Natural Awakenings Washington DC December 2014

H E A L T H Y

L I V I N G

H E A L T H Y

feel good • live simply • laugh more

Awakening the Brain Mindfulness and Compassion

Sacred Activism

Love in Action Can Change the World

P L A N E T

FREE

Opening Up to Miracles

Gabrielle Bernstein on Creating More Happiness

December 2014 | Washington, D.C. Edition | NaturalAwakeningsDC.com natural awakenings

December 2014

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Your Path to Healing Starts Here a n i n t e g r at i v e a p p r o a c h t o yo u r h e a lt h GeorGe WashinGton Center for inteGrative MediCine offers you a unique health care program principled in science and tradition where the patient is treated as a whole person and respected as an individual. With your visit to the Center, a highly-trained practitioner—licensed, certified and credentialed in his or her specialty—will develop with you a care plan tailored to fit your needs and honors your personal healing process. natural & inteGrative health ChoiCes W e prov i de C a r e f o r …

diabetes Holistic geriatric care with minimal use of medications Health coaching to overcome chronic difficulties

Cancer parkinson’s disease Thyroid problems High blood pressure and high cholesterol Women’s medical issues Chronic pain syndromes Holistic psychiatry

Medicine-free cholesterol management detoxification Healthy aging and healthy weight loss plus many other innovative therapies

this Month’s featured providers Marianna ledenaC, nd – adult and pediatric naturopathy, Weight loss

Yael flusberG – integrative yoga therapist and reiki

Julie Wendt –health and nutritional coaching

Special oFFer

for NaTUraL aWaKeNiNGS readers

Call for details on how our personalized healing programs can fit into your budget.

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CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

TOGETHER WE CARE, HEAL, EDUCATE 908 New Hampshire Avenue Suite 200 Washington DC 20037 202-833-5055

What others are saYinG about GeorGe WashinGton Center for inteGrative MediCine: “People who work here are compassionate. I feel like I am part of a big family. Very different from other doctors’ offices. Here you have a chance to spend time and talk through the issues.” – S.A. “Extremely impressed with the conversation that I had during my initial consultation. It is the holistic approach I have been searching for some time.” – B.L.

www.gWciM.com 2

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December 2014

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letterfrompublisher The Joy of the Season to You All – contact us Publisher, Editor in Chief Robin Fillmore Contributing Editors Grace Ogden Jessica Bradshaw Design & Production Irene Sankey Marketing Director Beverly Nickerson Outreach Director Samantha Hudgins Customer Support Lara Chapin Natural Awakenings of Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-505-4835 Fax: 202-827-7955 5230 Tuckerman Lane North Bethesda, MD 20852 Robin@NaturalAwakeningsDC.com NaturalAwakeningsDC.com ©2014 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved.

Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing.

Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. It is available in selected stores, health and education centers, healing centers, public libraries and wherever free publications are generally seen. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business.

We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised.

We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.

SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscribe online to receive FREE monthly digital magazine at NaturalAwakeningsDC.com.

Natural Awakenings practices environmental sustainability by using post-consumer recycled paper and soy-based ink on uncoated stock, avoiding the toxic chemicals and huge energy costs of producing shiny, coated paper that is harder to recycle.

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Washington, D.C.

Thank you to all the readers of Natural Awakenings, for being such a wonderful, thoughtful and encouraging band of supporters. As this year comes to a close, I wanted to take a moment to convey my deep gratitude for you all. The year 2014 has Robin and her husband John flown by but yet, in looking back, so much was accomplished. We gained thousands of new friends, brought insight and reflection on a wide variety of topics, expanded our outreach through Facebook and Twitter and launched a new website (NaturalAwakeningsDC. com), which I hope you will check out at some point.

I waited until I received every article for the December issue to write my letter to you this month, to see where the local pieces would complement our end-ofyear general theme of “Awakening Humanity”. This topic is one that fills me with great hope. In spite of the problems that we face—as a community, as a nation and as a part of the global citizenry­—there is much for which we should feel blessed.

Perhaps the deepest hope I hold, which is echoed in our feature this month, “Sacred Activism” by Judith Fertig, is that there is a growing movement of ordinary citizens who seek change on a profound level. This awakening has the potential to transform the world as individuals claim a part in this global unfolding.

The theme is woven throughout this issue of Natural Awakenings. Contributing editor Grace Ogden was granted an interview with music icon, Bruce Cockburn, exclusively for our readers. One of the great truth-tellers to the powers and principalities that favor the mighty over the oppressed, Cockburn has been on a lifelong spiritual (as well as musical) journey. In the interview, he continues to embolden his listeners—to add their voices to the chorus of truth-and-justice seekers. For the full interview, check out the online version at NaturalAwakeningsDC.com.

Chas Gant, M.D., Ph.D., adds to this conversation from a scientific position.

According to the latest research, humans have a dormant section of the brain that when activated through training, generates feelings (and actions) of compassion.

Just as a beginning piano player must practice, practice, practice, the section of our brain that is designed to evoke compassion can be stimulated through mindfulnessbased practices. But, as the adage goes, if we don’t use it, we lose it, which is another grand reason to live a life of giving and gratitude.

Finally, if you feel that 2015 is your year to make some dramatic changes, you may want to follow the insightful advice of Julie Reisler, a wonderful local life coach. She offers some practical advice to bring success to the process of making resolutions to begin the new year.

It is with great joy that we close out this year. Thank you again for making Natural Awakenings a part of your journey to healthy and balanced living.

Happy Holidays!

Robin Fillmore, Publisher

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

contents

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8 newsbriefs 1 3 healthbriefs 1 7 ecotip 18 globalbriefs 28 healthypets 32 practitioner

17 spotlight 33 business

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spotlight 34 bestpractices 36 greenliving 38 firstperson 39 leadingedge 42 community

spotlight 44 calendar 50 resourceguide

advertising & submissions

Natural Awakenings is your guide to a healthier, more balanced life. In each issue readers find cutting-edge information on natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green living, creative expression and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle.

20 SACRED ACTIVISM

Love in Action Can Change the World

20

by Judith Fertig

23 HANDMADE

HOLIDAY GIFTS Make Handcrafted Natural Spa Products

by Mary Kearns, Ph.D.

24 MINDFULNESS

AND COMPASSION

Awakening the Dormant Parts of the Brain

24

by Dr. Chas Gant, M.D., Ph.D.

26 OPENING UP

TO MIRACLES

Gabrielle Bernstein on Creating More Happiness

by April Thompson

HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 202-505-4835 or email Robin@NaturalAwakeningsDC.com.

Deadline for ads: the 15th of the month.

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Robin@NaturalAwakeningsDC.com. Deadline for editorial, news briefs and health briefs are due by the 10th.

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Submit Calendar Events online: NaturalAwakeningsDC.com within the advertising section.

Deadline for calendar: the 10th of the month.

REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets!

Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets call 239-449-8309. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.

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29 CAN-DO KIDS

Changing Our World at Any Age

26

by Ellen Sabin

30 RUMOURS

OF GLORY

An Interview with Musician Bruce Cockburn

by Grace Ogden

40 BEYOND

THE JARGON

More on Dietary Fat

29

by Julie Wendt, M.S.

43 NEW YEAR’S

RESOLUTIONS

A Fresh Perspective on Your Intentions and Goals

by Julie Reisler

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newsbriefs Pranic Healing Intensive Training in Tysons Corner

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verything is energy! Our essence extends beyond the visible physical body. When our prana or energy is clean and balanced, we experience optimum health. Otherwise, we can become ill. A two-day intensive training is being offered in pranic healing techniques by the Pranic Healing Institute, December 6 and 7 at Marriott Courtyard in Tyson’s Corner.

The art of balancing the prana was practiced in ancient civilizations thousands of years ago. Pranic healing techniques provide practical, safe, intuitive and easyto-apply tools to harmonize and balance the energy to achieve optimum health. At this training, participants will learn about energy anatomy, including the aura, the 11 chakras, energy meridians and health-rays, how to scan or feel the energy, sweep or clean away congested energy and energize. They will also learn about preventive healing and removing the negative energetic patterns of a disease to prevent it from fully manifesting as a physical ailment.

Step-by-step techniques for ailments such as asthma and sinusitis (respiratory), heart ailments (circulatory), irritable bowel syndrome (gastrointestinal), arthritis and back pain (musculoskeletal) and menstrual problems (reproductive) will be presented and there will be instruction on unique meditation and breathing techniques for inner peace, stress reduction and bliss.

The Pranic Healing Institute also offers a free online healing course, with short video lessons, which are accessible at any time.

Location for the training: 1960 Chain Bridge Rd., McLean. For more information about the weekend training or the online healing course, call 571-312-7964 or visit PranicHealingInstitute.com.

Depression? Anxiety? Fatigue? Moody?

It’s probably not what you think it is.

Functional Medicine offers Solutions for Depression & other Mood Disorders Individualized, state-of-the-art immunological, endocrine, allergic, metabolic, nutritional, functional and genetic testing to identify and correct the unique, root causes of your condition.

Dr. Chas Gant, MD, PhD has practiced functional, holistic and integrative medicine and psychotherapy for over 35 years. He has helped thousands of patients of all ages with science based treatments recover from many chronic medical and psychiatric disorders.

Call Now for an Appointment - 202-237-7000 ext.104

Dr. Chas Gant, MD, PhD National Integrated Health Associates

5225 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 402 DoctorChas.com .

nihadc.com/practitioners/dr-chas-gant-md-ph-d.html

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Home Green Clean Home

For the Holidays!

Green Clean Certified Company*

Holacracy ‘Taster’ Workshop in D.C.

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different way of organizing people and working together is emerging—one in which there are no longer any managers, titles or top-down hierarchies, yet everyone is given a voice and decisions are made rapidly­— just not by consensus, majority or directive. It’s called Holacracy and it has the potential to create a more responsive, conscious and coherent world. A “taster” workshop on Holacracy will be offered in Washington, D.C., in the afternoon of December 4 at a location to be announced soon.

This public event is offered on demand around the world to help spread a better way for humanity to get along, get things done and work together for once and for all. This is the first time Holacracy will be discussed in this area.

The purpose of this workshop is to give you an experiential “taste” of what working with Holacracy looks like. This event is not a training and is not designed to teach any applicable skills. The program includes a brief overview of Holacracy, what it is and how it is structured, a simulation of a “tactical meeting” on how to triage operational issues quickly and reliably and a simulation of a “governance meeting” on how to evolve the organization’s structure to better align the work to the company’s purpose.

Any organizational decisionmakers who are interested in getting an idea of how Holacracy works are invited to attend.

Flexible Scheduling

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For more information including event location and time, visit HolacracyOne.org.

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Restore your Health and Nourish your Body with Alkaline Foods

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Health Educator Certified by the Hippocrates Health Institute, Luzy Perez provides healing support through classes and private consultations to those facing mild, severe or chronic health challenges and all who want to improve their diets and lifestyle.

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Achieve your true purpose & path in life

Refocus Positive Behavioral Change Consultant Increase Self awareness for lasting change to heal the mind, body and soul.

John Mays, M.Ed, C.HT

Licensed Psychology Teacher Special Education Teacher Behavior Modification Specialist • Life Coach • Health/Fitness Coach • Educational Consultant • Spiritual & Self Awareness • Child/Teen Behavioral Intervention Owner of Fitness Together Chantilly, John has more than 20 years of experience in education, personal training and human service. Certified Hypnotherapist and Trainer, Post Grad Licensed Special Education Teacher, Certified Master Personal Trainer (NSCA, NCSF).

3914 Centreville Road, Chantilly 571-277-1292 info@midliferefocus.com • midliferefocus.com

newsbriefs Local Partnership Between Alive Juices and Breast Cancer Advocacy Organization

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live Juices is pleased to announce that it is now partnering with the Tigerlily Foundation, an organization that is committed to educating young women around the world about breast cancer.

Alive Juices will be sharing its fresh ayurvedic juices with Tigerlily Foundation’s young breast cancer survivors at local and national events. Together, they will educate young women about the benefits of “mindful” nutrition and promoting a healthy, preventative lifestyle.

According to the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer is the leading cause of death in American women ages 15 to 54. Maimah Karmo created the Tigerlily Foundation in 2006 after she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 32. The Tigerlily Foundation educates, advocates for, empowers and provides hands-on support to young women affected by breast cancer. Its programs provide education, financial assistance, meals and buddies to young women stricken with this devastating disease.

It is difficult for researchers to draw firm conclusions about nutrition and disease, yet research has given some valuable insight into how diet affects our cancer risks. In fact, diet is thought to be partly responsible for 30 to 40 percent of all cancers.

Researchers at Harvard Medical School have found that women with higher levels of carotenoids in their blood have a lower risk of breast cancer. Carotenoids are organic antioxidant compounds that give some plants their color. Carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, greens, papaya, bell peppers and tomatoes are high in carotenoids and found in the Alive Juices.

Its partnership with the Tigerlily Foundation will allow this local juice producer to share its passion with young women, breast cancer patients and survivors, knowing that everyone deserves to know about the diseasefighting power of a healthy diet.

For more information, visit AliveJuices.com.

Blessed is the

season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love! ~ Hamilton Wright Mabie

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Stop thinking. Start becoming.

ROCKVILLE MEDITATION

www.rockvillemeditation.org Tel: (301) 770-7778 11601 Nebel St. Rockville, MD 20852

Casey Health Offers Unique Yoga Teacher Training

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asey Health is excited to offer a unique yoga teacher training program, beginning in January. Casey Health is an integrative primary care medical practice featuring traditional and non-allopathic treatment modalities, including yoga and yoga therapy. The course runs over four long weekends, from Thursday through Sunday, including January 22 to 25, March 26 to 29, May 28 to 31 and July 23 to 26.

Committed to preparing yoga teachers with a deepseated knowledge of and commitment to the practice and teaching of yoga, the program offers 200-hour Iyengar teacher training that meets the course requirements for both the Iyengar Yoga National Association of the United States (IYNAUS) introductory level assessment and Yoga Alliance 200-hour Registered Yoga Training (RYT), clinical course work in anatomy, physiology, disease processes and medical treatments taught by Casey Health’s highly acclaimed medical team of doctors, chiropractors and nurses.

The training program will be offered in a beautiful setting, minutes from the nation’s capital, in its new medical facility with its many yoga studios and spacious teaching classrooms. Participants will train with top Iyengar teachers, including John Schumacher, Kathleen Pringle, Lisa Walford and Marla Apt.

-Gain focus and patience -Emotional and physical wellbeing -Unlimited guided meditation daily -Freedom from stress, anxiety, worry, anger, insomnia, depression, resentment, loneliness, boredom Ellicott City Center (410) 730-6604

Arlington Center (703) 354-8071

Centreville Center (703) 657-0550

Location: 800 S. Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg. For information, call 301-355-2030 or visit CaseyHealth.org/ TeacherTraining. See ad, page 55.

Experience a place of refuge and a spiritual center where all are welcome!

A Vegan Vinyasa yoga studio & Jivamukti™ Yoga Center Affiliate.

Open 7 days a week & offering over 50 classes a week (including Mysore, Ashtanga led practice, Jivamukti™ yoga, Vinyasa all-levels, 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training, and more...).

1115 U Street NW Suite #202 Washington DC 20009

202-588-5885

Visit our website for more information:

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newsbriefs Yoga Therapy Now Offers Relief for Clients at Maryland University of Integrative Health

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he first yoga therapy student interns at Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH) are now scheduling appointments to see clients at the college’s Natural Care Center. Yoga therapy is a rapidly growing healing discipline that is effective for a wide range of physical and emotional challenges. You likely know how effective a yoga practice can be— imagine the possibilities of using yoga therapy to heal.

Yoga therapists use the tools and practices of yoga to empower clients toward improved health and well-being through the use of postures, breathing practices, meditation and lifestyle. Yoga therapists understand the multidimensional nature of the individual and work from the premise that the physical, energy, emotional and spiritual levels are fully integrated and inter-related.

In yoga therapy, the ancient wisdom, tools and techniques of yoga combined with traditional and contemporary best practices are adapted to each individual’s unique situation and health challenge with the goal of helping clients improve, maintain and optimize health.

Because this service is part of a university clinical rotation, MUIH is able to offer care at very affordable rates. They use a team-care approach in which one or two student interns and a faculty supervisor tend every client—a model that has been tremendously successful for their other clinical disciplines.

Noted by Marlysa Sullivan, the clinical supervisor, “I’m thrilled to report that every client seen by our yoga therapy student interns, with absolutely no exceptions, reported immediate and meaningful relief from myriad acute and chronic symptoms. These results demonstrate the exceptional skill of our graduate students and the power of this discipline.” Come for care and share the news about all of MUIH’s natural medicine services with your colleagues, family and friends.

Location: 7750 Montpelier Rd., Laurel. For more info or to make an appointment, call 410-888-9048 ext. 6614 or email NaturalCareCenter@muih.edu. See ad, page 56.

D.C. Bans Styrofoam and Montgomery County Looking to Follow

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n July, the D.C. City Council signed into law a ban on polystyrene food-packaging, commonly known as Styrofoam, beginning January 1, 2016. This new law also requires food service providers to use to-go containers that are either compostable or recyclable the following year. With this move to ban polystyrene trash, Washington, D.C. has joined with other “green” cities such as Seattle and Portland.

This trend is now moving into Maryland, as the Montgomery County Council is reviewing a similar law, with the added ban on polystyrene-packaging peanuts. Stay tuned for the latest on this countywide law in the coming months.

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Sacred Retreat on Mount Shasta

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even Sacred Flames Reiki Retreat (SSFR) is a high-frequency spiritual practice for self-realization, to balance and activate the flames with the chakras and promote healing on many levels.

This Reiki retreat takes place in the spiritually breathtaking location of Mount Shasta, California, from May 17 to 23.

During this amazing experience, participants will learn the following: seventh dimension colors associated with the seven major chakras and how to perform an eight-part SSFR procedure on yourself, including the Great Central Sun Meditation. The retreat will also take participants to several different sites including the Stewart Mineral Springs, Castle Crags and Mount Cloud Falls.

Activities also include two crystal bowl concerts and an ascension ceremony.

The instructor is Anthony V. Wojnar, DD and Reiki Master teacher. He is a meditation and a qigong instructor and creator of The Frequency and Sacred Flames Analysis System. Wojnar recently received an attunement on Kurama Mountain, Japan, which is the birthplace of Reiki. He is an ordained minister and chaplain who has a heart-based ministry.

Cost: $625 before Jan.1/$675 after Jan. 1. Price includes workshop, site visits, 1 group lunch and dinner and daily breakfast with hotel stay. Register by Jan.1 for discount, balance due April 15.

50 percent deposit due upon registration.

For more information, call 570-706-6680, email ReikiCenterOnline@yahoo.com or visit LifeHolisticReiki.com.

healthbriefs Prevention Over Panic

by Dr. Isabel Sharkar

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here is a lot of controversy about the Ebola virus and deep research reveals the truth behind what is really occurring. Should we panic and be afraid? How concerned should we be? As Dr. Vincent Lam said, “A pandemic may be a threatening experience and a legitimate human reaction to threat is fear.

Panic is our enemy, knowledge is our friend and preparation in advance is our best line of defense.”

Panic clouds judgment and although Ebola is real and among us, it is part of the fear matrix. By properly preparing and equipping the immune system, you do not have to be afraid. Here are two important suggestions to keep in mind.

When it comes to certain viruses lingering about, vitamin C is your best friend and loads of it. Ebola is a hemorrhagic fever virus and causes the complete removal of all vitamin C from the body. All the symptoms of Ebola are consistent with complete loss of vitamin C. In the absence of any vitamin C, blood vessels become weak and start to lose blood, while platelets become ineffective and are unable to trigger clots. Massive internal bleeding and loss of blood cause death

by Ebola. It can be prevented by immense doses of vitamin C until the immune system succeeds in killing off the virus.

To date, no viral infection has been demonstrated to be resistant to the proper dosing of vitamin C. Vitamin C is more absorbable when accompanied by bioflavonoids like those found in pineapple juice. Make vitamin C a part of your daily protocol and see your naturopathic practitioner for the appropriate dosage.

Please make sure you are getting good quality non-corn vitamin C, as they are not all created equally.

There are different types of vitamin C that include liposomal, oral and intravenous. At times of emergency against heavy viral attacks, all three forms are important in extremely large doses. In addition to consuming daily doses of oral vitamin C, weekly intravenous vitamin C infusions are extremely beneficial for boosting the immune system.

The data on silver nanoparticles and their ability to inhibit viral adsorption as well as its virus killing activity in cell-free and cell-associated viruses has been researched and established in literature for a variety of viral infections. Silver appears to offer itself as a potential therapy in the form of both a preventative and therapeutic agent. A study performed by the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency revealed that silver nanoparticles neutralize the hemorrhagic fever viruses, including the Ebola virus.

Survival is based upon how far you are willing to go right now in preventing the effects of any pandemic that arises. A more robust immune system has a greater chance of withstanding any threatening health condition. Ultimately, the choice is yours. Please consult your naturopathic physician for more ways to prepare your immune system.

Dr. Isabel Sharkar, ND, is a licensed naturopathic physician and co-owner of Indigo Integrative Health Clinic, in Georgetown. For more information, call 202298-9131 or visit IndigoHealthClinic.com. See ad, page 5.

The Road Map to Skin Rejuvenation

by Marisa Kahn s your skincare routine truly supporting what you want to see when you look in the mirror? Working with a licensed professional will help you navigate your way to understanding how professional treatments and quality at-home products synergistically improve skin health and appearance.

A treatment plan needs to be established to achieve long-term improvements. Professional treatments cause an acute inflammatory reaction that signals younger, healthy cells to move to the surface. Once the skin heals itself, you must repeat the process. This is called skin rejuvenation. Professional treatments are generally recommended on a two- to four-week cycle, depending on the level of correction that is needed.

While completing this treatment, it is critical to replenish the skin with nontoxic skin-building ingredients, even at home. Side effects from certain toxic ingredients cause chronic inflammation or allergies that ultimately disrupt the cycle of skin rejuvenation.

Caring for our skin doesn’t end here. The use of mineral makeup is a healthy enhancement. Mineral makeup is anti-inflammatory, helpful with sensitive, acne and rosacea-prone skin and safe to apply just after a professional treatment. It also provides a weightless barrier from environmental scavengers such as free radicals.

I

Marisa Kahn is a licensed aesthetician and the owner of skINtuition, which recently opened in the heart of downtown Bethesda. The practice focuses on rejuvenating and protecting the skin by using clinical yet nontoxic products. For more info, call 240-800-4060 or visit YouthfulskINuition.com. See ad, page 39.

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healthbriefs

Calcium Supplements Raise Risk of Brain Lesions

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Duke University study published in the British Journal of Nutrition this summer found that calcium supplements taken by elderly persons may increase the risk of brain lesions that are identified as hyperintensities on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scans.

The researchers studied 227 adults over the age of 60. The patients were assessed for supplemental calcium intake and received brain scans via MRI. Those taking calcium supplements had more lesions of a volume typically associated with hypertension. They noted no dose-dependent relationship between lesion size and the amount of calcium being supplemented. The scientists commented that other studies have found calcium supplementation also associated with greater risk of artery disease.

Hyperintensities are observed in normal aging, plus several neurological, psychiatric and autoimmune disorders that affect the brain. They constitute damage to brain tissue caused by restricted blood flow and have been linked to mild cognitive deficits and disturbances.

Knotweed and Hawthorn Outperform Lovastatin in Trial

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hinese researchers recently discovered that two herbal extracts may treat atherosclerosis, the hardening of the arteries, as well as or more effectively than the pharmaceutical drug Lovastatin.

Sixty-four patients with atherosclerosis of the carotid artery were studied. For six months, half the patients received 20 milligrams of Lovastatin per day, while the other half took an herbal extract combination of Japanese knotweed and hawthorn.

After six months, tests showed artery plaque thickness and inflammation were significantly lessened among both groups.

However, the herbal extract-treated group showed a greater reduction of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels, a marker of risk for cardiovascular disease.

Relatively high levels of hs-CRP in otherwise healthy individuals are predictive of heart health crises even when cholesterol levels are within an acceptable range.

People with lower values have less of a risk.

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CELL PHONES AND ROUTER MICROWAVES STRESS PLANTS

E

vidence of the effects of wireless technologies on human health continues to be controversial, with agreement on results remaining elusive. Now a new study published in the Journal of Plant Physiology found that humangenerated microwave pollution can potentially be stressful to plants.

Researchers from Romania’s Estonian University of Life Sciences tested three common garden plants—parsley, celery and dill weed. They exposed each to the types of microwave radiation equivalent to those produced by cell phones and wireless routers. Then these radiation-exposed plants were compared with identical plants not exposed to the radiation.

The scientists noted that the irradiated plants had thinner cell walls; smaller chloroplasts (cellular sites of photosynthesis); smaller cell mitochondria (centers of energy production); and greater emission of volatile compounds, particularly monoterpenes and green leaf volatiles, which are protective, life-promoting components of the plants’ essential oils.

The effects were stronger for the type of radiation produced by wireless routers. While essential oil production overall was increased by the frequency of the microwaves produced by cell phones, it was decreased by the frequency emitted by the routers.

Hospice Care Adds Months for Cancer Patients

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esearchers from Houston’s MD Anderson Cancer Center determined that hospice care significantly increases survival rates among patients with metastatic (stage IV) melanoma, a difficult-to-treat form of cancer that occurs when melanoma cells have spread through the lymph nodes to other parts of the body.

The study’s authors followed 862 metastatic melanoma cancer patients. Of these, 523 patients received one to three days of hospice care, 114 patients received four or more days and 225 people received no hospice care through their survival period. Those that received four or more days had an average survival period, which typically dates from the original diagnosis, of 10.2 months, while those that received none averaged 6.1 months. In addition, the end-of-life hospital costs for those receiving the most hospice visits were nearly half of what was incurred by patients not receiving hospice attention.

Hip Fractures Decrease on Weekends and Holy Days

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new study published in the Israel Medical Association Journal found that older adults are more likely to have hip fractures in the wintertime, except during weekends and on religious holidays.

The study’s authors checked the records of 2,050 patients that were at least 65 years old and had suffered a hip fracture. Analyzing the dates of each fracture revealed that significantly more of them occurred during the wintertime; the injuries corresponded directly with lower temperatures and greater rainfall.

Fewer fractures took place on the Sabbath and during weekends in general, as well as on Yom Kippur and other holy days, with the exception of Passover.

Let me build your business!

Mistletoe Extract Benefits Pancreatic Cancer Patients

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study published in the European Journal of Cancer revealed that a mistletoe extract may lengthen life for patients with severe pancreatic cancer. German researchers tested 220 patients with advanced stage pancreatic cancer, an aggressive, often fatal disease. The patients were divided into two groups; one was given up to 10 milligrams of Viscum album (European mistletoe) three times a week for up to 12 months.

Both groups received supportive care throughout the study period.

The average length of survival for those taking the mistletoe extract, 4.8 months, was nearly twice that of the other group, 2.7 months; a survival period typically dates from the original diagnosis. Within a group considered to have a good prognosis, the survival period for those that consumed the extract, averaging 6.6 months, was more than double that of the no-extract group, which averaged 3.2 months.

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Benefits of Maum Meditation Supported by Recent Research

by Kristine Kim

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esearch now confirms what many meditators already know, that through meditation, many health advantages can be achieved. One specific form of meditation, known as Maum Meditation, has recently been supported by a significant survey. Maum Meditation is a method of connecting the human mind to the infinite to find true self. Proponents of the method believe that when the true self is recovered, true happiness awaits.

According to the survey conducted of 473 participants by the Korea Association of Statistics and Information (MeditationUSA.org), 97.7 percent stated that Maum Meditation is helpful for stress relief. Stress is a state of emotions that accumulate in the mind of each individuals. Thus, when the meditator can subtract false emotions such as stress, naturally, the mind becomes free of stress. Maum meditators overwhelmingly agree.

What triggers anxieties? Most meditators note that the mind is always restless, worrying about useless memories that have accumulated. The methods developed in Maum Meditation are designed to let these thoughts go. In the same survey, participants were asked about relief from worries and anxieties. Their answers were overwhelmingly supportive of these techniques, with more than 88.5 percent claiming that the meditation was either “very helpful” or “helpful”.

In the survey, other benefits of Maum Meditation were cited including: being able to live in the moment, finding true purpose and meaning of life, ability to focus, greater capacity to resolve conflict, freedom from anger, frustration, fear, sense of inferiority, depression, loneliness, futility, relationships with people truly improve, as well as the recovery of health and natural beauty.

Kristine Kim is the director of the Rockville Meditation Center, that facilitates unlimited guided meditation with six sessions on a daily basis. Location: 11601 Nebel St., Rockville. For more Information, visit Rockville Meditation.org. See ad, page 11.

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ecotip Tweet Treats Trim a Tree, Feed the Birds

From December 14 through January 5, citizen scientists of all ages will participate in the National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count (Tinyurl.com/AudubonChristmas Count), the country’s longest-running wildlife census. Audubon and other organizations use the data collected by volunteers to monitor population trends and guide conservation efforts.

Whether or not families plan to help Audubon volunteers keep track of feathered visitors, they might consider providing backyard birds with gifts of food during the winter, when natural food sources can be scarce. Adorning outdoor trees with edible decorations can also help brighten landscapes, reduce kitchen scraps, creatively involve children in nature and make yards more bird-friendly.

Salvage citrus rinds for feeders. Poke holes along the edge of hollowed halves of grapefruit and orange peels and run twine through them so they can hang from a branch. Fill with bird seed or suet.

Create ornaments from bread heels or stale loaves. After cutting out shapes with a cookie cutter, spread them with unsalted nut butter and cover with birdseed. Bagels, rice cakes and pinecones can be frosted and sprinkled in the same way. Avoid using anything moldy. For more colorful ornaments, hang orange and apple slices.

Drape edible garland around tree branches. Thread unsalted popcorn (stale popcorn strings more easily), fresh cranberries, citrus slices, unshelled peanuts, dried apples or grapes into a garland.

Use natural string, wool or raffia for hanging decorations. Wild Birds Unlimited suggests selecting these materials so they can be used by birds as nesting materials in the spring.

Collect seed heads and berries to tuck among the branches. According to the National Wildlife Federation, good food sources include seed heads from flowers such as goldenrod, sunflower, coneflower, sumac and mullein; seed heads from grasses such as millet, wheat, foxtail and switchgrass; and berries on sprigs of holly, juniper, cedar, hawthorn and mountain ash. Make sure decorations are hung on a tree or shrub near a window so the whole family can enjoy watching the wildlife they attract.

Contributing source: The Humane Society

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globalbriefs News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all.

Bye-Bye Birdie

230 Avian Species on the National Watch List Scientists from 23 organizations, including the federal government, universities and conservation groups, have spent years on the State of the Birds Study, looking at 230 species of birds from different habitats compiling its watch list. Peter Marra, a migratory bird specialist at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Zoo, in Washington, D.C., attributes the population drops of the birds in the most trouble to disappearing habitat or reduced range.

Some coastal birds are doing better, and previously endangered wetland birds are recovering due to laws that are protecting them. Marra says, “These populations come back when we create the habitat. The report emphasizes that it’s better to focus on birds that aren’t yet in decline and keep them that way.”

Ken Rosenberg, a bird biologist at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, in Ithaca, New York, and an author of the report, says that hunters, as well as conservationists, deserve credit for preserving ducks. He acknowledges, “We’ve put a tremendous amount of resources and money into wetland and waterfowl conservation because of the hunters that contribute financially.”

But lots of songbirds are in trouble, and Florida, where bird habitat is disappearing fast, is a crucial stopover for migrating birds. It’s the kind of place that birds both common and endangered urgently need to survive.

Source: National Public Radio

Cultural Roots

Status of Religious Diversity in the U.S. The United States is often described as a religiously free and diverse country, but a new Pew Research Center study reveals that 95 percent of the populace identifies itself as either Christian or unaffiliated (atheist, agnostic or having no particular religion). This ranks the U.S. 68 out of 232 countries and territories in the Pew Religious Diversity Index. Singapore is the world’s most religiously diverse country, followed by Taiwan and Vietnam.

The study treats Christian denominations as members of the same religion, which if counted separately, would increase the ranking. But Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Judaism all have internal diversity, as well, and are considered as single religions in the study.

There’s an important distinction between religious diversity and religious freedom, which the report does not measure. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right to free exercise of religion, which is not always the case in other countries.

Source: PewResearch.org 18

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Youth Activists

World Peace Caravan to Travel in the Middle East in 2015 The World Peace Caravan, founded by the nonprofit D. Gary Young Foundation, is a global peace movement scheduled to conduct a 12-day camel caravan from Petra, Jordan, to Jerusalem, Israel, from December 15 to 26, 2015. It will be spearheaded by a delegation of 12 youth ambassadors, ages 16 to 24, selected from a worldwide pool of candidates.

Their goal is to foster an online youth community to provide young people everywhere a platform to share ideas, voice opinions and educate and learn from their peers.

The youths intend to collaborate on solutions-centered projects to help eradicate poverty and hunger, ensure environmental sustainability and attain healthy lives for all.

Inspired by a recurring vision, D. Gary Young, CEO of Young Living Essential Oils, chose the ancient Frankincense Trail upon which the Queen of Sheba once journeyed to bring peace offerings to King Solomon. This modern-day journey for peace invites people of all cultures, faiths and backgrounds to retrace the steps of that pioneering peace movement, culminating in a blockbuster World Peace Caravan Concert for Peace in Jerusalem.

For more information, visit WorldPeaceCaravan.org.

Planet Power

Scientists May Harvest Energy from Earth’s Infrared Emissions Physicists at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) are developing a device described in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that would harvest energy from Earth’s infrared emissions into outer space. The power is modest, but tangible. Steven J. Byrnes, a postdoctoral fellow at SEAS, points out, “The device could be coupled with a solar cell, for example, to obtain extra power at night without extra installation costs.”

Heated by the sun, our planet is very warm compared to the frigid depths of space. Thanks to recent technological advances such as plasmonics and nanofabrication, and new materials like graphene, the researchers say this heat imbalance could soon be transformed into direct current (DC) power, taking advantage of an untapped, virtually limitless energy source.

Source: ScienceDaily.com

Green Envy

Don’t Be So Quick to Bash the Rich A survey at social research site Queendom.com reveals that stereotypes of the richest class of society as being uniformly selfish individuals are not entirely accurate. It seems that having money does not necessarily mean that a person has an overactive ego. Actor Will Smith, with an estimated net worth of $200 million, observes, “Money and success don’t change people; they merely amplify what is already there.”

Queendom data shows a difference of only a few percentage points between respondents of varying income levels in matters of altruism such as doing and returning favors, putting themselves in others’ shoes, sympathy and empathy. The area where those in a higher socioeconomic status rank at the top is in charitable contributions.

Ilona Jerabek, president of parent company PsychTests AIM, says, “Our personality impacts every aspect of our life—the choices we make, the people we surround ourselves with, the career we pursue, the way we respond to life experiences, the way we manage our finances and whether or not we share our good fortune.”

Take the survey at Tinyurl.com/AltruismTest.

Feeding Hope

Recognizing Restaurants that Support the Homeless Food Recovery Certified is a new program that rewards restaurants that donate their extra food to those in need with a sticker on their front door.

It’s a project of The Food Recovery Network, a national system of college students that takes cafeteria leftovers to homeless people. Founder Ben Simon started the group in 2011 at the University of Maryland, and the network has saved more than 320,000 pounds of food from the dump in its first three years.

If a restaurant donates unsold food to the hungry at least once a month, it can apply for the certification. Then Food Recovery Certified verifies with local nonprofits that the donations actually occur before awarding its approval. Simon states, “Every food business should be donating its extra food.”

Bamboo Bamboozle ‘Green’ Clothing Made with Toxic Chemicals

Bamboo is rapidly renewable and requires few pesticides to grow. However, bamboo fabric manufacturing is a chemically intensive process that doesn’t provide clear and legitimate product labeling. Misleadingly using the terms eco-friendly and green becomes greenwashing when applied to items such as bamboo clothing.

As the Fair Trade Commission describes the overall process, “Most bamboo textile products, if not all, are actually rayon, which typically is made using environmentally toxic chemicals.

While different plants, including bamboo, can be used as a source material to create rayon, there’s no trace of the original plant in the finished rayon product.”

This example points out the public vigilance required to secure more sustainable, environmentally friendly products. Third-party verification of all claims is recommended. Products made of the bamboo stalk itself, such as poles for furniture or planks for flooring, remain true to their naturally sustainable source.

Source: Tinyurl.com/Organic BambooFraud

I long to see you so that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift. ~St. Paul

For more information, visit FoodRecoveryCertified.org. natural awakenings

December 2014

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Sacred Activism Love in Action Can Change the World

by Judith Fertig

Fe, New Mexico, that’s also reflected in his book, The Hope: A Guide to Sacred Activism. Born in India, educated at England’s Oxford University and in the religious traditions of Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity, he now resides in Melbourne, Arkansas, where he’s founder and director of the Institute for Sacred Activism. The goal of his international travel is to bring concerned people together to proactively face global crises.

Says Harvey, “Sacred activism is a fusion of two of the most powerful fires of the human psyche—the mystic’s passion for God and the activist’s passion for justice.”

Hallmarks of Spiritual Intent

“Sacred activism is the fusion of the mystic’s passion for God with the activist’s passion for justice, creating the burning sacred heart that longs to help, preserve and nurture every living thing.” ~ Andrew Harvey

T

he butterfly, a universal symbol of transformation, reminds us that becoming our best selves is an ongoing process. Yet these delicate, fluttering creatures are suffering a decline, especially the vivid orange and black monarch butterflies that depend on milkweed flowers for sustenance during their migration to and from Mexico and Canada.

“When I heard about the monarch butterfly crisis, I also noticed that I had milkweed vines all along my back fence,” says Karen Adler, a Kansas City, Missouri, gardener. “In years past, I would have pulled them out because

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they can strangle other plants. But I talked it over with my neighbor and we agreed to let them grow. This year, we had more monarchs than ever.”

These two women might not realize it, but they had engaged in spiritual activism. They became aware of a problem, approached it with compassion, learned about the issue, realized life’s interdependence and committed themselves to positive action for a result that is good for all.

It’s a process that Andrew Harvey first described in a 2005 talk he gave at the Santuario de Guadalupe, in Santa

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

The Awakening – Progressing from concerned citizen to spiritual activist is a gradual process. It may begin with an issue to which one feels called. “Our life in the world is a continual call and response,” observes Kabir Helminski, of Santa Cruz, California. He authors and translates books on the Muslim Sufi tradition, which tends to have an open relationship with other religions, and is a core faculty member of the Spiritual Paths Institute, which encourages seekers to find the sacred traditions that speak to them.

“Sometimes events are a waking dream calling for interpretation, and sometimes the heart is directly addressed from within,” says Helminski.

Compassion – Once an event moves us, prayer can be a pathway that opens our hearts to compassion, according to Jagadish Dass, of Granada Hills, California. The healer and teacher wrote The Prayer Project: The 3-Minute, 3 Times a Day Solution for World Change, which encourages involvement with something bigger than ourselves.

Dass maintains that praying for three minutes, three times a day, will help us transmute into expressing a quiet power. “As we take responsibility for our lives, a transformation occurs within,” he says. We begin to inspire others to also take up the cause of working for change and bringing more peace, joy and love to the world.

Likewise, Harvey urges each of us to make a real commitment to daily spiritual practice on the road to

“When you put spirit and activism together, you realize that all actions are connected to spirit. It makes you think about your duty in every instance—from how you treat people throughout your day to how you treat the environment. It becomes a satisfying way of living.” ~ Carla Goldstein spiritual activism. He suggests, “Start with a short prayer that aligns you with the pure deep love that is longing to use you as its instrument in the world.”

Options include prayers from many of the world’s spiritual traditions shared in Dass’ book; a free download is provided at StewardshipOfTheSoul.com.

Interconnectedness – Just as everything in the universe is connected by the simple act of being, like-minded people can connect to do good in the world. Sacred activists pursuing their own spiritual paths need to work with others, according to Harvey. “They form empowering and encouraging networks of grace—beings of like heart, brought together by passion, skill and serendipity to pool energies, triumphs, griefs, hopes and resources of all kinds. When people of like mind and heart gather together, sometimes miraculously powerful synergy can result.”

Harvey has found that groups of six to 12 people become the most efficient and productive, whether joined together through a profession (such as physicians on medical missions), a passion for animal rights or the environment, or a strong sense of social justice.

Knowledge – Knowledge, both inward- and outward-seeking, is another key to doing good for all. Carla Goldstein, JD, chief external affairs officer at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, in Rhinebeck, New York, and cofounder of its Women’s Leadership

Center, used her interest in women’s empowerment issues as a springboard to spiritual activism.

“For the first 20 years of my professional life, I focused on public policy and politics,” she says. “But something was missing in the rhetoric of taking care of each other.” Practicing yoga and meditation and receiving support during a personal health crisis prompted what she terms “an awakening understanding of a gap between personal change and systems change.” Goldstein came to question her own “rugged individualism” versus the interconnectedness she felt when people took care of her. “Can we actually move towards integrating these two ideals?” she asked herself. Knowledge about issues is readily available from experts and organizations that experts recommend; she observes, “The big question is: What is needed for us to be of help?”

Sometimes listening and understanding can be powerful. Under the auspices of the Omega Women’s Leadership Center, Goldstein invited women on both sides of the reproductive rights issue to meet in 2005. They had been part of the Public Conversations Project in the Boston suburb of Watertown, Massachusetts, begun after medical staff members were killed and wounded at an area women’s health clinic providing abortions in 1994.

“Women from the divided community initially came together to tell their

stories,” Goldstein relates. “Over time, they developed a deep love for each other. Nobody changed their positions, but they did change how they interacted with one another.” They experienced a shift from emotional and verbal turbulence to, if not agreement, feelings of peace and understanding. Since then, the project has grown to facilitate such conversations in 38 states and 15 countries (PublicConversations.org).

Positive Action – While many thorny issues take long-term, dedicated efforts to be resolved, others only need smaller individual or collaborative actions for positive outcomes. For Mark Nepo, a New York City poet, philosopher and author of the New York Times bestseller, The Book of Awakening, kindness is the force behind positive action, no matter how modest at first.

“Kindness reveals kinship. It gives us connection to everything greater than us and everything else that is kind in the universe,” he says. “I think it’s powerfully effective, yet it’s such a small thing.”

Nepo is active in Bread for the Journey, an international nonprofit that encourages community grassroots philanthropic projects that generate microgrants. One involved a small town in northern New Mexico that sought to improve the lives of local teenagers when the town’s elders wanted to open a youth center as a positive alternative to the drug scene. Just before the center was scheduled to open, the project ran out of money for required floodlights, so Bread for the Journey funded them and the center opened. “Within a few years, the whole culture shifted,” reports Nepo. This small contribution made a big difference to the whole community.

Once awakened and nurtured, spiritual activism can become an omnipresent part of our lives. Says Goldstein, “When you put spirit and activism together, you realize that all actions are connected to spirit. It makes you think about your duty in every instance—from how you treat people throughout your day to how you treat the environment. It becomes a satisfying way of living.”

Judith Fertig is a freelance writer from Overland Park, KS.

natural awakenings

December 2014

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How Hands Uplift Hearts

by Sandra Murphy

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olunteering provides rewarding satisfaction and progress for adults and children alike. Seniors stay involved and parents work alongside kids to experience the value of helping others.

Local places of worship often maintain a list of opportunities to serve a community through helping and healing ministries and special projects. The Red Cross is best known for supplying aid in emergency situations, but many needs are year-round (RedCross.org).

A call to city hall can steer willing participants to the right local organization.

Here are other examples from around the country and nearby to spark loveinspired ideas.

meditation or restorative yoga, work the front desk, read to preschoolers and do fundraising.

People

Environment

Meals on Wheels does much more than deliver lunches to those in need (mowaa.org).

In Austin, Texas, the Healthy Options Program for the Elderly program brings a bag of groceries monthly to clients most nutritionally at risk, plus Groceries to Go volunteers shop for or with clients every two weeks. Minor safety-related home repairs are provided through the Handy Wheels project.

In Seattle, community helpers paint classrooms, install new playground equipment and donate books and supplies at the city’s public schools.

Berkley, California, YMCA volunteers teach classes like mindful

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

Animals

Homeless dogs in shelters learn leash manners while participating in the Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound program at South Carolina’s Aiken County Animal Shelter. Leashes and treats are supplied to encourage volunteers to walk dogs at least once a week. It’s healthy exercise for both dogs and humans. To calculate the calorie burn, visit Tinyurl. com/WalkOffCalories. Shelter cats need socialization, too. Visits that include playtime and gentle petting make them more adoptable.

New York Cares has family projects available with no minimum age requirement (NYCares.org). Either on an ongoing or a one-day basis, volunteers improve parks, plant community gardens and refresh public spaces. Trails require refurbishing after bad weather.

Streams and waterways need a good cleanup after floods. Check with the park ranger for more information.

With a little research, volunteers can find the right activity, whatever their location, interest, age or abilities. Another good place to start is VolunteerMatch. org, which is easy to search by zip code and personal interests. A perfect opportunity to help others awaits.

doityourself

and ankles. Rinse and dry your feet before attempting to walk around since they will be slippery.

Once you have created these spa products, there are a number of fun ways to package them for gift giving.

You can find a variety of baskets at yard sales, craft stores or thrift shops. Just add some paper shred or other natural fill (available at craft stores) to the bottom of the basket to prop up your items.

Or use a small reusable metal tub or plastic tub, which can also be filled with shred. You can also display your products on a metal or wooden tray, securing the items with tape, covering in cellulose wrap and topping it off with a ribbon or bow. Happy Holidays!

Handmade Holiday Gifts Make Handcrafted Natural Spa Products

by Mary Kearns, Ph.D.

I

f you enjoy giving one-of-a-kind gifts to friends and family, handmade spa products are a fun and practical choice. With just a couple of hours of your time, you can make a set of luscious handcrafted items using ingredients readily available at your local natural food store.

Following are some simple spa recipes. Each includes the necessary ingredients, as well as instructions you can include on labels for your giftees.

If you want to get creative, you can experiment with different essential oils Soothing Massage Oil – Combine 1 cup almond, grape seed or jojoba oil with a teaspoon of lavender essential oil.

Add the contents of a vitamin E capsule as a natural preservative/skin soother and stir until well blended. Pour into a clean, dry bottle. Instructions: Use as a massage oil or put a few drops in your bath. You can also massage into skin before a steamy shower.

Natural Clay Facial Masque – Thoroughly combine 3/4 cup cosmetic clay (e.g., French Green, Moroccan, Kaolin) with 2 tablespoons rice bran and 2 tablespoons finely ground herbs (e.g., calendula, chamomile, lavender, rose).

Place in a clean, dry jar. Instructions: Mix one tablespoon of masque with enough water, orange juice, yogurt or herbal tea to make a paste. Apply evenly to face and neck, avoiding eyes.

Leave on for about 10 minutes. Rinse with clear warm water.

Mary Kearns’ mission in life is to make the world a happier, healthier, bettersmelling place. As founder of Herban Lifestyle, she fulfills this goal through the creation of high-quality skincare products crafted with certified organic and fair trade ingredients. She holds a doctorate in psychology, with a focus on behavioral health. See ad, page 31.

Fragrant Bath Salts – Blend 1 cup course sea salt with 2 teaspoons floral or herbal essential oil (e.g., rose, geranium, eucalyptus, lavender). For color, you can add a tablespoon dried herbs or flowers (e.g., rose, calendula, lavender) to the mix. Package in a clean dry jar or bottle.

Instructions: Pour 1/4 to 1/2 cup of salts into the bath for a delicious-smelling experience that calms the mind and smoothes the skin. Or pour a little into large bowl and soothe your feet before giving yourself a pedicure.

Minty Foot Scrub – Mix 1/2 cup sea salt, 1/2 cup cane sugar, 1/4 cup sunflower or safflower oil, 1 teaspoon dried mint, and 1/2 teaspoon peppermint essential oil until well combined.

Package in a clean, dry jar with a wide enough mouth for scooping out the scrub. Instructions: Place a small amount of scrub in the palm of your hand and scrub over moistened feet natural awakenings

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Mindfulness and Compassion Awakening the Dormant Parts of the Brain

by Dr. Chas Gant, M.D., Ph.D.

A

s more and more people practice various forms of meditation (contemplation and self-reflection), there seems to be an increasing appreciation that mindfulness is a completely separate faculty of consciousness, independent of the other four faculties: cognition (thought and visualizations), emotion and intuition, behavior and kinesthetic-related activity and sensation (the five senses).

Mindfulness-based psychotherapies are becoming popular and are being combined with many kinds of earlier approaches such as cognitive therapy—now being relabeled as mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). Formal, peerreviewed, psychological testing instruments can measure improvements in the psychological and behavioral function of patients who have engaged in mindfulness-based therapies, and are even being standardized to measure the facets of mindfulness itself.

More recently, mindfulness is being appreciated as not only a faculty of consciousness—an experience—but also as a faculty which is conferred by certain brain regions. Neuroimagery studies have demonstrated dramatic changes in brain function of mindfulness practitioners, especially in the prefrontal cortex and associated structures.

Activation of the prefrontal cortex modulates anger and fear in the limbic regions of the brain, the experience of somatic pain via gating mechanisms in the thalamus, behavioral compul-

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sions emanating from primitive reptilian structures (striatal cortex), fight/flight sympathetic discharges from the brain stem and the talkativeness of the intellect via feed-forward and feedback loops to cortical columns in the gray matter of the cerebral cortex. This all suggests that we are inherently designed to be using a part of our brain’s anatomy which appears to be relatively dormant in most people.

That we have a whole region of our brain which is specialized to make us compassionate and tolerant, and less aggressive and fearful may, at first, seem astonishing, but its evolutionary value is obvious. Our whole social order depends on it. The prefrontal cortex is widely understood to be closely affiliated and perhaps “evolved from” the more recently appearing structures in the emotional limbic regions of higher mammals which confer the abilities to express playfulness, caressiveness and tenderness. Dogs and cats will express these qualities which we loosely define as loving tendencies and hamsters don’t—they simply don’t have the brain structures to act that way.

Who can deny that our world needs a little more playfulness, caressiveness, tenderness and compassion? Knowing that we have the right stuff already built into our brain anatomy ready to launch these attributes, which apparently lies dormant much of the time as demonstrated with neuroimagery studies, changes the whole perspective. The reason that there is not enough love in the world or that many

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

people don’t seem to express it enough, may have nothing to do with some innate fault of human beings. It may have more to do with the scientific fact that certain inherent neurological potential built into our central nervous systems was never trained and activated.

If one does not practice musical expression, the right-sided, temporal regions of the brain won’t be trained to confer musical talent. The premotor and motor regions won’t gear up if they are not trained to do their thing—drive athletic talent and dance expression. Without education, imagine what would become of the non-frontal cerebral cortex and its ability to intellectually process information. No one would have an IQ over 80.

Our prefrontal cortex is like any other brain region that specializes in various faculties. It is a gift, but if it is not exercised, it does not develop the skills that it is designed to express.

Googling “mindfulness education in schools” gets about 34,000 hits.

Believe it or not, enormous resources and research are being devoted to educating children about mindfulness and the development of their relatively dormant, frontal structures. Congressman Tim Ryan, author of A Mindful Nation, has promoted mindfulness practice in Congress and has supported the delivery of mindfulness education to at-need populations, including veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and children in inner city public schools.

With the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, possibly bioengineered germs like Ebola and Lyme, mass extinctions of animals in many ecosystems and the deaths of perhaps 500 million humans in the last century of wars, there may never have been a better time in history to wake up and train a dormant part of our anatomy that is designed to make us more compassionate.

Further complicating the awakening of our dormant brain is research which suggests that the prefrontal cortex is one of the most vulnerable regions of the brain to concussions, heavy metals like lead and mercury and other toxicities, infections like Lyme disease and HIV, metabolic imbalances like hypoglycemia, allergies like gluten sensitivity and genetic vulnerabilities to all of these brain stressors. The skillful treatment of these causes

There may never have been a better time in history to wake up and train a dormant part of our anatomy that is designed to make us more compassionate. of common medical and psychiatric disorders guided by functional medicine genomic testing is not only important to get good outcomes in a medical practice, but also to strengthen prefrontal cortex activity to then be able to apply it the matters discussed here.

Exercising, consuming organic food, drinking filtered water and getting good sleep are not lifestyle changes that are associated with the culturing of compassion, but they have neurological consequences for brain function and therefore, they most certainly are important factors.

This holiday season, take a little time to balance out those highly skilled survival abilities, and amid all the hectic hustle and bustle, carve out some quiet, awarenessoriented moments. Eat and drink sensibly and get enough rest. Random acts of kindness are always golden opportunities too. When little miracles happen—and of course they happen all the time—know that in fact, an important part of your brain anatomy is charging up and doing exactly what it is designed to do.

All the stories of love and kindness running through our myths, culture, religions, art and literature are no longer just about someone’s philosophies and opinions. It’s now about hard, neurological, anatomical fact—it’s about what you physically are and what we are all intended to be.

Dr. Chas Gant, M.D., Ph.D, is an author, physician and practitioner, specializing in functional medicine, molecular health and healing. For more information, call 202-237-7000, ext. 104 or visit DoctorChas.com. See ad, page 8.

To hear Dr. Chas speak on this topic, attend the free seminar on Dec. 11 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., with discussion beginning at 7 p.m. in Tenleytown. For more information see ad, page 46.

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December 2014

25

wisewords

Opening Up to Miracles Gabrielle Bernstein on Creating More Happiness

Integrated branding and coaching for visionary professionals and organizations

by April Thompson

M Grace Ogden has decades of experience in Washington, DC, and a diverse international network in wellness, spirituality and social change. Her team serves leaders, nonprofits and publishers with: n

Strategic marketing

n

Business development

n

Events

Contact Grace to find out how she can help you grow.

FLI www.graceproductions.co grace@graceproductions.co (301) 445-6771

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otivational speaker and bestselling author Gabrielle Bernstein knows the gravitational pull of addiction firsthand. Although introduced to spiritual practices from an early age, she turned away from that upbringing in her 20s, pulled instead into a vortex of drugs, alcohol and unhealthy relationships while running a public relations firm promoting Manhattan nightclubs. After hitting rock bottom at age 25, Bernstein made the unwavering decision to seek spiritual help and change her life.

The entrepreneurial young woman found her groove as a spiritual teacher, introducing millions to new ways of thinking and living through her books, lectures, blogs and videos. Her nononsense approach to spirituality and knack for making practices like meditation and prayer accessible to beginners and cynics have attracted a new generation of seekers. Bernstein’s latest book, Miracles Now:108 Life-Changing Tools for Less Stress, More Flow, and Finding Your True Purpose, offers simple, yet powerful tips to short-circuit unhealthy thought patterns and take a shortcut to transformational change.

Why do you reframe a miracle as simply a shift in perception?

Shifting your perception and choosing again is a core principle from A Course in Miracles, a metaphysical text that I study and teach from. When you choose

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

to reorganize your belief system and align it with a loving, forgiving perspective, rather than a fear-based reality, that’s when miracles can happen.

Some people shift away from a harmful relationship with addictive drugs and alcohol like you did, while others take such unhealthy behaviors to the grave; what makes the difference?

Often when we get caught in unhealthy behavior, we aren’t willing to ask for help. I think the reason I was able to leave those behaviors behind and create a new path was my willingness to live a different way. I was able to witness my life and see that it wasn’t working. It’s an ongoing process; I’ve been on my current path of turning to spiritual principles for many years, but I’m still constantly working to apply them throughout my moment-tomoment experiences.

How does meditation help create radical change?

I think meditation is a key tool for health, happiness and well-being. It can help reorganize the nervous system, lower stress levels, calm the mind and recalibrate energy. It can help us experience more synchronicity in our lives and a greater sense of interconnectedness, as well.

What do you struggle with the most and what personal miracle are you still trying to realize?

I’m in constant conversation with myself over my thoughts and beliefs about judgment and separation. People are programmed by society to believe we are separate and to judge ourselves and others. My practice suggests a reinterpretation of that general belief system in order to perceive things differently. I also try to forgive limiting thoughts I was holding onto; for example, judging myself for not performing well at a lecture.

Talking too much in conversations is a big challenge for me. A practice in my Miracles Now book called WAIT, for “Why am I talking?” reminds me to notice when I’m saying too much, commenting unnecessarily or not supporting the greater good.

How do you think about money, and has that proven helpful in broader terms?

I believe that we have the power to attract healthier relationships in our financial circumstances in the same way that we have the power to attract healthier relationships with people in our lives. Some people think that you can’t both be spiritual and secure financial abundance; I think that’s nonsense. When you start to reorganize your beliefs around your self-worth and capacity to earn, and open up to your intuitive voice and the creative possibilities for earning, then your financial situation can change dramatically. I have lived that principle fully. I was brought up in a poverty mindset, but with a shift in perception, I was able to release my fears of financial insecurity.

Do you have a go-to practice that you reach for first when faced with a difficult situation?

When I’m faced with a complicated situation or feeling powerless, I say a prayer in stillness. Such a practice asks through prayer and listens through meditation.

It’s in that stillness that I can hear the voice of intuition and the voice of forgiveness, and love can come forward.

Connect with freelance writer April Thompson at AprilWrites.com. natural awakenings

December 2014

27

healthypets

Energy Healing for Pets Consider Alternative Methods of Healing For Your Furry Friends This Season

by Sherry Dmytrewycz

P

ets, like people, have an energy body as well as a physical body and therefore, respond well to energy healing approaches. Energy healing has proven effective for animals, whether they are emotionally upset, ill, injured, having behavioral issues, are structurally out of alignment or need clearing of negative past experiences that may be affecting their overall well-being.

Pet owners typically need to use their pet’s behavior as a clue that their pet is in need of assistance. Some clues may be as simple as loss of appetite or loss of interest in usual activities or as major as an obvious injury or trauma. There might also be a sudden

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onset of destructive or anxious behaviors or excessive barking. More subtle clues may involve a recent change in family routines or residence, a new or missing person in the house or unusual physical behaviors.   It is also important to be aware of the particular problems to which the breed of animal may be prone, so the owner can watch and regularly check these areas.

For example, poodles may be prone to neck or cervical disc issues, hip dysplasia, ear or eye problems or genetic diseases.

Once you know that the pet needs assistance, consider working with an intuitive energy healer. Much of this

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

kind of work is done as distance healing, which means that the animal does not leave the comfort of the home. The energy healer tunes into where the problem areas are and provides healing energies to resolve the issues. During an intuitive energy healing session, the pet may just calmly stay in one place or even fall asleep. All animals are very sensitive and respond quickly to this kind of healing work. Most animal healing sessions last for only an hour but a lot can be accomplished in this amount of time.

Many energy healers use animal communication skills to calm the animal and reassure them that what they are feeling during a session will not do them any harm. One specialty is structural energy alignment which means the healer energetically realigns the vertebrae and joints and does a cranial sacral-type adjustment. There are very few veterinarians trained in chiropractic or cranial sacral work. Structural energy alignment is very much in demand for most animals need alignment.

It is important to note that animals are affected by what is going on with their owners and will often take on the exact same alignment issues, personalities and sometimes even disease of their owners because of their unconditional love for them. It is recommended that owners have some energy work done also, to eliminate some or all of what may be affecting the animal.

Sherry Dmytrewycz is an intuitive energy healer, with a specialty in structural energy alignment, providing both hands-on and distance healing sessions. For more information, visit HealingGateway.com or call 877-5345534. See ad, page 35.

healthykids

Can-Do Kids Changing Our World at Any Age

by Ellen Sabin

n Giving to other people is important, but the planet needs us, too. You can practice giving by picking up litter, recycling and even turning off lights when you leave a room. When we pay attention to the environment around us, we can learn how to respond in a giving way.

Ellen Sabin is the founder and president of Watering Can Press (WateringCanPress. com), a publishing company committed to growing kids with character. Her series of award-winning books include The Giving Book: Open the Door to a Lifetime of Giving; The Greening Book: Being a Friend to Planet Earth; and The Healthy Body Book: Caring for the Coolest Machine You’ll Ever Own.

Fun Activity Who’s Been Giving to You?

This article is written especially for young readers eager to embrace the true spirit of the holiday season. Sharing it with them can help cultivate a lifelong practice of giving.

H

ave you ever seen someone do something that changed a situation from bad to good?

Maybe your parents helped someone whose car broke down, or a teacher spent extra time after class helping you with schoolwork.

No matter your age, where you live or what you own, you have the power to do good, too. What you do can make other people happy and make the world a better place. Here are some ideas to help you figure out how. n A good place to start is to think about what’s important to you. This will help you find a way of giving back that you’ll enjoy and want to do again and again. For example, if you love taking care of animals, offer to walk an elderly person’s dog for them. If you get sad when you think about someone being lonely, visit a neighbor that lives alone

or send a special card to a relative as a way to show your love. n It’s nice to help strangers, but you can also do little things close to home that’ll make life easier and better for your family. You can call your grandma to say hello, help your mom or dad with the dishes or play a favorite game with your little sister or brother. n You can also use your own special talents to help others. If you are a good cook, bake a healthy holiday treat to bring to someone that is feeling sick. You can read out loud a story to a younger child. If you’re strong and have lots of energy, you can help your neighbor take out the trash or do other household chores. n You can have fun and make an even bigger difference by doing good things with others. One way to get your friends excited about joining you is to plan a “Giving Party”. Ask your parents to help you download a free guide (WateringCanPress.com/html/ parents.html) that has fun ideas and activities for creating a holiday-time or birthday party or rainy day get-together.

Whether it’s time, love or things, the people around us give to us all the time.

Sometimes we don’t stop to think about what people do for us, so we forget to say, “Thank you.” Appreciating what people give us is just as important as giving to others.

Here are some questions to ask yourself. After you have answered each question, think about what you can do to thank people for their kindness.

Who shared with you? What did they share?

Who taught you something? What did they teach you?

Who showed you love? How did they show you love?

Who made you happy? How did they make you happy?

Source: Adapted excerpt from The Giving Book: Open the Door to a Lifetime of Giving by Ellen Sabin.

natural awakenings

December 2014

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oneonone

than most of us. How I live these days is more determined by how tired I am, because I have a daughter who has just turned three. Like most of us, I just try to get through my day.

GO: How do you experience the connection between spirituality and creativity?

BC: I like to think that, at least in the best situations, I’m a conduit for something. A case in point is “Each One Lost”, from the last album. I was at a Middle East air base, en route to Kandahar, when I witnessed the Ramp Ceremony for two Canadian soldiers whose remains were being transported home. The scene was so vivid, even days later that the song came quickly and purely to me. There wasn’t much intellectual manipulation. It was flowing and the music came quickly too.

Rumours of Glory

An Interview with Musician Bruce Cockburn

by Grace Ogden

I

n the 2013 documentary Pacing the Cage, Bono calls Bruce Cockburn a “Zen songwriter, singer, activist, psalmist…” Now the celebrated Canadian folk-rock artist has published Rumours of Glory, a memoir tracing the spiritual current that drives his art, activism and personal evolution. In it, he reveals how the alchemical power of creativity, spirituality and openness transformed a shy, musical boy into an unabashed lover of the divine whose 31 albums have topped charts and earned him the honor Officer of the Order of Canada. Cockburn’s songs of rainforest destruction, erotic bliss and the moral duality of war are known to make grown men weep and cheer—and women long for more men like him.

Born in Ottawa in 1945, Cockburn now lives in San Francisco with his human rights attorney wife and their young daughter, grateful for a second chance to be a good dad.

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Cockburn recently spoke with Grace Ogden of Natural Awakenings about spiritual awareness and the natural creative force—and how the mix flows through his art and activism.

GO: A sense of sacred reverence mixes with the erotic in many of your lyrics. Do you find a spiritual energy in your daily life?

BC: As long as I can remember, I felt the centrality of the spiritual aspects of life. Just getting laid isn’t a spiritual act, but the connection with another person that brings the spiritual part into it can approach transcendence.

The song, “Lovers in a Dangerous Time”, talks about “spirits open to the thrust of grace.” The suggestive image is about the spirit. The written works of Saint John of the Cross, Rumi and other mystics are very erotic. They were privileged to be more open to the divine

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

GO: The song refrain is, “Each one lost is a vital part of you and me.” In the book, you say, “If you want something from me, get it now.” You accept the impact you’re having, how people value you and your music. Many of us struggle with meaning in what we do. What has your journey been like?

BC: There’s been a gradual change in perspective over the years. At first, the internal dialogue was, “What if people don’t like it? Well, I don’t want to be deterred from what I’m doing because I’m afraid of that, so don’t pay attention to it.” Eventually, that wore off. I’m very grateful for the feedback I get from people—of the deeper kind especially.

There’s a sense of affirmation, which doesn’t happen when I’m playing the song for me in a room—though that has a different reward.

GO: To have meaningful impact, is it fair to say we have to let suffering work in us­—but with a deeper awareness?

BC: It’s fair, if you include the notion that the suffering is not always my suffering, but the ability to empathize with others. I think we all hunger for a degree of openness and some people have it naturally and some don’t. And those of

us who don’t, want it. When something comes along like the encounter with Cambodian refugees, which I found terribly moving or my native peers in western Canada, I think, “Holy Geez, I worry about the stuff I worry about and carry the baggage I have to carry, but these folks have a whole other level of pain, intrusion on their psyche.” So the extent that I didn’t do anything to get this, I’ve always had a certain ability to empathize. Painful experience can shut you down. Trauma’s not a good thing. You have to be a little cautious about assigning too much benefit to suffering in the spiritual sense.

GO: Are you saying being an artist on a spiritual path helps make you aware of where to press for change?

BC: It’s what I’ve always thought I was doing and the more I know, the better it gets and the deeper it goes. That’s the point, I think. Otherwise, it’s just showing off.

GO: Your fans love you be-

cause of the unity or deeper aliveness that comes through your music. One macho devotee calls you “a kindred spirit”.

BC: I’d like to think there is that sense, but it’s not through any fault of mine. My counselor said, “You’ve kind of gone backward, putting all this real stuff out there without the benefit of having all the experience.”

I feel like I’ve always been aware of this potential, and any artist has to assume there will be an audience. Otherwise, why would you perform? If I hadn’t felt that, maybe I’d be a side man or something else that didn’t invite so much attention. Maybe it’s a hunger, a desire a longing for connection to a deeper community—the human community that does transcend all cultures and faiths. One of the challenges among many for me is to separate the cultural baggage.

That can be tough to do, but it’s the goal. The big cosmic picture allows for fractals and the randomness. Stuff happens because it’s been set in mo-

tion that way, in ways I’m not going to grasp, but I operate on that basis.

For more information about Bruce Cockburn, visit BruceCockburn.com.

For the full interview with Cockburn, visit NaturalAwakeningsDC.com.

Grace Ogden is the founder of Grace Productions, which offers transformational strategic consulting and Living Sacred events. Visit: GraceProductions. co. See ad, page 26.

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December 2014

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practitionerspotlight

Jonathan Gilbert Seeking to Bring Clarity to the Field of Acupuncture

by Samantha Hudgins

A

cupuncture is a medical procedure with a lot of myth and misunderstanding surrounding it in the United States. Jonathan Gilbert, head of The Gilbert Clinic, is working to bring a greater understanding to this medical field.

The most prevalent misunderstanding about acupuncture is its comparison to a drug. Acupuncture is actually a medical procedure more closely resembling surgery and, according to Gilbert, is “most likely the safest procedure that involves breaking the skin.” Knowledge that acupuncture is not a drug may seem obvious since it does not add anything into the body, but when tested in medical studies, it is currently treated as such. This may account for another common misconception that acupuncture is just a placebo.

Acupuncture is not a placebo, and in some cases, may be a patient’s only chance for pain relief. A majority of The Gilbert Clinic’s patients come in to treat peripheral neuropathy, a painful tingling in the extremities that is often associated with diabetes. There is no cure for peripheral neuropathy and the only drugs prescribed for those suffering from it are formulated for other illnesses and can have terrible side effects. Acupuncture has few to no side effects. Other ailments The Gilbert Clinic treats are stress, arthritis, headaches and pain.

Though acupuncture is a narrower field and less of a broad cure-all than most realize, there are still boundaries to be pushed. Recently, Gilbert successfully completed an acupuncture protocol for dry mouth (xerostomia) that was a result of radiation treatment for throat cancer.

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NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

The Gilbert Clinic has adapted one of its practices to fit acupuncture into our culture. Acupuncture is meant to be performed more than once a day for several consecutive days, but busy schedules and the western belief that doctor’s visits occur once a week to once a month have most clinic patients receiving treatment only once or twice each week.

However, the idea that acupuncture is meant to treat an ailment and be done has been kept. Once The Gilbert Clinic has restored a patient, they won’t be instructed to return. This is because—as Gilbert puts it—the focus of acupuncture is on giving the patient the best lifestyle possible—not the practitioner.

To help further dispel the mistruths and shed more light on acupuncture, Gilbert has begun hosting free seminars at the clinic. These seminars are relaxed and intimate sessions where up to 10 guests can sit and ask questions. This benefits potential patients by allowing them more time than just an appointment to get the information they need.

To provide even more information to the public about acupuncture and Chinese medicine, Gilbert has begun his own blog. Every one to two weeks Gilbert will publish a new post. A few posts will be very technical and some potentially controversial but overall his goal is to “make it relevant to the general public.”

The Gilbert Clinic is located at 7315 Wisconsin Ave., 760 East Tower, Bethesda. For more information or to follow Jonathan Gilbert’s blog, visit TheGilbertClinic.com. See ad, page 15.

businessspotlight

The Beauty is in the Mix Power Supply Offers a Range of Wholesome Meal Options

by Robin Fillmore

P

ower Supply started operation in 2011 to solve a very simple but important problem: how to give people who want to eat well close access to delicious, locally prepared, nutritious meals that are free of gluten, dairy and preservatives. Its time-starved customers, who often lack the desire to cook, value the convenience and variety that comes with a network of independent chefs and “easy button” options, such as recurring ordering and accommodations for common dietary preferences, like low carb and vegetarian.

Since then, the growing community of staff, chefs and consumers has grown together to become the region’s premier food delivery service, with no intention of slowing down. Most recently, Power Supply has been identified as a finalist in the 50 on Fire, a recognition of the most celebrated “inventors, disruptors and luminaries” within D.C.

The mix of people who make up the Power Supply community is as diverse as

the meals they offer. Key to their support is the network of independent local chefs, who each add a different tasty element to the menus offered by Power Supply.

Currently, eight chefs bring a range of culinary specialties, including Alison Swope, who has been serving the community for the past 25 years at Teaism. With Power Supply, Swope creates Asian dishes with her most important ingredients of “love, care and respect”.

There is tremendous variety within each of the menus which rotate weekly, keeping things fresh and interesting for loyal customers. In a given week, the Paleo menu (for example) offers Thai basil chicken with zucchini and mushrooms (a new offering by Chef Peter), and Cuban pulled pork with Mexican spiced carrots and parsnips from Chef Anna. Customers can rate meals and provide feedback.

One customer recently shared, “Best meal yet. I came home from the gym, turned on the tube and microwaved my dinner ready to eat by myself with kitties observ-

ing. Turned off TV, lit a candle and began reading the label with a French accent. A gourmet meal of outstanding quality.”

Built on the premise of strong communities and mutual support, Power Supply has developed an innovative affiliate program for local wellness professionals from chiropractors to trainers to health coaches, known as “mavens”, to engage others and spread the word that delicious, locally sourced food is available.

Maven Cheryl Mirabella, a health coach and wellness educator for Living Whole Health notes, “I have been so pleased with the quality of the food and service with Power Supply. Many of my clients have lost weight while enjoying the healthy fresh fare and have thanked me for the sharing this service with them.”

Ordering meals through Power Supply on their extremely user-friendly website is a piece of cake. The options are clear and the entire process takes only a few minutes. Deliveries to designated pickup spots throughout D.C., Maryland and Virginia (strategically placed at yoga studios and gyms from Baltimore to Lorton) takes place on Mondays and Thursdays.

To learn more about Power Supply and to save $10 on your first order, visit MyPower Supply.com/Natural. If you are a wellness professional interested in becoming a Maven, email MavenLove@MyPowerSupply. com. See ad, page 16.

Beauty is

whatever gives joy. ~Edna St. Vincent Millay

natural awakenings

December 2014

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bestpractices

A Green Practice

Produces Pearly Whites The DC Dentist is Committed to a Green Philosophy

by Robin Fillmore

The crowning glory of Dr. Victor’s building is the green roof, where plants absorb the rainwater and lessen the drainage into the sewers.

T

here is nothing halfway about Dr. Terry Victor, known throughout the community as “The DC Dentist”. In addition to seeing patients full-time and maintaining a monthly commitment to additional training in his field of holistic and biological dentistry, Victor is committed to generating practices that are good for business as well as the planet.

When Victor and his staff decided to relocate his thriving practice to the Eastern Market neighborhood, the opportunity was presented to create something completely new.

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As construction began in 2011, there were no other dental practices that were working in a “green” office anywhere in the Eastern United States. Working hand-in-hand with a LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) architect and designer, every component of the building that could be substituted with a more-sustainable alternative, was chosen. Even the topic of waste was considered and features of the building were maintained so as not to add more to area landfills.

The building which houses Vic-

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

Dr. Victor is committed to generating practices that are good for business as well as the planet. tor’s practice, which has been home to a number of different businesses over the years, is now decked out from floor to roof with the latest in green building materials. Starting on the ground level, the carpeting is made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled materials and the refurbished terrazzo flooring in the rest of the building is original. The decision to maintain the original flooring rather than replace it was one of the first acts of recycling. All the paint used in construction is non-volative organic compounds (no VOCs), thereby reducing the level of “interior pollution”.

Throughout the building, there are skylights to bring in the natural light and when bulbs are necessary, only high efficiency bulbs are used. A ductless heating and cooling system is used that offers lower utility bills.

The crowning glory of the building is the green roof, where plants absorb the rainwater and lessen the drainage into the sewers. The next step, according to Victor, is to design a solar energy system for the portion of the roof not planted, thereby reducing the practice’s carbon footprint even further. The milestone will be reached by the summer, according to plans.

The manner in which Victor and his staff run the practice is similarly thoughtful. The office is completely paperless, with all patient charts held electronically. Even the special X-ray machines, selected because they emit the lowest radiation possible, are read electronically to reduce the waste generated by traditional machines.

Victor’s impetus to provide a green work space complements his philosophy for providing his patients with a holistic health experience.

As he notes, “The inside and the outside—they go hand in hand. We

Dr. Terry Victor and office manager, Elise try to have a good nontoxic environment and a nontoxic environment in our patients’ mouths, so they can have the healthiest body possible.� Since opening the building in May 2012, several other dentists have shown interest in learning from the experiences of Victor and his staff.

Patients, too, have shown great interest in the green practices in the building and seek him out because of this added commitment to healthy living and sustainability.

Some even request a tour of the building, which his staff is happy to provide.

As a member of Green America, his reputation, both as an excellent dentist and as a supporter of green building practices, within the community is growing. Named as the Best Dentist in 2014 by the City Paper, The DC Dentist is changing not only the lives of his patients but also the field of dentistry by providing an example of the opportunities that dentists can explore in developing green buildings.

For more info about Dr. Victor, visit TheDCDentist.com.

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Nothing is more powerful than BELIEF in what you do.

Crowds & Climate: From Ideas to Action Climate Change Update from MIT’s Conference

by Rana Koll-Mandel

A We’re hiring Sales Staff!

Commission-based position, with great earning potential for the right person. Must be outgoing and enjoy working 1-on-1 with area businesses and have a genuine desire to help others Email your resume to

Robin@NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

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Washington, D.C.

delegation from the greater D.C. area had the honor to participate in the 2014 MIT Climate CoLab Conference, Crowds & Climate: From Ideas to Action, held in Cambridge, Massachusetts in early November. As part of this conference, the Climate Change Is Elementary (CCIE) team was one of only 34 proposals (out of 600 submitted) chosen to make presentations. CCIE conducts in-school events, to educate and empower students in grades kindergarten through eighth on protecting the environment. The program is led by educational consultant, Dave Finnigan, who has more than 30 years of experience working with students.

CCIE received the Judges’ Choice award in the category of Youth Action on climate change, answering the question:

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

“How can adults enable young people to take leadership now and make a difference against climate change?” The conference provided a platform for awardees, attendees and experts knowledgeable about science, communications, community-building, media and storytelling, and change-agents to review and comment on the proposals, thereby providing a direct benefit from the exchange of ideas and sharing of contacts.

Designed to help the winners move their ideas forward, the interactive breakout sessions showcased their concepts, while encouraging discussion from experts and attendees alike. Though proposals came from Africa, Asia, Australia and the U.S., each represented an alternative channel and opportunity to communicate the urgent yet hopeful messages about

global climate change.

Keynote speakers included Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale Project on Climate Change Communications, who is a widely recognized expert on American and international public opinion on global warming and Jeremy Grantham, founder of the Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment, which supports communication and collaboration in environmental protection with an emphasis on climate change. Expert panelists included professors from MIT, Harvard and Tufts, as well as business leaders from large and startup companies, venture capital firms, federal, state and local governments, nonprofits and community leaders from around the globe.

A few important conference takeaways—nearly 2 billion people worldwide have never heard of climate change; however, when asked about the current state of their lives, many clearly stated they understand that their lives, communities, livelihoods and local weather have already changed dramatically and continue to change. Also noted that to explain the complicated concept of climate change, it is best to keep the message simple by posting these facts to your Facebook page and tweeting them to all you know: “it’s real; it’s us; it’s bad; scientists agree and there’s hope.”

In order to create sustained recognition of climate change problems, global educational and communication efforts need to shift focus from the individual to communities, NGOs, government and businesses, who then must find common ground and work together. One of the goals of every community group should be to mobilize already existing communities, educate them about climate change and stimulate them to take action, regardless of what other beliefs the group may hold. We are all in this fight together and it is the race of our lives.

Rana Koll-Mandel, principal of WE R 1 Communications, which specializes in public relations and strategic marketing for film festivals and filmmakers, is committed to winning the propaganda war about climate change. She is media director for Climate Change Is Elementary and a founding member of 350.orgMoCo.

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firstperson

Storytelling

A Vehicle of Awakening

by Susan K. Coti

S

torytelling is the oldest art form in the history of mankind. It originated as a way to make sense of the world and to guide human behavior. The ancient myths illustrate this point along with the earliest cave paintings that documented important events in people’s lives. It grew to include fairy tales, folktales and stories that serve the purpose of pure entertainment. Stories are everywhere including television commercials.

The stories I tell are chosen for their power to inspire. As I ponder this issue’s theme of “Awakening Humanity,” I see two aspects at work: humanity already in the throes of awakening and then another, the need for humanity to awaken through deeds that are honorable and good. Josephine Tey, in her book The Daughter of Time, writes: the sorrows of humanity are no one’s sorrows, as newspaper readers long ago found out.

A frisson of horror may go down one’s spine at wholesale destruction but one’s heart stays unmoved. A thousand people drowned in floods in China are news; a solitary child drowned in a pond is tragedy.” Is humanity that hard to move, to awaken?

I believe that in the heart of everyone is a drive, even if unconscious, to be a piece of something grand, big and whole. We are not islands that are mere tips of something deeper below. We are that which is deep and mysterious, and awakening is part of our mission as human beings.

The stories I tell are chosen to inspire the deep and mysterious drive toward this belonging, toward this wholeness, and I hope they may help us to become more loving along the way. This is not to say that all my stories are serious,

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spiritual tales. I do not take myself that seriously. I love to laugh and inject that humor and playfulness into some of my stories. My repertoire is large: folktales, myths, literary tales and personal stories.

They are geared largely toward adults and families with older children, about ten years old and up. Teenagers are particularly fascinated with stories that appeal to the hero/heroine, romance and quests.

Storytelling performance is for everyone, and its resurgence is proof. A lot of storytelling is showing up at fringe festivals in cities all over the world, even right here in D.C. through Speakeasy, an organization that promotes true, personal stories and encourages everyday people to come to the stage to perform.

My brand of storytelling trends toward the traditional. I feel very connected to these tales and enjoy sharing them with others. Some of my personal stories are written in such a way that they sound like old tales.

To me, one of the most intriguing things about storytelling is that it is a visual experience, not so much an auditory one. The listener “sees” the story unfold in the mind as a movie except the film is produced for the listener’s unique perspective so that the story is as much an individual experience as a communal one. A good story told well can have transformative effects for everyone who listens. Stories unite people and provide an experience that helps to awaken the humanity in all of us. Perhaps I could share a tale or two with you one day.

Susan K. Coti has worked as a regional storyteller for the past 15 years. Connect with her at 703-966-5207 or IHearVoices.biz. See ad, page 17.

leadingedge

Beauty, Wellness and Color Therapy Comes to Northern Virginia

by Julianne Bien

E

verything around us is constantly brought into awareness by sunlight.

Light is what enables us to perceive our world as lively and colorful. But it is much more than just an aide for visual perception; studies have shown that color light is an essential ingredient to a healthy metabolism in all of us. We are naturally influenced by color in our lives and need to be nourished by it in all ways, such “a breath of fresh air”, and fruits and vegetables that are packed full of energy from every color under the sun.

Color light therapies have many benefits and have evolved throughout history as a proven approach to wellness and beauty. The ancient Egyptians used light and prisms to heal people. Heliotherapy, the act of curing sickness by sun exposure, was born in ancient Greece.

Color light therapy helps to heal the body, mind and spirit. Within all living organisms, information is communicated through broadcasts of faint light energy.

All of us emit these broadcasts beneath our skin, which help maintain our natural and active state of rhythm.

Today, color light applications combined with acupuncture continues to help the healing process. In the past half century, color light therapy, like acupuncture, has “crossed over” from the ancient natural arts to be embraced by more and more conventional and alternative practitioners. For example, acupuncturists, massage therapists, bodyworkers, aromatherapists and sound therapists who incorporate energy-based modalities are at the forefront of guiding people into a state of self-healing, reju-

venation and anti-aging programs by a multitude of disciplines. On the leading edge of current color therapy methods include color harmonics, which utilizes color light penlights that enables energy carried in light to nudge the body’s own healing potential into action.

When used in an energy-based practice, color harmonics can have a significant effect on the recipient by sending messages throughout the body as a “call to action”. While acupuncture points and reflex zones are being addressed, color can help release old memories that are trapped in the body tissue. It can be a win-win experience for both practitioner and recipient.

Registered nurse, licensed acupuncturist and color light specialist, Julie Rose Ruby of Burke and Springfield, Virginia, has been using color lights simultaneously with her treatments for several years now. She also has recently begun to offer color light sessions separately to

skincare

her clients and finds it has been an exciting addition to her practice.

“Using color applications in my treatments has proved a faster reduction in pain level, as they appear to create a deeper level of healing, by reducing stress and anxiety,” Ruby notes. Doing so prior to her acupuncture treatments has been of great success as well.

Her clients have stated that their pain levels have significantly decreased for periods of up to three weeks, after just one session. Some have even stated they sleep better, have less stress symptoms and have improved mental clarity.

In Ruby’s experience, everyone has reported feeling an improvement in some aspect of his or her life. It is said that we need a full spectrum of color to realize our full health potential. By identifying the color that is missing and supplying that color, our health will improve.

Color light is an amazing tool. It can be applied over the spine as a facial enhancement, as chakra applications or over a specific area of the body that is of concern. Pursuing healthy lifestyle choices and employing color light therapy to rebalance the inner life force can help us keep us physically and emotionally in balance in our lifelong pursuit of longevity.

Julianne Bien, founder of Spectrahue Light & Sound, developed the Lumalight Color and Geometry System and its training materials. Join her upcoming event: Lumalight Color & Geometry Course on December 6-7,, in Northern Virginia. Register online at SpectraHue. com. To experience a Lumalight color harmonics session, contact July Rose Ruby at 703-975-0475. See ad, page 41.

beauty

waxing

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healthyeating

Beyond the Jargon More on Dietary Fat

by Julie Wendt, M.S.

L

ooking again at our comparison between a doughnut and an avocado that we began last month, a low-fat enthusiast might assume that the doughnut with 16 grams of fat is better than the avocado that has 22 grams of fat. However, the devil is in the details in understanding what kinds of fat promote health.

To demystify the nutrition jargon around dietary fat, let’s look at the different types of fats, what they are called and where we find them in our food. Remember, no food is 100 percent of any one fat. There is a balance of fats within each food that signals an important lesson to be learned—variety is critical to balance.

In addition, dietary fat that comes from whole, unprocessed food sources are supportive of health (like the avocado) and processed fat from packaged food (like the doughnut) are linked to chronic inflammatory conditions.

What are the different kinds of dietary fat? Fat can be categorized by many different attributes: the number of

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double bonds (saturated/unsaturated), the location of the first double bond (omega-3/6), its length (long/short/medium chain) and whether the body can produce it or not (essential fatty acids).

There are several types of saturated fatty acids, the most popular among them are lauric, palmitic and stearic. Saturated fat provides stability and structure and assists in the repair of cells. It can be long chain (milk, red meat, dark chocolate), short chain (produced in the colon by bacteria) or medium chain (coconut) and is found in both animal and plant foods.

Unsaturated fat means that there is at least one double bond and this translates into the fat being liquid at room temperature (oil). There are two types of unsaturated fat, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated—the difference between them is the number of double bonds.

Foods that are primarily monounsaturated fat include olive, sesame, avocado, nuts and canola which are generally high in the antioxidant vitamin E and important for providing fluidity in

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cell structures. Polyunsaturated fats, a less stable and therefore easily oxidized fat, can be divided into omega-6 and omega-3 fats. Omega-6 fats from foods such as soy, corn and safflower drive the inflammatory pathway while omega-3 fats from food such as walnuts, flaxseed and fatty fish drive the anti-inflammatory pathway. DHA and EPA are types of omega-3 fats. We need both omega-6 and omega-3 in our diet in order to meet the needs of the body.

Fat is such an important nutrient that your body will produce it from basic nutrients. However, there are some fats that are not produced by the body and must be consumed: linoleic acid (omega-6) and linolenic acid (omega-3). The American diet is overrun with sources of linoleic acid as it is high in industrial seed oils that companies use to prolong the shelf-life of their products. This has created an unequal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in our diet. Prior to the industrialization of our food supply, the ratio of omega-6 to 3 was close to 1:1.

In the standard American diet that contains mostly processed foods, the ratio can be as high as 23:1.

This ratio can be linked to the incidence of the chronic inflammatory diseases of our day affecting our cardiovascular, nervous, and immune systems and is the major reason why the kind of fat you eat makes a huge impact on your health. Too much omega-6 fats in your diet will drive the inflammatory pathway that is meant to protect you in acute situations but will cause disease when chronically activated. By increasing sources of omega-3 in your diet and decreasing sources of omega-6, the ratio will move closer to 1:1 and the inflammatory balance can be restored.

Understanding what kinds of fats are important to a healthy diet is a good first step, knowing how to use them ensure that they provide health benefits is the next step. Tune in next month for the final part to the series on how to use dietary fat to promote health.

Julie Wendt holds a M.S. in Integrative Health and Nutrition from the Maryland University of Integrative Health and consults with adults and children. She can be reached at JWendt@gwcim.com.

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communityspotlight

Ice Cream The Perfect Garnish

by Samantha Hudgins

W

inter doesn’t typically evoke thoughts of sundaes and milkshakes, but Susan Soorenko, owner of Moorenko’s Ice Cream and Moorenko’s Ice Cream Café, proves that artisanal ice cream is the perfect cold weather garnish.

Moorenko’s is a locally owned artisanal ice cream that can be purchased as close as their Silver Spring café, or as far out as Richmond and Charlottesville, Virginia and Baltimore and Annapolis, Maryland in Whole Foods Markets, Giants and other retailers.

Their small batch factory is located not far from their storefront and churns out both ultra premium ice cream and sorbet.

The designation of ultra-premium is given to Moorenko’s ice cream because it is made with more than 16 percent milk fat, the highest grade an ice cream can achieve. More milk fat 42

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means less sugar and less lactose.

With a low over run, Moorenko’s also has less air whipped in. All of these factors result in a denser and more satisfying ice cream; customers feel fuller faster and longer.

Another way Moorenko’s is able to satisfy their customers is through the use of egg yolk in their ice cream. Egg yolk not only allows the ice cream to keep its integrity through the fluctuating temperature of a constantly opened freezer door, it anchors the flavor. Soorenko explains this to mean, “Even after you’ve swallowed your ice cream, you can still taste it.”

Putting Moorenko’s satisfying product to use in the winter is easy when thought of as a garnish full of possibilities. While there is nothing better than a cool dollop of ice cream melting into a delicious sauce on top of a warm pie, Soorenko has broader

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ideas for Moorenko’s. She suggests adding their ginger or crème fraiche flavors to pumpkin soup for a creamier texture and deeper flavor, or rounding out a salad with their cranberry sorbet. For a new spin on pie, Soorenko suggests pumpkin ice cream in a cooked pie shell topped it with cream cheese icing.

Ice cream lends itself not only as a garnish to food but to drink as well.

A spoonful of bittersweet chocolate ice cream can be used to cool hot cocoa to the perfect drinkable temperature or transform coffee into a mocha drink.

Both hot cocoa and coffee are offered at Moorenko’s café, for those who need something warm.

For those who prefer their ice cream by itself, Moorenko’s has a variety of innovative flavors, some of which are only available during November to January, such as egg nog, cranberry walnut and cinnamon. Other year-round flavors that lend themselves well to cold weather by evoking warm thoughts include rice pudding, red-hot chocolate and hot toddy sorbet.

If the high quality artisanal ice cream, sorbet and warm beverages weren’t enough incentive to brave the chilly winter months, what Moorenko’s Ice Cream Café offers to the community will certainly draw a crowd. The café can be booked for group meetings and parties and offers 10 percent savings to Montgomery College students on Wednesdays.

Moorenko’s factory works in conjunction with the Ivy Mount School. Twice a week autistic students help hand label containers for sale in exchange for ice cream and real world job experience.

Soorenko reminds the community to remember that maintaining a local business is a give and take. While Moorenko’s loves being part of the Silver Spring community, the café is only able to function when customers aren’t afraid to put on their coats and visit in cold weather as well as hot.

Moorenko’s Ice Cream Café is located at 8030-B Georgia Ave., Silver Spring. For more information on hours, flavors and wholesale options, visit Moorenkos.com.

Samantha Hudgins is an ice cream aficionado, writing enthusiast and outreach director for Natural Awakenings.

When you have setbacks, which is both human and to be assumed, you can look at it as research on yourself and hopefully learn something more about yourself, with compassion.

inspiration

New Year’s Resolutions A Fresh Perspective on Your Intentions and Goals

by Julie Reisler

I

f the thought of New Year’s resolutions gives you heartburn, then know you are not alone. This might just be a cue to reframe how you view resolutions, specifically for the new year.

It’s easy to put a lot of weight into your hopes and dreams and feel the anticipation and fear that you might go another year not accomplishing what you want to manifest. A fresh perspective might offer a new way to look at the new year, your intentions and goals, and frankly, to look at how to have your best life, regardless if you perfectly fulfill your resolutions.

Here are some thoughts to consider in helping you to ‘redo’ your resolutions.

Take part in this mind-shift with a sense of lightness and detachment from past stories and maybe even have fun.

Get in touch with your purpose and passion. A great place to start is to dig deep and look at what moves you.

Get ready to write and let yourself free flow with thoughts. Getting clear about your purpose and passion will help anchor your goals. Some questions to start with: Why are you on this planet? How will this goal you want make an impact in your own life and those around you?

How is your resolution connected to your

purpose and passion?

It’s crucial to get clarity before action and to focus on the larger perspective. Instead of, “I want to rock it out in that dress for Jill’s wedding next month” which can be initially motivating, it feels more purposeful to get clear that what matters most is being able to move well and be healthy for your children. The more anchored the goal is to your deeper purpose, the more you are committed, willing and ready to make the change.

Lights, camera, action. Now that you are clear on your purpose, passion and goals, how are you going to make your resolution happen? Who are you going to be accountable to? Maybe you find a friend or peer with whom you can email or call to stay connected around your goal. Create a team to help keep you honest, focused on your goals and accountable for your actions.

Being SMART with your goals.

One of the best coaching techniques around goals is the SMART method, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. Take whatever goal you have come up with and put it to the test. Remember, when making life changes, it is known to take the brain at least 90 days to change neuropathways

and create new brain patterns (i.e., changing thoughts). Change doesn’t happen overnight, but it does start with each and every little step you take.

Bless the baby steps. Most lasting and impactful change is about small shifts, grit, commitment and incremental steps forward. What are realistic, small, proactive steps to take? While it might be more fun to have an ‘ah-ha’ moment or finally fit in that little black dress, those bigger moments wouldn’t have happened without each and every small step you took along the way, imperfectly.

When you have setbacks, which is both human and to be assumed, you can look at it as research on yourself and hopefully learn something more about yourself, with compassion. It’s not about being perfect in accomplishing your goal.

It’s about declaring what’s important and why, showing up to do the best you can and taking baby steps in any way you can to create the change you want. Just asking the question “what can I learn from this setback experience” shifts the perspective to a teachable moment.

Celebrate, along the way. If you hadn’t set your goal, you’d be exactly where you were before starting out. If nothing more, you might be learning about what’s really important to you.

Start celebrating along the way and take time to honor yourself. You are the only one on the planet who is making the time to better yourself, which is definitely something to celebrate.

Julie Reisler, founder of Empowered Living, and certified Health and Life coach and fitness expert, is about having you create and live your most joyous and healthiest life with empowerment and a bunch of fun. Feel free to share your resolutions with Julie or contact her for further coaching and questions at Empowered-Living.net.

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calendarofevents NOTE: All calendar events must be received via email by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Email Robin@NaturalAwakeningsDC.com for guidelines and to submit entries.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1 How Acupuncture Works Seminar – 7-9pm.

Learn briefly how acupuncture works, how it is used, what it is used for, and how it can help when other treatments fall short. The Gilbert Clinic, 7315 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 760E, (East Tower), Bethesda, MD. RSVP: 301-215-4177 or Info@ TheGilbertClinic.com.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3 4-Wk Yoga Basics Session – 9:30-10:30am.

Intro to fundamentals of asana and breathwork.

Childcare available. $60. Lil Omm Yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Tenleytown. Register: LilOmm.com.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5 Meditation Teacher Training – 6:30-9:30pm.

Thru Dec 6, 12-5 pm. Didactic discussion covers evidence-based use of meditation as therapy.

Experiential practice cultivates a deeper selfpractice, building the foundation for teaching group and one-on-one sessions. The Mindfulness Center, 4963 Elm St, Ste 100, Bethesda, MD. Register: 301986-1090 or TheMindfulnessCenter.org.

Numerology Workshop: Find out what’s your lucky number, color and more – 6:45-9pm. With Paul Rodney Turner. Students will learn about the mystical quality of numbers and how they impact every aspect of our lives. $45. Buddha B Yoga Center, 1115 U St, Ste 202, NW. Info: BuddhaBYoga.com.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6 Ancient Wisdom - Chinese Medicine for Healthcare Practitioners – 9am-6pm. Through Dec 8. You will learn the principles of ancient Chinese medicine in just three days, and be able to incorporate it into your practice upon completion.

Register now price of $693 (regularly $765). iEmbrace Wellness, Chantilly, VA. Register: iEmbraceWellness.com. Info: 571-232-9979 or Laura@iEmbraceWellness.com.

Lumalight Color and Geometry Course – 9am5pm. Through Dec 7. An Experiential Workshop with Julianne Bien and local acupuncturist Julie Rose Ruby. Explore the potential of Color Light and Sacred Geometry applications in Northern Virginia. $495. Julie Rose Ruby, Acupuncturist, Northern Virginia, Springfield or Reston, VA. Register: 416-340-0882 or Info@SpectraHue.com or SpectraHue.com.

Hands On, Respectful, Chemical Free Beekeeping – 10am-12pm. Combine, Condense or Create a Nuc. All ages welcome. Our bees are gentle, but stings are a possibility. Bring your own veil, if you want. $50. Azure B LLC, 4730 Bicknell Rd, Marbury, MD. Register: Info@AzureBLLC. com or AzureBLLC.com.

Healing with Crystals – 10am-2pm. Explore some of the most useful and easy to find crystals that advance healing within the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual realms. $40. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Register: RisingPhoenixHC.com.

Mt. Rainier Craft Fair – 10am-6pm. The Mt. Rainier Craft Fair is not limited to crafts. Each year the fair plays host to music from local musicians as well as food, creating a festive atmosphere for the community to meet, eat, chat and shop.

Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd, Mt Rainier, MD. Info: Facebook.com/ Events/963678690315915.

Discover the Secret to a Successful Personal Transformation – 11am-12:30pm. Certified Life Coach and Energy Leadership Master Practitioner, Joelle Jackson, will lead the attendees on a journey of self-discovery. She will reveal how one small, but critical change will create a a positive ripple effect in your life. Free. Lofty Salon, 354 West Maple Ave, Vienna, VA. Info: Plus1Consulting. com/Coaching.html.

Restore and Rejuvenate with Therapeutic Yoga Practices – 1:45-3:45pm. This 2-hour therapeutic yoga class releases stress and relaxes the body by blending gentle stretches, breathing exercises,

Transform Your Life for Peak Performance 301.869.1787

SweetLifeWellness.com Kay Loughrey, RDN, LDN, MPH, MSM

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NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

aromatherapy, and supported poses. Appropriate for all levels/conditions. $22. Yoga District, Yoga District Bloomingdale Studio, 1830 1st St, NW. Info: YogaDistrict.com.

Curvy Yoga Level 2 – 2:30-3:30pm. In this workshop, we’ll practice ways for curvy yogis to ‘bring it’ on the mat in a true-to-you way. $20.

Lil Omm, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Tenleytown.

Register: LilOmm.com.

Sacred Geometry: Tetrahedron and Cube – 3-4:30pm. Join Stephen Stathis as he takes you on a highly visual introductory tour of the Tetrahedron and the Cube, two of the platonic solids, or building blocks of the universe. $10. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Register: RisingPhoenixHC. com. Info: 703-392-9200.

Family Date Night: Nutcracker Yoga – 5:306:30pm. A special evening of yoga, dance, and music to get your family into the holiday spirit. $30 (families up to 3 people), $40 (families up to 4 people). Lil Omm Yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Tenleytown. Info: LilOmm.com.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7 Spiritual Healing Workshop – 10am-4pm. With Melody Krafft. Spiritual healing is an innate ability and for it to shine in its greatest potential it must be honed. This workshop is designed to aid you in understanding the different aspects of your healing ability. $100. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Register: RisingPhoenixHC.com.

Flirting with an Advanced Practice – 6:15-7:15 pm. Explore techniques for trying advanced poses in a safe and supportive way. $20. Lil Omm Yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Tenleytown. Info: LilOmm.com.

Yin Candlelight Flow – 6:30-8:30pm. With Lisa Pettinati. Yin yoga allows the body to experience the benefits of deep stretching, and coupled with the breath, the benefits of calming the nervous system. This workshop will be held by candlelight and will help you find steadiness and inner peace. $30. Buddha B Yoga Center, 1115 U St, Ste 202, NW. Info: BuddhaBYoga.com.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11 How to Stock Your Kitchen with Healthy Food – 7-8:30pm. Kick-start your plans to healthier eating.

Gain helpful tips on how to navigate the grocery

11am-5pm. The Level 1 workshop is part 1 of a three part series leading to certification in the Solaris Technique. This is a comprehensive, effective, energy based technique unlike any other technique of which I am aware. In development since 1990. $100. Gainesville Holistic Health Center, 8006 Crescent Park Dr, Gainesville, VA. Register: Meetup.com/TheWhole-listicaproach/ Events/210258012.

store and stock your kitchen with healthy foods.

Maryland University of Integrative Health, 7750 Montpelier Rd, Laurel, MD. Register: MUIH.edu.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13 Sacred Geometry: Octohedron and Icosohedron – 10-11:30am. Join Stephen Stathis as he takes you on a highly visual introductory tour of the Octohedron and Icosohedron, two of the platonic solids, or building blocks of the universe. $10. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Register: RisingPhoenixHC.com.

Info: 703-392-9200.

Shamanic Journey – 1-4pm. Shaman SkyWolf will also discuss some of the spiritual, energetic, and emotional challenges we encounter in life and spiritual work we can do to work through these challenges. Free. Gainesville Holistic Health Center, 8006 Crescent Park Dr, Gainesville, VA. Register: GHHCenter@hotmail.com.

Yoga Lab: Svastha, Pranayama, and Meditation – 2:30-3:30pm. Explore a special blend of calm breathing and meditation practices. $20. Lil Omm Yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Tenleytown. Info: LilOmm.com.

Winter Solstice Celebration – 7-9pm. Winter Solstice Celebration concert event featuring Angela Blueskies and Friends. Join us to celebrate this special event. $20/preregistered or $30/at the door. East Meets West Yoga Center, 8227 Old Courthouse Rd, Ste 310, Vienna, VA. Register: 703-356-9642 or EastMeetsWestCenter.com.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14 Solaris Energy Healing Technique Level 1 –

Holacracy “Taster” Workshop – 1:30-4pm.

This workshop introduces Holacracy: a “social technology” for structuring, governing, and running a company. The goals of Holacracy are bold: make your company more agile and responsive to its environment, increase organizational clarity—figure out who does what, expects what, and decides what—minimize ‘office politics’, and enable deeper employee engagement and empowerment. First 6 seats discounted. Location TBD in DC. Register: Holacracy.org/Events/ wWashington-DC-Taster-Workshop-2014-12.

Info: HolacracyOne.org.

Asana Lab: Lengthening the Front Body – 2-4:30pm. With Kristen Krash. In this important session, we will first examine how to lengthen and expand the front body by strengthening the key muscles of the back body, move through a wide range of supported and active postures. $35.

Buddha B Yoga Center, 1115 U St, Ste 202, NW. Info: BuddhaBYoga.com.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18 Medicine Buddha Healing Practice – 7-9:30pm.

By relying upon Medicine Buddha sincerely, living beings in these impure times can be cured of heavy physical and mental disease, and find release from the internal pain of three conflicting emotions- attachment, anger and ignorance. By donation. The Jigme Dzogchen Ling DC Dharma Center (Tibetan for “Fearless Great Perfection Center”), DC extension of Tibetan Lama Tulku Sangngag Tenzin Rinpoche’s Dharma Center in Kathmandu, Nepal. Samsara House 2023, 36 R St, NW. Register: WakeUp@SamsaraHouse.org.

Info: 4jigmes.org.

Adult Kombucha Tasting – 7:30pm. Enjoy New Year’s Eve without a hangover. Come and enjoy some tasty mixed drinks using Kombucha. Hang over free, quickly detoxes. Come try your favorite flavors mixed with alcohol. Must be 21. Invite only. Roberta’s Natural Foods, 9424 Main St, Fairfax, VA. RSVP: 703-591-1121.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19 Muscle Pain and Restricted Joints – 7:309:30pm. Viktor Bocharnikov, CMT. Individualized pain assessments, Introduction to simple self-help techniques, Learn how to relieve your somatic pain. Roberta’s Natural Foods, 9424 Main St, Fairfax, VA. Info: 703-591-1121.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20 Sacred Geometry: Dodecahedron and Flower of Life Intro – 10-11:30am. Join Stephen Stathis as he takes you on a highly visual introductory tour of the Dodecahedron and Flower of Life, two of the platonic solids, or building blocks of the universe. $10. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Register: RisingPhoenixHC.com. Info: 703-392-9200.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21 iPATH® Postural Alignment – 2-4pm. With Denese Cavanaugh. Whether you are new to Mind /Body awareness techniques or a seasoned athlete, the Integral Postural Alignment Therapy method (iPATH®) will help create the ideal posture. The iPATH® method promises to help students move beyond physical limitations and achieve maximum postural wellness. $25. Buddha B Yoga Center, 1115 U St, Ste 202, NW. Info: BuddhaBYoga.com.

Happy Hips, Healthy You – 2:30-5pm. With Neva Ingalls. Join Neva in discovering practices to bring balance of flexibility and strength to the hips.

In yoga and other healing systems, the pelvic area represents the water element and the subconscious. $39. Buddha B Yoga Center, 1115 U St, Ste 202, NW. Info: BuddhaBYoga.com.

YOUR PERSONAL PATH TO WELLNESS

Aminah Keats, ND, FABNO

Naturopathic Physician Specializing in Integrative Oncology

Dr. Keats works closely with each patient to create a personalized naturopathic strategy emphasizing: Cancer-Fighting Support Strengthening of the Immune System Quality of Life Improvement Reduction and Prevention of Side Effects

ALOE WELLNESS 5840 McArthur Blvd NW, Ste 2 • 202-966-2563 www.aloewellnessdc.com natural awakenings

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Winter Solstice Yoga Mala (108 Sun Salutations + Yin Yoga) – 2:30-4:45pm. Move through 4 rotations of 27 sun salutes, each with a different focus: self, others, physical world, universe, ending with relaxing yin for deep rest. $24 (including tax). Yoga District, Yoga District Bloomingdale, 1830 1st St, NW. Info: YogaDistrict.com.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10 200-Hour Teacher Training 2015 Winter Intensive Session – 7am-8pm. Sat and Sun through March 1.

Yoga District graduates are ready to teach unique classes and from major yoga traditions. Hands-on modules focus on various styles and yoga for special populations. $2000/early enrollment or $2500/regular enrollment. Yoga District. Register: YogaDistrict.com.

Yoga Nidra: Relax and Renew – 6:15-7:45pm.

Relax and renew through a meditative practice for all levels. $30. Lil Omm Yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Tenleytown. Register: LilOmm.com.

Holiday Community Meal Prep with DC Central Kitchen – 4:45-8pm. Join the Yoga District family for an evening of service with DC Central Kitchen meal prep. We’ll be cutting, chopping and peeling thousands of pounds of food to feed the community that evening. Yoga District at the DC Central Kitchen, 425 2nd St, NW. Register: YogaDistrict.com.

Info: 703-392-9200.

Introduction to Chinese Herbal Medicine – 8:30am-5:30pm. A 30-hour program for acupuncturists who need to fulfill acupuncture licensing requirements. Jan. 10 and 11 and Feb. 7 and 8. Instructor: Evan Rabinowitz. $590.

Maryland University of Integrative Health, 7750 Montpelier Rd, Laurel, MD. Register: MUIH.edu.

Info: ContinuingEd@muih.edu.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31

SUNDAY, JANUARY 11

Family New Years Eve (3 years +) – 5:30-7pm.

Ring in the new year at this fun and inspiring family yoga class. Pizza dinner included. $50. Lil Omm Yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Tenleytown.

Register: LilOmm.com.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27

Family New Years Eve (0-3 years) – 6:15-7:45 pm.

A family-friendly way to ring in the new year with your little ones. $30. Lil Omm Yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Tenleytown. Register: LilOmm.com.

Usui Reiki Level I Workshop – 10am-4pm. Reiki is a Japanese technique administered by the laying on of hands and promotes relaxation, peace of mind, stress reduction and healing in the body at all levels.

This workshop will be taught by Reiki Master Tracy Causley. $120. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Register: RisingPhoenixHC.com. Info: 703-392-9200.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26

Real Lyme Solutions – 9am-4pm. Learn 6 affordable solutions to help with brain fog, gut health, joint pain, and balancing emotions. $47.

Family Health Thermal Imaging & Detox, 427A Carlisle Dr, Herndon, VA. Register: 703-635-6324.

Sacred Geometry: The Flower of Life – 1011:30am. Join Stephen Stathis as he takes you on a highly visual introductory tour of the Flower of Life, one of the platonic solids, or building blocks of the universe. $10. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Register: RisingPhoenixHC.com.

Info: 703-392-9200.

Spirit Sketch Sessions – 12-4pm. Melody Krafft, medium and spirit artist, is offering private 20-minute Spirit Sketch sessions. Spirit Sketches are completed in pastel and pencil on archival paper. RSVP is required. $75. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Register: RisingPhoenixHC.com.

New Year’s Eve Intention Setting + 2 Hour Practice – 7-9pm. With Nya Alemayhu. Join Nya for an empowering 2 hour practice. We will begin with a meditation and breath practice that will lead us to setting clear intentions for the New Year. $25.

Buddha B Yoga Center, 1115 U St, Ste 202, NW. Info: BuddhaBYoga.com.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 2 New Year Yoga Retreat in the Shenandoah Valley – 5:30pm. Through 5pm on Jan 4. Spend the first weekend of the New Year doing yoga, eating yummy vegan foods, and making new friends as you rejuvenate and set year-long intentions in a beautiful Shenandoah Valley home. Start the New Year off the right way. $390/register by Dec 2 or $430/after Dec 2.

Yoga District, Shenandoah Valley (Luray, Virginia).

Register: YogaDistrict.com.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 22 200-Hour Teacher Training 2015 Winter Intensive Session – 7am-9pm. Through Feb 2. Yoga District graduates are ready to teach unique classes and from major yoga traditions. Hands-on modules focus on various styles and yoga for special populations. $2000/early enrollment or $2500/regular enrollment.

Yoga District. Register: YogaDistrict.com.

Casey Health Yoga Teacher Training Program – 8am-4pm Sunday Jan 24. Also March 26-29th, May 28–31st and July 23-26th. 200-Hour Iyengar teacher training that meets the course requirements for both the IYNAUS Introductory level assessment and Yoga Alliance 200-Hour RYT. $3,000/early bird registration by Dec 1 or $3,250/full tuition payable until Jan 8. Casey Health Institute, 800 S Frederick Ave, Gaithersburg, MD. Register: 301355-2030 or CaseyHealth.org/TeacherTraining.

Mindfulness & Compassion Learn the benefits of awakening the brain with Dr. Chas Gant, M.D., Ph.D. Our brains have tremendous capacity, if properly “trained,” to change our world with compassion and playfulness. Learn from internationally renowned researcher, physician and author, Dr. Chas Gant, about ways that the dormant mind can be awakened in this free seminar/webinar.

Thursday, December 11

6:30 pm - Healthy Happy Hour 7:00 pm - Free Seminar/Webinar

Center for Mindful Living

4708 Wisconsin Ave NW, Ste. 200, (Near the Tenleytown Metro)

REGISTER: MindfulnessAndCompassion.Eventbrite.com 46

Washington, D.C.

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

INFO: Robin@NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

ongoingevents

$7. Sibley Memorial Hospital, 5255 Loughboro Rd, NW. Register: Sibley.org/CancerSupport. Info: 202-243-2320 or Pgoetz4@jhmi.edu.

NOTE: All calendar events must be received via email by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Email Robin@NaturalAwakeningsDC.com for guidelines and to submit entries.

Classic Kundalini Yoga – 7-8:30pm. The age-old Indian practice blends classic poses with meditation, chants and breath work in order to stimulate the nervous and glandular systems. When used in sequences, the elements can stimulate weight loss and help practitioners adjust their spin. New students get 30 days of unlimited yoga for $30.

Raj Yoga, 22821 Silverbrook Center Dr, Unit 160, Sterling VA. Info: 703-376-3433 or RajYoga.org.

sunday Beginners and Beyond – 8:30-10am. The age-old Indian practice blends classic poses with meditation, chants and breathe work in order to stimulate the nervous and glandular systems. When used in sequences, the elements can stimulate weight loss and help practitioners adjust their spin. New students get 30 days of unlimited yoga for $30. Raj Yoga, 22821 Silverbrook Center Dr, Unit 160, Sterling VA. Info: 703-376-3433 or RajYoga.org.

Dupont Circle FreshFarm Market – 9am-2pm.

A producer-only farmers’ market. Only regional growers from the Chesapeake Bay watershed region (DE, MD, PA, VA and WV) may sell at market. 20th St, NW, between Massachusetts Ave and Hillyer Pl, NW and the adjacent bank parking lot. Info: 202-362-8889.

Meditation – 9-10am. Open to all levels of practice. Donation. East Meets West Yoga, 8227 Old Courthouse Rd, Ste 310, Vienna, VA. Info: 703-356-9642 or Dawn@EastMeetsWestCenter. com or EastMeetsWestCenter.com.

Open Level GYROTONIC® Group – 10-11am.

Gyrotonic pulley tower group class, aims to improve flexibility while also increasing strength and muscle tone. $25-35/session. Elements Fitness & Wellness Center, 2233 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 217, NW. Register: FrontDesk@ElementsCenter.com or ElementsCenter.com.

Sunday Morning Meditation Class – 10:30am12:30pm. With Hugh Byrne. An oasis in a busy week, including 30-minute guided meditations, a 10-minute walking meditation, and 30-minute discussion. A mini-retreat. Drop-ins welcome. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 200, NW, Tenleytown. Info: Living-Mindfully.org.

Yoga for Women Cancer Survivors – 12-1pm.

A gentle yoga class that encourages and nurtures warrior women from brand new beginners to experienced yoginis undergoing treatment for and in remission from cancer. $10 suggested donation.

Proceeds benefit Living Beyond Cancer. Circle Yoga, 3838 Northampton St, NW. Info: 202-6861104 or CircleYoga.com.

Circus Family Yoga – 2-3pm. Explore themebased mindfulness and circus/acro-inspired yoga. $20. Lil Omm Yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Tenleytown. Info: LilOmm.com.

West African Dance – 2:30-3:30pm. Throughout the African continent, dance and music have long been a part of the collective culture, bringing people together for praise, celebration, motivation, and healing. Immerse yourself in this beautiful experience as you learn dances from Guinea and Mali, West Africa. Accompanied by live drumming. $18. MamaSita Studio, 6906 4th St, NW. Info: GoMamaSita.org.

Sunday iRest® Yoga Nidra Meditation – 6-7pm.

Dubbed “Sleep of the Yogi”, this meditation is easy, relaxing, and has been clinically proven to decrease symptoms of insomnia, anxiety, PTSD, chronic pain, and depression. $20. OurSpace, 809 Easley St, Silver Spring, MD. Register: AwakenMyHeartNow. com/Sunday-Yoga-Nidra-Sessions.html.

monday Early Morning Meditation – 7:30-8:15am. A beautiful way to start your day, with a 30-minute meditation and optional 15-minute discussion following. Drop-ins welcome. A project of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington (IMCW). The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 200, NW, Tenleytown.

Info: Living-Mindfully.org.

Continuing Yoga – 12-1:15pm. This Iyengar yoga class uses equipment and props which enables everyone, regardless of age or flexibility, to benefit from this practice. $18/class or $87/6 class package. Casey Health Institute, 800 S Frederick Ave, Gaithersburg, MD. Register: 301-355-2030 or CaseyHealth.org.

Laughter Yoga – 6:30-7:30pm. 2nd Mon. Exercises (breathing, clapping, and movement) are designed to relax us and to boost our creativity. With intentional laughter we tap into a joy that brings feelings of health and well being. This wacky, silly, and fun practice has been proven to reduce stress and strengthen the immune system. Free. Arlington Central Library auditorium, 1015 N Quincy St, Arlington, VA. Info: ArlingtonLaughterYoga@yahoo.com.

Vinyasa Yoga – 6:30-8pm. A fluid contemplation in motion and balance of breath, this yoga class nurtures harmony of mind and body as we work with alignment and awareness, deep stretching and relaxation for a revitalizing experience. $10.

Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd, Mount Rainier, MD. Register: JoesMovement.org.

A Course in Miracles – 7-8:30pm. Discussion group focused on returning to love through the study of A Course in Miracles. New members are definitely welcome. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, LLC, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Register: RisingPhoenixHC.com. Info: 703-392-9200.

Free Yoga – 7-8pm. Power Flow levels 1-2.

Beginners welcome. Space Limited to 6 slots.

RSVP required at least 24 hours in advance. Your email will be added to our mailing list, unsubscribe anytime.

RSVP: FreeYoga@SamsaraHouse. org. Samsara House 2023, 36 R St, NW. Info: SamsaraHouse.org.

Yoga for Women Cancer Survivors – 7-8:15pm.

Weekly meditative, gentle and restorative yoga using mindful movement, balance and breathing techniques to reduce anxiety, improve quality of life, and regain sense of self. Scholarships available.

Tai Chi – 8-9pm. Learn and enjoy peaceful slow movements, balance, and meditation, this class is for youth and adults who will study the movements of Tai Chi Chun long form. Tai chi is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for health benefits, self control, and relaxation. $10. Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd, Mount Rainier, MD. Register: JoesMovement.org.

Yoga Level 1 and 2 – 8:30-9:30pm. Starts with warm-upsrelaxing the joints and connecting with the breath then building heat with vinyasa flow. Close with restorative poses and guided meditation. $20/drop in. The Mindfulness Center, 4963 Elm St, Ste 100, Bethesda, MD. Info: 301986-1090 or TheMindfulnessCenter.org.

tuesday Early Morning Meditation – 7:30-8:15am. See Mon for details. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 200, NW, Tenleytown.

Info: Living-Mindfully.org.

Beginners and Beyond – 9:45-11am. See Sun for details.

New students get 30 days of unlimited yoga for $30. Raj Yoga, 22821 Silverbrook Center Dr, Unit 160, Sterling VA. Info: 703-376-3433 or RajYoga.org.

Tuesday Qi Gong – 10-11am. With Dante Baker. Qi gong are gentle exercises that stimulate, unblock and balance a person’s energy flow. Practicing Qi Gong regularly produces positive health benefits. $15. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Register: RisingPhoenixHC.com. Info: 703-392-9200.

Activation Reiki and Chakra Balancing – 11am-5pm.

Drift away and relax while the energy flow of each of the seven main chakras is touched by the practitioner to speed up, slow down, remove blockages and balance the flow of chi or Life Force Energy. $90. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Register: RisingPhoenixHC.com. Info: 703-392-9200.

Angel Message Sessions – 11am-5pm. If you need insight and guidance for any reason at all, the Angels are standing by ready to assist and support you along your path by providing the most perfect and loving solutions. $50. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Register: RisingPhoenixHC. com. Info: 703-392-9200.

Elevation Reiki – 11am-4pm. A beautiful blend of Reiki, sound healing, and acupressure to activate the bodies natural healing and elevate personal energy levels. This is a wonderful treatment to ignite well-being within the body and beyond. $130. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Register: RisingPhoenixHC.com. Info: 703-392-9200.

Open-Level GYROTONIC® Group – 1-2pm. $25-35/session. See Sun for details. Elements

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Fitness & Wellness Center, 2233 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 217, NW. Info: FrontDesk@ElementsCenter. com or ElementsCenter.com.

$7. Sibley Memorial Hospital, 5255 Loughboro Rd, NW. Register: Sibley.org/CancerSupport. Info: 202243-2320 or Pgoetz4@jhmi.edu.

Meet the Locals – 4-7pm. 2nd Tues. Come sample products from our favorite local vendors while you enjoy a glass of beer or wine, on the second Tuesday of every month. Free. Dawson’s Market, 225 N Washington St, Rockville, MD. Info: 240-428-1386.

Advanced GYROTONIC® Group – 10-11am.

For clients with a significant amount of experience in the GYROTONIC method. $25-35/session.

Elements Fitness & Wellness Center, 2233 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 217, NW. Info: FrontDesk@ ElementsCenter.com or ElementsCenter.com.

Hoop Jam – 6:45-8:15pm. With Noelle Powers.

Lift your spirits and get a full-body workout accompanied by a super hoop-friendly soundtrack.

All ages and skill levels are welcome at this drop in jam. A lesson for those interested is presented in the first half hour of jam, and the remaining hour is self-directed. $10. Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd, Mount Rainier, MD. Register: JoesMovement.org.

An Introduction to Waking Down in Mutuality – 7-9:30pm. 2nd Tues. An introductory evening facilitated by aspiring Waking Down in Mutuality mentor Cullen Kowalski. Includes a free copy of Becoming Divinely Human: A Direct Path to Embodied Awakening by CC Leigh. $20. Samsara House 2023, 36 R St, NW. Register:DCIntroWakingDown.Eventbrite. com. Info: Wakeup@SamsaraHouse.org or WakingDown.org/About-Waking-Down.

Beginners and Beyond – 7-8:30pm. See Sun for details. New students get 30 days of unlimited yoga for $30. Raj Yoga, 22821 Silverbrook Center Dr, Unit 160, Sterling VA. Info: 703-376-3433 or RajYoga.org.

I Meditate DC: Introduction to the Art of Living – 7-8pm. Refresh and rejuvenate with a free community service initiative to introduce people to breathing and meditation techniques that have a calming effect on the mind and reduce stress. In this 60-minute interactive session, participants develop insight on how to reduce negative emotions that eat up our energy and time. The Art of Living Foundation, 2401 15th St, NW. Register: Secure.ArtofLiving.org/Events.aspx.

wednesday Early Morning Meditation – 7:30-8:15am. See Mon for details. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 200, NW, Tenleytown.

Info: Living-Mindfully.org.

Yoga for Women Cancer Survivors – 9:3010:45am. See Mon for details. Scholarships available.

Gentle Yoga – 10:30-11:30am. This Iyengar based class is designed specifically for those with health conditions and injuries. Classes focus on relieving tension and pain, breathing, and posture/alignment. $18/class or $87/6 class package. Casey Health Institute, 800 S Frederick Ave, Gaithersburg, MD. Register: 301-355-2030 or CaseyHealth.org.

Activation Reiki and Chakra Balancing – 11am5pm. See Tues for details. $90. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Register: RisingPhoenixHC.com.

Info: 703-392-9200.

Angel Message Sessions – 11am-5pm. See Tues for details. $50. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Register: RisingPhoenixHC.com. Info: 703-392-9200.

Tai Chi – 12:10-1pm. Experience DahnMuDo, derived from the ancient tradition of Korean healing and martial arts forms. It can be literally translated as “the art of being limitless.” While many DahnMuDo forms can be physically challenging, it is gentle enough to be practiced by anyone of any age. $20. Dahn Yoga DC, 700 14th St, NW. Register: 202-393-2440.

Introduction to the Transcendental Meditation Program: the technique for inner peace and wellness – 6:30-8pm. The TM technique is easy to learn, enjoyable to practice and cultural neutral. It takes 20 minutes twice daily, reducing stress and cultivating transcendence. Bethesda TM Center, 11300 Rockville Pike, Ste 408, North Bethesda, MD. Register: 301770-5690 or Bethesda@TM.org. Info: TM.org.

Vinyasa Yoga – 6:30-7:30pm. See Mon for details. $10. Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd, Mount Rainier, MD. Register: JoesMovement.org.

Everyday Essential Oils – 7-8:30pm. Learn to utilize essential oils for sustained health, healing, and well-being in practical and easy ways. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, LLC, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Register: RisingPhoenixHC.com. Info: 703-392-9200.

Gentle Kundalini Yoga – 7-8:30pm. The age-old Indian practice blends classic poses with meditation, chants and breathe work in order to stimulate the nervous and glandular systems. When used in sequences, the elements can stimulate weight loss and help practitioners adjust their spin. New students get 30 days of unlimited yoga for $30. Raj Yoga, 22821 Silverbrook Center Dr, Unit 160, Sterling VA. Info: 703-376-3433 or RajYoga.org.

Niclaire’s Zumba Experience -7-8pm. Total body conditioning dance fitness. $8/drop in fee. Ncrease Fitness, LLC at Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd, Mt Rainier, MD. Info: NcreaseFitness.com.

West African Dance – 7-8pm. See Mon for details. $18. MamaSita Studio, 6906 4th St, NW, DC. Info: GoMamaSita.org.

Free Health Lecture – 7:30-8:30pm. (Q-andA until 9pm.) 2nd Wed. Free Education Health Lectures at the Roselle Center for Healing (Various Topics). The Roselle Center for Healing & Caring For Others, Ltd, 8550 Arlington Blvd, Ste 325, Fairfax, VA. Register: RoselleCare.com.

Wednesdays with Tara Brach – 7:30-9pm.

Class includes 30 mins of Vipassana meditation instruction and guided meditation followed by an hour-long Dharma talk. A large gathering of approximately 250-300 people. Beginners through advanced students welcome. There is no registration, but dana (donation) of about $10-15 is suggested to help cover expenses and is gratefully received. River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 6301 River Rd (corner of Whittier Blvd and River Rd), Bethesda, MD. Info: IMCW. org.

Blessing Circle – 9:15-9:45pm. 2nd Wed. The Insight Meditation Community of Washington offers the Blessing Circle to comfort and support those experiencing loss, grief, illness or any of the “10,000 sorrows” of this life. We gather after the Wed class with Tara Brach for a 30-min service of sharing, mindful and supportive listening and metta practice. River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 6301 River Rd (enter from Whittier Blvd), Bethesda, MD. Info: IMCW.org. .

thursday

Early Morning Meditation – 7:30-8:15am. See Mon for details. The Center for Mindful Living,

Transcendental Meditation® National Integrated Health Associates, leaders in holistic and integrative medicine and biological dentistry. We blend the best of western medicine and safe, proven complementary and alternative therapies to help the body heal.

202-237-7000 • NIHADC.com 5225 Wisconsin Ave, NW , #402

48

Washington, D.C.

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

The technique for inner peace and wellness

301.770.5690 www.tm.org/bethesda

4708 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 200, NW, Tenleytown.

Info: Living-Mindfully.org.

Gentle Kundalini Yoga – 9:30-11am. See Wed for details. New students get 30 days of unlimited yoga for $30. Raj Yoga, 22821 Silverbrook Center Dr, Unit 160, Sterling VA. Info: 703-376-3433 or RajYoga.org.

Activation Reiki and Chakra Balancing – 11am-5pm. See Tues for details. $90. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Register: RisingPhoenixHC. com. Info: 703-392-9200.

Angel Message Sessions – 11am-5pm. See Tues for details. $50. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Register: RisingPhoenixHC.com. Info: 703-392-9200.

Elevation Reiki – 11am-4pm. See Tues for details. $130. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Register: RisingPhoenixHC.com. Info: 703-392-9200.

Continuing Yoga – 12-1:15pm. See Mon for details. $18/class or $87/6 class package.

Casey Health Institute, 800 S Frederick Ave, Gaithersburg, MD. Register: 301-355-2030 or CaseyHealth.org.

FreshFarm Market at Penn Quarter – 3-7pm.

Delicious locally grown fruits, veggies, cut flowers, plants, handmade soaps, meats, cheeses, eggs and more are available every week. Market is open rain, snow or shine.

All EBT customers and WIC/Senior coupons customers will receive Double Dollar coupons to match their EBT dollars or WIC/Senior coupons redeemed up to $10. North end of 8th St, NW (between D and E sts, NW).

Info: 202-362-8889.

Rockville Meditation Free Consultation – 5:30-6:30pm. Introducing a revolutionary method of guided meditation. Rockville Meditation, 11601 Nebel St, Rockville, MD. Info: 301-770-7778 or RockvilleMeditation@ gmail.com or RockvilleMeditation.org.

Yoga Level 1 and 2 – 6-7:15pm. Starts with warm-upsrelaxing the joints and connecting with the breath then building heat with vinyasa flow. Close with restorative poses and guided meditation. $20/drop in. The Mindfulness Center, 4963 Elm Street, Ste 100, Bethesda, MD. Info: 301-986-1090 or TheMindfulnessCenter.org.

Classic Kundalini Yoga – 7-8:30pm. See Sun for details. New students get 30 days of unlimited yoga for $30. Raj Yoga, 22821 Silverbrook Center Dr, Unit 160, Sterling VA. Info: 703-376-3433 or RajYoga.org.

Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) Meeting – 7-8:30pm. 1st Thurs. Open to anyone with an interest in living gluten free. Meet with other likeminded individuals to share ideas and recipes.

Held by Babette Lamarre, certified nutritional therapist. Neck, Back and Beyond, 10560 Main St, Ste 204, Fairfax, VA. RSVP: 703-865-5690 or NeckBackandBeyond@gmail.com.

I Meditate DC: Introduction to the Art of Living – 7-8pm. See Tues for details. The Art of Living Foundation, 2401 15th St, NW. Register: Secure. ArtofLiving.org/Events.aspx.

Meditation and Mindfulness: Tools for

Alleviating Stress after a Cancer Diagnosis – 7-8pm. Join other cancer survivors to learn about and practice a relaxation technique that focuses on breathing. Facilitated by Ashley Nunn, MA. This practice has been shown to be effective in reducing stress, anxiety and loneliness and in improving sleep and boosting the immune system. Family members and caregivers welcome. Sibley Memorial Hospital, 5255 Loughboro Rd, NW. Info: Sibley.org/ Community/Events/default.aspx.

friday Early Morning Meditation – 7:30-8:15 am. See Mon for details. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 200, NW, Tenleytown.

Info: Living-Mindfully.org.

Activation Reiki and Chakra Balancing – 11am-5pm. See Tues for details. $90. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Register: RisingPhoenixHC. com. Info: 703-392-9200.

Angel Message Sessions – 11am-5pm. See Tues for details. $50. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Register: RisingPhoenixHC.com. Info: 703-392-9200.

Yoga for People Living With Cancer and Their Caregivers – 2-3pm. A relaxing hour of yoga taught by yoga therapist Yael Flusberg. The class combines breathwork, gentle movement and guided visualization. GW University Hospital, 900 23rd St, NW. RSVP: Jennifer Bires, 202741-2218 or JBires@Mfa.Gwu.edu.

Community Yoga Class – 6-7pm. Community classes are mixed level, one-hour asana classes taught by a rotating selection of Unity Woods teachers. They are offered by different teachers every Friday of the session. $8/class. Unity Woods Yoga Center. 4853 Cordell Ave, Ste PH9, Bethesda, MD. Info: UnityWoods.com.

Yoga for Women Cancer Survivors – 6:307:30pm. Join Amy Dara for a gentle class designed for women undergoing treatment or who are in remission from cancer. We will include breathing, stretching, balancing, and healing yoga sequences appropriate during and after cancer treatment. Our safe and nurturing space welcomes new beginners to experienced yogis alike. $10. Lil Omm Yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW. Info: LilOmm.com.

Yoga Nidra Workshop – 7:45-9pm. 2nd Fri. Allow Shira’s soothing voice to support you in cultivating ease, healing, and well-being with a meditation practice that requires no effort or physical exercise. $20. Blue Heron Wellness, 10723-B Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD. Info: 240-839-1661 or Shira@AwakenMyHeartNow. com or AwakenMyHeartNow.com.

plants and prepared foods. Producers are all located within 125 miles of Washington DC. Lamont Park, corner of 17th and Lamont, NW. Info: Mtpfm.org.

Open Level GYROTONIC® Group – 9am. See Sun for details. $25-35/session. Elements Fitness & Wellness Center, 2233 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 217, NW. Info: FrontDesk@ElementsCenter.com or ElementsCenter.com.

Open Level GYROTONIC® Group – 10am. See Sun for details. $25-35/session. Elements Fitness & Wellness Center, 2233 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 217, NW. Info: FrontDesk@ElementsCenter.com or ElementsCenter.com.

Beginners and Beyond – 10:30am-12pm. See Sun for details. New students get 30 days of unlimited yoga for $30. Raj Yoga, 22821 Silverbrook Center Dr, Unit 160, Sterling VA. Info: 703-376-3433 or RajYoga.org.

Gentle Yoga – 10:30-11:30am. See Wed for details. $18/class or $87/6 class package. Casey Health Institute, 800 S Frederick Ave, Gaithersburg, MD. Register: 301-355-2030 or CaseyHealth.org.

Activation Reiki and Chakra Balancing – 11am5pm. See Tues for details. $90. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Register: RisingPhoenixHC.com.

Info: 703-392-9200.

Angel Message Sessions – 11am-5pm. See Tues for details. $50. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Register: RisingPhoenixHC.com. Info: 703-392-9200.

Gyrokinesis Group Class – 11am-12pm. Group class starting on stools, moving to the floor and finishing with a standing series. $15-18. Elements Center, 2233 Wisconsin Ave, NW. Info: FrontDesk@ ElementsCenter.com.

Open Level GYROTONIC® Group – 11am12pm. See Sun for details. $25-35/session. Elements Fitness & Wellness Center, 2233 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 217, NW. Info: FrontDesk@ElementsCenter.com or ElementsCenter.com.

Adoption Event – 12-3pm. Rural Dog Rescue holds its weekly adoption event every Saturday at Howl to the Chief. Fosters and Volunteers Needed. Howl to the Chief, 733 8th St, SE. Info: RuralDogRescue.com.

Gluten-Free Living Workshop – 1–5 pm. 1st Sat. Learn how to live your life gluten free. Certified Nutritional Therapist Babette Lamarre teaches you how to eliminate gluten and replace it with delicious, nutrient densefoods. Lots of info and tips, recipes and taste testing gluten free snacks. $85. Neck, Back, and Beyond, 10560 Main St, Ste 204, Fairfax, VA. Register: 703-865-5690 or NeckBackandBeyond@gmail.com.

I Meditate DC: Introduction to the Art of Living – 4-5pm. See Tues for details. The Art of Living Foundation, 2401 15th St, NW. Register: Secure.

ArtofLiving.org/Events.aspx.

saturday

Introduction to the Transcendental Meditation Program: the technique for inner peace and wellness – 6:30-8pm. See Wed for details. Bethesda TM Center, 11300 Rockville Pike, Ste 408, North Bethesda, MD. Register: 301-770-5690 or Bethesda@TM.org. Info: TM.org.

Mount Pleasant Farmers’ Market – 9am-1pm.

A producer-only farmers’ market that supplies the Mount Pleasant neighborhood with local fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy, bread, cakes, flowers,

Niclaire’s Zumba Experience – 7-8pm. Total body conditioning dance fitness. $8/drop in fee.

Ncrease Fitness, LLC at Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd, Mt Rainier, MD. Info: NcreaseFitness.com.

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communityresourceguide Connecting you to the leaders in natural health care and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide, email Robin@NaturalAwakeningsDC.com to request our media kit.

ACUPUNCTURE CITY ACUPUNCTURE CIRCLE

1221 Connecticut Ave, Ste 5B, NW, DC 202-300-8428 • CityAcupunctureCircle.com

THE GILBERT CLINIC

Jonathan Gilbert, NCCAOM 7315 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 760 E, Bethesda 301-215-4177 Info@TheGilbertClinic TheGilbertClinc.com

Safe, affordable acupuncture care. Pay what you can, $20-$50 per treatment. Join the Community Acupuncture movement.

Specializing in medical acupuncture protocols for neurological and pain conditions including neuropathic pain from neuropathy or chemo, arthritis, and rare disorders. See ad, page 15.

W ..

NECK, BACK & BEYOND WELLNESS CENTER

10560 Main St, Ste PH-1, Fairfax, VA 703-865-5690 NeckBackAndBeyond@gmail.com NeckBackAndBeyond.com

ACUPRESSURE

AWAKEN MY HEART NOW Silver Spring, MD 240-839-1661 AwakenMyHeartNow.com

Compassionate, supportive and skilled, Shira combines acupressure and yogic meditation in individual/group sessions to cultivate a whole-being path to healing and growth.

Neck Back & Beyond offers chiropractic and naturopathic care, acupuncture, massage, colon hydrotherapy (colonics), reflexology, lymphatic drainage and more. lasting change to heal the mind, body and soul. Fitness, educational consultant and hypnotist. See ad, page 16.

OURSPACE ACUPUNCTURE

914 Silver Spring Ave. #104, Silver Spring, MD 301-388-8085 • OurSpaceAcupuncture.org Natural, affordable, safe, holistic health care in a comfortable community setting. We ask for $15-$40 per session.

Schedule your appointment online today.

ROTELLA CHIROPRACTIC & ACUPUNCTURE CENTER

15891 Kruhm Rd, Burtonsville, MD 301-421-4248 DrRotella@DrRotella.com • DrRotella.com Rotella Chiropractic & Acupuncture Center is a family practice designed to provide the best of both Eastern and Western holistic health care. Dr. Rotella prides herself on her many years of study of numerous diagnostic and treatment techniques. See ad, page 25.

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE NOVA CENTER FOR ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

4635 Chain Bridge Rd, Ste 100, McLean, VA 703-229-3106 NOVAAlternativeMed.com

Our holistic approach gets to the nexus of your pain and treats your pain’s cause, not just your symptoms. Dr Sanford’s approach and treatment will greatly improve your quality of life. Specializing i n P e r i p h e r a l N e u r o p a t h y, Chiropractic Care, Acupuncture, Nutrition, Physical Therapy and Functional Medicine. See ad, page 38.

BEDROOM FURNITURE SAVVY REST NATURAL BEDROOM

258 Maple Ave East, Vienna, VA and 12242 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD703-2557040 (VA) or 301-770-7040 (MD)Maddie@ SavvyRest.com • SRNB.com

Savvy Rest Natural Bedroom is the premier retailer of Savvy Rest organic mattresses and bedding, a Virginia manufacturer, and retailer of fine bedroom furniture. See ad, page 37.

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BEEKEEPING AZURE B LLC

4730 Bicknell Rd, Marbury, MD 301-743-2331 • AzureBLLC.com Azure B LLC is a small, familyrun permaculture farm in Southern Maryland. We offer beekeeping education, locally made equipment and support.

BEHAVIORAL CHANGE MID LIFE REFOCUS

3914 Centreville Rd, Chantilly, VA 571-277-1292 Info@MidLifeRefocus.com MidLifeRefocus.com Positive Behavioral Change consultant.

Increase Self-awareness for lasting change to heal the mind, body and soul.

Fitness, educational consultant and hypnotist.

See ad, page 10.

BOTANICAL GARDENS MEADOWLARK BOTANICAL GARDENS 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Ct, Vienna, VA 703-255-3631 KTomlinson@Nvrpa.org • Nvrpa.org

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, a public garden for all the senses, a place of peace and reflection.

Near Wolf Trap in Vienna.

CHIROPRACTOR NECK, BACK & BEYOND WELLNESS CENTER

10560 Main St, Ste PH-1, Fairfax, VA 703-865-5690 NeckBackAndBeyond@gmail.com NeckBackAndBeyond.com Neck Back & Beyond offers chiropractic and naturopathic care, acupuncture, massage, colon hydrotherapy (colonics), reflexology, lymphatic drainage and more. lasting change to heal the mind, body and soul. Fitness, educational consultant and hypnotist. See ad, page 16.

ROTELLA CHIROPRACTIC & ACUPUNCTURE CENTER

15891 Kruhm Rd, Burtonsville, MD 301-421-4248 DrRotella@DrRotella.com • DrRotella.com Rotella Chiropractic & Acupuncture Center is a family practice designed to provide the best of both Eastern and Western holistic health care.

Dr. Rotella prides herself on her many years of study of numerous diagnostic and treatment techniques. See ad, page 25.

MELISSA WINDSOR, DC, CHC

Chiropractor and Certified Holistic Health Coach • Restorative Health 202-244-6661 RestorativeHealth.org Dr. Windsor is a Chiropractor and Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach. She is an expert in using both chiropractic and nutrition in healing the body and balancing the immune system both for general wellness and in the face of specific disease states.

COUNSELING

ENERGY HEALING

MARY KENDELL, MS, NP

Couples Therapy GW Center for Integrative Medicine 202-833-5055, 202-300-4981 Gwcim.com • SexMatters2Me@gmail.com Evaluation, treatment, counseling, and education for all sexual health concerns. See ad, page 2.

CRYSTALIS

306 Elden St, Herdon, VA 703-689-0114 Info@Crystalis.com • Crystalis.com Enjoy the healing environment of our store which offers a variety of high energy stones, incense, books, meditation supplies and much more.

HEALING GATEWAY

CLEANING MAID BRIGADE CAPITAL REGION

4813-A Eisenhower Ave, Alexandria, VA 800-515-6243 Marketing@Maid-Brigade.com MaidBrigade.com

877-534-5534 HealingGateway.com

NATALIE X. KORYTNYK, PHD

Individual & Couples Therapy GW Center for Integrative Medicine 202-833-5055 • Gwcim.com With over 20 years of experience, D r. N a t a l i e K o r y t n y k i s a psychologist with an expertise in relationship difficulties, anxiety, depression, work stress, eating disorders and self-esteem. See ad, page 2.

We are Green Clean Certified so you can have peace of mind that your home will be healthier for you, your pets, and the environment. See ad, page 9.

CONCIERGE

DENTIST

MUSE CONCIERGE, LLC

PO Box 212, Washington Grove, MD 301-337-0988 • Muse-Concierge.com Michele.Muise@gmail.com

LYNN D. LOCKLEAR, DDS, LVIF 437 Cedar Street, NW, DC 202-829-7600

Dr. Lynn Locklear has helped many patients to get their “bite back” non-surgically after a diagnosis of TMJ Dysfunction. An International Associate of Dentists, Top in Washinton, D.C. in 2012. See ad, page 5.

Services that give people time for more important things in their lives. The services offered are property care including “green” cleaning, errands, in home/office food services, elder care and training. All services have sustainability in mind and use only natural, no chemical and organic options. See ad, page 17.

Grace Ogden leads this consulting and event production firm that supports progressive social change with an awareness of why spiritual principles and practices matter.

See ad, page 26.

THE BIG BAD WOOF

5501 Baltimore Ave, Hyattsville, MD 117 Carroll St NW, Old Takoma, DC 301-403-8957 • TheBigBadWoof.com The Big Bad Woof is a community resource for companion animals and their guardians. We are committed to providing nutritious foods for companion animals whether they are dogs, cats, small mammals, birds or fish. We provide access to organic, holistic and premium raw diets and a wide range of alternatives including holistic supplements for companion animals.

See ad, page 11.

HERBS 540-937-4283 Green.Comfort@gmail.com

EDUCATION

Grace Ogden, Principal 301-445-6771 • GraceProductions.co

HEALTHY PETS

GREEN COMFORT SCHOOL OF HERBAL MEDICINE

CONSULTING GRACE PRODUCTIONS

Sherry Lynn Dmytrewycz invites you to enter into a healthier, unlimited life with an energy clearing for you, your space or your animals. Handson or distance sessions. See ad, page 35.

Green Comfort School of Herbal Medicine offers a variety of learning opportunities for the beginning and more advanced student of holistic life practices.

WASHINGTON WALDORF SCHOOL 4800 Sangamore Rd, Bethesda, MD 301-229-6107 SSmith@WashingtonWaldorf.com WashingtonWaldorf.org

Washington Waldorf offers a holistic education that blends arts, movement, and practical skills with academics at every step. PreK-12.

Imagine a better way to learn. See ad, page 27.

Each age has deemed the new-born year the fittest time for festal cheer.

HOLISTIC DENTISTRY TERRY VICTOR, DDS

The DC Dentist 509 11th St, SE, DC 202-544-3626 • TheDCDentist.com Staff@TheDCDentist.com Dr.Victor provides exceptional holistic and biological dentistry. The DC Dentist is the first eco-friendly and completely sustainable dental office in the DC area. See ad, page 3.

~Walter Scott natural awakenings

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HOLISTIC HEALING RECONNECTIVE HEALING

Joan Fowler 301-452-3305 Joan@Dove333.com • Dove333.com

HOLISTIC PROMOTIONS EARTHLIGHT PROMOTIONS 703-401-9663 BeverlyNickerson@comcast.net EarthLightPromotions.com

Bringing back the indigenous wisdom to our modern world. Organizing sacred retreat, reconnect with nature and sacred sites travel. Promoting holistic healers, traditional ancient medicine and wellness workshops.

Reconnective Healing, a new level of healing that scientists and researchers know we now have access to. It goes beyond energy healing spectrum into a new bandwidth of light and information. See ad, page 35.

RECONNECTIVE HEALING Debbie Spinelli 305-992-5733 Debbie333Spinelli@gmail.com

Reconnective Healing is a form of holistic healing; leading clients to a deeply transformational path that allows for healing on all levels; physical, spiritual, mental and emotional. As a practitioner and healer since 2011, Spinelli has trained with Dr. Eric Pearl, the founder of Reconnective Healing.

See ad, page 35.

HOME ENVIRONMENT MIKHAIL SOGONOV, PH.D.

InSitu EcoTesting LLC GW Center for Integrative Medicine 202-833-5055 • Sogonov@InSitu-ET.com Consulting company inspecting indoor environment for biological agents negatively affecting human health. Mainly focused on mold, also includes sewage contamination and pet and pest allergens.

See ad, page 2.

RISING PHOENIX HOLISTIC CENTER, LLC

9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA 703-392-9200 RisingPhoenixHC@gmail.com RisingPhoenixHC.com A team of healers and teachers offering classes, workshops and energy healing services to inspire health and well-being. Also a metaphysical gift and bookstore.

See ad, page 16.

HOLISTIC PARENTING HOLISTIC MOMS NETWORK ARLINGTON/ALEXANDRIA CHAPTER 571-451-8273 HolisticMomsArlAlex@gmail.com HolisticMomsArlAlex.blogspot.com

A nonprofit resource for parents seeking support in their natural lifestyle choices. All chapters hold monthly meetings and most offer supplemental activities.

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INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE CASEY HEALTH INSTITUTE

800 South Frederick Ave, Gaithersburg 301-664-6464 KGill@CaseyHealth.org CaseyHealth.org

Casey Health offers primary care, acupuncture, chiropractic, naturopathy, yoga therapy, massage, behavioral health, wellness classes, and health coaching all aimed at getting people healthy. See ad, page 55.

ANGELA GABRIEL, MSOM, LAC, CH GW Center for Integrative Medicine 202-833-5055, 202-300-4981 Gwcim.com

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

Classical Chinese medicine, Japanese-style acupuncture, pain and stress management, chronic issues, family care, women’s health, pregnancy, children, Kiiko Matsumoto-style acupuncture, moxibustion, integrative medicine.

See ad, page 2.

CHAS GANT, MD, PHD

National Integrative Health Associates 5225 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 402, NW, DC 202-237-7000 ext 104 CEGant2@gmail.com • DoctorChas.com Dr. Gant, an internationally known author and integrative/functional medicine physician, addresses the root causes of chronic medical and psychiatric disorders, unique to each patient in all age ranges. See ad, page 8.

GW CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE 908 New Hampshire Ave, NW, DC 202-833-5055 • Gwcim.com

A clinic that effectively combines use of traditional and conventional evidencebased medical practices through a variety of complementary and alternative therapies and has many years of close collaboration with George Washington University Medical Center and a variety of physicians in most subspecialties. See ad, page 2.

INDIGO INTEGRATIVE HEALTH CLINIC 1010 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 660, DC 202-298-9131 IndigoHealthClinic.com

The body has an innate ability to heal itself and achieve balance from everyday stressors through non-toxic, non-aggressive and highly effective modalities. See ad, page 5.

MIKHAIL KOGAN, MD

GW Center for Integrative Medicine 202-833-5055 • Gwcim.com

Dr. Kogan is Medical Director of GW Center for Integrative Medicine where he provides integrative consultations and primary care. In addition, he does geriatric consultations at GW University Hospital and makes home visits to frail patients. See ad, page 2.

NATIONAL INTEGRATED HEALTH ASSOCIATES

5225 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 402, NW 202-237-7000 ext 118 NIHADC.com

Leaders in Integrative Medicine and Biological Dentistry At National Integrated Health Associates, NIHA, our team of Integrative doctors blends the best of western medicine and safe, proven complementary and alternative therapies to help the body heal. See ad, page 48.

VIVA IMED

8303 Arlington Blvd, Ste 206, Fairfax, VA 703-207-4646 • VivaiMed.com At VIVA iMED Center where you are a Very Important Patient, we work with you as a partner, listening to your needs, addressing the whole person including your medical issues and optimizing all aspects of your health and wellness. See ad, page 41.

MASSAGE AT EASE: TRAGER AND MASSAGE Lisa Bregman 202-686-7202 LisaBregman@yahoo.com

Deep bodywork that uses rhythmic, wavelike movement to ease pain, joint and muscle tension, and release long-held uncomfortable movement and postural patterns. See ad, page 2.

SERENDIPITY WELLNESS STUDIO 5252 Lyngate Ct, Ste 202, Burke, VA 571-217-1150 SerendipityWellness@gmail.com SerendipityWellnessStudio.com

Voted best massage in Northern Virginia. Offering 10 different modalities of massage therapy and bodywork as well as natural skincare and body treatments.

MEAL DELIVERY POWER SUPPLY DC MyPowerSupply.com

Power Supply provides fresh, tasty, all-natural meal plans including vegetarian and grain-free choices. No gluten or dairy either. Order online one-time or recurring, pickup at 80+ DMV locations, heat & enjoy. Use “NATURAL” gift card to save $10 on 1st order. Natural Awakenings readers can save $10 off of their first order by visiting MyPowerSupply.com/Natural. See ad, page 16.

MEDITATION HUGH BYRNE, PHD Hugh-Byrne.com

Mindfulness-based counseling and meditation instruction. Dr. Byrne teaches classes, retreats, and workshops on Buddhism and meditation in the Washington, D.C. area and nationwide and provides individual counseling.

ROCKVILLE MEDITATION

RAW LIVING D-LIGHT

11601 Nebel St, Rockville, MD 301-770-7778 RockvilleMeditation@gmail.com RockvilleMeditation.org

571-471-2891 • Luzy@RawLivingDLight RawLivingDLight.com

The Rockville Meditation center offers unlimited guided meditation s e s s i o n s d a i l y. T h e meditation focuses on a method of subtraction.

This logical and revolutionary method is about removing the problem of emotional pain and discomfort completely. There is also an END to the meditation. The method reaches to 340 centers worldwide and is causing a sensation in different corners of the world. Make an appointment for your free consultation today. See ad, page 11.

NATURAL HEALTH PRODUCTS BIOGEOGENETICS

1937 Shipyard Rd, Chesapeake, VA 888-448-8376 BioGeoGenetics@gmail.com WhatIsBiogeogenetics.com Advanced, potent, fastacting all-natural trace mineral/cell salt blends that provide cellular nutrition which improve the musculoskeletal (Pain Away), optical (Clearer Eyes), respiratory systems (Celox). See ad, page 27.

NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIANS MARIANNA LEDENAC, ND

Adult & Pediatric Naturopathic Medicine GW Center for Integrative Medicine 202-833-5055 • Gwcim.com Dr. Ledenac is a Naturopathic Physician in family medicine caring for adults and children. She has a special focus in weight management (body composition improvement), nutritional assessments, pediatrics and women’s health including fertility care. See ad, page 2.

NUTRITION 2 NOURISH, NUTRITION & WELLNESS Marietta Amatangelo, Director 877-428-0555 Info@2Nourish.com • 2Nourish.com

Alkaline foods to restore your health and nourish your body.

Microgreens and sprouts, foods for superior health. Classes, workshops and private consultation. Available for lectures and home growing consultations.

See ad, page 9.

NUTRITION EDUCATION KRISTA NOELLE

302-897-2407 Krista@KristaNoelle.com • KristaNoelle.com Krista combines her knowledge of physiology, medicinal herbs, foodas-medicine and the mind/body connection to evoke positive and lasting change with each individual client. She currently sees clients in the Baltimore and Washington area.

JULIE WENDT

JWendt@GWCIM.com GWCIM.com

My work as a Nutrition Educator is focused on working in partnership with individuals who want or need to implement changes to their diet and lifestyle in order to achieve optimal health See ad, page 2.

ORGANIC FOOD & GROCERS DAWSON’S MARKET

225 N Washington St, Rockville, MD 240-428-1386 DawsonsMarket.com We’re Dawson Market, a locally focused, independent, natural foods market located in Rockville Town Square. At Dawson’s, we’re a tight-knit community of food lovers that all work for the same mission: To be the heart and soul of our community through a strong commitment to local and organic foods.

ROBERTA’S NATURAL FOODS

A trusted nutritionist and wellness coach in the tri-metro area, with functional nutrition expertise in digestive and detox, wellness, MTHFR, cancer and chronic conditions.

9424 Main St, Fairfax, VA 703-591-1121 RobertasNaturalFoods@gmail.com RobertasNaturalFoods.com

A new health food store featuring cutting-edge vitamins and supplements.

We f o c u s o n l o c a l , organic, vegan, paleo, and gluten-free groceries.

Individualized care always given. See ad, page 27.

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ORGANIC SKINCARE

SPIRITUAL LIVING UNITY OF FAIRFAX

HERBAN LIFESTYLE HerbanLifestyle.com

Making the world a happier, healthier, better-smelling place by handcrafting herbal bath and body products using organic, natural and Fair Trade ingredients in Earthfriendly packaging. See ad, page 31.

SKINTUITION: SKINCARE, MINERAL MAKEUP AND WAXING

4908 Hampden Ln, Bethesda, MD 240-800-4060 • YouthfulSkintuition.com Marisa@YouthfulSkintuition.com

skINtuition encourages your skin’s natural ability to be healthy and youthful through the use of non-toxic bioactive products. We rejuvenate and protect your skin while you relax. See ad, page 39.

2854 Hunter Mill Rd, Oakton, VA 703-281-1767 • Admin@UnityOfFairfax.org UnityOfFairfax.org Unity of Fairfax offers a welcoming, environment to explore one’s own relationship with God in a community of like-minded individuals.

STORY-TELLING Susan Coti 703-966-5207 S_Coti@hotmail.com • IHearVoices.biz Specializing in wisdom, folk, myths and personal tales. Suitable for adults and families with older children. See ad, page 17.

REALTOR

Realtor specializing in helping clients buy and sell residential and commercial property throughout Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. See ad, page 10.

REIKI LUANN JACOBS, SLP/RMT

Reiki-Biofeedback Practitioner GW Center for Integrative Medicine 202-833-5055 • Gwcim.com Luann provides treatments and trainings in the use of Reiki hands-on and biofeedback for self-care, and Reiki care of others. See ad, page 2.

Experience a place of refuge and a spiritual center where all are welcome! A Vegan Vinyasa yoga studio and JivaMukti™ Yoga Center Affiliate. Open 7 days a week and offering over 55 classes a week, including 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training. See ad, page 11.

4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, DC 20016 202-248-6304 A friendly, community yoga center welcoming all ages and stages of life. Offering open and honest teaching regarding yoga, well-being, family and spirituality.

202-246-9592 YaelFlusberg@gmail.com • YaelFlusberg.com Experienced yoga therapist/coach available for group and individual sessions drawing from a deep well of creative, somatic and reflective methods to help you flourish. See ad, page 2.

THERAPEUTIC YOGA LINDA LANG

GW Center for Integrative Medicine 202-833-5055 • TherapeuticYogaDC.com A highly experienced practitioner, certified in the medical, therapeutic arena of Cardiac Yoga. Specializing in chronic conditions and degenerative disease. Therapeutic yoga for special conditions and m e d i t a t i o n a r e o ff e r e d b y appointment with GW Center for Integrative Medicine. See ad, page 2.

TERRI NEFF METIN

1606 17th St, NW 202-256-2163 • TerriHomes.com Terri.Metin@cbmove.com

1115 U St NW, DC, Ste 202 202-588-5885 • BuddhaBYoga.com

Y’S ELEMENTS

FITNESS TOGETHER CHANTILLY

Personal training and Hypnosis for Weight loss. Fitness lifestyle training. Private studio setting for adults. Learn the art of selfawareness and progressive exercise for radical change. 18 years bringing health and wellness to our clients. See ad, page 10.

BUDDHA B YOGA

LIL OMM YOGA

I HEAR VOICES

PERSONAL TRAINING 3914 Centreville Rd, Ste 125, Chantilly, VA 571-323-2223 JohnMays@FitnessTogether.com FitnessTogether.com/Chantilly

YOGA

ZERO BALANCING LISA SCHUMACHER

4000 Albemarle St, NW Ste 202 202-244-9588 Lisa@Balancentering.com

WELLNESS iEMBRACE WELLNESS

Centreville, VA 571-232-9979 Office@iEmbraceWellness.com iEmbraceWellness.com Accunect™ and BodyTalk™ are used to restore the body’s natural ability to heal itself at the mind, body and spirit levels, by clearing the underlying sources of stress that interfere with this natural healing process. Selfcare workshops are offered to educate and empower individuals in their own healthcare. See ad, page 44.

“Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.” ~Oprah Winfrey

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Helping others find natural ways to gain optimum health through Zero Balancing, Massage, Energy Therapy and Herbal Support. See ad, page 41.

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

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Degrees with Meaning for Careers with Purpose Health & Wellness Coaching Graduate Programs Enrolling January 2015 Maryland University of Integrative Health is one of the nation’s only accredited graduate schools with an academic and clinical focus on health and wellness. Here, the ability to be self-reflective and cultivate a healing presence is as critical to your academic success as competence in your chosen field.

MUIH also offers graduate programs in: Health Promotion | Nutrition and Integrative Health Herbal Medicine | Yoga Therapy | Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

Online, on campus, and weekend options available 56

Washington, D.C.

No GREs required muih.edu 800-735-2968

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com