T h e
EDEN MAGAZINE
April 2013 Volume 3 Issue 4
spreading compassion to all sentient beings and Living in healing and peaceful world Editor
Maryam Morrison
Front Cover ~ “A Morning’s Kiss” Spririt of New England Series Watercolor and Ink Ellen Spencer© 2013 All rights reserved New Series Eden Magazine is an independent monthly online magazine. Our aim is to create a better environment where we live among other living being in peace and harmony. We support artists that their work match our criteria. If you would like to submit your artwork, article or/and your Photography For our future issues please contact Maryam Morrison at; edenmagazine@hotmail.com or www.theedenmagazine.com 2 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April 2013
Ellen Spencer
4 The Little bright light.... By Colleen Costello
8 Follow your Heart By Heike Stenzel
10 The Divine Nature of...
By Peace Mother Geeta Sacred Song
12 Love, Stillness...
By John Cogan Ph.D
18 The flow of consciousness
22
C O N T E N T S
Margay
26 Shamanism
By Howard G. Charing
28 In the Flow
By Ellen Heller
30 Earth Day
By Donald Norfolk
32 Importance of exfoliating
By Stefania Constantin
34
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An Artist and An Activist
Ellen Spencer
Sunset Rose 4 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April
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Atlantic Majestic
“Every joyful morning I awake in spirit and meditate on gratitude. Celebrate the moment!.”
A celebrated artist known for her colorful paintings of women, Ellen is also an entrepeneur, dedicated environmentalist, poet, author, woman’s activist and health advocate. She has donated her artwork to countless women’s organizations and she prides herself on “living in the moment” a rich, passion-filled life. Being passionate is something that was passed on to me from the women in my family, but it also became part of my journey — as in passion for my art, the environment and passion for life! It is the one of the words that defines my life at this point.
“My art represents my voice and also the voice of other women. Girls and women at this moment who may not have their own voice. It is a way for me to communicate to other people. Whether it’s my art, activism, poetry, writing or more... the underlying message is to be fearless , empowered , enlighten and passionate about your life. The thread of what I do is actually more of a generational thread — there have been many generations of artists and activists in my family. This is just my generational turn. When I speak, I speak on behalf of not just myself, but all the women who have spoken before me. Every joyful morning I awake in spirit and meditate on gratitude. Celebrate the moment!.” 5 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April
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Artist /Author /Entrepeneur / Owner of LemonArt and Ellen Spencer Originals Ellen Spencer is a well known artist and longtime environmental activist. Her work reflects her passion in the celebration of life and its connection to our environment. Ellen is originally from Boston. She currently resides in both the San Francisco bay area and New England. Her studios are in Oakland, California and the Boston. She has spent many years successfully exhibiting and selling her works throughout the United States and has received numerous awards. Her work has been hailed as, “exuberant and exciting” by New York’s Art Speak magazine. She is currently represented by 57th Street Gallery in Oakland, CA, ArtWorks in San Francisco, Artist Alley Gallery in San Francisco, Agora Gallery in New York, Mother and Baby A-Forest Gallery in New York and Marziart International Gallery in Hamburg, Germa- A longtime environmental activist and ny, as well as numerous world wide Online published poet as well as an artist, Galleries. Ellen Spencer creates paintings that explore the themes of femininity, the “As an artist and an activist, my work environment, and the strength of a represents the strength and unity inher- healthy body and spirit. In her innovaent in the human spirit.The celebration of tive, richly textured works, Spencer uses what is possible when people come to- a combination of traditional paints and gether as one. Each painting has a unorthodox media such as dried herbs feeling of its own and is done in different and other natural objects. Abstract and mediums. The colors are vivid and rich sophisticated, these works invoke a reflecting the myriad of emotions that I primitive strength and sense of universal bring to my work. The textured pieces unity: through a spectrum of natural colors use a multitude of dried herbs (rosemary, and textures inspired by earth and atmolavender, sage,etc) ,sand, sea salt and sphere. Spencer’s art seeks to uncover many other natural objects. I encourage the beauty inherent in the organic world. you to bring your own experiences to the viewing of my artwork and freely interpret At once ebullient and elegant, Ellen’s the imagery according to your own imagi- paintings describe the timeless, innate link nation.” between people and the environment. 6 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April 2013
Spencer has participated in numerous solo and group shows throughout the United States and has won many awards for her art. I am doing a Spring Art Special for anyone interested in purchasing original paintings or watercolor prints! Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in purchasing artwork and also send me your info to be added for my upcoming exhibits and show listings ellenspencer2@gmail.com www.ellenspencer.com www.ellenspencerprints.com
Celebration Spirit
Just a few of ~~~ AWARDS, ARTICLES AND ART-RELATED AFFILIATIONS Drumming for Health, Spirited Woman - Los Angeles, CA “Spirit Drummers” Relaxing Doesn’t Make Babies- New York Article, AFA “April Trees” Empty Arms on Mother’s Day - New York Examiner Article, “Eyes of the Soul Ellen Spencer Seven Senses - San Francisco, CA Article Spirited Artist Article - Los Angeles Make Lemonade - Ellen Spencer- Bay Area Women’s Article The Female Homer - An exploration of Women’s Epic Poetry -Book Jacket San Francisco Visitors Guide Book, “Dancing Spirits” Absolutearts and World Wide Arts Feature “ Friendship” Absolutearts and World Wide Arts Feature “The Dancers” Absolutearts and World Wide Arts Feature “Spirits at Play” Absolutearts and World Wide Arts Feature “The Dancer” New York National Art Competition Award, “The Gathering”, Juried Exhibit Single Black Female, Los Angeles, CA Golden Poet Award, The World of Poetry, “A Prayer for Amy” Award of Excellence, The World of Poetry, “Question of Belief” Agora Gallery, New York, NY ARTworks Gallery, San Francisco, CA Energy Arts Gallery, Oakland, CA Women Environmental Artists Directory (WEAD) The Cassandra Project Artist Alley Gallery, San Francisco, CA Gllobal Exchange Equality Now 7 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April
2013
THE LITTLE BRIGHT LIGHTS
MARIA AND JO IN LEMURIA By Colleen Costello http://colleencostello.authorsxpress.com
Artwork by Maryam Morrison
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Many eons ago, two little bright lights called Mariah and Jo came from Father Creator’s heart centre. They journeyed on down from the Great Central Sun, through the dimensions and galaxies and many star systems. They travelled through time and space, venturing on down to beautiful Mother Earth Gaia, to experience the wonders of life as she was then in her beautiful state in the third Golden Age. Jo and Mariah experienced life in the early times of Lemuria, when all was perfect and in harmony and so very beautiful. The wise old trees and flowers glowed with an aura of rainbow colours, and life was magical then. They danced and played with all the little animals and elementals, they swam with the dolphins, and their gifts were encouraged by the elders. All the while, their guardians and protectors, the magnificent beings of light and the Archangels were there with them.
and magnificent shining crystals, a world of another dimension.
The kind and loving ones still in touch with their Creator knew what would happen, but in the end, they were unable to save their beautiful Land of Mu. Some went to other realms or to other lands and this beautiful Lemuria was no more. Many people who had stayed close to their Creator went to a place called Telos at Mt Shasta, where there were underground caves with locks
http://www.amazon.com/Who-We-Aremagical... http://bookstore.balboapress.com/Products/SKU-000485657/Who-We-Are.aspx
Colleen Costello has spent the last 30 years writing and studying metaphysics. Her recollections from great teachers and personal experiences served as the inspiration for her two books; The Little Bright Lights – Mariah and Jo in Lemuria and Who We Are: A Long and Magical Journey. Costello They returned again in the sad ‘end times’ currently lives near London, England, of the age of Lemuria, when many of her where she practices reflexology and people had lost their innocence. They had other therapies. become caught up in greed and control, Colleen’s new book “Who We Are” and their bright lights had become dim. is avaliable now to purchase at;
Availability: EBook: $3.99 Softcover: $12.99 Hardcover: $30.95
9 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April 2013
Follo
Hear One of my deepest wisdom I love to share with you today is “Follow your Heart”. It is the purest and wisest guidance that comes from Your Soul. Let me give you an example how this might feel or occur in Your Life! I woke up on morning where, I literally was called to “Follow Your Heart” and the pure voice of my Soul reminded me a few more times during the following days. According to this gentle push that came from my Higher Self it showed me how important it is not to stay too much in my brainpower. The mind tries to rationalize, to analyze and to control things in a logically perspective to hold us disconnected from our true Self. 10 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April 2013
The mind is also governed by the brain that radiates not only on Beta Waves but also on Alpha, Gamma, Delta and Theta waves; the mind who creates about 80.000 thoughts per day - not always supportive thoughts as our negative Ego tries to manipulate us with negative thoughts that surely does not always serve our highest good and path. Let go of the mind battle, the drama and invite the Wisdom of Your Heart in. After times of rejecting and surpassing this inner calling done by the Ego, the Essence of your Heart might start up quietly but intentionally increases over time in a stronger, determined voice to “Follow Your Heart”.
ow Your
rt
Now, this is your time! No, don´t hesitate, don´t procrastinate, and don´t find excuses to only listen to your mind babble that creates this brain candy – Just Stop and try it for once and all and follow the guidance of your Heart.
By Heike Stenzel (Heike Shaolina) Artwork by Heike Stenzel (Heike Shaolina) have done.
The CHANGE is invoking and presents you a diversity of new opportunities into your life. Might this be of a calling that you are going to attract new people into your life or new ways of support, respect What you feel deeply in your heart and acceptance in an understanding and expands your heart with so much light- loving way? Why? ness that it opens the subtle gateways of returning Joy, Cheerfulness and Happi- This is because those people are on the ness into Your Beingness; not controlled same frequency than you. In the Essence by the brain. Even when you have neglect of Follow Your Heart radiance you have Your Heart out of Fear, out of Doubt, out attracted them into your Life with your of self-worthlessness many times – your beautiful Vibration and the light your Heart Heart is forgiving and never gives up on pulses outward into the world. you. It will remember you again and again to “Follow Your Heart” with reassurance of You made it happen and it will not only You can have it all; if you just allow your- invite new people into your life, it also will self the gentle nudge pushing you over change your vibration you are radiating the threshold. out into the world, that allows you to attract new positive situation, new places Just give it a try and you will be surprised and experiences into your Life! It is truly to see the essence of Joy and Happiness worthwhile to give it a Go and to “Follow returning into Your Life. Your Heart”. You will transform your life in living in Your Heart. It will give you a great uplift in Your Spirit, dancing to the flow of Abundance; and the comfort of the wisest choice you ever 11 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April
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“THE DIVINE NATURE OF YOUR CHAKRAS” By Peace Mother Geeta Sacred Song
Art work by Maryam Morrison 12 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April 2013
CHAKRAS OF THE UNIVERSE, PART 2
“THE JOURNEY OF KUNDALINI”
“The Crown Chakra… Is the final point of arrival for your ascending Kundalini... Reaching the Maha Chakra is the moment When your individual self merges with the God Self… Finally realizing your self as Pure Consciousness Your awareness expands to the Cosmic level… You experience your boundless, Eternal God Nature… Of being ONE with all that is…” The systems such as Kundalini Yoga refer to 6 chakras in the Sushumna column and then the Crown Chakra, located at the top of the head. In this system the Crown Chakra is not counted as a mere chakra, for it is considered the Maha Chakra… The Great Center…where your millions of physical and subtle channels come together. In Indian scriptures the word “chakra” is sometimes used to describe a disc shaped weapon which was propelled in warfare, whirling through the air. Likewise, our chakras are meant to spin. According to their level of balance, they will spin at particular rates, angles and directions, either clockwise or counter clockwise.
The condition of your chakras affects your spiritual state… Likewise, your spiritual state affects your chakras… When your chakras are not functioning at optimum levels, you will experience one type of block or another in your Life. It is therefore important to be supremely aware of what weighs down, shuts down and damages the chakras. Examining your Life activities, ask your self what causes your chakras to wobble out of Divine Rhythm. Just as with any vehicle, for a smooth ride, you must have balanced wheels to avoid discomfort or danger. When your chakras are malfunctioning, it shows up in physical signs as well as well as in spiritual signs. 13 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April 2013
The Universe is All Ways communicating with you… Your chakras are the receptors which link your physical and spirit self to the Cosmos… When the chakras are functioning as intended by the Divine Designer, each one will be open to the perfect degree, spinning in the perfect direction and at the perfect speed, filled with radiant Life Force. As you expand in your psychic awareness, it is possible you will be able to see or sense what your chakras look like and be able to attend to them in a wiser way. Any habits based on lack of self-Love… All self-loathing patterns will take their toll on your chakra system… resulting in further energy blocks within the mind-body-spirit… When a chakra is off center, it affects all others by being out of balance. This malfunction creates congestion in your physical-mental-emotional-spiritual systems, since every part of you is connected. If you wish to know which chakras are balanced and which are damaged or weak, just review your thoughts and feelings about your Life. Examine your thoughts on your past, present, future, the work you engage in, your body and all relationships. While reviewing each area of your Life, notice what part of your body 14 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April 2013
tenses, feels weak or experiences pain. For example, if you experience constriction in your heart area, this indicates the thoughts-emotions you carry, are damaging your Heart Chakra. Wherever there is a physical-emotional reaction, there is stress to the corresponding chakra. Your views of your self and the role you play in any situation will either fortify or weaken your chakras. The following have a profound effect on your Energy centers: -Lifestyle -Attitude -Accidents -Injuries -Food quality and quantity you ingest -Water quality and quantity you ingest and utilize -Home/area you live in -Relationships -Spiritual practices Stress is actually excessive, intense vibrations caused by inner demons, to provoke thoughts, feelings and actions based in self-conceit or self-deprecation, such as: -Fear/desperation/manipulation -Tension/anxiety/worry/irritation -Anger/violence/domination -Resentment/arrogance/guilt/shame/ sadness -Judgment of self and others -Greed/self-absorption/cruelty/selfish ness -Weakness of any type
The chakras sustain It is vital to comprehend the relationship your soul balance between Kundalini, your chakras…and As well as your physical well-being… YOU. Kundalini Shakti is your Golden Energy, your Spiritual Power. She is ofAll negative emotions ten referred to as serpent power because create imbalance in the beginning stages of an aspirant’s and imbalance wears out the journey, this energy lies dormant, coiled chakras… three and a half times at the bottom of Insecurity, unhappiness, your spinal column. any feelings of lack... all discord that you allow With self-effort and Grace…by living a to affect you positive Life based in Wisdom-Love, creates disturbance and distortion our Kundalini moves up the Sushumna in your physical and spiritual body… canal in the spinal column making its mystical trek through the lower chakras to Pain, trauma…any reactions that cause the higher ones. a sense of crisis and the subsequent feelings of heaviness, disconnection or The whole purpose of re-incarnation is separation from Goodness/Spirit/Love/ for each being to move their Kundalini Higher Self/Life…distort the chakras. energy from the lower chakras of surAny impressions that you allow to block vival awareness to the bliss-bestowing the champion qualities of the Impeccable higher chakras. Grace abounds and Warrior of Light within you…clog the therefore some people are able to raise chakras with stagnant energy. their awareness/Kundalini to some de gree, but except for rare cases, to move Negative thought patterns about ANY- one’s energy to the higher chakras reTHING AT ALL deplete your physical and quires the guidance and assistance of a spiritual Radiance. God created perfect Perfected Being…a Shaktipat Guru. I energetic systems to allow the Life Force was blessed to have the compassionof the Universe to miraculously flow into ate and expert guidance of two such you…within you…and out of you…to the Shaktipat Masters: Swami Muktananda Cosmos. Entertaining negativity dete- Paramahamsa (Baba) and Gurumayi riorates those golden energetic systems (Swami Chidvilasananda). that God gifted to you. Siddhas are Perfected Beings…Masters You cannot separate Kundalini from who are En-Lightened. They are Gracethe Chakras… bestowing beings who are established in They work together… oneness with God…and have the power What affects one, affects the other… to awaken and liberate others.
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With the infusion of Grace by a Shaktipat Master the covering within the seeker that has held down Kundalini is dissolved… Once Kundalini is awakened She can begin Her journey up the spinal column in Her quest to reach the major spiritual center located at the Crown Chakra… As Kundalini ascends She will perform Her sacred duty of piercing or opening your chakras… Clearing them of dense residue She illuminates them… triggering the illumination of all levels of your being… The chakras change form as they vibrate. Just as someone may look heavy or lifeless when tired or stressed, the chakras also can appear pale, dirty, foggy or dense when they are overloaded with negative vibrations. Likewise, as someone glows when they are happy and full of positive thoughts…so do your chakras glow with the infusion of positive energy. The greatest infusion is from the Golden Energy Herself, Maha Shakti. As Kundalini Shakti moves up and down your spinal column, healing the individual chakras and nadis, She releases the Universal power within the charkas…to bless you by further strengthening you in one way or another. Each of Her movements releases a dose 16 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April 2013
of the energies and qualities you need…to evolve further into a fully balanced, Cosmic Being who is at ONE with the Universe. Regardless of which Chakra Teachings you choose to connect with what is most essential, is to honor the existence and significance of YOUR Chakras... JAI JAI MAAAAAAAAA!
Excerpts from “SHAMAN’S ART JOURNAL... SELF HEALING AND ENLIGHTENMENT, PART 1”
www.kathmanduboutique.com
PLEASE Don’t Buy Products that were tested on
Animals
For the list of all companies with PETA www.peta.org/living/beauty-and-personal-care/companies/default.aspx 17 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April
2013
At times when we are mired in the details of everyday chores and responsibilities, we should, as it were, “step back” and get some perspective on our Life by taking a look at the “big picture.” For me, today is one of those days. For the past few years, my Life seems to have taken a perverse turn, leaving me wondering about the wisdom of choices I have made in the past and the seeming trap that I have put myself in. However, when I scan the heavens of my seemingly dark Life up to this point, there are events, like bright stars, that shine brighter than the others and form a beautiful constellation that leaps into view where mere white dots appeared before. It is a sudden appearance; as though out of nothing; a noticing that is similar to the noticing you have when you are helping a child find the hidden objects in a puzzle and suddenly the tree is disguised as a rake. In my case, the most recent “noticing” was about the relationship between Love, Stillness, and Silence.
cially here in America, but today I want to draw our attention to a sense of the word that relies on a particular experience that only a few ever realize, despite subjective protestations to the contrary. It is famously known that the early Greeks distinguished three different types of love: philia (φιλία), eros (ἔρως), and agape (ἀγάπη); friendship, romantic, and God’s Love, respectively. What is not often discussed is the fact that these are not three distinct loves but stages in the One Love; furthermore, agape, has depths that scholarship has, thus far, failed to plumb.
As with the other senses of “love,” “agape” is the name given to a particular experience that we have; and the Sacred Texts tell us that the particular experience that gave rise to this term is the same experience that God has, hence, it is Godly Love. Of course, in our day, the meaning we give to this term is a function of both its translation history and the model we use to understand what God is like. Setting aside, temporarily, the translation history of the term, let me focus on what The “bright spot” of noticing we mean when we say “God.” that I had was about Love; and I know we play “fast and loose” with this word, espe18 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April 2013
Love,St and S By John
tillness, Silence Cogan Ph.D
Cognitive dissonance is the name for the situation in which someone holds contradictory beliefs in their mind but only entertains one at a time so that their contradiction can have “plausible deniability.” William James illustrates this by referring to a story of a Russian noblewoman who orders her coachman to stay out in the freezing cold while she attends a play. James notes that she is caught up in the plight of the fictional characters of the play and brought to tears while in reality her coachman freezes to death outside. The experiences that force us to bring these contradictory beliefs together so that we might “see” their contradiction create a situation termed “cognitive dissonance.” And it is how we resolve this dissonance that determines how sane we become. For the most part, the Truth of Reality is a process of correcting such contradictions in our beliefs and compelling the decisions that move our life forward. If such decisions are not made, we continually revisit the contradiction in various forms until it is finally resolved. It is by just such incremental steps that we ascend in consciousness.
sciousness; and God-consciousness is an experience that is available to every individual, irrespective of anything that we would ordinarily consider a “difference that makes a difference.” Each of us is the center of a world; and the center of each of us is the “I AM.” We often refer to “the world,” as though it were one and the same world for all but that is not the case; invariant features of that world suggest this possibility, but absent from this “invariant” world is the personal dimension, which, at least to us, is inescapable, hence, the “invariant” world hypothesis must be wrong. Although we cannot escape who we are, i.e., the “I AM” of us, we can pretend we have escaped it and, thus, create a “world” in which there is that split between the “I AM” of us and who we pretend to be. It is this gap that creates the possibility for what psychologists call “cognitive dissonance.”
Our ascent in consciousness is an ascent to God-con19 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April 2013
Each of us can live an authentic life by simply denying the gap between who we think we are and the “I AM” Presence of us. This is not an easy task but it is also not impossible. The first step in denying the illusion of who we think we are is to still the outer body and mind by taking our attention off them and placing it on the Mighty “I AM” Presence; to those who have been on the path a while, this is not new information and, indeed, has been around for thousands of years. It is when we interrogate the self and push it all the way back upon itself to the “I,” that we discover, with first-person certainty, who the “I AM” is. In that stillness, we know ourselves to be the out-pressing Presence of Love and One with the world; indeed, we bring this about precisely by knowing it with certainty. As an aid to visualizing this Mighty “I AM” Presence, refer to the chart above. God-consciousness is not consciousness of God; it is consciousness of being God. You do not become conscious of God as an other; you become conscious that God is at you. You are God! Or, more correctly, “I AM” God at [here, insert your name]. On looking back over the last few years, one such experience of cognitive dissonance occurred for me when I came upon the sense of “Love” to which I referred above and about the time that I believe my life started to “fall apart,” or so I thought. Let me preface my remarks by saying that I am not a “babe in the woods” when it comes to what are euphemistically referred to as “affairs of the heart” and, although I do not consider myself a “Casanova,” I do consider myself savvy 20 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April
2013
enough to recognize the feeling of “being in love” when I feel it. I mention these things so that you take seriously the rarity of the sense of “Love” to which I am referring. At this point, it is important to note that we experience the beginning of human love the same way that we experience the beginning of Divine Love; that is, when each species of Love begins, our experience of it is the same. As an illustration, consider the relationship between our experience of a sunrise and how the sunrise actually occurs.We now know that the earth goes around the sun, but humankind used to believe that the sun went around the earth. The thing is, the sunrise looks exactly the same no matter which is true. And it is not until you consider other factors that you become able to see the error of a geocentric account and the truth of a heliocentric account. Similarly, the experience of the beginning stage of human love is the same as the experience of the beginning stage of Divine Love and the only way to tell the difference is when your Love gets past the initial stages and you begin to see the “fruit” of Divine Love as it manifests in the fruit of what you observe about yourself—and let me tell you, it is fruit, the likes of which, you will never see in human love. When I first saw her I was attracted but moved cautiously. I had the usual suspects to confirm my early intuitions but didn’t articulate them—in short, I had no confidence that anything could come of it owing to certain circumstances. My thoughts continually reverted to her and quite spontaneously, too.
I remained restrained and circumspect, keeping my own counsel. She approached me and we chatted briefly; I was exhilarated and fearful all at once; I began making plans for the contingency of losing her and imagining all that could possibly go wrong and what my response would be. [OK, up to this point, there is nothing to distinguish this meeting and sense of “Love” from the many others I had had in the past.] It was at this juncture that this “Love” began to distinguish itself from the ordinary “garden variety” of “Love” which everyone else experiences; and it started when I began to imagine what I would do were I to lose her. When I began to imagine my losing her, I immediately noticed that it didn’t make any difference to how I felt if I “lost” her. Here, I imagined the many ways I could “lose” her: her marriage to another, her loss of interest, my failure to be worthy, death, etc. (you know the drill, all your weaknesses are possible causes). But it is precisely here, in this stage, that I noticed a profound difference in this Love from every other love I had had in the past. I realized that whatever bond it was that sprung into awareness as Love with this woman, it was a bond that stood outside of every other consideration and impervious to them. I realized that whatever this was that I was feeling, I would be feeling it no matter what happened next. The feeling I experienced bore the identifying mark of something that was a Divine Destiny; as though it were a decree from the very Throne of God made at the foundation of the world that could not be disobeyed or broken.
This wrought in me a sense of overwhelming comfort and grounding; I realized I couldn’t lose this person because we were bonded as if we were split rays from the same Source. This wrought in me a sense of overwhelming comfort and grounding; I realized I couldn’t lose this person because we were bonded as if we were split rays from the same Source. It then became clear that neither misunderstanding nor perverse circumstance had any power to dissolve this bond and that my Heart was her Home and her Heart was my Destiny. As I lived in the feeling of this Love, moments of profound Silence came upon me and I became a Silent Watcher, simply observing the Wondrous Workings of God, Loving it All and being One with it. I didn’t seek her to control her; I didn’t adore her as an occasion for my pleasure, whether physical, intellectual, or emotional; and I didn’t miss her, at least not in the usual sense. Yet, I do seek her; I do adore her; I do see her as an integral part of my Life; and I do miss her but not as an absent presence, rather, more as one who is yet asleep. What’s more…I see her primarily as a Gift from God and not as an appendage to, or ornament in, my life. She is forever free and my Love reaches her as powerfully as if I stood right next to her, no matter what the distance between us. It is a Love that punctuates the Truth that Divine Love never goes below the Heart. This Love, which you will find in Stillness and Adore in Silence, is the Light that beats your Heart, the Energy you use in all your activity…It is God-in-Action…Be Still; know: “I AM God.” 21 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April 2013
The Four States of Consciousness By Steve Young Artwork by Maryam Morrison
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Before you begin your journey into meditation it is important to understand how your brain can switch between different states of consciousness and also the benefits and importance of each one of these states. It is also important that you realize that you already meditate numerous times throughout your day without you even realizing, read on and I will explain.
alpha, theta and delta, all of which have been well researched and documented if you wish to research further. Explaining the Different Brainwave Patterns
These different brainwave patterns are associated with different states of consciousness and this is known as brainwave entrainment, the practice of enYour brain is active during every mo- training one’s brainwaves to a desired ment of your life and is full of electrical frequency and the one that we are mostly impulses, yes you heard me right, your familiar with is Beta Waves. brain is constantly pulsating with electricity, electrical impulses that are generated Beta Waves resonate at between 14 and by your brain. Essentially, your brain is 20Hz, the higher the resonation, the more an electrochemical organism consisting active and alert your brain is. These brainof over 10 billion interconnected brain waves are associated with your normal cells constantly firing electrical impulses waking consciousness. They are present between them. when you are actively engaged in every day activities in the outside world such as These electrical impulses that your brain holding a conversation, or concentrating produces can be measured with an elec- on our work. troencephalogram (EEG). EEG measures the frequency or rather speed of Alpha Waves. Whereas Beta state is the electrical currents, or rather brain- associated with our engagement with waves in Hertz(Hz). the outside world, Alpha waves resonate on a lesser frequency of between 9 and Now here’s the really cool stuff, these 14Hz and you are in this state when you frequencies can be associated with your are relaxing, or taking time to reflect on state of mind at any particular moment, something. They are prevalent when you which means that your state of mind, are daydreaming and they increase when for example being relaxed, afraid, or you close your eyes, it is also likened sleepy...can be seen in your brainwave to a light state of meditation. So if you frequencies. The speed of the frequency think that you have never meditated allows us to categorize our brainwaves before think again, because every time into four different brainwave patterns you daydream, or take time out to reranging from the most activity to the least flect, you are actually in a light state of activity, these states are known as beta, meditation. 23 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April
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Now the cool thing about being in this state of consciousness is that it is known to accelerate learning, focus and enhance creativity, so next time you notice that you are daydreaming try to get a feel of what it is like and try to remember that feeling of relaxation and calmness within you. What you are feeling is a light meditative state and when you begin meditating it is this feeling that you want to recreate as the start of your meditation session and after some practice you will quickly and easily be able to enter this state of consciousness with ease.
deep meditative state of true bliss, you can lose your attachment with your body and this gives you the feeling of deep physical relaxation, it can even give you a sense of floating as your mind expands beyond the boundaries of your body. In disconnecting your mind from your body you allow yourself to focus on the inner you, the higher self and this is the ideal state to be in whist meditating and will probably take some practice as it rests on the threshold of the subconscious and it can take time for you to learn to let go and release yourself to continue your meditation journey.
Theta Waves resonate even lower than Alpha at between 4 and 7Hz. Theta waves occur during heightened states of creativity and are found with a deep meditative state. Once again we experience theta state during our every day lives, ever driven down the highway and then suddenly realized that you cannot recollect the last five miles, chances are that you were in theta state. Some of you who are regular drivers on the highway may also realize that you often get a free flow of good idea’s during the time that you are in theta state. Theta state can also occur during routine chores such as when you are shaving, or brushing your hair as it is in this state that tasks become automated and so you can mentally disengage from them. Take a moment to think about this and the next time you notice it happen I want you to think about your state of mind as theta state is typically a very positive mental state.
Theta state also plays an important part in behavior modification, or rather reprogramming your mind and is used in the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction, it is also an ideal for learning and also self hypnosis.
Now, the theta state when meditating is a 24 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April 2013
Because it can take practice and some determination to enter this state of consciousness it’s not a bad idea to investigate some of the products that are available, which using new technology can have you in theta state in minutes. See my page on brain entrainment technologies, which discusses how these new recording work, and also take a look at my recommendations, which I have categorized to assist you in deciding which product would best suit you. In fact, all of my recommendations come with free samples for you to try out so why not experiment and see which one works best for you.
Delta Waves resonate at between 1 and 3Hz and is the brain wave signal of your subconscious mind, the place in which your intuition arises. We experience Delta waves when we are in a deep state of sleep, or unconsciousness and has immense benefits to those who suffer from sleep disorders. Certain frequencies within the delta wave can also trigger the release of human growth hormone which is beneficial to the bodies healing and regeneration and so it is when we sleep that our body heals itself.
Take care and may peace and relaxation be with you. At http://www.morphogeneticmeditation.com you will be able to add a whole host of content including video, pictures, music, your own blog, submit articles, post classified advertisements, post upcoming events and of course make friends, chat, learn and meditate.
MorphopgeneticMeditation.com is your very own meditation social The benefits of reaching delta state in network so come along and have some meditation are immense in that it they are fun at http://www.morphogeneticmeditaessential to the healing process and in tion.com helping to relax the body. Again, it takes practice to reach this state of conscious- Come and join us in our quest to make ness, but when reached the benefits to this world and your world a better place both body and mind are bliss. to live in through collective meditation. Conclusion
Yes, that’s right, I want to have people collectively meditating on any chosen topic at the same time anywhere in the world and thus improving your success with meditation and also manifestation. I want to prove to the world through your success that the collective consciousness exists and so I want you to share your success with everyone.
Gaining knowledge of brainwave states and utilizing these different states by using meditation enhances your ability to make use of the special characteristics that each state has and thus you can benefit from being mentally productive in a wide range of activities such as intense focus, relaxation, creativity and restful and rejuvenating sleep. We are also going to arrange times for everyone on the site to get together at Still not convinced? Then why now broad- a predetermined time and meditate on en your mind and try out some of the peace, love and happiness and raise free meditation recordings that I recom- awareness of the collective consciousmend and find out which ones benefit you, ness. it’s a small thing to ask, but I assure you, the benefits are indisputable.
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2013
margay
http://www.earthsendangered.com/profile.asp?gr=M&view=c&ID=5&sp=254
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The margay is a rare cat, closely resembling the ocelot and found in the rainforests of Mexico and Central and South America east of the Andes mountains. Its fur is grayish to cinnamon in color and covered with dark brown spots. The head is rounded and short, and the eyes are very large. Adults range from 18.2 to 31 inches in length and weigh between 5.73 and 8.6 lb. The tail can grow up to 20 inches (70% of its body length). The margay is a very skilled jumper and climber and is sometimes called the “tree ocelot.” It is the only cat species that can climb down a tree head first like a squirrel. This is achieved by rotating the ankles around 180 degrees while heading down the tree toward the forest floor. Margays are also known to hang from tree branches with only one hind foot.
also active in the day, preferring to spend much of its time in the trees. It is very secretive and prefers the more remote and dense areas of the forest. Diet consists of rodents, monkeys, lizards, birds, tree frogs, and fruit, and the majority of prey is caught by leaping through the trees. This species is solitary except when ready to mate. Mating can occur year round, and the female gives birth to one or two kittens after a gestation period of 70 days. The nest for the kittens is made in a hollow tree hole.
The main threats to the species is hunting for its fur and the pet trade and habitat loss due to deforestation. The margay does not adapt well to human disturbance, and is almost extinct in the northern parts of its range. Hunting has decreased significantly due to international protection, but illegal The margay is mainly nocturnal, but is harvesting still occurs locally. 27 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April
2013
Shamanism
Connecting With the World of Plants Howard G Charing
E
very tree, every plant, has a spirit. People may say that the plant has no mind. I tell them that the plant is alive & conscious. A plant may not talk, but there is a spirit in it that is conscious, that sees everything, which is the soul of the plant, its essence, what makes it alive. The channels through which the water & sap move are the veins of the spirit.
key in developing your relationship with the Plant Spirit (and what really helps to ‘open the door’ ie. makes the connection work), is a benign attitude and to have good intentions and feelings towards the plant.
The plant consciousness or spirit, communicates with us when we are in relaxed, gentle trance-like, or dream state. Pablo Amaringo, Ayahuasca Visions So the person, who holds the desire to commune with the plant, needs to know The first and possibly the most important how to move into an altered state. 28 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April 2013
Moving into an altered state of consciousness can be achieved gently, for example by going out in forests, woodlands, or a park; and walk at a slow and steady pace. Gradually the rhythm of this slow and steady movement will bring you into an altered or heightened state of awareness. When you feel or sense this subtle shift, lift up your eyes and look around. Allow yourself to be drawn to whatever tree, bush, or plant attracts your attention; you may experience this attraction as akin to a little ‘tug’.
Tactile – our sense of touch. Gently move your hand towards the plant, maybe you can discern a movement, or sense a connection between the respective fields of energy, yours and that of the plant. Touch the plant, leaves or bark with your fingers. It is possible that you may sense the flow of energy within the plant, into the earth, and up into the sky.
Taste – Place a very small piece of the plant against your tongue and gently taste it. The taste may be acrid, bitter, hot, sweet, sour, or sharp. The taste may atNow go and sit with the plant. Use all your tract, be neutral, or repel you. This tasting sensory and tactile faculties to engage will give you an indication of its character with the plant. or ‘personality’. Exercise caution with this practice as there are poisonous plants, Visual – Study the shape and form of the do not eat or swallow the plant! plant. Maybe the plant grows alone or is in a cluster. Look at the form of the leaves; When you have completed these praclook at the spaces (the forms within the tices (which form part of the Amazonian forms) between the leaves and branches. plant apprenticeship ‘plant diet’) take The latter is part of a practice called gaz- some time to meditate or embark on a ing, which offers a way to perceive pat- shamanic journey to encounter the spirit terns outside the consensually agreed or consciousness of the plant you have shapes and forms. been working with. To quote the Amazonian Shipibo maestro Guillermo Arevalo Smell – Our olfactory nerves go directly regarding the plant spirits, “They are beinto the region of the brain called the limbic ings, which have their own forms or they system. The limbic system is also called can be like human beings with faces and our ‘primitive’ brain, as its structure is be- bodies. When the spirit accepts the dietlow the linguistic and ‘higher’ functions of er, and the dieter has the will, the spirit the cerebral cortex. The limbic system is grants them energy. The path to knowlthe location of our primal (primate) emo- edge opens, the healing takes place, as tions, and primal needs. The sense of case may be”. smell is our only sense which has this access to our primal or unconscious mind. Breath in the fragrance of the plant, allow any feelings, memories, images, and associations to arise and experienced. 29 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April
2013
In the Flow By Ellen Heller
Artwork by John Pitre So many run through their lives giving time to no one in particular, including themselves. They may think as they follow situations that occur that they are in the flow, but this thought keeps them from blocking out all good, all abundance, all health...all Love. As the Master Jesus Christ stated, ‘Be in the World, but not of It...’ When connected to Spirit/Love, then one is truly ‘in the flow;’ the flow of life, to where our true abundance lies. Why? Because we are THAT! As we go through our day, as we connect to Love, whether that means a person, place or thing (or better yet, by our feelings), we are then connected to the Flow, and this is the Secret to All Good.
You will know you are not ‘in the flow’ when you are too busy to call or connect to someone you Love; when you put off doing something nice for yourself or another; when you think, ‘I must run for the money, in terms of allowing others to dictate your time and day---any reactionary decisions are not in the flow. Being Love and connected to Love is the true flow of Life, and when in alignment with that frequency everything does truly FLOW, matching a frequency of how you are feeling. As stated, ‘Everything is Energy and that’s all there is to it. Match the frequency of the reality you want and you cannot help but get that reality. It can be no other way. This is not philosophy. This is physics.?
Being truly in the flow means we are connected to Love. When connected (aware; Who wrote this?......ALBERT EINSTEIN! feeling joyful) all opportunities abound.... all good. How will you know when you Blessings! are ‘in the flow?’ Joy, elation, and feeling good become your experience. 30 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM •April 2013
Q&A
Ask Ellen Heller
Spirit-Minded (Advice Column)
“All questions can be sent to: spiritmindedblog@gmail.com Question: Dear Spirit-Minded,
answered these questions, you are releasing both of you, as you are facing My spouse has passed on and everyone the REAL relationship, and this causes keeps telling me that time will make it healing/recovery. better and to keep busy, but it DOESN’T HELP! How do I help myself get my life The most important stage after this iniback? Signed, Grieving tial exercise is to change your routine. This is not about being busy, but rather about changing one’s routine. This is Answer: Dear Grieving, critical in order for recovery. Lastly, beGrieving is not a stage, as some speak ing happy, and not feeling guilty about of, nor a real ‘process,’ in overcom- it is crucial. ing. Rather, grieving is a situation that changes our routine, our expectation, Oftentimes, there will be brief moments and our life. Recovery is the only an- that we ARE HAPPY; what we must unswer to grieving, and that is not about derstand is that when we grieve, we pull giving it ‘time’ or keeping busy. that person back to us, preventing both of us to move forward. It is stated that To recover from grief, we must first ac- the departed one has us all there with knowledge how we feel; making amends them...the Soul being so BIG, so they with the departed Soul is part of this re- are not missing US. Be happy in that covery. It does not mean that you have thought/knowing. to see them to do so. You must only ask yourself, being honest with the an- Blessings! swers, the following: 1. how could it (the relationship) have been better? 2. How ***note: The above information was taken in part from the book, ‘The Grief Recovery Handbook,’ could it have been more? 3. How could by James and Friedman it have been different? When you have 31 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April 2013
Earth Day
A Time to S By Donald Norfolk
http://www.donaldnorfolk.co.uk
The human animal was not designed to live in concrete boxes isolated from the natural world. We are pastoral animals, and haven’t yet had time to adapt to an artificial, urbanite life style. Our technological genius has made us prosperous, but has alienated us from the world of Nature. We live in an increasingly ersatz environment, where everything conspires to place us under stress. Noise levels are far higher in a city than in the countryside. The pace of life is faster, the pollution greater and the landscape infinitely bleaker. Like displaced children we’ve been torn from the protection of Mother Earth and forced to make our own way in a strange and hostile environment. Many city dwellers try to maintain a tenuous link with the aboriginal world by stocking their homes with exotic house-plants and tanks filled with tropical fish. At the weekends they follow leisure pursuits which restore their contact with the wide open spaces: sailing, hill climbing, bird watching or camping. The middle classes buy second homes 32 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April 2013
far removed from the madding crowd, while the wealthy pay a king’s ransom to hunt, shoot and fish - activities which were the necessary survival chores in peasant communities. Deep down we yearn for these back-to-nature, wilderness experiences. Zoologists have noticed that the health of animals frequently deteriorates when they’re removed from their natural environment and placed in captivity. In these artificial surroundings they suffer stress-related diseases which they don’t experience in the wild, like high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. The eminent zoologist Desmond Morris was convinced that mankind now suffers a similar fate in the confines of its concrete zoos. ‘The modern human animal is no longer living in conditions natural for his species,’ he wrote. ‘Trapped, not by a zoo collector, but by his own brainy brilliance, he has set himself up in a huge, restless menagerie, where he is in constant danger of cracking under the strain.’
Strengthen Our Links With Mother Earth Twenty years ago the Japanese government grew alarmed at the growing problem of stress-related sickness, and appointed a team of experts to offer advice on how best to tackle the problem. After a thorough investigation the panel finally decided that the finest way for workers to overcome the harmful effects of urban living was to spend some time pursuing the traditional pastimes of dwarf tree cultivation (bonsai), flower arranging (ikebana), and simply ‘listening to the sigh of the wind in the trees.’ There is now adequate medical research to confirm this recommendation. Studies carried out at the University of Pennsylvania have shown that student volunteers show a marked rise in their blood pressure when they’re subjected to artificial stress. This hypertension was found to decline slowly once the artificial provocation was stopped, but could be speeded considerably by placing the youngsters in front of an aquarium where they could relax by watching the gentle, languid movements of tropical fish. Other research trials have shown that looking out of the window and viewing scenes of rich, green vegetation produce an increase of alpha-brainwave activity, which is an indication of a heightened state of relaxation. The more time we spend nurturing our links with the natural environment - gardening, country
walking, star gazing or flower arranging - the calmer we become and the more we draw on the ‘vis medicatrix naturae’, the healing power of Nature. Our personal problems seem petty when we contemplate the vastness of the universe. By taking a cosmic perspective we gain a sense of timelessness. When we join the rat race we become slaves to haste, but Nature refuses to be hurried. Nothing can speed the arrival of the dawn or hasten the onset of spring. Life today may appear to be in a state of unmitigated turmoil. Our lives are constantly shaken by the impact of global wars, political disasters and economic catastrophes. Yet through it all the world of nature remains constant and unperturbed. That’s why we gain a great feeling of security whenever we come ‘down to earth’ and have our feet firmly planted on terra firma. In 1982 the UN Commission published a key statement which we should always bear in mind. It’s called the ‘World Charter of Nature’, and says: ‘Civilisation is rooted in nature, which has shaped human culture and influenced all artistic and scientific achievement, and living in harmony with nature gives man the best opportunities for the development of his creativity, and for rest and recreation.’ 33 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April
2013
Importance of
exfoliation for beautiful skin
By Stefania Constantin
W
hile the importance of hydration, cleaning and protecting skin from the sun is emphasized in many articles, exfoliation is often seen as a necessary evil. But it brings us many benefits as important as other beauty rituals.
We do it primarily to remove dead cells from the skin to clean pores and to remove impurities from the skin. So then, when we apply different treatments, the active ingredients in these creams enter into the skin more easily, will not be blocked by impurities accumulated in the pores.
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Removes dead cells As we age, the natural ability to generate new cells and to remove those dead drops. But you can help your skin to breathe, making it a weekly scrub. Without exfoliation, dead cells accumulate on the skin; excess fat also accumulates, causing blackheads.
Stimulates dermal layers To have a good tone and brightness of the skin, exfoliation is necessary because the skin is stimulated to regenerate faster. Also, it will be smoother and more uniform in appearance. But it is important not to be too harsh. A slight abrasion is enough to remove dead cells. Obtaining a more durable bronze Removing the layer of dead cells, skin is smoother and more prepared for makeup,
and the armpits or legs, ready for waxing. Skin can be exfoliated every day as long as you use a very delicate product. Research demonstrates that exfoliation increases the speed of epidermal regenerating. This means that a regular exfoliation-keeping bright appearance, smooth and healthy.
In recent years, intensive exfoliation in its various forms has become famous rapidly among aesthetic treatments for its quality to repair and give skin a younger appearance. All cosmetic products we use for face or body shall be more effective if, prior is performed an exfoliation. Your skin will be clean and ready for the next cosmetic procedure. As we know, the skin regenerates constantly. Without exfoliation, dead cells suffocate the pores, so that as good as the creams are, skin has no longer the ability to absorb and use all chemicals in these creams.
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Exfoliation can be achieved using several products, both natural and commercially available. We know that coffee grounds or brown sugar are extremely effective natural exfoliating ingredients, and some people prefer the corn or even strawberries for face.
For those who do not use cosmetics from the market too often, we highly recommend them recipes prepared in the home, such as those below:
- Coffee grounds -. A cup full of coffee grounds is more than enough to make a full-body exfoliation. You can add palm oil The easiest way to exfoliate is mechanical or olive oil to be easy to slip on the skin abrasion. Beauty shelves are full of this the coffee grounds. kind of products. They can be liquid or solid and contain strength particles obtained - Corn and honey - although sometimes from the pits of fruits or artificial products. they say it is a little harsh, corn flour mixed with honey has great effects on your skin. Babaria Rosa Mosqueta Face Exfoliant - Sugar, olive oil and vanilla - perfect offers a gentle facial scrub to a whole recipe for your skin exfoliation and relaxnew level, thanks to its Rosa Mosqueta ation. You can put a cup of sugar with a (rosehip) soft particle and natural oil. After quarter cup of olive oil (pour oil over the exfoliation dry and dead skin cells are re- sugar and mix gently), and finally add a moved, the skin surface becomes smooth teaspoon of vanilla extract (oil). and deeply cleansed without affecting the natural balance. Also is stimulated the natural production of cells, leaving behind a skin that looks absolutely radiant.
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Together we can make a Difference Find us in facebook: http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10150642099915197&id=703825196#!/TheEdenmagazine 37 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • April 2013
Vafa Shelter
Needs your help, many beautiful animals waiting for a loving home.
For adoption please contact: http://www.cal.ir/ ~ http://cal.ir/main/fa/contact ~ http://cal.ir/main/en/contact