Natural Awakenings DC December 2013 by Natural Awakenings DC

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Finding New Meaning in the Season

Peace on TOUCHING GREEN Our Plates HEAVEN Merry-Making Mindful Eating for a More Peaceful World

Proof of Life After Death

Retro-Fresh Family Traditions

December 2013 | Washington, natural D.C. |awakenings NaturalAwakeningsDC.com December 2013

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December 2013

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Come and Join the UPCOMING Basic Thetahealingâ&#x201E;˘ Class December 13 - December 15

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December 2013

letterfrompublisher Love and Joy, Come to you— contact us Publisher Robin Fillmore Managing Editor Sharon Hadden Contributing Editors Grace Ogden Jessica Bradshaw Design & Production Irene Sankey Partnership Development David Chang Outreach Terri Carr Natural Awakenings of Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-505-4835 Fax: 202-827-7955 5230 Tuckerman Lane North Bathesda, MD 20852 Robin@NaturalAwakeningsDC.com NaturalAwakeningsDC.com ©2013 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.

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As we roll from our November holidays into the hustle and bustle of December, it is good to take stock. In our family and in many others (yours included, perhaps), December is the moment in our year when we make time to be with one another and to revel in the opportunity to be a family. I am blessed with a large and extended family that truly enjoys being together—sharing a holiday meal, purchasing the perfect gift and sitting around the table to play board games. It is also our time to take part in the family rituals that have been nurtured throughout the years. As the family has changed, with marriages, births and moves away, it is good to hold on to a few simple activities that we use to identify the holidays. It wouldn’t be Christmas for us if we didn’t set aside the weekend prior to the holiday to bake cookies and other sweet treats. Our kitchen is transformed into a glorious mess, with about six different family favorites in some stage of preparation or completion at any given moment. Children under foot. Vince Gauraldi’s Charlie Brown Christmas on the DVD player. For us, that is the holiday. I am truly blessed and I rely, in part, on these rituals to keep me grounded and, at the same time, awakened. Our theme for December is Awakening Humanity. Just as my family grounds me in the here and now, I understand that the universe in which I dwell is but a glimpse of a greater reality of which I am a part. In a past letter, I have written about my fascination with the new body of research surrounding near death experiences and in that those who have had a foretaste of existence, if one could call it that, beyond the grave. This month’s feature, “Near-Death Experiences”, shares the experiences of the wildly popular books by Anita Moorjani and Dr. Eben Alexander. To me, the message of hope that these authors provide is a gift to all of humanity, because in the end, the force which moves each of us throughout this vast world is love. My copy of Alexander’s Proof of Heaven bears the marks of my neon highlighter, with its central lesson. Alexander writes, “If I had to boil the whole message down to just one word, it would be Love—the incomprehensibly glorious truth of truths that lives and breathes at the core of everything that exists or will ever exist. No remotely accurate understanding of who we are and what we are can be achieved by anyone who does not know it and embodies it in all their actions.” This December, as I am surrounded by those who love me and those whom I love, I will remember these lessons. I hope that you will do the same. Good tidings, dear friends,

Robin Fillmore, Publisher

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contents 12 8 newsbriefs 12 healthbriefs 14 globalbriefs 18 eventspotlight 19 conscious communication 15 22 wisewords 23 consciousliving 24 inspiration 26 community spotlight 27 oneonone 30 fitbody 30 33 greenplanet 34 livinggreen 35 ancientwisdom 36 firstperson 38 calendar 42 resourceguide

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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.

16 NEAR-DEATH

EXPERIENCES Proof of Life After Death

by Linda Sechrist

20 GREEN MERRY-MAKING Retro-Fresh

Family Traditions by Claire O’Neil

23 FINDING NEW MEANING IN THE SEASON Taking Stock at the Year’s End

by Theresa Ford

24 DEALING WITH LOSS

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON The Challenge During the Holidays by Jonathan Kuiper

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EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Robin@NaturalAwakeningsDC.com. Deadline for editorial: feature articles are due by the 5th of the month, news briefs and health briefs are due by the 10th.

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Mindful Eating for a

More Peaceful World

by Judith Fertig

IS ELEMENTARY

Teaching Climate Change in a Positive Way by Terri Carr

NOT LANDFILLS

Fighting Food Waste and Hunger

by Cara Mayo

37 THE GENEROSITY OF CHILDREN

Nourishing Kindness and Compassion by Andrew Kutt

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December 2013

newsbriefs Doctors Harness the Power of Community

t Restorative Health in Tenleytown, D.C., patients know that their health is seen as more than numbers on a chart. Wellness is a journey on which we are continuously learning and growing. With that in mind, Restorative Health has launched a series of healthy living classes to inspire patients to eat healthfully, to enjoy the movement of their body, to learn about healing therapies and to reduce stress with meditation. In a recent Introduction to Meditation class, participants openly discussed the challenges of starting and maintaining a meditation practice. Among their dilemmas were, “Sometimes, when I try to relax, it actually makes me more tense. What can I do about that?” “I have trouble staying awake.” “I can’t stop thinking.” It is recognized that perhaps the greatest asset in a healthy lifestyle is the presence of a supportive community where difficulties can be discussed. With the coming holidays, which are often the hardest time of the year for healthy living, Restorative Health will be offering candlelit meditation and yoga classes and a session on reducing physical tension during a stressful time of year. Finding peace within ourselves and with each other, in the hardest times, might be the medicine that we all need. For more information, visit RestorativeHealth.org. See ad, page 47.

Win a Caribbean Cruise from Natural Awakenings DC

eaders of Natural Awakenings DC magazine have the opportunity to win the trip of a lifetime. An eight-day cruise, called the Holistic Holiday at Sea, will be awarded to one lucky reader. The cruise offered will take place March 1 to 8, leaving from Miami. Cruisers will be sailing on the MSC Divina, one of the most ecologically friendly cruise liners on the water. While aboard, cruisers will enjoy lectures by well-known authors such as T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., the coauthor of The China Study and Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition and featured in the movie Forks over Knives and Dr. Neal Bernard, founder of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and author of Food for Life and Power Foods for the Brain. All the while, participants will be enjoying delicious vegan natural foods. To enter the giveaway, simply “like” the Natural Awakenings DC Facebook page, tell us “where you feel natural awakened” and give your name and contact email address. You will also find the rules for participation listed on Facebook. See ad, page 36.

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Stretch Your Limits with YoKid

oKid, a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)3 organization that provides instruction in yoga for kids and teens, is looking for volunteers. By participating in yoga, kids and teens are able to foster greater self-awareness and, in turn, realize their full potential physically, academically, socially and emotionally. To carry out its mission, YoKid is looking for volunteers who can help in a variety of ways. Volunteer yoga teachers are needed and will be paid a stipend for each class they teach. All volunteer yoga teachers must have previous yoga experience and have an interest in teaching kids yoga. Additionally, volunteer classroom assistants will provide an extra set of hands for the YoKid yoga teachers. The assistants support the teachers within the classroom, as they deliver fun and creative yoga classes, in a safe and nurturing environment. To become an assistant, volunteers must commit to a minimum of one class per week for six weeks (typical classes are 45 to 60 minutes in length). No prior yoga experience necessary. Helping in this way allows those that are new to yoga or those that want to help, but not in a lead position, find a place to contribute. For more information, visit YoKid.org.

Medical Yoga Symposium: Integrating Art and Medicine

he exhibit, “Yoga: The Art of Transformation”, scheduled to run through January 26, 2014, at the Freer|Sackler Galleries of the Smithsonian, is the perfect opportunity to explore the art and science of therapeutic yoga on January 11 and 12. This symposium brings together visionaries in integrative medicine with those who study yoga and meditation. Some of the nation’s most renowned thinkers will be participating in the Medical Yoga Symposium, hosted by the Smithsonian, including Dr. Dean Ornish, Timothy McCall and Richard Miller. The symposium is organized by Linda Lang of the Therapeutic Yoga of Greater Washington and the Center for Integrative Medicine at the George Washington University Medical Center. On Saturday, January 11, at the Freer, the topic is “Discovery and Didactics, Professional Perspectives and Personal Stories” and will feature a keynote by Ornish, whose personal and professional life has been profoundly shaped by yoga. For the remainder of the day, the leadership of modern yoga in medical, academic and military settings will present seminal works and dialogue with one another to reveal the transformational elements of yoga in practice, therapy and research. On Sunday, January 12 at the Marvin Center of George Washington University, master classes with three-hour intensives will dive deeper into the discussions of yoga. Participants will engage in experiential activities to explore the realm of transformation through yoga, engage in physical (asana) and physiological (pranayama) sessions to enhance health and well-being and explore the emotional and psychological aspects of the practice through movement, inquiry and meditation. For more information, visit MedicalYogaSymposium.com. natural awakenings

December 2013

newsbriefs

Help to Build Hope in Haiti with Your Own Hands

H Reiki Volunteer Practitioners Marked 5,000th Visit to the GWU Hospital

eorge Washington Center for Integrative Medicine (GWCIM) Reiki Master Teacher and Biofeedback Instructor Luann Jacobs and 43 trained volunteer Reiki practitioners who worked with her over the years celebrated their 5,000th visit to George Washington University Hospital (GWU) to provide Reiki to patients, their families and staff. Under the leadership of two forward-thinking and visionary doctors—John Pan, the founder of GWCIM, and Joel Rosenberg, GWU’s clinical director of cardiology—the Reiki Relaxation Therapy Program was launched in 2004 as a six-month pilot project at the GWU Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory. The goal of the program was to help patients relax before cardiac procedures. The pilot program was a great success and continued until April 1, 2007, when a permanent GWU Reiki volunteer program was formed under Jacobs’s leadership. It quickly expanded to many other departments of GWU and now offers sessions led by an assigned volunteer almost on a daily basis. Marking the milestone, volunteers expressed appreciation and gratitude for the program and for the many benefits it has brought to their lives. As one of the early volunteers, Craig Cameron, says, “I’m sure I speak for many of us when I say that the GWU Reiki volunteer program was an important part of my Reiki training and my Reiki practice today. I learned so much from the patients about patience and courage and that no matter how bad things are, Reiki can help. I learned a lot about my own strengths as well—it was healing all around.” Jacobs expresses, “I want to give a huge Luann Jacobs thank you to all the Reiki volunteers who have brought their special way of caring into the medical realm and have helped all they have touched.” To read a 2005 Washington Post story about the early stage of the program, visit WashingtonPost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/25/AR2005072501224.html

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elp for the Children, a locally based 501(c)3 organization, has a big goal—to build a school, orphanage and medical clinic in Charlier, Haiti. The organization began with an idea from Ginette Thomas, a native Haitian who lived in the U.S. for many years but returned to Haiti following the devastating 2010 earthquake. Charlier is an isolated coastal village about three hours west of Port-au-Prince, where school and health facilities are inadequate or non-existent, and unemployment is at nearly 100 percent. The organization is now recruiting groups of 10 to 15 people for week-long trips, beginning in early 2014, to continue the work that has already begun on this long-term project. The road that will lead to the school has been graded, the guest house to accommodate the volunteers is complete and the plans have been drawn up for the first phase of construction– the kindergarten and first grade building. Help for the Children is eager to work with school, congregational and civic groups who would like to become involved with their hearts and hands, alongside the good people of Charlier. For more information visit HelpForTheChildrenHaiti.org or email HFTC@HelpForThe ChildrenHaiti.org.

MLK Library Opens the Digital Door to City Residents E

US A

ne of the best kept secrets in Washington, D.C., found on the first floor of the Martin L. King Jr. Library, is known as the Digital Commons. With more than 70 computers, loaded with a multitude of useful programs, such as the Adobe Creative Suite, and a long list of available classes, this resource offers a wide range of technical and digital experiences to residents and other library-users. At the Commons, participants can take classes in how to make an iMovie, use PhotoShop or create their own music with GarageBand. The newest tablets and e-readers are available for patrons to give these devices a test-drive. The Commons also has a 3-D printer and offers classes on how to utilize this new and innovative technology. Along with classes, the Commons offers a free gathering and work spot, called the Dream Lab, which, according to library sources, supports “small organizations, groups and individuals using information technologies to develop and sustain new ventures.” Those seeking to become part of the Dream Lab must apply to become a member and once accepted, must dedicate one hour of “public programming” per month related to information technologies or digital literacy.

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December 2013

healthbriefs

Sprinkle Cinnamon to Avert Alzheimer’s

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innamon is known as an excellent antioxidant that improves fasting blood sugar levels and prevents heart disease. Now new research offers yet another benefit and reason to add this potent spice to our daily diet. Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara, have confirmed that cinnamon helps protect against Alzheimer’s disease. They found that the cinnamon compounds cinnamaldehyde and epicatechin help stop the formation of “tangles” of tau protein in the brain, hallmarks of the memory-robbing neurodegenerative disease. The study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, says these powerful antioxidants that give cinnamon its potent flavor and scent defend mental function in a unique way. “Take, for example, sunburn, a form of oxidative damage,” explains Roshni Graves, of the university’s Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology. “If you wore a hat, you could protect your face and head from oxidation. In a sense, this cinnamaldehyde is like a cap,” protecting against tau proteins. The findings suggest that sufficient cinnamon consumption might stop the progression of Alzheimer’s or even prevent it.

Cocoa Calms Inflammation

ew can say no to a cup of hot cocoa on a cold winter’s night. “Enjoy!” say Penn State researchers. They have found that a little bit of cocoa may be a powerful diet aid in helping to control inflammation and ameliorate related diseases, including diabetes. Numerous current studies link obesity to inflammation in the body. Cocoa, although a common ingredient of chocolate, by itself has low-calorie, low-fat and high-fiber content. The researchers fed laboratory mice the human equivalent of 10 tablespoons of cocoa powder—about four or five cups of hot cocoa—along with a high-fat diet for 10 weeks. The control group ate the same diet without the cocoa. Lead researcher Joshua Lambert, Penn State associate professor of food science, says the study results surprised the team, which did not expect the “dramatic reduction of inflammation and fatty liver disease” associated with obesity. Although the animals lost no weight, the cocoa powder supplement reduced liver triglycerides by 32 percent and plasma insulin levels by 27 percent, indicating it might be a powerful obesityfighting tool. But there is a catch: Adding sugar, an inflammatory substance in itself, to healthy cocoa will likely neutralize the benefits. Try stevia as a sweetener instead; it’s been used for decades to lower blood sugar.

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The Silent Cause of Chronic Inflammation

TO GET MORE, GIVE MORE

by Dr. Isabel Sharkar

ood sensitivities are one of the leading causes of chronic inflammation and a huge obstacle to cure. The food we consume is meant to nourish the cells of our body and boost their function. The better we eat, the better our organs perform their role. We are exposed to over 500 chemicals each day, not including those found in food. The most important thing we can do is eat the right food, that does not cause chronic inflammation, but that which purifies and detoxifies. Food sensitivities are not as immediate or obvious as those of food allergies. It may take up to three days for your body to react to a food consumed. This is known as delayed sensitivity and is almost impossible to detect without sophisticated testing. Look for a blood lab test that applies the ELISA method and measures both IgG and IgE antibodies, as opposed to the conventional skin-prick tests, which identify IgE antibodies only. Symptoms commonly associated with food sensitivities include gas, bloating, indigestion, diarrhea, constipation, joint pain, asthma, acne, fatigue, brain fog, migraines, hyperactivity, anxiety and difficulty losing weight. Although a runny nose, dry eyes and sinus congestion are all signs of seasonal hay fever, if these symptoms persist all year, you may be dealing with hidden food sensitivity. All of these symptoms are caused by chronic inflammation, the gateway to disease, and true healing cannot take place. Mother nature’s four seasons intend for us to be seasonal eaters. Consuming the same food every day will likely cause you to develop a sensitivity. Avoid the top food sensitivities—gluten, dairy, corn, soy, nuts, nightshades, citrus and yeast—for six weeks and monitor the difference in how you feel. When realizing what food sensitivities you have and avoiding them, you will experience a positive change in the way you look and feel.

iving away money or spending it on others increases the giver’s sense of personal wealth, according to research by Michael Norton, of Harvard Business School, and coauthor Elizabeth Dunn, of the University of British Columbia. The latest in a series of studies showed that people that support others, from helping with homework to shoveling a neighbor’s driveway, feel that they had more time in general and that giving time away relieved the sense of “not having enough time,” even more than gaining unexpected free time.

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Dr. Isabel Sharkar is a licensed naturopathic physician and co-owner of Indigo Integrative Medical Clinic, in Georgetown. See ad, page, 21.

Cranberries Support B Healthy Circulation

egularly drinking cranberry juice may help control blood pressure, according to new findings presented at the American Heart Association’s High Blood Pressure Research 2012 Scientific Sessions. Cranberry juice, the researchers note, is rich in antioxidants—naturally occurring molecules that have been associated with the blood pressure-lowering benefit. U.S. Department of Agriculture researchers discovered a moderate systolic pressure reduction—about three points—for people that drank two eight-ounce glasses of cranberry juice every day for eight weeks. Because of the sugar calories in juice, consider the alternative of a whole-food cranberry supplement.

utton-type lithium batteries are all around us, powering remote controls, keyless entry devices for cars, flameless candles, watches, greeting cards and other devices. Parents should be aware that these batteries are attractive to small children and if swallowed, can dissolve and cause serious damage to the esophagus in as little as two hours. The National Safety Council reports that the number of children swallowing these batteries quadrupled between 2005 and 2010, to 3,400 cases, yet 62 percent of parents are unaware of the danger.

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December 2013

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

Power Walking

Shoe Insert Generates Electricity Two Carnegie Mellon graduates, Matt Stanton and Hahna Alexander, are the founders of SolePower, a company making a shoe insert that stores the power generated by walking and running into a battery that can be instantly accessed via a USB port. Beta testing on the prototype has begun, with release expected next summer. The insert can be paired with any shoe type and feels like a regular, cushy insole, according to Stanton. The battery attaches to the ankle or the top of the shoe, and is charged after 2.5 miles of footsteps with enough power to run an iPhone. Runners needing to power heat-producing mittens in the winter could also benefit. Another application is emergency charging of cell phones and radios during power outages. People in developing nations likewise will have a reliable power source for mobile phones and other essential small electronics. Source: SolePowerTech.com

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Standard Returns New Sustainable Currency Geared to Stabilize World Economy

The Terra, an Internet-based trade reference currency (TRC), has been launched as a global complementary form of money to provide an inflation-resistant international value standard, stabilize the worldwide business cycle and realign stockholders’ interests with long-term sustainability. From a legal viewpoint, the Terra is standardized “countertrade” (international barter), which is routinely used for more than $1 trillion worth of transactions each year. Countertrade legislation already exists in about 200 countries, including all the major trading nations, so introducing the Terra does not require new intergovernmental agreements. Financial and currency expert Bernard Lietaer, one of the key architects of the European Currency Unit, the convergence mechanism that led to the Euro, posits the Terra as the first time since gold standard days that such a robust, inflation-resistant international base value has been available. He says, “This supranational complementary currency is uniquely designed, unlike national currencies, to provide a stable international mechanism for contractual and payment purposes worldwide. This mechanism would automatically work to reverse the boom and busts of the business cycle and stabilize the economy by providing more cash during downturns and cooling off inflationary pressures in the peak of an upturn.” Perhaps most importantly, it is positioned to resolve the current conflict between short-term financial interest and long-term sustainability. The Terra works in parallel with national currencies. Source: TerraTRC.org

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

Genuinely Greenwashed Six Ploys to Avoid in Eco-Purchases

A report by TerraChoice Environmental Marketing exposes these six “greenwashing” marketing ploys to watch out for when shopping: 1. Hidden Trade Off: A refurbished plasma TV might reduce the need of buying new at first, but new or not, such TVs are energy hogs. 2. No Proof: Can a third party verify claims such as “organic” or “all-natural”? 3. Vagueness: Beware of products claiming to be “chemical-free” or “no hormones added”. 4. Irrelevance: Claims that have no relationship to the product or might be made with any other product in the same category, such as [chlorofluorocarbon] CFC-free shaving gel. 5. Fibbing: A falsehood that can’t be backed up, such as “certified organic” for products for which no such certification exists. 6. Lesser of Two Evils: An attempt to put a green twist on a product that’s inherently harmful to humans and the environment, such as organic cigarettes.

Escalating Thirst

Endangered Western Tree Habitats A team of scientists at the University of Grenoble, in France, have isolated ultrasonic pops 100 times faster than what a human can hear in slivers of dead pine wood bathed in a hydrogel to simulate the conditions of a living tree. They exposed the gel to an artificially dry environment and listened for the noises that occurred as air bubbles built up, blocking water uptake, similar to what occurs to trees during drought. As leaves on a tree collect carbon dioxide, they open their pores, a process that leaves them particularly vulnerable to water loss. Douglas firs and pine trees can repair this damage as frequently as every hour, says Katherine McCulloh, a plant ecophysiologist at Oregon State University. However, the bubbles are deadly for other species. Today, the typical forest in the often thirsty American West contains an unnaturally high density of 112 to 172 trees per acre. Besides intercepting rain and snow that would otherwise enter the groundwater supply, such an overabundance threatens native species. “Deprived of [the effect of] low-intensity, naturally occurring fires, aspen, lupine, sequoia and fireweed can’t reproduce,” notes Jamie Workman, of the Environmental Defense Fund. “Deer lose edge habitat. Threatened owls and raptors can’t navigate through increasingly dense thickets.” Workman argues that thinning out small trees is the answer. Contributing source: Utne.com natural awakenings

December 2013

Near-Death Experiences Proof of Life After Death by Linda Sechrist

Through his research, he has identified numerous common elements that occur in NDEs—an out-of-body experience, the sensation of traveling through a tunnel, encountering a bright light (usually interpreted as God, Jesus or an angel), communicating with deceased relatives, feeling emotions such as profound peace, well-being and love, plus a flood of knowledge about life and the nature of the universe. Perhaps the most significant element he reports is the supremely conscious and superbly blissful state that exists beyond both limitations of the senses and intellect and the confines of space and time— the pure conscious form of each one’s truly real Self.

Life as Love

he advice that the White Queen gave to young Alice in Lewis Carroll’s Through the LookingGlass might be some of the best to offer non-believers and skeptics that question the credibility of near-death experiences (NDE). When Alice protests, “One can’t believe impossible things,” the White Queen famously retorts, “I daresay you haven’t had much practice. When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

Glimpses of Grace

The majority of physicians and clinical researchers in the medical community continue to consider NDEs as impossible and merely pure fantasies generated by a surge of electrical activity as a dying brain runs out of oxygen. However, according to a Gallup poll, the 8 million Americans whose transcendental NDEs freed their consciousness to leave the body and enter into a wondrous reality that exists completely free of physicality, believe them to be real, meaningful and lifechanging experiences. Recently, the renowned NDE narratives of Anita Moorjani, author of Dying to Be Me: My Journey from 16

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I was overwhelmed by the realization that God isn’t a being, but a state of being… and I am that state of being… pure consciousness. ~ Anita Moorjani Cancer to Near Death, to True Healing, and Dr. Eben Alexander, author of Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon’s Journey into the Afterlife, have sparked fresh public interest in NDEs, a word coined by Raymond Moody, Ph.D., in his 1975 classic, Life After Life. Moody, a psychiatrist and professor of philosophy who has spent nearly 50 years investigating what happens when people die, has interviewed thousands of individuals that have personally experienced an NDE. “Over the past 20 years there have been enormous strides in resuscitation technology. Defibrillators and public access defibrillation programs, as well as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, are major factors that allow modern medicine to bring people back from a state that 100 years ago would have been labeled death,” observes Moody.

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Rushed to the hospital in a coma, Moorjani, whose body had been devoured for four years by cancer of the lymphatic system, describes the real self that she discovered during her NDE. “There I was, without my body or any physical traits, yet my pure essence continued to exist. It was not a reduced element of my whole self; in fact, it felt far greater and more intense and expansive than my physical being. “I felt eternal, as if I’d always existed and always would, without a beginning or end. I was filled with the knowledge that I was simply magnificent,” explains Moorjani, whose cancer completely disappeared within five weeks after her release from the hospital. “Not only did I come back with a clean slate, I brought back one of my biggest lessons—to love myself and be an instrument of love. I also returned to life here with a sense of purpose—to fearlessly be as authentically me as I can be. This means,” she clarifies, “that in whatever I do, I am acting from my sense of passion and the sheer joy of doing it.” During Alexander’s seven-day coma in a hospital, brought about by antibiotic-resistant E. coli meningitis that attacked his brain, he left his mortal identity behind. “My brain wasn’t working at all,” he relates. “My entire neo-cortex, the part that makes us human, was entirely shut down. I had no language, emotions, logic or memories of who I was. Such an empty slate granted me full access to the true

cosmic being that I am, that we all are,” says Alexander. He further recalls that as his NDE unfolded, it occurred to him that he was being granted a grand overview of the invisible side of existence. He also had a lovely ethereal companion that floated along on a butterfly wing, telepathically teaching him to accept the universal truth that, “You are eternally loved and cherished, you have nothing to fear, and there is nothing you can do wrong.” “If I had to boil the whole message down to just one word, it would be Love—the incomprehensibly glorious truth of truths that lives and breathes at the core of everything that exists or will ever exist. No remotely accurate understanding of who we are and what we are can be achieved by anyone who does not know it and embody it in all their actions,” Alexander now understands. Prior to his life-threatening illness, this neurosurgeon’s sophisticated medical training had led him to dismiss the possibility of NDEs. Today, he works at returning to his NDE state of oneness and unconditional love by using meditation and sacred acoustics, as

“We need to accept—at least hypothetically—that the brain itself doesn’t produce consciousness.” ~ Dr. Eben Alexander well as quantum mechanics, to explore the nature of consciousness and higher brain function. Like Moody, Alexander studies the ancient Greek philosophers Parmenides, Pythagoras and Plato, who took the notion of an afterlife seriously and questioned “what” survives bodily death. Alexander’s consequent nonprofit organization, Eternea, fosters cooperation between science and spirituality by sponsoring research and education about spiritually transformative experiences and holistic consciousness beyond conventional definitions. “I had to learn a whole lot more about consciousness than I had to know about neuroscience,” quips Alexander, who now believes that the brain blocks access to knowledge of higher worlds. “We need to accept—at least hypo-

thetically—that the brain itself doesn’t produce consciousness. That it is, instead, a kind of reducing valve or filter that dumbs down consciousness for the duration of our human experience. “Neuroscience can’t give you the first sentence about how the physical brain creates consciousness,” he states, while many are finding how science and spirituality strengthen each other. At age 37, a blood vessel exploded in the left hemisphere of Jill Bolte Taylor’s brain. A Ph.D. Harvard-trained scientist specializing in anatomy of the brain, she was fascinated to observe the breakdown of her brain-related functions. As described in her book, My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist’s Personal Journey, she became the witness to her stroke, which initially left her unable to talk, walk, read, write or remember anything prior to that occurrence. As her left brain shut down, Taylor lost her ability to process all language; with her mind suspended in newfound silence, she experienced an unprecedented sense of deep peace. She also experienced an inability to visually distinguish edges and boundaries between herself and the outer world. Absent

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December 2013

“In touch with our wholeness, illness can’t remain—in ourselves, others or theplanet.” ~Anita Moorjani conventional orientation, “I could actually see that my skin was not my physical boundary. “As a result of such a glorious state of blissful realization that I am—as we all are—connected to everything and everyone around us, I no longer see myself as a single, solid entity, separate from other human beings,” advises Taylor. “Although my left mind still thinks of me as a fragile individual, capable of losing my life, my right mind realizes the essence of my being as eternal life.” She now understands that she is part of the cosmic flow of energy, which she characterizes as a tranquil sea of euphoria.

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Natural and Organic Holiday Market in McClean

Present Possibility

In The Hidden Face of God: Science Reveals the Ultimate Truth, author Gerald L. Schroeder, Ph.D., suggests that each of us is a part of the universe seeking and finding itself. Could it be that without the mental filter and self-limiting beliefs, we are free to consciously know our higher state of wholeness and the truth of our magnificence? Upwards of 8 million people that have experienced their own NDE are trending the world toward a tipping point into the comforting awareness that anything is possible.

an you think of a dreamier way to spend a chilly day in December than surrounded by delicious smells, local holiday food, beautiful handmade Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings. gifts and healthy intentions? The holiday season can be Visit ItsAllAboutWe.com for the recorded interviews. such a warm and joyous time of year, but the waste we produce and the environmental and health impacts of holiday traditions are always a concern for those seeking to live a conscious and healthy life. The Take Back Your Health™ Holiday Market was inspired by these very concerns and will provide a place Friend, do it this way—that is, for locals to shop for holiday food and gifts that are whatever you do in life, beautiful and delicious, as well as good for our bodies do the very best you can and for the planet. with both your heart and mind. The market will debut on Sunday, December 8 at Cooper Middle School, 977 Balls Hill Road in McLean, And if you do it that way, and will feature a wide variety of local food, gift, craft, the Power Of The Universe fair trade, supplements, skin care and other health will come to your assistance, product vendors. Workshops will be held on a variif your heart and mind are in Unity. ety of topics, including food, essential oils and stress When one sits in the Hoop Of The People, reduction. In this stressful season, it is a good reminder one must be responsible because of things we all can do throughout the year to change All of Creation is related. our lifestyles for the better. And the hurt of one is the hurt of all. Healthy, organic, handmade and fair trade And the honor of one is the honor of all. products can help make our holiday that much more And whatever we do affects everything in the universe. special. Join us in celebrating the season with joy and healthy intentions. You will find all of this and more at If you do it that way—that is, if you truly join your the Take Back Your Health™ Holiday Market. Admisheart and mind as One—whatever you ask for, that’s sion is free and those who RSVP have the opportunity the Way It’s Going To Be. to win a Vitamix blender.

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consciouscommunication

Interacting with Our Whole Being by Milagros Phillips

Being fully present and open to build deeper bonds

ommunication is the most important part of our relationships. While we spend our entire lives communicating in one form or another, it is not always something that we do effectively. In fact, because we are constantly communicating, we can easily become unconscious about our interactions and this can lead to misunderstandings. Say for instance, you are at home with your family, and you’re preoccupied with work, something as simple as saying, “good morning,” lets the people around you know if you are or are not present. If your mind, and possibly even your heart are elsewhere, they may feel it. If your preoccupation persists, they may feel neglected by you and even distanced from you. Because you’re not present, you may not be aware of the impact you are having on the people you care about, which deepens the issue. While there are many approaches to the ways in which we communicate, when we are awake, alert and aware, we can choose to communicate consciously. Conscious communication is an exchange that requires us to be fully present in the moment. In conscious communication, a conversation is more than verbal discourse and body language. It is an acknowledgement of the whole being, to which we bring our authentic self. We pay attention to details, from the volume and timbre of the voice, to the way in which we make eye contact. We make room for expressions, create a safe space for honesty and allow for the learning that may come from the exchange. We understand that there is a role for feelings and emotions, ours and those of others, and we make room for that. In a conscious exchange, silence is allowed to be present, knowing that silence itself is a great communicator.

The benefits of conscious communication can be profound and lasting. It can produce harmony, strengthen existing bonds or build deeper ones and can lead to greater clarity. A conscious communicator can take a difficult situation and give it room to breathe. As we approach the holiday season, a time when friends and family draw near, being a conscious communicator may serve us well. To become a more conscious communicator, be clear about your intended outcome. Become an active listener and listen with your whole self, while speaking from your heart. As you communicate, keep an open mind and an open heart. Make room for silence and allow yourself to be mindful of the feelings and emotions that arise within you as you listen, and as you speak. Pay attention to your own internal dialogue and the impact it can have on your exchange. While expressing fears and concerns may make us feel particularly vulnerable, speaking openly about them may make us feel lighter. Be aware that everything we say, think, and experience creates a chemistry in the body that can lead to well-being, discomfort and even disease. Remember that while communication happens in the moment, it can be colored by our past. Do your best to keep from judging. Intend for compassion, kindness and a peaceful outcome. Milagros Phillips has been a Sound Shaman/teacher and a Reiki master/teacher for 20 years, Diversity/Race Healing Consultant for over 30 years, is a multi-talented artist and an intuitive. She is a coach and leads retreats for self-care and transformation. To join the weekly heart meditation, visit Eventbrite.com/event/8935531415/eac2. natural awakenings

December 2013

greenliving

fense Council. Plug lights and electronics into a power strip, and then unplug it when not in use to save “ghost” energy pulled by electronics that are plugged in, but not activated. Buy a live tree to later plant or recycle, Seo suggests. This supports regional Christmas tree farmers while retaining the integrity of local forests. Many communities offer recycling of holiday trees to provide mulch or habitat for aquatic life in local lakes.

Keeping the Feast

GREEN Merry-Making

Retro-Fresh Family Traditions by Claire O’Neil

hroughout the year, Santa’s good girls and boys of all ages make every effort to buy only what’s needed, plus recycle, reuse and repurpose. Then the holidays hit and discipline often gives way to indulgences. The season seems consumed by up-tempo decorating, feasting, shopping, giftgiving and merrymaking at any cost. Yet, creative green living experts show us how easy it is to tweak time-honored family traditions to align with the green way we wish to live and feel even more satisfied with festivities.

Decking the Halls

For Danny Seo, author of Upcycling Celebrations: A UseWhat-You-Have Guide to Decorating, Gift-Giving & Entertaining, “Upcycling is basically a form of recycling that elevates something to a better level than before.” Based in New York City and Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Seo always has an eye out for green possibilities. “Opt for vintage pieces and re-imagine them in new and interesting ways,” he advises. For example, he likes to upcycle a vintage glass cake stand with a collection of bright ornaments for a unique holiday focal point. Michele Johansen, a lifestyle writer in Bellevue, Washington, suggests bringing in the outdoors. Instead of decorating the tree with tinsel and the home with plastic faux greenery, she suggests stringing popcorn and cranberries on the tree and decking the halls with fresh wreaths and garlands accented with boughs of holly. “Local nurseries are good sources for holiday décor that you can later mulch or put in yard waste bins,” she says. “The smells are much more authentic and festive.” Save energy by using LED lights whenever possible, suggests Sheryl Eisenberg, a writer for the National Resources De20

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Organize a cookie exchange to get together and save time and energy on holiday baking, suggests Sara Novak, a food policy and health writer at SereneKitchen.com, from Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina. Generally, a hostess asks guests to bring several dozen of their favorite cookies. Once gathered, attendees share the treats and recipes, taking home several of each variety. To “green it up”, Novak recommends emailing the recipes rather than printing them, encouraging invitees to use fresh and local ingredients and bring favorite reusable containers from home, like a colorful, time-honored cookie tin. For the holiday table, mix and match settings of plates, glasses, linens and cutlery. “Use the real thing,” Eisenberg recommends, “and recruit guests to help wash up afterwards.” She recalls that while growing up, her mother supplemented her silverware with grandmother’s for large holiday dinners. Save your own energy—and sanity—by asking family and friends to bring an appetizer, side dish or dessert. The hostess can assign a dish and corresponding recipe or use a potluck approach, says Eisenberg. Leftovers go home in nonplastic, reusable containers.

Gift Giving

Many families enjoy giving traditional gifts to children at certain ages, like dollhouses or train sets. Re-imagine these and, when possible, buy local to save energy and support area businesses, suggests Eisenberg. Cintia Gonzalez, an Australian mom, crafted a dollhouse from an old suitcase, inventively using black chalkboard paint for the exterior, wooden shelves as floors and fast food ketchup cups as lampshades (Tinyurl.com/UpcycleDollhouse). Another mom transformed a discarded coffee table into a painted train table for her boys. Upcycle paint chip cards into colorful gift tags, suggests Seo. Plus, use gift wraps that become part of the gift itself, such as placemats swaddling a bottle of wine, fabric to encase quilting supplies or sheet music enveloping concert tickets. As a general rule, “Give experiences, not gifts,” counsels Eisenberg. “Giving loved ones experiences reduces wrapping paper, ribbon and packaging and is an easy way to be a bit more personal over the holidays. Your teenage niece may love a spa day, complete with hair styling, while your favorite aunt and uncle may be thrilled to attend a local wine tasting. If you think a young child can tolerate a few less presents in exchange for a pass to an ice show or dance class, go for it.” “It’s the holiday experience that counts,” counsels Seo. “It’s what makes memories.” Claire O’Neil is a freelance writer from Kansas City, MO.

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December 2013

wisewords

At The Faults of Enlightenment Finding perfection in the ordinary by HawaH

he cliff hangs deep. It falls past the already have all that you need. awareness of sleep. Dreams can So where is the fault in our trying never be forgotto understand this ten, here, in this state And then, it happens, the mammoth beast? beyond memory. The Imagine poverty spark of understanding that standing at one earthquake weeps for forgiveness. The edge we are already surrounded edge of the cliff is sharp, a razor cuts and vast affluence by enlightened beings. a hole in our hope; facing it from the There are so many selfwe are barriers to distant peak. At one progress when harred rock edge is realized beings already boring the belief that need. At the other in our lives. True, honest, Karst mountaintop we are not capable or worthy. is want. And here, compassionate souls To hell with at the fault and that are already living enlightenment, chasm of resoundenlightened lives. just be happy. We ing destiny, are will embrace even thoughts, hung with tsunamis, earthquakes and tornaclothespins on lines. dos. There is so much we run from The wind dissolves any chance in search of finding ourselves. There for a motionless hug, disintegrates any is so much we search for in hopes chance for these ephemeral pieces of becoming an ideal self. Yet, there of consciousness to ever dry. So we is no perfect wave, no perfect jump must accept the liquid state of this from a plane, no perfect family and incarnation, this is the first phase to no perfect dinner. reach a place of heightened aware Enlightenment is not searching ness. To traverse over the fault we must for perfection; it is finding perfection leap across the artificial boundary of in the most unusual and disorderly wanting and transcend even the primal things. Enlightenment is not wishing border of needing. you had something that you didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, The fault runs deep. It cuts through but even with nothing, always beour psyche and manifests as guilt propeling steeped in the awareness that you ling us to start running. We search every22

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where outside of us for that which we already possess. We are sometimes afraid to jump because we are so attached to our physical bodies and mortality. Enlightenment is dusting away cobwebs that are strung together by a limited idea of time. As long as we believe time has a beginning or end, we are stuck in a never-ending cycle of striving for change. This barrier, created by time, makes us unable to realize that we are already infinite. Enlightenment is peering into our being, not for something other but for something already within. And then, it happens, the spark of understanding that we are already surrounded by enlightened beings. There are so many self-realized beings already in our lives. True, honest, compassionate souls that are already living enlightened lives. There are more of us here than we realize. This is the awareness of enlightenment. When you start to see the enlightenment in everyone you meet, then you are seeing through awakened eyes, and all of the sudden we begin to multiply in this time of incredible transformation. The fault in understanding enlightenment is thinking someone has something that you do not. The fault is thinking that enlightenment is something special, when actually it is the most ordinary of things. At the fault is not seeing the enlightened nature in every human and sentient being. Awaken to the reality that you can bring out the enlightenment in another, simply by being aware, probing and constantly growing. Growth is the field in which enlightenment roots and shoots upward toward the sky. We are responsible for each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enlightenment. We can make each other happy. HawaH has authored four books and produced three documentary films. He is cofounder and executive director of the nonprofit organization One Common Unity. Visit OneCommon Unity.org.

consciousliving

Finding New Meaning in the Season by Dr. Theresa Ford

s we approach the end of the year, some of us may be excited about the holidays, while others may feel bored, impatient or a little cynical regarding the usual platitudes and complaints we hear. One minister observed that it is futile to talk about peace and goodwill unless there is justice to go along with it. Whether you celebrate a religious holiday, look forward to the rituals and time with family and friends or endure or shun them all, you are invited to embark on a personal journey this season. When the leaves die and the ground becomes fallow, we can go inward and reflect, which admittedly may be challenging for those of us more involved in shopping, holiday parties and other festivities, but still doable. Start by considering what these activities really mean to you. In the Christian tradition, the weeks leading up to Christmas are known as Advent, from the Latin word, advenio, meaning “to come”. It is a time of anticipation, preparation and longing. Christians associate this period with the birth of Christ and the Second Coming, but even non-Christians can benefit from the notion of a personal advent, a concept that some find useful and comforting. In the midst of our busyness, we may be called to slow down, look within and contemplate the future in preparation for parts of ourselves, ideas or projects we hope to birth, as well as anticipating our own season of renewal. Where have we been? Where are we now? Where do we want to be? Who or what will get us there? And when will the new and improved version of ourselves show up? We may have triumphs to celebrate, but just as likely there will be tears to shed and

losses to mourn. This is an opportunity to take stock, decide what works and what is missing or needs to be updated. As the Earth becomes more naked, save a periodic coat of snow, we might want to simplify and make ourselves more vulnerable, at least to our emotions and unique spiritual longings. Journal writing, walking, meditating and/or praying, as well as soulful conversations with trusted companions, can deepen the experience. These activities are in stark contrast to how many individuals spend the month of December, but we can choose to make adjustments in order to have a more meaningful, less harried season. One doesn’t have to abandon spiritual traditions or sacrifice spending time with loved ones, but we might also build in quiet time. New rituals can be created and old ones altered or discarded altogether if they don’t fit anymore. Time with friends and family may be less centered on gifts or holiday displays and more focused on expressing gratitude, sharing memories and enjoying each others company. Some people may even choose to begin their personal advent after the “official” holidays are over. Regardless of the month, creating an inner sanctum built on introspection and positive expectation can be a source of incredible joy and the greatest gift one can give oneself. Dr. Theresa Ford is a licensed psychotherapist and the director of Creative Counseling and Coaching Services, LLC. For more information, call 240-354-3854. See listing, page 42.

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natural awakenings

December 2013

Coming Next Month

inspiration

Dealing With Loss this Holiday Season SPECIAL EDITION

by Jonathan Kuiper hanksgiving has now passed, and able and at a place to do so. Even if you we all are in the midst of a busy do elect to make your holiday cookies, holiday season. For some, this is an it is okay if you get overwhelmed during exciting time spent with family, friends the process and need to stop. There is and loved ones. We are able to remino changing overnight, for with loss, we nisce, as well as make new memories. are forced to redefine who we are, and For others, especially those that have that is not an easy task. If you want to do experienced loss, this is a trying time. something entirely new, you are honWhere the focus in previous years might ored to do so because the focus is on have been on festivities, their thoughts are moving forward. on the past, and the uncertainty of experi- I remember the first Christmas after encing a holiday without those they love. my twin passed and how difficult it was, Loss is difficult regardless of the time even with family in the area to celebrate of year. It is also relative to those involved. the season. It wasn’t difficult because of May it be a departed grandparent, a twin, the people present, but knowing that he a sibling, a friend or even a pet; grief and was not. What helped at that time was loss can be felt at our inner core and we remembering the love and devotion we all experience it differently. This also brings had for each other. For those who have to the fact that loss is more than just death lost loved ones, the focus should be on to the forefront. Loss is experienced when love and remembering that common we end a marriage, move to a different bond. There is no better time of year to location, change jobs or become physiremember giving, devotion and love. Recally limited. Contrary to some opinions, gardless of the circumstances of our loss, loss doesn’t have a time limit. One year love unites us in life and in death. we might be functioning at all cylinders, The following weeks will be difficult where another we don’t want to get out for some, so remember to be present and of bed. This can be a challenge because aware that you aren’t alone this holiday seathose still reeling from their loss aren’t sure son. There might be little desire to engage how to proceed or necessarily capable. in the normal holiday cheer, and that is Likewise, those close to them might be acceptable. Do what makes you comfortunaware of the situation or emotionally or able, and remember you are never alone. physically unavailable to help. The love of the departed is with you always. Difficult as it may be, those who are left behind need only take one day at a Jonathan Kuiper is a local writer and autime during this holiday season. There is thor of Running with Vince and Our Place no need to throw yourself into the rouby the Sea. You can connect to his work tines of the past, unless you feel comfort- by visiting JFKWrites.com.

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natural awakenings

December 2013

communityspotlight

A Therapeutic Experience by Sharon Hadden

hy would one choose to become a massage therapist? To promote health? To inspire well-being? For a rewarding work environment? How about to make someone feel better, which makes you feel better? Executive Director of Potomac Massage Training Institute (PMTI), Tam Gelman, LMT, NCTMB, says massage practitioners benefit in all of these ways and more. “There is nothing more rewarding than watching someone come in, in pain, and being able to alleviate their pain and painful frame of mind,” Gelman says. PMTI is a nonprofit organization, established in 1976, to provide career training in the art and science of massage therapy. Gelman made the transition to a career in massage from years in commercial mortgage banking and brokerage. For over 12 years, she championed entrepreneurship, running a high-volume diversified mortgage banking and brokerage company. Gelman expresses, “I was working so hard. A friend thought that Reiki would be a great self-healing process and suggested I try.” She started out using Reiki on herself when she was tired and traveling and eventually became a Reiki practitioner. When her interest was piqued in massage, she chose PMTI because their program offered a body-mind-spirit experience, not just technical skills. “I believe that we are a school that is striving diligently, and have in the last decade, to maintain a real sense of traditional values in a market that has turned into a fast food environment i.e. six-to-nine month training programs,” 26

Washington, D.C.

says Gelman. During their 18-month program, the school places emphasis on helping students become massage therapists rather than just “doing” massage. PMTI has cultivated a successful reputation by maintaining a philosophy of education, emphasizing professionalism and integrating mind, body and spirit. Among their core values are abundance, community, creativity, effectiveness, integrity, proactiveness and purpose. “One of the really beautiful things about our school is the fact that we teach really good boundaries and ethics. We’re very active listeners and great at body dynamics. We don’t take on a lot of junk from our clients,” says Gelman. The school’s professional training program teaches a client centered approach to massage therapy. Students learn how to tailor each session to the client’s needs, rather than providing a generic service to everyone. The principles of proper body dynamics and additional self-care techniques are of high priority for PMTI. Gelman states, “The average massage practitioner only works for about eight years. A lot of the people from our program have been practicing for 20 years. We enjoy a long-term practice and avoid injury by using good body dynamics.” The program also teaches the major systems of the body and how they interact, including how to identify and work with the musculoskeletal system. In addition to learning how to perform Swedish and deep-tissue massage, emphasis is placed on developing active listening skills to encourage a supportive

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environment for clients. There is important work to be done in the realm of massage therapy, and PMTI has actively participated in the progression of massage through research and study abroad opportunities. Most recently, the school took a group of students to Cusco, Peru. There, they worked on indigenous shaman and others who would otherwise not have access to massage therapy. Remaining steadfast in providing health alternatives to underserved communities, PMTI participates in a round table with GW and Bread for the City. The students have the opportunity to sit with doctors at GW, and discuss ongoing treatment programs for the clients of Bread for the City participating in this unique program. Gelman states that here, “The students get a sense of how to provide true holistic care.” PMTI features a massage clinic, open to the public by appointment only. This allows students to develop their skills as clinic practitioners. A wide variety of workshops are also offered for those that would like to take an introductory massage course, expand their scope of practice and more. Sharon Hadden, writer, editor and public relations consultant, helps businesses manage and understand their digital footprint. Potomac Massage Training Institute is located at 5028 Wisconsin Ave., NW, D.C., the lower level. For more information, call 202-686-7046 or visit pmti. org. See ad, page 29.

oneonone

An Interview with Shiva Rea

ecently, Sofia Sunaga, a friend of Natural Awakenings DC, had the opportunity to speak with yogini, firekeeper and global activist Shiva Rea, well-known for the creative and transforming ways that she leads in the evolution of prana flow yoga throughout the world. Rea is the creator of prana flow yoga and the innovator of many programs such as Yogadventure Retreats, Yoga Dance for Life and the worldwide Global Mala Project. She also writes for several publications, including Yoga Journal, Yoga Plus Joyful Living and has authored many award-winning CDs and DVDs.

by Sofia Sunaga

Shiva Rea on the questions that matter: I understand the term global activism, from the perspective of my mentor, Andrew Harvey, who has written books on the subject. For me, it is really how my experience of yoga has evolved. It has always been important for me to work with yoga as a catalyst for change, not only of individual healing but also for collective consciousness. Part of that was my personal journey—one pivotal time was a nine-month period, when I was in a car accident and broke my pelvis. Two months later, my mother was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Then, there were the fires in Malibu and we were evacuated from where we live. And, there were the earthquakes. Soon after that, my mother passed. It was this nine-month period, when I was really shaken at a foundational level, that I was at the peak of my yoga practice. I feel like the world is in that similar “shake-up” period now. It is a wonderful shake-up. For me, it feels like there has never been a riper time to ask the simple question, “In the end, what matters most?”

Shiva Rea on collective action: A key element in my practice of sacred activism is meditation. There are studies about the power of meditation as a kind of vibrational dissonance normally described as stress, but also impacting groups of people. It has been measured that when people meditate together, there is a change that we are just beginning to tap into. When we get together for a positive act, the affects are felt beyond ourselves. Meditation serves on both an individual and collective level. This was the idea behind the Global Mala project. In 2007, when I heard Al Gore’s message that climate change

is the issue of our time and we have to do something now, I looked to the right and left and thought, “I’m in this yoga community, and we have these tools of consciousness. Are we really using them together?” So that year, on United Nations International Peace Day, I decided to bring people together, synchronizing breath, intention and global awareness in a yoga practice, to raise consciousness and funds for good causes. It happens now all over the world spontaneously. No one has to pass through any administrative hoops. People just say, “I’m going to lead a global mala,” or “I’m going to raise funds,” or “I’m going to bring my community together.” Newark, New Jersey, is the greatest example that I know of right now, because Newark public schools offer yoga to about 15,000 kids. Every year, the high schools of Newark have a huge global mala and it brings all of the yoga studios in that area together.

Shiva Rea on nourishing acts: The idea of sacred activism is that it doesn’t always have to be letter writing or protests (which I believe in), but it can also be nourishing acts. Another sacred activism project I participate in is called Yoga Energy Activism. It is based on the idea of doing something by doing nothing. We are encouraging people to take an “energy sabbath”. On the new moon, on the full moon or once a week, we encourage others to just unplug. Do something nourishing. Be in candlelight and take a technology fast. It doesn’t even have to be for 24 hours. Even three hours is enough. This doesn’t diminish the power of the internet and all of social media, but when you take a one-day energy sabbath, the amount of energy you save is enough to power your laptop for an entire year. Imagine if we combine many people doing that together, we’re actually making change by doing something nourishing. I think that is the kind of concept we need because everybody sees we’re just at that edge of easily being depleted. Our resources, our energy levels are being overwhelmed. Sacred activism is a kind creative response, through yoga, to whatever is happening—and everybody can participate. Sofia Sunaga, a local writer and yoga enthusiast, works in the realms of communication, culture and technology. She is the founder of Pattern Interrupt and co-founder of the On Purpose Network. natural awakenings

December 2013

A DV E RTO R I A L

Natural Iodine Supplementation A Must for Most Americans

e all need iodine, yet most of us don’t get enough of it through our diet. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that iodine deficiency in the developed world has increased fourfold in the past 40 years and now affects nearly three-quarters of all adults. Numerous U.S. practicing physicians quoted widely in the media estimate that the incidence of hypothyroidism in our adult population may be between 30 and 70 percent. Thus, we can’t efficiently produce the thyroid hormones that serve as chemical messengers triggering nearly every bodily function. The presence or absence of iodine affects our every cell.

Be Aware of Hypothyroidism Symptoms Low thyroid function, or hypothyroidism, is the most recognized and obvious indicator of low iodine intake because the thyroid gland contains more concentrated iodine than other organs.

Symptoms can range from extreme fatigue and weight gain to depression, carpal tunnel syndrome, high blood pressure, fibrocystic breasts and a variety of skin and hair problems. Hypothyroidism can further cause infertility, joint pain, heart disease and stroke. Low iodine levels also have been associated with breast and thyroid cancers. In children, insufficient iodine has been strongly linked with mental retardation, deafness, attention deficient and hyperactivity disorder and impaired growth, according to studies by Boston University, China’s Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and France’s National Academy of Medicine. The answer is simple: Taking the right kind of iodine in the right dosage can rebalance thyroid function and restore health to the thyroid and the whole body.

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Natural Awakenings Detoxifed Iodine is 100 percent natural, raw iodine in an ethyl alcohol solution. We thank all those that are benefiting from this product and enthusiastically telling us their great results.  Available only at NAWebstore.com  My wife, who suffered from extreme fatigue and other symptoms, saw a dramatic increase in energy after just a few days of taking the natural iodine drops. Now if she misses a day, she’ll end up falling asleep in the middle of the afternoon, like she used to do before taking the iodine. It works! ~ Aaron My doctor told me that I had a hypothyroid condition, prescribed medication and was happy with the follow-up test results, yet I noticed no positive effects on my overall wellbeing. Within two weeks of using the Natural Awakenings Detoxified Iodine, I had more energy, felt more awake and enjoyed clearer thinking and greater peace of mind. People even comment that I look younger. I am a fan! ~ Larry

Reasons Behind Iodine Deficiency Radiation: Almost everyone is routinely exposed to iodine-depleting radiation emitted by cell phones, Wi-Fi, microwave ovens and other electronic devices. Iodized table salt: The human body cannot utilize the iodine added to this product. Low-sodium diets: Failure to use healthy salts to fulfill sodium requirements, plus overuse of zero-nutrient table salt in foods, leads to iodine depletion. Bromine: This toxic chemical overrides iodine’s abilities to nourish the thyroid, adrenal and other hormone-producing glands. A known carcinogen, it is used as an anticaking ingredient found in almost all baked goods, unless the ingredients specifically cite unbromated flour. Iodine-depleted soils: Due to poor farming techniques, iodine and other minerals in soil have declined, so most foods today are devoid of naturally occurring iodine. Proper iodine supplementation with a high-quality product like Natural Awakenings Detoxified Iodine can prevent harm by protecting the thyroid and other endocrine glands and restoring proper hormone production.

GMO FREE PET FOOD S natural awakenings

December 2013

fitbody

Lose Weight, Improve Body Composition and Regain Health By Dr. Marianna Ledenac

hether you are overconsisting of nutrient-dense foods, Healthy weight loss weight or of normal obtained from a variety of fresh through a personalized, weight, you should be vegetables and fruits, fiber-rich whole aware of the impact body comnutrition-based body composition grains and healthy proteins and fats, position has on your health. An will ensure adequate nutrition and a program can be achieved by unhealthy body composition feeling of fullness. refers to carrying too much fat If you are interested in achieving incorporating a sensible eating in comparison to lean (muscle) weight loss with a healthy body complan, regular exercise, targeted tissue. As this ratio increases, so position, increasing energy, improvnutritional supplementation do the health risks, and this often ing mood, relieving pain and reducleads to obesity, heart disease, ing your risk of chronic disease, have and stress management. high blood pressure and cholesa body composition assessment done terol, diabetes, hormone-related with a licensed health care provider problems, back pain, osteoarthritis, sleep problems, fatigue, and start on a personalized program today. depression and more. Eight Healthy Eating Tips to Get You Many factors can contribute to an unhealthy body composition: a diet consisting of high-fat, high-sugar proStarted on the Path to Healthy Body cessed foods, overeating, nutritional deficiencies, inability Composition: to control cravings, lack of exercise, excess alcohol, hor1. Do not skip breakfast, meals or snacks. Control your pormonal imbalances, certain medications such as steroids tion sizes and eat smaller meals more frequentlyâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;every three and antidepressants, certain metabolic conditions such as to four hours. hypothyroidism and prolonged stress. Eating regular meals helps to reduce hunger later in the There is a lot more to healthy weight management than day, decreases chances of overeating and can improve your what the scale shows. Many popular weight loss programs metabolic rate. It also keeps you energized and satisfied through available today focus only on weight loss and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t place the day making you less likely to reach for caffeine or carbs. much attention on maintaining lean muscle mass. This results in the weight that is lost coming primarily from muscle and 2. Focus on low glycemic load (GL) foods. Berries and not from fat. Losing fat while preserving or improving lean apples instead of dates and raisins, oatmeal instead of most muscle leads to optimal health and increases the chances of breakfast cereals. keeping the weight off. Low GI foods are more important for healthy body com In addition to a variety of health assessments, the bioposition, than low-fat foods, because they balance insulin and electrical impedance analysis (BIA) machine is a quick, nonglucose levels ,therefore leading to less storage of fat and the invasive objective measurement of body fat and lean muscle ability to burn fat more efficiently. mass. It also provides other indicators of health and vitality 3. Eat good sources of fiber such as beans, brown rice, green including basal metabolic rate, cellular health, nutritional/ vegetables, nuts and ground flaxseeds. toxicity status and hydration level. BIA allows for the devel Fiber promotes a healthy insulin and blood sugar response. opment of a personalized nutrition and eating plan. It also It helps you feel full longer and moves fat through the digestive serves as a great tool to monitor weight loss progress and tract faster, so there is less of it absorbed. observe what changes occurred in the body. 4. Drink plenty of water for adequate hydration. Healthy weight loss through a personalized, nutrition This helps to curb cravings and it actually decreases wabased body composition program can be achieved by inter retention, as well as the bloating and added weight that corporating a sensible eating plan, regular exercise, targeted comes with it. nutritional supplementation and stress management. A diet 30

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5. Have a protein food with every meal and snack. Most healthy protein sources are also low GI foods. They help to control appetite and reduce cravings for carbs and sweets. 6. Reduce intake of saturated fats and include healthpromoting fats. Avocados, nuts (almonds are best) and olive oil instead of potato chips, hard cheeses and deep-fried foods. Healthy fats are considered low GI foods, however this does not mean that you should eat as much fat as you like—the point is not to be “fat-phobic”. Nuts are nutritious foods that are high in good fats, so you need to be mindful not to over consume. 7. Eat plenty of leafy greens and other fresh vegetables— minimum of four to six servings per day. Leafy greens are packed with important nutrients, but they also come with thylakoids or built-in appetite regulators, which can help regulate food intake, prevent weight gain and promote weight loss. 8. Include bitter foods in your diet: green tea, fenugreek Bitter foods are associated with improved insulin signaling. Individuals that have a taste for bitter foods tend to have lower body mass index. Dr. Marianna Ledenac is a licensed naturopathic physician at GW Center for Integrative Medicine in Washington DC, providing comprehensive healthcare for patients of all ages. She is also certified in Therapeutic Lifestyle Change Medicine helping patients to improve their body composition. For more information or to schedule a visit, call 202-833-5055 or visit www.gwcim.com.

natural awakenings

December 2013

consciouseating

and vegetables than meat were less domineering and aggressive, because the increased sex hormone-binding globulin produced by plants helps keep testosterone in check. “If we continue the meat-centric way of eating, we’re going to continue to have the problems that come with it,” says Tuttle. “The way forward is plant-based agriculture.”

Peace on Our Plates Mindful Eating for a More Peaceful World by Judith Fertig

s Earth’s population grows to a projected 9 billion people by 2050, can our global community keep eating flesh like we’ve been doing for centuries? No, according to a 2010 report by the United Nations Environment Programme, an international panel of sustainable resource management experts. Examining the food demands of a growing population and associated environmental and sustainability issues, Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Consumption and Production recommends “substantial worldwide diet change away from animal products.” Making the case for a holistic view, Will Tuttle, Ph.D., suggests in World Peace Diet: Eating for Spiritual Health and Social Harmony that we start to see the connections between our food choices and the health and well-being of ourselves, our families, communities and the world.

Web of Understanding

At the center of the web of life is the food we all share to sustain our bodies. Tuttle insists that we celebrate this and regard each meal as a feast. “Food preparation is the only art that allows us to literally incorporate what we create. It is also the only art that fully involves all five senses,” he says. We honor this wonderful activity most by sharing our cooking efforts with others, blessing the food and eating mindfully. 32

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The problem at the center of life, maintains Tuttle, is that we involve animals in our food chain, an act that “introduces suffering, whether physical, mental or emotional.” This is a truth we try to hide from, what he calls the ”cultural shadow”. “The worst examples include factory farming, but even the best methods ultimately involve killing other animals for food,” he says. One of Tuttle’s more controversial claims is that the herding culture—raising, dominating, selling, killing and owning animals—sets up a harmful physical, emotional and cultural dynamic, extolling domineering and aggressive behavior. “The herding culture requires male dominance and a mentality that might makes right,” observes Tuttle. “It also sees females as primarily breeders, not beings.” Based on contemporary research in anthropology, sociology and psychopathology, he maintains that the actions required to both dominate animals and eat their meat can lead to more aggressive and violent behavior. One recent study seems to support his claim. Dr. Neil Barnard, in his book, Foods That Fight Pain, remarks that, “Plant-based diets also help tame testosterone’s activity.” Barnard cites a Massachusetts male aging study of 1,552 men ages 40 to 70, which indicated that men eating more fruits

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photo by Stephen Blancett

Practicing a World Peace Diet The Tuttles shop for fresh, organic and non-GMO (genetically modified organism) foods and favor what they call “blueprint recipes”, that vary from day to day. Each outlines the makings of a dish and encourages cooks to be intuitive in how they fill in the details. For a typical breakfast, for example, Tuttle and his wife, Madeleine, will make a green smoothie that includes kale, banana, apple, grapes, ground flax, chia seeds, cinnamon and fresh ginger. “It’s a flexible drink,” says Tuttle. “We will swap out whatever organic fruits and vegetables we have so that we vary the flavor from time to time.” For example, they might use parsley, spinach, or chard leaves in place of kale, or citrus in place of grapes. Lunch is usually a wrap-type sandwich, sometimes using fresh leaf lettuce or a whole-wheat tortilla. One recent example of such a wrap combined tomatoes, peppers, sprouts, walnuts, tempeh and avocado. A dinnertime blueprint recipe involves a base of cooked rice, quinoa, pasta, mashed potatoes or polenta, topped with a vegetable ragout, cooked or raw. “You could live the rest of your life mixing and matching these ingredients and never have the same meal twice,” notes Tuttle. “We have been doing it for 30 years. If we all choose to eat like this, the world could feed everybody on a fraction of the land now consumed by agriculture.” Learn more at WorldPeaceDiet.org/ articles.htm. Judith Fertig blogs at AlfrescoFood AndLifestyle.blogspot.com from Overland Park, KS.

greenplanet

Climate Change is Elementary by Terri Carr

hile politicians, pundits and environmentalists discuss the need for action on climate change, a new demographic is committing to action—elementary-age children. Climate Change is Elementary (CCIE) conducts in-school events, to educate and empower kids in grades kindergarten through eighth on protecting the environment. The program is spearheaded by educational consultant, Dave Finnigan, who has over 30 years of experience giving school presentations with kindergarten through eighth grade students. His Juggling for Success program, presented in 2,000 schools, helps children build healthy self-esteem and has been linked to improved academic performance. Finnigan says that Maryland, and many other states, now have a mandate to teach environmental science in schools, but the tense politicization of the issue has left many teachers afraid to touch the topic. Some attempts to discuss climate change with kids have left the children feeling alarmed instead of empowered. Finnigan states in the environmental movement, “Everybody is talking about how bad it’s going to be if we do everything wrong. There is a lot of gloom and doom.” CCIE overcomes these issues by discussing climate change with teachers, students and parents in a non-political manner and stressing the potential for a bright future rather than impending disaster. “What we want to do is change the conversation to ‘when we do everything right, here’s how great it is going to be’,” Finnigan expresses. At his school events, students gather a grade at a time to learn about climate change and the impact on various animals and the environment. Each session

includes a mix of discussion, games, role-playing and scarf-juggling. “We give each grade an animal mascot. And their job is to help that animal mascot. So one grade gets to be polar bears, and one gets to be penguins, one gets to be trees in the rain forest and one gets to be frogs. They learn about some of the problems that creature is having,” says Finnigan. They learn what they can do to help these creatures in the school-wide assembly at the end of the day. The culminating event is the evening session when the kids come back to school with their parents. Together the children and parents practice scarfjuggling and then talk about the steps families can take to ensure a clean, green environment. Each family goes home with a sustainability checklist to post on their refrigerator. It is the kids’ job to check off their family’s steps toward a greener future and to thank their parents for their efforts. Finnigan says that the success of the program hinges on the enthusiastic participation of teachers, parents and students. He learned the hard way that schools which invest money to pay for

the program are more likely to dedicate the time and energy to ensure its success. CCIE provides a list of local suppliers of green energy who will give the PTA rebates every time a family takes action to make their homes and vehicles more sustainable. The first Maryland presentation of Climate Change Is Elementary was held at Laurel Elementary School on November 8. A second one is scheduled for December 4 and 5 in Somerset, Maryland. Climate Change is Elementary operates as a nonprofit project through United Charitable Programs in Alexandria, Virginia. Thus far, Finnigan has tested this program at 17 schools in seven states. Over the next few years, he hopes to train 100 more presenters to visit all the schools in the U.S. Terri Carr is a local freelance writer and blogger at yogaSOULutions.net. To arrange a Climate Change Is Elementary program at your school or for information about becoming a presenter of this program, visit ClimateChangeisElementary. com or email DaveFinnigan@yahoo.com.

Global Foods From Around the Corner

Sunnyside Gourmet specializes in healthy, international fusion dishes prepared by Chef Tony Avirgan. We will meet your specific dietary needs and your food will be enthusiastically hand-made with no processed ingredients. Sunnyside Gourmet uses locally sourced sustainable and organic ingredients. Personalized cooking lessons available. To learn about our signature dishes and what we can do for you, call Chef Tony at 301-585-6484. Email: tonyavirgan@gmail.com • Website: www.sunnysidegourmet.com natural awakenings

December 2013

livinggreen

Feeding People, Not Landfills by Cara Mayo

merica wastes 40 percent of its food, according to the National Resources Defense Council. That’s enough food to fill the Rose Bowl in California every day. Food waste consumes the 25 percent of fresh water that is wasted on growing this food; the four percent of oil used to transport this food; and the 16 percent of methane gas which is released from this food. When you consider the number of countries struggling to find fresh water and the energy crisis looming over our heads, these resources are priceless. At the same time, the EPA says that hunger is one of America’s most complex and serious health problems and Feeding America estimates that one in six American families go hungry every day. “America doesn’t have a food shortage problem,” says Ben Simon, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Food Recovery Network, “It has a food distribution problem.” Food Recovery Network was founded two years ago with a simple but significant goal; to reduce food waste by feeding it to people. Of course, when they say “food waste”, they aren’t talking about the scraps off your plate. Food Recovery Network’s mission is to unite students at colleges and universities to fight food waste and hunger by recovering surplus perishable food from their campuses and surrounding communities that would otherwise go to waste and donating it to people in need. Since its launch in September of 2011, they have successfully started 34 official chapters across the U.S., and donated over 200,000 pounds of food or over 160,000 meals. With such motivated students around the country, it’s no wonder that food recovery is starting to make its ap-

Christmas gift suggestions: To your

enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect. ~Oren Arnold

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pearance outside of the school system as well. Montgomery County, Maryland, has officially launched the Montgomery County Food Recovery Initiative. This initiative aims to stop all food waste in Montgomery County, with a focus on recovering surplus food from food all around the county. The hope is that this initiative will inspire other counties to recover all of their surplus food also, which would prevent millions of pounds of food from going to waste in Maryland and feed thousands of Americans. Climate change is a factor that is often overlooked when food recovery is mentioned, yet food waste is the second largest contributor to methane gas in our atmosphere. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is considered over 20 times more damaging than carbon dioxide. To put it simply, methane is much more effective at trapping heat. Methane is released from organic matter as it decomposes and with food waste being the number one item filling up America’s landfills; it’s not very surprising that over 20 percent of all our methane emissions come from food waste. We can’t afford to waste freshwater; we can’t afford to create more methane or burn more fossil fuels; we can’t afford to let one more mouth go unfed, when we have the power to change it. If you are passionate about environmental and social issues in your community and want to know more about how you can fight food waste and hunger, contact Cara Mayo at Cara.Mayo@FoodRecoveryNetwork.org or visit FoodRecoveryNetwork.org.

ancientwisdom

The Long and Rich History of Essential Oils

ssential oils from plants have been used throughout history for treating and preventing illness, for celebrating important events and for connecting people to the divine through worship and obedience to God’s directions for their use. Ancient manuscripts such as the Egyptian Ebers Papyrus and the Holy Bible refer to how to use many plant oils such as frankincense and myrrh, cedarwood, juniper, coriander and others for a variety of illnesses or to anoint holy places like Moses’ tabernacle as the Israelites traveled in the wilderness. The Bible mentions essential oils 188 times. A text from the Chinese “Pen T’Sao” believed to be written as early as 2,500 B.C. documents how to use over 300 different plants for medicinal use. The Greeks including Hippocrates, who used willow bark tea for pain, also used aromatic essences to fight off the plague epidemic in Athens, for bathing and for perfumes and massages, that also had invigorating mood enhancing or sedative properties. The Arab physician “Abu’Alial-Husian Ibn Abd Allah Ibn Sina is said to be the inventor of steam distillation of plant materials to extract the oils. We have writings from Rome, Israel and other ancient cultures which help us understand that ancient people were familiar with and used a variety of oils. Overtime, our culture has forgotten how to incorporate (literally meaning to take into our bodies) these oils to produce physical health and to calm us. As French chemist Rene-Maurice

by Kathy Pace

Gattefosse experimented with aromatic oils in France in the early 1900’s, he discovered the ability of lavender to heal a horrible burn on his hands caused by an explosion in his laboratory. He wrote a book Aromatherapy, which was reprinted by French researcher Robert Tisserand in 1993 with his own introduction. Other French doctors such as Jean Valnet, who used essential oils to treat soldiers in World War II, believed that there was always something more that could be done for patients who were critically ill and that essential oils were “that something more.” Panoel, who wrote L’Aromatique Exactement in the 1980’s, helped the French movement towards using the oils in hospitals and in homes to a greater extent than they are used and understood here. Now when a patient checks into a French hospital, he is often offered and treated with essential oils as a matter of course. More hospitals in the U.S. are beginning to understand the power and value of the oils to help prevent infection and for helping improve the staff and patients’ mood. At Vanderbilt

Medical Center, a study was recently conducted in their large (100 beds) emergency center using diffusers with wild orange essential oils to help with stress and mood. A FOX news broadcast on the study, Youtube.com/ watch?v=-PCEsulMB5Q, overwhelmingly demonstrated the beneficial effects of the oils on the staff as shown by survey results and testimonials. They are now involved in more research projects with essential oils. At the October convention for the largest essential oil company in the world, a physician’s panel spoke on how they use essential oils for infection control, to speed healing, cutting healing times in half over conventional surgeries and pain management. They stated that they use the oils personally and in their practices. It is important to use Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade™ oils because lesser qualities not only do not have the pure plant oils in them, but can have synthetic ingredients that are actually harmful to the body. Health care is a service industry. We can drive the progress towards using more oils in the U.S., by asking for them. Resources: Pharmacognosy Reviews 2012, Aromatools. For more information, visit AromaticScience.com. Kathy Pace works with essentials oils as a senior doTERRA independent consultant. See ad, page 47.

natural awakenings

December 2013

firstperson

WHY I WENT VEGAN

I WIN a 7 night Vegan Cruise to the Caribbean from Natural Awakenings DC! Natural Awakenings DC

is GIVING AWAY a VEGAN CRUISE, March 1 – 8, 2014. Holistic Holiday at Sea will take you and a guest on their annual Holistic Holiday Sea cruise for 7 nights on the beautiful, new MSC Divina, one of the most elegant and ecologicallyfriendly cruise liners on the seas. Bask in the gracious Italian hospitality and service while enjoying inspiring lectures and vegan natural foods prepared by their own chefs and bakers. The cruise will be departing from Miami, FL and sailing to St. Marten, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. Learn more about the classes, cruise and itinerary at HolisticHolidayAtSea.com. Entering is easy – just LIKE us, COMMENT, SHARE and let us know who you are (so we can let you know if you are the winner).

Go to Facebook.com/NAWDC for details and rules!

Washington, D.C.

by Valerie Samuell

had been a vegetarian for over six years think of this law of karma only in terms when I decided to become a vegan. That of weight gain or physical disease such as was almost two years ago, and I have diabetes, stroke, heart attacks or cancer). embraced every bite of it. The big “aha mo- However, the yogi also realizes the effects ment” was during a one-month intensive on not just the physical body, but on Jikamukti yoga teacher training program at the subtle body (your thoughts, words, the Omega Institute in mood)—all that will New York. I watched the eventually matter powerful movie Earththrough actions and lings, which revealed to decisions. Remember, me the intense suffering what you think matters. and cruelty behind the If you ingest fear, pain dairy and egg industries. and suffering, then you I loved animals and yet will inevitably bemy choices were not come those things and consistent with that love. experience physical I have been taught that and emotional disease. “gu” means darkness and The yogi only wishes to “ru” means remover. A plant mutually benefiguru removes the darkcial karmic seeds for ness and shows you the people, animals and light. My gurus are ShaMother Earth. The pracron Gannon and David tice of yoga in this lifeLife, and the Jivamukti time and in this body practice is based on a is to evolve to a higher compassionate lifestyle. level of consciousness. My ignorance or avidya The yogi wants to be (the ancient Sanskrit free. As a vegan, I feel word) was removed, and in tune with nature— Valerie Samuell I could finally see and light and radiant. As feel the pain of each sentient being and the a yoga teacher and a vegan yoga studio harm that factory farming inflicts upon the owner, it is important to extend these animals, Mother Earth and me. teachings to anyone interested. Some physical benefits of being a My favorite way to get vegan protein vegan have been an even leaner and into my diet is with green juices. Most more toned body and increased flexpeople don’t realize that raw green foods ibility. Actually, since becoming a vegan are an incredible source of protein and (and in particular eliminating dairy), calcium (amongst many other super there have been so many benefits that it phyto-nutrients). I make 100 percent oris hard to list them all, however, betganic, raw super power green juices with ter digestion and a huge boost to my kale, chard, spinach, romaine, wheatimmune system are some of the most grass, fresh ginger, spirulina and also add important health benefits. As a yogini, apples, carrots or beets for a little natural the most important change in becoming sweetness. Adding in fresh turmeric is a a vegan has been the deep spiritual jour- great natural anti-inflammatory for mainney that unfolds each time I set down taining healthy joints. Delicious. for a meal. Mindful eating is one of the most profound practices any human Valerie Samuell, co-owner and co-foundbeing can cultivate in this lifetime. After er of BuddhaB Yoga, a vegan Vinyasa all, “you are what you eat.” yoga studio and Jivamukti™ Yoga Center Most people understand this on Affliate, shares her story and her decision some level. As Americans, we tend to to become a vegan. See ad, page 38.

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healthykids

The Generosity of Children

The Capacity for Kindness & Compassion Increases When Nourished by Andrew Kutt

he kindergartners stood in a circle on the grass, in the park one brisk afternoon, leaving the slides and monkey bars empty. Curious, their teachers approached and heard them softly singing one of their gentle, circle time songs from class. Drawing closer, they realized the children encircled a dead bird. One child later said, “We wanted to sing to the bird on his journey to heaven.” This is one of countless true stories I know of children spontaneously exercising their natural generosity. When nurtured at home and school, their capacity for kindness and compassion increases and contributes to each child’s success. Related qualities of empathy, emotional resilience and connection are key factors in their ability to have healthy relationships, communicate well and develop and sustain higher order thinking. Dr. Maria Montessori says, “When individuals develop normally, they plainly feel a love not only for things, but also for all living creatures. This love is not something that is taught; it is the natural result of leading the right kind of life. Love is not the cause but the effect of the normal development of the individual.”

Why did the bird evoke these children’s love instead of fear? I believe it is because they were part of a school and parent community that intentionally practices kindness. In his new book Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm and Confidence, neuropsychologist Dr. Rick Hanson says, “Whatever we repeatedly sense, feel and believe makes real changes in our neural networks.” The original Latin word for education is “educare,” which means literally “to lead out.” In its original sense, education means not just to lead the child into the world, but to lead or tease out the virtues that lie inside each of them. Hanson teaches a practice called “taking in the good,” stating that dwelling on a positive experience or memory for just 20 seconds embeds it in our minds, a result of the brain’s neuroplasticity. Done multiple times a day, this helps children wire their brains for greater empathy, happiness and well-being, even when coping with sad or difficult events. This has certainly been true in my 30-year experience as an educator and curriculum developer. I see firsthand the positive, cumulative

effect of lessons on compassion and kindness that include practicing silent mindfulness for a few minutes each day to develop inner awareness; exposing children to fables and real life stories of helping others; acknowledging and expressing gratitude to oneself and others; appreciating each person’s unique gifts, not promoting constant competition and doing hands-on projects that help others. Whether we call this approach developing the heart of compassion or rewiring the brain, I have witnessed hundreds of children who engage in these kinds of practices become young adults with much greater inner calm, contentment and confidence than their peers, the very outcomes Hanson describes. It is important to bear in mind that this is necessary for us to overcome the brain’s negativity bias. Hanson says, “This bias evolved to help ancient animals survive, but today it makes us feel needlessly frazzled, worried, irritate, lonely, inadequate and blue.” The negative emotions and violent images expressed through the media and in popular culture reinforce it. This gives us all the more reason to intentionally cultivate our capacity for “taking in the good” together. As we build up this inner reservoir of goodness inside our children, we create emotional resilience to withstand negative influences. For the year-end holidays, maybe the greatest gifts we can give each other are big hugs and family times, when everyone is encouraged to share their gratitude and ways they appreciate each other. Remember to pause and savor each good memory for at least 20 seconds. Andrew Kutt is the founder and head of Oneness-Family School, an international, progressive Montessori school in Chevy Chase, M.D., for children ages 2 through eighth grade. For more information, visit OnenessFamily School.org.

natural awakenings

December 2013

calendarofevents

977 Balls Hill Rd, McLean, VA. Register: TakeBackYourHealthConference.com/Market. Monthly Children’s Sangha – 4-5pm. For 5-12 year olds, accompanied by parents. The class provides young children with a Buddhist framework to explore their inner life, understand the causes of emotional stress, and develop peace, wisdom and kindness. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, (Ste 200), NW (Tenleytown). Info: Living-Mindfully.org.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1 Toiletry Drive – 2:30-4:30 pm. The Yoga District community invites you to donate to our first annual holiday toiletry drive for the Harriet Tubman Emergency Women’s Shelter in SE, DC. Many folks in need of food assistance also have a need for basic toiletry items. We are accepting toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, deodorant, and shaving razors. Yoga District at Bloomingdale Studio, 1830 1st St, NW. Info: Bit.ly/17Hxtq7.

TUESDAY, DECMBER 10 MUIH Graduate Programs Open House – 7-9pm. Explore Maryland University of Integrative Health’s academic offerings and learn how our programs can advance your current career or inspire a new path. Maryland University of Integrative Health, 7750 Montpelier Rd, Laurel, MD. Register: MUIH.edu.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3 Candlelit Meditation – 6-6:45pm. Join Tim Eden, MSW, for a rare peaceful opportunity in a candlelit early evening meditation, and catch your breath. Drop-ins welcome. Free. Restorative Health, 4801 Wisconsin Ave, NW (Tenleytown). Info: 202-244-6661 or RestorativeHealth.org.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5 Kitchen Rx: Healing Ingredients for the Holidays – 7-8:30pm. Discover the healing ingredients that you have already in your kitchen. This useful talk and demonstration will show you a new way to look at your food. Maryland University of Integrative Health, 7750 Montpelier Rd, Laurel, MD. Register: MUIH.edu.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6 Basic Theta Healing Class – 12:30-8:30pm. Thru Dec 8. Learn how to pull limiting beliefs, and negative energies that block you from moving ahead in your soul’s journey. $500. Reston Reiki and Self Healing Arts, Sunrise Va l l e y D r a n d H u n t e r M i l l R d , R e s t o n , VA. Register: KarunaJoy1@gmail.com or RestonReikiandSelfHealingArts.com. Fitness Friday: Undo Daily Tensions – 6-6:30pm. Get out of your head and into your body, and learn how to smooth out physical stress with orthopedic massage therapist Olivier Pelletier. Drop-ins welcome. $10/cash or check. Restorative Health, 4801 Wisconsin Ave, NW (Tenleytown). Info: 202-244-6661 or RestorativeHealth.org. Mom’s Night Out: An Evening of Self-Care and Yoga – 7:45-9pm. Enjoy a signature blend of selfcare, yoga, and reflection. Aromatherapy, wine, and chocolate included. $20. Lil Omm Yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, DC. Register: LilOmm.com.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7 Canal Stewards at Fletcher’s Cove – 10am12pm. Join Potomac Conservancy at our Canal Stewards event to remove invasive species, pick up trash, and do trail maintenance along the C&O Canal. Potomac Conservancy, 4940 Canal Rd, NW, DC. Register: Long@Potomac.org. Noetic Science of Alexandria – 4-6pm. Author Dr Vernon Sylvest bridges medicine, psychology and mysticism. Praised by C. Norman Shealy MD. Noetic Science of Alexandria hosts monthly consciousness speakers. $10/donation appreciated. Noetic Science of Alexandria, 400 Madison St, Drake Room, (23rd Fl), Alexandria, VA. Register: SLS4@RCN.com or Meetup.com/ Noetic-Science-of-Alexandria-VA. Private Screening of Fly By Light: The Movie – 7:30-9:30pm. Join us a special private screening of One Common Unity’s newly finished documentary, Fly By Light. $8. Sitar Arts Center, 1700 Kalorama Rd, NW, (Ste 101), DC. Info: OneCommonunity.org.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8 Pajamarama – 7-10am. The 13th Annual Pajamarama, an Old Takoma event. Shop early in your pajamas and receive discounts at Old Takoma participating businesses. Great Discounts, fun and refreshments. Main Street Takoma, Takoma, MD. Info: MainStreetTakoma.org/Event/753. Take Back Your Health Holiday Market – 11am6pm. Come shop for gifts and food that are good for your body and good for the planet. Vendors, food, music, kids’ activities, workshops and more. Robin Shirley & The Int’l Health Coach Association LLC,

Intro to All Love Workshop – 7:30-9;30pm. An amazing self-empowering healing experience. Feel your heart opening into a place of peace you’ve never gone to before. $25. Reston Reiki and Self Healing Arts, Sunrise Valley Dr and Hunter Mill Rd, Reston, VA. Register: KarunaJoy1@gmail.com or RestonReikiandSelfHealingArts.com.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11 Candlelit Yoga: A Gift to You – 6-6:30pm. Join mindful fitness trainer Ben King for a quiet, restorative half hour of yoga by candlelight. Drop-ins welcome. Free. Info: 202-244-6661 or RestorativeHealth.org. Make Your Own Organic Spa Products Workshop – 6:30-8:30pm. Get a hands-on lesson on ingredients and processes, while picking up some fascinating stories behind the products that she creates. After an explanation on the properties of various herbs, spices and essential oils (think sandalwood and lavender), enjoy crafting your own spa products, such as soaks and sugar scrubs. $40. Herban Lifestyle, 2931 C Eskridge Rd, Fairfax, VA. Register: Info@HerbanLifestyle.com or HerbanLifestyle.com/catalog/workshops.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12 Private Screening of Fly By Light: The Movie – 7-9pm. Join a special private viewing of One Common Unity’s newly finished documentary, Fly By Light at the Menkiti Group. $15. Reel Talk, 3407 8th St, NE, DC. Register: ReelTalkDecember13.EventBrite.com.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13 Couples Craft Night: Make and Take – 6:30-8pm.

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:

www.buddhabyoga.com 38

Washington, D.C.

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

A new spin on date night. Instead of going to dinner and a movie, come to our couples craft night. We will provide snacks and materials for a craft that you and your significant other can make together. Learn to work together and channel your creative energy. $50 for two people. Herban Lifestyle, 2931 C Eskridge Rd, Fairfax, VA. Register: Info@HerbanLifestyle. com or HerbanLifestyle.com/catalog/workshops. Singles Sangha – 7-10pm. A welcoming community of people who gather to experience a shared connection with others who are, by choice or by circumstance, single at this time in their lives. All varieties and ages of single people are encouraged to join. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, (Ste 200), NW (Tenleytown). Info: Living-Mindfully.org. Practicing for a Joyful Life: Cultivating a Kind Heart – 7:30pm. With Sylvia Boorstein and Sharon Salzberg. In their first-ever joint-D.C. appearance, these renowned teachers and authors bring over four decades of teaching and meditation experience to nurture our capacity for an open and loving heart. Their engaging sessions combine talks, meditation practice, humor and Q and A. Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church, 3401 Nebraska Ave, NW, DC. Info and Register: AJoyFulLife.BrownPaperTickets.com.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14 Photos with Santa – 10am-4pm. All proceeds go to the homeless cats and dogs at Rural Dog Rescue. Howl To The Chief, 733 8th St, SE, DC. Practicing for a Joyful Life: Cultivating a Kind Heart –10am-4pm. See December 13 listing. Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church, 3401 Nebraska Ave, NW, DC. Info and Register: AJoyFulLife.BrownPaperTickets.com. Into the World of Birth & Babies – 2:30-3:30pm. An opportunity for expectant families to ask questions, meet a variety of birth workers, and find support for the journey ahead. $5. Lil Omm Yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, DC. Register: LilOmm.com. Free Introductory Yoga Class – 4-5pm. Visit Unity Woods for this free introduction to yoga. No experience required. Open to all. Unity Woods Yoga Center, 4853 Cordell Ave, (Ste PH7), Bethesda, MD. Register: UnityWoods.com. Monthly MAAD (Mood, Attachment & Anxiety Disorders) Dharma Sanga – 4-6pm. With Trudy Ann Mitchell-Gilkey. Take refuge in the power of awareness, understanding and compassion. Not designed to replace psychotherapy, and participants

markyourcalendar FRIDAY, JANUARY 17 MLK Weekend New Year Yoga Retreat – 5:30pm. Thru Jan 19. In Hague, VA. We’ll practice yoga, meditation, Reiki and guided relaxation, eat delicious vegan food, listen to music, chat or play games around a cozy fire, relax and have fun. Throughout the weekend, you will have the opportunity to workshop poses and ask lots of questions about asana and meditation. $320. Yoga District. Register: Bit.ly/17bsRCO. must email facilitator in advance. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, (Ste 200), NW (Tenleytown). For details: Living-Mindfully.org.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15 Canal Stewards at the River Center -10am-12pm. Join Potomac Conservancy at our Canal Stewards event to remove invasive species, pick up trash, and do trail maintenance along the C&O Canal. Potomac Conservancy, 7906 Riverside Dr, Cabin John, Maryland. Natural Remedies for Cold and Flu Season Playshop – 11:45-12:45pm. Hands-on workshop to learn simple but effective methods of boosting immunity through herbs, nutrition, and essential oils. $10. Lil Omm Yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, DC. Register: LilOmm.com. Advanced Integrated Energy Therapy – 12:308:30pm. Basic and Intermediate Class required. This class enables you to move freely forward on your soul’s journey, fulfilling your soul’s mission, and removing any blocks. $215. Reston Reiki and Self Healing Arts, Sunrise Valley Dr and Hunter Mill Rd, Reston, VA. Register: KarunaJoy1@gmail.com or RestonReikiandSelfHealingArts.com.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17 Meditation Guidance – 7:30-9:30pm. Finally get started on a solid meditative practice. Find renewed inspiration for your own practice. We will experience and learn basic breathing and awareness meditation. $25. Reston Reiki and Self Healing Arts, Sunrise Valley Dr and Hunter Mill Rd, Reston, VA. Register: KarunaJoy1@gmail.com or RestonReikiAndSelfHealingArts.com.

WEDNESDAY, 18 Herban Holiday Crafts – 6:30-8pm. One of the best things about the holidays is the scent of spices in your home. Learn how to make Victorian pomanders, cinnamon ornaments and more. Take home your spicy creations to decorate your home. $40. Herban Lifestyle, 2931 C Eskridge Rd, Fairfax, VA. Register: Info@HerbanLifestyle.com or HerbanLifestyle.com/catalog/workshops.

weekdaysthrudec.20 Special for Natural Awakenings Readers

FREE INITIAL ACUPUNCTURE CONSULT A holiday gift for the Natural Awakenings community, City Acupuncture offers a free initial consultation and auricular acupuncture treatment. 10am-3pm. City Acupuncture Circle 1221 Connecticut Ave, (Ste 5B), NW, DC.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 25 500-Hour Ayurveda Certification – 12-6pm. Sat and Sun thru September 14. Dr. David Frawley’s American Institute of Vedic Studies Ayurvedic Healing learning course. Course aims primarily at helping the student to become an Ayurvedic Life-Style Counselor, which is how those who successfully complete the course can see themselves. Previous training or licensure in any medical practice or in yoga is not necessary. $3,500. The Yoga Fusion Studio, 4609 Willow Ln, Chevy Chase, MD. Register: TheYogaFusionStudio.com.

APRIL Centro Ashé Grassroots Herbal Program – Thru Sept 2014. This series is an immersion into herbal medicine and includes herbal fundamentals, medicinal plant ID, practical and therapeutic applications of herbs, herbal medicine making, harvesting and wild crafting plants, gardening, and more. $888. Centro Ashé, 1620 Chester Ave Bryans Rd, MD. Register: Info@CentroAshe.org.

SUNDAY, MAY 4 Cultivate: A Journey in Re-Skilling and ReConnecting – First Sunday thru Oct 2014. Explore basic elements of homesteading. We will examine our relationships with our food, our homes, the land, and our health, exploring the intersection of selfreliance, sustainability, and community. Our goal is to nourish our skillsets and challenge ourselves to cultivate intention in the way we choose to live. $450. Centro Ashé, 1620 Chester Ave Bryans Rd, MD. Register: Info@CentroAshe.org.

News to share? Email details to: Robin@ NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

Submittal deadline is the 10th of the month.

natural awakenings

December 2013

ongoingevents 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.

sunday Dupont Circle FreshFarm Market – 8:30am-1pm. 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 & Hillyer Place NW) and the adjacent bank parking lot. More info: 202-362-8889. Open Level GYROTONIC® Group – 10-11am. This class is open to all experience levels and provides a well rounded, fundamental GYROTONIC® workout on the pulley tower. $35/session, $250/10 Sessions. Elements Fitness & Wellness Center, 2233 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 217, NW. Info: 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, NW, Ste 200, Tenleytown. Info: Living-Mindfully.org. Weekly Yoga and Brunch – 10:30-11:45am. Work up your appetite with a Flow 1-2 Asana practice at Yoga District. Then come downstairs to enjoy a yummy vegan brunch at District Tea Lodge. Both your yoga practice and brunch is included in the price. Invite your friends and have an awesome time. $22. Yoga District and District Tea Lodge, 1922 I St NW, DC. Register: Bit.ly/177o7wP. Community Yoga Class – 11:30am-12:30pm. OpenLevel Yoga Class hosted by a range of teachers, including recent graduates from our Yoga Teacher Trainings. This community yoga class will vary in style and flow. Please note the room will be heated at 90 degrees to aid in the detoxification of the body. Please arrive early to guarantee your spot. $10/suggested donation. The Yoga Fusion Studio, 4609 Willow Ln, Chevy Chase. Register: TheYogaFusionStudio.com. 2013 Holiday Market–12-5pm. Holiday Market on American Way. Handmade holiday ornaments/decorations, tasty holiday treats such as cookies, cakes, kettle corn, breads, roasted nuts, chilis. Fresh cut trees, garland, wreaths, fresh vegetables and fruits, unique one of kind gifts, specialty foods, and entertainment. Phenonmenal Productions LLC, American Way, National Harbor, MD. Info: PhyProductions123@gmail.com. Family Yoga – 3-4pm. 2nd Sun. Yoga for the whole family together (age 8 and up). $15/person or $50/ family of four or more. Unity Woods Yoga Center, 4853 Cordell Ave, Ste PH7, Bethesda, MD. Register: UnityWoods.com.

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. Dropins welcome. A project of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington (IMCW). The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Ste 200, Tenleytown. Info: Living-Mindfully.org.

Washington, D.C.

Advanced GYROTONIC® Group – 10-11am. For clients with a significant amount of experience in the GYROTONIC method. $35/session. Elements Fitness & Wellness Center, 2233 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 217, NW. Info: ElementsCenter.com. Mommy Meet Up – 11:45am-12:45pm. 1st Mon. A friendly environment to chat, share, and learn together as moms with children. Bring your lunch and enjoy the space to learn, live, play and grow. $5. Lil Omm Yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, DC. Register: LilOmm.com. Beginner GYROTONIC® Group – 12-1pm. This class is held on the GYROTONIC pulley tower and is designed for new students. Students will learn how to set up the equipment and gain an understanding of the fundamental movements of the system. $35/ session. $250/10 sessions. Elements Fitness & Wellness Center, 2233 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 217, NW. Info: ElementsCenter.com. Breastfeeding Mothers’ Support Group – 5:156:15pm. 2nd Mon. Mothers bring your babies of all ages to connect with other mothers, ask questions of Holistic Mothering’s IBCLC Sharon Curry and find support for breastfeeding related challenges. Baby scale available. $10. Lil Omm Yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, DC. Register: LilOmm.com. Open Level GYROTONIC® Group – 6-7pm. See Sunday for details. Elements Fitness & Wellness Center, 2233 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 217, NW. Info: ElementsCenter.com. Yoga – 6:30-7:30pm. 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. T’ai 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 T’ai Chi Chun long form. T’ai 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.

tuesday Yoga for Athletes – 7-8am. Use Yoga to enhance athletic performance. Each week offers a different focus (legs, hips, shoulders, abs, etc.). $20. Unity Woods Yoga Center, 4853 Cordell Ave, Ste PH7, Bethesda, MD. Register: UnityWoods.com. Early Morning Meditation – 7:30-8:15 am. See Monday for details. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Ste 200, Tenleytown. Info: Living-Mindfully.org. Beginner GYROTONIC ® Group–8-9am. See Monday for details. Elements Fitness & Wellness Center, 2233 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 217, NW. Info: ElementsCenter.com. Chair Massage – 9am-2pm. Have a bit to eat and

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then get a refreshing, 10- or 15-minute massage every Tuesday and Thursday in Takoma Park. $10-15. Capital City Cheesecake, 7071 Carroll Ave, Takoma Park, Md. Massage2Day.com. Moms’ Craft and Chat Morning – 10am-12pm. In between drop off and pick up, make a little something for yourself and meet other moms. We’ll have material available or bring your own. $10. Herban Lifestyle, 2931 C Eskridge Rd, Fairfax, VA. Register: HerbanLifestyle.com/catalog/workshops. Yoga with a Chair – 9:30- 11:30am. Learn ways to use the chair to increase range of motion and flexibility in standing and twisting poses. $22. Unity Woods Yoga Center, 2639 Connecticut Ave, Ste C 102, NW, DC. Register: UnityWoods.com. Open Level GYROTONIC® Group – 1-2pm. See Sunday for details. Elements Fitness & Wellness Center, 2233 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 217, NW. Info: 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. 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. Vipassana Meditation – 7:30-8:30pm. Guided Meditation in the Vipassana or Insight Meditation Tradition with Vicki Goodman. Emphasis will be on the development of concentration to quiet the mind and body. There will be an emphasis on bringing mindfulness and open heartedness to daily life situations. Time will be allowed at the end of the meditation for discussion. Class takes place every other Tuesday. $10 or give what you can. The Yoga Fusion Studio, 4609 Willow Ln, Chevy Chase. Info: TheYogaFusionStudio.com. Zumba – 8:30-9:30pm. Zumba is an effective, exhilarating, Latin-inspired, easy-to-follow, calorie-burning dance fitness-party that works all major groups in a high-energy cardio blast that leaves the participants invigorated, refreshed and full of life. It achieves the perfect balance of a progressive core workout, full-body cardio and strength training, and a stressrelieving, energy-producing fitness experience. $10. Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd, Mount Rainier, MD. Register: JoesMovement.org.

wednesday Early Morning Meditation – 7:30-8:15am. See Monday for details. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Ste 200, Tenleytown. Info: Living-Mindfully.org. Pilates – 8:30-9:30am. This Pilates mat class is suitable for students who are new to pilates or who have already been introduced to the method. The first two classes will focus on fundamental

concepts in Pilates and each week will build on the last. $10. Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd, Mount Rainier, MD. Register: JoesMovement.org. Advanced GYROTONIC® Group – 10-11am. See Monday for details. $35/session. Elements Fitness & Wellness Center, 2233 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 217, NW. Info: ElementsCenter.com. Yoga – 6:30-7:30pm. See Monday for details. $10. Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd, Mount Rainier, MD. Register: JoesMovement.org. Wednesdays with Tara Brach – 7:30-9pm. Class includes 30-min of Vipassana meditation instruction and guided meditation followed by an hour-long Dharma talk. A large gathering of approximately 250300 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 & River Rd), Bethesda, MD. For more info: Imcw.com. 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. Together we offer blessings to all in need as we take refuge together in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 6301 River Rd (enter from Whittier Blvd), Bethesda. Info: Imcw.org.

thursday Early Morning Meditation – 7:30-8:15am. See Monday for details. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Ste 200, Tenleytown. Info: Living-Mindfully.org. Sister Circle – 6:45-8:15pm. 3rd Thurs. Women are invited to come together and share about their journey for personal growth and emotional wellness. Group led by Dr. Theresa Ford, a skilled and sensitive psychotherapist and director of Creative Counseling and Coaching Services, providing specialized services to women. Support groups, therapy groups and individual therapy also available. $20. Meets at Seekers Church, 276 Carroll St, NW, near the Takoma Metro. Info or RSVP: 240-354-3854. I Meditate DC: Introduction to the Art of Living – 7-8pm. See Tuesday for details. The Art of Living Foundation, 2401 15th St, NW. Register: Secure. ArtofLiving.org/Events.aspx. Zumba – 8:30-9:30pm. See Tuesday for details. $10. Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd, Mount Rainier, MD. Register: JoesMovement.org.

friday Early Morning Meditation – 7:30-8:15 am. See Monday for details. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Ste 200, Tenleytown. Info: Living-Mindfully.org. Open Level GYROTONIC® Group – 10-11am.

See Sunday for details. Elements Fitness & Wellness Center, 2233 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 217, NW. Info: ElementsCenter.com. Yoga and Aging – 10-11:30am. Each class will address a different topic pertinent to our bodies and minds as we age. All are welcome. $20/class in advance or $22/class at the door. Unity Woods Yoga Center, 4853 Cordell Ave, Ste PH7, Bethesda, MD. Register: UnityWoods.com. Yoga for People Living With Cancer & 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, DC. RSVP: Jennifer Bires, 202-741-2218 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. $5/class. Unity Woods Yoga Center. 4853 Cordell Ave, Ste PH9, Bethesda. Info: UnityWoods.com. Yoga – 6:30-7:30pm. See Monday for details. $10. Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd, Mount Rainier, MD. Register: JoesMovement.org. Biodanza – 6:45- 8:15pm. Join us every Friday for expressive dance that fuses movement, music and heartfelt emotion that will help you tap into your joy. Two “left feet” welcome. No age limits. Near Dupont in DC. Biodanza East Coast, 1611 16th Street, DC. Register: LifeDance.me.

saturday 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, plants and prepared foods. Some producers are certified organic or use chemical-free methods, and the meat and dairy is free range. Producers are all located within 125 miles of Washington DC. Lamont Park, corner of 17th & Lamont NW. Info: Mtpfm.org. Open Level GYROTONIC® Group – 10am. See Sunday for details. Elements Fitness & Wellness Center, 2233 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 217, NW. Info: ElementsCenter.com. 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, DC. FrontDesk@ElementsCenter.com. Open Level GYROTONIC Group – 11:15am12:15pm. See Sunday for details. Elements Fitness & Wellness Center, 2233 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 217, NW. Info: ElementsCenter.com. ®

Adoption Event – 12-3pm. Rural Dog Rescue holds its weekly adoption event every Saturday at Howl to the Chief. Fosters & Volunteers Needed. Howl to the Chief, 733 8th Street, SE. Info: RuralDogRescue.com. I Meditate DC: Introduction to the Art of Living – 4-5pm. See Tuesday for details. The Art of Living Foundation, 2401 15th St, NW. Register: Secure. ArtofLiving.org/Events.aspx.

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natural awakenings

December 2013

communityresourceguide Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare 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.

1221 Connecticut Ave, Ste 5B, NW, DC 202-300-8428 CityAcupunctureCircle.com Safe, affordable acupuncture care. Pay what you can, $20-$50 per treatment. Join the Community Acupuncture movement.

We provide acupuncture and Intuitive Reiki services. Our mission is to heal our patients, ourselves, each other and our communities. See ad, page 38.

2841 Hartland Rd, Ste 207, Falls Church 703-667-0465 WellnessWithNature.com

Offering traditional ayurvedic bodywork and energy work for health and balance. Urban pancha karma, health counseling and other techniques to encourage a healthy lifestyle.

CATERING SUNNYSIDE GOURMET TonyaVirgan@gmail.com 301-585-6484

Catering and packaged foods using sustainable, organic, locally sourced ingredients. No processed ingredients. Specializing in international fusion dishes, paellas and tagines. Accommodate all dietary needs. See ad, page 33.

OURSPACE ACUPUNCTURE 809 Easley St, 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.

CONSULTING GRACE PRODUCTIONS Grace Ogden, Principal 301-445-6771 GraceProductions.co

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 12.

REVIVE COMMUNITY ACUPUNCTURE 3808 34th St, Mt. Rainier, MD 301-864-1975 Revive-Acupuncture.com

$15-$35 acupuncture. Open Tuesday/Thursday, 2-7pm, Wednesday/Friday/Saturday, 10am-2pm. Convenient to Brookland, Chillum, H St, the Hill, Hyattsville, Cheverly. Free parking. Walk-ins welcome.

ARCHITECT HELICON WORKS

COUNSELING CREATIVE COUNSELING AND COACHING SERVICES, LLC

Individual and Group Therapy & Life Coaching 240-354-3854 CreativeCounselingAndCoaching.com

7108 Holly Ave, Takoma Park 301-404-5578 HeliconWorks.com Ecologically sensitive architecture and building practices, responding to people and place.

Washington, D.C.

Evaluation, treatment, counseling, and education for all sexual health concerns. See ad, page 2.

APURVA AYURVEDA HEALING CENTER

IX CHEL WELLNESS

202-630-2435 • Adam@IxChelWellness.com IxChelWellness.com

Couples Therapy GW Center for Integrative Medicine 202-833-5055, 202-300-4981 Gwcim.com • SexMatters2Me@gmail.com

AYURVEDA

ACUPUNCTURE CITY ACUPUNCTURE CIRCLE

MARY KENDELL, MS, NP

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

Offers high quality, culturally competent and gender-sensitive therapy and life coaching for adults that promotes physical, psychological and spiritual well-being.

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.

ENERGY HEALING HEALING GATEWAY 877- 534-5534 HealingGateway.com 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 23.

FITNESS FLEXAWARE®

202-557-8384 Steve@FlexAware.com

Back Pain? Breathing Problems? FlexAware is remarkably effective for all ages, all health conditions. Applied neuroscience, based on the way young children move naturally.

HEALTHY PETS 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 17.

HOWL TO THE CHIEF

733 8th St SE, DC 202-544-8710 • HowlToTheChief.com We carry a large assortment of natural, holistic, raw and organic diets for dogs, cats and small animals. Grooming and selfserve dog wash service too! See ad, page 29.

PAWS OF ENCHANTMENT 3415 Perry St, Mount Rainier 301-209-0411 PawsOfEnchantment.com

The original holistic pet spa in the Metro DC area. Rated ‘Best’ by Washingtonian Magazine. Let your pet be enchanted! See ad, page 11.

HERBS GREEN COMFORT HERBAL APOTHECARY & SCHOOL OF HERBAL MEDICINE 540-937-4283 Green.Comfort@gmail.com

Green Comfort offers a variety of educational opportunities for herbal studies, offering clinical training, integrated medicine and holistic nutrition. Apothecary and garden apprenticeships are available to returning students. Green Comfort Herbal Apothecary Clinic is available by appointment to anyone wishing to discuss their health concerns and a holistic healing regimen.

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.

HOME IMPROVEMENT AMICUS GREEN BUILDING CENTER 301-571-8590 AMICUSGreen.com

A home improvement store full of materials that maximize health, eco-friendliness, water and energy savings, with expertise to make any project greener and smoother.

HOME ORGANIZATION JUST THAT SIMPLE Just-That-Simple.net

MIKHAIL KOGAN, MD

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

Home and office organizig and move preparation services with a personalized, nonjudgmental approach, JTS helps tame “all clutter in all rooms.” You can find, use and put away things in relaxing, productive spaces.

HYDROTHERAPY

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.

RESTORATIVE HEALTH 4801 Wisconsin Ave, NW 202-255-6661 RestorativeHealth.org

VITALITY CLEANSING

571-331-1497 Inquiry@VitalityCleansing.com We offer an elegant and contemporary space using the natural element of water to gently wash debris from the colon. Our gravity-open system provides the connection between water and cleanliness that forms the basis for rejuvenation and vitality.

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

Restorative Health is a patient-focused integrative medical practice dedicated to helping people achieve optimal health. Using a variety of healing therapies, the doctors at Restorative Health work with you in identifying the causes of illness and in shaping personalized, unique therapies to eliminate them. See ads, pages 3 and 47.

VIP IMED

3022 Javier Rd, Ste 217, Fairfax 703-207-4646 VIPiMED.com VIP iMed features individualized Integrative Medical and Wellness Programs: transforming your life and addressing your individual needs, with a proven record of treating most medical conditions and getting results.

LIFE COACH LIFE DANCE COACHING

410-736-9311 LifeDanceMe@gmail.com • LifeDance.me Michelle Dubreuil Macek offers a wholehearted, mindful life coaching approach to guide you towards breaking down limiting thoughts and creating space for joy, love and peace in your life. See ad, page 11.

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.

MINDFULNESS COACHING FOR LIFE! 703-203-9202 Robyn@RobynPovich.com RobynPovich.com

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 21.

natural awakenings

Robyn Povich, Certified Professional Coach, Arbinger trained Coach, and Certified Facilitator of The Work™. She offers private sessions, retreats, workshops and tele-classes. Become more present and empowered in your life. See ad, page 34.

December 2013

SEE POTENTIAL LIFE COACHING 202-280-3349 Info@LifePotentialist.com LifePotentialist.com

Create positive growth in all areas of life with affordable life coaching—greater work/life balance, career development, stress management, wellness, and stronger leadership skills. See ad, page 35.

MASSAGE

CENTER FOR NATURAL HEALING

4601 Connecticut Ave, NW, Ste 6, DC 20008 202-244-4545 CenterForNaturalHealing.biz Dr. Sullivan is a Naturopathic/Homeopathic physician, specializing in homeopathic and botanical medicine, clinical nutrition and diets for blood types. She treats people, not just conditions.

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.

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.

NUTRITION

MEAL DELIVERY SERVICE MyPowerSupply.com Power Supply provides fresh, tasty, all-natural and nutritious meal plans. Just order online, pickup at one of our 46+ DC/MD/VA locations, heat and enjoy. We offer Pure Paleo, Mixatarian (Paleo-Inspired) and Vegetarian choices made with local and organic when possible. No gluten or dairy. Order one-time or on a recurring basis.

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 35.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT BIODANZA EAST COAST USA 410-736-9311 BiodanzaEastCoast@gmail.com Biodanza-usa.com

Join us for personal development through a fusion of authentic movement, awesome music, and heartfelt emotions. A safe space for you to feel and dance organically all of the untapped potential within you. See ad, page 11.

240-330-3674 Facebook.com/HeyGouter Handcrafting raw, vegan and organic treats, tonics and cleanses in Washington DC. Making a raw vegan lifestyle more approachable, fun and simple through our products and services; consume less, become aware and live sustainably.

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 handson and biofeedback for self-care, and Reiki care of others. See ad, page 2.

KRISTA NOELLE

MEDITATION

302-897-2407 Krista@KristaNoelle.com • KristaNoelle.com

HUGH BYRNE, PHD

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.

Hugh-Byrne.com

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

RAW LIVING D-LIGHT

NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIANS

571-471-2891 • Luzy@RawLivingDLight RawLivingDLight.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 14.

ALOE WELLNESS

5840 MacArthur Blvd NW, Ste 2, DC 202-966-2563 • AloeWellnessDC.com Our Naturopathic physicians, acupuncturist, massage therapist, reiki practitioner, and life coach provide a comprehensive and personalized approach to achieving optimal health and wellness.

YES! ORGANIC MARKET YesOrganicMarket.com

Yes! Organic Market has provided healthful food, supplements and body care products at affordable prices for over 30 years. Visit any of our seven stores in the greater Washington DC metropolitan area. See ad, page 15.

Washington, D.C.

HERBAN LIFESTYLE

GOûTER

POWER SUPPLY

PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

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.

THETA HEALING CREATIVE HEALING TRENDS 301-876-3475 CreativeHealingTrends.com

Rebecca Norris is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, offering ThetaHealing, an extraordinary new technique that allows for immediate physical and emotional transformations and healings. See ad, page 5.

WELLNESS BLUE HERON WELLNESS

10723B Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 301-754-3730 • BlueHeronWellness.com Relax, rejuvenate, energize with acupuncture, massage, yoga, skincare and herbal medicine at our center or at your workplace.

BUDDHA B YOGA

1115 U St NW, DC, Ste 202 202-588-5885 • BuddhaBYoga.com 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 38.

eXTEND YOGA DESAI HEALTH AND WELLNESS

202-599-0832 Anura@DesaiHealthAndWellness.com DesaiHealthAndWellness.com Eat healthy. Increase energy. Reduce stress. No one approach works for everyone. Find out yours. Discover simple ways to making a healthy life easy and possible.

ELEMENTS FITNESS AND WELLNESS CENTER 2233 Wisconsin, Ste 217, DC 20007 202-333-5252 • ElementsCenter.com

Offering Pilates, GYROTONIC® Exercise, physical therapy, massage and more for clients of all ages. Experience the joy of moving and breathing freely at Elements Center. See ad, page 8.

YOGA ANANDA SHALA YOGA & PILATES STUDIO

34 S. Market St, Frederick, MD 301-682-9642 info@AnandaShala.com AnandaShala.com

Ananda Shala is a full spectrum mind-body center, Shiva Rea Prana Flow® yoga & Power Pilates studio.

BELOVED YOGA

2001 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston BelovedYoga.com Beloved Yoga embraces all traditions and paths of yoga and our classes are designed to give you a complete yoga experience. Our teachers come from different lineages offering you a wellbalanced practice and exposure to this ancient practice. One intention that you will find in all our classes is the philosophy of flow, integrating breath with movement creating a meditative space for the mind, body and spirit.

12106 Wilkins Ave, Rockville 301-881-3330 • extendYoga.com extendYoga strives to provide a positive, nurturing environment that challenges individuals to extend themselves physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. We believe in giving back to the community by participating in various charitable causes.

LIL OMM YOGA

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, wellbeing, family and spirituality.

THE YOGA FUSION STUDIO

4609 Willow Ln, Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-656-8937 TheYogaFusionStudio.com Yo g a c l a s s e s , t e a c h e r training, health and wellness seminars, and community wellness offerings. We are your home for a loving and cohesive yoga family. See ad, page 9.

Y’S ELEMENTS

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.

ZERO BALANCING LISA SCHUMACHER

4000 Albemarle St, NW Ste 202 202-244-9588 Lisa@Balancentering.com Helping others find natural ways to gain optimum health through Zero Balancing, Massage, Energy Therapy and Herbal Support. See ad, page 11.

Natural Awakenings of Washington, D.C.

202-505-4835

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com natural awakenings

December 2013

Washington, D.C.

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

Healthy Living Classes December 2013 4801 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20016 www.restorativehealth.org • (202) 244-6661 Candlelit Meditation Tuesday, December 3 – 6-6:45pm Do you sometimes feel it’s a feat just to survive the holidays? Join Tim Eden, MSW for a rare peaceful opportunity in a candlelit early evening meditation, and catch your breath. Free. Drop-ins welcome. Undo Daily Tensions Friday, December 6 – 6-6:30pm Feeling tense over the holidays? Take a break! Get out of your head and into your body, and learn how to smooth out physical stress with orthopedic massage therapist Olivier Pelletier, LMT. $10, cash or check.Drop-ins welcome. Candlelit Yoga: A Gift to You Wednesday, December 11 – 6-6:30pm Caught in the holiday rush? Join mindful fitness trainer Ben King, CPT, RYT for a quiet, restorative ½ hour of yoga by candlelight. Free. Drop-ins welcome.

For centuries, even before there was “medicine”, people have used essential oils for their medicinal and therapeutic qualities. Join us for a FREE webinar on December 27 at 7pm EST to learn how to use these oils for preventative and restorative health care. Contact me at mydoterra.com/purehealing for registration details or watch previously recorded classes.

December Offer:

First 25 orders receive 148-page Modern Essentials Usage Guide book, FREE! Call today! 435-513-9849

natural awakenings

December 2013

Degrees with Meaning for Careers with Purpose Health & Wellness Coaching Graduate Programs Enrolling for January and April 2014 Maryland University of Integrative Health is one of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 No GREs required muih.edu 800-735-2968 48

Washington, D.C.

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com