Innerself East West Issue 27 - 2012

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Issue 27 • EW Jan-Mar 2012

Awakening the Sacred Longing

by Jack Kornfield

3 Months Astrological

MOON CALENDAR Practical Miracles for Mars and Venus

Lift-Out

by John Gray

Radiant Mind Interview with

Peter Fenner

How to Open to Higher Energy

by James & Sally Redfield

SPECIAL FEATURE

Women Making a Difference

In this

issue

Don’t let your mind create a “me” out of You. Any “me” is false, a lesser version of You. No matter how good or noble that “me” is, it’s not real, it’s not true.

The temptation to hold Yourself into a “me” is constant, but You are here to see through all this “me-ing”.

However you feel about “me” ... it’s not You. Don’t let the mind define you.

Don’t let your ideas about yourself be who you are. Don’t let the “me” thoughts and feelings control your world.

17 Becoming a powerful You, the real you, cannot be conAwakening Health & healing manifestor tained by any thought or feeling. wellbeing 3 Awakening the Sacred 10 The Healing Essence of

by Juliet Martine That’s all the “me” is, thoughts and Longing Art as therapy 20 Herbal healers - feelings about You, congealing into

by Jack Kornfield

by Glenda Needs a “me”.

Calendula “Me” has no substance, “me” is

by Robert Reeves 4 At the Heart of Change 16 Whose Life are you living? not real, it’s not true no matter what

by Isira 20 The link between

by Donna Pemberton it is.

Behavioural & 5 Radiant Mind - An Interview Stop now.

28 Sick Building Syndrome - chiropractic issues with Peter Fenner Slip out of any thought that arises.

What does it mean?

by Dr Rob Hutchings Let the thought come, then let it go.

6 Treasure yourself

by Gerard Bini Watch with curiosity ... investigate how 21 Reverse Ostopenia &

by Stephen Chong the thought “me” arises and takes 30 Colour in focus Osteoporosis hold. Obser ve how the “me” idea 7 The end of time with Natural

by Anna Wilson takes shape, filling itself with feeling

by Linda Clair medicines 31 Blockages in our Chakras and identity. As you see/feel the “me”

by Belle McCaleb 8 Divining Through our

by Sonette Schoeman manifest, let it go. Pull back. Pull out.

Divinity 21 Say no to mercury Breathe. It’s not You. That “me” idea, 35 Visualizing Techniques to

by Sky Shayne Innes

by Dr Lisa Matriste that “me” thought is only possible open to Higher energy through the grace of Presence ... You.

by James and Salle Redfield You allows “me” to exist by lending Growth its attention to that which arises ...

6 Honesty is the best Policy that “me” thought. You then lend it 2012

by Neils Brummelman your vitality, your life-force, your very essence ... and that “me” thought 26 The Dawn of a New Age

Travel 8 The answer is simple grows. If we are unaware of the proby John Gray

by Sonia Choquette cess, the “me” thought will believe 14 Touching the spiritual 30 Living authentically in itself to be real, the centre of reality Heart of India 9 Awakening your Inner ... the centre of attention, and so it 2012 Passion for 2012 is, so it has become – the centre of by Nicole Cody

by Karina Godwin Psychics attention. But, that “me-ness” is a 33 Apocalypse Not construct, a fabrication of conscious10 Being Woman . . . Women 31 Spiritual surgery &

by Rachelle Terry ness ... it’s simply a thought/feeling Weaving the web Psychic healing that has become a habit.

by Gillian Raynor

by Elisabeth Jensen In seeing this we are free. We are Feature regulars able to find some space in here, and 27 The Path to 32 Using your pendulum no longer believe that “me” to be the

by Isabella Gentilin enlightenment 11 Women Making a 18 Moon Calendar be all and end all it thinks it is. difference

by Joanne Antoun 22 Tools for Healthy Living You ... that you that allows all things Astrology 29 Rising of the feminine to manifest, to be birthed within you 34 Events, Courses & is graciously allowing all things to be.

Success

by David lane Workshops for the mind, 33 Eye on the Sky But there comes a moment when Body & Soul 16 Money Mind Set (Jan-Mar 2012) 29 Going to the Mountain You “see” what’s happening and “me”

by Claire Hennekam

by Dr Andrew Powell

by Simon Blow 35 In Brief reviews

From the Editors

is seen for what it is. And You are free.

Immediately and unconditionally free.

The following piece by Reverend Safire Rose describes one such moment: He let go. Without a thought or a word, he let go. He let go of the fear.

He let go of the judgments. He let go of the confluence of opinions swarming around his head. He let go of the committee of indecisions within him.

He let go of all the “right” reasons.

Wholly and completely, without hesitation or worry, he just let go.

He didn’t ask anyone for advice. He didn’t read a book on how to let go. He didn’t search the scriptures. He just let go. He let go of all the memories that held him back. He let go of all the anxieties that kept him from moving forward. He let go of the planning and all of the calculating about how to do it just right.

He didn’t promise to let go. He didn’t journal about it. He didn’t write the projected date in his Day-Timer.

He made no public announcement and put no ad in the paper. He didn’t check the weather report or read his daily horoscope. He just let go.

He didn’t analyze whether he should let go. He didn’t call his friends to discuss the matter. He didn’t do a five-step Spiritual Mind Treatment. He didn’t call the prayer line. He didn’t utter one word. He just let go.

No one was around when it happened. There was no applause or congratulations. No one thanked him or praised him. No one noticed a thing.

Like a leaf falling from a tree, he just let go. There was no effor t. There was no struggle. It wasn’t good and it wasn’t bad. It was what it was, and it is just that.

In the space of letting go, he let it all be. A small smile came over his face. A light breeze blew through him. And the sun and the moon shone forevermore.

With Love, Leo Drioli & Enza Vita

Follow The editors’ blogs

www.leodrioli.blogspot.com www.enzavita.blogspot.com

Our goal is to awaken one community at a time... inspires

Contact Us

& uplifts

Our Goal is to Awaken One Community at a Time...

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Issue 27 • EW Jan-Mar 2012

Awakening the Sacred Longing

3 Months Astrological

by Jack Kornfield

MOON CALENDAR Practical Miracles for Mars and Venus

Lift-Out

by John Gray

Radiant Mind

SPECIAL FEATURE

Interview with

Peter Fenner

How to Open to Higher Energy

by James & Sally Redfield

Women Making a Difference

Issue 27 East West Edition (Jan-Mar 2012)

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Awakening the Sacred Longing

by Jack Kornfield

JACK KORNFIELD was trained as a Buddhist monk in Thailand, Burma, and India, and has taught meditation worldwide since 1974. He is a psychotherapist, and founding teacher of the Insight Meditation Society and the Spirit Rock Center. His books include A Path With Heart, After the Ecstasy the Laundry, Buddha’s Little Instruction Book, Buddhism in the West, Seeking the Heart of Wisdom, A Still Forest Pool, and Soul Food.

Awakening calls to us in a thousand ways. As the poet Rumi sings, “Grapes want to turn to wine.” There is a pull to wholeness, to being fully alive, even when we have forgotten. The Hindus tell us that the child in the womb sings, “Do not let me forget who I am,” but that the song after birth becomes, “Oh, I have forgotten already.”

Still, as surely as there is a voyage away, there is a journey home.

Throughout the wor ld we find stories of this journey, images of the longing to awaken, the steps along the path that we all follow, the voices that call, the intensity of the initiation we may meet, the courage we need. At the heart of each is the original sincerity of the seeker, who must honestly admit how small is our knowledge of the universe, how great the unknown. The honesty the spiritual quest requires of us is addressed in the Russian initiation tales about Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga is an old woman with a wild, haglike visage who stirs her pot and knows all things. She lives deep in the forest. When we seek her out we are frightened, for she requires us to go into the dark, to ask dangerous

questions, to step outside the world of logic and comfort.

When the fir st young seeker comes quaking up to the door of her hut, Baba Yaga demands, “Are you on your own errand or are you sent by another”” The young man, encouraged in his quest by his family, answers, “I am sent by my father.”

Baba Yaga promptly throws him into the pot and cooks him. The next to attempt this quest, a young woman, sees the smoldering fire and hears the cackle of Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga again demands, “Are you on your own errand or are you sent by another?”

This young woman has been pulled to the woods alone to seek what she can find there. “I am on my own errand,” she replies. Baba Yaga throws her in the pot and cooks her too.

Later a third visitor, again a young woman, deeply confused by the world, comes to Baba Yaga’s house far into the forest. She sees the smoke and knows it is dangerous. Baba Yaga confronts her, “Are you on your own errand, or are you sent by another?”

This young woman answers truthfully.

“In large part I’m on my own errand, but in large part I also come because of others. And in large par t I have come because you are here, and because of the forest, and something I have forgotten, and in large par t I know not why I come.” Baba Yaga regards her for a moment and says, “You’ll do,” and shows her into the hut.

Into the Woods

We don’t know all the reasons that propel us on a spiritual journey, but somehow our life compels us to go.

Something in us knows that we are not just here to toil at our work.

There is a mysterious pull to remember. What takes us out of our homes and into the dark of Baba Yaga’s forest can be a combination of events. It can be a longing from childhood, or an “accidental” encounter with a spiritual book or figure.

Sometimes something in us awakens when we travel to a foreign

culture and the exotic world of new rhythms, fragrances, colors, and activity catapults us out of our usual sense of reality.

Sometimes it is as simple as walking in the blue-green mountains or hearing choral music so beautiful it seems inspired by the gods. Sometimes it is that mysterious transformation when we attend at the bedside of the dying and a “person” vanishes from existence, leaving only a lifeless sack of flesh awaiting burial.

A thousand gates open to the spirit. Whether in the brilliance of beauty or the dark woods of confusion and sorrow, a force as sure as gravity brings us back to our heart.

It happens to every one of us.

The Messengers of Suffering

The most frequent entryway to the sacred is our own suffering and dissatisfaction. Countless spiritual journeys have begun in an encounter with the difficulties of life. For Western masters, suffering in early family life is a common start: alcoholic or abusive parents, grave family illness, loss of a loved relative, or cold absentee parents and warring family members all recur in many of their stories. For one wise and respected meditation master it started with isolation and disconnection.

When I was a child, our family life had so much unhappiness. Everyone was yelling and I felt I didn’t belong there. I felt like an alien. Then, about age nine I became really interested in flying saucers. For years at night I would fantasize that a UFO was going to pick me up, that I would be abducted and taken back to another planet. I really wanted that to escape from my alienation and loneliness. I guess that was the beginning of my four decades of spiritual search.

We all know how much the heart longs for spiritual sustenance in times of difficulty. “Honor this longing,” says Rumi. “Those that make you return, for whatever reason, to the spirit, be grateful to them. Worry about

the others, who give you delicious comfort that keeps you from prayer.”

For another spiritual teacher, physician, and healer, thir ty years of inner work also began with family sorrows.

My parents fought terribly and then divorced quite violently when I was young. I was sent to an awful boarding school. My family life was so painful, it left me lonely, filled with grief, restlessness, and discontent with everything. I didn’t know how to live.

One day I saw a man in orange robes and shaved head chanting “Hare Krishna” on the steps of the square. I naively thought he was some wise Indian saint. He told me about karma, reincarnation, meditation, and the possibility of freedom. It rang true in my whole body. I was so excited, I phoned my mother and said, “I’m leaving school. I want to be a Hare Krishna monk.” She became quite hysterical, so we compromised to where I would learn meditation.

That opened me to another world.

I learned to let go of my past and to have compassion for myself.

Meditation saved my life.

Crisis is an invitation to the spirit not only in childhood, but whenever our life passes through suffering.

For many masters, the gateway to the spiritual opened when loss or desperation, suffering or confusion drove them to look for solace of the heart, for a hidden wholeness. The long journey of one teacher began in adulthood, overseas.

I was in Hong Kong. My marriage w as going badly, my youngest daughter had died from sudden infant death syndrome two years earlier, and in every way I was not happy. We returned to America and at Stanford Business School I saw a sign for tai chi and signed up. That began to calm my body, but my heart remained sorrowful and confused. I separated from my wife and tried various forms of meditation to calm myself. Then a girlfriend introduced me to her meditation master, who invited me to a retreat. The room was formal and silent as we all sat hour after hour.

On the second morning, suddenly I saw myself standing looking at my daughter’s grave, with a shovelful of red earth being thrown on it. Tears came and a wail rose from me. The other students nearby hissed and whispered “Shut up,” but the master came over and told them to be still and held me for a time. And I wept and blubbered, filled with grief all morning. That was how it began. Now, thirty years later, I am the one holding those who weep.

The encounter with suffering that leads us to seek an answer is a universal story. In the life story of the Buddha as Prince Siddhar tha, the Buddha-to-be was deliberately protected from the problems of the world by his father, sequestered in beautiful palaces during his early

year s. Finally the young prince insisted on going out to see the world.

As he rode through the kingdom with his charioteer Channa, he saw four sights which stunned him deeply. First the Buddha saw a very old person, tottering, bent over, and frail. Next he saw a man grievously ill, cared for by his friends. Then he saw a dead body.

Each time he asked his charioteer, “To whom do these things happen?” Each time Channa replied, “To everyone, my lord.”

These sights are called “the Heavenly Messengers,” for just as they awakened the Buddha, so they remind us all to seek liberation, to seek a spiritual freedom in this life.

Can you remember the first time you saw a dead body or a person gr avely ill? T his fir st up-close encounter with sickness and death sent a shock through Siddhar tha’s whole being. “How can we best live in a life haunted by illness and death?” he wondered. The fourth messenger came when he saw a monk standing at the edge of the forest, a hermit who had devoted a life of simplicity to seek an end to the sorrows of the world.

At this sight the Buddha realized that he too must follow this path, that he must face directly the sorrows of life and attempt to find a way beyond their grasp.

Like a modern Siddhar tha, one teacher tells how her journey in the cities and countryside called her to her path.

After college I worked in a social service agency in Philadelphia trying to help a series of desperate families.

No work, lots of children, squalid housing, drug problems. Some days I would come home from the agency and weep. Then with a friend I went to work in Central America — El Salvador and Guatemala. It seemed like an ocean of problems for the poor campesinos. They labored just to get enough food and medicine for their kids, and had to suffer periodic military raids. It was very hard. When I came back I entered the convent for four years, not to run away, but to find myself, to learn what I could really do to benefit this world.

The heavenly messengers come in some form to each of us, calling us to seek a wholeness missing in our lives. They come not just as our own struggles, but in the sorrows of the world. These have such a powerful effect on our hear ts that any day’s news could break them open. The perennial floods of Bangladesh; the hunger and warfare of Africa, Europe, Asia; the ecological crisis worldwide; the racism, pover ty, and violence of our cities — they too are the messengers. They are a call. As they did for the Buddha, they demand that we awaken.

Return to Innocence

Lest it all sound difficult, there is another side to the forces that draw so many of us into the woods.

A beauty calls to us, a wholeness that we know exists. The Sufis call this “the voice of the beloved.” We are born into this world with the song in our ears, yet we may first come to know it by its absence.

When we live without connectedness, without an illumination of spirit, we can feel in ourselves the deep longing of a lost child, a subtle longing as though we know something essential is missing, something that dances at the edge of our vision, always with us like the air we forget until the wind blows.

Yet it is this elusive spirit which holds us completely, which nourishes the hear t, summoning us toward our search for what life is all about. We are pulled to return to our true nature, to our wise and knowing heart.

This sacred longing can arise first in childhood, as it did for the Zen master of a large community in Europe.

I remembered as a child having experiences of wonder and identity with the world. I felt an identity with the hills, seeing them dance, and the rivers in between. One day I imagined myself a par t of a great summer storm that swept through our town. At about twelve I recognized how incredible the game of life is, how much bigger than anything I knew. Then I would forget and go back to playing soccer and playing with friends until the next time it happened, another moment of this naive sweet opening. Later I heard an Indian swami talk at the university about the wor ld of nature and mystery, and he wept quite openly. I was so touched, as if I was hearing Jesus talk, and I began to remember again that innocent connection to my childhood. When you realize how much you’ve lost, you have to go looking again for those moments when your spirit first came alive.

Over the years, a practical and materialistic society can usurp the original mystery of childhood. We are sent to school early to “grow up,” to “be serious,” and if we don’t let go of our childhood innocence, all too often the world tries to knock it out of us. A hundred years ago the American painter James McNeill Whistler encountered this attitude in his engineering class at West Point Military Academy. The students were instructed to draw a careful study of a bridge, and Whistler submitted a beautifully detailed picturesque stone arch with children fishing from its top.

The lieutenant in charge ordered, “This is a military exercise. Get those children off the bridge.” Whistler resubmitted the drawing with the two children now fishing from the side of the river. “I said get those children completely out of the picture,” said the angry lieutenant. So Whistler’s last version had the river, the bridge, and two small tombstones along its bank.

Continued page 4

Reality if you wish, pray or e and seed your future and can be seeded by ourthe goalInvisis to awaken one community at a time . . . u can ask for help in some As the existentialist writer Alber t Camus area ofdiscovered: your life or simply lisA man’s life is nothing but an extended trek tly andthrough receive a revelation. the detours of art to recapture those one

by Isira or twoof moments when his earance 11:11 isheart an first al-opened.

The Zen tradition describes this journey in its neficialaccount act ofoftheDivine sacred ox. InterIn ancient India, oxen Our world, humanity, society and our own individual lives were a symbol for the wondrous and powerful are subject to constant change. And now, more than ever tellingqualities you that it is time to that reside within every being, that it seems, is a time of very great change. Large movements awaken as we discover our true nature. The Zen of populations, climatic and geophysical upheavals, global ood look around you and see ox-herding story begins with a scroll painting of unrest and national conflict are great challenges to us all eally happening.

It’sthetime tothickets. The individually and collectively. At times like this it can seem as if a man wandering into mountain image is entitled “Seeking the Ox.” Behind the everything we are and everything we have is either being, or e veilsmanofis illusion that keeproads: the old under threat of being, uprooted. a maze of crisscrossing Such intensified change seems even more frightening and highways of ambition and fear, You confusion and loss, d to an unreal world. praise and blame. For a long time this man has threatening than ever, because there’s a lot at stake. Well, en chosen, youandare forgottenbecause the flowing rivers mountain vistas. at least according to our material and ego realm there is.

But on the day he finally remembers, he sets out We have learned very well how to immerse ourselves in our step into thetheGreater seeking tracks of theReality. sacred ox. In his heart material world – rooting ourselves deeply in the ego and all he knows that even in the deepest he waytopmost for others into a newgorges and the things physical. As a human race we pride ourselves on our mountains, the ox cannot be lost. In the ability to make things more comfortable, to last longer, to beautyaofGreater the forest heLove. stops to rest. ving, into To And looking make things more fixed, more “known”. And, in doing so, we

4

At the Heart of Change

down, he sees the first tracks.

For one meditation teacher in her sixties, oxseeking began in middle age, after raising three children.

When I was a girl I grew up in an intellectual environment where spiritual life was never mentioned except maybe at Christmas. It’s as if my parents thought we were beyond that religion stuff. I was so jealous of my friends who went to church. Starting at seven I cut the pictures of Mary and angels and Jesus out of Christmas cards. I hid them in the bottom of my dresser drawer and made a secret altar there. I would take them out every Sunday and make up my own kind of service.

Then, at forty-three, I was traveling on business and had time to visit a famous cathedral. I went into the vast cool interior and saw the sunlight flaming through the stained glass. A choir began to sing Gregorian chants for the late afternoon service, and the altar held a beautiful Mary, just like my Christmas cards. I had to sit down. I felt seven again, my eyes filled with tears and my heart about burst. That poor little girl was spiritually starved. The next week I went to a yoga class and then signed up for a meditation retreat.

This article was excerpted from: After the Ecstasy, the Laundry by Jack Kornfield, published by Bantam, a division of Random House.

bury ourselves ever more deeply under the foundations of ignorance as we fall more deeply into the unconscious realm.

We lose sight of our true nature – and most significantly, the true nature of existence – which, at the material level, in one word is CHANGE. Although this may be a commonly echoed truth it seems it is far from the accepted or realised state of most people. Just take a look at your own life: How many times do you notice yourself resisting the slightest indication of something changing, that you are going to lose something, or the fear of someone leaving you?

How much emotional attachment do you have to your life circumstances? How would you feel if your whole life was threatened – or if suddenly everything as you knew it was taken from you? How much do you cling to your identity, to your job, your title, your home, your relationship, your world as you know it?

Evident in your every response is the measure of either awakefulness or unconsciousness. Either you are free of resistance and attachment because you are truly awake to the real nature of your self/life or you are constantly moving between shades of resistance every day, particularly during significant moments of change and upheaval.

The more we are awake to the true nature of life at the material level, the more deeply we accept and realise our true being. There is a distinct sequence through which we consciously embrace change.

First - we must have the ability to consciously SEE life as

changing. The more we see this the more we realise the true nature of our self/life. The more we realise this the more we embody a true state of acceptance. The more we embody true acceptance the more we can celebrate change. We work with it, rather than against it.

Our fear or resistance towards change will determine our degree of disempowerment, disquiet, entrapment, sorrow, mistrust and resentment toward life.

Our ability to work with change will determine the degree of our power, peace, freedom, joy, trust and celebration of life.

Observing change

If we look more closely at the first requirement – the ability to consciously SEE life as changing – we can begin to understand the true heart of change. Unlike how change seems to the mind, there is actually something constant in change.

To the mind it only seems as if we can never rest – as if everything is constantly shifting – we cannot hold onto anything longer than a single moment. However, if we settle into our conscious self and observe change, we discover that there is a profound stillness – a profound constant presence in the very centre of change. That presence is awareness – pure consciousness. It is our very Self. It is the eternal essence and foundation of all life. It is the heart of all creation.

If we are able to reconnect with our conscious self – this centre of beingness – we discover that actually – at the heart of all existence and change – is constant being. It is the unchanged. It is limitless power, stillness, silence. It is the only thing that is certain. And forever free.

Fear of change

Even logically then it makes sense that our fear of change is because we have lost connection with the heart of ourselves – with the heart of existence – that which IS forever here, forever constant.

By regaining a connection with the centre of our being we regain a solid foundation from which we can always experience life. We become the still point from which all else is observed. If we can establish ourselves more readily in conscious presence – if we can simply be centred – then naturally, conscious seeing follows. Naturally we see that the material world is forever changing – but WE are still here.

That which we truly are remains untouched, undisturbed,

ECKANKAR IN YOUR COMMUNITY The purpose of Eckankar is to make God an everyday reality in your life.

As Soul, you have the God-knowledge within you.

The teachings of ECK will awaken the knowledge and love for the divine things that are already in your heart.

The road to God is the adventure of a lifetime.

ness that can offer the greatest help during these times of trauma or unease. Not only canwww.innerself.com.au it aid you at a ‘personal’ level to regain a sense of unaffected.and And, ittrust is alwaysinthelife, source fromitwhich new peace but canall be things arise. Therefore, it is impossible for us to fail or to extended enabling a cease to exist. We –to thatothers, which is life – continues.

The material form is only the vehicle through which we experience our greater capacity us constant self.solidarity Hence why it isand temporary and foreverfor reforming – at least at the level of experience.

At the deepest level to unite in the aftermath of tragedy. even the essence or vital source ingredients of form remain As you awaken more to your own unchanged. essence,Working you become a field of with change Being centred doeslove not need–toyou be complicated. is as simple peace and shineItas this as stopping regularly through your day and taking a few peace and love.

Youbreath, alsoconnecting become a moments to connect with your with the moment as it is, feeling the energy of your self in the Now and presence capaletting your self of cometrue back tocompassion, your centre. be present and be aware. bleSimply of stop, extending this deeper awareReally observe the moment. Don’t analyse it. Just observe it, listen,into watch, other feel, experience.

Be awarelives. of the flow, the ness people’s You changing nature of everything in you and around you. And, become presence of —a deeper vibe aware of the the “you” that is aware notice this Selfawareness: bration that affects the whole at the It is constant. It is calm. It is still. It is silent. It is present — always. Notice whenat youabring yourreal self into conunseen level,howbut very level sciousness with this awareness that you already feel centred –andthe level wea sense truly are all calmer.

Notice in also which that there is of freedom and beauty in the nature of what is happening.

ONE and in which true peace is This paradox of constant change that revolves around this ever-presentThis stillness something powerful, known. isisthe typebeautiful, of help thatdeep, is essential. Be awake to it and you will be equipped with all that all-reaching, by physical you need to take theunhindered journey, which consists of constant, inevitable changing situations. You have all you could possibly distance orthelimited conditions, conneed to flow with river of change and to celebrate the changing terrain.

This is already present within you now — necting of all people in all places – because in your heart, in the very centre of your being is the the true harbinger of peace, wellbeeternal, conscious presence of life! ing happiIsira isand a presence of unconditional love and compassion - a power that inspires, ness. uplifts and changes lives.

As a self-realised master of enlightenment, she is here to help us all to awaken to create a world of love, peace and well-being. Through her consultations, programs and books including “A Journey of Awakening” Isira answers our questions and supports us in our own awakening. www.isira.com

Isira is Australianborn. She came into this world conscious and awake, and at the age of 29 fully awakened. Isira’s presence is a sacred blessing field of consciousness that activates our energy field and reveals enlightened answers. Through her consultations, programs and books including “A Journey of Awakening” Isira inspires and supports us in our own awakening. www.isira.com

Harold Klemp, Spiritual Leader of Eckankar ACT

QLD

CANBERRA Majura Hall, Rosevear Place, Dickson ACT Phone (02) 6288 5242

GOLD COAST 3/14 Lavelle St., Nerang QLD Phone (07) 5527 2677

CASTLEMAINE The Leistureville Centre 30 Williams St, Castlemaine. VIC Community HU Chant

VIC

SYDNEY Brown St Community Centre, 8-10 Brown Street, Newtown NSW Phone (02) 9212 2100

MOORABIN ECK Community Centre 10/3 Tuck St., Moorabin Vic Phone (03) 9532 0523

SOUTHBANK Mind Body Spirit Festival Melbourne Exhibition Centre , 1 Clarendon St, Southbank VIC

PORT STEPHENS Corlette Hall, 49 Sandy Point Rd, Corlette NSW (02) 4984 4445

BELMONT South Barwon Community Centre 33 Mt Pleasant Rd, Belmont Vic

MAYLANDS Eckankar Centre of W.A Maylands Commercial Centre 9/168 Guilford Rd (crn Eight Ave) Maylands WA Phone (08) 9271 8020

NSW

BOX HILL Box Hill Community Arts Centre 470 Station St., Box Hill Vic

WA

ALBANY The Bob Thompson Annex Centennial Oval, Lockyer Ave, Albany Phone (08) 9842 9531 Community HU EAST FREMANTLE Glyde In 42 Glyde St East Fremantle WA Phone 0408 957 514 HEATHRIDGE Spiers Centre corner Poseidon Rd & Albatross Court Heathridge WA Phone (08) 9406 8198

For more information about Eckankar Events in your community please visit, www.eckankar.org.au

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our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . . relationship with others. The main driver behind Radiant Mind has been discovering something that works.

L: What is it that informs and inspires the nondual approach to awakening?

Radiant Mind An Interview with Peter Fenner by Leo Drioli & Enza Vita L: You now hold regular retreats and trainings around the world on Radiant Mind and nonduality teachings, how did this come about?

Peter Fenner, PhD, is a leader in the Western adaptation of Buddhist wisdom. He was a celibate monk in the Tibetan Buddhist traditions for nine years. He has a PhD in the philosophical psychology of Mahayana Buddhism and has held teaching positions at universities in Australia and the USA. His recent books include Radiant Mind: Awakening Unconditional Awareness, Radiant Mind: Teaching and Practices to Awakening Unconditioned Awareness (7-CD set), and The Edge of Certainty: Paradoxes on the Buddhist Path.

Peter also is the creator of the 10-month Nondual Teaching and Therapist Training (www.nondualtraining.com) and 9-month Radiant Mind Course (www.radiantmind.net).

Enza: Have you always been a spiritual seeker? And what made you that?

Peter: Yes, I first felt something different was living inside me when I was 4 or 5. I was quite reflective at that age and have always been since. There was no specific experience that made me become like that. I had spiritual experiences when I was around 7 and 8. Spiritual seeking, per se! I would say it began around 14 years when I avidly read the Christian mystics.

Leo: You spent 9 years as a Buddhist monk, how was that and why did you decide to become a lay teacher?

P: I became a monk when I was 26 because I needed the security of an ethical commitment. Also, within Buddhism generally it is thought that one can reach a state of freedom (nir vana) more quickly if you are a monk or a nun. The idea is that you create more positive karma, and potentially more negative karma too, if you are ordained. My adolescence, through to around 23 years of age, was very confusing and quite experimental. I felt a need to charge up my positive karma and I didn’t want to waste time. Becoming a monk was an imperative for me. The first years were very helpful and creative.

I developed some confidence in my path and spiritual practice. At the same time I was also doing my Ph.D. But after about 5 years, my ordination seemed to become stale. Even though I kept my vows I felt like a clandestine monk. Many people didn’t know I was a celibate monk. When I started teaching philosophy at the university I kept my private life more hidden. After 9 years as a monk I gave back my ordination to the Tibetan abbot who ordained me.

P: I’ve been a teacher in some capacity since I was 25, beginning as a tutor in Asian philosophy. I didn’t decide to become a lay teacher. I star ted teaching experientially, firstly in Australia and then overseas, because I felt I had something to offer that was deeper than a merely intellectual grasp of Asian philosophy. I wanted to share the transformative potential of Buddhism. In 1984 I started offering workshops that explored therapeutic applications of Buddhist wisdom.Around the year 2000 people star ted asking me if I could create a program that would support their spiritual development in between the bi-annual visits I made offering workshops in USA and Europe. So I created the 9 month Radiant Mind Course. About 5 years ago several people who had completed the Radiant Mind Course asked if I could create another program that would teach them how to offer the same style of transmission that I have developed. So I created the 10 month Natural Awakening Training which is a more advanced course for therapists, coaches, teachers, and so on.

Radiant Mind is thoroughly nondual. Nonduality is the cornerstone and foundation for everything we do in Radiant Mind. Ideally we do nothing more, and nothing less, than what is needed to abide in nondual awareness. This is the basic principle. In order to abide in radiant mind we also need to take care of our lives at the conditioned level. If we totally ignore the needs of our body, our material circumstances and our relationship responsibilities we create a mass of confusion and, at some point, a level of concern and self-preoccupation that make it impossible to rest in the carefree space of pure awareness.

Radiant Mind lays out some simple principles and guideposts for living our lives so that the connection with the nondual becomes easier and more automatic.

E: What is your definition of awakening or the more overused word, enlightenment, and what is it that gets awakened or enlightened?

P: I rarely use the word enlightenment because it carries a lot of fanciful projections for some people. I prefer words like our ultimate state, centerless awareness, natural freedom, the ground of being. Once people know what these words refer to we can talk about this state as “just this,” or “this.” Then things are really simple.

This is how Buddhism often talks about enlightenment, as “just this.”

All of these terms refer to the state in which there is no suffering of any kind. In this state suffering simply isn’t possible. We have no reference for this experience. What is more radical is that we can’t even say what isn’t happening. In this state we’re unconditionally free because we don’t

need anything to change or stay the same. This can sound dull if people haven’t tasted it first hand. But in reality, it’s a state that’s highly potent.

It can change in its expression from the deepest stillness to dynamic joyful interchange in a few seconds. In this space we are free because nothing needs to change in order to be at this point where we are beyond dualistic notions of better and worse. As to how one achieves this state, on the hand no one does because there is no experiencer. But this is the same for all experience. If we look for the experiencer we can’t find one. I can’t find the person answering this question. And I’m sure if you look at who is reading these words right now, you won’t find the being that’s experiencing this. You can’t say where the impressions of the words you are reading are being received. Still, there is a me writing this, in Seattle at the moment, and you are reading this, and not someone else.

E: The two main courses you teach, Radiant Mind Course and Natural Awakening Training, how do they differ from the teachings of the lineage of masters that you came from and what can people attending expect to receive from them?

P: The two long-term courses I offer come from the same Mahayana lineage going back to the Perfect Wisdom or Prajnaparamita tradition. The foundations are identical. The differences are that Radiant Mind is for the direct benefit of the people participating in the course. It supports people in integrating nondual awareness into the daily lives. They join a great learning community; learn how to be more spacious, and how to rest in awareness, at workshops, at home, and with others. Par ticipants do nondual meditation with each other by phone. The Advanced Training is more like a professional training. It trains people in how to offer the nondual dimension to other people; this could be in therapy, coaching, teaching, and so on. I go behind the curtain and show people how to facilitate nondual work. People can then bring this into their professional, as well as personal lives.

My approach has been shaped by my immersion in different nondual traditions in Mahayana Buddhism and Hinduism and a need to really taste the reality that these traditions talk about. I wasn’t concerned about the words they used, selflessness, pure awareness, and so on. I was concerned with discovering this reality for myself. My own approach works at the “results level.” That means we discover (or rediscover) pure awareness. When we are here, we see what we have done to arrive in this place.

We have engaged in quiet, respectful dialogue, looked for the self, awareness, suffering itself with the wisdom eye of nondual inquiry and not been able to find these. Then we rest in the state of profound yet potent tranquility, deep inside and in beautiful

P: The nondual approach is inspired by the direct experience that we don’t need to do any more work to be free. When we see how simple it is to be here, no effort is needed. We see clearly that suffering isn’t possible here, it can’t happen. The words “suffering,” “discomfort,” “agony,” “torment,” all the experiences we have struggled to avoid, can’t happen when we are no longer looking for things to be different. In fact, in this space we can’t find any suffering.

Nothing is happening that we want to displace; which in a way is a definition of suffering; wanting things to be different.

L: For many people, our natural state is unrealised and a complete mystery … totally oblivious to its reality, they suffer through their lives in ignorance … can the Radiant Mind teachings make a difference in their lives?

P: I wouldn’t put people in a box thinking that they are unrealised, because this can make our shared, primordial state into something solid. We think that some people are realized and that others are not. I don’t see myself as being different from other people.

I don’t have more insight than others. I wouldn’t say that people who haven’t recognized “this” are living in ignorance. It’s too heavy a label. But I do acknowledge that some people recognize the unconditioned dimension, and others haven’t yet seen this.

The Radiant Mind teachings show people the unconditioned dimension, the ground of being, as it were. The course helps people to integrate this recognition into their lives so they can rest more consistently in the space of imperturbable awareness.

L: In your book Radiant Mind you say that “conventional psychospiritual paths assume that the release of intense emotions involves work and effort, deep cognitive insight, cathartic release, or some combination of these. Such paths are built on the principles of discipline and transformation: we change our behaviour, purify our minds, and transform our perceptions”. Do these paths have a place for those seeking complete liberation?

P: Nothing is needed to be free. But often it’s not simple to be that “no thing”—to recognize and rest in the ground of being. We feel we need to change our conditioning, get rid of memories from the past, bad habits or dysfunctional patterns we’ve inherited from our parents. It’s easy to think that we are impure and need to go through a process of mental and emotional cleansing before we can recognize pure awareness. If we can’t see in the moment that awareness is by its nature pure, we might need to do some type of work in order to get here. But once we are here we see that this is “acausal.” It isn’t a product of anything, any type of process or practice. We see, as is often pointed out in Zen, “that we didn’t need to do what we thought we needed to do, but we wouldn’t have seen this without doing what we didn’t need to do.”

L: What is the best thing one can do to help someone who is locked into a mind state that’s causing them harm … I have a friend that recently tried to kill himself. He’d been on his chosen path for many years but found himself in a very dark place, and couldn’t see any other way out?

P: The best thing we can ever do is to abide in our natural state as open awareness, available and receiving

everything and everyone exactly as they are. From here we see that other people are parts of our self. It’s possible that your friend’s behaviour threatened you own integrity, your own need to be helpful, fundamentally the need for self-preservation. If we feel threatened we can’t be fully open to others, we contract, maybe into our minds, our explanations, which isn’t helpful. The opportunity, always, is to deepen the presencing of awareness to the point that we can receive and creatively embrace everyone, beyond any need for personal protection, because we are awareness itself which can’t be hurt or harmed. We may not be there, but it is great to see the scope ahead for our development.

Nondual teachings present the possibility of going beyond suffering without needing to change the conditions of our life. The nondual perspective shows how we can be free with things “just as they are.” Most psychological systems and spiritual paths offer people conditional forms of freedom. We need to change the inner and outer worlds in order to be free. Actually, we just try to change reality so that it conforms to our preferences. Any sense of freedom that arises is conditional and very fragile.

Nondual awareness offers us the possibility of being completely free while being conditioned within our bodymind and life’s circumstances.

E: Have you discovered who or what you are?

P: The process of discovering who we are at the level of being a human living in time is a never-ending process.

We might discover a little bit over the decades of our life, but I think we are infinitely complex. Each one of us is like a universe. If you are asking if I have discovered that I can’t find an “I” then yes, I come by that and rest in it from time to time. Isn’t that paradox delightful: that I can’t find myself!

E: Is the realization constant and lasting? And if yes, what was it that turned it all around for you?

P: The realisation of being a centerless universe isn’t constant. It matures and deepens over time.

L: In Radiant Mind you talk about being “complete” and being “incomplete”.

Can you describe the difference between the two.

P: We are complete when there is no impulse to change what is happening in the moment, nor any need to maintain the state we are in. We are also complete in the sense that there is nowhere further to go. We are no longer on a path, seeking. In my work I also talk about being complete in our actions in the world. By this I mean that we learn to function in a way that we don’t leave traces behind us. We do what there is to be done, and don’t do what doesn’t need doing. This way we don’t need to process the past.

Our way of being is clean and tidy. We don’t produce feelings of guilt and resentment. We don’t need to go back and fix things up, because we have been careless or lazy. We do what needs to be done in order to be open to the present moment, rather than being thrown, without any control, into replaying the past, or excessively processing the future.

E: What would you say is the most important requirement for someone who wants truth completely?

P: There is no single most important requirement. The recognition of our constant base state as awareness is essential. The deepening and integration of this realization takes time.

It takes whatever time it will take. We can’t rush the process. If we try to speed up the process, it only creates

resistance and delay. Immersion in the field perhaps through being part of an informal, nondual community can also be a great asset.

There are no obstacles to presencing our true nature as unconditioned awareness because nothing can get in the way of “this”. Primordial awareness isn’t a phenomenon, it’s not a belief system, it’s not a particular feeling, it’s not an experience, as such. Nothing can obscure this because there is nothing to be obscured. However, it’s also easy not to recognize the unconditioned dimension of reality because it is invisible, it’s not a sensory or mental reality.

It goes beyond all dualistic notions, including labels of “being” and “not being.” It is paradoxical. It’s completely different from our conditioned experience which changes moment to moment. On the other hand, it’s inseparable from each distinct moment because it doesn’t exist apart from everything else.

L: You teach how to hold a conversation about “nothing” as par t of “deconstructing fixations”, this may sound pointless to some people but can you explain why and how to talk about “nothing” … and can you do it right now?

P: Of course, we can do that right now. I simply start be talking about “this” and clarify that when I say “this” I’m not talking about the visual sensations taken in by your eyes, nor any ambient sounds, nor anything you are sensing in your body, nor what you may be thinking in this moment.

The “this” I am talking about isn’t a thing. It’s not an object of thought.

I can’t think about it because there is nothing to think about. I can’t talk about “it” because there is nothing to talk about! That’s what I’m talking about! I am talking but there is no subject, nothing I am talking about.

This is contentless communication. I do this when I’m teaching as a way of opening into the unconditioned dimensions. I use words to go beyond the mind.

L: Do you have to be of any particular faith or spiritual mindset to practice nonduality or is it available to everyone?

P: There are no prerequisites to resting in nondual awareness. Nothing needs to happen before we arrive here. There is no practice actually. There is nothing more to do because nothing is missing. However, we create a predisposition to resting here—in nondual awareness— whenever there is an oppor tunity, as there is right now. In order to be here in this way we need to live our lives so that these types of opportunities come to the foreground.

If we are stressed-out, consistently overwhelmed, in constant pain, or emotional turmoil, or hold very rigid beliefs, then it’s difficult to look at the nature of awareness itself. We are wrapped up in our experience and can’t see beyond them into the boundless space of the mind itself.

E: Do you see, as some other teachers do, that this is an extraordinary time, a time when ordinary people are waking up?

P: It is quite wonderful how many people in the modern world, on all continents, are realizing how we all share the same basic ground of being as expressions of an awareness that goes beyond all divisions and borders, the personal, national, political and religious. Many more people are ready for these super simple pointingout teachings that reveal the nature of consciousness itself. It is wonderful Continued page 6

our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . . to come together with people all over the world on a teleconference or videoconference calls and share an identical space together, knowing that all boundaries and differences are somewhat incidental.

E: How would you introduce these teachings to someone who may be relatively new to spirituality?

P: Mainly through the idea of taking a break from our usual, pressured way of living life. We always have things to do, projects to complete, responsibilities to assume and fulfill. We rarely give ourselves the opportunity to do nothing, to accomplish nothing for a given amount of time. We are all on path of some sort; a spiritual path, a psychological path. And we are all looking to arrive at the end of the path, the place where no more work needs to be done. This includes giving our mind a break from needing to understand. I often open up a workshop by saying, “We could spend a lot of time on the path during this workshop—we will anyway, thinking there is something to do and something to understand. But the other option is to be at the end right from the beginning. This way we spend more time being together in the free-form play of pure awareness. So let’s do that.

I am sure we can do that for 5 mintues.” We do it for 5 minutes, and then it extends to 20 minutes, like that. We get to spend a few days together enjoying the different manifestations of abiding in pure awareness. We enjoy moments of incredibly deep stillness where thoughts just dissolve in on themselves before they form, leaving us surfing the lip of huge Samadhi waves of imperturbable serenity. We play at the edges of silence and and we watch as stillness morphs into dynamic dialogues where we dance in the delightful paradoxes that emerge at the boundary between thought and the unconditioned.

E: And if there’s one thing you would say to our readers today to assist them in seeking Truth, what would that be?

P: Just that it is extremely simple to be really satisfied. All we need to do is to connect with this moment—yes, this moment right now—and see that we don’t need anything more than what is happening right now. Whatever we think we will need in the future, it may or may not come. But right now we don’t need it. So we are complete.

And, in fact, every moment takes care of itself, and us, in this way.

E: Anything you would like to add?

P: Not at all. This is very complete to me.

Thanks very much Leo and Enza for these very deep and penetrating questions. It has been a delight to share with you.

Treasure Yourself

by Stephen Chong Love is a most essential element for proper brain function … and it starts with the love of the self. So I will tell you a story about a master monk and his novice: As the master was sitting in meditation, a young novice approached him to commence his daily meditation practice. Both master and novice settled into their respective sitting positions and after sharing the pleasantries of the day, admiring the caress of the late afternoon sun on their faces and the sweet breeze that ruffled the ends of their robes, they both began to meditate.

After some considerable time the novice opened his eyes and interrupted the musings of his master. “Master, master,” he cried, “I cannot get these thoughts out of my mind. At one minute I am calm, the next minute there is some thought or other that intrudes upon my peace.”

Now the master, as was his wont, reflected upon the dilemma of his young charge and then said, “My son, why is it that you care and concern yourself with what is not real? The past which was, is no longer a reality, the future which will be, is not yet upon you. My son,” he implored, “when you can glory in each moment that you have been given and judge it as neither good nor bad, then you will be able to achieve your peace of mind.”

“But master,” cried the young novice, “I am not like you! I was not raised in a monastery. I was raised by poor peasants and made to work from dawn till dusk and with little to eat. My father would beat me if I did not finish all my work and my mother threw me onto the streets when I was no more than ten years old.”

Upon hearing these words the master felt great empathy for his young novice and realised that this moment was both a point of great potential and one of great peril in regard to the future of the young man. Slowly and deliberately, the master raised himself from his meditation mat and approached the novice. He then turned his back to the young man and dropped his robes from his shoulders. Upon seeing this, the novice let out a cry of surprise, for criss-crossed across the back of the master were scars from lash marks he had received as a young man. So many scars, in fact, that they were too numerous to count.

As the master realigned his cloak and resumed his meditation seat, the young novice started to cry. Great sobs of release flowed from the young man, uncontrollable sobs that had been pent-up for so many years.

When finally the novice had run out of tears, the master with a look and gaze that contained nothing but love, said to the young man, “My son, each of us has had to traverse many a difficult road with many challenging and traumatic experiences. For many, these experiences could be called horrific, yet it is so that each of us is a blessed human being from God and each is gifted with the grace of life and the ability to love.

“Choose therefore to love who you are at this present moment. Bless the experiences and the people who have brought you to this place and time. Condemn them not, for they are also blessed of God. Forgive their actions, for without those actions you would not be the beautiful, bright star that you are today. Do nothing else but observe your thoughts and do not react to them. Judge them neither as good nor bad, merely that they are only thoughts and that they are non-permanent, merely transitory.

“My son, I say to you most sincerely, that it is our capacity to forgive both ourselves and others, which is the greatest and most powerful force of love that can be found in your heart. For it was the great master Jesus who said, ‘Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that

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trespass against us …’ So be it.”

“Love is the basis of everything that is and ever will be.

Love cannot die, nor will love be cast aside by the thin veil of death. When you love another, treasure each and every moment that has blessed your togetherness. For, though the moments might be fleeting, they are holy beyond measure.

“Love does not discriminate, nor does love have any bounds or limitations, but as you treasure another, so must you treasure yourself, for truly each of you is an irreplaceable child of God. The love that you would give to another, you must also bestow upon yourself. Treasure who you are and realise that the body, mind and spirit that you are is a joy beyond all knowing for the God that gave you life everlasting.”

Stephen Chong is an inspiring and engaging speaker and coach. His insights and inspirations have changed the lives of many people over many years. Author of The Music of the Soul & The Book of Testaments, Stephen’s focus is on connecting people with their life purpose and providing ‘everyday’ skills and techniques that will make life an incredible journey of discovery and realisation. For more information visit www.stephenchong. com.au or call 0414 438909.

Honesty is the Best Policy

by Neils Brummelman Canadian John de Ruiter fits the form of the modern philosopher: neat suit and beard, serious look in the eyes and precise in speech. Yet he is not an everyday man. Far from it. Apar t from his message, John’s mere presence moves people, as it did in Amsterdam last August. In the coalescence of the message and the man, John is a modern Socrates, the Greek philosopher who was known for his charisma and, like John, sought out the ultimate knowledge of the deepest self.

The contrast could hardly be greater. Was this truly the man I had interviewed with such pleasure only an hour ago? The man who, although somewhat reserved and laconic, had answered my questions with frankness, openness, and a smile? Now this man was a philosopher, barely speaking, who stared stoically into the room. When he did speak, his voice was soft and level. But most striking was the silence. At least fifteen minutes passed before anything was said at all. It made me laugh a little, but the brimming audience was undisturbed. On the contrary, most people seemed to enjoy John’s pace and presence. The scarce questions were preceded by long periods of silence, and when finally the microphone was taken in hand, only a few stammered sentences were fired away to the man on stage sitting in his chair. The man who gazed into the deep. Did I have to become a better listener to understand?

John’s pursuit of the truth about himself and the world turned out to be an integral part of the process, revealing that in the end the search is not necessary. Truth lives in each one of us. “To understand that there is no necessity to search, a high level of awareness is needed. Without that, surrender is not possible. Such a level of awareness can only come into being by core splitting honesty

and questioning everything you think you know and feel. Are my thoughts and feelings truly valid? As soon as you discard everything you do not honestly know the truth of, only the ultimate truth remains. The search should never be the goal, but is a means that at some point may be let go. Because there is a truth that is more fundamental than that,” says John. It’s a complex matter, I tell myself. “Consciousness is complex,” is the Canadian’s response to the question marks that are written in neon letters on my forehead. “When there is no absolute honesty, par t of your awareness denies that part which it knows to be true. It actually is a simple concept. Simple, but not superficial.” Mmm, that still doesn’t help. I decide to change my tack.

You often speak of truth. Does a single truth exist or is it a collection of individual truths?

John: “It depends on the reality level you speak of. Do you mean the level of the personality or the self, in which case there are more forms of truth? These only apply to one individual. The higher you climb the ladder of consciousness, the more universal the truths become. Up to the point where you realize the truth of the absolute. On that level truths don’t just count for everybody, but for everything.”

Okay, this I understand. But what then is that absolute truth John so frequently speaks of? Unconditional love?

John: “There is truth in what you think, feel and experience, but that isn’t pure truth. Awareness that is completely honest takes serious what it truly knows and is dedicated to that.

Remove everything you don’t know for sure and embrace that which remains. It may be very little, but only by that fraction you may find the deeper and finer truth behind everything else. You will be capable of integrat-

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www.innerself.com.au ing the absolute in your daily life, which on return will be impregnated by meaning and fulfilled with value and purpose. By eliminating and scraping you don’t become poorer but richer. I always say: the less you can be the bigger you become.”

“Know thyself”, was Socrates’ famous imperative. The Greek philosopher wondered how one could know anything if one didn’t know oneself.

Like John, he looked for the ultimate knowledge of the deepest self, without which nothing can be truly known.

To a degree, we are all conditioned.

Through our genes, our upbringing, the society we live in (and perhaps even through the morphogenetic field) we absorbed information into our system. This conditioning deserves scrutiny as to whether or not it matches our deepest self. If not, we live in a schizophrenic society. One in which all of us do our utmost to suppress the truth by using falsifications and illusions. Has the discrepancy between our inner knowing and the outer “distorted reality” become so big that people are overworked or physically ill? Could it be that we are afraid of our power and wisdom? It appears so.

John: “As soon as consciousness hardens and confines itself, it no longer has the same freedom of movement to experience the unmixed truth. This may cause all kinds of problems which we see reflected in our society. But that is fine, that’s okay. It will create new possibilities.”

Upcoming Seminar in Byron Bay with John de Ruiter - February 17-20, 2012 - Lord Byron Resort, 120 Jonson Street, Byron Bay NSW 2481. $25 AUD per meeting at door (cash only) or $175 AUD (Special Rate) for online registration of full seminar at www. johnderuiter.com.

what isEnlightenment? with Linda Clair

The End of Time

Q: Is enlightenment anything like you thought it would be?

Linda: No, it’s nothing like I thought it would be, because even though intellectually I knew that it was the death of the ego, I couldn’t really believe that life in the body would be possible without the ego. While I was still immersed in the ego/mind to whatever degree, there was still a huge fear of letting go of my self, even though that was what I wanted more than anything.

Even after years of intensive practice, it was still a huge leap to completely let go of the ego (or mind).

It’s a bit like jumping off a cliff, but you actually have to be pushed over by your own suffering. You are finally forced to completely let go because you can’t stand being your self anymore. You have to prefer the possibility of death rather than being in the grip of the thinking mind for another moment.

I suppose I still believed that enlightenment would be a very, very pleasurable experience. But it’s not like that because it’s the end of experiences, the end of time. There’s no one there to have any more experiences. There’s no one there to desire any more experiences.

The experiences that I used to crave most were those in which I would “lose” myself to a large degree, where I would become so immersed in the experience that the self

our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . . wasn’t what was happening that was important, it was my reaction to it.

There cannot be stagnation in enlightenment because it is not a fixed state. It is like being in eternity while still in the physical body. There is a sublime peace, but it is a very intense state - the present moment is so incredibly fast. I suppose I thought that there would be the moment of enlightenment and that would be it.

I didn’t realise that I would be more and more deeply immersed in the

present moment, and I can now see that this will keep happening until the death of the body. Even though there is great value and enjoyment in being in the body, I can also now see that with the death of the body there will be the ultimate union with life.

Q: I’ve been seeking enlightenment for many years. I‘ve read all kinds of books, I’ve been to workshops, and I’ve sat with quite a few teachers. Some teachers say seek, and meditate, others say don’t seek,

don’t meditate. They all seem to be pointing to this non-dual reality. I think I’ve had glimpses of it, but I’m not even sure of that any more. I feel confused, and like I’m not getting anywhere. What should I do?

Linda: You don’t need to read any more books. You know enough intellectually about the subject. You need to get into your body and start practising seriously – and stop flitting around going from teacher to teacher. Once you find an enlightened

would almost disappear and I would forget about time. There would be almost no separation between me and the experience. In enlightenment you actually become the experience and it doesn’t really matter what the experience is because the important thing is that there is no separation between you and the experience. It’s like closing the gap between you and the experience which you are craving.

When there is no separation, there is no time. There is only separation when you are attached to the body, attached to time.

I used to think that there would still be an “I” feeling good, but it’s something much deeper than that.

The deep, eternal peace that people talk about is just the freedom from wanting to feel good, the freedom from wanting, or not wanting, to feel anything. You just fully accept whatever is happening and you realise that the only resistance that you had was from your self. I finally realised that it

CONSCIOUS GATEWAYS JOURNEYS TO SOUL with

Mary Shaw STONEHENGE AND THE CROP CIRCLES On this tour we will be merging with the Multi-dimensional Gateways and moving Beyond!

This journey is for those who want to experience transformation on all levels.

8 Days – 7 Nights 2nd to 9th July 2012

Facilitated by Mary Shaw

KAUAI/HAWAII Intensive Soul Retreat Come and experience the magic of Kauai and at the same time enjoy intensive experiential Soul work with Mary. You will leave this retreat feeling complete on all levels.

8 Days – 7 Nights 24 November to 1st December 2012 th

Facilitated by Mary Shaw

EGYPT LUXOR/THE NILE Gateway to the Soul Open to your Soul energy and experience the Spiritual essence of Egypt on this journey of a lifetime. Fully escorted.

9 Days, November 2012 Dates to be advised

Facilitated by Mark Anns

For further information, contact Mary: Phone 08 97544231 • Mobile 0405003233 • Email marym@primus.com.au Web www.consciousgateways.com

our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . .

teacher who you resonate with – you’re not necessarily going to feel good about that teacher all the time because your mind is going to react to the energy of the teacher, particularly when you start to get more and more deeply into it - but you need to commit to a teacher and a practice, and stay with it, and not scatter yourself.

You really need to be single-pointed about this.

The problem that a lot of people have is that they have a pretty good idea intellectually, but they’re not really committing themselves in a single-pointed way – and that’s really important – to be single-pointed about this, and serious about it. If you are serious about it, I could help you, but you’d need to commit to the practice that I would advise. This practice is simple; it’s the practice that I used, and many other people have used – and it works.

You need to centre yourself and ground yourself in your body. You are probably too much in your head, and that’s why you’re confused. The more grounded you become in the body, the less confused you become, because you start to realise the intelligence of the body rather than the confusion of the intellect. Reality is entirely non-intellectual. Books can help to a certain degree - I’m not saying don’t ever read any books – and with some books, you’re going to be energetically affected, but there comes a time when you should just leave the books for a certain period, until you’re much more grounded and centred in the body – and start experiencing it yourself rather than reading about other people’s experiences.

You need to be prepared to go through whatever it takes – and it takes a lot of courage, because a lot of fear will come up. One of the roles of a teacher is to be your anchor – your security and stability. So you need to have a lot of trust in your teacher, and the only way to trust is to find out in your own experience that what he or she is saying is true.

Linda Clair is a non-sectarian teacher, and is also the author of the book ‘What do you Want?’ She teaches mainly at the Simple Meditation Centre in Crafers West in the Adelaide Hills.

For more information, please visit www.simplemeditation.net

Divining Through Our Divinity

How to tune in to our intuition

by Sky Shayne Innes In the last edition of the InnerSelf, I wrote about Hear t Meditation and how to comprehend the meaning and purpose of your unique life. Amongst many blessings, the practice of Heart Meditation allows for greater intuition and ever-deepening insight. In this edition, I would like to focus on how to tune in to our intuition, awakening awareness of our inner voice.

The language of intuition comes in different forms. We talk of hunches and inspirations, of gut instincts and “following our heart”, of coincidence and synchronicity. We have dreams that seem to have meaning and significance. Out of the blue, we hear about a book, a place, a practitioner or a remedy, three or four times in as many days. While driving, we notice a number plate or a billboard and it is as if we have been given a message.

Well, we have been given a message. Carl Jung said intuition is per-

ception via the unconscious. It is the ability to acquire knowledge without the use of reason. The language of intuition is very often symbolic and the symbols are meaningful only to us in a very particular way. I recall a client telling me about the message she received from her brother who had died. When scattering his ashes in the ocean, a pod of dolphins swam in a circle around his favourite fishing site. Another client talking about his connection with crows and how something always changed significantly in his life when they appeared. I look back at my own life and see how following an impulse, especially from the heart, has shaped and woven my life in ways I could never have expected.

I see how impor tant dreams have been to me in shaping how I moved on, took action or had confirmation. I also know how difficult it is to express this inner language to others. Being

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www.innerself.com.au symbolic, it is very idiosyncratic and, in the telling, can sound insignificant or improbable to another person with a different inner language.

One of the most significant aspects of this language is that it comes with feeling. Again hard to describe, but it is a feeling, a knowing that is absolutely clear and meaningful to us. There may be some degree of rational thought to it but the certainty and clarity is not understood so much as recognised and felt. Quite recently, I had a dream about a tree. This was a strange tree, in that I lived in it along with a baby that I was caring for. In my symbolic language, the baby - and there are many of them - is the part of me that I need to give nurturing attention to at the time. This time, the dream confirmed the direction I am going in with my work. To do with the Tree of Life, the body, ancient wisdom and modern innovation, the dream vividly extended my understanding of how these elements are linked. As guidance for the next step, I couldn’t have asked for better direction but the clarity came, not just from the images, but from the feeling these images brought.

Put differently, if I only considered the dream with my mental body, I would probably not know the whole message of the dream. Dreams seem to be most helpful when experienced through an alpha wave frequency. The knowing comes from so much more than my thoughts and understandings. Thoughts are an important but small part of the whole message and the whole message is obtained beyond language and in knowing. In fact, if you bring too much thought into it, you actually lose sight of the insight.

Another good illustration of intuition and how it can direct, enrich and guide is illustrated in my new travel adventure. Over the years I have done a great deal of traveling. In recent years I have been more involved in the inner journey, until I received a suggestion from a dear friend to go to Peru. Machu Picchu is one of the places on the planet that I have always wanted to visit. I instantly felt a sense of rightness, lightness and excitement - that excitement that makes everything so effortless and without struggle. In addition, 18 months ago I had felt very attracted to visiting Lake Titicaca, a portal or power place

for the development of 4th and 5th dimensional awareness. (This means learning to understand the universe through the knowledge of ourselves.

To “know thyself” is to know the universe and at the 4th and 5th dimension we learn to know our world, not only in material ways but also extrasensory ways. Instead of a fear and survival frequency, we access a love and light frequency where intuition, telepathy and unity consciousness grows.)

Since that first suggestion, there have been so many “messages” about Peru and how to make this visit a powerful experience for this time on the planet. In most unlikely ways, very clear instruction and direction has brought together a strong sense of how to learn from this amazing place at this significant time. So many synchronicities, in the form of people met, ideas shifted, plans changed, information showing up spontaneously, have created a strong sense of purpose and design. Often described as co-creation, following your intuition does feel like a cooperation between you and your divinity or highest expression. The word intuition comes from the Latin word intueri which means “to look inside” or “to contemplate”. By focusing our attention on our hear t, relaxing and breathing into our heart, we can let go of our minds to let our intuition surface. As we know, our bodies give us impor tant and significant information much of which we ignore or medicate away. Because we overlook our intuitive ability, the dis-ease expressed through our bodies becomes the disease. Whether it is through our bodies, our dreams or our hunches, the key is attention. In this often-told Zen story, a student asks a great Zen master, “What is the essence of your teaching?” The master looked at him serenely and said “Attention”. The young student, slightly taken aback at the brevity of his answer, bowed respectfully and said, “Thank you. I know that attention is the first step, but then what?.” Gently, with eyes almost closed in peaceful repose, the master said, “Attention, attention”.

Somewhat aggravated, the student said, “Isn’t there anything else?” With supreme ease of being, the master said, “Attention, attention, attention”.

Your attention in the way you sensitize yourself to the universe. Your intuition is the par ticular and specific message you access from that par t of you that is at one with the universe, and therefore knows everything. Divination is a natural expression of our divinity.

Sky is an inspiring spiritual teacher.

Her incisive insight combined with an engaging presence, add power and magnetism to her message. Author of the book Love’s Alchemy, Sky’s focus is on the transformative power of love. She is a psychologist and spiritual coach with her consultancy in Sydney where she offers courses and private sessions. She also runs retreats in the Promised Land, a beautiful valley near Bellingen in northern NSW. Teaching in Australia, Japan and the UK, Sky is an awakener.

Her invitation is to awaken to your true nature and, thereby, fulfill your purpose. For sessions or details of events call 0417 288 642 or visit www.lovesalchemy.com

The Answer Is Simple

by Sonia Choquette Sonia Choquette, NY Times bestselling author, on loving yourself and living your Spirit.

Ever since I was a child I have worked intimately with others, guiding them through life’s challenges, and helping them find the most direct and satisfying path to fulfilment.

The first thing I’ve learned is that life is a school. We are here to learn to overcome circumstances and create, with what we are given, the lives we really want. I’ve also learned that if we work from ego, intellect, or emotion exclusively we will not succeed.

Observing thousands and thousands from every walk of life and every advantage or disadvantage, I can confidently say the only ones who genuinely succeed, who find peace and joy in their hearts and take great pleasure in their life experiences have a different way of going about things.

Rather than relying solely on their ego, and suffering the assaults life renders on it, they turn to a higher aspect of their nature, the Spirit within, and let this direct their lives. Those who remember that we are Divine Spirit, and follow the guidance of Divine Spirit are the most successful ones. People who listen to and follow their Spirit are not necessarily subjected to any fewer challenges in life than those who rely solely on their egos and intellect to guide them. Not at all, life is life. For all of us, just when we are comfortable in life, an entire new set of challenges or circumstances arise to which we must adapt-and often quickly.

No, following the Spirit within doesn’t prevent you from facing life’s storms. But it does greatly assist you in navigating the treacherous waters as painlessly and creatively as possible. So it only makes sense to follow your holy inner Spirit. The only problem is, so many of us are so disconnected from our Spirits we don’t even know we have one to follow. If we are aware we have a Spirit, it is at best just

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www.innerself.com.au an interesting notion we carry around with us and pay occasional lip service to, but it is hardly something we nurture and trust as the most essential component of joy and success in life.

So it is no wonder people are lost and become overwhelmed by life as thoroughly as they do. Without the Divine Holy Spirit inside guiding they are doomed to fail. That is because the ego, through which they are erroneously seeking peace, satisfaction and abundance can never and will

never bring what it promises. The ego by its very nature can never be loved enough, never have enough attention or security or money, or power to relax and feel peaceful. The reason this is so is because the ego finds comfort and satisfaction only in what it can control, and the truth is the ego can’t control a thing. Life can’t be controlled, people can’t be controlled and though the ego consumes and exhausts itself trying, it never succeeds, so it can never relax. Ever.

So, when it comes to the question what must I do to achieve this? How can I achieve success? Fulfill my purpose? Experience abundance and success? And enjoy my life to the fullest the answer is simple, LOVE YOURSELF AND LIVE YOUR SPIRIT. If you love your Spirit, enough to feel it, strengthen it, respect it, honor it, follow it, trust it and express it your life will work.

This may sound difficult but it’s not as challenging as it seems. It starts

our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . . with becoming aware of yourself as Spirit, and that it has entered your being with your first breath. Once you recognize that as Spirit you carry holiness within you, make it a daily intention to honor that holinesss of Spirit within with a few basic, unwavering decisions.

1. Start your day with ten minutes of meditation. Decide what the one most important thing for that day is for you, and then honor that one thing first, and not last.

2. Remember to breathe. Take a deep breath before you think, speak, and act. Breath is spirit. Let it lead every day.

3. Sing. Listen to your favorite music and sing along. Singing opens the heart where Spirit lives. To sing invites the Spirit within you to express itself.

4. Dance. Even if it’s only two or three steps before you get in the car.

To dance is to move with Spirit and give up control.

5. Move. A lot and often. Take a walk. Stretch. Touch your toes. Hop on one foot then another. Keep active.

Have you ever heard the expression, “The Spirit moved me?” Let it.

6. Wonder. Let the inner child in you come out and play. Leonardo wondered about 100 things a day.

Can you wonder about a few yourself?

7. Laugh. Laughter is the language of Spirit. If you can’t think of anything funny go to YouTube and look for funny videos. Laughter is a habit to be maintained if you want to live in the Spirit.

8. Be grateful for everything. And say “I’m grateful” at least ten times a day… out loud.

9. Ask for help. Reach out and allow yourself to receive from others and from life.

10. Say yes to your intuition and follow it. Don’t push it away. Give it a place of respect and appreciation of your life.

Sonia Choquette is the NY Times bestselling author of The Answer Is Simple… Love Yourself, Live Your Spirit. You can get more information about her by visiting her website at www.soniachoquette.com

Awakening your Inner Passion for 2012

by Karina Godwin It’s amazing just how much talk there is about the potential for disaster in 2012 as our planet moves into uncharted territory. The Mayan calendar is about to finish and there are many theories about what will occur, including the end of the world as we know it. I have had prophetic visions about this time for some years, which are backed up by the research of Greg Braden. This is what I see…

2012 is not yet decided! We have an incredible oppor tunity in front of us. What we think, do and how we behave now will create our future, including 2012. That’s right; our results rest firmly upon what we do.

The opening of the 11.11.11 portal has lifted the veil of amnesia we were born with. We now have even greater access to the energies of creativity and abundance. We have access to energy capable of supporting us to create everything we dream of, peace and happiness. We have a clear slate, with choices to learn to live in greater harmony or descend into negativity.

What can we do to make a difference upon our planet in 2012?

To begin with we need to learn to channel our creative energies. The easiest way is to expand and focus our awareness and attention upon building our passion. If we focus upon creating passion in all that we do, we’ll have a happier life,and the collective vibration of our planet will rise. Happy people create happiness: their enthusiasm and joy is infectious. Happy people are passionate by nature. So just how do we find happiness?

Haven’t people been searching for it for centuries? How will we be able to find it?

I believe that happiness comes with freedom: the freedom to choose our own thoughts and reactions, the freedom to create our experiences combined with the ability to find happiness within our life.

If we experience pover ty, we can focus upon the lack, or how much we have. I spent years believing I’d be happy with a new car/job/par tner/dress/ location/house, and yet I was still unhappy when I had it all.

I looked at why and realised that I didn’t like me, and that my life reflected exactly that. A decade of constant changes has me within a fantastic life.

I am circled by the love of an incredible man and our children, family, a great house and a job that makes my heart sing. How did I create happiness from my depression?

Simple! I chose. I chose to be happy! I chose to no longer tolerate situations and/or people that created unhappi-

ness. Sometimes it meant an attitude change and other times it meant changing my circumstances. I worked with my Intuitive Healers to create that change every day.

I awakened my Spirit and began to treat myself in the way I treated everyone else. I found that I was a great friend or supporter to others, subsequently ignoring my own needs.

I was my own “worst friend” and that needed to change. Of course I was riddled with bad habits and attitudes, so it took some time. But I did it! I’ve just finished a personal training session and for the first time, I am exercising for me. I want to be fit, I want to be happy and I never want to have one more day where I can’t do what I want to do.

I’m choosing to no longer be limited by anything in my life, so I’m supporting my Mind, Body and Spirit in all that it needs to be brilliant!

Here I am today, looking at the potential for 2012 and it looks amazing.

There are two paths for us all to travel and I’m choosing the path on the right. That path is filled with kindness for us and others, authentic relationships, forgiveness and acceptance, and even better: it’s filled with happiness! I know I might not “get it” every single day, but I’ll: • Be my own best friend • Be passionate about everything • Be watchful of my thoughts and language to ensure they’re positive all day • Listen to my body and my Spirit and give it what it needs when it needs it • Surround myself with people who are kind to me and limit exposure to those who aren’t • And spend time loving me and loving my body...

Most impor tantly I’ll be vigilant, pouring my energies into creating a better world for me and those I love. I’ll be living this; I hope you’re inspired to do it too. Because today is a new oppor tunity, and in every moment I can choose to keep things the same or I can choose to have better outcomes. What will you choose for 2012?

Karina Godwin is the Founder and Director of the Flying Souls Institute of Healing in Melbourne.

She is the creator of the Intuitive Healing modality and the author of Guided meditation CD’s. A child psychic, she has learnt over the years to master her intuition into a tool for success. For info phone (03) 9596 9921 or visit www.flyingsouls.com

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our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . .

www.innerself.com.au

The Healing Essence of Art as Therapy

by Glenda Needs

Glenda Needs is the Senior Lecturer in Art Therapy at the IKON Institute of Australia. She has been a practising Art Therapist for many years across a remarkably broad range of client groups. If you would like to study Art

BEING WOMAN…

Women Weaving the Web

Therapy, or Transpersonal Counselling and experience its potency and make a difference to others, then contact The IKON Institute on (08) 8350 9753 or info@ikoninstitutesa.com for your FREE information pack. IKON provides Nationally Accredited Diploma courses in Ar t Therapy, Transper sonal Counselling, Counselling, and Youth Work in SA, QLD, and WA. Visit www. ikoninstitutesa.com to find out more

by Gillian Raynor Many traditions speak of the return of the Goddess, the Shekinah, or the Divine Feminine. Consider the proph-

Divine Love Grounding Re-birth Source Be-ing am

_ d e ep

ecy of White Buffalo Calf Woman who came to the Lakota people to show them the right way and whose return

Transformation Sisterhood Connecting Weaving Balance io

un

n

or perhaps all of this art will go into the recycling bin, the client deciding that the value has been had, that the product itself is not valuable. The process has done its work.

An ar t therapist does not, of course, work without words, but merely places the emphasis upon the art marking. The closing process for many sessions is in developing new words that reflect the new awareness created through the art. Humans use words as the primary means of communication, and outside of the consulting studio, clients will use these words to communicate their new understandings to family and friends.

These words also act as short reinforcers for maintaining new beliefs or behaviours, when the option to pull out some paints and watercolour paper whilst serving a customer or cooking dinner for the children, is usually not an option!

The beautiful sand mandala is gone, but the lessons in witnessing this process remain with me. The experience reminded me that even if a client spends two days creating a single art work, they can still throw it away at the end and retain considerable value from the process. And, just as I have done here, the words that the client combines to describe the experience can provide a means to share it.

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I recently attended a conference in Sydney and saw the Gyuto Monks of Tibet create a beautiful sand mandala over two days. This art is all about the moment. The creation lasts for as long as it takes to make it and then this beautiful ar t work is “deconstructed” using a ritualistic process where the vividly coloured sand is usually poured into a river.

As I watched the monks intently working on this project, I was amazed at their tenacity. How many of us would spend two full days bending over minute detail only to have it destroyed as soon as it is complete?

As a society however, we are highly focussed on product, on things; especially on things we can keep. These monks maintained the value in the process, not just for themselves in the creation, but for those that witnessed the process. I, for one, have taken some “thing” away. It is a lesson, a vivid memory and the capacity to share this.

As an art therapist I often need to remind my clients and my students to value the moment. The value in the therapy is not in the product, but in the making of the product. Thus the art work does not have to be of lasting artistic value, I do not expect to be thinking “wow” about what I see, but perhaps so, about the process I witness. When a person creates an art piece in therapy, it is not with the intention of exhibiting the work. The perspective and accuracy of the realist representation is not important.

The goal is for the client to create an art work that resonates with their lived experience. The act of creating art around a personal issue, causes the client in therapy to dwell with the issue for extended periods of time.

This time is preferably not cluttered with words but with a quiet and gentle internal reckoning of events. When a problem is discussed in talk therapy, it occurs in a reasonably ordered and linear fashion, with some words and phrases left behind, as others seem to hold most promise and so are further explored. Art enables the teller of the story to go back and forth, add a minor detail, correct a slightly less satisfactory mark to include and retain the big picture. It is an organic process, growing, adjusting according to the thoughts, understanding and intent of the client. The client can also stand back, see the whole picture and then step in again to make adjustments that better resonates with their experience.

Without any other engagement with the therapist, many clients find this process gives them insight, allows them a method for extended reflection and frees them from the standard verbal phrases they, and others have used for similar experiences. It gives them an oppor tunity to identify their unique experience and feelings.

An art therapist would support a client through this initial process and then apply one or many of a vast variety of tools to work with the art, consistently focusing on the images rather than the spoken (or written) word. Many pieces of ar t may be generated in one session, perhaps none of them anything that I can recognise, and almost cer tainly none of them something I would hang on my wall!

At the end of the session some

ening _ in

Being Woman... a women’s gathering

Ewen Maddock Dam, Sunshine Coast 2-4 March 2012

To register, go online: www.beingwoman.com.au Contact: Nivannii 0411 773 310 bookings@beingwoman.com.au Proceeds go to the Joining Association

Early Bird $350 (till 29 January 2012) Full Price $395

artist credit: Jayne Skipper and Rene Bahloo, www.weavery.com.au

was signalled by the birth of the white buffalo. Consider the Book of Revelations and the vision of the Sophia, the Divine Feminine, crowned in the glory of the stars. Consider the American Indian prophecy that states, “When the wisdom of the grandmothers is heard there will be peace.” A grandmother who has weathered the many seasons of life, who has birthed children and held grandchildren has wisdom and knows the value of life.

A personal sorrow this year has been the death of my beloved grandmother. With her passing, though, I feel her within me; a reminder to seek this wise one within and listen to her.

This voice of my inner self, my intuition, has led me on a path that my mind could never have predicted or created. I am truly exploring and remembering what it is to be a woman, drawing from the strength of generations before me, and healing for myself and ancestors what they could not heal. I am learning that to truly nurture and love others, I must first honour and love myself. I am discovering that it is my inner union with myself and creation that is the foundation for my existence. I have found that the alchemical marriage of the masculine and feminine energies is within my own being. I have seen that my awareness is beyond any concept of gender. I have discovered being a woman is something we women are all dreaming together.

A powerful archetype for me is Grandmother Spider. She reminds us of the sacredness and interconnectedness of all life. Her threads look fragile but are stronger than steel.

Her daily devotion is to reweave the web, repairing and tending to her creation. Her web is the web of life: all creation is interwoven. We are interdependent with earth, plant, and animal kingdoms and each other. All are our relatives. She reminds us that we are not alone, and our unity is our strength.

It has been a joy this year to connect with community by attending women’s gatherings and circles. I have found strength in community. I have sat with Elders of many races to listen, just as I sit with myself in stillness, to listen to the voice of the wise one within. I believe, as many prophecies state, that we are at the threshold of a great change, a crossroads. I believe that we are co-creating this together and that this may be a peaceful, graceful transition, if we wish. Our prayers, our love and intentions are powerful. We women are dreamers and weavers. It is time for us to dream together this new world in recognition of the oneness and sacredness of all life, for the good of generations to come.

Gillian Rayner is one of 9 passionate women who volunteer on the organising committee of Being Woman, an annual non-profit women’s gathering on the Sunshine Coast: www.beingwoman.com.au. Gillian loves music, art, craft, writing, nature, crystal healing, working with children in Steiner Education, Holistic Counselling, and is a Tantric Heart Practitioner. Contact: gillian. is.love@gmail.com; www.facebook. com/Alchemical.Threads.Designs

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www.innerself.com.au

Women Making a Difference

As the world undergoes massive change, women continue to come to the fore, leading the way in their own field. Here are some original, wise, strong, passionate, and creative women introducing themselves and w hat they do.

Aleksandra Zaric

Aleksandra Zaric is an Australian author and founder of the Energy Intelligence Program trademark which is an experiential

correspondence course on self empowerment. In 2010, Aleksandra initially self published her first nonfiction title Energy Intelligence and completed a large National Book Signing Tour in Angus and Robertson and Borders bookstores. Upon completion of her tour, her paper-

back title was then signed over to a large Australian Publisher, Joshua Books and was regarded as a top pre-order title within these stores before its second edition official release date of 15 February 2011. Her Energy Intelligence title has earned her many spreads within the media and has been exhibited in 2011 at International Books Shows such as the Worlds Best Book Fairs in London, America, Poland, China and Germany.

Aleksandra has carved out a niche brand for herself by being renowned for uniquely producing products that convey the message that goals are readily achievable. She provides aspiration, especially to women with her positive and encouraging messages by inspiring them to believe in their own innate power. www.aleksandrazaric.com

Ann Carland

As a Bars Facilitator I am a Practitioner as well as able to teach Bars. The Bars is one of the tools from Access Consciousness ™ which is designed to help you change whatever isn’t working in your life by touching 32 points on your head which contain all the thoughts, beliefs, attitudes and considerations that you have stored.

For further details see Moon Calendar ad this issue or phone Ann on 0467 580 329.

Ohlara

Ohlara is a Master Chakra Healer, Channel and Teacher. A near death experience 32 years ago introduced

our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . .

Ohlara to a council of 12 Light beings (Platinum Elohim). Since then they have guided her to develop the Platinum Alchemy Healing System and Energy Medicines. A high frequency alchemical healing system, working with the Platinum Ray, to create selfmastery, enlightenment and ascension.

and international clients by means of private consultations and group healings.

Wonderful results are experienced after having life, health or relationship patterns cleared and it becomes possible to be in flow again. Baby and child readings also available.

Contact Ohlara via email at ohlara@ purebalance.com.au

For phone, Skype or in-person c o n s u l t at i o n s w i t h R a c h e l l e, phone 0414 317 323 or Email: auratherapist@gmail.com

Sky Shayne Innes

Joanne Antoun

Sky is an inspiring spiritual teacher.

Her incisive insight combined with an engaging pr esence, add power and magnetism to her message. Author of the book Love’s Alchemy, Sky’s focus is on the transformative power of love.

She is a psychologist and spiritual coach with her consultancy in Sydney where she offers courses and private sessions. She also runs retreats in the Promised Land, a beautiful valley near Bellingen in northern NSW. Teaching in Australia, Japan and the UK, Sky is an awakener. Her invitation is to awaken to your true nature and, thereby, fulfill your purpose.

For sessions or details of events call 0417 288 642 or visit www. lovesalchemy.com

Rachelle Terry

Rachelle Terry, a Sydney based therapist, has had an ability from childhood to clairvoyantly see the human aura. She works with local, interstate

Joanne Antoun is a highly respected psychotherapist and lecturer in the field of personal growth and collecti ve consciousness, a gifted medium author and creator of the CTC Technique. She sees clients for personal sessions of CTC – a life-transforming Combined Therapy Cocktail, and runs regular seminars that inspire, motivate and empower, leaving you feeling a new level of connectedness and awareness that motivates you to be the best you can be.

V i s i t h e r w e b s i t e a t w w w. joanneantoun.com

Donna Pemberton

Donna Pember ton is a Life Coach who has both one to one clients and also r uns powerful wor kshops on the Gold Coast. Donna came to be a

life coach after working successfully in the Banking and Insurance industries, noting her many customers’ needs for knowledge and understanding of basic business structure.

Donna also incorporates pendulum work for people wanting answers to specific questions along the way.

“Although this is not a focus of my business it is something that I can do extremely well and I am happy to do for people. I have been talking to the other side for over 20 years and being able to communicate effectively in this way to whichever relative you would like is amazing.”

Visit bellaaphrodite.com for a blog style suggestion section for women, and on both sites below for simple and effective business tips. Her coaching sessions will be available as home study courses in the New Year.

Phone Donna on 0412 822 446. donna@marandonptyltd.com donna@bellaaphrodite.com www.marandonptyltd.com www.bellaaphrodite.com

Amanda De Warren

As a professional medium, about 95% of my clients are female.

With this issue’s theme being ‘Women Making a Difference’, women’s intuition is an impor tant topic. Many of my female clients have found that turning to their intuition and to spiritualism for guidance has given them peace in their inner self. I help facilitate this by connecting them with their passed over loved ones and pets.

The messages that come through

our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . .

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www.innerself.com.au offer so much relief and release, with many women’s lives falling into place once this connection is made. They can then tune into their own intuition more and keep theirs and their family’s lives on track.

Contact Amanda De Warren, Medium & Animal Communicator on (07) 5426 8298 or visit www.amandadewarren. com

Carol Vincent

So what is the ‘Heal Your Life’® Work?

Heal Your Life® is the catalyst for self love and discovery.

• Learn how to love yourself and others more fully; • Understand your family dynamics and barriers to love; • Release negative emotions that block your joy and creativity; • Improve your health, relationships, prosperity and bring more peace into your life; • Learn to use affirmations that bring about positive changes; • Discover your own power, strengths and inner wisdom; • Nurture your inner child; • Create the life you dream of!

“Every thought I think and every word I speak is an affirmation for my future” Affirmations are a very powerful tool in supporting positive thinking and are effective in changing our life patterns and outcomes. The benefit of positive thinking is medically well established. Affirmations allow you to consciously harness the power of positive thinking. You then have the choice of directing them to specific areas of your life that need attention or where you want to bring about change. The great news is that affirmations really work and can transform your life. ”Remember, you are the only person who thinks in your mind. You are the power and authority in your world,” says Louise.

“I am prosperous wherever I turn.” • “I love my life and life loves me.” • “I am healthy and strong in body and mind.”

You can Heal Your Life and Achieve Your Dreams - NOW! Susie is the Heal Your Life® Teacher Trainer for Australia and New Zealand Please contact Susie for all information www.healyourlife.net.au

Carol Vincent is a healer and teac her. “Mind Body Soul Roma was birthed some years ago when my daughter and I were guided to establish a unique healing centre with a holistic approach to health and wellness. My passion is Transference® Healing which allows one to achieve wellness and spiritual growth. I offer face-toface and remote healings worldwide and this ascension modality is changing people’s lives. During a healing I intuitively identify the underlying cause/s of any illness or imbalance and then channel healing energy and frequencies into the body. I travel to teach groups of people to teach them to run energy and to be more empowered around their own health.” www.healingmindbodysoul.com.au

Mary Shaw

Mary is the founder and creator of Conscious G a t e w ay s a n d her passion is working with the Multi-dimensional Soul energy. Mary is an experienced facilitator and has the ability to initiate change on all levels of Conscious-

ness. She has over 35 years experience in the Metaphysical Arena. Mary also facilitates enlightenment tours to Egypt, Peru and other Sacred places.

Contact Mary. Ph: 08 97544231 Mob: 0405003233 Email marym@primus. com.au www.consciousgateways.com

Sonette Schoeman

Sonette Schoeman is the founder of the Sonesha Academy on the Gold Coast.

Sonesha offer s courses in Sonesha Meditation for beginners through to masters and guided meditation for health, success, inner peace, Breathwork and Pranayama. Courses in Metaphysics include the Chakras and Aura, Connecting with your Angels, Space Clearing, the Law of Attraction and more. Courses in Vibrational Resonance Therapies include Reiki Level 1 to Master Teachers, Crystal Therapy for beginners to masters, Colour Therapy and more. Sonesha has recently expanded and opened a Centre for Personal Development offering Yoga, Pilates and Weight Loss.

Therapies offered include Reiki, Crystal Therapy, Counselling, massage and more. Sonesha is dedicated to the wellbeing of Mind, Body, Soul and Spiritual Development with the aim towards self-empowerment.

Come see us at the Sonesha Academy at 174 Currumburra Road in Ashmore or the Sonesha Centre for Personal Development at Unit 2 Dominions House, 28-34 Dominions Road in Ashmore

Sonesha can be contacted on 1300 552 334 or go to www.sonesha.com

Anna Wilson

Anna Wilson, Founder of the Colour

Create Love, Joy & Wellbeing

• Learn the skills to facilitate your own life changing workshops.

• Become one of the exclusive Heal Your Life® Workshop Leaders making a positive difference in people’s lives.

• An exciting week of fun, learning and sharing with like minded individuals.

• Treat yourself to this special week at one of our seminars.

“Lets work together to change our lives and the world one thought at a time.”

Louise L. Hay

Heal Your Life Seminars Tel: 02 6559 4413 • Mobile: 0419 998 692 • Email: susan@healyourlife.net.au For more information on Workshops, Personal Coaching or Teacher Training visit our website: www.healyourlife.net.au

Blueprint System, promotes joy creation through colour, taught at her school, ‘Almanac, a space for learning’ in Double Bay. Anna is a Registered Nurse, Meditation Facilitator and Energetic Practitioner. She believes in putting the joy into this moment, because it is from this point that we create.

Phone: 0419 473 234 email anna@ colourblueprints.com www.colourblueprints.com

Dr Lisa Matriste

Dr Lisa Matriste is a Holistic dentist who has established 2nRICH Holistic Wellness and Vitality Centre. The Centre incor porates a Whole Body Approach to obtaining optimal health based on Dr Lisa’s health philosophy: Eliminate toxic exposure both on a personal and environmental level, provide optimal nutrition and oxygenation of the cells plus enrich the mind and body with restorative Sleep. 2nRICH features Holistic Dental and Medical Clinics, and a detoxification OxySpa.

2nRICH – Your Life, Australia, Our Planet. 131 Commercial Road, South Yarra 3141. Ph: (03) 9078 0387 info@2nrich.com www.2nrich.com

Vicki Anderson

Vicki Anderson is a healer who works with a gentle healing practice to facilitate development of your intuitive gifts and healing for your body mind and spirit. By drawing on a blend of

cell of your being. Crystals embody not only simplistic beauty but a multitude of energies that activate our

by Rachelle Charman mind, body and soul and Rachelle Rachelle Charman is unquestionably with incredible results. has certainly embodied their gifts and one of the leading Crystal Healers in A remarkable and authentic womknowledge.

Australia. Her passion and inspira- an creating a new level of healing, Rachelle has spent time with Petion to spread her love & knowledge straight from the heart and Mother ruvian Shaman’s and Native Healers of crystals to others has created Earth. Rachelle’s teachings are truly in the Amazons where she witnessed one of the biggest crystal training dynamic, heart felt and life changing. and experienced profound healings organizations in Australia.The global Her deep passion of assisting humanand gained much insight into the healpopularity of her teachings sowed ity in embracing their own self love ing ways of the Native tribes. Activatthe seeds for ‘The Academy of Crystal and acceptance Rachelle offers her ing the memory and knowledge held Awakening’ to develop, creating a fellow students her advanced knowldeep within of Shamanic and Crystal ripple effect of crystal healers across edge in the healing gifts offered by the Healing.

Australia, New Zealand and beyond. Crystal Kingdom, those special gems She is a natural healer and teacher Rachelle teachings come from her and stones that can only be considwho lives life guided by the flow of her deep-rooted connection to Mother ered as a gift from Heaven on Earth. divinely loving heart.

Ear th and have been inspired by By taking a step into your hear t her mentors. Reconnecting with her and learning the healing powers and Rachelle Charman www.crystalawakening.com instinctive knowledge of crystals and processes offered by Rachelle the info@crystalawakening.com natural healing techniques, has al- Crystal Kingdom and Mother Earth, 07 3206 7287 lowed Rachelle to transform her stu- you will open to a world of self healing or 0415 282 086 dents own intuitive healing abilities where unconditional love fills every

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www.innerself.com.au

ancient wisdoms, transformational healing, essences of love and light, Vicki helps you enhance your quality of life and generate healing on all levels of your VICKIbeing.

ANDERSON Vicki Anderson 0403 2160403 309 216 309 www. angelitehealing.com.au angels@ els@angelitehealing.com.au angelitehealing.com.au www.angelitehealing.com.au

Carmel Scaringi

Car mel Scaringi is a personal, professional life coach, who’s vision is to raise consciousness & awareness.

Through a variety of coaching and healing techniques Carmel can help you take back responsibility, empowering you to choose your life’s plan.

Carmel’s clients have found amazing growth in their personal, professional and financial life.

Life Coach & Bars Facilitator. Call 0419 344 769 and visit www.getintuit.com.au

Gina Charos

Gina Charos is an Access ConsciousnessTM practitioner. “Empowering people to know what they knowTM” “Are you ready to create and generate a phenomenal life much greater than you could possibly imagine? Access ConsciousnessTM is about giving you easy and practical tools to be all that you can be.” Gina works with adults and children unlocking any limiting beliefs and fears, allowing them to access the potency and magnificence of their being.

Life ToCentre learn more please contact Gina: 822 325 or email gina_charos@ Life 0400 Centre

NG optusnet.com.au

NG Christina & Kylie Clark Mother

Christina and Kylie ave Mother ar e a Mother and ave Daughter team who ne have opened the g to ane Power of Life Centre er are g to in Toowong, Brisbane shops, er are to provide Holistic shops, Healing to the pubge, lic. Ser vices they ack, ge, offer are Reiki, Reiki oack, Training/Workshops, o Clairvoyant Readings, Massage/Lymdrainage, Hypnotherapy, Bio 5 Deanphatic Street, Feedback, Acupuncture and Facials to 07 3172 2243 5 Dean Street, name a few.

07 3172 The 2243 Power of Life Centre, Suite 1 & 2, 45 Dean Street, Toowong QLD 4066.

(07) 3172 2243

Juliet Martine

Juliet Mar tine is a Healer, Soul Intuitive & Manifestation Coach.

My purpose is to help people reconnect with their true self and to live their full soul potential this lifetime.

Sometimes I find myself wondering if I’m making a difference at all, and then out of the blue I’ll receive a thank you email from someone, a text message of appreciation, or I’ll bump into a person I did a Soul Reading for years ago and they’ll tell me how it changed their life and helped them to reconnect with their authentic self and life path. We all make a positive difference, and sometimes it’s one person at a time.”

Phone 0413 199 649 and visit www. themanifestationprocess.com

Zoe Davis

Zoe Davis –is an Holistic Life Change Facilitator.

“Change is natural part of life, however change can be unwanted and inconvenient!” Zoe is a dedicated Holistic Life Change Facilitator who has successfully encouraged hundreds of people to effectively take charge of change and create a life that suits them. Her method is insightful, fun, and relaxing, and is always inspiring.

Pure Element Healthcare. Phone 0401 318 593. Suite 9/2a Redman Rd Dee Why NSW. www.pureelementhealthcare. com.au email:pureelement@live.com

Yolanda Morabito

Fo u n d e r o f I n nerlight Journeys.

I have dedicated my life to finding secrets to healing all types of mental and emotional issues. My students and clients come to innerlight journeys to transcend their issues while learning how to understand energy and the creative process of life. I simply love what I do, thanks for visiting and I hope you enjoy my site.

Phone 0410 409 518 or (02) 4732 4031 and visit www.innerlightjourneys. com.au

Nicole Cody

Nicole Cody is a Metaphysical Teacher and Channel. She specialises in Soul Blueprints, Life Direction Counselling and Spiritual Mentoring.

Light and Blessings be Yours!

For more information contact 07 3256 0815 or www.nicolecody.com. Or find her on Facebook.

Jo Jewitt

Jo Jewitt star ted her career in people leadership 12 year s ago and during this time has managed and led inbound/ outbound call centre teams and business processing teams within both a sales and service environments.

I has also implemented people and process strategies for many blue chip companies across the UK and Australia. She now runs a training and coaching organisation. “Throughout my career I have observed how poor communication between peers/leaders and customers can impact an organisation’s overall performance and individuals performance. With this in mind I have turned my 10 years’ experience of leading and coaching staff towards life coaching, business/ leadership coaching and creativity coaching, all based around making an impression with your life. This then rolls into Instant Impressions, a training and development company centred around helping people to make a long-lasting impression.”

Jo has strong personal beliefs that the only way to make change successful in life is by connecting, and the only way for this to happen is by constantly improving communication and emotional intelligence to increase our understanding of each other.

Jo Jewitt. Phone 0434 122 926 and email jjewitt0@gmail.com

Linda Clair

Linda Clair is a non-sectarian teacher, and is also the author of the book

‘What do you Want?’ She teaches mainly at the Simple Meditation Centre in Crafer s West in the Adelaide Hills.

For more information, please visit www. simplemeditation.net

Isabella Gentilin

Isabella is a highly gifted and respected Medium who gives accur ate r eadings, bringing healing and love.

She is devoted to spreading love and joy through her books and spiritual work.

Phone Isabella on 0421 88 22 89, email isabella.gentilin@hotmail.com and visit www.isabellagentilin.com

Patricia Farren

Patricia Farren has always loved crystals so after many year s in the film industr y as a film researcher she opened her fir st Crystal Shop in Darling Harbour. Patricia has developed her healing skills over the years training in modalities such as Reiki, Crystal Healing, Counselling, Bach Flower Essences and Power of the Mind.

She now runs New Lifenergy at Marrickville where she and her daughter Katie share their love for the work they do. A firm believer in the adage “As you think, so you are.” Patricia sees only the positives for the future, no matter how bleak the press like to paint it.

You can visit Patricia at New Lifenergy - 153 Marrickville Rd, Marrickville NSW or phone (02) 9519 9821

Karina Godwin

Karina Godwin is the Founder and Director of the Flying Souls Institute of Healing in Melbourne.

She is the creator of the Intuitive Healing modality and the author of Guided meditation CD’s. A child psychic, she has learnt over the years to master her intuition into a tool for success.

our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . . space for women to come together in circle to remember and celebrate the sacred power of woman within all stages of life, Women’s Moonlodge. “My womb is now the source from which I create, my oracle, my deepest blessing.” www.moonmagic.com.au redmoongoddess@rocketmail.com

Elisabeth Jensen

Elisabeth Jensen is a former Registered Nurse who discover ed her remarkable abilities as a medical intuitive, psychic and healer 20 years ago. She has since devoted her life to teaching and transmitting her abilities to others and is the Principal of the world famous Isis Mystery School and a multi Award Winning Psychic.

Call 1300558075 for brochures or visit www.isismysteryschool.com

Heather Frahn

Heather Frahn is a singer, multiinstr umentalist and songwriter presenting with mighty vocals.

Heather’s lyric’s promote peace, well being and a global community as part of the Conscious Music Movement. Creatively prolific, her music has travelled widely. Heather’s releases have received critical acclaim and sound art compositions featured in theatre and dance companies, short films and radio documentaries.

Heather presents events connecting community with creativity and skill development, including drumming, singing, song writing, recording, sound healing and sound meditation.

Heather has won several awards including Young Citizen of the Year, listing in Who’s Who of Australian Women publication, and Most Outstanding Female Solo Artist Award.

www.crystalawakening.com info@crystalawakening.com 07 3206 7287 or 0415 282 086

Dian Booth

Dian Booth has been recognised

by Native American Healer, Bruce Hardwick, as one who is in the vanguard of bringing forth The new form

of Healing from Australia. We’ve always known it w as coming, and called it ‘The Healing with No Name’. Dian will begin this exciting programme with Ceremonies which include Indigenous Healing Knowledge, Sound and Colour Healing, Dolphins, Crystals, and more For details phone 0417 800 219. www.soundhealing.com.au

Iris Detenhoff

Iris Detenhoff is the author and publisher of the Moontime Diar y. She studied general nur sing in Munich and migrated to Australia in 1987. Her strong interest in nature, health, astrology and anthroposophy has guided her to publishing a yearly almanac as this moon diary turns out to be.

For inquiries please contact us at: info@moontimediar y.com.au or phone: 02 6684 2770

Be kind whenever possible.

It is always possible.

www.heatherfrahn.com

Rachelle Charman

Dalai Lama

Rachelle Charman is unquestionably one of the leading Crystal Healers in Australia. Her passion and inspira-

What is Energy Intelligence? You are Energy Intelligence!

All you need to do NOW is learn how to AWAKEN it.

For further information phone (03) 9596 9921 or visit www.flyingsouls. com

Benefits:

• Empower yourself with a positive outlook • Clarify you goals and higher purpose

Sue Suchocki

“Life is full of stress”, says Sue “juggling relationships and career, there is no time left for you. As a FasterEFT (tapping) practitioner, I teach you to cope with everyday life using effective techniques to get to the root of problems and knock them over quickly; giving you the lifestyle you want.”

tion to spread her love & knowledge of crystals to others has created one of the biggest crystal training organizations in Australia .

By taking a step into your hear t and learning the healing powers and processes offered by Rachelle the Crystal Kingdom and Mother Earth, you will open to a world of self healing where unconditional love fills every cell of your being. Rachelle has spent time with Peruvian Shaman’s and Native Healers in the Amazons where she witnessed and experienced profound healings and gained much insight into the healing ways of the Native tribes. She is a natural healer and teacher who lives life guided by the flow of her divinely loving heart.

Aleksandra Zaric

Author of “Energy Intelligence” Founder of “Energy Intelligence Program”

• Re-design your life

Plus for a limited time only, get a FREE complimentary copy of newly released ebook “365 Daily Affirmations” By Aleksandra Zaric

Price $49.99

Visit: www.aleksandrazaric.com • 0405 385 019

www.appliedtechniques.net

Elena Iacovou

Elena has a great passion and understanding of women’s mysteries weaving in from a spiritual upbringing in Cyprus, her yogini studies, women’s spirituality retreats and self-dedication to the path of Mother as Goddess. She also publishes the women’s spirituality journal. “Although I had a spiritual upbringing, the powers of bleed time and menopause where not one of them. When I came to realize this power centre my priorities in life changed.” She has created a safe

FasterEFT ~ Stress Management Applied Techniques Training Creating Awareness

Sue Suchocki, Emotional Health Counsellor, Sunnybank Brisbane

0447 115 928 • www.appliedtechiques.net

our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . .

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www.innerself.com.au

Touching the Spiritual Heart of India “For millennia,” writes Phil Cousineau, in his book The Art of Pilgrimage, “ the cry in the heart for embarking upon a meaningful journey has been answered by pilgrimage, a transformative journey to a sacred centre. It calls for a journey to a holy site associated with gods, saints, or heroes, or to a natural setting imbued with spiritual power, or to a revered temple to seek counsel. To people the world over, pilgrimage is a spiritual exercise, an act of devotion to find a source of healing, or even to perform a penance. Always, it is a journey of risk and renewal. For a journey without challenge has no meaning; one without purpose has no soul.”

India, known as the Land of the Gods is one of the world’s most ancient places of pilgrimage and has more than 150 pilgrimage sites. Hindu pilgrims call these sacred places tirthas which in Sanskrit means river ford, steps to a river, or place of pilgrimage.

In Vedic times the word described those sacred places associated with water, but by the time of the Mahabharata, tirtha had come to denote any holy place, be it a lake, mountain, forest, or cave.

Tirthas are believed to be more than physical locations, with devotees seeing them as the meeting place of heaven and earth, locations where one crosses over the river of samsara (the endless

cycle of birth, death and rebirth) to reach the distant shore of liberation. Saintly individuals who lead exemplary lives imbue their environments with the holiness that accrues from their spiritual practices.

Devotees who had visited the saints while they were alive often continued to seek inspiration in the same places after the saint had died. Over many centuries, folk tales about the lives of the saints attained legendary proportions, attracting pilgrims from great distances. If miracles were reported at the shrine, the saint's legends would spread across the entire country, attracting still more pilgrims.Some of the main pilgrimage sites include the Four Dhams or Divine Abodes at the four compass points; the Seven Sacred Cities and their primary temples; the Jyotir, Svayambhu, and Pancha Bhutha Linga temples; the Shakti Pitha temples; the Kumbha Mela sites; major Vaishnava sites; the Nava Graha Sthalas (temples of the planets); the seven sacred rivers (Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Godavari, Narmada, Kaveri, and the Sarayu); the four Mutts of Sri Adi Sankaracharya (Badrinath/Joshimath, Puri, Sringeri, and Dwarka); the Arupadaividu (the six sacred places of Lord Kumara).

www.innerself.com.au

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our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . .

our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . .

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www.innerself.com.au

MoneyMindset with Dr Andrew Powell

Shifting the Programming So what exactly is your money mindset? Is it even a real thing? Does it really affect your life?

By now I’m sure everyone has heard the message of films such as “The Secret” and others like it- that your mindset creates your reality… but does it really work in real life?

Most people have had the experience of trying to create something they really wanted with these principles, only to be disappointed when nothing seemed to happen. Yet for others miracles occur. So what’s the difference?

Why does it work for some people and not others?

The truth is that these principles do work when you know how to apply them properly, but most people don’t know the full story. You see, it’s true that your mind creates your reality, but it is also true that your mind is about 90-98% subconscious and only about 2-10% conscious. You can wish for something as hard as you like with your conscious mind, but if your subconscious mind contains programming that won’t allow you to have that thing it will sabotage any chance of you ever actually getting it.

The conscious mind is the only mind that has a choice. The subconscious mind does not. It is reactive in nature. It is basically a bunch of (mostly old) automatic programs that were created to help you survive and

operate in the world. The problem is that they may no longer be appropriate for you… or may never have been in the first place. However, once they are stored in the subconscious then every time you “push the button” it will play the same old response, both emotionally and even physically. For many people this leads to creating the same results in certain areas of their lives over and over again… usually to their great frustration!

This is often the case in the area of money and finances. We may consciously set goals, expectations and dreams, but if our subconscious is not in alignment with them then our financial reality will stay stubbornly the same.

It’s possible to make changes by fighting against these unconscious patterns with willpower and the conscious mind, but it’s a long, hard, demanding slog, which requires constant vigilance and perseverance. The truth is that not many people have the stamina and determination for it. We all know how many New Year’s resolutions actually stick, right?

However, there is a solution. The key to effective and lasting change is to combine conscious choice with techniques that can rapidly shift your subconscious programming and make way for the installation of new, healthier and more suppor tive be-

liefs. So why do things the hard way?

By working to deprogram the subconscious mind first and then applying the conscious mind and then engaging your willpower it becomes possible to easily create whatever you want.

Now we’re not just talking about some airy-fairy feel-good fluff here, we are talking about making actual concrete, measurable, physical changes in your brain. Up until recently, it was “known” in neuroscience that once it reached maturity the brain was unable to grow and repair itself- basically that we were born with a certain number of brain cells, which slowly died off over time throughout our lives and were never replaced.

These days we understand things a little better. It is now well established that the brain is much more plastic than we used to think, and is constantly changing and forming new connections throughout our lives, based on our experiences and our emotional reactions to them.

There are some interesting cases of this in action described by Norman Doidge, M.D. in his book “The Brain that Changes Itself”. In one instance a woman learned to “see” through electrodes on her tongue attached to a video camera, by rewiring her neural architecture to interpret these new signals. In other cases stroke victims had learned to talk and move again through applying the same principles.

Do You Ever Feel Like You’re Missing Something When It Comes To Money?

These 3 “Critical Money Mindset Mistake” Videos were designed to help health practitioners become more abundant… but the truth is these principles apply to anyone who wants to attract more abundance and prosperity into their lives.

These exclusive videos are now being released to the public for the first time: FREE for a Limited Time To get your hands on these abundanceboosting FREE Video Resources Valued at $47 go to www.themoneyisinthemindset.com

Dr. Andrew Powell

Chiropractor, Kinesiologist, Speaker & Author of “The Money Is In The Mindset”

It turns out that we are even more incredibly adaptable than we thought, and if you provide the brain with the right stimulus it can grow and evolve and encode new functions and abilities in amazing ways. Every time you remove a negative money program and install a new positive belief you are taking advantage of this process.

Once you do this, amazing things can start to happen in your life. I have seen it over and over again with my clients- once you shift the programming and limiting beliefs things start to change in your external reality.

People’s bottom line shifts- it has to, to come into alignment with who they have become. That’s how it works.

Over the next year in this column I will share with you both specific information and practical techniques to increase your personal level of abundance so you can start to experience the same shifts in your own life. Get ready for a fun ride!

Dr. Andrew Powell is a Chiropractor & Kinesiologist at Hills Spinal Health in Castle Hill, NSW. He is also the author of “The Money Is In The Mindset- The 7 Subconscious Keys To A Profitable Practice” and the creator of the Money Mindset Mastery Program, a unique system for transforming your relationship to money and attracting more abundance into your life.

You can grab his 3 Free Videos at www.themoneyisinthemindset.com

Whose Life Are You Living?

by Donna Pemberton Whose life are you living? Yours?

Or the life of someone else that is controlling, manipulative, using emotional blackmail to get you to live the life they perceive that you should be living, because it fits inside the box of what they think life should look like.

When somebody else wants you to be a certain person, to have and do certain things, generally you are living their life.

Everyone is different; we don’t all want what others want or want to live within the bounds of how someone else deemed life should be. When “should” turns up in your sentence it’s probably someone else’s expectation. Some people just don’t understand that we don’t all want the same things. Is it feared though, that they will lose you, that you will leave them behind, that you think you’re better than them? They may have the good intentions but the wrong idea that life should look a certain way for you.

If you beach ball who you really are or how you feel, manipulate a situation because you have to bite your

tongue in a work or short term situation that may be OK, but in the long term, like a relationship, the longer you surprise your true authentic self eventually when the beach ball pops up, it hits you in the face without warning, you cannot suppress who you are. Trying to be someone else is not as easy and effortless as being yourself. Nobody has the right to presume, assume or to judge another person for what we do, have or want to be, what we do with our lives is our business. Manipulating because they feel that it should look a certain way is just plain unfair, and realistically if they put the same focus of your life into their own, their life would be awesome.

Often I hear people talk about people that weren’t there, “once again they have gone in and done blah, I have to go fix it up or save them from themselves”, what happened to learn from your mistakes? Isn’t that what the whole saying is about, a small mistake now may save a bigger mistake later?

Being a coach it always amazes me how many people want to tell me

Donna Pemberton Life & Business Coaching • YOU GETTING TO KNOW YOU • CREATING DIRECTION • SETTING GOALS AND TRACK TO RUN ON • WORK/LIFE BALANCE • ATTITUDE AND ALTITUDE • SABOTAGE • RELATIONSHIPS • NOW WHERE TOO FROM HERE? • BUSINESS PLANS & CASHFLOW FORCASTS • INC PENDULUM WORK BY REQUEST Workshops for Early 2012 Goals, Relationships, Back to Work and Woman in Business for January to April 2012

Full Details Visit www.bellaaphrodite.com www.marandonptyltd.com Gold Coast 0412 822 446

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www.innerself.com.au how to run my business and live my life, I’m 41 and 90% of those people were not there for those 41yrs, they don’t know me, my name or how I have lived. I always look at them and think, I’m a coach, I coach people towards what they want to achieve in life, but I don’t tell them how to live it.

How many people manipulate, coerce or tell someone to do something, other than follow their heart and be influenced by others in life to achieve what they want. I met a man of 38yrs who wanted a wife and kids, he told me that he doesn’t want someone older, previously married or has children. I learned some time later that this came from his mother of whom he was asking permission; to see women he had met. What about love, what about following your own heart?

We are given a heart to love, a warm mushy heart, just like love. Wouldn’t it be a shame if he missed out because of the influence of others?

God put us on this ear th with a brain to have a mind of our own, two legs so we can stand on our own two feet and a shadow so that we never have to stand in anyone else’s, God put us all here as individuals so that we would live individually as ourself, not to live according to somebody else’s idea or interpretation of what life should look like. That doesn’t mean anarchy or self righteousness, it means if you have goals and aspirations, that you should harness those.

Think about how life would look if the things you wanted to achieve never happened, you got to old age and looked back with regret because someone stole your dreams. They say the richest place on earth is a grave site, full of books and poems never written, songs never sung, lives not lived by people who sacrificed life. I use looking back and writing a list to help write goals, when and how I want to achieve them. One of them was writing a column and low and behold here it is.

There is no way I can beach ball my personality so that others in my life can deem me to be living between the lines, I am who I am and to be something else would be a lie. I am for tunate, God gave me two arms, two legs and a heart beat, a brain, a shadow and a life, so live it.

SoulTalk with Juliet Martine

Becoming a Powerful Manifestor

Manifesting is an art, not a science.

And in order for us to become more successful in the art of manifesting, we first need to reclaim our own magnificence as the artist that we are.

Where We’ve Been Getting It Wrong

If you’ve seen “The Secret” or read about the Law of Attraction, then you’re probably really good at manifesting free parking spaces and the occasional cup of coffee or unexpected gift.

But when it comes to manifesting things that have more of an energetic charge to them, things such as a new job, a wonderful relationship or increasing financial success, why is it that so many of us find ourselves in more of an experience of effort and struggle, rather than the easy joyfilled experience we know it’s meant to be?

“The Secret” and the Law of Attraction taught us that if we have a clear vision of what we’re wanting to manifest, and if we focus positively on it often enough, then it will somehow miraculously appear in our lives. And sometimes it does. But only sometimes.

More often than not, when we really really really want something to happen or manifest in our lives, we find that not only does it NOT occur, but we find ourselves stuck in the very thing we were trying to avoid happening in the first place! So why is this the case?

Because “The Secret” and the Law of Attraction have only taught us part of the equation. In order to be more successful in the art of manifesting “bigger”, more significant things in life, we need to first realign ourselves with who we really are.

Remembering Your True Self

You can contact Donna on 0412 822 446 or at donna@marandonptyltd.com or donna@bellaaphrodite.com . and visit her web sites www.marandonptyltd. com and www.bellaaphrodite.com

our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . .

Most of us have forgotten who we really are. As part of the human journey, we have fallen asleep. We have fallen asleep and forgotten who we are in our true nature and divine essence.

Who we “be” in this lifetime, and who we really “are” in this lifetime, end up being very different things.

Who we really are is a magnificent

being. A whole, complete being that has come from source, is eternal in its spirit, and is divine in its essential nature and beingness. This is who we really are.

Who we be though, depends on whether or not we have fallen asleep to our sacred essence. If we have fallen asleep and forgotten who we are, then who we “be” can tend to be a very different version of greatness. A version that forgets its own magnificence, that denies its own divineness and convinces itself that it is “missing something”, that it is “less than”, that it is “not enough” in some way. When we fall asleep to our true self and forget who we really are within our greater being, we delude ourselves into believing that we are mere mortals and disconnected from the greater abundance of life.

And yet living this deluded version of self, believing that we are less than what we inherently are by nature, only serves to deny ourselves. Deny ourselves of our own magnificence, and more frustratingly so, deny ourselves of the things we’d love to be experiencing in life.

We cannot in the one breath be saying to the universe “Bring me a wonderful new par tner,” and then in the next breath be denying ourselves of our own essence by telling ourselves stories about how we are “not attractive, intelligent, wealthy, or young enough for anyone to want to be with us.”

We can not in the one breath be saying to the universe “Bring me greater financial prosperity,” and then in the next moment be resisting our own greatness of being by telling ourselves “how we’ve never done well in business”, how “only greedy people have money”, or how “we are never going to get ahead financially.”

These stories serve to deny our own magnificence, and unconsciously instruct the organising processes of the universe to keep away those things we want to be experiencing, because we are giving out the instruction that we are not worthy of receiving what we want and we are not a match with the thing we are asking for.

It is the stories we tell ourselves that deny the successful manifest-

Leave an impression through your personal expression!

Creativity is often felt as a deep vulnerability, learn to connect and embrace this to reach your full potential!

Let out your inner roar!

Your personal expression can be the business you run, the career you do, the art or music you create, a healing methodology you practice. All of which need various elements of creativity, leadership and business skills. I provide a coaching service to provide practical tools and techniques to help you leave an impression with your life.

• Sustainable business and leadership thinking • Conscious living methodologies • Use creative thinking to think visionary • Unleash your creativity • Connect to your authentic self Coach: Jo Jewitt • Email: jjewitt0@gmail.com • Mobile: 0434122926

ing of our dreams, and in turn deny ourselves of living the fullness of who we truly are. We delude ourselves that we are being “modest” when we deny our own greatness, and that to dream of having great things would be egotisitcal. In reality the reverse is true. To deny our own magnificence is to delude oneself into believing a falsehood, and to deny the greatness of what this physical life has to offer is to be egotistical in our thinking that we know better than life.

In order to become a more successful manifestor, we need to wake up and reclaim our greatness of being. We need to love and accept ourselves and return to a place of wholeness within our being, so we stop resisting what life has to offer us.

And we need to appreciate how magnificent life is and how infinite it is in its

potential, so that we open ourselves to its flow.

Stop deluding yourself that you are less than, and star t reminding yourself that you are more than. More than attractive enough, more than loving enough, more than intelligent enough, more than wise enough, more than worthy enough, more than, more than, more than. By the very fact that you exist, you are par t of the greater spirit, and you are by your very essence more than enough to be worthy of experiencing the fullness of life and your greater being.

Wake up and r emember who you really are. Realign the who you “be’”with your divine innate essence.

Make it your dominant intent to come to know your magnificent self and be open to the abundant potentiality this magnificent physical universe has

to offer you as part of that greater being. For there is no limit to the greatness of your being or your life experience. You are the only one that limits it. And the only thing standing between you, and you experiencing that thing you want to be manifesting, is You. You and the ways in which you limit yourself and deny the greatness of your being.

Juliet Martine is a professional Energy Healer, Soul Intuitive & Manifesting Coach. She runs workshops and works with clients throughout Australia and overseas, to help clear health and life issues, tune into your true life purpose, and teach you how to truly master manifesting so you can create what you want living a life you love with greater health, wealth & happiness.

Phone Juliet on 0413199649 or visit www.julietmartine.com.au

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yourNaturopath with Robert Reeves Naturopath, Herbalist, Nutritionist

Herbal Healers: Calendula Calendula is a healer of wounds.

These wounds may be physical, such as a cut or scratch. Or, they may be energetic, such as a weakened aura.

The physical applications of calendula are wonderfully effective. This is what the healing flower is most well known for. Here we’ll discuss the common uses for calendula. And, we’ll talk about the interesting energetic applications for this friendly herb.

Calendula is a bright orange flower.

It’s easily spotted from a distance and instantly connects to you. Whilst the flower is simple, it’s profoundly deep in its healing effect. The flower’s energy helps lift you up out of your current health state.

Calendula is most effective as a tincture, or herbal extract. When used in this way the body welcomes the healing. Recently, I’ve heard the fresh flowers can be eaten in salads. How pretty would that look? The taste, I’m not so sure. I, myself, haven’t eaten the fresh flowers yet. So, I’ll have to get back to you on that one.

Wound Healing

Calendula helps heal wounds of any kind. Apply a small amount of calendula tincture to a scratch, or cut. Be mindful that it’s likely to sting.

Consider placing a few drops onto a cotton ball that’s moistened with water. This should take the edge off

whilst giving you the healing benefit.

Calendula is also anti-septic. It helps prevent infection from setting in. You’ll find cuts and grazes heal much faster than normal.

Calendula also heals internally. It may help with stomach ulcers. Calendula helps with healing tissue damage and fighting infection. This makes it perfect for stomach ulcers. Many studies suggest stomach ulcers are caused by various infections. Using calendula ensures you’re treating the body with multiple actions. Therefore, giving yourself the best possible outcome. Again, think of conditions where there is a break in regular tissues. Calendula works like your etheric surgeon and gently repairs the damage.

Aura Repair

The aura is the energetic field around your physical body. It often represents feelings and emotions that are around your body. For example, you may have just been to an area with negative feelings. Those feelings of fear show within the aura.

If you don’t remove this negative energy from the aura, it may settle within your physical body. Having a strong auric field helps prevent taking on other people’s energy. Calendula goes through your aura and heals any areas of weakness.

You can work with calendula for aura healing in a number of ways.

Taking it internally will certainly give you the energetic effect. For this you must ensure the tincture, or extract, you’re using is of the highest quality.

For this application you only need to take small doses. Perhaps eight drops twice daily is all that’s needed. Alternatively you can work with the fresh flower. Sit with the flower, or even a photo, and gaze at the image. Feel the energy already beginning to heal you.

Then, take the flower, or photo, and slowly pass it through the aura. Take it around both sides of your body. Be sure to include front and back.

Skin

This healing herb helps you look

your best. It brings you beautiful radiant skin. The energy of calendula helps you feel better about yourself.

Then, through the physical applications, you can present this to the world. Not only will you feel happy and healthy, you’ll look it! Whilst you can use lotions and ointments containing calendula, I find them too harsh. If you’re working on clearing acne or dermatitis, these creams may not be right. Again, I prefer the tincture to give this healing.

Lymphatic

Your lymphatic system is responsible for immunity and fluid balance.

Calendula helps to move your lymph through the body and ensure your wellbeing. It may help with stagnation through the lymphatic system. Symptoms of this can include fatigue, lack of motivation, and fluid retention.

Perfect Practitioner

Calendula’s strongly connected to the energy of Archangel Raphael.

This healing angel helps you find the perfect practitioner. Combining calendula and Raphael ensures you’ll be guided to the person that best suits you.

They bring you to the healers, doctors, or naturopaths, that’ll be of most service to your needs. If you’re unhappy with your current practitioner for any reason, take this as a sign for change. Work with calendula to help you find the person that can really help you. You’ll release the need to go to many practitioners before you find the perfect one. You find the right fit now.

Emotions

I love to use calendula for the various health issues you’ve just read.

However, I find it amazing when these complaints are also coupled with a feeling of despondency. It’s for those that feel that they can’t get better or won’t change. These people respond wonderfully to the healing energies of calendula.

All of the preceding information is meant as a guide only and is not meant to replace proper medical care. Please speak with your health care professional before under taking any of the above mentioned advice.

Robert Reeves is a Naturopath whose passion for helping others started as a young boy, spiritually gifted and highly intuitive. Robert uses his psychic insight and mediumship abilities with his Naturopathic training to help his clients reach their utmost potential.

Phone: (02) 4648 4200 or 1300 668 772. E-mail: info@robertreeves.com. au Web: www.robertreeves.com.au

The Link Between Behavioural & Chiropractic Issues in Children

by Dr Rob Hutchings, Chiropractor Unruly children and teenagers is hardly a new phenomenon. Yet diagnosis and labelling of children in the spectrum of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has increased exponentially in the last 20 or so years. Medical practitioners now consider behavioural issues a medical disorder requiring pharmaceutical intervention.

We’ve all heard about or experienced these children... Little Johnny runs around a lot. He won’t stay in his seat. He doesn’t follow instructions.

He’s defiant of authority. His behaviour can be downright embarrassing.

He often has seemingly unexplainable tantrums in the blink of an eye. No form of discipline that parents or teachers have tried seems to work.

Eventually, the school pushes his parents into putting him on the standard treatment – Ritalin.

The use of psychotropic drugs to alter the behaviour of children is disconcerting to many parents, to most natural health professionals, and indeed to an ever-growing number of medical doctors. This concern is well founded.

Although the evidence suppor ts the effectiveness of Ritalin in curbing unruly behaviour, it comes with a suite of undesired effects including nervousness, agitation, dizziness, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, erratic hear t rate, liver and kidney damage, skin irritations, hallucinations, urinary tract infections, feelings of paranoia and permanent brain damage. Not only this but many children build up a tolerance to Ritalin, requiring the dose to be increased or a substitute found.

These concerns aside, we need to question why these behavioural issues occur and focus on addressing the cause. Any form of medication does not address the cause, but simply suppresses the symptoms.

In the fields of nutritional sciences, environmental toxicology, sports physiology and chiropractic there is ever increasing anecdotal and scientific evidence that behavioural issues can be corrected through giving the body what it needs to function optimally, and taking away the stressors that impede proper function.

In the field of chiropractic and in my own office the results with behavioural issues are extraordinary.

Nothing touches my heart more than seeing the change in children I treat

and the gratitude and return to a life of normality for their parents. All without the side effects and dependence on medications for both parents and child!

People are often puzzled as to why chiropractic would have such a positive effect on these children.

The spine has a significant role to play in behavioural issues and many other illnesses children experience.

A misalignment of the spine, in the case of ADD/ADHD usually in the neck, creates enormous pressure on the nerves that travel to and from the brain and spine and also on the spinal cord and brain stem. This creates considerable abnormal stress signals to the brain. When a chiropractor delivers a very gentle and safe adjustment, this pressure is released, thereby greatly reducing the stress signals in the nervous system.

Most children with ADD/ADHD respond brilliantly to chiropractic. Yet other contributors need to be considered and a holistic approach taken.

Undoubtedly a poor diet can have a detrimental effect on both the body and mind. Preservatives, processed food, soft drinks, refined sugar, white flour and lack of proper hydration are just a few of the dietary considerations that must be addressed.

A second and commonly overlooked factor is the disturbingly large number of toxic chemicals found in most personal care and cleaning products. In par ticular, most dishwashing liquid, laundry powder, soaps and shampoos, cleaning agents, toothpaste and skin care products (e.g. sunscreen) all have highly toxic chemicals that accumulate in the body and produce a large number of detrimental effects including ADD/ADHD. Consideration of these factors whilst pregnant and preconception are also impor tant to improve the likelihood of healthy children. Given the alarmingly high incidence of behavioural issues taking preventative measures is a far more effective approach to optimise over wellbeing and reduce emotional stress.

Dr Rob Hutchings has a Bachelor of Kinesiology and Doctorate in Chiropractic. His passion is in helping people achieve optimal health and healing, naturally. You can find out more about the services offered by Health Align at www. healthalign.com.au

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Reverse Osteopenia & Osteoporosis with Natural Medicines!

by Belle McCALEB, naturopath Thinning of bones is referred to as ostopenia and when it advances far enough it is called osteoporosis.

These conditions are associated fractures typically of the hip and vertebra or “stress” fractures in long bones such as the thigh or upper arm bones.

Risk factors include increasing age, being female, having a thin and small body frame, having a family history, smoking, excessive alcohol, lack of exercise and poor nutrition. Other risks include poor mineral absorption, low estrogen levels, chemotherapy, chronic inflammation, hyper thyroidism, hyperparathyroidism and Vitamin D deficiency. The incidence of osteopenia and osteoporosis in Australia is thought to be more prevalent than repor ted. For example the Dubbo Osteoporosis Epidemiology Study Approximately 42% of men and 51% of women were osteopenic based on bone densitometry measurements! (Nguyen T, Center J, Eisman J. Osteoporosis: under rated, under diagnosed and under treated. Medical Journal of Australia 2004;180(5 Suppl):S18–22).

If you suspect you may be at risk for osteopenia or osteoporosis it is important to ask your doctor to assess you. This can be done by bone densiometry studies. There is also a blood test called beta cross-laps which can indicate increased rate of bone breakdown. It is also very important to have your Vitamin D level checked. Although the laboratories in

Australia often have a normal range of Vitamin D star ting at 50 or 60 nmol/l research overseas suggests a level of at least 100 is more protective.

If you have been diagnosed or are at risk there are numerous natural health approaches you may wish to consider. These include commencing a weight bearing exercise program (yoga or weight training), supporting digestion and absorption of minerals, mineral supplementation, Vitamin D & K supplementation, increasing phytoestrogen/isoflavone sources in the diet, decreasing the acid load on the body by increasing fruit and vegetable intake, and avoiding calcium leachers/blockers.

Supplementation of calcium is recommended but the dose currently recommended in the literature is around 600-800 mg daily rather than the high doses previously recommended which may predispose to brittle bones. The form of calcium is also impor tant – citrate is best for optimum calcium levels in the blood and carbonate is poorly absorbed.

Increasing high calcium foods such as fermented soy, almonds, sunflower seeds and pistachios, sardines and salmon is recommended. Drinking a lot of milk is not recommended due to its less than ideal phosphorous calcium ratio which may actually make the problem worse, but fermented milk products like yogurt are ok in moderation. If you are seeing a herbalist

they may recommend high calcium herbal medicines including Nettle, Oats, Red Clover, Dandelion Root, Sage and Thyme. Herbs high in silica are also useful including Horsetail, Echinacea, Burdock and Corn Silk.

Supplementation of magnesium is recommended. I usually use a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio with calcium. Again the form is impor tant with amino acid chelates and orotates forms being better absorbed. High magnesium foods include legumes, whole grains, seeds, nuts and broccoli, squash and green leafy vegetables.

Supplementation of Vitamin D is recommended if your blood test indicates you are low. Even if you do get adequate sun exposure (at least 15 minutes a day, maximal skin surface exposed) it is possible that you still won’t have adequate Vitamin D as many people do not “activate” Vitamin D well in the body. Increasing food sources of Vitamin D is a good idea - egg yolk, sprouted seeds and cold water fish liver oils such as cod, halibut, herring and tuna.

Vitamin K2 reduces bone loss, reduces fracture and enhances the secretion and function of osteocalcin – a hormone required for bone health. Food sources include broccoli, cabbage, kale, eggs, kelp, fermented soy, spinach, parsley, and watercress.

High Vitamin K herbs include Nettle and Comfrey.

To support digestion and mineral absorption you may consider taking extra zinc and Betaine hydrochloride or herbs such as Gentian and Golden Seal.

General dietary guidelines include increasing high mineral foods as discussed above plus high potassium foods including all vegetables, apricots, avocados, bananas, dates almonds and cashews as well avoiding excessive sodium foods such as processed food, soy sauce, cheese, processed meats, pickled foods and clams. Increasing fruit and vegetables in general is also beneficial due to its alkalinising effect on the body. In addition an adequate protein intake is important as calcium and protein interact constructively to affect bone health.

Avoiding calcium leachers and blockers. These include unfermented soy, high phosphorous foods (white flour, carbonated drinks), acid producing foods that require a calcium buffer (coffee, sugar, alcohol, salt),

our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . . caffeine (over 300 mg/day), fluoride, bulking laxatives, and high oxalic acid foods that interfere with calcium absorption (silver beet, rhubarb, beet root greens, spinach).

Finally, monitor your progress with your doctor if under taking a natural medicine approach to reverse osteopenia or osteoporosis. In my clinical experience it is very possible to reverse osteoporosis with the approach I have outlined (and I have the densiometry results to prove it!).

However, if you are not making sufficient progress despite following a complete program it may be best to discuss your medical options including medications that increase bone density.

Belle McCaleb is an accredited and experienced naturopath, m e d i c a l herbalist, nutritionist, counsellor, yoga instructor and registered nurse. She specialises in women’s health, hormone health and cancer support and has been a registered health professional since 1986. Her women’s health qualifications and experience include obstetrics, gynaecology, reproductive endocrinology and infertility. She is also a Master’s prepared counsellor & the consultant naturopath for Cancer Care. For more information see her website: www.mccalebhealth.com.au

Did you know?

A common ingredient in commercial breads is derived from human hair harvested in China

If you read the ingredients label on a loaf of bread, you will usually find an ingredient listed there as L-cysteine.

While some L-cysteine is directly synthesized in laboratories, most of it is extracted from a cheap and abundant natural protein source: human hair. The hair is dissolved in acid and L-cysteine is isolated through a chemical process, then packaged and shipped off to commercial bread producers. Most of the hair used to make L-cysteine is gathered from the floors of barbershops and hair salons in China, by the way.

Source: 25 Amazing Facts About Food, authored by Mike Adams and David Guiterrez.

Say NO to Mercury!

by Dr. Lisa Matriste Dental amalgam is made of about 50% mercury which is a potent neurotoxin, being the most toxic nonradioactive element and the most volatile heavy metal. It is also known to cause bir th defects and kidney damage (UNEP 2002).

Authorities concede that the volatility of the mercury in dental amalgam causes poisonous vapours to be constantly emitted from fillings, more so when you chew, pass hot liquid over the teeth, or even when you brush your teeth. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry of the United States Public Health Service reports that those poisonous vapours go first to the lungs, brain and kidneys.

For the past 10 years our Government has circulated brochures suggesting to parents, young women and those with kidney problems that they look at alternatives for their children and themselves. In spite of this recommendation, almost a decade later, mercury amalgam is still used for 30% of fillings. Dental students and professionals are still not being taught about the risks of amalgam fillings which put the health of their patients, as well as their staff and themselves at risk – despite the fact that there are safer, cost effective alternatives available.

Mercury is a persistent and toxic pollutant that bioaccumulates in the environment, contaminating waterways and marine life; dental amalgam waste being the number one cause of mercury pollution in wastewater.

Worldwide negotiations are currently taking place for a legally binding UN treaty on phasing out mercury based products, including dental amalgam.

If you are concerned: • Consult a medical doctor or naturopath who has expertise in diagnosing mercury toxicity • Only have your mercury fillings removed by a dentist who follows the protocols of the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology and is endorsed by Australians for Mercury Free Dentistry • Share this knowledge with your

friends, family and colleagues.

• Join Australians for Mercury Free Dentistry so that your voice counts, ensuring that the use of this toxic substance is phased out.

Dr. Lisa Matriste is a Melbourne based holistic dentist who has practised Mercury Safe Techniques for the last 24 years. She has recovered from mercury toxicity caused occupational exposure to mercury early in her career. She is President of Australians for Mercury Free Dentistry and makes presentations both nationally and internationally on the subject of the toxicity of mercury dental amalgam to the public, the dental profession, government officials and also at United Nations meetings. She is a member of the Australasian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine and the Australasian Integrative Medicine Association. www.mercuryfreedentistry.com.au E: info@mercuryfreedentistry.com.au www.iaomt.org • Ph:(03) 9939 9932

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Tools for Healthy Living

The Healing Secrets of Moroccan Argan Oil Finally a beauty product that makes a difference – not only to how you look and feel, but also to the planet and the people in it. 25 million years ago Mother Nature created the Argan tree which now grows only in a small region in Southwest Morocco.

For centuries it's been known to the Berber women of Morocco for its healing and rejuvenating qualities. Argan oil is made from women cooperatives in Morocco that receive a competitive salary through Fair–trade which contributes significantly to rural areas that rely on this income. These incredible women then use their knowledge towards the preservation and regeneration of the Argan forest by planting 10 new trees each per year. Argan oil not only preserves your skin but also empower s the women who produce it and the protection of the Argan tree.

Argan – The Anti-Aging Oil - ‘YOUTH IN A BOTTLE’ Lariese produces a 100% pure, luxurious, Certified Organic, natural anti-aging Argan Oil which is rich in Vitamin E and essential fatty acids.

Renowned for its nourishing & anti-aging qualities, it is beneficial in preventing the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles, as well as softening and repairing dry and cracked skin, treating dry skin, stretch marks, scars, blemishes, psoriasis, eczema, dry brittle nails and hair repair.

Argan Oil- for Stretch Marks Argan Oil has acquired tremendous fame as a preventive and curative cosmetic product against stretch marks.

Argan Oil - UV damage protection against skin cancer Argan Oil contains Squalene, a natural moistur-

iser that has inherent properties to protect against skin cancer.

Argan Oil - against Discoloration, Blemishes, Scars, Burns and Skin conditions Regular use of Argan Oil helps diminish scars and marks on skin.

Reduces active blemishes, visible scars caused by acne, Cures the discoloration of the skin resulting.

Effective on skin conditions including Psoriasis, Eczema and Acne.

Good for burns and after scalds curing them quickly as well as other inflammatory bruises on the skin Argan Oil- Liquid Silk for lustrous hair, strong Nails and smooth cuticles Argan Oil strengthens the hairs; restores the shine and adds much more to the lustre of hair. Due to its highly diffusible nature it easily penetrates the hair shaft and follicles, actually moisturising the hair shafts from within, without the use of harmful silicones and hair care products. Reduces drying time and protects hair against harsh colour chemicals and protects colour treated hair.

Suitable for ALL Hair Types, helps dry brittle hair and frizzy hair Can be used daily on Wet hair, Semi-Dry Hair, Dry Hair for Detangling and as a Finishing Product before brushing, straightening & curling. Repairs the damage of Hair & Skin caused by Heat, Styling, Colouring & by aggressive Environmental Factors. Reduces blow drying time thereby protecting from damage owing to drying.

Argan Oil for Shaving (No more razor rash, razor burn or painful waxing) Lubricates the razor and feeds the skin cells during shaving the head, face, legs and delicate areas without clogging the razor because of the superior light quality of the oil. Just wet area to be shaved and apply about two drops of Argan oil.

Lariese 100% pure, Certified organic, Eco cert & Fair trade. www.lariese.com • info@lariese.com Ph (02) 9803 0444 M: 0415 911 211

Kuvings Silent Juicer This versatile Multi-Purpose Kuvings Juicer is the perfect juicer for your daily juicing needs.

If you want to extract the most juice yield from your produce then this is the best juicer for you. Because it operates at a very slow speed , you are assured that you only get the highest quality and quantity of juice. Slow speed juicers like the Kuvings Juicer don’t destroy the essential vitamins and minerals in the juice because it doesn’t cause heat build-up during the extraction process.

Kuvings masticating juicers are known to be silent juicers. Compared to centrifugal juicers, the Kuvings Multi-Purpose is significantly quieter to operate. You don’t have to worry about disturbing anyone while they sleep as you prepare a glass of your favorite fresh juice. Whether you want to juice fresh fruits or leafy greens, the Kuvings Silent Juicer can do it for you. And not only that, because of its different (8) nozzles, you can use the same juicer to grind coffee, mince herbs, extrude pasta and make soy milk with ease! Truly this makes the Kuvings Multi-Purpose Masticating Juicer a true all-rounder.

For details phone 02 9798 0586 or visit www.kuvings.net.au

Have a Good Night Sleep NEW relaxation drink for stress relief and a good sleep

There is no doubt in the recent years there has been an increasing demand from many customers for more natural products with a genuine taste, and Good Night drink definitely falls into that category. Life can be fast-paced, crowded, often stressful and the new trend is going towards products that enhance wellbeing and relaxation.

Good Night drink is a ne wly launched relaxation beverage with ingredients traditionally used to help relieve feelings of stress and encourage healthy sleep. It is sweet, lightly carbonated with a unique combination of valerian, lavender and rose hip extracts. Valerian root extract has been proven effective in treating insomnia and various anxiety disorders. Good Night drink contains no preservatives, artificial colors and sweeteners.

Who is the Good Night Drink (GND) for?

STUDENTS GND can help to fight sleeplessness induced by stress which is quite common among students.

SPORTSMEN GND is beneficial for athletes who want to relax before or even after their performance.

JET SETTERS GND is recommended for frequent flyers who suffer PFT (Pre-Flight Tension) or travel across various time-zones. GND will promote a peaceful sleep during flights hence eliminate jet lag.

MANAGERS/WORKAHOLICS Hectic schedules, working long hours, bringing work home are most often noted as the major disrupters to work&life balance. GND will help to chill and unwind for those overworked business people.

SHIFT WORKERS, INSOMNIACS, SLEEP LOVERS etc.

For more info: www.GoodNightDrink.com.au

To have your product or service reviewed on these pages, please contact (08) 8396 6752

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Tools for Healthy Living Only 5 calories and less than $1 per serve

A Healthy Alternative to Pasta

A bowl full of noodles may seem like an unlikely health and weight-loss aid, but the company that sell Slim&Healthy Noodles say that their noodles can help you lose weight by keeping you full longer and improve your health. Made of a soluble dietary glucomann fibre, scientifically proven to make you feel full faster, they can be helpful as part of any weight loss, low carb diet program or weight management.

The glucomann fibre has also has been scientifically proven to lower cholesterol and high blood sugar which can prevent heart disease and diabetes, to aid the digestive system and assisting with elimination and the prevention of constipation and diverticulosis. And with only 8 calories per serve, you can eat Slim&Healthy Noodles every day without gaining weight and improve your health at the same time.

Pasta dishes are usually very high in calories. A 1 cup serving of cooked spaghetti contains a whopping 221 calories alone, and 1 cup of pasta probably won’t fill you or keep your stomach feeling satisfied.

Slim&Healthy Noodles contain a mere 5 calories and 2 g of carbohydrates per serve.

Slim&Healthy Noodles consist of about 97% water and 3% Konjacmannan (glucomannan) fiber, an all

natural vegetable fiber derived from the root of the Konjac plant, which has shown beneficial effects backed by medical researches for Type II Diabetes, Obesity, Cholesterol, High Blood Pressure and Constipation!

NEW!

Clinical studies on glucomannan fiber

Clinical studies specific to glucomannan supplementation have shown positive results in the treatment of a number of conditions, including: Weight Loss - The efficacy of glucomannan fiber for weight loss relies on its ability to absorb up to twenty times its own weight in water. The glucomannan expands after ingestion, and this tends to promote a feeling of fullness as it travels through the digestive tract.

Constipation - Glucomannan fiber absorbs water, softens digestive contents and increases stool volume, relieving constipation Hyperglycemia & Hypoglycemia - Glucomannan fiber attracts water in the digestive system and becomes a gel, slowing digestive processes and trapping carbohydrates so that blood sugar levels are stabilized.

Diabetes - One benefit of glucomannan fiber is the ability to regulate blood sugar levels as seen in Type 2 Diabetes, where glucomannan an has shown potential to reduce blood glucose, insulin and serum lipid levels after meals, an effect that seems to be enhanced by glucomannan relatively high viscosity compared to other soluble fibers.

High Cholesterol - By attaching itself to bile acids in the digestive system and moving them out of the body, glucomannan can help lower cholesterol and reduce the amount of fat present in the blood.

High Blood Pressure - As a corollary to glucomannans beneficial effect on cholesterol levels, one study has demonstrated a decrease in systolic

blood pressure in healthy men after a four week course of glucomannan supplements.

Possible antidote to food poisoning - Glucomannan has itself been claimed to be something of an antidote to food poisoning. This claim originates from a single laboratory study in which 18 different food products were subjected to exposure to bacteria, including E. Coli and Salmonella, which were allowed to bind themselves to the products.

When the levels of bound bacteria were measured, the largest quantity were bound by sesame seed extract and konjac gum, leading to the tentative conclusion that glucomann may help to prevent bacteria from entering host cells.

This claim awaits further confirmation, as the effect has not been studied in a clinical setting to date.

How do Slim&Healthy Noodles taste?

While pure glucomannan fiber does not have any flavor, raw Konjac root flour does have a fishy odor. However, the Slim&Healthy Noodles brand has no fishy smell which makes our

noodles more attractive choice. This is the reason why some other brands have a fishy smell.

Slim&Healthy Noodles have no taste, so they easily absorb the flavors of your favorite dish, such as Italian pasta sauce, chinese, thai, etc.

How to Cook Slim&Healthy Noodles

Slim&Healthy Noodles are instant and come in a variety of styles and shapes. They also have a shelf life of one year, stored at room temperature for one year.

The easiest way to prepare the noodles is by draining the water, rinsing and adding the Slim&Healthy Noodles to a medium sized cooking pot along with the vegetables and flavours of your choice. Heat the noodles until they are warm and consume like any other type of noodle or pasta.

Yo u c a n a l s o s t e a m t h e Slim&Healthy Noodles for approximately three to five minutes.

Slim&Healthy Noodles can also be fried, baked, stewed, braised or used as a cold instant pasta with any pasta sauce.

Free eBook for every reader

To receive your Free eBook Japan’s Best-Kept Secret for Lasting Weight Loss, Health and Wellbeing simply email your name and email address to: info@slimandhealthysecrets.com.au

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Japan’s Best-Kept Secret for Lasting Weight Loss,Health and Wellbeing.

CALORIES PER SERVE

Our noodles are made of all natural vegetable Glucomann fiber, a water-soluble dietary fiber derived from the root of the Konjac plant, which has shown beneficial effects backed by medical researches for Type II Diabetes, Obesity, Cholesterol and Constipation!

Konjac has been grown and used in Japan and China for over 2000 years as both a healthy foodand a traditional medicine to excrete waste and toxic elements from the body.

P FAT FREE P GLUTEN FREE P WHEAT FREE P DAIRY FREE P SOY FREE P EGG FREE

P HIGH IN DIETARY FIBRE P HIGH ALKALINE FOOD P HYPOALLERGIC P DETOXIFIER P PROMOTES SATIETY P SUITABLE FOR VEGANS

P VERY LOW CALORIES P VERY LOW CARB P VERY LOW SUGAR P NO PRESERVATIVES P NO ARTIFICIAL COLORS P NO ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS

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“Japan’s Best-Kept Secret for Lasting Weight Loss, Health and Wellbeing” simply email us your name at: info@slimandhealthysecrets.com.au

www.slimandhealthysecrets.com.au

our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . .

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Tools for Healthy Living A Balanced Approach to Health

Take Action and Do! There has been a shift in the way we look at our careers. No longer do you have to be pigeon-holed in a career you started when you were too young to know what you really wanted. Or to remain stuck in a boring office your whole life, with all the politics, the demanding boss and little reward for your efforts. We have the choice now to re-invent ourselves in a more appropriate career path, and to choose how we spend our working hours. In fact, changing careers has become the norm, with many people trying several careers throughout their working life. The truth is, you don’t need to feel trapped in your job. With the endless number of courses and providers available nowadays, and a similar offering of flexible study options, it is not difficult to find a way to complete a new qualification and get started on a new lifestyle.

Add to this the fact that people are now more interested in their health and wellbeing than ever before, and you have a booming industry that presents many opportunities for a career change and better work-life balance.

Complementary Health is a gratifying and stimulating career option for people who feel that they can make a difference to the health of another. It’s a job that requires maturity and life skills for the most part. It can impact on your own health in many ways that you may not even have considered.

For example, less stress. Finally, the

satisfaction of choosing your own path and being successful gives a health boost that money cannot buy.

So many of us have an innate ability to nurture and contribute in a positive way to another person’s health and enjoyment of life. Whether you choose to do this with massage, aromatherapy, reflexology or kinesiology or a myriad of alternative modalities, all depends on your interests and training. As such, it really pays to do your research and find a good College where you will learn the basics of your new art. It is so important to feel like you fit in when learning a new skill.

You want a supportive environment that nur tures your abilities so that when you graduate you will feel like you are fully prepared to commence your new career. Don’t forget, starting a new career means starting from the ground up again, so a college that you feel connected to will offer you further training, advice and support through those early days when you are practising on your own.

Imagine being your own boss and in control of your own destiny for a change? IT IS POSSIBLE and I know because I have done it. For years I slugged away at an unrewarding job, each effort I made going unappreciated, looking out the window and dreaming of something different.

I wasn’t sure if I could make it in a new career. I was sure that I would go crazy or become very ill if I didn’t

do something. But I was afraid and lacked confidence. I made excuses for my lack of action and as a result, nothing changed.

Finally work was making me so unhappy that I decided to make my dream a reality and give it a shot. I rationalised that anything had to be better than my soulless 9-5 existence.

To study massage would be a great personal development tool, and no harm would be done by studying part time while working. I would still have my job and be able to try a new skill – no learning is wasted. I was worried I could not afford it though, as I had heard it cost many thousands of dollars to study complementary health.

I mentioned this to a work colleague who was studying massage at the time and loving it. He graduated and quit his job to do massage full time.

I told him how envious I was of his success but that I would have to skip massage as I had bills to pay.

That was when I found out about Skills Victoria and VET-FEE HELP. As soon as I realised that I could reduce my course fees by around 70% AND pay them back later, I was on the phone to the College. Within 24 hours I was enrolled in a Diploma of Remedial Massage. I was able to study after hours, and on weekends. I did so much growing in those two years.

I made new friends, learnt valuable massage skills, business skills and practised my art with real clients in student clinic. Within 24 months I had emerged with a new outlook on life and a new career.

I am no different to you. All it requires is a bit of hard work and good learning tools. Your confidence will grow. Your faith in yourself will inspire your clients and amaze you.

The lesson I learnt from my journey was, don’t procrastinate and dream.

Take action and do, and you will have what you desire. Good luck on your journey.

For more information on beginning YOUR dream contact The Health Arts College via email on study@ thacollege.edu.au , research all your choices at www.thacollege.edu.au or you may call to speak with YOUR personal course adviser on 1300 658 326.

DID YOU KNOW?

With the start of the New Year, we at Health Options wish you all a healthy, happy and successful 2012.Our health is such a precious asset and so often we take our health for granted.

Often we never really appreciate this until we become ill and somewhat debilitated as a result. It is not uncommonfor many of us to punish our bodies in our youth and early adulthood believing we are six foot tall and bullet proof. Some times this ill health creeps upon us insidiously over a period of time deceiving us by having us believe that how we feel is normal until one day, we come to the realisation that the state of our health is not what it should be nor want it to be.

Life can be tough at times for us all, having to deal with disappointments, grief, the anxiety of performance pressure and incessant fatigue as a result of raising a young family and the need to work more than one job to pay the mor tgage. All of these emotional pressures are just as damaging to our body’s wellbeing as any nasty virus or traumatic accident.

Maybe some of you are just not happy with the way you feel or perhaps you would like some guidance to a more satisfactory state of health and energy. We invite you to call us and visit our team at Health Options to seek the friendly and understanding assistance of the mix of our expertise to provide you with your preferred mode of treatment.

Our team comprises of George Christinson a Homeopath with over twenty five years of experience as a

practitioner, teacher, an active participant in his profession and a mentor to many. It is obvious when seeking George’s assistance both as a patient, or as a practitioner, he exudes a quiet passion for his profession and a great wealth of practical experience. George stays abreast with new philosophies and techniques from around the world and is well known to, and respected by, many of his international colleagues.He will start his year at an International Congress in India, no doubt bringing back to us many new ideas and advances in the world of Homeopathic Medicine.

Health Options also boasts the experience of a Naturopath who has come from a scientific background.

Zara Borg worked for ten years as a research scientist in various fields including Reproductive and Developmental Biology before electing to study Natural Medicine and devote her career change to Naturopathy.

Zara takes her role as a holistic health care practitioner very seriously and though embracing both scientifically based analyses and treatment options, she affords equal importance to the harmony of the body, mind and spirit. She has also assisted many young student Naturopaths in their degree course as a teacher and lecturer.

The third member of the newly formed team at Health Options is Kel Boys who has come from a thirty year background in Veterinary Medicine and Surgery. Kel studied human Homeopathy and Homotoxicology (now

known asBioregulatory Medicine,) twelve years ago and left his Veterinary practice to direct his career change to human Natural Medicine.

He now devotes his time to private practice and instruction of various aspects of Bioregulatory Medicine IncludingBiopuncture which he uses in his practice. He uses these procedures in treating various forms of chronic disease and alleviation of acute and chronic pain with Homeopathic and other forms of natural medicines and techniques.

Health Options abides by the philosophy of offering alternate treatment options for various conditions whether substantiated historically, or by Natural Medicine scientific research. We also are quick to realise that other modalities may offer more suited treatment approaches which may benefit our patients. Where indicated, we are more than happy to refer on to, or to work with, the skills of other practitioners whether they be Medical practitioners or practitioners of other Alternate modalities such as Acupuncture, Chiropractic or Osteopathy to mention a few. Your health and balance is important to both you and to us and you deserve the best health options available.

George ChristinsonB.H.Sc. (Hom), Dip Hom Med., Cer t Bowen Th, Cert Emmett Th. Reiki Practitioner.

Zara Borg B App Sc. (Microbiology/ Biochemistry) Adv.Dip.Nat..Adv.Dip. Nut.,Adv.Dip.WHM. Qualified Hemaview Practitioner. Kelvin BoysB.V.Sc. (Qld), Adv.Dip.Hom. Cert Homotoxicology., CertBiopuncture. HEALTH OPTIONS. 178 MAIN ST, BEENLEIGH Q 4207 • 07 3382 6989

HEALTH OPTIONS NATURAL MEDICINE

Are you ready for better health and wellness?

We welcome you to come and meet with our professional, fully qualified practitioners, committed to helping you to achieve better health and wellness naturally.

George Christinson

Zara Borg

Kel Boys

Statins, drugs that lower your cholesterol levels, are one of the most widely prescribed drugs in the world.

B.H. Sc. (Hom), Dip. Hom Med., Cert. Bowen Th. Cert Emmett Th. Homeopathic Practitioner, Bowen and Emmett Therapist, Reiki Practitioner

B. App. Sc. (Micro/Biochem), B.V.Sc. Adv. Dip. Hom., Cert.

Adv. Dip. Nat., Adv. Dip. Nut., Homotoxocology, Biopuncture Adv. Dip. WHM Naturopath, Homeopathic Practitioner, tt Herbalist, Nutritionist, Hemaview Medicine, Biopuncture, Dorn Practitioner Therapy

Statins act by blocking a crucial enzyme in your liver responsible for making cholesterol.

Treating a wide range of conditions such as:

Treatment Options Available:

In House Pathology Available:

• Sports Injury • Chronic Inflammatory conditions • Muscular and joint aches and pains • Chronic Pain • Degenerative Disorders • Children’s illnesses • Digestive Disorders eg. Bloating, Irritable Bowel • Mood Disorders eg. Anxiety/Depression

• Dorn Therapy • Bowen Therapy • Emmett Therapy • Biopuncture for acute and chronic conditions • Herbal and Nutritional Medicine • Homeopathic Prophylaxis and Constitutional Prescribing • Naturopathic and Antihomotoxic Treatments • Dietry advice and program Reiki

• Hemaview • Bio-impedance Assessment (VLA) • Zinc Tally • Matrix evaluation • Urinary Analysis • Candida Testing

But that’s not all this enzyme is responsible for.

This enzyme also makes CoQ10, which is essential for mitochondrial health.

Perhaps it’s not so surprising then that many potentially dangerous side effects go handin-hand with statin drug use.

To date, there are no less than 900 studies proving their adverse effects, which run the gamut from muscle problems to diabetes, to birth defects and increased cancer risk.

(A comprehensive range of further pathology tests available on request)

ANTA ACCREDITED PRACTITIONERS | HEALTH FUND REBATES AVAILABLE

178 Main St., Beenleigh, Q4207 • Ph: 07 33826989

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our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . .

Tools for Healthy Living

Salt Therapy Arrives in Brisbane Salt Sanctuary, Brisbane’s first salt therapy clinic, is located in the bay side suburb of Cleveland.

Salt therapy is a 100% natural alternative for respiratory and skin conditions. Salt Therapy involves sitting in a specially prepared room, with salt on the walls and floors, with a medical device that grinds pharmaceutical grade salt into a breathable powder. Salt therapy has been shown to benefit many respiratory and skin conditions such asthma, bronchitis, COPD, hay fever, sinusitis, cough, eczema, psoriasis, emphysema, cystic fibrosis, ear infection, cold and flu and many more, including stress relief and relaxation.

The benefits of salt therapy include: • Aids in the removal of allergens and bacteria from the airways • Anti-inflammatory properties which ease constriction and inflammation of the airways • Loosens mucous and improves mucociliary clearance function • Reduces sensitivity to common allergy triggers • Reduces skin edema (swelling) and irritation

Oneness Café Restaurant Flora Chiew, the owner of Oneness Café Restaurant is a passionate visionary who’s contributing to make this world a better place by offering a café/restaurant space where everyone can consciously connect to the food they eat. All the food is prepared lovingly and consciously by Flora who is also a Oneness Blessing Giver. The Café/ Restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner using chemical free, herbicide free fruit and veg and free range eggs, catering for meateaters and vegan and gluten free diets.

Flora also provides a regular healing space for everyone including women with an Empowering Women Circle, conscious movies, and a once a month Mothers & Kids Clothes & Toys Swap. Raw food/ Gluten Free & other cooking classes starting in 2012.

If you are looking for a conscious eating experience to delight your senses, come along to Oneness Café Restaurant at 244 Coogee Bay Road, Coogee. Phone (02)9665 0050 for bookings and events information.

To have your product or service reviewed on these pages, contact (08) 8396 6752

All of these mechanisms combine to assist in restoring natural lung function. The result is better, easier breathing and improved immunity to common infections.

Many Brisbane residents have had fantastic results from salt therapy.

Marcus’s (2yrs 7mths with asthma)mother Kylee F. from East Brisbane had this to say, “We haven’t had to give Marcus steroids or take him to the hospital for asthma since before we started coming to Salt Sanctuary. Last time was August and it’s now November. We can’t thank you enough.”

KerrynP. (40yrs with Sinus) from Capalaba said, “I had a cold and flu that would not go away. I was sick for 9 weeks. After a course of salt therapy my sinuses are now clear and not causing any health problems. The best I have felt all year.”

Salt Sanctuary is located at 32 Middle Street, Cleveland and is open 7 days a week. Salt Sanctuary has a special introductory offer for all new clients. See how salt therapy can benefit your health. You can contact them on 3488 0799.

our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . .

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www.innerself.com.au

Face Lift Yogas

by Swami Vyasadevananda

In the last three articles I have hour of cardio in the afternoon works shown you mudras for Unconditional really well.

Love and the Seven Stages of Enlightenment. In this article I would The best exercise is, of course, like to tell you about Face Lift Yogas laughing. That’s because cancer - Back Pain Relief Yoga, Tummy Tuck cannot live in a highly oxygenated Yoga and Cancer Cracking Yoga - all environment. Laughing is three times of which use mudras to lift your face, more vigorous than rowing a boat. I smooth your wrinkles, relieve back mean good, deep, belly laughing with pain, tuck in your tummy and crack your tongue forwards in the Cramps the emotional code of cancer.

Relieving Tongue Position. Do an hour a day while you are doing your Face Lift Yogas developed when one lymphatic and cardio exercises. of my students used our work to moisturise her dry skin. She rubbed cream over her arms and legs twice a day. Then she did our work and hasn’t needed any cream at all for the last 18 months. So she lifted her face, reduced her wrinkles and aligned her back, tucked in her tummy and reduced the cancers on her skin.

I myself got rid of five cancer tumours - four sunspots and a mole - using a wholistic lifestyle. Overnight for the sunspots, over a few days for the mole. If I can, so can you.

And, also while doing your exercises, You see, fat is incurable. Your body walking, swimming or just sitting has 30 billion fat cells. You cannot quietly, do your Cancer Cracking get rid of them all, and they are Mudra, with two thumbs up. It useful. For example, they cushion cracks the emotional code behind your feet, palms, buttocks, breasts cancer, which is shock causing longand eyeballs. held anger, rage, fury, resentment, bitterness and vengeance. It gets rid Similarly, cancer is incurable. Your of shock and brings in joy. body has 750,000 cancer cells. You cannot get rid of them all, and they are useful. Cells mutate to adapt to an ever-changing biochemical environment. You make 300 mutated cells a day. And you can reduce that amount dramatically simply by changing your lifestyle.

And you can do it in different ways for different parts of the body. For For example, exercise is like example, feel a sunspot (a rough chemotherapy without the side spot on your face or backs of your effects. Half an hour of lymphatic hands). Then do the Cancer Cracking exercise in the morning and half an Mudra with your thumbs on the sides

of your index fingers and pointing outwards (see photo). Breathe with your Cramps Relieving Tongue Position.

After a couple of minutes feel the sunspot again. It will be smoother and less raised.

This works with over 80% of people.

The only reasons why it won’t work is because you are not well hydrated or your breathing is poor.

How do you know if your breathing is poor? Simply breathe in fully and place your middle fingertips on your navel. Then breathe out fully going Brrrr with your lips. Your right fingertip should move inwards so much that it lines up with your third knuckles. Three Knuckle Breathers breathe well. Two Knuckle breathers are mediocre. One Knuckle Breathers are poor. And No Knuckle Breathers are lucky to be alive.

S w a m i Vyasadevananda has over 47 years of experience in the fields of meditation, nutrition and natural health. He has cognised over 2,000 mudras, and is the grandfather of Face Lift Yoga, which teaches mudras for face lift, spine straightening and the seven stages of Enlightenment and Liberation. For more information phone 02 6676 1759.

Phone Tahlia on 02 6676 1759

The Dawn of a New Age for Mankind

by John Gray

Walking on water is cer tainly miraculous, but walking peacefully on ear th is an even greater miracle.

Changing water to wine is wondrous, but it is more practical to change an unhealthy craving into a healthy desire. Raising the dead is clearly a miraculous demonstration of God’s power, but so is healing your daughter’s tummyache or removing the pain of an earache or, better yet, feeling vibrantly healthy so you don’t get sick in the first place. This power to create practical miracles is now within the reach of every person.

Mankind has long awaited a special time when our capacity to create miracles would occur. All of the great religious leaders and prophets have predicted this time. In the last fifty years, the incredible speed of change triggered by new technologies and television has literally transformed the consciousness of the world. Just as the dawn precedes the rising sun, the last fifty years have glowed in the imminent and radiant light of the rising sun of a new age for mankind.

The dramatic spiritual changes in the West, inspired by the Pope and other religious leaders, or the inspirational writings of self-help books that dominate the bestseller lists (and many more that don’t make the lists), reflect this increasing awareness of the need for change and the different ways to accomplish change. These changes are not just of a spiritual nature; they have occurred in every segment of secular society as well.

The radical social, political, economic, and health changes that have occurred in such a short period of time are historically unprecedented. Never has so much change occurred in such a short time, and never has so much knowledge and information been available to the public.

Not all these changes are necessarily good, but they have been needed to bring into focus what is most excellent or helpful to realize our new potential. Sometimes we need to go left to realize that we really need to go right. Mistakes are a par t of the learning curve. Making a change for the worse and clearly recognizing its futility can become the catalyst to create a radical change for the better.

Clearly, Adolph Hitler’s demonstration of extreme one-way thinking revealed to the world the dangers of believing there is one superior race, one superior way of thinking and behaving.

This fundamental shift from one-way thinking to seeing the good in all has unlocked the door for accelerated progress and transformation.

In Biblical days, Jesus spoke of a time when people would have the capacity to understand the truth and even surpass the wonders that he worked. He was speaking of our new potential to create practical miracles.

Buddha also spoke of a time when mankind would be delivered from the suffering of ignorance. Moses spoke of the Promised Land of milk and honey and the salvation of his people.

The great leaders of all faiths, East and West, ancient and new, have predicted an age of universal peace, love, justice, and prosperity. For some, the ancient predictions mean the end of the world as we know it. But for all, it is the beginning of something very special. This special time is finally here - it is not in five years or twenty years. The shift has already taken place. To appreciate this change, we just have to begin using our new potential. Humanity has been preparing for this change for thousands of years. This shift is similar to the ripening process of a fruit. At a certain time, the pear, which gradually grows and develops over time, is suddenly ripe. You can feel its sweetness by simply reaching up at the right time, and, with a slight twist, it effortlessly comes off. Prior to the

moment of ripeness, it is a struggle to pull it off, and when tasted, it is not so tender or sweet.

In a similar manner, what was previously difficult or even unattainable for most is now universally available.

This recognition is based not on a psychic vision of the future but on direct experience, a simple observation of what is now happening.

During the past twenty-eight years, besides counseling and teaching about relationships, I have successfully practiced and taught a variety of healing and meditation techniques that enable people to increase their personal fulfillment and outer success.

In my twenties, although my fundamental belief was and is Christian, I was a celibate Hindu monk for nine years. My common practice was to spend more than ten hours a day in meditation. I led a very simple life and often ate only one bowl of food a day. As with any devoted endeavor, the more you practice, the better you get. Although I became an exper t meditator after about eight years, it took another twenty years of regular practice for my experiences to awaken my inner potential for creating practical miracles.

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www.innerself.com.au In my workshops today, the immediate results that even beginners experience from healing and meditation practices are light-years ahead of what participants experienced a few years ago.

In simple terms, what makes this new age unique is that people now have the potential to experience God’s presence and power within their hearts, and, as a result, accelerated change is possible. With this shift, humanity is finally capable of bringing “heaven to earth” and creating a world of peace, love, health, and prosperity for all.

John Gray, Ph.D. is the leading relationship expert in the world and best-selling r elationship

author of all time. John helps men and women understand, respect and appreciate their differences in both personal and professional relationships. His approach combines specific communication techniques with healthy, nutritional choices that create the brain and body chemistry for lasting health, happiness and romance.

His many books, videos, workshops and seminars provide practical insights to effectively manage stress and improve relationships at all stages of life and love. John’s books have sold over 50 million copies in 50 different languages. Excerpted from “Practical Miracles,” by John Gray

our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . .

NavigatingTheShift with Joanne Antoun

The Path to enlightenment: Begin by Knowing Yourself During the past 2 years my contributions to innerself have focused on the Earth changes, humanities shift

in consciousness and how our heart is the answer during these uncertain times.

I often receive calls and emails from people struggling to understand their own emotions or simply feeling as though it’s all too much and they can’t cope. Some find it hard to hold their own centre as their world or that of loved ones seems to shake rattle and roll.

Holding your centre, keeping your personal power here in present time and taking the time to meditate or simply focus on your breathing can provide the stillness that you need to be able to see things from a higher perspective, recognising everything just is and we are all embarking on a

Metaphysical Transformation at Serenity Love

With the changing of times, more and more people are coming to realise the importance of working through their pain in order to lead healthier, functional lives. As the Earth is going through her change, we too, as humans play a major part in this important shift. It is our responsibility to support the Earth because we are a vital part of her movements. During these current times, all things of truth are surfacing from the depth of our soul’s light. It is time for us, as human beings to discover who we are and the truth of our ancestors. We are

confronted with the ending cycles of 26,000 years and our very own past because we are entering into a new world, a new way of being and new ways of functioning. Our bodies are releasing old programs and issues that are seemly unresolved, buried deep and unconscious to say the least. It is up to each and every individual to assist their own transformation and allow in that change, which in effect will help transformation for all others and Planet Earth herself.

This is a wonderful oppor tunity for everyone to cleanse and heal, move forward and embrace the new energies that have arrived as part of the Earth’s breath.

At Innerlight Journeys Healing Centres, which is now trading as “Serenity Love”, we encourage others to resolve their past, open their hearts, awaken their spirits and take into consideration that we are not alone in any pain, as we are all par t of a larger body of life and connection with

all things living, seen and unseen.

We take pride in our yearly courses which help people to understand themselves and how they function according to their past experiences.

Our courses are filled with inspiration from the Earth Mother herself, guided meditation techniques, which are channelled to assist the ascension process for each individual. These courses are enlightening to the human consciousness and allow for the student to let go of old habits and ways of thinking or feeling, which many be attracting par ticular unhealthy scenarios or situations in one’s life. At Serenity Love Healing Centres, we suppor t and facilitate change, inspire students to find BLESSINGS in their perceived trauma, learn from past experiences and embrace their self-worthiness, for we are all a greater part of a beautiful whole, inspiring each other to reach greater potential in our lives. Together we can find strength, courage, empathy, com-

passion and gratitude for life, whilst supporting the transformation as a mirror of each other’s daily Journey.

Our yearly Metaphysical and Personal Development courses are especially ideal for those who are looking to heal their past, break patterns of behaviour, move forward in life, create better relationships with self and others, or simply learn how to relax and let go. These courses are a combination of Spirituality, Philosophy, Psychology, with a touch of NLP, Kinesiology, Time Line Therapys, Science and so much more. They are filled with relaxation and meditation techniques to assist the student in the processing side of things. They run for 32 weeks, over the school holiday periods to ensure families time and integration of knowledge. The student will take “something” from every single class to awaken their spirit and hear t to higher ways of functioning in this immensely beautiful planet we live in.

Learning to understand the language

of the universe, meaning how your thoughts and feelings attract and create your world, is the greatest gift you can give to yourself and those that you love.

Our yearly courses are the study of human perception and behaviour, also assisting the spiritual senses in psychic development and awareness for every individual.

Developing psychic awareness is not difficult as it is already given to you be nature itself. Every human has this inner power because we are living in shared consciousness.

We believe our centres create sacred space for safety and comfort, especially in times of transformation when things don’t always seem most comfor table to embrace.

There is no prerequisite for entry into transformation, but an open mind.

Serenity Love also offers all types of Meditation classes, dancing, breathing and active movement

meditations for all ages including children’s meditations, drum classes, men’s support classes, Crystal Bowls healing classes and shor t weekend workshops for those that are dabbling and beginning their inner self discovery.

I have dedicated my life to finding secrets to healing all types of mental and emotional issues. My students and clients come to innerlight journeys to transcend their issues while learning how to understand energy and the creative process of life. I simply love what I do, thanks for visiting and I hope you enjoy my site...

YOLANDA MORABITO Founder of Innerlight Journeys For more information on what other students are saying about our courses, please visit http:// innerlightjourneys.com.au/ testimonials.htm

our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . .

journey towards higher consciousness.

This journey entails more than anything else truly knowing yourself and witnessing the world and those in it without judgement. People are my passion, helping and guiding you to heal the past, live in the present and create the future you desire is without a doubt my life’s purpose.

In my quest to help people be the best they can be I embarked on a journey that over time become a newly released eBook titled “Know Yourself Know Others”, it’s a 30 second personality type system that offers life guidance through personality analysis. It helps you develop an in-depth understanding of how your personality type colours your perception of the world, why you act as you do, and how to leverage this knowledge, the advantages you have in your gifts, talents and natural abilities, how to fill in the gaps to reinforce your weakest areas, personal interactions, and how to achieve maximum positivity. This book offers you all you need to know about each of the nine personality types at work, home, love, play, communication, personal growth, guidance and more.

As a teacher, public speaker and

therapist, helping people create and develop the success they desire has been the focus of my life for as long as I can remember. And when you’re passionate about something, you continuously explore new ways to improve your expertise –you’re always learning, achieving new breakthroughs.

Over the course of my career, I’ve learned that once you know what to look for, human behaviour always clearly aligns with certain patterns.

Even yours! It’s true – your emotions, perceptions and actions (or reactions) exhibit common threads with many others. Of course, your strengths, weaknesses and situation are unique, but the bigger picture shows us that the personal power you’ve been looking for is a lot closer than you think.

If we want things to change we must be the change and that starts with connecting with and understanding ourselves and others: it’s exciting, revealing and important if you want to continue to evolve as a person. Identifying how your thoughts and actions fit into the patterns of human behaviour also offers you the advantage of intuitively understanding the most productive ways to communicate with others.

You’ve got unconscious motivations. We all do – some of them are positive, and some not, but only by defining what drives us can we hope to harness its power.

Understanding what makes you (and others) tick can be a real challenge. Identifying the underlying patterns that define how we all see the world makes this discovery process quicker, simpler and more effective, every time.

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Gaining and applying this insight is the key to rapid personal growth. I’ve developed a precision system, based on numerology that will help you easily identify anyone’s pattern.

My latest book, “Know Yourself, Know Others”, focuses on a detailed personality analysis, clearly describing the 9 major personality patterns and how to identify them and the incredibly simple calculation method is there too! The Nine types are; The Instigator, The Supporter, The Doer, The Dreamer, The Agent, The Patriot, The Aficionado, The Competitor and The Mediator. It’s jam-packed with so much info, you won’t want to put it down.

This completely unique system allows you to quickly and easily determine others’ personality types as well as your own. And it literally takes seconds to do.

There’s also a phone app titled Life Guide that complements the book so you can carry around your own personality type system to easily calculate the personality type of everyone you meet and offer tools and insight for personal growth. When we understand ourselves and others our current challenges seem to be easier to navigate.

This book and App could be just what you need to help you navigate the shift. It’s available at www.joanneantoun.com Joanne Antoun sees clients for personal sessions of CTC – a life-transforming Combined Therapy Cocktail, and runs regular seminars that inspire, motivate and empower, leaving you feeling a new level of connectedness and awareness that motivates you to be the best you can be. Visit her website at www.joanneantoun.com

www.innerself.com.au

Sick Building Syndrome What does it mean?

by Gerard Bini Sick building refers to the fact that the electromagnetic energies which exist in our living and working spaces do not support our health and wellbeing. When we say electromagnetic energies we are talking about the sum of all of the natural earth radiation known as Geopathic Stress, and the electromagnetic radiation created by man made technology such as our electrical systems, electronic appliances as with WIFI, digital TV’s and the new smart meters, which create radio frequency radiation. Of all of the electromagnetic dangers that may be present in a given space, ear th radiation presents itself as the most dangerous of all compared to electromagnetic radiation from our electrical systems and appliances. Especially the new type of earth radiation called VLF(very low frequency earth radia-

tion).

Electromagnetic radiation which is harmful to humans, animals, and even plant life has one thing in common even though they may resonate at different frequencies. That is that they all create what is called positive ion.

The effect of positive ion is similar to the effect of what Kryptonite was to Superman the cartoon super hero of the 1960’s. However it may not be as dramatic as Superman’s immediate reaction to Kryptonite, although some people can react quite quickly to exposure to some positive ion radiation.

This is because different types of electromagnetic fields create a resonant effect on our internal organs, putting them under stress, which in time may cause disease to the organs which is detrimental to our health.

Usually only one organ is placed

under electromagnetic stress from exposure to each type of energy field.

For example, Wi FI may affect thyroid, electromagnetic radiation from your electrical meter box may place stress on your hear t, and ear th radiation from water veins affect your kidneys and places of death and other imprints may have an effect on your liver.

However the resonant effect on our organs is going to vary for different people, although digital TV does seem to have an effect on probably 85% of the population’s thyroid.

Most people cannot immediately feel the impact of these electromagnetic fields, however once attuned, the average person can feel the impact that they are having on their organs. People who are electro hypersensitive have great struggles from day to day trying to co-exist with these positive ion noxious energies.

These people however, upon further investigation do have a common issue with heavy metals in the body along with the possibility of fungal infections, which does increase one’s electro sensitivity.

Plant life is also adversely affected by electromagnetic radiation. The positive ion fields lower the resonance of the plants and can have a negative effect on the vitality of the plants fruit or vegetable Recent research on energy balancing of a wheat farm crop in Northern Victoria has shown that by re-balancing the earth radiation from positive ion to negative ion, that the wheat crop had a greater nutrient value and much higher resonance. The energy balancing tools used during the trials were Geoclense and other Ionising technologies.

Even organically grown food

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www.innerself.com.au can be interfered with by Geopathic Stress, especially VLF(very low frequency earth radiation). VLF operates on large areas over square kilometres rather than in fine grid lines as with traditional ear th magnetic grid lines. We have even found some organic farms that have been affected

by VLF, where neighbouring properties were not affected at all. Almost to indicate that some organic farms are being deliberately electromagnetic ally interfered with.

Mould is another electromagnetic stress in our buildings. The presence of visible mould is bad enough, however mould in ceilings and under floor boards creates a positive ion radiation that penetrates our living spaces. All of your water pipes which include sewer, grey water and storm water create electromagnetic fields which radiate out as far as 1.5metres from the pipe.

Smar t Meter s which are now made mandatory in Victoria create another electromagnetic problem in our homes by the microwave radio frequency which they produce. The Smart Meters also create a radiofrequency beam the size of a grapefruit in diameter which will project in a direction back to the communication tower where the information regarding your power usage is stored. The problem with the radiation beam from Smart Meters is that if it is directed through your or your neighbour’s living spaces, then your exposure to positive ion is increased again. The same goes for digital TV’s. They also produce a positive ion beam the size and shape of the screen for up to 200 metres. Nowadays when we do in house or remote surveys of properties using Google earth, we see that we are now being gridded by our neighbours TV beams penetrating our living spaces.

There are cures available to rebalance spaces back to a negative ion resonance which either cancels out the dangerous positive ion, to a point that all electromagnetic stress is removed from organs, and in some cases some electromagnetic fields such as imprints can be removed totally. We do this with tools such as Geoclense and Schumann Generator Domes for buildings.

Phone (03) 9775 4122 and visit www.orgoneffectsaustralia.com

I have lived with several Zen masters, all of them cats.

Eckart Tolle

our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . .

Flowing Chi with Simon Blow

Going to the Mountain

Rising of the Feminine Energy

by David Lane There were two movements that star ted to gain momentum in the nineteen sixties. One was the “peace movement” and the other was the “Feminist movement”. More and more people are becoming aware that there is a major consciousness shift that is either in progress or is about to happen. The debate about what form this will take is both a controversial and a hot topic. However, everybody can see that the world is currently going through major changes and the people who are the most challenged by this building momentum are the ones in power and control. The people who stand to benefit most from the changes are the ones who have been suppressed and oppressed. We are also moving out of a world dominated by the masculine energy into a world that will be heavily influenced by the feminine energy.

Hopefully; the eventual outcome will be a world in which the masculine and feminine energies are balanced.

We know that to find a balance in any energy, one polarity has to be counteracted with equal force by its opposite polarity to create the balance. If the stronger of the two forces becomes less, the less of the opposite energy is needed to balance it. The best harmony is found when there is almost no difference between the opposing forces. True spiritual balance and inner peace are found when there is no variation in the associated energies. There are no highs and lows – only an experience of calm and feeling centred. If anybody is living the highest truth in any part of their life then they know what this feels like.

In the western world; the feminist movement started out with very powerful women at its helm. These women were often labelled as extreme feminists. They had to be powerful and extreme to be able to counteract the strong masculine dominance. They were the warriors that paved the way for others to follow. Equality for women is slowly but surely progressing in the western world and therefore the feminists do not have to be as

extreme. Nowadays, more and more women are being placed into positions of power. They are slowly bringing in the energy needed to create the masculine/feminine balance which is essential to create the harmony. It is not possible to have harmony without balance because harmony is the result of balanced energy.

Many males feel very threatened by the new dynamics created in relationships by this rising energy. They do not understand it and would rather stay in the chauvinistic world of male domination. They do not realise that this new balance will happen regardless of their resistance because it is the destined result of our spiritual evolution. This new paradigm of equality is an essential ingredient of the current consciousness shift.

This also means that it is just as much about the balance of the masculine/ feminine within each person as it is between man and woman.

Males and females need to understand the different, but complimentary rolls of the masculine/feminine energies within and what they mean to achieving that inner peace and harmony. As was stated; it is not possible to have total inner peace without the balance of these two energies.

If the human race is to evolve to the next stage of its evolution; it has to embrace and celebrate the rise of the feminine energy to help create balance in the new paradigm.

David Lane’ s spiritual journey started out with Christianity but now includes many other under standings drawn from a diverse range of information. He believes that we are all individuals who have come to tread our own unique spiritual path. David’s first book called ‘The Handbook to Heaven’ is about how we spiritually evolve and how to monitor our journey and is available online. David has also developed an on-line course on ‘practical spiritual evolution’. www.spiritone.info

Practical Spiritual Evolution Available on my website, www.spiritone.com

The course is based on the content of my book

“The Handbook to Heaven” Get a special 50% discount to all Innerself Readers who wants to sign up for your own site membership.

Offer is exclusive for this edition and valid up to March 31, 2012 only.

For more details, go to www.spiritone.com.

Free e-book version of “The Handbook to Heaven” to site members.

Contact David on 0414 352 211

While leading my first study group to China in September 1999, we visited Wudang Mountain and met Grand Master Zhong Yunlong. Master Zhong – an engaging, energetic man – was one of the main Daoist Priests and the Abbott of the Purple Cloud Temple, a large monastery with about 100 monks and nuns nestled up high in the mountains. We had a formal meeting with him during which we drank green tea grown on the mountain and discussed Daoist ideas and our reasons for being there.

The Wudang Mountains – Shan translates to “mountain” – stretch 400km across Hubei province in central China and Wudangshan is revered as one of the five sacred Daoist mountains. Wudang Mountain is renowned for the development of Tai Chi or Taiji, a Chinese term describing the Yin/Yang symbol. The symbol is a representation of the opposing forces and the wholeness of nature. It is one of the main symbols of Daoism.

The idea of the Taiji symbol cannot be attributed to a single person because we are all influenced by the thinking of previous generations and by our environment. From prehistoric days, our ancestors began to observe the natural cycle of nature; the rising sun following the darkness of night, the continuous change from one season to the next and the changes and adaptations in our environment, including ourselves. As human beings we are a microcosm of our universe and are influenced by our surroundings. This is why Daoist monasteries are typically set in the mountains.

There are fewer people and it is easier to harmonise with nature.

The Dao translates to “the Way”.

It’s not a religion but a way of harmonising with nature. Its origins are in ancient Chinese culture dating back over 5,000 years. Lao Tzu, a historical figure from 500 BC, was the first great master to write about his understanding of the nature of the Dao. His book, the Dao De Jing, is the basis of most Taoist thought Master Zhong ran a small school with about 12 full-time students learning the Daoist ar ts which included martial arts (Wushu), Taijiquan (Tai Chi), Qigong and meditation.

Some of the other healing arts originating from the Daoist tradition include acupuncture, herbal medicine, and therapeutic massage. He would also take small groups of foreign students, like my group, to help subsidise the running of the school. Master

Zhong gave us a demonstration of a Daosit moving form and then asked me to give a demonstration as well.

The next morning we commenced our training in the Taiji Hunyuan Zhuang Qigong, which translates to “the interaction of Yin and Yang”, “absorbing the primordial essence of the universe”, and “energy work”. We shortened the name to the Wudang Longevity form. As we left, I promised Master Zhong that I would return in 12 months with another group of students, whom I would train in the Longevity form, and we would be ready to learn more. He gave me a knowing look and nodded.

To my word, I returned to China with my second study group in September 2000. When we visited Wudangshan, Master Zhong welcomed us like old friends. We spent quality time with Master Zhong in his private rooms, discussing the Daoist understanding of energy cultivation, spirituality and ways of improving our quality of life. We all shared stories of our experiences in life which contributed to a very special bond for all who were there. He asked us what we would like to learn next. I personally don’t have much interest in the martial arts and focus mainly on Qigong, meditation and spiritual understanding, so he suggested teaching us a Daoist Meditation practice with a history of 2,000 years from that Temple. The next morning we started our instruction in the Sitting Ba Duan Jin, or “Nurturing Life Qigong”.

When we had completed our training, Master Zhong presented me with a personal letter granting me authority to teach the two cultivation methods that I had learnt at Wudangshan. He said that I had “absorbed the essence” of these teachings and he gave me the authority to share these techniques to help benefit human wellbeing.

It wasn’t until 2004 that my travels took me back to Wudangshan. Master Zhong had been promoted to the head of Mt Wudang and was busy travelling with groups of his students promoting Wudang Mountain and the Daoist ar ts. The Mountain had changed and there were a lot more visitors. When we first visited in 1999 and 2000, it seemed that we were the only ones there.

We practised Qigong and meditation in the grounds of the Purple Cloud Monastery with Master Sui, a Daoist Priest and Master Zhong’s second-in-charge. Master Zhong’s

tiny school had grown and moved to a large hotel complex near the Monastery and was catering for large groups of Chinese and foreign students.

Master Zhong was doing an excellent job of running and promoting the school, and the popular movie Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon – set at Mt Wudang – had been released and was drawing many people. Wudangshan was becoming a major tourist attraction.

I returned to Wudangshan in 2005 and 2006 with groups of Qigong instructors, hoping to continue my study with Master Zhong, but each time he was away, so on these occasions we practised meditation with Taoist Priest Master Yuan. On my visit in April 2006, I learned that Master Zhong had grown disillusioned with the commercialisation of the area and retreated into the mountain to become a hermit and continue his cultivation of the Daoist arts, to merge with the universe, and return to nothingness.

I feel very privileged and honoured to have had the opportunity to spend quality time with Master Zhong. I know that the energy and experiences that I and my companions received and shared with him will always be with us.

The legacy of these teaching is recorded on the DVD “Qigong - Absorbing the Essence” that I produced in 2003 and now in the book published in 2010 of the same name. As Master Zhong would say, “May the Meritorious Deeds Be Infinite”.

Simon Blow is the author of numerous books, DVDs and audio CDs about this ancient healing art. He is a Sydneybased master teacher (Laoshi) who has been leading regular classes, workshops and retreats for beginning and continuing students since 1990.

Simon also leads unique study tours to China were he has received training and certification from Traditional Chinese Medical Hospitals and Daoist Monasteries who have given him authority to share these techniques.

He has been initiated into Dragon Gate Daoism and given the name of Xin Si, meaning Genuine Wisdom. Simon is a Standing Council Member of the World Academic Society of Medical Qigong in Beijing. www.simonblowqigong.com or call (02) 9559 8153

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our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . .

Colour in Focus

SoulConnection

by Anna Wilson

with nicole cody

Living Authentically in 2012 Well, here we are, at the edge of it.

I know you’ve heard all the cataclysm, natural and economic disasters and “end-of-world” scenarios by now.

How should we respond?

2012 ends the cycle of the Mayan Calendar during the December Solstice. 2012 is about change! Calendars are useful for societies to mark and divide time. Years, months, weeks and days help to pin down history, and to plan into the unformed future. Yet a calendar is only a tool. We also break time into seasons, gestations, and by phases that have personal meaning like marriages or child raising. The natural world is shaped more by these seasons and flowing periods, than by specific dates on calendars, or man-made increments of time.

Most people I know who are ruled by time (days governed by clocks, diaries, and heavy scheduling) are disconnected from themselves, each other, and the natural world. Work, rush and worry occupy every space in their lives. There is never enough time! Does that sound like you? In 2012, you can change how you relate to time by changing how you relate to the world around you. And in this place of flow and grace, you’ll find a natural rhythm and a calm wisdom that guides you towards making better choices, so that your life feels rich instead of fleeting. When we honour our connection to the world around us, and to the people, places and activities that matter to us, our relationship to time changes - we get out of our heads and back into our bodies and our hearts. We begin to live more authentically. An authentic life is a life that is deliberate, aware and filled with meaning.

So how do you get started? Find a spare few hours, and a quiet space, and then answer these simple questions. Write your responses in a journal, where you can refer back to them, or expand on them at a later date. What you are trying to discover is what matters most to you.

Cherished Dreams: Is there anything you’ve always wanted to do or become, or a place you want to visit, or an activity you want to try? If it’s something you have already dabbled at, but there’s not enough space in your life for that thing right now, add some stars beside it!

Health and Lifestyle: Health matters. Without it, life becomes that much harder, our options fewer. What do you know you need to do to have better health? I’m not just talking good nutrition and exercise. Maybe you need to get rid of credit card debt so you can sleep at night, maybe it’s time to move, or change jobs, or make other changes so that you have the time,

www.innerself.com.au

the resources, the support and the inner happiness to embrace living healthily, and to have longevity to get done all the things that you love to do.

Place: Where does your heart sing? Inner city, wild coastlines, small towns, mountains? Art galleries, op shops, concerts and cafes. If you can’t live there, can you visit? Can you find a way to include some of that energy in your life this year?

Nature: Nature matters. Spending time outdoors, sunshine, standing barefoot on sand and grass, walking in the rain, sitting under a tree, eating fresh food, gardening, caring for animals, listening to the birds – all of these things heal us and help us.

We are all interconnected, and part of the greater whole. How much time do you spend in nature?

Heart Space: Who matters to you? Family, friends, lovers, people who share your interests? Relationships and interaction enrich our lives, and help us to grow, to heal, and to be uplifted.

Life is nothing without love. We all need support, and we all have wisdom to share with others.

Heart Purpose: Using our talents and gifts gives us emotional satisfaction. It might be paid work, or the pay might be measured in satisfaction rather than money. It might not even be your day job – you’ll know this work by how it makes you feel: you’d do it even if you weren’t getting paid.

Fun Stuff: Surfing, eating mangoes, cryptic crosswords, travelling, music, garage sales, entertaining, reading, napping in hammocks. This is the magic of life, and often these pleasures are quite ordinary, and easy to include in our day, or our year.

By making small windows of time for what really matters in our life – an hour for the gym, one night a week for art class, family dinner at the table instead of in front of tv, weekends camping or exploring the inner city – life’s texture will begin to change. These simple actions are a solid beginning. – and they can be world changing. 2012 – honour the energy of change, starting with yourself!

Nicole Cody is a Metaphysical Teacher and Channel. She specialises in Soul Blueprints, Life Direction Counselling and Spiritual Mentoring. For more information contact 07 3256 0815 or www.nicolecody.com. Or find her on Facebook.

Light and Blessings be Yours!

Remember the wonder of seeing a rainbow as a child?

That is a wonder that never seems to leave us, we see a rainbow and if we are alone, we stop and look at the colours with awe, if not, we exclaim to whoever is with us, “look; look... a rainbow!” A rainbow appears so beautiful; we wonder how can it be... Even though we know it is the effect of light refracting through raindrops, a rainbow never ceases to amaze us. In that instant of seeing a rainbow, we feel happy.

That is what colour can do, make us happy.

Conscious focus points of colour is good to use in the home. Once you start using focus points of colour to bring desired changes or effects in yourself or your life, you will get more inventive and start to work out pertinent colours for yourself at particular times during your life. As life changes, so too do the colour choices that will help us.

Some ideas are a big red pepper grinder in the kitchen against a white wall, if you feel you are wanting more energy and passion in your life, and of course if you spend a fair amount of time in the kitchen! When studying, yellow can bring us clarity and violet can help us ground our ideas. To have these colours help you during study, it is as simple as painting a yellow ball and a violet ball on a piece of A4 paper and sticking it to the wall in your line of vision. Each time you take a break from study, or want some clarity over an issue, or are not sure how to put your ideas into words for that essay, look up at your painting. This will refresh and clarify your mind, giving you room to make sense of what you are studying, or if you are writing an essay it will help you ground your ideas into the printed word.

If you find the day always starts with an argument, either with your partner, in traffic or at work, start the day with a green focus point. Green is harmonious and is the colour of new beginnings and forgiveness, have something green by your alarm clock, if this is the first thing you see in the morning. Also by the bathroom mirror, that gives you a start to the day. If there is a leafy route to work, take that route, and if there is a park nearby work, try to pop out even for a few moments to take in the green of nature around you.

Focus on colour, and enjoy.

Anna Wilson, Founder of the Colour Blueprint System, promotes joy creation through colour, taught at her school, ‘Almanac, a space for learning’ in Double Bay. Anna is a Registered Nurse, Meditation Facilitator and Energetic Practitioner. She believes in putting the joy into this moment, because it is from this point that we create. Phone: 0419 473 234 Email: anna@ colourblueprints.com www.colourblueprints.com

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www.innerself.com.au

Blockages in our Chakras

By Sonette Schoeman Einstein showed through E=MC2 that energy and matter are dual expressions of the same universal substance, a vibration of which we are all composed. Matter is energy that has slowed its vibration and appears solid. For instance, steam and ice are water in different states where the particles vibrate faster or slower as the case may be. Our spirit incarnated into a body allowing it to appear to be solid. Similarly energy never dies; it is continually evolving.

Through reincarnation (re-entry into flesh) we may evolve into faster vibrating energy-beings. When we reincarnate it means that par t of the energy-being dies (this physical body) but some of the energy carries on (our spirit.) According to Newton’s Third Law, every action has an equal but opposite reaction, as everything strives to find balance. This action and reaction illustrates karma – or the law of cause and effect. What you do to others will be done to you. Through the process of reincarnation, karma from other lifetimes is re-encoded into a new body via our subtle energy system. Our energy system is comprised of chakras, nadi and subtle bodies. Our chakras are constantly rotating extra-sensory organs located in our subtle bodies. The vortex created by rotation allows the chakras to draw energy in, transform it anddisperse it through our system, and to release energy. The energy drawn in through our chakras is prana or chi. Prana is the primal universal life force that manifests in various frequencies, white light, or the energy

that is life. Prana sustains all life all around us. The greater the frequency of prana we are able to absorb, the more conscious we are and the more physical energy we have. We breathe prana into our subtle bodies through the chakras. We get prana from the sun, the stars, breathing, eating and drinking. If we do not get enough prana, the body gradually breaks down which leads to disease. For our system to operate,the energy receivers (chakras) and the energy channels (nadi) need to be clear so the energy travels freely.To experience wholeness, creativity, knowledge, strength, love and bliss, the chakras need to be open and working harmoniously.

Blockages in our chakras occur either through the trauma of disconnection from the Universal whole, orevents in this, and previous, lifetimes, and from fear of being alone. The illusion that the soul has been separated from the Source, fuels a repetitious karmic pattern, trapping us in a cycle of birth, life, death and re-birth.

Trauma causes our chakras to withdraw, drawing in less life force and trapping energy in our system.

Trapped energy finds weak spots and pushes out, similar to how volcanic eruptions build-up pressure in the earth. An eruption is the reaction to circumstances which create a karmic cycle. Because of the illusion of separation we try to feel connected by finding comfort in external things.

We seek love and approval from others, recognition, physical sensations, success, and material possessions in order to feel whole. Instead of en-

riching our lives, they become props with which we are trying to fill a void.

When these things are taken away we are confronted with emptiness and fear. We think other people take our comforts so we see them as competitors who will take even more of the things we treasure. We try to protect ourselves and prevent certain people or situations from getting too close.

We withdraw our sensory receptors (chakras) to avoid facing challenges, which causes fur ther contractions and blockages.

Our chakras draw in less prana, which causes the body to break down, creating discomfor t and disease.

Even though we experience trauma, we still feel the need to be recognised by the group because we are driven to feel connected. We then decide to live according to other people’s expectations and rules sowe block spontaneous feelings. We draw the chakras together so that uncontrolled emotions cannot pass through. This causes the energy in the chakra to dam up, preventing it from radiating.

The pent-up energy finds a weakness and breaks out causing uncontrolled expressions which fur ther alienate the group. Following the energy explosion as the chakra clears itself, new energy enters and the pattern repeats. Until we have learned the lesson that it comes down to unity with the Source,we are re-bornand the cycle continues.

The energy that re-entered into flesh gives us another chance to evolve into a higher state by being given similar circumstances to deal

our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . . with and make right what was previously done wrong. We have become trapped in this cycle as we create and deal with our karma, simply by trying to find balance and reconnection to the Source. By trying to find balance we react to various circumstances, creating or overcoming karma from previous lifetimes, creating or clearing blockages, evolving to a higher state or devolving to a lower state. Actions not in accordance with universal laws create karma while good deeds clear karma. We will reincarnate until the lessons are learnt and we are freed from our patterns by speeding up the vibrational frequency of our chakras so as to become light again.

By taking responsibility for our thoughts, actions and situations we start controlling our destiny. Throughfree will and choice, we have the opportunity to break free. This can be done through meditation; by becoming a witness and developing awareness. Our pure soul doesn’t judge, it shows us that we go through these experiences in order to learn and understand which actions have caused suffering by separating us from the divine source.

Sonette Schoeman is a metaphysical teacher and vibrational therapist and the Founder of the Sonesha Academy of Meditation, Metaphysics and Vibrational Resonance Therapies and the Sonesha Centre for Personal Development. The Academy and Centre offer therapies such as reiki, crystal therapy, counseling, massage, yoga and courses in various fields of vibrational therapies, meditation and metaphysics. Sonesha is dedicated to the wellbeing of your Mind, Body, Soul and Spiritual Development with the aim towards self-empowerment. For more information call 1300 552 334 or go to www.sonesha.com

PsychicRealms with Elisabeth Jensen

Spiritual Surgery & Psychic Healing To be an effective Spiritual Healer you don’t need to be very psychic or clairvoyant but to be an effective Psychic Healer this ability needs to be present and developed. So what is the difference and benefit of either being or consulting a Psychic Healer instead of a Spiritual Healer?

Many people have heard of the Psychic Surgeons in say the Philippines or Brazil & they are usually mediums who do healing with the assistance of spirits and the Holy Spirit.

All mediums are psychic but not all choose to be “Hands on Healers.” Not many Psychic Healers in the West do this type of healing and many healers now believe the “blood and guts stuff” is not really essential these days for effective healing.

As a Psychic Healer myself I both perform and teach Spiritual Surgery - this involves working with Ancient Egyptian Divinities who come into my physical body and direct vast amounts of powerful energy through my hands and heart. It’s very effective for conditions that can’t be dealt with in any other way but it is essential to have a physical connection with the client for the healing to occur. At times I do a type of Psychic Surgery whereby I visualise myself doing surgery on the client – again it’s usually very

successful but the client often finds it has much the same effect as “real” or Physical Surgery at first and clients need time out to recover and their condition may feel worse for a day or two.

SPIRITUAL HEALING

This in generally means to invoke some type of spirit or angelic being to assist the healer while they perform energy healing on a client. Many Reiki and energy healers do this but not in a focussed way so it’s left up to the Angels & Beings of Light to do any healing basically as a result of their presence. The healer may or may not be aware of their presence and or the

our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . . type of healing the Angels and Spirits do and results vary widely depending on the skill and natural ability of the healer. No psychic ability is required for this gentle and safe form of healing but a belief in the spirit world is essential of course for the healer, but not for the client. Being open to positive change and having a belief in Angels will usually give far better results however for the client.

PSYCHIC HEALING BENEFITS

Once more the client being open to change is helpful but not essential – I have given healing to many unconscious patients in Intensive Care Units with quite dramatic recovery results plus to animals, babies and young children.

Psychic Healers utilise the process of Medical Intuition to determine the cause of the patients health problems then seek to clear whatever energy or karmic blockages they perceive.

As psychics they work with spirits, Divinities and Angels in a more focussed way linking to or channelling their energies for a more powerful effect such as with Spiritual Surgery. The great benefit of being a Psychic Healer is having the ability to use “X-Ray Vision” to see changes in the client’s internal organs and brain both before and after healing plus to be able to make a differential diagnosis in difficult medical conditions. As a Medical Intuitive and Healer this can be so helpful but to my surprise it’s not so easy to convince both clients and health professionals of my findings at times. On the whole I find I am good at “seeing” neurological conditions such as small strokes causing physical symptoms or even the presence of spiritual intrusions and dark energies that may mimic a major Neurological

Disorder.

In the case of energies not belonging to the patient being present, they need to be gently removed and transformed with Light, often with a dramatic improvement in the client’s emotional and physical condition.

Angels and Divinities can then be assigned to the client to protect them in the future -although teaching the client to do this for themselves always works best here.

MEDICAL INTUITION & HEALING

As a natural Medical Intuitive I can feel my client’s pain and stress often even before I meet them! As a Registered Nurse it caused me lots of stress too, but today I know how to use this sensitivity for my client’s benefit plus how to prevent myself becoming overwhelmed by the physical sensations I feel. Most Medical Intuitives can utilise their abilities to become very effective Psychic Healers with the added benefit that their energy field strengthens during this process and they find a lot of their own pain disappears as their clients are healed.

It is my belief that some people are simply born with amazing natural abilities as Psychic Healers but we all can be Spiritual Healers and should all develop our abilities to enable us to monitor and improve our own health and that of our families, friends and pets.

ELISABETH JENSEN is the Principal of Isis Mystery School & has taught her own Isis Lotus Healing & Angel Miracles Courses in many countries of the world.

She was voted Australian Psychic of The Year 2010. For more information please visit www.isismysteryschool. com or call 1300558075 for a free information pack about her courses.

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PsychicYou with isabella Gentilin

Using your Pendulum

A pendulum is any ar ticle hanging from a string or a chain. It can be used to discover new and exciting information for yourself or loved ones.

Pendulums are ancient tools that date back to Ancient Egypt where they have been found in the great pyramids from over 6000 years ago.

Later, pendulums were used for detecting water and finding metals within the Ear th. The pendulum is also a divination tool.

It is a wonderful tool that can assist and help you throughout your life.

It is free, easy to use and accurate.

Practising a little each day will make it easier, and will definitely bring results. Anyone can use a pendulum.

All you need is good intent, some free time and a pendulum. You can even use your jewellery. I first used a pendulum years ago and star ted with my chain that I wore daily and using my pendant as the weight. You don’t have to spend lots of money...

You may even want to try to make one yourself, using some fishing line and a beautiful crystal or pendant that is special to you.

A pendulum should always be used with good intent (as with any spiritual work) and if you are using the pendulum to obtain information for somebody else, make sure you have their permission.

Pendulums can be used for a variety of things including clearing away

entities and their energies, removing psychic interference, making charts and finding percentage answers, and for finding everyday answers to your questions. In this article, I will explain how to use your pendulum for yourself, everyday, using basic questions.

You may want to start small, and then expand from there.

I have a certain “ritual” I do whenever I consult my pendulum. Please bear in mind that this may not suit you, however, use it as a guideline and be guided by your intuition and do what feels right. There is no right or wrong way to prepare for using your pendulum, however, with any spiritual work, I like to create a sacred space, burn some incense, surround myself in white light, and ask for only answers for my highest good to come through.

I like to be seated, comfortably on a chair, having both my feet firmly on the ground when I begin. I like to be aligned both with the spiritual realms and with Mother Earth.

Once you have created your sacred space, place your elbow on the table where you are seated and hold the pendulum with your thumb and index finger. Some people like the pendulum string to be longer and some prefer shor ter. You can do whatever feels more comfortable for you.

Invite your Guides and Angels to be with you to assist you through this

www.innerself.com.au process.

Once you ar e in position, you need to tune your pendulum to your answers.

A s k fo r a c l e a r “Yes” while nodding your head in a yes motion. You are tuning your pendulum to the “yes” answer. The pendulum should be swinging away from you and then closer to you in a straight up and down motion. This is your “Yes” answer.

Then ask for a clear “No”, while making a no movement with your head. The pendulum should now be swinging across from you in a no motion. This is your answer “no”.

Now ask for the pendulum to show you an “Unsure” answer. The pendulum will now swing in an anti clockwise motion.

Once you have finished asking for the “Yes, No and Unsure” and you have had clear readings, ask the pendulum if the messages you are about to receive are from your Angels, Guides or from the Heavenly Father of Unconditional Love or just from The Light. Whatever you feel comfortable with. You should be getting a clear and strong “YES”. If you get a “no” answer, cleanse your pendulum and start again.

When you have finished “tuning in” your pendulum, you are now ready to begin asking questions. I always suggest you ask specific, yes or no questions, being careful about the wording to make sure you receive clear and

accurate answers. Begin with asking something you already know the answer to. For example, “Am I 30 years of age?” etc. Ask a few before you begin the “real” questions. This will help gain your confidence and see the accuracy.

You are now ready to begin.

With all spiritual work, I ask you to be vigilant and use it only to confirm or help in certain situations. I have known many people who rely on the answers from their pendulums and that can become dangerous. With all this work, it is important that you remain focused and trust your own inner guidance and intuition. Have fun with it and use it when you feel guided to it.

Happy dowsing!

I would love to hear your feedback.

Please email me at isabella.gentilin@ hotmail.com with your comments or questions. Phone 0421 88 22 89 and visit www.isabellagentilin.com

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Apocalypse Not!

Eye on the Sky

by Rachelle terry “Hello I would like to make an appointment” “Sure. How does Nov 1st, 2012 sound?”

“Hmmm... Do you have anything sooner, before the end of the world?”

Yes. The notion is a little farfetched - that I would be capable of planning my diary a year in advance!

Jokes aside, do we believe the world is heading toward an apocalypse? I will not attempt to predict the destiny of the planet in a physical sense as this is not my specialty and I would rather not contribute to a group consciousness of fear. I can, however share my observations of the world in which I work and spend a lot of my time - the energy world. If we use the Greek derivation of the word apocalypse – apokálypsis we are referring to an “unveiling”, “revelation” or “uncovering of that which is hidden”. I am witnessing changes in the appearance of energies everywhere I look and can’t help but feel excited to find that a phenomenal shift is occurring.

I believe the shift in the energy of the planet means a shift in consciousness because energy is consciousness and vice versa. How is this playing out? When I was a child our family secret was that we meditated, spoke to our angels and, as if that wasn’t sensational enough, our angels spoke back! Now however, there is much more acceptance of spiritual concepts in the mainstream. It is not unusual for me to receive calls from CEO’s, doctors and other medical professionals to look into their auras and heal their (and their families) and patterns. They have an understanding that there is an energetic basis for whatever they are experiencing and that this can be addressed from the same place it was created.

I am finding a marked difference now in the direction healings often take. A client, Julia asked me to work on a financial blockage she had encountered. Her usually successful business was slowing down. Normally, I would look into my client’s aura and see where she was storing the blockage. Colours indicating an ancestral lack/loss pattern stored in the base chakra would be removed with

a ThetaHealing technique. This time I was taken into a ball of light, and saw myself taking my client’s hand and diving into the light. The entire session was spent falling into a state of bliss, ecstasy and oneness with All. When the session came to an end I arrived at the awkward realization that perhaps I was the only one having the experience. Rather than ask, “Was it as good for you..” I awaited Julia’s response. “What just happened?! I felt as though I was going to heaven!

I want to feel like that all the time!”

Hopefully in this lifetime she, and the rest of humanity, will. As an added bonus, Julia’s business flowed again.

Never before have I seen such magnificent colours coming to the Earth. I have seen bolts of high frequency light from the higher realms and merging with the human energy field and that of the planet. These seem to coincide with major energy shifts in the body. Babies born at this time have magnificent clear, crystalline auras which I have never witnessed before now. The spiritual evolution of clients and friends has become so rapid that even people who did not have a spiritual practice or belief system ten years ago are experiencing spontaneous awakenings.

Rather than fearing a cataclysmic end of Ear th’s existence, we have every reason to be rejoicing in the new frequencies we are receiving and the magnificent opportunity for spiritual evolution they provide.

Rachelle Terry, a Sydney based therapist, has had an ability from childhood to clairvoyantly see the human aura. She works with local, interstate and international clients by means of private consultations and group healings. Wonderful results are experienced after having life, health or relationship patterns cleared and it becomes possible to be in flow again.

For phone, Skype or in-person c o n s u l t at i o n s w i t h R a c h e l l e, Phone: 0414 317 323 or Email: auratherapist@gmail.com *Baby and child readings also available*

our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . .

with Claire Hennekam, Astrologist

Absolute Soul Secrets In 2000 Rose Smith BA, DRM, ATMS had a dream of Archangel Michael who wrote the name “Absolute Soul Secrets” on her forehead. At the time, she had no idea what this meant, it was a soul secret even to her!

However after about 3 months, a series of ‘coincidences’ led Rose to believe it was a new business endeavour she was destined to start.

More dreams confirming her new direction led to the international psychic network Absolute Soul Secrets.

10 years later Absolute Soul Secrets is the most reputable and well known psychic network in Australia and New Zealand. Only genuinely gifted psychics are invited to read on this network.

So if you want a good reading with a good psychic that doesn’t cost a fortune, Call Absolute Soul Secrets today!

24/7 pay by your phone account call 1902 221 596 - $2.97pm (mob more, Callucopia), credit cards 1300 850 196 - $2.45pm Check our free astrology www.SoulSecrets.com.au

Rhonda’s Readings

From the Gold Coast to Brisbane, from Tweed Heads to Byron Bay and from Europe to Dubai, many people all over Australia and the world have experienced the healing benefits of having a reading with Rhonda.

Rhonda is a gifted clairvoyant/clairaudient reader and medical intuitive who utilizes photographs and the tarot to clearly access the highest truth in your current circumstances. Her readings are grounded and heartfelt, rich with guidance that is easily applied to change your life and achieve your dreams.

“If you are choosing a clairvoyant, I do not pamper peoples egos, I do not do fairy floss and marshmallows, I pass on the information from Spirit the way that they want it to be passed on. Sometimes the Truth hurts, Sometimes the Truth heals, I do not change the Truth.” Rhonda.

Fot details visit www.handsofdestiny.com or phone Rhonda direct on (02) 6677 7517.

Astrology for January - March 2012 The big players of 2012 – Uranus and Pluto clash, whilst Neptune returns home.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a western astrologer who wouldn’t acknowledge that the biggest news of 2012 is that, after a long approach, Uranus will finally square Pluto on June 24th, the first of seven events of this kind between now and 2015.

We’ve been feeling the impact of this already, but 2012 will see the intensity kicked up a notch as the first square comes into alignment. Uranus, the sky god, and Pluto, ruler of the underworld, are both rebellious and revolutionary in their own way. Whenever they make such a direct connection with each other, social upheaval and change is inevitable.

We last saw a square between these two in the early 1930s, and the most common world event linked to this alignment was the rise of Nazi power – not so encouraging. However, a conjunction in the mid-sixties brought about a very different type of social change in the rise of “flower power”. Some astrologers see a distinction in a closing or waning square (leading to a conjunction), as was the case in 1932-33, and an opening or waxing square (leading to an opposition), as we are experiencing this year.

Given that both planets ar e transpersonal, and therefore transcend the ego, it is possible – particularly with Neptune returning to its spiritual home at the same time – that we are on the threshold of something very different; the rise of spiritual power.

The cosmos tends not to always give us what we want, but always what we need, and in this case it may be that Uranus’ brush with Pluto is not at all what the ego wants, but is what the soul desperately needs.

The “Occupy” movement, along with the revolutionary activity we saw around the world last year, gives a hint as to what these two celestial superpowers may have in store for us over the next three years.

Ultimately, we need to stay calm, take guidance from within and trust

that whatever deep, dark underworld secrets are exposed – be them individually, socially or globally – by the sky god’s lightning bolts, it is time for them to be revealed, healed and released.

Another major event in 2012 is that Neptune, after dipping its proverbial toe in the water for a few months last year before inching back into Aquarius, is returning to its native sign of Pisces in February, where it will remain for the next thirteen years.

Traits of both Neptune and Pisces include everything from spirituality and creativity to illusion and naiveté, so whilst we have a once in a lifetime opportunity to tap into deep spiritual waters with relative ease, we need to be careful not to get lost, staring at a distorted reflection, as we do so.

Dates to Watch this Quarter

13th Jan – After Mercury gives us a faster than usual start to the year, Venus trines Saturn, offering loyalty and good judgement amidst business agreements.

2nd Feb – Venus opposes Mars in the lead up to quite a star-charged Valentine’s Day. Passion peaks, along with sex drives, but allow for emotions to spill over in the midst of the excitement – communication is a must. With Venus then entering Aries almost a week later on the 8th, there’s nothing for it but to loosen the reins, give your partner (or potential partner) a bit more freedom and make the most of the sparks that are likely to fly!

4th Feb – Neptune re-enters Pisces, this time for the long haul. Great for ar tists, musicians, mystics and anyone open to exploring their creative centre, but leave a trail of breadcrumbs so you can find your way back from any magical mystery tours, particularly now, while the energy is new and alluring.

14th-16th Feb – Valentine’s Day has some celestial assistance this year, providing you tread carefully.

On one hand, Mercury slips into Pisces on 14th and immediately joins Neptune, offering clarity of thought to artistic imaginings and sharpening intuition. Romantic fantasies could be particularly creative! Don’t venture too far from reality though, because with Venus in Aries, it’s not long before she hooks up with Uranus (on 10th) and squares Pluto on the 16th, bringing potential sexual tension, jealousy and territorial disputes.

12th March – Mercury retrograde (until 4th April) – be patient during this time, as potential issues with communications and technology can be troublesome, as can calendar conflicts and delays. As always, it’s a great time to go inward and reflect.

13th-14th March – Jupiter and Venus team up in Taurus and create a harmonious trine with Pluto in Capricorn, quickly joined by Mars in Virgo in an earthy grand trine. Confidence, persistence, generosity, trust, romance and the spirit of enterprise culminate around this time, when the needs of the group (or pair) can be comfor tably put ahead of the individual for a time.

23rd-24th March – with Mars opposing Chiron, the wounded healer, on 23rd and Chiron then squaring the Moon’s Nodes the next day, this is a good time for facing fears and letting go of old emotional hur ts, before opening up to and moving towards your true purpose.

Claire Hennekam is an astrologer and Reiki master who founded Emerald Astrology in 2005 (www. emeraldastrology.com.au). Claire works from home in the Melbourne CBD as well as from Sahu Healing Space (www.sahu.com.au), a healing sanctuary she created to provide the space and resources for clients and practitioners to pursue their own healing journeys. She prepares various types of astrology reports for her clients, as well as running ‘astrohealing’ sessions, where she uses astrology, amongst other modalities, to connect clients back to their true selves.

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our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . .

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WicanEveryone WayNeeds ~ Love Natures Gifts in their Life

Hunts Liverpool. Cnr York st & Hume Hwy, Casula 2170.

Ph: 02 9601 5088. Email: info@ mindbodysoulexpo.com.au Visit www. mindbodysoulexpo.com.au

Events, Courses & Workshops for the Mind, Body & Soul InnerSelf encourages our readers towards the development and integration of all aspects of the self: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual so that they can thrive on all levels. This regular feature aims to inspire and motivate people to find new ways to better health, growth and spiritual awareness and present a whole new world of opportunities to explore. Whether you want to boost your health, growth, wealth, love life or redirect your thinking on a more spiritual plane this feature will help you do just that by covering educational courses and practical workshops and events,on everything from healthy eating and exercise, to courses to stimulate and educate the mind, to workshops and retreats to develop and nurture the soul. research, identify your opportunities, and move your business or business concept forward. Twine Marketing’s Year of Momentum helps you define and communicate your message, your core business philosophy.

Sydney Institute of Chinese Medicine

National TCM registration commences on 1 July 2012 * The first TCM hospital (integrated with Western Medicine) in Australia also opening. Registered TCM practitioners can be invited to treat patients in hospital. Nowadays alternative medicine practitioners are all learning Acupuncture and Chinese medicine.

Contact SITCM on (02)9261 2289 for your 2012 enrolment into a new professional healthcare career.

Make 2012, Your Year of Momentum

How was your 2011? Did you achieve your goals or are you frustrated with your business and worried you are getting left behind? Dedicate 2012 to being the year you make a difference to you. Imagine a year of step-by-step mentoring - a full twelve months to master your core marketing message/s, where you work with a mentor and your target audience to

Phone 0422 584 046 & bookings@ twinemarketing.com

Free Meditation

We at Awaken Crystals & Gifts hold a weekly meditation group and everybody is welcome. Tuesday 7pm at the store. The evening is done in an hour, so that you know you can always fit it in with other plans.

The purpose is that there would simply be a place available where we can practice meditation and mindfulness together, and you can learn techniques of meditation.

There is tremendous benefit to a daily practice of Meditation. Both for body and mind, learning the art of stilling the thought-machine can affect your life in many ways. Our meditation night has no hidden agendas or religious affiliations.

Check Our Calendar at www.awakencrystals.com for confirmation of the Meditation night, you can send us and email or just turn up!!

Awaken Crystals & Gifts - 350 The Kingsway, Caringbah NSW. Phone Robert on (02) 9540 2744

Being Woman - A Women’s Gathering

March 2nd-4th 2012 - Being Woman is an annual festival cocreated, weaved and dreamed in love by women for women. This year’s theme, “I am deepening in union,” is an invitation to go deeper with ourselves, each other, our planet and our community.

Held over a weekend in the beautiful natural surrounds of the Sunshine Coast, Being Woman offers a variety of wonderful workshops that speak to our theme. The event incorporates ceremony by Elders of our community and offers much fun, love, connection, and transformative inner work.

We extend our warm and hear tfelt invitation. For more information: www. beingwoman.com.au To register: bookings@beingwoman. com.au or contact Nivanni: 0411 773 310

Mind Body Soul Expo

Discover who you are at the Mind Body Soul Expo. 9th, 10th, and 11th March 2012. Friday: 12pm -7pm.

Saturday: 10am -5pm. Sunday: 10am-5pm. Held at: Comfor t Inn

Everyone needs love in their life, tired of waiting? Bring it on!

A Love Spell from Wican Way’s resident White Witch Have a picture of the subject of your spell, and their name written on a piece of paper. Burn some Love Incense.

Oil - with Rose or Adam & Eve Oil - and light a Red Candle as an offering, and place your picture under or in front of the candle. Calm yourself, focus. Then chant: • Goddess Ishtar, grant my request, Goddess Aphrodite, hear my plea • Open the floodgates of desire in the man/woman, for whom my heart conspires • Let him/her feel the heat, oh Goddess, of my body warm and sweet.

• Burn the paper with his/her name on it, lighting it from the red candle’s flame. Let the candle burn out and bury the remains, or place in a red flannel bag and carry with you.

For all your spell supplies go to www.wicanway.com

A-Z Resource Guide Meditation

Positive Music to Uplift & Inspire in SA

The Conscious Music Festival celebrates artists whose creative motivation is towards unity, peace and positive social change. The Conscious Music Movement is helping heal the world with one voice at a time, one song at a time, one listener at a time by bringing messages about our world, self-respect & respecting others. Conscious songs instill positivity and spiritual awareness that we can apply to our lives. Immerse yourself in the world of conscious music at this peace-filled, inaugural festival.

Enjoy music from some of Australia’s leading artists pioneering the Conscious Music Movement, including the Heather Frahn Ensemble, Wandering Minstrels, Minority Tradition, Cosmic Flower, Debra Gibson and The Rising Lotus, William Kallinderis, Joe Man Murphy, Daniel Coates (NSW).

Participate in a choice of engaging workshops (including sound healing, chanting, drumming, indigenous skincare, infinite happiness meditation and wu tao). Food and drink available, including a Persian-style Chai Tent, as well as stalls selling ethical, crueltyfree and eco-friendly products.

Held on Saturday March 3rd 2012.

Festival held at the Willunga, Adelaide SA. This is an alcohol/smoke-free, family-friendly event with kids entertainment. Book online at Fringetix

1300 FRINGE (374643).

Download your FREE 23 minute guided imagery Earth Healing Meditation “Butterflies in the Pine Forest”, by visiting www.thefloatinglily.com.au

Pet Supplies GreenPet Naturopathy and natural products for animals. Free mail order catalogue Australia wide. Phone + online consultations available (07) 5449 1453 www.greenpet.com.au

Psychics Guiding Light Psychics. Readings with soul. 1902 256 002 $3.96pm mobex, Creditcards 1300 173 593 $3.60pm. caring guidance and insight 24/7. (Phone Aust.)

Publishing Make it happen now! Publish your manuscript with Joshua Books. Contact us on (07) 5493 1700

Polarity Therapy

Polarity Therapy Energy Medicine polaritytherapy.net.au Reiki ARC Inc. Australian Reiki Connection.

Australia’s Leading REIKI Association Est. 1997 - Run by Members for Mem-

bers with fellowship and support.

Access to Insurance.

FREE Membership of [AARP] Association Australian Reiki Professionals National Referral Directory.

Discounts on Massage Tables, Music CD’s Salt lamps. Informative website & Forum ARC INK Quarterly Magazine. Ph. 0411 604 753 National ph 1300 130 975 www.australianreikiconnection.com.au

Spirituality Know Thyself as Soul. Sant Mat is a practical spiritual path based on meditation, ethical living, service to others and love for all creation. Its goal is to enable the soul to return to and merge with its source; the purpose of human life described by mystics of all traditions. Discipline and dedication are essential, as is the help of a competent living Master. Entry is via a preparation program. There is no charge at any stage. Know Thyself As Soul Foundation is a non-profit incorporated association. For further info call 1800 462 193 or visit www. santmat.net.au

Workshops The Love Fest.

Retreats and p ro c e s s e s t o deepen, honour and enhance any loving relationship. Queensland, Bali and beyond. www.dynamicgroups.com. au Phone 07 5494 4707.

FunkiBeat Clothing FunkiBeat, the latest brand of AGlobalBeat Pty Ltd, is based in Sydney. Predominantly a wholesale business, it supplies over 2,000 retail outlets throughout Australia. It also sells directly to the public via the web and exhibits at the Sydney Royal Easter Show and the “Mind Body and Spirit Festival” in winter in Melbourne and Sydney.

The “FunkiBeat” brand focuses on clothing for adults with bold and dramatic designs. Daring and colourful, FunkiBeat has been compared to top European designers, though this brand is Ozzie through and through. The collection includes dresses, skirts, tops and accessories most in natural 100% stretch cotton.

FunkiBeat dresses come in strapless, short sleeve and long sleeve with bold designs and vivid colours. There are also a number of long dresses with complimentary designs on the front and back. The dresses range from a size 8 to a size 14.

FunkiBeat skirts come in short, mid-length and a long variety. With geometric designs, splashes of colour or patchwork, the skirts come in small, medium and large sizes. FunkiBeat tops come in singlets, short sleeve and long sleeve.

Whether you fancy faces or geometric colours, you can find complimentary designs on the back or sleeves. Tops range from a size 8 to size 16.

To keep things lively, FunkiBeat carry a range of leggings (S-XL) with either daring designs or black to compliment your outfit. FunkiBeat accessories include a range of bags with designs that compliment the clothing. These come in coach bags as well as hand bags. If you want to stand out, be different and make a statement, the FunkiBeat brand is for you!

Keep Feeling d FunkiBeat!

Where to find them: Go to www.FunkiBeat.com.au or contact their friendly staff on (02) 8005 2644 or email them at info@aglobalbeat.com The FunkiBeat brand has a Facebook pages where you can find the latest buzz, newest products, and specials! www.facebook.com/FunkiBeat • Rep/Agent opportunities are available.

For wholesale access please go to AGlobalBeat.com/wholesale

Feel d Funki Beat!

www.FunkiBeat.com or call 02-8005-2644 A brand of A GlobalBeat Pty Ltd

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our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . .

Visualization Techniques to Open to Higher Energy

In Brief Reviews

by James and Salle Redfield The Way of the Soul Cards

The Call of Soul

By Harold Klemp In this book you’ll discover the spiritual path of Eckankar – a companion and road map for people all over the world on their journey home to God. Through spiritual exercises, dream techniques, Soul Travel explorations – Harold Klemp, the spiritual leader of Eckankar reveals how very close we already are to God and that spiritual freedom is in our own hands.

Complete with HU chant CD, this book makes a powerful introduction to the ageless teachings of Light and Sound.

will not only get you there, but it will show you how to work from it to meet your important needs . Complete with 2 CD’s and only needing 10 minutes a day, Your Peaceful Place will create the positive change you are seeking.

Pub: Lapen Marketing www.yourpeacefulplace.com.au

(08) 8396 6752

Pub: Sid Harta Publishers www.stephenscong.com.au

The Money is in the Mindset

Your Peaceful Place

book, CD or DVD

please contact

By Stephen Chong A delightful collection of stories and parables come together to inspire and illuminate the reader. In a gentle and heart-warming writing style, Chong invites the reader into a world of insight and transformation highlighting the gift that this life really is.

By Laurence Toltz & Sandy McGregor Imagine having a Peaceful Place you can go to inside your mind, where you are always at peace and relaxed. This practical book offers a system that

To have your

these pages,

The Music of the Soul

Pub: Lifestyle Practioner Academy www.themoneyisinthemindset.com

www.thewayofthesoul.com

reviewed on

Pub: Eckankar www.eckankar.org

By Dr. Andrew Powell How do you feel about money? Well, that’s exactly how money feels about you! If you’re struggling financially, or simply want to understand what it takes to live a more prosperous life this book offers simple step by step instructions. Originally written to help health practioners to establish a profitable practice, Powell introduces 7 Subconscious Keys that will transform anyone’s life for the better.

The Way of the Soul Cards are a gift to you to honour and accelerate your journey home to yourself. Each card carries an Intention for you to feel at the core of your being like an inner compass. May the cards and their sacred intention guide you home with ease and grace. A set includes 42 cards and guidebook.

Heart of a Buddha

By Master Chin Kung A tiny little book absolutely overflowing with understanding and lovingkindness. Simple one sentence insights and instructions uplift each page, arranged in a beautiful calligraphy flow, it’s the kind of book you can carry with you anywhere, dipping into it daily or whenever a reminder of our true nature is sought.

Pub: Amitabha Buddhist Retreat Centre www.abrc.org.au

Try these visualization techniques to tune in to your life force, and to uplift the energy of others.

Visualizing Energy

After choosing a serene outdoor setting, sit down, close your eyes, and relax your mind and body. Now open your eyes and look at your surroundings. Intend to see more beauty and luminosity in the forms around you.

Then close your eyes again and intend to see everything in its quantum reality, as dancing patterns of energy, each emanating from the same energetic source. Affirm that you are intimately connected with this energy, as though all the universe is part of you looking through your eyes. Breathe this higher source into your own body and mind.

Now stand up from your centre, attempting to feel this constant, everrenewing power. See yourself filled with it and floating up. Move as though rising from your centre, affirming that you have an unlimited source of energy emanating from the core of your being. Carry this feeling with you for the rest of your day.

Uplifting the Energy of Others

In a group setting, attempt the following exercise, which demonstrates and builds on the higher connection that exists between us all.

As each person speaks, visualize a stream of energy flowing from the Transcendent through you to the one who speaks, raising them into greater alignment with their own higher potential and source. Notice any difference in what is said or in their general demeanor.

This practice can also be attempted when all group members are committed to performing this technique.

While one person talks about an issue that is important to them, the others visualize him or her being filled with energy and lifted into their greater wisdom and knowing. After each person has taken a turn, discuss the experience.

Silent Intervention

It is also possible to help strangers or passing acquaintances through telepathic outreach. One can do this in a restaurant or store, for example,

when someone sitting or standing nearby, or someone ser ving you, seems depressed or upset. As in the exercise described above, lift the person in your imagination, bringing power from a higher source through you to them.

See if their mood or attitude changes.

Note how they react to those around them. You might be surprised at the results.

Best-selling author James Redfield is perhaps best known for his hugely popular novel, “The Celestine Prophecy.”

His wife, Salle Redfield is author of the best seller “The Joy of Meditating” and “Creating a Life of Joy.” Together, as husband and wife, James Redfield and Salle Redfield are the Founders of the Global Prayer Project, a bi-weekly telewebcast offering guided prayer and meditation. James Redfield and Salle Redfield spend their time residing in Florida with their cat, Meredith.

Excerpted from “God and the Evolving Universe,” published by Tarcher, a division of Penguin Putnam.

our goal is to awaken one community at a time . . .

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