also affected by how we think and how we see life in general and by our attitude and the choices we make when confronted with the vicissitudes of life.

A balanced lifestyle is the cornerstone of your well-being. It encompasses developing and maintaining good physical health and fitness, maintaining a good level of energy and vitality, expressing your creativity, enjoying emotional and psychological stability, entertaining harmonious relationships, feeling and expressing your love toward people and life, acquiring effective stress management strategies and coping skills, achieving financial stability, and developing a sense of purpose and meaning in life.

In the holistic health profession, lifestyle is often defined by the following seven components: Physical, Mental/Intellectual, Emotional, Social, Occupational, Environmental, and Spiritual. Choosing the right foods that nourish your body, give you energy, and drinking enough water to stay hydrated are considered healthy lifestyle habits. Another example is getting enough physical activity.

Many studies show how exercise promotes longevity and is the best way to combat aging. The good news is that improvement in one area will also have a positive effect on all the others.

As a former health coach and wellness director, I experienced physical activity being the foundation of lifestyle change. The first step is to get you moving—walking, swimming, or whatever type of exercise that is of interest.

This one step fosters other lifestyle habits in a positive way.

Some amazing things happened to clients after two weeks of exercising on a regular basis. They made better food

choices, some said they slept better, their stress level decreased (the little things didn’t bother them as much), they had more energy, and they seemed to get along better with family and coworkers!

Your environment, whether at work or at home, is an important component to a healthy lifestyle.

The ancient practice of Feng Shui is devoted entirely to setting up your environment to foster health, peace, and positive energy that nurtures and replenishes you. As you grow in higher awareness, you discern that the external world is interconnected, and how you function in your environment has a deep impact on the environment and it to you.

The way in which we live reflects the different elements of our lives. When we are not in a state of balance, our health and well-being suffers, along with the people that are close to us. As confirmed by many recent studies, heart diseases, stroke, cancer, diabetes, as well as many other chronic diseases may be preventable and even reversible by changing our diet and adopting new attitudes and lifestyle.

In his exceptional book Defy Aging, Michael Brickey, PhD reviewed and put together the conclusions of thousands of scientific studies and references about longevity. From this extensive review he concluded that, “Researchers estimate that 30 percent of longevity is due to heredity and that 70 percent is the consequence of our beliefs, attitudes, coping skills and lifestyle.”

Take a look at each of these seven areas. Do you feel out of balance anywhere? Where do you think you should bring changes into your life? What quality of life do you want? You are in charge of your own health and well-being, and only you can make the required changes to your life. It starts with the first step.f Melba M. Black, PhD, CLC is a writer, mentor, innovator, and scholar.

She has over thirty years of experience in holistic health, spirituality, and energy healing, including Life Coaching, Reiki, Intuitive Development, Meditation, Yoga, Qigong, and more. She currently teaches classes and conducts personal sessions at Sphere Innovation Group. www.sphereinnovationgroup.com September/October 2017

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LOCAL W i t h E l i s e Va c h o n

spotlight Biviana Franco

"You can help someone, you can inspire someone, you can join the fight, and you can be there for someone else going through the same thing you went through."

Feel Beautiful Today Annual Fashion Show for Cancer patients.

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CLJ: What is Feel Beautiful Today® and how did it get started?

BF: Feel Beautiful Today is a not-for-profit organization born out of a desire to bring a little bit of home and encouragement to two close friends battling cancer, and to honor an aunt. As an artist I wanted to provide my friends, and patients, a positive program to bring them something beautiful. Feel Beautiful Today is dedicated to creating artin-health—art programs delivered into the healthcare sector targeting cancer patients and survivors. We help reduce stress and anxiety and improve quality of life. We deliver to fifteen local hospitals, infusion centers, radiation centers, cancer support groups, and inpatient and outpatient areas.

CLJ: Could you tell us what the different program options are?

BF: The programs are designed and delivered based on what will best target the needs of the patients, and what will help most effectively.

Boxes of Love was started to engage the community. We wanted to allow the community to give monetary support and provide a way for them to give back. Anyone in the community can host an event and deliver our pieces, which then go to cancer centers and hospitals for those who cannot come to workshops because they are too weak or sick. We want patients to receive a little box of hope and encouragement. It is a reminder that someone cares.

With Arts in Health, whether the person is in an infusion chair or receiving chemotherapy, we deliver the program oneon-one. As the patient is receiving their treatment, they are into creating something.

There is a transformation in these patients.

Treatment is really a hard place to be, and it is easy to fall into depression. What we do is give people control in a moment where

they don’t have much. The patient can see positive results and something they created with their own hands. It really gives them a sense of accomplishment. That is huge in that moment.

CLJ: Can you give me a couple of examples of something a patient would create?

BF: We have a program called Through My Window. It combines different techniques, both passive and active. They can create with technical collage and alteration, and they can color and write based on their emotions. They can positively interact in a passive way, through music created by two local artists for Feel Beautiful Today. We also have a charming story of Luna (moon in Spanish). It was created to direct patients to find life gems and help them see beauty in every day. The story helps give patients energy and hope.

We also present workshops for jewelry making. Here, patients create jewelry with semi-precious stones and high-end finishes.

We walk them through the process and they create unique pieces with a name, a message of encouragement, and a story.

The idea is to offer something positive, give them something to do with their hands, and redirect their thoughts.

Participants tell us they are in a lot of pain and depressed. When they get creatively engaged, suddenly they are more alive. To fight cancer, you not only have to go through the biological treatments, but you have to have psychological well-being. You have to work on what is going to make you strong inside to be able to fight the battle. They tell me, “You know what, Bivi, I love that for forty minutes I was able to forget about this condition. I was able to feel normal and not just a cancer patient.”

BF: Every year, we do professional photoshoots with twenty of our patients. They become the faces of Feel Beautiful Today. The message we send is, You are much more than the body that is going through changes. You can help someone, you can inspire someone, you can join the fight, and you can be there for someone else going through the same thing you went through.

Sometimes when these people see their scars, they concentrate on that. I want them to learn to let that go and to focus on the new and different person they are. I encourage them to show the world they are warriors.

Watching that change happen is the most wonderful part of the fashion show.

CLJ: What is your philosophy?

BF: I think that life is going to happen one way or the other. But the attitude you have towards whatever you are going through really makes a difference. I get inspired every day by patients and family members that have battled cancer. They teach me that it is about today, and it is about what you can do for someone else.

CLJ: How can one become a volunteer?

BF: Feel Beautiful Today has a team of eight to ten volunteers; we can always use more.

Within that group, we have five volunteers

CLJ: Conscious Life Journal is very happy to be involved, particularly with the fashion show. How did you come up with the idea?

September/October 2017

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LIFESTYLE

Fabulous Fermented Foods

by Brenda Cobb

D trained and approved to go to hospitals and work directly with patients. Some volunteers work behind the scenes doing things like preparing supplies, sanitizing, or quality control. To be a volunteer, all a person needs is the desire. Each person can give as much time as they feel comfortable with. Going to our website is the best first step.

CLJ: What rewards you the most from what you do?

BF: What I love is what I see every time we deliver the program. I believe patients feel the love. I believe they feel the respect and admiration we have for them. They understand that we care and that every part of the process is designed to make it better and easier for them.

During a patient’s transformation, that smile, many tears, lots of hugs, lots of “God-bless-yous and keep-doing-this” are so real, so sincere—they feed my soul.

A Meditation / Mindfulness Aid Buy Yours Today on Amazon.com Visit www.MindVizor.com for details ...

CLJ: If there was one thing you’d want our readers to know or remember about Feel Beautiful Today, what would that be?

BF: We are a local organization helping local cancer patients. We are here in Georgia and we only deliver the programs here. When people donate, the funds stay local. That is key. Also, what we do is different, it is not just art. It is not just helping cancer patients. It is a combination. We know our programs are changing and improving the quality of life for patients in a powerful way. f Biviana Franco, President and Founder of Feel Beautiful Today®, partners with Atlanta-area cancer treatment centers focused on Integrative Oncology— treating body, mind, and spirit. Free workshops provide Healing with the Ar ts, an oppor tunity for stress relief, calm, and focus on creativity and beauty. Bivi is an industry expert on Arts in Health. www.feelbeautifultoday.org

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ifferent cultures around the world have been eating fermented foods for centuries. Germans are known for their sauerkraut, Koreans for kimchi. Over the years, advances in technology and food preparation have pushed aside these traditional healthy foods so many are missing the benefits these fermented foods offer.

Instead of the nutrient, enzyme, and probiotic rich foods that our grandparents most likely ate, the average diet today consists mainly of high sugar-processed and chemical-laden foods. Raw milk and yogurt have been replaced with pasteurized products. Vinegar-based pickles and sauerkraut have replaced the old traditional fermented versions.

As we age, the production of digestive enzymes begins to decrease. Eating a small amount of fermented foods, like sauerkraut or kimchi with daily meals can help make up this loss.

Fermented foods are excellent for easing digestive disorders and balancing stomach acid. When hydrochloric acid in the stomach is low, fermented foods produce compounds that destroy and inhibit pathogenic bacteria, and they help increase gastric juices. When there is too much acid, fermented foods help protect the stomach and intestinal lining.

Fermented foods preserve nutrients and help break down food to the most digestible form. Through the process of lacto-fermentation, natural bacteria feed on sugar and starch in food, creating lactic acid. This creates beneficial enzymes, B vitamins, Omega-3 fatty acids, and various strains of probiotics.

Rejuvelac, a fermented cabbage juice beverage, is an effective healing agent that can help prevent intestinal infections. Just a half a cup taken before meals is ideal.

Fermented foods also help increase bowel elimination and improve the release of digestive juices and enzymes from the stomach, pancreas, and gallbladder. Because fermented foods are broken down or “pre-digested,” they do not place an extra burden on the pancreas, which is excellent for diabetics. The probiotics in these powerful fermented superfoods can help slow and reverse disease, improve bowel health and digestion, and boost the immune system.

Cultured fermented vegetables like carrots, beets, cucumbers, kale, collards, and celery spiced with ginger and garlic are richer in probiotics than a pill!

Ginger Kimchi For best results, use a glass fermentation jar that is especially made for kraut or kimchi and comes with an airlock lid, and a wooden masher.

Ingredients 1 medium-sized savoy or napa cabbages 3 inches ginger root, peeled and freshly grated 1 each onion, leek, daikon radish, and carrot 2 large garlic cloves 1 hot chili pepper (optional) Himalayan salt

Instructions 1. Chop cabbage into medium-

sized pieces and put into a bowl.

2. Sprinkle salt on the cabbage as you go. Salt pulls water out of the cabbage to create brine that allows it to ferment without rotting. Use about 2 tablespoons salt per 3 pounds of cabbage as a rough guideline, but add more or less to your liking. If you don’t use salt you may substitute powdered kelp, a sea vegetable.

3. Slice the carrots, onions, leeks, garlic, pepper, and radishes.

4. Grate the ginger.

5. Combine all the ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Put the mixture in the fermentation jar and pack down tightly on all sides with the wooden masher.

6. If natural brine does not cover the mixture fully, add your own brine made from 1 tablespoon salt per cup of warm water until the cabbage is fully submerged.

7. Cap with an airlock lid and place on the counter for one to three weeks. The longer it ferments, the stronger the taste.

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 September/October 2017 25

LIFESTYLE

The Nature of

Biophilia

by Timothy Beatley

W

hen the two American Yellowwood trees bloom in my front yard, they boast beautiful white draping flowers, aromatic miniature lanterns, and put on a magical show of color and scent. We look forward to this with a marked improvement in our outlooks and mood. The birdsong is rich and pervasive, and the evenings close with the melodic song of the wood thrush. This nightly concert takes me immediately back to my childhood. These wonderful, nature-filled elements of my Charlottesville home enliven the spaces around me and are deeply calming and therapeutic—the stresses of the day fall away and clenched muscles relax.

These experiences are daily demonstrations of the idea of biophilia—that we have innate attractions to nature, that we are drawn to nature and other living things. Having trees, gardens, birds, and water nearby is like a magical elixir. And time spent in nature helps to restore us, lower stress, shift our energy in positive ways, and enhance our cognitive function.

This is not a surprise, of course, as we have “grown up with nature,” says E.O. Wilson, Harvard entomologist who helped popularize the concept of biophilia. We carry with us our ancient brains, after all, so it is no wonder that we are more likely to be happy, healthy, and lead meaningful lives—to flourish—when we have nature all around us.

But if we live more densely in cities, do we necessarily have to lose that essential connection with nature? What if we could bring nature to our living spaces?

Having nature all around us is a key design principle for biophilic cities. Nature cannot just be something visited on vacation, a trip to a national park on a summer break. Nature must be something we experience daily, hourly, through the course of our day, and it must be designed into the work and

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Nature must be something we experience daily, hourly, through the course of our day, and it must be designed into the work and living spaces where we spend most of our time. living spaces where we spend most of our time.

The best biophilic cities recognize not only the importance of abundant nature, but the need to engage residents directly in experiencing and caring for that nature. This means that cities must invest in efforts at educating and fostering an intense sense of curiosity about the nature around them. One goal of a biophilic city is to maximize the potential “moments of awe,” to encourage children and adults alike to look for and see the natural wonders around them in daily urban life.

Such moments might include watching a diving peregrine falcon, ants living on and in the sidewalk, or an unexpected glimpse of a whale or other marine organism.

Biophilic cities help cultivate a sense of the vastness and diversity of nature, some of it hidden and out of view, but much of it nearby and visible, if we would only look.

As the planet continues to urbanize at a rapid pace, we need more compelling models of the kinds of cities we want to live in,

where we are not separated from the natural world, but deeply part of it. We want cities that we can share with the abundant wildlife— birds, bats, even coyotes—and that serve as a response to the loss of habitat elsewhere.

In St. Louis, the previous mayor Francis Slay made the planting of butterfly gardens (for Monarchs) a priority and now some 370 gardens are planted, including the idea of a butterfly corridor along the Mississippi River. Pittsburgh seeks to reconnect its residents to the city’s three rivers with new waterfront parks and trails, and even a water trail for kayaks and canoes. Austin, Texas, has become famous for its 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats, which each spring and summer take up residence under the Congress Avenue Bridge in downtown. Hundreds of people show up each evening to watch the spectacular emergence of the bats as they go off to feed.

While each city has its own special opportunities, the vision of immersive nature suggests that we take a more holistic view and

begin to see that nature can and must be included in every project, at every planning scale—from room (or rooftop) all the way to region or bioregion, and every scale in between. In this way it represents a “whole of city” approach.

Cities today and in the future will face a remarkable number of pressures and challenges, and resilience in the face of climate change has become a major goal. Any step towards growing nature, whether through urban tree-planting, new food forests and gardens, or installing green rooftops and living walls, will make cities more resilient, healthier, and more sustainable. But it also acknowledges the innate need we have to connect with nature and all living things, and the immense amount of joy and meaning we gain from that daily (or hourly) exposure. f Timothy Beatley is the Teresa Heinz Professor of Sustainable Communities at the University of Virginia and the project founder and director of BiophilicCities. Much of his work focuses on creative strategies by which cities and towns can reduce their ecological footprints while becoming more livable and equitable places. http://biophiliccities.org September/October 2017

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Y WH Feng Shui

LIFESTYLE

Serenbe Biophilic Leadership Summit

by Nanette Littlestone

T

S

omewhere over the rainbow and a little southwest of downtown Atlanta, Georgia lies a place where the bees are fat and

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

lazy, butterflies flit in the sunlit air, and organic fruits and vegetables are daily fare. This place of peace and tranquility is Serenbe, the brainchild of Steve and Marie Nygren.

But there’s a deeper purpose to this progressive community that was

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404-233-1102 Joyce Kim, D.M.D.

CannDentistry.com 3525 Piedmont Road Building 5, Suite 408 Atlanta, GA 30305 Facebook.com/CannDentistry

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brought to the forefront this April at the first Biophilic Leadership Summit.

Hosted by Steve Nygren, Timothy Beatley (BiophilicCities.org), and Jim Durett (Biophilic Institute), the Summit gathered thought-provoking leaders from Emory University, Harvard Medical School, and the Washington, DC Department of Energy and Environment (to name a few) for a three-day conference to discuss biophilia—the instinctive urge for humans to bond with nature—to determine the next steps to encourage and propel cities worldwide towards more nature-inclusive settings.

Humans have an inherent biophilic tendency. We’re not meant to live at odds with nature, we’re meant to exist in symbiosis. We come alive in the cool shade of an old-growth forest, along an ocean shore where the waves lick our feet, basking in the sun in an open meadow filled with bees and butterflies and birdsong. This is our elemental calling. But evolution, technological advancements, and lifestyle advantages have removed many of us from our natural environment.

To help us find our way back to nature, talks focused on connecting children to nature through green schoolyards, the healing therapy of forest bathing, and incorporating nature

into hospital landscaping and involving the patients in its care.

Tim Beatley identified how biophilic cities provide their residents with close connections to nature via waterways, gardens, walking paths, and wildlife centers.

People connected and inspired each other with innovative projects and forward thinking, and the 2018 Summit is already in planning. In summation, Alfred Vick from the University of Georgia said, “The most inspiring thing at the conference was to realize that biophilic design is much more prevalent than most of us realize. It is being implemented in so many ways and we are just beginning to value the contribution that it makes to our well-being.” f Nanette Littlestone is a best-selling author, editor, writing coach, and publisher with Words of Passion, helping new and award-winning authors to write with passion and inspire others. Her published works include F.A.I.T.H. – Finding Answers in the Heart, Vols. I and II and The Sacred Flame. www.wordsofpassion.com

work s

FENG

SHUI

by Marjorie Hilliard

"We create our outer environment to MATCH our internal energy flow."

he principles of Feng Shui originated in China over 3000 years ago. They are rooted in the five elements of nature and how they interact with each other—Water, Earth, Wood, Fire, and Metal. Nature strives to be in proper balance and constantly shifts its elements to achieve balance. Feng Shui principles recognize and attempt to emulate nature’s objectives.

To understand how Feng Shui principles help restore proper balance, we first need to understand what causes our “balance” to be disrupted. We create our outer environment to MATCH our internal energy flow. Most people believe their PHYSICAL environment impacts their internal energy flow, but the reverse is true. Your outer environment is the result of the imbalances within you. By changing your internal imbalances you will naturally strive to match that energy in your outer environment through the furniture, pictures, knick-knacks, colors you choose and their placement in your home. Utilizing Feng Shui helps to uncover the imbalances and potential causes.

This knowledge allows you to more directly address and heal the challenges you face.

To address your own unique challenges, first recognize what your outer surroundings are telling you. This is achieved by properly using the Feng Shui roadmap—the Bagua. Just like the brain has specific areas assigned to various internal functions of the body, the Bagua has nine specific sections assigned to different areas of your life (for further information on how the Bagua was so accurately formed I recommend reading the I Ching). Through the proper application of the Bagua and analysis of your environment by a trained Feng Shui Practitioner, you can better understand and address your internal energy flow.

To illustrate further, if you have an abundance of the Wood element in the Love/ Relationship area of the Bagua but very little Earth and Water to stabilize and nurture the Wood, it is possible your love relationships may be tenuous and brief. You may need more stability and nurturing in your life. When you change inside, so will your choices in furniture, clothing, pictures etc., and where you place them in your home.

Valmai Howe Elkins, former Director of the Academy of Power Feng Shui™ in Santa Fe, said it best: “. . . our homes and workplaces contain valuable clues to our true inner selves, and to events and beliefs in our pasts which have prevented us from achieving our full potential. The placement of rooms, the arrangement of furniture, the artwork, the clothes we wear, the colors we choose are a remarkably accurate reflection of the forces which shape our lives.” Learning to recognize where your imbalances are enables you to create the balance necessary to lead a healthy life and achieve your full potential. f

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.

Marjorie Hilliard is a Feng Shui Master and owns Feng Shui Solutions, serving the greater Atlanta, Georgia area.

For over twelve years, she has worked 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. FengShuiSolutions.org September/October 2017

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Animal

TOTEM

ANIMALS

LIFESTYLE

AS GUIDES

The Autumn

by Tammy Billups

Messages

“A long time ago, humans were created to be caretakers of the garden— Mother Earth. They held all things of creation sacred. The people respected Nature and understood they were only a small part of the whole circle of life. They accepted the divine idea that all things were equal and no animal, including man, held dominion over other parts of creation.”

T

here is a belief that each and every animal has its own “medicine” or unique teaching. When you know that all creatures have (spiritual) energy around and through them, each animal shows up in your life with its specific traits for symbolic teachings and your inner growth.

There is a reason why we are put together on this beautiful planet, and it is to learn from one another. The Universe uses magical ways to deliver messages to assist us with our current issues, and in evolving our soul for our highest good. Raising awareness through observing and connecting with animals and nature helps us receive and use these messages. Many believe that there are particular animals, called Animal Totems, which can embody traits and skills we are to learn to ease our way.

Animals gift us by modeling certain qualities and behaviors that we should emulate somewhere in our daily lives, or perhaps be a symbolic expression of something that we should stop doing. A client asked about a cardinal that would land on her office windowsill every day and continuously bang its head against TA M M Y H I G H L I G H T S

A wildlife animal rescue The Hawk Talk organization lovingly cares for raptors (birds of prey) that cannot be released back to the wild. They are a 501(c)3 not-forprofit group located in North Georgia. They provide hawk rescue and care for other raptors including owls, eagles, falcons, and osprey.

Hawk Talk operates its facility via donations from caring people who, for one reason or another, aren’t in the position to be rehabbers themselves, but are interested in and dedicated to the preservation and protection of raptors.

Hawk Talk performs off-site programs for schools, nature centers, scouts, birthday parties, and public displays, raising awareness and consciousness, and educating people about birds of prey and their care. https://hawktalk.org

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—The Mantaka American Indian Council the glass. I encouraged her to check her thoughts the next time he visited and if in that particular moment she was being hard on herself. Her reaction spoke volumes and the bird never showed up again. Message received, there was no need for its return.

When you come across an animal not normally seen around you, take notice, especially if it is going out of its way to greet you. Then simply observe the animal and sit with it—listen and watch. Try connecting to it heart-to-heart. This is the best way to receive the message from this animal. The animal is choosing you for a reason. Ask yourself these questions to help you see the message.

• How is the animal moving in relation to you? Right, left, away, or towards you?

• How is it crossing your path? Emerging or leaving your life?

• Where is the animal looking, walking, flying, or heading?

• Notice its behavior. Is it bold? Fearful? Happy?

The more you honor animals and the more significance you give them within your life, the more powerful they become.

Then you will draw them closer into your life and have an incredible resource for your inner growth. f “ Everything on earth is alive; Everything on earth has purpose; Everything on earth is connected; Everything on earth is to be embraced.”

—The Mantaka American Indian Council Tammy Billups 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 fourlegged clients. Tammy’s findings and discoveries are documented in her new best-selling book Beyond the Fur. TammyBillups.com

B

Equinox

and the Moment of Balance

ALANCE. This is the word we reflect on at the Autumn Equinox. As we see and feel the shifting of the light and the crisping of the air, the Sun, having just entered the sign of Libra, continues its descent across the Southern sky, gradually weakening in light and height. Today (September 22) light and dark are not battling for the sky but are equal in strength. We are now in between the extremes of the heat of Summer with its long, languid days just past and in anticipation of the short, dark, cold days of Winter. This is a time of equilibrium, a time of balance.

A time of transition. It is as though we are between a deep inhale and a powerful exhale, where the moment hangs shimmering and poignant, before it passes away.

Before we started buying our food at super centers, the Autumn Equinox was a celebration of the harvest—the time when, both exhausted and jubilant, we’d successfully brought in the fruits of our labors in preparation for winter. It was a time to mark the importance of working together for a common cause, a time to revel in our community as the stronghold of our survival together. This idea is central to the energy of Libra and to this time of year: equality, balance, community, peace, beauty—the peace and beauty of the dying sun, the vibrancy of the trees in their final blaze of glory, our relationships and what we create when we are equal together, honoring all sides, balancing all views, and coming to diplomatic solutions that strengthen and protect us all.

As we move away from the Equinox toward the Winter Solstice, the days become shorter and we have less light to live by. Before technology gave us permanent days with electric light, our ancestors knew the role darkness plays in the work of spiritual transformation. Darkness restores us, offering the space to regenerate and germinate ideas. But before we reach the full darkness of the Winter Solstice, we have the opportunity to learn from the symmetry of the Equinox. We tap into the beauty of internal balance, that sense of equilibrium we need in order to start preparing for the darkness. In this space of anticipation, when the

by Michelle Gregg

light is gorgeous, the air is temperate and cooling to the skin, and the riotous, rich colors of “Nature in her Fall” imbue our spirits with gratitude and generosity, we find it easy to extend ourselves in love, open to both giving and receiving. The crispness of the season is reviving to the spirit, and for as long as we dare, before the dark and cold drive us inside, we strive toward company among others, pleasures, beauty, harmony, and love. This is the message of Libra.

The particular message of this Autumn Equinox, when the Sun moves into Libra at 4:03 p.m. on September 22, has much to do with balancing your wounds with your identity and where you want to shine.

Often the places where you feel excluded, abandoned, or victimized so interfere with your potentials that you can’t seem to get past yourself to achieve your goals or take the next step toward healing. Sometimes you even project your talents and greatness onto others, not quite believing that you can ever fulfill the dreams you long for, leaving it to others to lead creative, fulfilled lives. This Season brings the opportunity to pull in those projections so that you can own your dreams and potentials. This energy can show you the ways in which to attain the tools you need to bring your gifts into reality, if you are willing to take the challenge and do the necessary work. So again, we are back to balance.

Being out of balance is living only in a dream, or conversely being so focused on duty, responsibility, and work that you don’t allow yourself to have a dream. Use this Autumn Equinox energy to open you to the balance of both creating a vision from your dream, using the tools before you and doing the work to manifest the reality that you yearn for. (Sun in Libra opposite Chiron in Pisces, both squaring Saturn.)

Michelle Gregg is a professional Counseling Astrologer, writer, and personal catalyst. She has twenty-five years’ experience working with clients from an astrological and Jungian model, helping them catalyze their lives into more joyous, more spiritually connected vibrancy. She currently has a thriving private practice, blogs, and teaches astrology at The Metropolitan Atlanta Astrological Society. www.michellegregg.comAutumn September/October 2017

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How to Open to the Higher Frequencies that are NOW Embracing

LOVING WITH

INTENTION

THE EARTH

by Phil Parker

C O N S C I O U S

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

At its core, love is trust, acceptance, commitment, and gratitude. It is the ongoing nurturing of individual happiness that insures its longevity.

uncertainty, illness, death, and even loss of intimacy, just to mention a few.

How these issues are handled is directly related to the strength of the relationship.

The degree to which a couple loves intentionally will always determine the long-term success of the union, especially during unexpected challenges.

It’s my observation that couples whose partnerships appear to be one of convenience are unwilling to put in the time and effort required to make their relationships stronger. I intentionally express my love for my wife several times a day in many ways. A loving note, a kiss on the cheek, or a playful pat on her backside are my constant signals letting her know that I love her. If I see her parked car in a parking lot I often leave a loving note on her windshield.

I have discovered that little things can bring big results.

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hen I began writing this article, I didn’t realize how challenging it would be. How can I explain the unexplainable? For me, loving with intention is a feeling that exists in my soul and influences so many aspects of my life’s experiences. It’s a constant awareness of my wife and doing my part to insure her well-being while recognizing her unquestionable love for me.

There are many definitions of love. I believe love is a constant and consistent awareness of another person emotionally, physically, sexually, and spiritually.

The energy of loving with intention is about maintaining focus on “us” rather than on myself. At its core, love is trust, acceptance, commitment, and gratitude.

It is the ongoing nurturing of individual happiness that insures its longevity. A healthy relationship includes supporting our partner’s activities, hobbies, and interests. Supportive partners also find joy in the sharing of common experiences.

In a loving relationship, each partner must retain his/her own sense of individuality while, at the same time, contributing equally to the well-being and growth of one’s partner. It’s important to function as a couple and to encourage individuals to have their own identity. While my wife and I enjoy many activities and experiences together, of course there are choices that fulfill our individual interests.

We encourage and embrace those choices.

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THE MAJOR OBSTACLES TO A LOVING RELATIONSHIP ARE:

1. More “me” time than “we” time 2. L ack of meaningful communication Trust exceeds expectations in a loving relationship. A relationship built on trust will continue to grow stronger over time. For example, I trust that my wife/partner will be there when I need her. The reverse is also true. She knows I can be counted on as well. We are a team in all that we do. We listen to each other and are patient and understanding of each other’s wants and needs.

Acknowledging our commonality allows us to appreciate our differences.

A nurturing and loving relationship is the successful connection of two individuals built on common values and commitment. Unfortunately, when a couple lacks unconditional love, external circumstances can negatively impact the couple’s sustainability. In the real world, couples are confronted with issues or challenges that are not in their control.

For example, job loss, divorce, financial

3 . N ot understanding the value of intimacy in the relationship 4. L ack of respect or support for one’s partner As in any endeavor, the more you invest, the greater your success. Loving with intention requires a daily ongoing commitment. I can assure you, based on my own experience, when you choose to love intentionally, you will reap abundant rewards in all areas of your life. f Phil Parker, a former Naval Officer and CEO, has been hired, fired, acquired, merged, purged, downsized, and right-sized but NEVER capsized. As a world-class speaker, author, and photographer he enter tains, enlightens, encourages, and empowers individuals to uncover their potential and seek balance in their lives. www.philparker.com

by Tony Samara

Everything is totally good in essence, thus all creation is good and is functioning as it was designed . . .

M

ore than ever, humanity has the possibility to realize the potential state of Wholeness or Completeness that is incrementally achieved by those who choose to heighten their thoughts, or whose minds, words, and deeds are authentically harmonious and serene so as to be in touch with deep wisdom. This expansion of Light is now perceived on many levels around the world and has a tangible consequence that becomes clearer day by day.

It is surely the goal of our physical existence to achieve a full state of wholeness. This state can be partially experienced during one’s progress toward its full achievement. It is a state where ignorance and superstition are superseded by an awareness of frequencies that manifest beyond such limitations to the innate intelligence.

It is present over and above the lower man-made frequencies that have kept humanity in the dark for so long.

There is no dualism of good or bad, or suggestion that today is better than yesterday, but rather there is a growing awareness that brings us closer to what it really means to be human in this very moment!

There is no evil in nature. Hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes, and sicknesses, which humans believe to be nature’s wrath, or a manifestation of lower forms of vibration, or punishment for man’s misdeeds, are, actually, ethically neutral.

That is, they are neither good nor bad in themselves. They are either the products of chance, the existence of which is necessary to allow freedom of choice, or they are a function of an aspect of the universal laws of nature necessary to uphold creation.

Everything is totally good in essence, thus all creation is good and is functioning as it was designed to and, as our minds expand beyond dualistic and judgmental thoughts, we slowly come closer to this natural wisdom inherent in the universe.

Negativity is the product of humanity’s wrongful choices. It can be eliminated by making selections that bypass such inherited fallacies which limit our higher perceptions.

Today it may seem that these fallacies and negative human traits abound only because, as we let go of what has limited humanity for so long, we let go of so many of these collective destructive things. We can say that we were acting in ignorance.

On the surface it may seem to many scientists, environmentalists, economists, and artists around the globe that indeed we are in an era where what we know is being destroyed by the turbulence that we are facing. Yet, others may see it more like the Phoenix rising from the ashes of the destructive forces and their obsolete paradigms.

The Phoenix within, or the birth of awareness, can be acquired and refined within each one of us, no matter what the circumstances we face. Awareness comes more easily to those who choose to reflect and meditate with a bright, clear, and unbiased mind, and hold close to heart the real core values of life.

The aware mind is capable of logical and precise thinking with clarity of thought that is free from preconceptions, and is thereby able to perceive this higher frequency that resonates in all aspects of life, rather than being a far removed philosophical or esoteric concept.

However, it is important to note that logic and rationality of thought are not the only requisites of what it means to be human in a more complete sense.

A wise human being has a mind that tempers rationality with benevolence.

This mind, having perceived the innate goodness of life, becomes benevolent and lighter, thinks for and of the highest and most noble aspects of life, and is committed to them.

This goal, the Lighter existence, made more accessible by such frequencies as are present today, becomes more powerful as our focus moves towards the light rather than remaining in the shadows of the mind. There is no doubt that humanity’s natural inclination is moving towards such higher frequencies.

As the Phoenix within flies higher towards the realms of Light, we will have the clarity it takes to be creative and whole in a more conscious and wise way. Our hearts will become enlightened enough to feel the new freedom, creating a lifeaffirming paradigm! f Tony Samara, world-renowned spiritual teacher and author of sixteen books, has been sharing deep spiritual work and energy transmission for the evolution of consciousness for over twenty-five years.

Combining meditation, detoxing the body, a plantbased diet, and a simple lifestyle, he is best known for how his work touches more deeply than words. www.TonySamara.com September/October 2017

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The Servant Leadership Role

THE SCIENCE BEHIND

SOLFEGGIO Sound Healing Frequencies

YOUR TRUE PURPOSE IN

BUSINESS

by Sharron Ragan

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When business

C O N S C I O U S

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

owners act in a “servant leadership” manner to their employees, the business will prosper.

T

he sole purpose of business is not to just make money. A business must be profitable or it won’t stay in business, but profit also depends on employee performance. This being said, you may have noticed a different language around employee satisfaction in companies that are rising and prospering in the digital age.

The dialogue in business is shifting.

Today, more people are finding inspiration and fulfillment in their jobs by bringing their need for spirituality into the workplace.

According to Fortune Magazine, 78 percent of Americans feel a need to experience spiritual growth and a purpose in their career.

It’s time for businesses to catch up with the global transformation of building authentic profits by serving the needs of their employees with a sense of connection and spiritual energy.

The ethical approach to opening the dialogue to workplace spirituality focuses on cultivating values that inspire employees to be noble and decent in how they engage in their jobs and profession.

A different logic currently lies behind the practices of many widely admired, high-performing companies. They are creating environments for their employees that are not just afterthoughts or inputs to be used and discarded, but are valued as core to their business purpose. There is a human need to feel a connection to a greater purpose at work.

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by Eeshi-Ra Hart

When leaders and business owners put their staff and employees’ mental, physical, and spiritual needs over just creating money, it results in happy, productive, and profitable results.

This type of leadership suggests that if businesses will lead by serving and caring for their people, the profits will take care of themselves.

When business owners act in a “servant leadership” manner to their employees, the business will prosper.

Employees will feel valued and significant, creating a culture of trust, caring, cooperation, and empathy.

Leadership is no longer, “Do this.

Don’t do that.” Servant leaders understand that you must first serve before you can lead and this looks like, “Is there anything I can do to help you?” Or, “What do you need to succeed?” Or, “Here’s what I’m going to do for you.”

Here are a few examples of two companies that truly stand apart. They include personal development and benefits that touch the spirit and energy of the team members.

One successful software company has a wooded 105-acre campus, an onsite gym, classes in “Mindfulness for Techies,” and courses in meditation, tai-chi, and yoga. Plus a “Chill Program,” a five-week stress-management course, and they welcome dogs at work.

Google breaks all the rules. They provide FREE healthy breakfasts, lunches, and even dinners. They also have onsite massage, a hair salon and medical staff, plus an office “playground” that includes an adult slide.

If a Googler passes away while working there, all their stock vests immediately, the life insurance pays out, and their surviving spouse receives monthly HALF of the Googler’s salary FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS plus $1,000/month benefit for each of the Googler’s children.

These are great examples of entering into the ideal of opening the door to a workplace spiritual livelihood by preserving meaning and purpose in employees’ jobs and careers with higher levels of morality and motivation in business.

If you own a business, have influence, or are an advocate of purpose-driven business, start today by being committed to being authentic—to being fully and profoundly human—right here, right now, on the job, on the spot.

It’s time to open the doors for employees to expand their spiritual needs at work and practice true purpose in business. f Sharron Ragan is a brand creativity consultant and intuitive change agent. She’s a former corporate brand/marketing strategist having worked with many Fortune 500 companies including Coca-Cola and Wendy’s. As CEO of Visionary Business Worldwide, she applies her creative and intuitive spirit to inspire professionals to seek a purpose-driven life and career. SharronRagan.com

he Solfeggio sound healing frequencies hidden in the Last Supper painting by da Vinci and also regarded by ancient mathematicians as a were re-discovered in the late 1990s by number for the microcosm. naturopath Dr. Joseph Puleo. He was guided 111Hz is found in ancient Neolithic chambers to where they appear in the Book of Numbers in the such as New Grange in Ireland and the Hypogeum Bible. Dr. Puleo was shown how the frequencies all in Malta. It has been used in Russia since the 1940s reduce to either a three, six, or nine. With all the for insomnia (electrosleep treatment), and since research in this exciting arena, it might not be farthe 1970s this 111Hz has been used in Cranial fetched to ask ourselves if it is possible to use math Electrotherapy Stimulator (CES) treatment for converted into sound to heal individually and make anxiety, depression, insomnia, enhancing memory, harmonious and peaceable decisions for ourselves brain function, anhedonia (inability to experience and our world. pleasure), and more.

These frequencies are actually part of a wider In 1985, Dr. Bob Beck developed the BT-7 and number set of eighteen Zobet frequencies. And FIG 1 © Jason O’Hara, Prime BT-11 brain and bio-tuners, shown to be helpful for Number Cross, The Blueprint that eighteen character number set is part of an of Creation relaxation, stress, depression, learning disorders, even larger number set of 729 frequencies. If these overall well-being, and pain relief. Due to 111Hz’s numbers we are discussing are converted into sound beta-endorphin-stimulating benefits, it’s also been and all the possible combinations are explored by pioneered as a treatment for heroin addiction. In putting them through an oscilloscope (an instrument 1983, Pete Townshend, from the band The Who, that shows what sound looks like), they produce all broke his addiction to heroin using a form of electrical the sacred geometries known to us. brain stimulation, Neuro Electric Therapy (NET)!

These sacred frequency combinations have In 1994, a study by the California Institute of been shown to not only sustain their geometry Technology showed that the main firing frequency as long as the sounds are being produced, but of the Purkinje cells of the cerebellum is in fact they also spin. This may be an indication of the 111Hz. This part of the brain receives more spinning life force itself! synaptic input than any other neurons. Damage to The Prime Number Cross is a cross formed FIG 2 © Judy Lynne Cole this part of the brain results in Autism, Attentionwhere the main prime numbers appear, except for (Healing Partnerships) Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Multiple Sclerosis, two and three. Most of the primes only occur on www.healingpartnerships.info AIDs, hypoplasia, Niemann-Pick disease, autothe same points where the cross forms. (FIG 1) immune disorders, neuro-degenerative disorders, Primes are the building blocks of the and those caused by environmental toxins, Universe. They are the most mathematically excessive use of alcohol, lithium, etc. coherent and are toroidal base systems found in In 2013, 111Hz was found by Dr. Vladimir the human biofield, our planet’s energy field, and shCherbak and astrobiologist Maxim Makukov the solar system, among others. In mathematics, in Kazakhstan to be the first number code in our a toroid is a surface of revolution with a hole in the DNA. Research by Dr. Ian Cook of UCLA in 2008 middle, like a doughnut. This is evident throughout showed an unmistakeable effect on the brain by this nature and in the Pranic healing-energy field of the frequency, such as causing a temporary shift to the FIG 3 human body. (FIG 2) right brain to bring more balance; stimulating the Our physical body is also based on the Phi ratio. part of the brain that relates to empathy, cognitive This divine proportion is found in all our bones and behaviour, emotional processing and moderating body measurements. A great example of this would correct social behaviour; and a de-activation of the be seen in Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa painting, speech centre to encourage a more internal focus. the perfection of our divine design! (FIG 3) What might be the effect of taking the maths The ratio or relationship between the of the Universe, converting them into sound, and top bone (red) and the one below it (yellow) is giving them back to the body? Could it be that sound approximately 1.618 which is known as sacred is a sonic reset button for our mind, body, and spirit math, the Golden Mean, or Phi ratio. that is so vitally needed at such an important time Research in 2010 by French scientist Jean in humanity’s evolution? Who would we be if we Claude Perez, showed that human DNA is in fact always tuned into our loving, divine nature, fully FIG 4 © unknown fractal and fine-tuned by the Golden/Phi ratio. The connected to the Earth and Universe, and making image to the right shows the DNA’s pentagonal, harmonious and peaceful choices? hexagonal, and golden rectangle structure. (FIG 4) The codes 174, 285, 396, 417, 528, 639, 741, 852, and Eeshi-Ra Hart is an international sound practitioner, researcher, and speaker.

963 (Solfeggio sound healing codes or frequencies from the Working with Solfeggio sound healing frequencies since 2001, she is passionate about the power of sound to bring transformation in lives. She will be visiting the Zobet frequencies) are found radially embedded in the Prime USA August-October 2017. Find out more about her courses and sonic offerings Number Cross. When used in pairs of tuning forks, they produce (sound healing audios, videos, ringtones, and more!). https://Eeshirahart.net a difference tone (binaural beat) of 111Hz. This number code is September/October 2017

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L e t ' s G e t Pe r s o n a l

LET'S GET PERSONAL

STAGE 1:

e

lanc

ba

Key Steps

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 1 | mind

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.

INTUITIVE JOURNALING

An Integrative Practice for Deeper Self-Awareness

by Eve Willson

STAGE 3:

CONSCIOUS 360 The Conscious 360° model is used as our foundation to organize the wisdom and guidance in the Conscious Life Journal. Following the 5 stages of healing—Mind, Body, Spirit, Integration, and Balance— our goal is to provide 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.

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..

TRUE CENTER

where personal transformation

True Center

3353 Trickum Road, Suite 100

Woodstock, GA 30188

(678) 909-2499

www.truecenterwoodstock.org

True Center serves as a connector for individuals and groups committed to working together to create a more harmonious, peace-filled community. True Center supports a thriving local community through: • evidence-based training, education, coaching, programs and workshops for individuals and groups • go-to resources and ready-made programs for organizations committed to social and community transformation • a forum for conversations that contribute to a more compassionate community

Contact us about rental space available to hold your workshop, meeting, class or special event!

True Center is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit educational organization that fosters opportunities for personal transformation and community enrichment to support the greater good. www.truecenterwoodstock.org

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to Your Intuitive Journaling Practice

A

re you longing for a deeper experience of your True Self but don’t know where to start?

Try intuitive journaling, a practice that engages body, mind, and spirit, and opens a portal to deeper selfawareness, self-understanding, and selfhealing. This spiritual practice provides new possibilities for integrating hidden aspects of yourself. As you listen to and express your inner knowing through intuitive journaling, you experience more Love.

Intuitive journaling moves you out of your mind and into your Heart.

The ego is that necessary aspect of self that grounds and guides us in our daily human experience, but it can also cause us to hold onto limiting thoughts and beliefs. The ego clings to fear, resulting in attachment and increasingly desperate attempts to control outcomes in our lives. Like all aspects of the self, the ego wants to be heard and understood.

The process of intuitive journaling involves a handwritten “dialogue” between your small ego-self and your wise inner voice, also called the True Self, Soul, Higher Self, or Inner Guidance. Allowing the ego voice to express itself requires the courage to acknowledge and accept your vulnerability and imperfections.

Many people experience a noticeable shift in conscious awareness as they move from the voice of the ego into the voice of the True Self.

As you give your intuitive inner voice permission to address questions and concerns raised by the ego, you realize the grip of your fear has softened.

Intuitive journaling allows you to feel, express, and then empty yourself of ego-based concerns and critical voices.

By recording the thoughts, emotions, and questions that arise from the ego’s energy within you, you will experience greater freedom and peace.

Once judgments and inner criticism are poured out on the page, they move into the background, making room for new experiences. You can then invoke your True Self’s guidance and feel the energy of Love flow naturally into your awareness.

As you trust the messages that arise and flow into your Heart space, these higher vibrations can be fully experienced and expressed on the page.

In time, your intuitive journaling practice becomes a natural flow of emptying and filling, surrender and allowing, giving and receiving. This deeply satisfying spiritual practice helps you recognize and trust the inner guidance always accessible to you. Then you can experience the joy, love, and inner peace that is your Truth. f Eve Willson, MSW, CPC is founder and Executive Director of True Center, a nonprofit educational organization in Woodstock, Georgia.

Visit www.truecenterwoodstock.org for more information on workshops and programs for personal transformation and community enrichment, including an upcoming workshop on Intuitive Journaling. www.truecenterwoodstock.org/

• Set aside a quiet space away from distractions.

• Choose a journal and writing

instrument that you love. Over time your journal becomes a sacred record of your unfolding selfawareness and integration.

• Light a candle for centering

yourself and to symbolize your inner light of wisdom.

• Take a few deep breaths; lean

into and experience the present moment.

• Write a mantra, prayer, or invitation to invoke the energy of the True Self into the space of the dialogue.

• Dialogue Part I – record in writing the message of the small ego self: its fears, judgments, concerns, musings, questions, and its invocation for a response from the True Self’s wisdom.

• Dialogue Part II – record in writing the True Self’s response to the small ego self.

• Conclusion: record in writing a

message of gratitude from the small ego self to the True Self for Its guidance and wisdom. Conclude with a mantra such as “And so it is,” “All is well,” “I am Love and Light,” “I am whole and complete.”

September/October 2017

37

LET'S GET PERSONAL

Frankincense

Essential Oils

by Rollyne Kelm

Breathing

F

Excercises

STAGE 2 | body

CONSCIOUS BREATHING

Breathing Exercise 1

by Melba Black “If I had to limit my advice on healthy living to just one tip, it would be simply to learn how to breathe correctly.” — Dr. Andrew Weil

1. Lie down in a quiet space and make sure you are comfortable.

2. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen.

3. As you inhale as deeply as you can without forcing it, notice which hand rises.

4. If the hand on the chest rises, you are breathing shallowly. If the hand on the abdomen rises, then you are breathing correctly.

5. Taking another deep breath and using your intention and awareness, send the breath to the abdomen without forcing it.

6. Do this for several breaths and notice how you feel. Calmer? More peaceful? Lighter?

Breathing Exercise 2

1. Sit comfortably in a chair planting both feet on the floor and lean your head back on the chair.

2. Relax your shoulders and unhinge your jaw.

3. P lace one hand on your chest and the other on your lower abdomen (about two inches below your navel).

4. Close your eyes.

5. N otice any tension or tightness in your body and mind.

6. G ently take a long, deep breath through your nose.

7. E xhale gently and slowly through your nose.

8. Notice how you feel.

9. K eep doing the exercise until you feel a sense of calmness.

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IT STARTS WITH THE BREATH! In one day, you will have taken approximately 20,000 breaths, and in a lifetime, over 100 million breaths!

Breathing is something we cannot live without, but it’s often taken for granted. If you have ever been in a situation where your breathing is impeded, you have an acute awareness of its importance.

We all breathe, or we wouldn’t be alive. However, what if you could learn more efficient and healthier ways to breathe to combat stress, fear, anxiety, and even depression? Learning to breathe consciously—even just a tiny improvement—can shift your physical, mental, and emotional state. According to Dr. Gay Hendrick in his book Conscious Breathing, healthy breathing has a direct and immediate effect on stress levels. At rest, most people breathe an average of about thirteen times a minute. Men breathe a little more slowly than women, about twelve to fourteen times a minute, compared to women’s fourteen to fifteen breaths per minute. Anything above fifteen breaths per minute is considered a stress signal.

How can breathing stop the stress cycle? Taking deep, slow breaths activates and engages the parasympathetic nervous system, which tells the body to slow down—heart rate decreases, abdominal muscles relax, digestion improves, and the

lungs produce more oxygen with less effort. Breathing is the most accessible resource for creating and sustaining your vital energy!

From the sages, yogis, and masters throughout time, the process of breathing has been considered inseparable from health, consciousness, and spirituality, and now there are recent studies supporting these ancient practices. The National Institutes of Health have many studies on meditation, tai chi, yoga, and qigong posted on their website.

The highest potential of breathing is in unifying mind, body, and spirit. It is in this magical and mysterious process that we connect with all aspects of ourselves. The healing begins with the breath and is the transport system from birth to death and all of life in between.

Why not use this system to its optimal performance? Consider trying these two techniques. They are easy and you can use them anywhere! *Note: If you are just starting to learn how to deep breathe, you might get light-headed the first few times. This is normal and will abate as you practice these exercises on a regular basis.

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

STAGE 3 | spirit

IN THE GARDEN OF YOUR HEART Connecting with Spirit

by Diane Glynn

T

here are moments of awe when you realize you are there—in that sacred space engulfed in the pure, soft love of Spirit. It envelops you in a way nothing else does and you breathe deeply, taking in the energy of this beautiful spiritual garden.

Just when you have begun to absorb the beauty of this space, it’s gone. Your mortal senses come back, the outer world begins to get louder, and you feel as if you have been tossed into a cargo ship headed out on a rocky sea.

This connection to Spirit seems to be so fragile and ethereal. It’s as if the

harder you try to hold onto it, the more tenuous it becomes. Drifting in and out of your life, giving you just a scent, a glimpse of a beautiful flower to savor so that you keep trying to grab more. Many get tired of trying. Maybe it’s just a myth, a story told for the ages that’s relegated to story books and spiritual texts.

IT’S NOT A MYTH. Beneath the hustle and bustle of the thoughts in your head, Spirit quietly sits among the tender scents of truth that permeate the garden of eternity.

Look for this garden in the small moments of your day. Spirit exists in all

continued on p40

rankincense essential oil is both a Zen master and Master healer.

It is a product of steam distillation of the dried resin of the Boswellia caterii tree. Humanity has used Frankincense resin for over 5000 years. Initially, the dried resin was burned as incense to drive out negative spirits and to fumigate against illness. It was highly treasured and often used in ritual and religious practices to enhance the spiritual state. Even today Frankincense is used to support meditation and energy work. It can be sedating, helping us to quiet the mind and heighten a reflective state. It helps release past traumas and encourages healing on all energetic levels.

However, its healing properties don’t stop there. The “life force” purpose of resin for a tree is in healing wounds in the bark. This same life force can benefit our physical wounds as well. The chemical components in the oil have been found to be antiseptic, skin healing, and anti-inflammatory. It is great for our skin and muscles and is also an antioxidant. Frankincense assists in healing and protecting our skin, helps fade scars, aids our respiratory system, and boosts our immunity.

Here is a Frankincense blend for home use.

Resin incense blend for assisting in meditation and energetic work: • Frankincense resin, ½ ounce • Myrrh resin, ½ ounce • Ground cardamom, 1 teaspoon • Ground nutmeg,1 teaspoon • Ground ginger, 1 teaspoon • 4 to 5 drops of Frankincense essential oil • Mix all ingredients and burn either on a charcoal disc or in a small candle heated oil burner Rollyne Klem, RN CCA CLC has several decades of professional experience in healthcare and healing modalities. She is a Registered Nurse, Certified Clinical Aromatherapist, Cer tified Life Coach, Certified Animal Reiki practitioner, and Usui Reiki Master. Her newest company is Savasa Earth Elements, providing aromatherapy solutions for health and well-being. www.savasaearthelements.com September/October 2017

39

Star Talk

LET'S GET PERSONAL

Your Bridge Between

Heaven and Earth

September-October 2017

by Lorelei Robbins

“Tis true without lying, cer tain, 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

STAGE 4 | integration CHOOSE GRATITUDE AND CAPTURE MAGIC

t

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 no matter 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.

Hopefully you found your stage and claimed it over the last two months with Mars, the planet of action and desire, in playful, childlike Leo. If you followed the guidance of your heart by tuning into the wonder and delight of your inner child, you are now ready to channel your creative self-expression in service to others.

Mars cycles in the productive earth sign of Virgo from September 5-October 22. Virgo reminds you that the “Divine is in the details” and you can feel a passion to be useful, productive, and do the right thing at just the right time.

Feel the heightened desire and satisfaction of a job well done.

Venus, the planet of relationships, pleasure, and creativity will join Mars in Virgo from September 19-October 14. This is a time when you express your love through practical means and gestures. Love needs to make sense and have a purpose, a raison d’être.

Since September 9, 2016, Jupiter, the planet of growth and expansion, has been cycling in Libra, the sign of teamwork, collaboration, and co-creation.

Many alliances have been forged this year which have created a win/win for all involved. On October 10, Jupiter eases into the powerful, intense, deep waters of Scorpio and marks a time to explore and confront the complex mysteries of life and death, as well as the dark canyons deep within us.

Jupiter takes the plunge in search of wisdom, truth, and untapped resources that have been lurking in the shadows. We can use this probing, investigative energy to understand and heal buried issues that we have been rejecting.

The magnetism and healing power of Jupiter in Scorpio is a powerful force for change. It has the strength to move us through this alchemical process of transforming something from the deepest recesses of our being and ascending beyond our present state of consciousness. f 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 twenty-five years of successful personnel consulting for entrepreneurial companies and corporate giants. Currently, she helps conscious business owners energetically align with their businesses’ vision.

RobbinsCosmicNest.com 40 w w w . m y c o n s c i o u s l i f e j o u r n a l . c o m

by Vanessa Lowry

STAGE 3 | spirit . . . of them. The kind word, the completed project, the child in your arms. Savoring these moments means that you have recognized the existence of Spirit. The connection is always there—it is never lost or broken.

Continuing this journey of mindfulness, it becomes clear that your thoughts are simply reminders that there is always work to be done. These thoughts are part of the connection, not separate from it. In times of hardship and discontent, when everything goes wrong, remember this: Spirit still exists. Below the raging winds of the mind, the garden of the heart awaits. A respite, a calmness in the storm. The place where, in the quiet of a simple garden, the answers will be shown to you. As you reach down past the cacophony again and again, you will slowly begin to feel the difference in your life. Keep trying. Breathe deeply into your heart.

There lies the garden’s delight, between the mind and the heart. There lies the breath of Spirit. The breath of eternal Love. f In addition to being the Executive Director of Unity North Atlanta, Diane Glynn is a Prayer Chaplain.

She says the first is what she does, the latter is who she is and both fulfill her desire to be of service.

Follow Diane on Facebook at “This Moment” or YesThisMoment.com.

I

f you went to summer camp, you might remember the song lyrics, “I’m goin’ lion huntin’, I’m not afraid.”

Instead of “my trusty gun and my bullets by my side,” go on a Gratitude Safari armed with “my eyeballs in my head and my smart phone by my side!”

Making a conscious effort to practice gratitude is not only good for your mood, but clinical trials show that it improves your physical health.

Robert A. Emmons, professor of psychology at UC Davis and the world’s leading scientific expert on gratitude, says, “My research, and research by my colleagues, has linked gratitude to a host of psychological, physical, and social benefits: stronger immune systems, lower blood pressure, more feelings of joy, and a greater sense of social connection.”

Are you anxious, angry, or overwhelmed? Even then, you have the power to choose what to focus upon. A friend suggested that when Jesus said to turn the other cheek, he meant, “Look the other way.” If you want to feel better, maybe a turn of the head is in order. Using your eyes to find a focal point, and your smart phone by your side, you can change your focus.

What you’ll need for your Gratitude Safari are at least ten minutes, a smart phone with a camera, and the willingness to notice what you would normally glance over.

Your adventure can be at your office, your house, in your neighborhood, or at a nearby park. If you want to capture the beauty of man-made structures, a walk in a metro area will do the trick.

To find MAGIC on your safari, keep these words in mind: Meander, Attention, Gain, Invite, and Capture.

MEANDER | Breathe deeply and pay attention to the details of your surroundings.

ATTENTION | Look for interesting textures,

the contrast of light and dark, unique color combinations, and intriguing imperfections. Adjust your point of view to see that rusty sign or an individual flower in a new light.

GAIN | When you unplug—for even a few minutes— you gain perspective and fill your creative well.

INVITE | Relax and invite your eyes to roam and your feet to wander off the existing path.

CAPTURE | Click your shutter—a lot. Shoot your subject from above, below, and from the other side.

Move closer than normal and then further away.

Expand this experience by sharing your magical finds on social media and let others vicariously walk your safari route. Add an interesting quote to one or more of your photos by using an online service like Canva or an app like WordSwag.

Cultivating a practice of gratitude is not only important to your own life experience—the energy you emanate affects your family, your community, and your world. Today, choose to take a gratitude safari, capture magic, and share it with others. f Vanessa Lowry is a marketing consultant, designer, writer, and professional doodler. She coauthored 30 Days of Gratitude and manages a Facebook page focused on gratitude. www.VanessaLowry.com September/October 2017

41

Professional

LET'S GET PERSONAL

BOOK

• Psychic • Medium

REVIEW

• Channel

As Reviewed by

• Teacher

Nanette Littlestone

Whatever Arises, Love That

“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.

STAGE 5 | balance

THREE STEPS TO MANIFESTING MORE MONEY

by Burge Smith-Lyons

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

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by Matt Kahn

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any people ask me in our workshops, Essence of Being and Essence of Abundance, “How do I create more money?” I tell them to go to the basement and print more, but that is not practical or legal!

The steps to create more money start with your belief systems around money. Once you identify your limiting beliefs around money, you can change them and create from a new vibration or mindset. For instance, if you believe, or were taught and influenced by others, that rich people are bad and greedy and dishonest, then why would you want to become like them? This is a subconscious belief that can block you from receiving your desires.

You may be consciously saying you want to be richer, but your subconscious belief or “BubbleTalk”—subconscious thoughts that keep you from getting what you want—are saying something else. If your conscious and subconscious are not aligned, manifestation takes longer. It is like driving a car; you use the gas as your forward desires of what you want, and at the same time you are using your brake to stop them. Therefore, you spin your wheels and stay stuck.

If we understand that money is energy and if we keep it in motion, then our money flows. If we stop the flow in any direction— giving or receiving—it stops. The velocity of money is a real phenomenon. But many people block the receiving and giving of it due to beliefs in scarcity and conditioning.

CAN YOU RELATE TO ANY OF THESE?

The 3 STEPS to manifesting are:

• I ’m always right (having to be in control) • L ife isn’t fair (feeling taken advantage of)

STEP 1: Ask for what you want.

STEP 2: The Universe provides it to you.

STEP 3: You allow it and receive it.

We often get tripped up on Step 1 because we do not know what we want and are afraid to ask! If you do not know what you want, write a list of what you don’t want. Then pivot to the opposite of each thing on your list and create the list of what you do want.

Step 2 is the easiest because it happens automatically.

Step 3 is what most people forget to do. Many do not know how to just simply allow and receive. Not receiving is socially acceptable but spiritually inappropriate.

I always tell people in the workshops, “Trust and Allow and Don’t Ask How!” I invite you to use that mantra and shift your money consciousness! f Burge Smith-Lyons is an international best-selling author, motivational speaker, intuitive healer, certified rebirther, hypnotherapist, channeler, minister, and founder and CEO ofThe 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. Burgesmithlyons.com www.essenceofbeing.com

• W hat about me? (feeling entitled) • It’s never enough

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hen Matt described the above four types of “ego inflammation,” I had to take a deep breath because I resonate with all of them. My way is the best way. Life isn’t fair a lot. Of course I deserve better. And yes, I often feel left out.

Sadly, those attitudes are the opposite of love. But if you’ve been hurt or abused by someone you loved, you don’t trust love. If you’re a nurturer, you give love easily but you don’t receive love well. If you’re an egotist, you’re great at taking love, but you don’t know how to give it back.

How do you solve this quandary? The beauty of Matt’s guidance is that you can start anywhere. Whatever comes up is the next thing to be acknowledged. Stop and replay that thought of judgment or criticism or unworthiness. Notice that it’s there because that part of you needs love.

And if you don’t know how to love that part that doesn’t trust or doesn’t receive well or doesn’t know how to give back, it’s okay to say, “I don’t know how.” I don’t know how to love the people who hurt me. I don’t know how to love the one who is always in need. By accepting what you don’t know you allow an openness, a space for those painful experiences from the past to clear out.

Whatever arises, love that serves to bring you back to your heart, to that place where love resides, even if it’s a little rusty or unfamiliar. That wellspring of love is always there, has always been there, waiting for you to acknowledge it and explore. Because, “when healing occurs . . . you deserve more love, not less.”

Nanette Littlestone is a best-selling author, editor, writing coach, and publisher with Words of Passion, helping new and award-winning authors to write with passion and inspire others. Her published works include F.A.I.T.H. – Finding Answers in the Heart,Vols. I and II and The Sacred Flame. www.wordsofpassion.com

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

by Michelle Schaper

She has the soul of a gypsy, she’s messy and wild, She’s full of wonder and thinks like a child.

She is a mosaic, pieces of light, She’s the moon and the stars shining so bright.

She’s the breath of fresh air that whispers in your ear, She is always with you, even when she’s not near.

She is all of the sky and the wings of the birds, She’s poetry, lyrics, music and words.

She’s the eye of the tiger, the howl of the wolf, She is a paradox, a metaphor, but always the truth.

She is caged by her thoughts, But she’s eternally free, She’s nothing, she’s everything . . .

I think she is ME.

Michelle Schaper, author of "Soul Kissing," a collection of playful poetry and prose, is from Perth, Western Australia. Michelle writes a lot about "she" inspired by the people who’ve inspired and empowered her throughout her life, and wishes to pass some empowerment on to all sensitive souls and playful hearts. http://m.facebook.com/Chellessoulpoems/ 48

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