T h e
EDEN MAGAZINE
July 2012 Volume 2 Issue 7
spreading compassion to all sentient beings and Living in healing and peaceful world Editor
Maryam Morrison
Photography from Friendly Animals http://delsonclicks3.blogspot.com/2008/08/elephants.html
Front Cover painting by; Alicia Noone 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 • July 2012
Alicia Noone
4 Wild Walking
By; Sally Morningstar
8 Moheb Yonas
12 Three Toed Sloth
14
C O N T E N T S
In and out of Enlightments By; Ellen Heller
16 Saving Grace of Reiki
By; Michele Rabbitt Billman
22 Friends
By; Debra J. White
24 Creating Empowering & Loving Relationships By; Heather Auria Gaines
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Alicia Noone An artist who feels her arts are form of meditation for her. It is where she finds her balance, energy and inspiration. Alicia ia a freelance artist/ designer who lives currently in San Antonio, Texas. To contact Alicia; jaderomeo@gmail.com 4 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM • July 2012
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WILD WA
with Sally M
www.sallymorn
I am the Gr I am wild I am the soul and the anc I am root an antler an I am wilderne star of the Sally
Since a young child Mother Nature has proved herself to be my true mother. My biological mother had little interest in me and so many a day would find me dangling my feet in a rippling stream or daydreaming in a buttercup meadow with only the wild things as my companions. I could so easily have been lonely but instead found such richness and pleasure in the dragonflies and sticklebacks, swallows and natterjacks that every day for me was a new adventure. This love and closeness with Nature has never left me. It still fills my life and has formed the basis 8 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • July 2012
of my work with others, which is sharing the wonders of the natural world and our connections to it, through my workshops, online training courses and now the Sally M Wild Walks. These came about when, last year, a few students of mine asked me to share my knowledge of plants, herbs and trees with them more deeply, and so I devised these nature trail walks. They are not arduous at all, as I can’t walk too far myself these days, and they are the only walks as far as I am aware that cover the historical and traditional herbal, edible, shamanic & magical aspects of plants in the natural world.
WALKING
Morningstar
ningstar.com
reen Land and free of the rock cient tree. nd branch d horn, ess weaver e morn. M.
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A WEED!
and yet for the most part we don’t choose to either eat them or make tonics from them but instead poison them with weed killers! Dandelions are excellent for the digestive system, kidneys and liver. Nettles cleanse the blood. Other common weeds are equally as valuable such as mallow, plantain and bramble. Right beside us on our human journey are some very helpful plant allies; beneath our feet are amazing healthful friends, available to us whenever we wish.
There are ‘levels’ in the wild world that I define as very human friendly, human friendly when available, useable if necessary, and poisonous to humans. In the ‘very human friendly’ category are to be found our most common plants such as nettles and dandelions. The ‘very human friendly’ category is common in almost every part of the world and most often these plants are called ‘weeds’. How ignorant we are of the common weed! In the ‘human friendly when available’ They are in fact master healers, common category are the seasonal varieties of simply because they are so helpful to us fruits, berries, herbs, leaves and flowers
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with low blood pressure, as it is a muscle relaxant. It also has a strange, lingering aftertaste taste to it. There are other plants more commonly found for coughs, like honeysuckle, that are much more human friendly and also taste more palatable, but one should only ever use its flowers and leaves; the berries are poisonous!
Buddleja Davidii – butterfly bush. For centuries the blossoms have been used in China to make an effective sleep syrup.
such as sweet violets, lime flowers, meadowsweet and various nuts. Travelling through the year, a Wild Walker comes to understand that each season has specific plants available; each habitat also. In the desert, for example, we find plants adapted to drought and scorching heat like Aloe Vera, which is commonly used for burns and ‘hot’ conditions like inflammation. In the ‘useable if necessary’ category I include varieties either because they are only found in rarer habitats or they have contra-indications of some kind, such as guelder rose - used by our ancestors for coughs and cramps. The berries should not be eaten raw, nor should this plant be used by pregnant women or anyone 10 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • July 2012
The ‘poisonous to humans’ category is fairly self explanatory, and should never be underestimated if harvesting from the wild! There are several species that can kill a human in minutes such as Hemlock Water Dropwort. Many others can be fatal too, such as Deadly Nightshade also known as Belladonna (beautiful lady). It was named this because it dilated the eyes of those that took it, but is actually highly toxic and not in common use today. The wild world needs to be treated with a great deal of respect because in it is things that can “kill as well as cure”! The wild is a wonderful, magical, abundant kitchen garden when one has the right knowledge and understanding of it, but self education is an absolute necessity before going out a-gathering. NATURE’S GARDEN I share what I have learnt of the wilds on my wild walks. Each walk lasts for approximately four hours where we take a very gentle journey through an ancient woodland or track, or follow a river or valley in and around the Glastonbury area of Somerset, until we find something that is an herb, spice or edible leaf or flower. Spring and autumn are the most abundant, and winter the least - but there are still things available in the winter especially from trees. On my Wild Walks we have made our own smudge sticks, soups, massage oils, wild super-greens, herbal tonics and floral syrups and a whole lot more! And one of the most enjoyable aspects to them is one never quite knows what one is going to find!
Sally M. is a photographer, writer and natural living coach. If you would be interested in coming on a Sally M Wild Walk please go to www.wix.com/magicalnature/natural-living for more details or email her if you would like to know more about one-to-one online natural living coaching, at magicalnature@hotmail.com Distance permitting, she is available to book for a Wild Walk in your area. Organizers of a group of 6 people or more get their Wild Walk for free. Please email for more information. www.wix.com/magicalnature/sallymphotography
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Moheb Yonas
Moheb is an Egyptian Visual Artist, Designer and a Textile Printing Engineer. Moheb Graduated from “Faculty of the Applied Arts” in Cairo. His innovated and created a New kind of Art School, it exists for the first time in the history of Art.
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http://www.facebook.com/moheb.yonas
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Three Toed Sloth Not many of us heard or seen the Three Toed Sloth, but this unique and marvelous stunning rare species have received very little attention from media. The Three Toed Sloth is a mammal that weights about 9 lbs (4kg) and is about 23 inches in length. It is covered with long gray-brown fur, three large claws on each foot which gives it its name and a small head with a long neck. They are famous for their slow movements, but surprisingly they are good at swimming. 14 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • July 2012
They sit for hours at a time in the forks between branches. Sloths using a hand over motion to move along upsides down beneath branches as well as up and down vertically and they are able to move much more easily in the trees than on the ground. The usually only descend to the ground when they need to urinate and defecate and they usually can go up to seven days without needing to defecate.
The three-toed sloth is classified in the scientific genus Bradypus. Four species are known to exist: Bradypus variegatus, Bradypus tridactylus, Bradypus torquatus and the Bradypus pygmaeus (Pygmy three toed sloth), which was described only in 2001.
Columbia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. They live in both tropical rain forests and more temperate forests. Mostly they live on the tress and their main diet is leaves, buds and stems from the liana and the cecropia trees. They generally live alone.
This amazing species have remarkable healing ability, and tough hides which this help them to survive attacks, another forms of defenses are camouflage and stealth.
Three toes sloths fall prey to harpy eagles, jaguars, ocelots and anacondas. Because of habitat loss, they are considered endangered.
Three toed sloths are found in Honduras,
Read more: About the Three Toed Sloth | eHow.com http://www. ehow.com/facts_5152281_three-toed-sloth.html#ixzz1viyYPhET
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In and out of
ENLIGHTENMENT By Ellen Heller
Artwork by; Maryam Morrison
SO MANY HAVE EXPERIENCED ENLIGHTENMENT... AND THEN, THEY FALL BACK INTO THE WORLD! THIS REALLY IS ALL ABOUT OUR ‘SPIRITUAL HEALTH.” ISN’T THAT WHAT LEADS US TO ENLIGHTENMENT? OR IS THERE SOMETHING MORE TO IT? MYSELF, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, OFTEN ALLOW FEAR TO ENTER BACK IN. WE FEEL SO ELATED AT OUR ‘AWAKENING,’ AND THEN, IT SEEMS TO FADE SLOWLY AWAY. IT STILL IS ALWAYS THERE, BUT WE OFTEN HAVE A HARD TIME FEELING IT AGAIN.’ WHAT IS THAT ALL ABOUT???
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This is a very important time on our Planet. I have viewed other writings that indicate that all the Universal Life Forms are lovingly watching in awe, anticipation, and praying for our ‘Ascending’ to the New Earth. We are already in the “New Earth;” many just do not know it, and hence have not yet experienced it... at least, not for very long. That is what I am referring to when I write of the Enlightened feeling that comes and goes.... Our Christed State of Being is inevitable; it is just a question of releasing fear and allowing.
ourselves or others. No one is better or more ready than anyone else, for all have their own path and that particular ‘path’ is perfect for each and every one. So the next time you feel angry or scared at ‘getting it’ only for a short while, remember that it is most likely (and only presently) your process; and that as in school, sometimes you get all the answers correct on an exam, and sometimes you don’t, but eventually you do pass! We are not in a school; there is nothing to learn (as in school), but rather we are only here to remember who we “Really Are” (That is another quote from Walsh’s books). The highest truth is that we are all safe, all ‘Home’ already and it’s just a matter of Awareness to that Truth.
As quoted in the book, “Conversations With God, Book 1,” by Neale Donald Walsch, fear is referred to as really nothing more than, “False Evidence Appearing Real,’ and also states in his more recent book, “When Everything Changes, Change Everything,” a new acronym for fear that would better serve us is, “Feel- How to ‘become Aware?” Be still; do all ing Excited And Ready!” you can to stay in the moment of NOW. A few excellent books that are useful tools Another acronym I have heard that is for this process are, Echardt Tolle’s, ‘The very useful is one for SATAN....Seeing Power of Now,’ and ‘The New Earth.’ If All Things As Negative. (No real ‘being’ you have already read them, reading here, but rather just another perception them again will bring awareness in this that would serve us to change!) moment of NOW that were missed before. These different ways to look at fear are once again, a matter of perspective... Awareness comes easily to those who how do YOU wish to view them? desire it. Getting back to feeling “enlightened,” And that is truly the key...start thinking and then it fading, simply means that we and feeling ‘Aware’ by choosing to Be are on our way...that this is all part of our that! Spiritual Evolution. It is so important to be free of judging 18 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • July 2012
Enjoy every moment, whether it’s an ‘enlightened moment or not,’ for all are Sacred Beings of the Universe and all moments blessed. It does not matter what we have done, do now, or will become, for all go back to from whence they came. It may serve one however, to start paying attention to what you are currently thinking and FEELING. And if you are not ‘feeling happy,’ then that is a signal to do what you can to change ‘ feeling bad’ to ‘feeling GOOD.’ This suggestion is only one path to Awareness and to Enlightenment...there are countless others. How do you know what is right for you? One way is to ask yourself, how does it make you feel? And remember in your Highest Choice, none are ever harmed, but only Loved, including YOURSELF! We are all safe; we are always Loved. As the old sayings goes....”Be patient with yourself.” Love and treat yourself as you would a child that you love; choose for yourself what you would choose for your child in the Highest sense of Who You Really Are, and Love will always be your experience, as will “Enlightenment”.....an Enlightenment that will become your permanent reality....an Enlightened State of Being that will stay!
Ellen Heller received a B.A. in Education in 1978; four major fields of study: English, Art, Social Studies, and Psychology. Received her M.S. in Clinical Psychology in 1997. Has treated patients in a locked psych ward, held a two office private practice, and currently is starting a private practice in Arizona. Taught Psychology classes at a University in the Chicago area, and has just completed a children’s book. She is currently writing another book for young adults and the general public. Her company was honored in Entrepreneur Magazine, March, 2003, for her business, Mother Earth Coffee Company, Inc., for cause related Marketing. 10% net profit was pledged to a different charity each month to give back to our community/Planet. She currently resides in Arizona, and is in the process of placing Mother Earth Coffee Company locations in the state of Arizona. She presently writes a successful blog called “Spirit-Minded; from the Inside---Out.” You can find her blog website located at: www.spirit-minded.com You can also contact her through her email: spiritmindedblog@gmail.com
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Ask Ellen Heller
Q& A
Spirit-Minded (Advice Column)
Kind Guidance for Creating and Accepting Spiritual Health
“All questions can be sent to:
spiritmindedblog@gmail.com
We will do our best to answer as many questions as we can. If you wish for a question, answered personally, please request this and attach your email address. We will do the best we can to provide an answer, based on our volume of correspondence. Blessings!” 20 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM • July 2012
Question: Dear Spirit-Minded: I know that we are suppose to think good thoughts to get good experiences (Law of Attraction) but what about the people whom are negative, greedy, and seem to have such good lives? I know some really awful people who are self centered, egotistical, etc., and yet they seem to ‘have it all’....why??? Do they know something I don’t? From Feeling Left Out
possessions (money, homes, etc.), if they are not willing to give, they do not feel they have enough. And to live with that feeling of not having enough, is the same as ‘not having enough.’ There is not difference to the mind.
So rest in your Truth that everything is a feeling and then a thought. Feel happy, in gratitude and all else that is already there will then be your experience. Blessings! (and if you cannot achieve Answer: Dear Feeling Left Out: I can this state, then help someone else to, see how you would feel that seeing and it will then also be your experience.) someone with ‘everything’ while displaying ‘ungodly’ characteristics just Question: Dear Spirit-Minded: I try so doesn’t go with what is being taught, hard to let everyone know that they are preached, and written. However, if we safe, that everything is really ‘all good,’ really look at anyone’s life that is ‘be- but they won’t listen to me. They call ing ungodly’ in anyway, even though me a crazy ‘new ager,’ old hippie, etc., they ‘look like they have it all,’ you and the more I try, the more they turn will notice something very consistent away...what am I doing wrong? From about all of them; something they all Tired of Trying. have in common; something they all share....they are all in a state of dis- Answer: Dear Tired: Why didn’t Jecontentment. Either they are being sus heal the whole world? You know, stingy, not sharing at all, not caring at as a Master, he could have, but did all; in other words, only trying desper- not. Reason? They didn’t ask! Yes, ately to take care of themselves. This in the wisdom of Jesus, The Christ, state of being alone indicates that they He knew and understood that some do not feel that they ‘have enough,’ or Souls wished to go through what they are being ‘taken care of.’ Remember were going through, and would only to be ‘controlling’ can only be a reality assist those whom asked. This path if one feels that things (or themselves) is one of not intruding. Even writing are ‘out of control.’ So it is with those this “Spiritual Guidance Column,” whom may appear to ‘have everything,’ is something that is written as I am but nonetheless, feel there is always asked for help. Intrusion only leads something missing. Remember, the to resentment, anger and fear. Prackey to ‘having it all,’ is to feel that way tice on only giving ‘information’ when before you actually do. To give without someone asked, and your reality will fear of not having enough is to truly change into a most loving and fulfillbe rich. Those whom have materials ing experience. Blessings! 21 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • July 2012
Saving Grace of Reiki
By; Michele Rabbitt Billman Artwork by; Michele Rabbitt Billman
When I first signed up to learn Reiki, my expectations were to find enlightenment, to help me connect consciously to the Universe, and to helps others heal from past and present injuries. I never expected the healing energy to help people save money, time and resources. 22 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM • July
2012
While I was searching for an alternative healing methods, I kept stumbling upon the energy healing method of Reiki. Reiki uses the energy of our Higher Power Source to flow through the Reiki healer to help quicken the natural healing of people, animals, plants, trees, Earth, and even minerals. My goal was to find a healing method that would help me with my allergies and pain management. All the medicines that I have been given by my family doctor to help relieve my allergy symptoms made my skin worse. The prescribed creams, pills and sprays all made my skin inflamed and itchy. At one point, I almost I rubbed off my eyebrows from scratching so much around my eyes. The first day of my Reiki attunement and training, I had partial eyebrows and my eyes watered all through class, I was close to my breaking point. My Reiki Master assured me that if I took the time to do my self-healings everyday my allergy symptoms would significantly diminish. I wanted to believe her, I had to believe her, I couldn’t afford anymore doctor visits and expensive allergy medicines! When I arrived home from my Reiki training, my 3 year old son hugged me and showed me his bee sting on his arm. I used my new healing technique to help him deal with the redness and slight swelling on his wrist. His eyes widened as my Reiki flowed out of me and into his little arm. He looked underneath my hand in amazement to see what was going on between my hand and his arm. I asked him what he felt, he said, “a warm
beam of light, I wanted to look under your hand to see if I could see the light in action”. My young son confirmed that my Reiki attunement and training was a success, he made me a believer in my new found knowledge. He was delighted he didn’t have to wear that “icky pink cream” on his arm since his bee sting stopped irritating him. That was my first indication that Reiki could save me money on buying medicated items. Having a young family and working fulltime was challenging for me to find the time to do self-healings. I used the Reiki on myself during my lunch breaks, bathroom breaks, and right before I fell asleep. I dedicated all those small quiet moments in my life to help me deal with my red irritated eyes and skin. As my self-healing sessions progressed, I noticed I was using less allergy pills to get me through the day. By taking less medicine my energy increased and my spirits were lifted, my family also appreciated me being less grumpy and groggy throughout the day. My co-workers noticed that my eye brows were quickly growing back and I had a calmer demeanor. They also wanted to know what I was doing to help me clear-up my skin. I told them that I took a Reiki energy class to help me deal with my allergies. They were impressed by the results of the Reiki on me that they would ask me to do mini healings on them when they felt poorly at work. Due to the tough economic times, no one could afford to go home sick. My manager started requesting healings for her workers when they had colds, cramps, headaches, allergy attacks, etc. 23 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • July 2012
I was pleased she saw value in me using Reiki in the workplace and not viewing it as an unwanted distraction. I was grateful for the extra people to practice on and they were thankful they didn’t have to lose a days pay due to them feeling under the weather. The gentle calming energy of Reiki helped them deal with their discomfort until they got home.
six months to make a difference since it was more complicated, and her problem had been going on for over a year. My co-worker’s body started going into menopause about fifteen years too early! Her doctor was stunned when her test results came back normal and that she started her monthly cycle again. She was grateful that her doctor took her off the expensive prescription drug for reThe extra practice on my co-workers gave balancing her hormones, the cost of her me confidence on conducting personal medicine was really stressing her and her healings so I decided to take my energy finances. healing to the next level. I informed them that I could do Reiki energy healings from My 12 year-old black lab was moving a distance too, they were happy to vol- slower than usual, when I examined her unteer their bodies to help me further my she had a large lump on her hip that Reiki studies. appeared out of nowhere. I waited a few weeks to take her to the veterinarian, The first distant healing I did was for a I wanted to see if Reiki could help her coworker who strained her back muscle dissolve it. Every night I treated her with that day at work. During her healing ses- personal or distant Reiki, I let her decide sion that night, I didn’t feel any energy how she wanted to receive the healing flowing out of my hands at all. I dreaded energy. A few weeks later when my husgoing to work knowing my healing ses- band threw a ball for our black lab, she sion for her totally bombed. When I saw quickly ran after it and wasn’t favoring her my co-worker marching towards me hurt hip. I bent over to check her lump on the next day, my mind raced on how to her hip and I couldn’t find it at all after runapologize to her about last nights energy ning my hands all over her hind quarter. healing. I was stunned when she asked My dog had a big smile on her face and me “how do you place your hands on my was leaping around like a puppy. I was back while doing my distant healing?” thankful that we didn’t have to take time off from work to take her to the veteri”She said, “I actually felt hands being narian. The extra gas money to take her gently placed on my back where I strained there and have to pay for an expensive it, and then I felt intense heat pouring out procedure would have definitely been a of those invisible hands”. She was happy budget buster! that she didn’t have to wear the “smelly” muscle cream while at work. I was so When I decided to study Reiki to help pleased for her and for me knowing I myself and my immediate family, I hadn’t failed fellow my co-worker. never dreamt that I would be using this Another co-worker I helped took about energy healing on extended family, I 24 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM • July 2012
never dreamt that I would be using this energy healing on extended family, co-workers, and close friends too. I was surprised on how many people were willing to try Reiki since I lived in a conservative community. Most people at that time had never heard of Reiki or even how energy healing worked. The high cost of medicines, doctor visits and bad economic times made people more willing to try an alternative treatment for minor ailments. I was happy to spread the word about Reiki and it’s benefits by doing mini healings on people, pets, farm animals, gardens, situations, and on living and work spaces. One of the most important healing sessions I did was for myself a few years ago. My family doctor gave me strict orders to have a mammogram exam completed. I was five years overdue on having this screening procedure done. I kept putting it off since my family had been struggling financially and our health insurance was terrible. My husband talked me into going to the screening appointment, it would give him peace of mind that everything was fine and normal with my body.
redid some of the x-rays at a different angle and then zoomed back out to find the doctor again. When she came back to the room her eyes never met mine, she kept her head down while gathering up all my mammogram x-rays. She forewarned me that I might be asked to come back for a follow-up appointment due to a suspicious spot on the x-rays. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled from her warning, the hollow look in her eyes when she looked up, told me the spot was more than just suspicious. I tried my best to not let my fears take over my emotions and I wanted to stay focused on doing extra self-healings until the next mammogram appointment.
I had been slacking on energy healings for myself, so I figured this would be a good time to start being consistent on doing selfhealing sessions before I went to sleep. A few days later, I received the dreaded letter from the hospital’s doctor that due to an “abnormality” on my x-ray, I needed to schedule another mammogram appointment. The next available appointment was two weeks away, I took this time to do some intense visualizations about the spot on my chest dissolving away. I pushed down my fears with Normal has never been a word that has positive action of Reiki, I refused to give described me, I have always been viewed into negative thoughts about the next as odd, different, exception-to-everyrule, x-ray session. but this time I just wanted to be “normal”. During the mammogram I noticed the x- My next mammogram appointment went ray technician acted quiet and was zoom- smoother since I knew what to expect and ing in and out of the exam room looking how to stand just right for the examination for a doctor to look at my x-rays. This be- The same technician compared my old ing my first mammogram, I didn’t know x-rays to my new ones and promptly left what to expect from this appointment. the room to find the doctor. My positive The female technician came back in and thoughts quickly drained away by her 25 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • July 2012
abrupt exit from the mammogram room. She told me they scheduled me immediately for a sonogram and wanted me to wait outside that testing area. As I waited for my turn in the sonogram room, I did an impromptu healing session on myself to keep my forehead from sweating all over my paper gown. During my sonogram the technician scanned both sides of my chest to make sure she hadn’t misinterpreted her directions of which side to examine. The sonogram technician said, “I looked at your chest from every angle on both sides and didn’t find anything abnormal”.
My skin is much better but I still have some occasional break-outs due to new food allergies, but thanks to Reiki, I rarely have to use any allergy medicines to help me heal. Reiki has been a great tool to have for my family and I, but the cost savings from less doctor visits, buying less band-aids, cold and allergy medicines, feminine-hygiene products, etc. has been truly a blessing. Thank goodness my family rarely has to go to the doctor except for wellness tests for insurance purposes.
Reiki should never be used in place of your doctors but to be utilized as an extra I was stunned and overjoyed by her tool in maintaining your health in a posiencouraging news, but I still had to wait tive and natural way. until all the results were officially verified by the hospital’s doctor. When the hospi- I would like to extend an invitation to tal’s letter was delivered, I had my hus- anyone who would like to learn Reiki to band read it, I was too nervous to look contact me at my email address: seekat it. He read the letter to himself and scapes@hotmail.com I think it’s imporgave me a big hug. My heart skipped a tant during these tough times to unite and beat trying to interpret his warm arms. He to help one another learn new skills to told me, “all your test came out normal”. overcome challenges. I am offering a free I was due to have another mammogram Reiki I attunement and free Reiki I handin six months which was standard proce- outs to help you learn this energy healing dure after a suspicious spot scare. technique. I would be honored to mentor anyone who is interested in learning how All the other mammograms I have had to rebalance their lives by connecting with since have been completely normal and their Higher Power Source. uneventful. I am sure many people would say it was just a coincidence that my positive mammogram coincided with me doing numerous energy self-healings. I will never leave my health to chance again, I now do daily self-healings to keep myself balanced physically, mentally, and spiritually. 26 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM • July 2012
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Frie Maybe it was cafeteria lunch or hot coffee in the now defunct Horn and Hardart’s on East 42nd Street that brought us together. I’m not sure. Mary Ann and I both worked for International Paper Company in Manhattan’s Daily News Building. Our friendship has endured disco days, smoking in restaurants, the Sandanistas, and when green meant nothing but the color of grass. That smile as sweet as butterscotch candy welcomed me. Mary Ann and I started talking as co-workers often do. Perhaps it was at the copy machine about the latest movie or in the ladies room about pods –young women with Ivy League MBAs on the VP track who all dressed alike - but we bonded right away. We shared so much in common, namely living in cramped city apartments, scrambling to manage on tight budgets and being raised Catholic. Trading high school nun stories always drew laughs.
or limp lettuce in the company cafeteria. Sometimes we ventured outside, even in the icy cold, and shared meals at a dingy but often packed diner called the Coffee Cup where we packed away burgers and fries. We talked about family, friends, and relationships. For years, I attracted unhealthy partners and so did she. Finding that compatible mate was so elusive. At work, Mary Ann was rarely without a cup of coffee. If she was away from her desk I could always find her – at the coffee machine. Coffee, chatter and Mary Ann combined into a winning package that most people enjoyed especially me.
Mary Ann’s outfits were spiffy. Everything matched, down to her shoes of which she owned many pairs. I entered her office once to leave a phone message while she was out. The slip of paper fell from my hands. As I bent down to retrieve it, I roared with laughter when a line-up of shoes stretched Lunch together soon became rou- underneath her desk greeted me. tine. We put up with salty tuna fish Not quite Imelda Marcos but close. 28 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM • July
2012
By Deb
ends
bra J. White
Now and then I hid in Mary Ann’s office closet to hear her squeal with laughter as she opened the door. She had the heartiest laugh in the company. After we simultaneously cracked up, she’d say God will get you if you do that again. I’d wait a few weeks then launch into another surprise attack just for the fun. It always worked. Once in a while, Mary Ann invited me to her apartment in the Park Slope Section of Brooklyn. Back then it wasn’t a posh neighborhood commanding steep rents. No bistros or art galleries lined Seventh Avenue, the main drag. Her place was homey but run down. There was a view of the Brooklyn Bridge if you stood on the toilet bowl seat and craned your neck out the window. I loved her place with its funky charm. Inside her tiny living room, she served fabulous home-cooked holiday meals for her family and friends that included parsley potatoes, meat loaf and piping hot
rolls. Mary Ann’s mother had a gut wrenching laugh too. I guess it must be hereditary. Those days were special. I had no family close by and there was nothing like holidays with Mary Ann. Entertainment was Mary Ann’s specialty. She could belt out a Broadway tune that would’ve made Ethel Merman proud. One morning as I waited for an elevator with co-workers, Mary Ann was in the ladies room freshening up and obviously exercising those killer pipes. She came out to a raucous round of applause. Mary Ann smiled but her cheeks were as red as a ripe bell pepper. We had so much fun that it hard-
ly felt like work. We really did our jobs and performed them well. Not everyone shared our comic relief however. An employee in the adjoining office once asked us to tone it down. Jeez, I didn’t realize we made so much noise. Other employees picked up on our antics and stopped by for a dose of good will.
29 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • July 2012
In the 1980s outsourcing wasn’t in the corporate lexicon. Getting canned was known as a reduction in force. The giant behemoths at IP decided that Mary Ann and I were expendable despite our above average performance ratings. Along with dozens of others, our jobs fizzled. Initially I couldn’t shake that crushing feeling. I’d worked for IP for seven years and never thought of working elsewhere. I was a company gal. There was a tomorrow and I dusted off the sorrow, eventually landing another job albeit it at a lower grade level and for much less money. The unexpected blow bruised Mary Ann too
into a crowded subway to work for beans. I missed IP even though they showed me the exit. I missed my co-workers. I missed Mary Ann. Somehow, I’d have to adjust.
She needed more time to recover. I invited myself over for dinner one evening. She greeted me in pink pajamas and fuzzy slippers. Her curly brown hair was smashed to one side. I asked if she ever planned on getting dressed. Your apartment reeks I said. Open the windows why don’t you? She said don’t speak to me like that. Dinner that night was awkward but in a few days Mary Ann signed on at an employment agency. Our life with IP was over. The company took away our jobs, our incomes but not our dignity or our friendship.
Mary Ann and I drifted apart in the mid 1980s when she married and started a family. We squeezed in lunches or talked on the phone but movies and dinner after work, shopping in Macy’s or sun bathing at Brighton Beach became fading memories. Maybe Mary Ann will get cozy with her children in the furniture section of Macy’s on Saturday mornings, a family tradition. When a salesman asks if they need anything, Mary Ann will say hot coffee would be nice, just as her mother smiled and said.
Not seeing Mary Ann every day threw me off balance. I relied on her wisdom, insight and her companionship. For a while, I stopped eating lunch because meals were lonely without her. Although I was glad to pay rent and avoid soup kitchens, I felt demoralized as a clerk. I sweated through night school to earn a college degree to move up not down. I dreaded waking up only to shove myself 30 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM • July
2012
After a few mindless clerical jobs, I said enough. On a whim, I joined a volunteer child abuse program that changed my life. So I enrolled in NYU School of Social Work and earned a master’s degree. In 1989 I made another life changing move and left New York, my home for 35 years. In 1994 a car accident altered my life leaving me with disabling brain and spine injuries.
It’s been over 30 years since we met. A few cracks ruptured our friendship over the years. I guess it happens to all good friends but I still love her dearly. I’ve lived in upstate NY, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts and now Arizona. I have friends, people I care about but no one as true and loyal as Mary Ann. Friendships come and go, but true friends never say goodbye.
Love Nature Kulee’s story
By; Dr. Mamta Shukla & Prabhat Misra
Her cute eyes and smile get ended on 5th August 2008, when she died on that date. She was my beloved female dog. Her body colour was black. She was mix variety of wild and Labrador dogs. She lived with me for 16 years, till her last breathe. On 24th November 2007, Kulee killed a 6 ft long snake with the help of my other two pet wild dogs named Shekhu and Juni, when that snake entered into my bungalow; my husband was alone at that time. These dogs saved the life of my husband. The report of bravery of my dogs was covered by hindi news paper Dainik Jagran on 25th November, 2007 [Kanpur edition]. Kulee and Juni, we are missing you; both you will remain in our hearts till last breathe
31 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • July 2012
How to Obtain and Maintain Self-Love
Elliott El
This month WE will be giving you information on the topic of How to Obtain and Maintain Self-Love. First, as WE always inform you, you are wonderful in and of yourself. You must know this and understand this. WE acknowledge this, the entire universe, and all of creation, as you understand it to be, acknowledges, recognizes, and adheres to this fact. However, if you on an individual basis have not Remembered this truth, your true creative being/self will not shine through as it should. The universe and all that it entails is waiting for you to come to remembrance. It stands ready to give you that which you desire. All you have to do is call that which you desire into being. Yet, for this to occur, you must accept yourself mentally as a great creator. The spirit within you already fully intuitively knows it. WE understand that many of you were not taught or led to believe this fact, that is why WE are here now writing to you about it. It is a fact that you can create joy for yourself. You can create financial success. You can create anything you desire. Yet, to create that which you desire on a consistent basis, a certain level of self-love must be developed. The ability to create stems from the love of self. You were created/formed with the ability to be able to think about 32 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM • July
2012
anything, and then, if you desire to, cause its manifestation. And, by the use of a certain formula, bring into being all that which you desire. WE will disclose this formula to you at another time. Fore, the formula will be meaningless to you if you have not obtained the level of self-love needed to acquire such. The level of self-love necessary was obtained by all those of your kind that built your cities, your great highways, and everything else that you use in your day to day life. What WE are telling you is that one of you came to the remembrance or understanding that he or she is a creator, thus the ideas and conceptions for great things were born within their spiritual subconscious self and then brought into being. The full conception of realizing that you are a creator brings about a certain belief in self which, in turn, brings about the understanding of – That Which You Believe, You Can and Will Achieve. You too can remember that you are a wonderful creator and that you are capable of great things. You too can invent or, better still, reinvent yourself, and cause your self-image to be that of a great achiever. All that is required is for you to take the leap of faith into the unknown, the unknown recesses of your mind and spirit.
nniatbO ot woH niatniaM dna evoL-fleS
li Jackson
So start NOW, right now, on the road to personal success in all areas of your life. The key that unlocks your great potential is the conscious and subconscious embedding of positive I AM positive statements into your fourfold being. WE now offer to you the ones that you should begin to state out loud to yourself and to the universe: I Am a creator. I Am one with God. I Am one with the universe. I Am wonderful. I Am marvelous. I Am successful. I Am love. I Am happy. I Am giving. I Am caring. I Am loved. I Am healthy. I Am free from dis-ease. I Am able to achieve that which I believe. I Am not lazy. I Am capable of loving lasting relationships. I Am deserving of the best. I Am to have the best this life has to offer.
ing affirmations out loud to yourself and the universe each day. Do this for 14 days in a row, twice a day. In the morning and before bedtime are a good place to start. WE tell you at the conclusion of this 14 day period, your life will change, your outlook will become brighter. You will walk taller, think faster, solve problems, or that which you consider to be problems, quicker. You will begin to create a better life for yourself. Why don’t you try it? You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Don’t you desire to be happy? Don’t you desire to have that which you have always dreamed of and hoped for? WE wish this for you, the universe desires it for you. Now is the time for you to desire it for yourself. Additionally, it would be a good idea, as you understand the term, to continue to practice the above affirmations as much as you can for the rest of your life. WE tell you it will, in fact, revolutionize your existence on earth and raise your vibrational level. WE love you!
Begin to repeat these positive life chang33 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • July 2012
We all know about relationships... We all know that to get our vehicle to a certain destination that we must focus on the desired direction we want to go in. Our vehicle of relationships needs refueling, ongoing maintenance and constant re-directing to adjust to the path we are on. In our relationships with ourselves and others we can see that it is essential that there are various skills and tools we need to maintain our healthy vehicle of relationships. But just like a car, sometimes we need some guidance to know how to maintain and keep our vehicles running smooth, happy and peaceful. This allows us to enjoy the ride. Read on to learn more about enjoying the ride of happy and healthy relationships! Here are 7 ways to transform your relationships!!
Check your own personal engine light Think about how you feel when you’re around someone irritates you. People someone that is on the smaller scale of it bothering you. What does this feel like in your body? What does it feel like in your mind? What does the company of this person affect you? Now check these feelings and sensations you’ve just notice, and visualize your body is a car, with a dashboard full of different warning lights. 34 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM • July 2012
Creating E and Loving R
By: Heather A
Part
Artwork by: Ma
Empowering Relationships
Auria Gaines
One
aryam Morrison
You’ve just recognized what I describe as the “check engine light” for your personal boundary system. It’s a security system warning you that your safety zone has been breached and you let in stuff that was not yours. This is really important to be aware of. When our boundaries are weak, unguarded, or unclear, we have seen how we let in lots of stuff that was not actually our own stuff, and we gave away our own personal power unknowingly. In the past when we took this “stuff” on let us see that it is their “stuff” I always ask myself “Is this my stuff or their stuff?” If it is not my issues and they are venting at me then I ask “Do I want to take on their stuff.” I then say “I only choose to deal and work through my stuff. I release back to them their ‘stuff’” That means you had a breach of your energetic safety system. You’ve become aware of the warning signs indicating you can transform this, redefine and create healthy boundaries, and accept you have choose to return to center.
Ground yourself as preparation for maintaining boundaries Grounding is akin to the way a tree sinks her roots to stay safe in a storm. It’s the first tool in creating healthy boundaries—nurturing a connection with ourselves, reconnecting to our centers. Our root system is both our anchor and our boundary system. It keeps us from being blown about 35 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • July 2012
in other people’s winds. It gives us a way to focus and still ourselves to connect with our heart and our intuition. That’s what keeps us steady and connected and focused. There are as numerous ways to ground each unique to each person. I take 5-15 minutes to imagine my root system connecting me into the earth, like a giant oak tree. Visualize you are a tree and your roots are sinking deep into the earth and you are strong yet flexible like a tree and are strong no matter what the weather may be. Here are some other ideas: Offer a positive blessing over your food and drink. Make a list of things you love to do and do something from that list everyday! Practice Meditation daily alone in silence and practice Mindfulness where ever you go. Start and end your day with going over everything you appreciate and are grateful for.
Practice various ways—until you’ll find the perfect match that works for you!
Transform the experience with people in the past, and redirect you in new affirming ways Before you enter into those situations, take a few minutes to imagine breathing a luminous bubble of shielding energy around your whole body. Visualize and utilize your sense to intend it as a space that will only allow love and positivity inside of it, and deflects anything that is not of higher loving vibration. See it with your mind’s eye and if anything really feel the force with your body that it encasing you. The Shield you can set as an intention that it is as a mirror and when anything reflects to you that is not of the source and love, it gets transmuted, transformed and sent back to the sender. Then recognize what you need to do to maintain that space. Many times people when they are upset do not realize the simple fact that they all they need to do is reconnect to the source.
Say a prayer, affirmation, or mantra in the When we are aware of our connection shower in the morning (also while you we feel good. When we are not aware of are anywhere) our connection than many times we are running of fear, illusion and are not trustChant or repeat affirmations in your head ing source. When we learn what we do as you walk to work or school and out want, it can help us to figure out what we loud when you are alone. do not. It is all about redirecting our attention and rewiring our brains to be solution Imagine you’re a boat and release an an- oriented. chor to the bottom of the sea that helps you to stay steady in the ocean. 36 THEDENMAGAZINE.COM • July 2012
In relationships we create patterns. Just notice for yourself and reflect in your life. It shows up everywhere. The thing is that we can choose to transform patterns that are unhealthy to patterns that are vibrant and connected to the source. I found that when I choose to come from a loving and empowered place people will either shift their energy to mine or walk away. When you vibrate and are in a loving mindset and stay strong then others energies will have to vibrate to your energy or move away. Just like when you walk into a dark room and turn the light on. The darkness dissipates.
We have to slowly learn how to redirect ourselves and positions ourselves in the light and return to the truth. We keep reconfirming the truth and learn how to trust that the universe provides us with love, safety, abundance and peace. In our August issue Heather will expalin more about how to Create a more loving relationship.
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www.kathmanduboutique.com 37 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM • July 2012
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