Natural Awakenings ~ East Bay August 2016

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Growing Up Empowered

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Helping Kids Step into Their Best Selves

Healing Gardens

Strolling in Nature’s Gems Across America

Salty Solace The Benefits of Salt Therapy

Just Walk

22 Minutes a Day Boosts Well-Being photo by Rincon Images Photography RinconImages.com

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August 2016

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contact us Publisher/Editor Celeste Souza National Editor S. Alison Chabonais Proofreader Randy Kambic Writer Tessa Rigdon Design & Production Stephen Blancett Kim Cerne Multi-Market Advertising 239-449-8309 Franchise Sales Anna Romano 239-530-1377

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few days ago I watched a family in the neighborhood playing a loud, splashing, laughing game of Marco Polo in a crowded community pool—a broad smile lighting up my face. I wasn’t the only one enjoying the spectacle; strangers coming and going kept meeting my eye with a smile.

Something special and vital happens in the playful squabbling of friendly sports and games like Monopoly, Scrabble, Uno and Dominos. Everyone is simply having fun in the moment, yet much more is happening. Such moments are infused with meaningful purpose.

Empowerment of the world’s youth is founded on healthy family and community dynamics that show up and get fine-tuned during happily structured social interactions. Judith Fertig explores many such opportunities in her feature article, “Growing Up Empowered,” on page 14. It’s a valuable article to share with young people you love as they search out ways to strengthen their path forward.

We all need to strengthen our path forward as we cultivate ways to cope with a barrage of challenges. Just one of many that again caught my attention this month is Americans’ right to know the content of the foods we and our children are eating because what we put in our bodies determines our health.

We are at a pivotal point on this issue. The U.S. Congress has finally passed a genetically modified organisms (GMO) labeling bill, but one that’s an obvious compromise with opponents and non-transparent for consumers. It allows for labeling in the form of an electronic barcode, and has no teeth to impose penalties for violations of labeling requirements. It puts the burden on responsible consumers instead of the irresponsible corporations, requiring us each to do tedious homework on every grocery item we buy, with no guarantee of accuracy.

Really, our country can do better.

User-friendly transparent labeling of GMO ingredients is a vital issue that requires us to stand up and demand our right to know the truth of our food. You voice counts. Some options to make the people heard is the contact information in the ad above or you can sign a petition by visiting: http://bit.ly/2a3hFny. To health,

Celeste Souza, Publisher

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6 newsbriefs 1 1 healthbriefs 1 2 globalbriefs 1 7 fitbody

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18 healingways 20 greenliving

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

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14 GROWING UP

EMPOWERED

Helping Kids Step into Their Best Selves

by Judith Fertig

17 JUST WALK

22 Minutes a Day Boosts Well-Being

by Randy Kambic

2 1 wisewords

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22 naturalpet 24 calendarofevents 26 ongoingcalendar 29 resourceguide

18 SALT AIR IN THE CITy Salt Rooms Soothe Allergies and Skin Conditions

by Avery Mack

20 THE GARDEN CURE Natural Sanctuaries Heal Body and Spirit

by Sandra Murphy

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21 BARNET BAIN ON

HOW CREATIVITy CAN SAVE THE WORLD

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Fresh Thinking Challenges Rigid Mindsets

by Linda Sechrist

22 HANDLE WILD THINGS WITH CARE

How to Safely Help Hurt Animals

by Sandra Murphy

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newsbriefs Eastern Medical Center Welcomes Acupuncturist Candace Luo

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administration and manageandace Luo is an experiment, Luo went on to earn enced practitioner of Chiher master’s in Health Adminnese medicine who recently istration from the University joined the healthcare team of Southern California. at Eastern Medical Center, in In 2009, Luo became Pleasanton. Luo specializes in licensed to practice traditional the treatment of internal diseasChinese Medicine in Califores, including acute respiratory nia, and is currently a docinfections, asthma, bronchitis, toral fellow at Five Branches digestive-intestinal disorders, University pursuing the fatigue, diabetes, osteoarthritis, women’s health, fertility, meno- Candace Luo, L.Ac advanced clinical degree of Doctor of Acupuncture and pause, and other obstetrical Oriental Medicine. She has and gynecological ailments. studied auricular medicine—the use of

Luo’s diverse professional backthe ear in healing—and completed an ground includes program administraexternship training program in Gynecoltion, direct care, and medical interogy and herbal medicine at Beijing Unipretation and translation in Cantonese versity of Chinese Medicine. Recently, and Mandarin Chinese. She earned her Luo advanced her manual therapy Bachelor of Arts degree from University of California, Davis, and graduated with techniques through a series of trainings a Master of Science degree in Tradition- in China with Dr. Jianmin Li, founder of Chinese Super-Hand. al Chinese Medicine from University of East-West Medicine. With an interest in

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guzheng, a traditional Chinese string instrument, Luo also studies with guzheng masters in New York and in China. Luo says it’s her passion to integrate traditional music and medicine to promote holistic well-being.

“With her unique skill set and experience, Candace strives to provide clients with compassionate, respectful and culturally competent care,” says Dr. Teresa Shen, CEO and lead physician at Eastern Medical Center.

Schedule an appointment with Luo today to receive a free “take-action” bonus gift of Joint Juice (glucosamine), Energize (for endurance and mental focus) or caffeinated GreenBlast (ginseng, chlorella, green tea).

Location: 5933 Coronado Ln., Ste.100, Pleasanton. For more information, call 925-847-8889 or visit EasternMedical Center.com. See ad, page 10.

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Dr. Michael Rehl Good health is more than lack of pain. Your body is meant to thrive. Dr. Michael Rehl provides holistic chiropractic treatments that go beyond alleviating symptoms.

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Dr. Rehl has success helping people with: • Pain and Stiffness • Inflammation • Digestive Complaints • PMS, Etc.

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Fremont Dentist Earns Naturopathic Certification and Announces New Location

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octor of Dental Surgery, Colin T. Yoshida of Fremont Natural Dentistry, recently completed his residency in integrative biologic dental medicine, earning his certification in Naturopathic Dentistry from the American Board of Integrative Medicine and Dentistry, Integrative Biologic Dental Medicine and American Naturopathic MediDr. Colin Yoshida, DDS cal Association.

Yoshida’s residency included a close study of biologically centered treatment for temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ) and periodontal disease. He also focused on ozone therapy treatments designed to support healing in cases of dental disease.

“Because the relationship between oral health and general well-being is constantly evolving, we must, in our commitment to your healthy future, continue to grow in our holistic knowledge,” says Yoshida.

Soon, Fremont Natural Dentistry will also experience growth. In October, the practice is expected to relocate to 39235 Liberty Street in Fremont, where Yoshida will continue to specialize in safe mercury removal, mercury-free restorations, ozone therapy, ceramic dental implants, treatment for all stages of gum disease, and the nature-inspired biomimetic technique.

In holistic dentistry, the biomimetic technique is designed to imitate the models, systems and elements of nature to restore damaged teeth to their original strength and function. It’s a tooth-conserving approach that can eliminate the need for root canals.

Fremont Natural Dentistry’s practice paradigm is one of minimal invasiveness, and Yoshida’s commitment to do no harm continues to guide his biologic and holistic methods.

Location: 3885 Beacon Ave., Ste. C, Fremont. For more information, call 510-648-3184, email Colin.Yoshida@ yahoo.com or visit FremontNaturalDentistry. com. See ad, page 15.

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newsbriefs San Francisco Supervisors Approve Tough New Ban on Foam Packaging Products

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he San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a measure on June 28 that prohibits the sale of food service ware and other products, including packing materials, made from polystyrene foam or other non-recyclable and non-compostable products.

Set to take effect in 2017, the ordinance creates the most extensive ban on polystyrene foam in the country among large cities and counties. The ordinance is an extension of a 2007 ban on takeout food containers made of the foam.

Supervisors President London Breed introduced the legislation that will soon ban the sale of common polystyrene products, including foam cups and plates, egg cartons and other food ware; packing materials, including packing peanuts; coolers; pool and beach toys; and dock floats, buoys and other marine products, as well as a ban

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on the use of foam packing material for items packaged in San Francisco.

“We are a city prized for our natural beauty, surrounded by water on three sides. We have a moral, a public health, and frankly a financial responsibility to protect ourselves from pollutants like polystyrene foam,” said Breed in an April 19 statement.

Polystyrene cannot be recycled through San Francisco’s blue bin recycling collection program and essentially never decomposes. It is a

East Bay Area | www.NAEastBay.com

significant source of litter on land and one of the most egregious elements of rising plastic pollution in the Bay and ocean. More than 100 U.S. cities have ordinances restricting polystyrene food service ware and/or packaging materials. Breed’s legislation is the next step, covering new uses that have never been regulated in other cities.

“San Francisco will once again be at the forefront,” says Breed. “We will replace hazardous products with compostable, recyclable ones. We will continue our work toward Zero Waste.

And we will protect the public health and the natural beauty of our waterways and wildlife.”

Breed worked closely with the San Francisco Department of the Environment, the nonprofit Sustainable San Francisco, the California Grocers Association, San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, as well as many local and international businesses. The legislation is designed to help businesses comply and accommodate those who cannot yet.

For more information, visit SFBOS.org.

Dinner, Movie and a Mission at Sanctuary Bistro

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lant-Based Power Oakland presents a special screening of the documentary film, PlantPure Nation, and an appearance by nutritionist and author, Sid Garza-Hillman, at 7 p.m. on July 31, at the Sanctuary Bistro, in Berkeley. The film screening includes a three-course vegan prix fixe meal.

PlantPure Nation tells the story of three individuals on a mission to start a pilot program documenting the health benefits of a plant-based diet. Since its release in 2015, PlantPure Nation has been screened at public events throughout the country in an effort to create a broad grassroots movement around plantbased nutrition.

Sid Garza-Hillman, the “Small Step Advocate”, is a certified nutritionist and health coach and is the author of Approaching the Natural: A Health Manifesto.

Garza-Hillman is the nutritionist and programs director at the Stanford Inn’s Mendocino Center for Living Well, where he helps clients achieve better health through incremental and sustainable steps.

Location at 1019 Camelia St., Berkeley. Cost: $45 per person. For more information and to make reservations, call 510-558-3381.

For more information about Plant-Based Power Oakland, visit PlantPurePods. com.

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Green Apple Day of Service Aids Schools

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he fifth annual Green Apple Day of Service on September 24 brings together community volunteers and green-school advocates to take action through service projects at local schools. The global event is an integral part of Green Apple, a movement to create healthy, safe and environmentally friendly learning environments.

Green Apple Day of Service provides opportunities for students, teachers, parents, civic groups, companies and others to participate in hands-on projects, and to demonstrate to their communities that where kids learn matters. In previous years, volunteers have planted gardens, composted lunchroom waste, repaired leaky faucets and replaced old windows, among other projects.

Since 2012, more than 750,000 volunteers in 73 countries have impacted the learning environments of 7 million students and teachers around the world.

The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council is the organization behind the Green Apple movement, working to ensure that every student has the opportunity to attend a green school.

For more information or to register a service project, visit MyGreen Apple.org.

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newsbriefs All-Ages Music and Yoga Event, Bhakti Fest, Returns to Joshua Tree

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ith a notable lineup of musicians and yoga instructors, more than 60 conscious workshops and 100 artisan vendors, kids’ activities and more, Bhakti Fest aims to provide heart-opening experiences for attendees of all ages, September 7 to 12, at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center, in Joshua Tree.

Musical headliners include Kirtan and reggae influenced singer/ songwriter Trevor Hall, known for his hits “Brand New Day,” “The Lime Tree,” and “Unity”; Grammy nominee, Krishna Das; reggae and skainfluenced Kirtan musician, Jai Uttal; hip-hop artist, MC YOGI; and longtime Madonna collaborator, Donna De Lory. Bhakti Fest also features nonstop conscious music and Kirtan/chanting on two stages, in a wide of variety of musical genres, including blues, rock, pop, gospel and hip-hop.

The festival offers 12 hours of daily yoga classes in four venues, and a healing sanctuary with massage, bodywork, energy work and other wellness enhancing modalities. Budding Bhaktis and their families can visit the Family Village for “parent and me” yoga classes, kids music and activities.

An extensive marketplace showcases eco-friendly, sustainable vendors offering yoga gear, clothing, devotional art, musical instruments, CDs, crafts, jewelry and more. Food vendors provide a variety of raw, vegan and vegetarian fare and non-alcoholic beverages to fuel festival-goers.

Bhakti Fest is a nonprofit 501c3 organization and accepts tax-deductible donations. The festival donates a percentage of its funds to charities and other nonprofit groups that provide food, education and environmental beautification programs around the world. These include Food for Life Vrindavan, Love Serve Remember Foundation, Ramana’s Garden, Seva Foundation, Share Your Care and Women’s Earth Alliance.

Location: 59700 29 Palms Hwy. For ticket and lodging information, visit BhaktiFest.com.

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healthbriefs

Delayed Kindergarten Reduces Attention Deficit

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elaying kindergarten enrollment for one year shows significant mental health benefits for children, according to a Stanford University study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Reviewing results from a mental health survey completed by more than 35,000 Danish parents, the researchers saw that youngsters held back from kindergarten for as little as one year showed a 73 percent reduction in inattentiveness and hyperactivity for an average child at age 11, compared to children enrolled the year earlier.

Measuring inattentiveness and hyperactivity reflect a child’s ability to selfregulate. The generally accepted theory is that young people that are able to stay focused, sit still and pay attention longer tend to do much better in school.

“This is some of the most convincing evidence we’ve seen to support what U.S. parents and policymakers have already been doing—choosing to delay entry into kindergarten,” says Stanford Graduate School of Education Professor Thomas S. Dee. In addition to improved mental health, children with later kindergarten enrollment dates also exhibited superior emotional and social skills.

The number of U.S. children entering kindergarten at age 6 instead of 5 has progressively increased to about 20 percent, according to the study. Many parents are opting to delay kindergarten enrollment for a year to give their children a leg up in physical and emotional maturity and social skills.

Aromatherapy Soothes Allergies

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esearch from Korea’s Chung-Ang University has found that inhaling aromatherapy infusions comprising a combination of sandalwood, frankincense and ravensara for five minutes twice daily significantly reduces symptoms of allergies after seven days. The researchers tested 54 men and women, half of which were tested using a placebo of almond oil.

Total nasal symptom score (TNSS) and rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (RQLQ) results were both significantly lower in the aromatherapy group. TNSS scores decreased by more than half and RQLQ scores decreased by more than 60 percent. Scores for fatigue and sleep quality also improved in the aromatherapy group.

“These findings indicate that inhalation of certain aromatherapy oils help relieve perennial allergic rhinitis symptoms, improve rhinitis-specific quality of life and reduce fatigue in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis,” Chung-Ang University’s Seo Yeon Choi and Kyungsook Park explain in their paper.

Breastfed Babies Have Fewer Colds and Ear Infections

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study from the University of Texas has found that increased breastfeeding decreases ear infections among nursing children. The researchers followed 367 babies between 1 and 12 months old from 2008 through 2014.

The scientists analyzed family history traits of smoking, ear infections, breastfeeding and formula feeding. Nose and throat mucosal samples were taken throughout the study period to identify infections, and parents informed the researchers whenever the baby experienced an infection.

The study was led by Dr. Tasnee Chonmaitree, a pediatrics professor from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. “We clearly showed that frequent upper respiratory infections, carriage of bacteria in the nose and lack of breastfeeding are major risk factors for ear infections,” he states.

“Prolonged breastfeeding was associated with significant reductions in both colds and ear infections, a common complication of colds.”

natural awakenings

August 2016

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globalbriefs

Scrambling Species Climate Change Favors Some Birds over Others

Decades of data show that climate change is manipulating the way avian species move across continents. For instance, the orchard oriole is losing prime habitat in the South, but gaining more up north. Thousands of species worldwide face the same dilemma. Specific birds need a particular habitat, such as open spaces or groves of trees, and some of their traditionally preferred spots are becoming unlivable.

England’s Durham University ecologist Phillip Stephens, along with researchers from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the U.S. Geological Survey, have compiled nearly half a century’s worth of occurrence data from thousands of citizen scientists.

Birders submitted their observations to the Pan-European Common Birds Monitoring Scheme and the North American Breeding Bird Survey for 145 terrestrial bird species native to Europe and 380 species native to the United States.

“We used that information to generate a prior expectation for whether the species would’ve been advantaged or disadvantaged by climate change,” says Stephens. The predictions were compared with actual bird abundance data from 1980 through 2010, and the populations that were expected to lose suitable habitat declined, while those expected to find their habitats improve increased. He states, “Recent climate change has already favored one set of species over another.”

Read the report at ClimateChange.

Birdlife.org.

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

Green Serenity

Sikkim Now a Wholly Organic State Sikkim, the northeastern Indian state located between Bhutan and Nepal, has rid its agricultural land of pesticides, fertilizers, genetically modified crops and other artificial inputs on around 75,000 hectares, or about 300 square miles, of agricultural land, making it its country’s first organic state. Instead, farmers use natural alternatives such as green manure and compost.

Twelve years ago, the Pawan Chamling-led government decided to make Sikkim an organic farming state through a declaration in the legislative assembly.

After the entry of chemical inputs for farmland was restricted and their sale banned, farmers had no option but to go organic.

Source: TheHindu.com

LOL TX

Hope for a New Generation Despite being less confident than their elders, a new study by PsychTests.com, in Montreal, reveals that Millennials (those born between 1980 and 2000) are an ambitious and tenacious generation that continues to prove potential critics wrong. Labeled by some as selfentitled, arrogant and immature from being coddled by hovering parents, the company’s research says that Millennials are not afraid to push themselves to achieve lofty goals, work hard or take on difficult challenges.

Collecting data from 1,035 people that took their Ambition Test, the researchers looked at the differences between Millennials, Generation X (born between 1960 and 1980) and Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1960) in terms of their levels of aspiration, persistence and sense of self-efficacy. The study reveals that while Millennials lagged a little behind the other two generations on some factors related to ambition, the potential of these young adults should not be underestimated.

“One can argue that Millennials’ hopeful and determined nature is a case of idealism,” explains Ilona Jerabek, Ph.D., president of PsychTests. “Some have just started out in the workforce, so they’re eager to prove themselves, which could also mean that at some point they’ll be blindsided by the reality of what it’s like to be out there in the real world.”

East Bay Area | www.NAEastBay.com

Show Stopper

Circuses Cease Exotic Animal Acts

Toxic Trinkets

Low-Cost Jewelry May Harbor Cadmium In recent years, the European Commission has banned cadmium in all jewelry sold in Europe, but those shopping for low-cost jewelry in North America from popular fashion chains may be wearing products made with cadmium, a heavy metal that can be particularly toxic for kids.

There are no known risks for people that wear contaminated jewelry, but swallowing or chewing on a piece containing high concentrations of the toxic metal could allow it to seep into the body.

James Van Loon, director of risk management at Health Canada’s consumer product safety branch, says that children’s bodies more readily absorb the toxic metal, and because they are more likely to put things in their mouths, jewelry that is marketed to those under 15 should contain virtually no cadmium.

Dr. Gérald Zagury, who performed tests and has published several studies on heavy metals in jewelry, says one sample contained the highest amount of cadmium ever reported in Canada for such a product. “It’s pretty close to pure cadmium,” he says. According to Health Canada, cadmium is cheap and melts at a lower point than more commonly used zinc, lowering energy costs for product makers.

According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, cadmium is a known carcinogen that can also lead to kidney failure, bone loss and other complications in those that are chronically exposed over time.

Source: EWG.org

The Ringling Brothers Circus made good on a promise to retire their last contingent of performing elephants to the Center for Elephant Conservation, in Polk City, Florida, with the last such show streamed worldwide in May. While Ringling will retain the services of tigers, lions, leopards, horses, camels, dogs and kangaroos, the Mexican Congress has voted to prohibit exotic animals under big tops across their country. That means no more tigers jumping through hoops, elephants used as props or monkeys dressed in tiny outfits. The bill requires circuses to report the wildlife they own, which would then be made available to interested zoos.

Source: The New York Times

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Dreaming Big

GROWING UP EMPOWERED Helping Kids Step into Their Best Selves

by Judith Fertig

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he plugged-in, stressed-out world that challenges adults can be even more difficult for teens in the throes of hormones, peer pressure and a selfie culture. Parents can help their children thrive and become empowered individuals by nurturing desirable character traits such as resourcefulness, resilience, perseverance, self-reliance, independence, empathy and social competence.

Child psychologist Michele Borba, Ed.D., of Palm Springs, California, is a former classroom teacher and the mother of three grown children who dispenses advice at MicheleBorba.com/blog.

Her main parenting focus is character education, as reflected in her latest book, Unselfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World. “Tune in to what your kids love,” advises Borba. “Then find learning expe-

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riences that help them develop traits they need to be happy, productive adults.”

This positive parenting approach—accentuating youthful desires and strengths, instead of deficiencies and weaknesses—helps young people develop a secure footing in life. “Kids are driven by their hearts,” observes Borba. “A positive parent doesn’t do the cookie-cutter approach, as in, ‘That’s what worked for other kids in the neighborhood,’ nor even reference what the parent did as a teen.” Teens also impose upon themselves, thinking that being trendy, beautiful, rich and famous are valuable life goals. “The positive parent looks at each child as an individual, listens to what really makes them light up, and then supports that.”

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Landmark Worldwide, active in 125 cities globally, is committed to the idea that people everywhere have the possibility of achieving success, fulfillment and greatness. Corporate leaders praise its programs for helping participants relate, communicate and perform well. Josselyne HermanSaccio, a Landmark program leader in New York City, remarks, “Every one of us has a dream, yet too many of us choose our path with fear, disguised as practicality. Our kids might get the message that, ‘You don’t do your dream as your career.’” That thought can leave anyone feeling like something is missing.

After putting off her own career as a singer and ultimately deciding to go for it, Herman-Saccio recorded That’s What Love Can Do with her group Boy Krazy. The song rose to the top of the pop charts in 1993.

That empowering experience helped her decide to help others—including her own three children—fulfill their dreams. Today, Herman-Saccio leads the Landmark Forum for adults, and the company also offers a version of the course for 13-to-17-year-olds, an interactive, three-day program in cities across the U.S. It helps teens first understand their existing patterns of thoughts and behaviors and then move forward to create new possibilities and face new challenges and discover a new level of power, freedom, self-expression and peace of mind. For a teen to register, a parent or legal guardian must register for or have completed the organization’s adult forum and provide permission.

Teens planning for life after high school get help identifying their career passion at schools such as Upland Hills School, in Oxford, Michigan.

Its emphasis on experiential learning culminates in a senior project the teen produces, whether it’s writing a novel, building a storage shed or volunteering at the local senior citizen center. Each must someway contribute to the community. Beginning with the student’s dream, they must work their way through obstacles, setbacks and

all the steps required to bring a dream to reality.

Emotional Literacy/Healthy Risk-Taking

Sometimes parents need to address a teen’s longing for friends and social connections. For youths that especially need to nurture their social skills, such as high-functioning kids with autism or Asperger’s syndrome, film school might be an answer. At the Joey Travolta Film School and summer camp, in Lafayette, California, kids work together to make a movie; they start with a script, create sets, operate the camera, act and direct.

At the Hunter School, in Romney, New Hampshire, kids dealing with attention challenges can nurture mindbody awareness, energetic mindfulness and sensory integration. It all helps them get to know themselves and relate better to others.

Outdoor skills can help teens develop healthy risk-taking behaviors, as well as teach resilience, perseverance and self-reliance. SheJumps (SheJumps. org), in Salt Lake City, offers young women 6 to 18 years old an opportunity to master outdoor living skills, boost confidence and encourage leadership via collaborating with strong female role models. Fun activities include mountain biking, skiing and trailblazing.

sires. Application requirements include a good academic record, at least 20 hours of community service and a guidance counselor’s recommendation.

Robbins maintains, “Grow and give is what life is all about.”

Service to Others

A way for youngsters 5 to 19 years old to become empowered is by joining a 4-H group in urban, suburban or rural areas. If we envision a farm kid raising a calf to show at the state fair,

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Over time, experiential learning can help youths develop leadership skills.

Lander, Wyoming’s National Outdoor Leadership School, a gap-year program for high school graduates taking a year off before college, offers courses lasting two weeks, several months or even a full year. Activities include sea kayaking, Alaskan mountain and glacier climbing and wilderness medicine.

Teens already on track and wanting to develop additional leadership skills can tap into motivational speaker and self-help author Tony Robbins’ annual Unleash the Power Within youth leadership program event. Groups of youths 14 to 17 years old collectively participate to create individual breakthroughs, move beyond fears and limiting beliefs, accomplish goals and realize true de-

that’s still one facet of today’s 4-H, but far from the entire scope. Founded in 1902, 4-H is a global nonprofit dedicated to learning by doing; specialties now range from computer science and graphic design to leadership, healthy living and the performing arts.

Positive mentoring by adults and developing community spirit ground 4-H clubs, camps and programs. Research by Tufts University’s Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development and America’s land-grant

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stage; they also taught me the importance of giving back.”

Sustainable Sustenance

colleges and universities shows that people with a 4-H background are more likely to give back to their communities than others (see Tinyurl. com/YouthDevelopmentStudy).

For Grammy-winner Jennifer Nettles, of Nashville, 4-H meant learning to perform at an early age, even flying to Chicago to do it. “I don’t know that I would be where I am today without 4-H,” she says. “Mentors there help you. They helped me with the skills of performing and learning about being on

Growing food for themselves and others can be a great adventure for teens, while fostering resourcefulness, perseverance and ecological awareness. Seventeenyear-old Katie Stagliano launched Katie’s Krops, in Summerville, South Carolina, several years ago based on her desire to fight hunger by growing food for people that need it. Today, the enterprise offers grants for youth in any area to start and maintain a local garden, provided they give away the produce to the hungry.

The initiative has grown to more than 50 gardens around the U.S.

Both Mobile Urban Growers, in Mobile, Alabama, and Closer to Earth, in Oklahoma City, empower youth through exercising organic gardening skills, environmental and food justice advocacy and personal mentorship.

Empowering experiences for teens don’t have to cost a lot or involve travel.

“Dream big, but start small. Look around your own backyard, in your community,” says Borba. “Teens can learn to pay it

forward in all kinds of ways. They can get together with their peers and take on a doable project to help others. They may even need to start by learning to self-regulate and manage stress by getting away from their phones and instead being outside getting exercise.”

Casual family activities can provide opportunities for conversations about what teens want in life or what they’re worried about, and that opens the door for adults to step up to help mentor and empower their children.

“Boys are more likely to talk while they’re doing something, like shooting baskets with you in the driveway,” observes Borba. “Girls are more likely to talk if it’s one-on-one.”

Positive parents actively listen and then clarify what they heard from their teens, says Herman-Saccio. This information helps point the way forward, to more interactive dialogue, brainstorming, problem-solving, helpful experiences and eventually, youth empowerment.

Judith Fertig blogs at AlfrescoFood AndLifestyle.blogspot.com from Overland Park, KS.

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JUST WALK 22 Minutes a Day Boosts Well-Being

by Randy Kambic

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ven mainstream media have picked up on the many physical and mental benefits of walking, including weight loss, reduced stress, increased energy and better sleep, and that’s only the beginning. These additional compelling effects may well catalyze us to consistently step out for a daily walk, understanding that cumulative steps count, too. For more inspiration, check out this month’s race walking at the Summer Olympics.

Walking helps heart health and diabetes. According to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Call to Action on Walking program launched last fall, the risk of heart disease and diabetes can be significantly reduced via an average of 22 minutes a day of brisk walking. “Physical activity has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, certain cancers, osteoporosis, cognitive decline and even depression,” says Dr. JoAnn Manson, chief of the division of preventive medicine at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “Can you imagine if there was a pill that could simultaneously have all those benefits? Everyone would be clamor-

ing for it.”

Walking reduces anxiety and clears thinking. The results of a national survey of nearly 3,000 women between the ages of 42 and 52 published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that those that walked as part of a regular physical activity showed fewer signs of depression compared with inactive women. The more physical activity a woman logged, the less likely she was to exhibit such symptoms, suggesting that moderate-to-intense levels of exercise may help protect against mental illness. The survey further revealed that 85 percent believe walking helps reduce any present anxiety and feelings of depression, while two-thirds reported that walking stimulates their thinking.

Walking facilitates doctorpatient communication. Columbus, Ohio-based Walk with a Doc (Walk WithADoc.org) helps organize free walking events each month via 230 chapters nationwide. They’re led by physicians and other healthcare authorities. “It’s a casual forum in which to communicate and also learn about

the health benefits of walking,” says Executive Director Rachael Habash, who’s aiming for 350 chapters by year’s end. When doctors emphasize the benefits of exercise, patients tend to listen.

Walking boosts life performance.

“Until the late 1960s, 90 percent of America’s children that lived up to a mile away walked to school. Today, that figure is 30 percent,” says Sheila Franklin, of the National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity, in The Walking Revolution documentary (scroll to the video at EveryBodyWalk. org). Experts warn that less walking by youngsters can create sedentary habits and lead to shortened life spans.

Daily walks to school boost cognitive performance in students, according to Mary Pat King, the National Parent Teacher Association director of programs and projects. Dr. Richard Jackson, a pediatrician, professor and chair of Environmental Health Sciences at the School of Public Health at University of California, Los Angeles,. and former environmental health director at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, reports that walking improves children’s learning ability, concentration, moods and creativity.

Even lifelong walkers are moved to walk more by using a pedometer to track their steps and distance traveled, says Dr. Lauren Elson, a physical medicine and rehabilitation instructor at Harvard Medical School, who is also the medical editor of the recent Harvard Special Health Report Walking for Health (Health.Harvard.edu/ walk). A meta-review of 26 studies found that using the device raised physical activity levels by nearly 27 percent, adding about 2,500 steps per day. Most stores that sell exercise equipment offer inexpensive pedometers, while smartphone users can download an app such as Moves, Breeze or Pedometer++. Apple’s iOS includes the free app Health.

Walking leads to meaningful exchanges. Social connections and honest conversations between two people can be aided by walking outside instead of sitting inside. Clay Cockrell, a licensed clinical social worker in New

natural awakenings

August 2016

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The moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow.

healingways

~Henry David Thoreau York City, began walking with clients 12 years ago. He notes that casual venues like parks have been especially helpful for men. “They sometimes have a more difficult time making eye contact in sessions. Outside, they are looking where they are going, looking at nature, other people—the pressure is less. My own health has improved, as well,” he says. He shares ideas with the public and other therapists at WalkAndTalk.com to maximize the benefits. He sees moving the body forward along a path as a metaphor for moving forward in life.

Adds Habash, “We believe that engaging in health should be simple and fun, like putting one foot in front of the other at every opportunity.”

Randy Kambic is an Estero, FL, freelance writer and editor who regularly contributes to Natural Awakenings.

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Salt Air in the City Salt Rooms Soothe Allergies and Skin Conditions

by Avery Mack

A

ccording to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, as many as 50 million Americans are affected by seasonal or year-round nasal allergies. Additionally, 56 million suffer from eczema, psoriasis or rosacea. Prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs may help, but aren’t a cure. Salt therapy can be a gentler, all-natural solution for easing associated symptoms.

While eating too much salt is bad for the body, breathing it is a healthy activity. The Greek word for salt is halos, and halotherapy provides a welcome alternative to conventional pills, sprays and injections.

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In the mid-1800s, after salt mine workers in Poland were found to have a low rate of respiratory illness, the Wieliczka Salt Mine Health Spa was established on the site of a mine to treat clinic patients for asthma and allergies. That pioneering facility is still in operation.

“In the beginning, I think salt therapy was seen as a time-consuming novelty. Now, holistically minded people are more supportive,” says Clay Juracsik, owner of the St. Louis Salt Room, in Maplewood, Missouri. The room’s walls are covered in salt, with blocks of backlit Himalayan pink salt

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at floor level. Clients wear disposable booties to walk through inches-deep, loose, mineral-rich Dead Sea salt to reclining chairs. The lights dim, soft music plays and salt, rich in negative ions, infuses the air for a 45-minute session.

“We have a second, smaller room where the walls and floor are not salted, so a child and parent can move around or play without disturbing others. Our youngest client was 2 weeks old,” says Juracsik.

With the help of specially designed machines and software, microscopic salt particles one to five microns in size are circulated through the air to be deeply inhaled. As a natural anti-inflammatory agent, salt helps reduce swelling of throat tissues and nasal passages, making breathing easier for individuals suffering from such respiratory ailments as allergies, asthma, bronchitis and sinusitis.

“True halotherapy is based on using 99 percent pure sodium chloride in the halogenerator,” says Leo Tonkin, co-founder of the Salt Therapy Association, in Boca Raton, Florida. “Dead Sea, Himalayan or other salts can be used as décor.”

“My husband, Gary, had three sinus surgeries before he discovered a salt room during a trip to London and had a eureka moment,” relates Ellen Patrick, owner of four Breathe Easy salt rooms in New York City and nearby Westchester County.

“A client’s 4-year-old son tells Mom when he needs a treatment to ‘make his nose work better,’” reports Lisa Cobb, owner of Luxury on Lovers, in Dallas, Texas. “He uses a salt bed similar in style to a tanning bed and large enough for his mother to be with him for a 20-minute treatment.

Pilots and flight attendants like salt rooms to counteract the recirculated air on planes. Athletes use them to increase lung capacity. A treatment works like a visit to the ocean.”

A recent pilot study conducted at The Salt Room, in Orlando, Florida, and published in the International Journal of Respiratory and Pulmonary Medicine, concluded, “Halotherpy is associated with improvement in

symptoms of sinus disease in cystic fibrosis and should be explored as an adjunct treatment.”

Salt’s anti-inflammatory, antifungal and antibacterial properties may also reduce skin swelling and itchiness, and even acne, without drying the skin. Increased lung capacity aids blood circulation, which also helps improve skin health. Salt room operators note that frequent treatments are needed during early stages of therapy or during acute outbreaks of conditions, but can be reduced to a maintenance level over time.

Juracsik remarks, “The best success I’ve seen is with respiratory ailments like bronchitis and pneumonia. We don’t need a new, fancy pill for every illness. Salt is historically proven to be a natural and effective way to improve respiratory health.”

Options go beyond basic treatments. “Meditating in the salt room allows double relaxation,” comments Patrick. “Salty yoga is one of my favorite therapies because clients can exercise and breathe easier at the same time. Another option comprises a sound bath, during which crystal bowl music creates a vibration similar to piano notes to quiet and focus the mind during a salt session.”

Salt treatments can be experienced regularly, seasonally or as needed. For those free of respiratory issues, a salt room visit provides a refreshing way to relax, sit, chill and breathe. Patrick views it as a form of stress management to increase wellbeing.

Connect with the freelance writer via AveryMack@mindspring.com.

Well done is better than well said. ~Benjamin Franklin

natural awakenings

August 2016

19

The Garden Cure Natural Sanctuaries Heal Body and Spirit

by Sandra Murphy

I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in. ~John Muir

Renew

Since ancient times, gardens have been employed as a place of healing for body and spirit. Japanese healthcare providers prescribe shinrin-yoku, meaning, “walking in forests to promote health” or “forest bathing”. Its intent is to use sight, sound and smell to connect with nature through stress-reducing, meditative walks.

Based on a program created by the Morikami Japanese Gardens, in Delray Beach, Florida, Washington state’s Bloedel Reserve, on Bainbridge Island, conducts Strolls for Well-Being. Participants sign up for a free, 10-week session of 12 self-guided walks and three group meetings. A companion workbook is provided to encourage journaling on themes such as forgiveness, gratitude and joy.

“Public gardens are a safe place where people can focus and do the work,” says Erin Jennings, with Bloedel.

“We see people that wish to reflect and refuel or simply be more aware and intentional in life.” With 150 acres of natural woodlands and landscaped areas, ranging from a moss garden to a bird marsh, participants can take as much time as they need.

Refresh

Bees are an integral part of any flowering garden, and Spikenard Farm Honeybee Sanctuary, in Floyd, Virginia, sustainably hosts 30 hives on six acres adjacent to a field planted with buckwheat, mustard,

20

sunflowers and clover for its biodynamic beekeeping. An orchard on the property dovetails with an organic farm next door.

Tours, talks, plant sales, food and music enhance the hospitality.

Hope Hill Lavender Farm, in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, adds lavender to soap, sugar scrubs, lotion and essential oil. “It takes 11 pounds of hand-picked fresh blossoms to make one ounce of essential oil,” says Troy Jochems, co-owner with his wife, Wendy. A member of the mint family, lavender adds distinctive flavor and fragrance to both sweet and savory dishes (find recipes at HopeHillLavenderFarm.com). Visit the farm on summer weekends through mid-August and plan to partake of the annual lavender festival next June.

In Glen Allen, Virginia, visitors enjoy a cool serving of lavender lemonade or honey ice cream at Lavender Fields Herb Farm after a stroll through the garden.

Greenhouse tours and fall classes on growing herbs, vegetables and lavender include how to make an herbal wreath.

Restore

Tea Wellness classes and tastings of fair trade heirloom varieties are a big draw at Light of Day Organics, in Traverse City, Michigan. They’re taught by founder and horticulturist Angela Macke, a registered nurse. It’s the only dual-certified organic and Demeter Biodynamic commercial grower of tea plants in North America.

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Photo courtesy of The Boiron Medicinal Garden at the Rodale Institute

greenliving

The Boiron Medicinal Garden at the Rodale Institute, in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, emphasizes the importance of plants in homeopathy. Maggie Saska, plant production specialist with the research farm, explains, “Walking tours with educational signage in the garden let visitors know which species to look for when planting their own organic healing garden. Plants from a store may not be organically grown or of the correct species,” although a nursery may afford more options.

Christophe Merville, D.Pharm., Boiron USA director of education and pharmacy development, attests that many familiar plants can offer benefits beyond beauty, such as reducing stress, promoting healing or easing congestion.

He cautions, “People think plants are naturally safe, but they can be dangerous. St. John’s wort extract, for example, can relieve mild depression, but interacts with prescription medicines. It also reacts to light, so users may experience rashes from sun exposure.

“Lemon balm can be made into an antioxidant tea. It can be grown in a garden, on a balcony or indoors, and combines well with chamomile or lavender.

We like it for helping to relieve anxiety or to improve mental performance.”

Merville suggests steeping German chamomile tea for relaxing sleep. He says breathing in the steam helps a stuffy nose. When used as a compress, it can relieve pain and itch from rashes. “Don’t drink too much or make it too concentrated,” he warns, because of its bloodthinning properties. Saska and Merville recommend that enthusiasts take classes, work with an herbalist and find a good reference book. Merville prefers Rodale’s 21st Century Herbal for beginners.

Vicki Nowicki, founder of Liberty Gardens, in Downers Grove, Illinois, observes, “The world is seeing the first generations that don’t have a relationship with the land or know how to grow their own food.” Its seed-lending library, classes and tours, along with other healing gardens throughout the country, aim to get everyone back to basics including going outside.

Connect with freelance writer Sandra Murphy at StLouisFreelanceWriter@ mindspring.com.

wisewords

Barnet Bain on How Creativity Can Save the World Fresh Thinking Challenges Rigid Mindsets

F

by Linda Sechrist

ilmmaker Barnet Bain’s credits include writer/director of Milton’s Secret, due out this fall, starring Donald Sutherland and Michelle Rodriguez and based on Eckhart Tolle’s book, producer of the Oscarwinning What Dreams May Come, executive producer of the Emmy-award nominee Homeless to Harvard and writer/producer of The Celestine Prophecy movie. Now, as author of The Book of Doing and Being: Rediscovering Creativity in Life, Love, and Work, he offers tools that everyone can use to develop a creativity practice designed to move us beyond our unconscious hand-me-down worldview, escape mental and emotional straightjackets and unlock great reservoirs of imagination. In so doing, we discover we can create anything we like; from a work of art to a fulfilling relationship.

Why is creativity so vital now?

More than ever before, the nature of human consciousness today is making it apparent that we live inside stories and are pushing up against their edges. Strategies we’ve used to try to attain control, success or empowerment—structured ideas about how the world works, false assurances and guarantees about life— may not be working. As a result, we are mired in anxiety, stress and crises. It all offers us the opportunity to wake up to a larger truth that supersedes everything else: We must discover where our true safety resides, in building newly intelligent relationships within, as well as with others, using capacities beyond logic and reason.

Why do we need an internal sense of safety?

Safety found within shows up in our experiences of the world. As we become increasingly reliant on and confident in our creative skills to survive and thrive, we give ourselves the gift of resilience in chaos.

Humanity’s creativity must be awakened in order to meet the challenges of a changing world and effectively address problems that appear to have too few solutions. The same inner awareness and skill set that give birth to the creative process can be applied to all aspects of life. Only through creative acts can we rise above unworkable paradigms, group thinking and earlier conditioning to create new and more fluid stories that grow from revised thoughts, beliefs, choices and attitudes that mature from the inside out.

Deep, compassionate understanding of how we arrived at this point allows us to shed restrictions. It begins with facing the whys and wherefores of our most intimate consciousness.

How do male and female energies play into this?

Everyone possesses both masculine and feminine energies; neither is better or less valuable than the other. Doing and acting characterize masculine energy, which makes things. It builds, structures, orders and files. Being characterizes the feminine, womb-like energy, pregnant with possibilities and

subsequent manifested outcomes. The capacities to imagine, feel and receive also are feminine. In the dance with the masculine, the harmony of these feminine qualities is the primal desire for and the impulse of creativity itself.

When the masculine and feminine energies are balanced and intimately joined, they express the ability to act, create, manifest, build and bring order.

When we learn how to balance them, we become more creative and effective, individually and collectively. We are better at meeting challenges and responding to opportunities.

How does chauvinism block creativity?

Chauvinism, an elevation of masculine over feminine energy, would separate us from our feelings. It does violence to femininity and castrates legitimate masculinity. The mildest trace of such subordination diminishes and reduces primal creative energies to second place, so that nothing new can arrive. Civilization suffers from this systemic disorder to the degree that we believe our needs won’t be met unless we are controlling or relying disproportionately on action principles. A culture that elevates doing over being is ignorant of how to pop the clutch and shift into neutral, and so keeps driving down the same road without hope of changing direction.

When spirituality was more alive inside religious traditions, we honored the sanctity of the Sabbath and the importance of putting aside doing in order to be intimate with the mystery of life. It’s what breathes new life into our thoughts and feelings, arousing body, mind and spirit to new heights.

Every creator understands that all creativity is a gift of the feminine energy and a gift of the gods. Integrative masculine energies are always constellated around such a gift. Allowing ourselves to become intimate with a greater state of being rather than doing, we open ourselves to receiving a new relationship with life.

Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings. Connect at ItsAllAboutWe.com.

natural awakenings

August 2016

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It’s more than just green.

naturalpet

It’s FUN!

HANDLE WILD THINGS WITH CARE How to Safely Help Hurt Animals

by Sandra Murphy

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hen encountering a bird or animal that appears to be abandoned, take only minimal steps to help. “People mean well but a lot of rescues we see, didn’t need help,” says Lacy Campbell, wildlife care center operations manager for the Audubon Society of Portland, Oregon. Make sure the animal is away from traffic or predators, and then call a local wildlife rehabilitator before taking further action, especially if the animal is injured.

Vulnerable Little Ones

Baby squirrels can fall out of the nest.

“Leave him at the base of the tree,” says Jennifer Keats Curtis, author of the children’s book Squirrel Rescue. “Mom will rebuild the nest before coming to get her baby. If it’s cold, put it in a box with a towel. Once squirrels have been treated as a pet, they can’t be released.”

Tiny, not-yet-feathered nestlings should be returned home; it’s a myth that human scent poses a problem.

If the nest is out of reach or can’t be located, make one with a box and soft cloth. Put it in the tree, so the parents can resume feeding. Leave the area so as not to frighten them.

“After young robins, scrub jays,

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crows and owls leave the nest, they typically spend up to a week on the ground before they can fly,” says Campbell. “At night, the parents will escort the fully feathered fledglings to safety beneath a bush.”

In parks, ducks and geese may nest away from the water. Mama will lead her babies to the pond, even across busy streets. If it’s safe, stop the car to halt traffic, act as their crossing guard, and then resume driving.

A box turtle operates on innate GPS. “It lives in an area the size of a football field,” explains Curtis. “It will go onward, no matter how many times people try to redirect it. If injured by a car or lawn mower, the shell can be mended by a rehab center.”

Bunnies eat at dusk and dawn. Inbetween, the nest may look abandoned.

“Wild baby rabbits are difficult to keep alive if injured,” says Curtis. “At sundown, see if mom returns; if not, they need a wildlife rehab expert.”

A lone, young raccoon is either old enough to climb a tree by itself or the mother will carry it. If we feed a raccoon, it will become a beggar.

Opossums are dramatic actors. When cornered, they hiss and fall over and

play dead in a coma-like state for up to four hours. Check back later. If a mother possum has been killed by a car, call a rehab official to check her pouch for potential babies.

“If you find a young deer fawn or moose calf, leave it. The mother comes back several times each day to nurse,” advises Amanda Nicholson, director of outreach for the Wildlife Center of Virginia, in Waynesboro. “Its coloring helps it remain undetected by predators.”

Other Unexpected Encounters “Don’t feed wild animals or leave out food or accessible comestible trash.

Bobcats, wolves, bears and coyotes will avoid people unless food is involved,” cautions Jennifer Place, program associate for Born Free USA, a nonprofit in Washington, D.C. “Wild animals protect their space, food and young, so stay on marked trails when hiking and never turn your back on them.”

For unexpected meetings, stay calm. “Make sure there’s an escape

The best outcome for injured animals is rescue, rehabilitation and return to the wild. route for the animal,” says Place. “With foxes or coyotes, throw sticks or small rocks, but don’t hit the animal. Make yourself look large and yell.” With snakes, sidestep away slowly for more than six feet before walking in the other direction. Bears require a different response. “Speak in a low voice so the bear realizes you are not prey. Never

climb a tree,” says Place. “Bears know the terrain, can run faster than a horse and can climb trees, too. Sidestep away, remaining carefully upright, calm and unthreatening. If the bear moves toward you, keep talking until he moves away.

Running kicks in its prey drive.”

Yellowstone Park regulations require visitors to stay 25 yards away from most wildlife and 100 yards away from bears and wolves. Selfie photos with animals can result in injury or death for humans and animals through carelessness; safety depends on good judgement, respect and common sense.

Friends of wildlife know beforehand how to contact local rehabilitators if there’s an emergency, observe before taking action, and protect pets. “Always leash dogs when going into the yard at night and keep cats indoors,” says Place. “Peaceful co-existence allows for the safety of both people and animals, domestic and wild.”

Connect with freelance writer Sandra Murphy at StLouisFreelanceWriter@ mindspring.com.

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calendarofevents All Calendar events for the September issue must be received by August 10 and adhere to our guidelines. Visit NAEastBay.com or email Calendar@ NAEastBay.com for guidelines and to submit entries.

MONDAY, AUGUST 1 Runners Clinic at the Lab | Walnut Creek 5-7pm. If running is your sport of choice, we’d like to help you improve you overall performance.

Participate in a slow motion video analysis and a footwear, strength, flexibility, and posture assessment, included in this clinic. Also receive specific nutritional information from a registered sports dietitian. $75/pp. Motion Analysis & Sports Performance Lab, 2401 Shadelands Dr, Ste 170, Walnut Creek. Krisi Bruce, 925-979-3420. KRBruce@ Mail.cho.org.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 2 Women Bike: Meet & Greet | Oakland 6-7pm. A great way to meet new friends, hang out with your old friends, or just get up off the couch and get some exercise. Start with a brief talk and question time. Topic is carrying items by bike, including pets. Bay Area Bikes, 2509 Broadway, Oakland. BikeEastBay.org.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3 1st Wednesday Street Party | Pleasanton 6-9pm. Break up the week with a fun night out for the entire family. About 200 local vendors gather for children’s activities, live music by the band Stereo Bounce, fabulous food, and beer and wine gardens. Enjoy the family fun. Downtown Pleasanton, Main St, Pleasanton. Events@PleasantonDowntown.net. PleasantonDowntown.net.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 4 Mirah & my Bubba in the Redwood Grove | Berkeley 5:30-7:30pm. Join Mirah as she continues to entertain her fans. Her versatile, incredible voice that can range from low, sultry tones to high falsetto in one breath. She has released more than a dozen solo recordings. $19/general public, $18/UCBG member, $15/ages 5-17. UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley, 200 Centennial Dr, Berkeley. Deepa Natarajan, 510-643-2755. GardenPrograms@Berkeley.edu.

BotanicalGarden.Berkeley.edu.

Pajama Science | Walnut Creek 6:30-7:15pm. This is ideal for very young children, and kids from 5 to 11 years old. Parents, bring your children in and have some fun with activities that will help prepare your children to become creative learners! And yes, kids are welcome to wear their pajamas. Free. Walnut Creek Library, 1644 N Broadway, Walnut Creek. Questions? Please call 925-977-3340.

Waterfront Flicks | Oakland 8pm. If you haven’t been to one of this summer’s waterfront flicks, it’s about time you got yourself out there! Tonight will be featuring East Side Sushi.

The movie starts about 9pm, but come early and

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partake in some of the festivities. Free/movie. Jack London Square, Embarcadero West, Oakland. 510645-9292. JackLondonSquare.com.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 5 Dancing Under the Stars | Oakland 8:30-10pm. Every week a new dance will be taught for those who want to kick up their heels! Join us tonight as we learn the East Coast Swing, in single time. Taught by professional dance instructor, Bradley Montoya. 30-minute dance lesson/free.

Jack London Square, Broadway & Embarcadero, Oakland. 510-645-9292. More information at JackLondonSquare.com.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 5 SUNDAY, AUGUST 7 Gem Faire | Pleasanton Fri noon-6pm. Sat & Sun 10am-5pm. An event where quality gems, beads, crystals, and other precious stones are brought to you at manufacturer’s prices. Be sure to enter for a chance to win great prizes, drawings are every hour. $7/adults, free/ children under 12, $10/parking. Alameda County Fairgrounds, 4501 Pleasanton Ave, Pleasanton.

More information available at 503-252-8300.

Info@GemFaire.com. GemFaire.com.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 6 Summer Breeze Half-Marathon | San Leandro Start and finish at San Leandro Marina Park. If you love the water, run within a few feet from it on this easy, mostly flat course. If this is your first race, or you’re trying to lower your time, don’t miss this event. If you enjoy hiking or walking, feel free to join us. All are welcome. Entry fees starting at $35. Marina Park, Monarch Bay Dr, San Leandro.

Register at Active.com, or go to BrazenRacing.com/ summerbreeze.html.

Intro to Genealogy | Oakland 1-3pm. Have you ever wanted to search and find your roots? This is a wonderful place to start.

Join us for the basics you need to get started. Our instructors will get you started using our in-house computers, and access to subscription websites.

Free. Breuner Building, 2201 Broadway, Ste LL2, Oakland. 510-663-1358. CaliforniaAncestors.org.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 6 & SUNDAY, AUGUST 7 Crystal Fair | Walnut Creek Visit us at the Crystal Fair. BioMagnetism, crystal healing, essential oils, and more. Integrative Relational Energetics Institute. IREInst.com.

Quantum-Touch Level 1 Workshop | San Ramon 9am-5pm. Life-changing weekend filled with deep

East Bay Area | www.NAEastBay.com

healing, love and laughter. Learn how to focus, amplify and direct the universal life force to transform both physical and emotional issues with ease. $350.

San Ramon. Claudia, 925-784-5956. JoyOf Healing@ClaudiaJ.com.

Breema, the Art of Being Present | Oakland 10-11:30am. Breema opens a new and natural way to connect to yourself and be nurtured and energized. $10/first class is free. The Breema Center, 6076 Claremont Ave, Oakland. 510-428-0937.

Breema.com.

Festival of the Arts | Fremont 10am-6pm. Fun and enjoyment for the entire family. Hundreds of vendors, artists, sculptors, and local entrepreneurs. Enjoy a wide variety of food types, something for every palate. Free. Walnut Ave & Paseo Padre Pkwy, Fremont. FremontFestival. net. AlamedaMagazine.com.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7 Blues Cruise | Oakland 3pm. Enjoy a Sunday afternoon on the water, listening to live music by the Hucklebucks. Snack, beer and wine available for purchase. Jack London Square, Embarcadero West, Oakland. 510-6459292. JackLondonSquare.com.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11 Hot Summer Nights Hot Rod & Classic Car Show | Danville 6-9pm. If you’re into classic hot rods, muscle cars, and rare one-of-a-kind collector cars, this is one event you must not miss. Downtown Danville, Hartz Ave, Danville. DanvilleHotSummerNights CarShow.com, Danville.ca.gov.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 12 Field & Figure | Alameda 6-9pm. Join us for an exciting exhibition. A group of artists who work in collage and painting will be displaying their pieces, using varying degrees of representation and abstraction. Free. K Gallery at Rhythmix Cultural Works, 2513 Blanding Ave, Alameda. More information available at AlamedaMagazine.com.

Concerts in the Park | Pleasanton 7-8:30pm. Come out and enjoy our beautiful weather, while listening to rock, pop, and rhythm and blues. Get up and dance if you like, we know you’ll enjoy the sounds of Max Cruise. Free. Lions Wayside Park, 4401 1st St, Pleasanton. More information at VisitTriValley.com.

Artwalk | Alameda 7:30-9:30pm. Mark Coleman and Jennifer King are the two oil painting artists of a working studio. Join them in viewing some of their newest works. There are other participating galleries available nearby for viewing different artist’s pieces of work. Free. The Alley, a Fine Art Studio, 2309 Encinal Ave, Annex, Alameda. Information is available from Jennifer King at JennifersMessyArt@Gmail.com.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 13 Cinderella Trail Run | Oakland 7am. Enjoy the scenic views of the rolling hills as you travel through the beautiful park. There will be fully stocked aid stations every 3-6miles. We will also have fresh fruit, salty snacks, assorted candies, water, and sports drinks. It’s suggested that runners bring and carry at least 1 bottle of water. Many categories for award medals. Joaquin Miller Park, 3450 Joaquin Miller Rd, Oakland. Park’s phone 510-238-7275. You may register at CoastalTrail Runs.com.

Adult Learn-to-Ride Class | Oakland 10am-1pm. Class is for adults and teens who have never learned, or haven’t ridden a bicycle in a long time. Learn or refresh the basics of balancing, steering, and pedaling. Our non-judgemental instructors are friendly, but most of all patient. RSVP is required, and rental bikes and helmets are available for a low cost. Class is free. Rockridge BART, 5660 College Ave, Oakland. (West side parking lot). For more information or to register, go to BikeEastBay.org.

Jack of all Trades | Oakland 11am-5pm. Join this eclectic group, and you never know what you might find. There will be a mix of antique dealers, artists, indie designers, and local makers. Enjoy live music, or sit in at some of the DIY workshops. There’s something for every age group.

Free. Jack London Square, Embarcadero West, Oakland. 510-645-9292. JackLondonSquare.com.

Annual Laurel Street Fair | Oakland 11am-6pm. Celebrating our 17th year! This festival is open to everyone, and everyone in the family will enjoy something. Enjoy music, yoga, artisan vendors, petting zoo, children’s carnival, biergartens and food trucks. Free/admission. Laurel Street Fair, MacArthur Blvd, between 35th - 39th Aves, Oakland. Candi Martinez, 415-505-5559. SpreadLoveMedia@Yahoo.com. LaurelStreetFair.com.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16 Bikes, Wrenches & Brews | Berkeley 6pm. A great way for you to practice your mechanical skills on your bike. Cycle maintenance is key to safety. Work stations, toolsets, and REI techs will be on hand to assist you, free of charge. Beer and snacks available. Berkeley REI, University Ave, Berkeley. BikeEastBay.org.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 18 Surf’s Up Art Exhibition | Danville This nonprofit art center features six to seven exhibitions per year, showing Bay Area Artists contemporary works. Art lovers of all ages will love this and all of the art events! Free/donations accepted.

Thanking you in advance for your support. Village Theatre & Art Gallery, 33 Front St, Danville. 925314-3400. VillageTheatreShows.com.

Thirsty Thursday | Berkeley 3-6:30pm. A few local businesses got together and are featuring live local musicians performing at the market. We encourage people to bring their own cups for beer. Free. Berkeley Thursday Farmers’ Market, Shattuck Ave, & Rose St, Berkeley. More information available at EcologyCenter.org, AlamedaMagazine.com.

Waterfront Flicks | Oakland 8pm. If you haven’t been to one of this summer’s waterfront flicks, it’s about time you got yourself out there! Tonight will be featuring The Pursuit of Happyness. The movie starts about 9pm, but come early and partake in some of the festivities. Free/ movie. Jack London Square, Embarcadero West, Oakland. 510-645-9292. JackLondonSquare.com.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19 Picnic Flix Summer Movie | Dublin 7-10pm. So much fun for the whole family.

Tonight’s feature film is Frozen! Get your voices ready because you know the kids, and even you will be singing the infamous songs of this movie. Free, food, snacks, and beverages available for purchase.

We encourage you to bring blankets or low back chairs. Sorry, no pets, please. Emerald Glen Park, 4201 Central Pkwy, Dublin. VisitTriValley.com.

Ci.Dublin.CA.US. New Belgium Clips Beer & Film Tour | Oakland 7:30pm. Come join the brewery’s 25th anniversary with short films and a large selection of small-batch beers. The proceeds from this event will benefit Bike East Bay. Food available for purchase by local vendors. Free. Mosswood Park, 3612 Webster St, Oakland. Additional information at BikeEastBay.org.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 20 Zombie Runner 1/2 Marathon 10K | San Francisco

1-3pm. Safety is key in cycling. Join us to learn the basics of the road. Adults and teens will learn how to properly equip their bikes, proper helmet fitting, riding in the dark, avoiding bike theft and crashes.

You don’t need a bike to attend. Participants will receive a free reflective vest. Free. Oakland Main Library, 125 14th St, Oakland. Register and information at BikeEastBay.org.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 20 & SUNDAY, AUGUST 21 Art & Soul | Oakland 2-6pm, noon-6pm. The kids will love the inflatable bounce houses and carnival rides, and for the adults there’s music, food vendors, and best of all the Bar-BQ cook-off! $12/adults, $7/seniors and youths, free/12 years old and under. Oakland Civic Center, 12th St, Downtown Oakland. ArtAndSoulOakland.com.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 27 Awakening Spiritual Channels | San Ramon 9am-5pm. Enjoy learning to develop, interpret, and utilize your innate wisdom abilities, to communicate effectively with your guides and the soul world. These tools are invaluable for your healing journey! $150. San Ramon. Claudia, 925-784-5956.

JoyOfHealing@ClaudiaJ.com.

East Bay SPCA Adopt-a-Thon | Oakland

6am. Start and finish at the East Beach, and run west along the Golden Gate Promenade. The 5K will have you climbing up Battery East trail to the spectacular Golden Gate Bridge! The 10K and half marathon will have you continue underneath the Golden Gate, continuing along Seacliff and Coastal Trail, and eventually overlooking the historic Sutro Baths. There is a time limit of 3.5 hours for all distances. Aid stations every 2-3 miles. Fresh fruit, salty snacks, candy, water and sports drinks. Don’t forget the award ceremony! 1199 East Beach, Presidio of San Francisco. For registration, please go to CoastalTrailRuns.com.

Class is more important than a game. ~Pat Summitt

Urban Cycling 101 Classroom Workshop | Oakland

10am. If you’ve been thinking about making an addition to your family with a four-legged best friend, here’s your chance. Join SPCA and Jack London Square to help find forever homes for our furry friends. Jack London Square, Embarcadero West, Oakland. JackLondonSquare.com.

CCLR Bike Tour | Oakland & Emeryville 1-3pm. This ride is 6.5 miles long, with stops in Oakland and Emeryville. Learn about land use development projects CCLR has been working on, and check out some of the new bikeways in the area. Also visit abandoned properties that have been refurbished for housing, community gardening, public art, and beer breweries. MacArthur BART Station, 555 40th St, Oakland. Registration and more information is available at BikeEastBay.org.

The success of your marketing message is about reaching the right number of qualified people...

The various tools in Natural Awakenings are designed to get your message out to the most readers... who are in the right niche... in the most effective manner.

Call 925-557-7583 or

Visit NAEastBay for details. natural awakenings

August 2016

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ongoingcalendar All Calendar events for the September issue must be received by August 10 and adhere to our guidelines. Visit NAEastBay.com or email Calendar@ NAEastBay.com for guidelines and to submit entries.

sunday Tibetan Nyingma Meditation | Berkeley 9am. One of the best ways to take care of yourself, is through meditation. All are welcome to clear your mind, and to grow with inner tranquility. Each session has a brief instruction of Nyingma meditation, then silent sitting. Tibetan Nyingma Institute, 1815 Highland Place, Berkeley. For prices or more information, please contact 510-809-1000.

Play or Learn the Game of Go | Oakland 10am-5pm. Learn to play in just a few minutes, we’re happy to show you how. Ancient game, but still played by thousands today. Drop-ins welcome, RSVP preferred, by Saturday. Sponsored by North Oakland Go Club. Free. Black Spring Coffee Co, 2930 Telegraph Ave, Oakland. Contact Steve Bloom with questions. SteveBloom55@gmail.com.

MeetUp.com/North-Oakland-Go-Club.

Community Sing & Meet Up | Oakland 11am. Meets the 4th Sunday of the month. Join in with us to sing, laugh, think, and listen, and build your community together. Speakers from local science and humanities communities typically offer a way to donate to local organizations. Free. Oakland Peace Center, 111 Fairmount Ave, Oakland.

Soul Sanctuary Dance | Berkeley 11am-1pm. All ages are welcome to dance to the blend of funk, soul, world music, positive hip-hop, reggae, dance classics, jazz, blues, electronica and other music to free the mind, body and soul. Wheelchair accessible. No scented products please. Shoes optional. Donations accepted. Ashkenaz Music and Dance Community Center, 1317 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley. SoulSanctuaryDance.com.

Nia | Berkeley Noon-1pm. Also Friday at 8:45am. Expand your dance, increase your joy. Give your body the gift of learning the Nia language with teacher Alexis Mulhauser. Namaste Yoga, 2820 7th St, Berkeley.

Info@FloraMotion.net. FloraMotion.net.

Crystal Singing Bowl Concert | Dublin Noon-1:30pm. 1st Sunday of every month. A sound-healing concert played by Shala. Everyone’s experience will be unique and suited to their own specific needs. $10/suggested love offering. Unity of Tri-Valley, 7567 Amador Valley Blvd, #108, Dublin. 925-829-2733. UnityOfTriValley.org.

100+ Free-to-Play Tabletop Games | Berkeley Noon-6pm. Meet the 3rd Sunday of every month.

If you’re into board games new or old, come out and join in on the fun. Maybe you’re a designer of games, or a play tester? All are welcome here. Food and drinks are available next door. Free. Games of Berkeley, 2151 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley. 510-540-

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7822. More information is available at Events@ GamesOfBerkeley.com.

Needle Crafters | San Leandro 1:30-3:45pm. If you enjoy any type of needle crafts, such as knitting, crocheting, needle point, you’re welcome to join us. While working on our individual projects, we discuss movies, books, and everyday life. Fun and casual, so come and relax.

If you are a beginner and would like to learn more, this is the place. Main Library, 300 Estudillo Ave, San Leandro.

Shamanic Drum Circle | Dublin 3-4:15pm. Second Sunday of every month. With Ashleigh Pevey. A trained clinical certified hypnotherapist, Shamanic healer and Reiki practitioner.

Drumming helps you gain access to your inner guidance and learn to work with your helping spirits. Enhance your relationship with yourself and spirit. Move from just trusting that your guides are there, to knowing and working with them. Allow the mystery of life to unfold. One of the great benefits of shamanic journeying is learning that we are never alone, and are loved unconditionally. $10-25/ suggested love offering. Unity of Tri-Valley, 7567 Amador Valley Blvd, #108, Dublin. 925-829-2733.

UnityOfTriValley.org.

Community Lounge Rumba | Berkeley 3:30-6pm. 1st and 3rd Sunday each month. Rumba is the word used for a group of related communityoriented music and dance styles in Cuba. These jam sessions welcome drummers, singers and dancers who perform rumba. Free. La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley. 510-849-2568.

LaPena.org.

Free Kundalini Meditation | Walnut Creek 5-6:30pm. Kundalini meditation is an ancient Tantric practice that allows each individual to deeply experience their direct, inner connection to the divine. Class includes shaktipat transmission, guided meditation and discussion. Scheduled appointment for introduction is required for first-timers at 4pm.

2910 Camino Diablo, Walnut Creek. 510-917-2349.

Ellen@TrikaShala.com.

Barefoot Boogie | Berkeley 7:30-11pm. Enjoy freestyle dancing in a casual, friendly environment. Boogie is a healthy alternative to the club scene. Smoke, scent and alcohol free. The first hour is slow music for stretching and unwinding, and then the pace picks up to an aerobic, ecstatic high. Our DJs play a great mix of Latin, African, Funk, R&B, Hip-Hop, Blues, house, pop, oldies, and more. This is real music for real people. $8-$15/sliding scale; $5/first-timers. 8th Street Studios, 2525 8th St at Dwight, Berkeley.

SFBarefootBoogie.com.

East Bay Area | www.NAEastBay.com

Well done is better than well said. ~Benjamin Franklin

monday Morning Fitness Classes | Oakland This program runs daily all weekdays. Start your day off feeling great, getting your metabolism revved for the day. If you choose to commit to several days in the week, you’ll have priority during sign-up. Email us questions and for more information. $25. Burn Pilates Oakland, 2101 Webster St, Ste 160, Oakland. Elizabeth, 510-788-4275.

BurnPilates@gmail.com.

Private Grocery Tour | EastBay Need help navigating your health food store? Discover new foods and create quick, easy, healthy delicious meals. Budget and kid-friendly. The easiest investment to make you get started on your health journey. 60-minute private Grocery Tour. $125/complete grocery lists, menus and recipes.

Alexandra Le Ny, CHC. 925-858-2133. AlexandraLeNy@Yahoo.com. AlexandraLeNy.com.

Burn Pilates Morning Club | Oakland 6-8am. Start your day off right. Morning exercising gets the metabolism going. If you’re willing to make a commitment, this class meets daily until the end of December, multiple days per week. $25. Burn Pilates Oakland, 2101 Webster St, Ste 160, Oakland.

Call Elizabeth, 510-788-4275. BurnPilates@Gmail. com. BurnPilates.com/Locations/Uptown-Oakland.

Radio Show-Life Insights Live, Personal Growth Radio 7-8am. This week featuring Practical Mystic, Scout Bartlett. This will be replayed on Wednesdays from 7-8am. Various topics of self-understanding, personal growth and spiritual perception discussed.

A 2 ½-minute group meditation each Monday at 7:30am. We are on the air broadcasting to the Bay Area on KEST, 1450AM. Simulcast and archived for later listening on IfIdKnownThen.com.

Breema Bodywork & Principles: Mutual Support | Oakland 7-8:30pm. Breema is the perfect practice for anyone wishing to be more present and have more harmonious relationships to all life. $10/ your first class is free. The Breema Center, 6076 Claremont Ave, Oakland. 510-428-0937. Breema.com.

Community Healing Circle | Dublin 7-8:30pm. First Monday of every month. Individual and group healing techniques from various disciplines are demonstrated to re-align the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual. Facilitated by Claudia Scott. $10/love offering. Unity of Tri-Valley, 7567 Amador Valley Blvd, #108. 925-784-5956. JoyOf Healing@ClaudiaJ.com.

East Bay Biodanza Class | Berkeley 7:30-10pm. Biodanza, which means Dance of Life, is a system that integrates music, movement and authentic interactions to provide experiences of intense perceptions, of being in the here and now.

Mixed beginner/intermediate level. Registration required. Sliding scale: $20-$25/single session; $65-$80/monthly pass. Finnish Hall, 1970 Chestnut St, Berkeley. Biodanza.us.

tuesday Heart-Centered Meditation 10am. Are you seeking spiritual healing and renewal? Discover an ancient Sufi meditation practice to cleanse your heart of the blocks that keep you from living in conscious connection to divine love.

Get started today with an eCourse, and join us live for guided meditation calls. Free. SufiUniversity. org/INFO. Yoga at Bishop Ranch 15 | San Ramon 12:05-12:50pm. Please arrive a few minutes early.

Take a midday break to reconnect with yourself while you relax and rejuvenate with gentle Hatha Yoga. Build strength, flexibility, balance and coordination. Deepen your self-awareness and inner peace. Please bring a mat. All levels are welcome. $42/5 class package, $75/10 class package. 12667 Alcosta Blvd, Ste 135, (BR15), San Ramon. Clar ityWithSusan@Gmail.com. ClarityWithSusan.com.

South Berkeley Farmer’s Market | Berkeley 2-6:30pm. Go outside the box, the big box stores that is. Enjoy fresh produce and products from the area. Not only is this a healthier way of living, but you’ll be supporting the local businesses in the area.

Adeline St and 63rd St, Berkeley.

Teens, Come and Make Some Things | Berkeley 4-5pm. Come to the library and express yourself through arts and crafts. It’s a laid back, self-paced workshop where you can have some fun, and meet and make new friends. South Branch Library, 1901 Russell St, Berkeley. 510-981-6260.

Team Lemon Run Club | Walnut Creek 6:30pm. Social and fun run for all levels of runners.

Runs are 3 or 5 miles through downtown Walnut Creek and along local trails. Pace is moderate. Free.

Lululemon, 1201-A South Main St, Walnut Creek.

925-274-1253. Lululemon.com/WalnutCreek.

Korean Zen Meditation | Oakland 7-9pm. Taught by Buddhist nun Jaguang Sunim.

A relaxed meditation to free yourself from life’s stress, and find your inner center of wisdom.

Dharma talk. Sitting and walking meditation, tea and discussion. By donation. Sixth Ancestor Zen Center, 100 Monte Cresta Ave, Oakland. 510 8444164. SixthAncestorZen.org.

Comedy at the Layover | Oakland 8-10pm. The last Tuesday of every month. Grab your friends, your spouse, any one you choose, and head on out. Be ready for fun and laughs with comedians from HBO, Comedy Central, and Late Night TV. Must be 21 and over. RSVP is requested. Free admission. The Layover, 157 Franklin St, Oakland.

For information and updates call 510-834-1517.

wednesday Quiet the Mind & Open the Heart | Pleasanton 7pm. First Wednesday of the month. This workshop is for people looking for a life transformation and support, to build new healthy habits and routines.

You will have the opportunity to learn about connections and dependencies between our physical, mental, and spiritual bodies. The talks are 1 1/2 hours, and include lecture, discussions, and practical exercises. Free. For more information, go to TheSacredHealingWell.com or MTHWellness Center.MassageTherapy.com.

Transcendental Meditation | Berkeley Noon. Learn about transcendental meditation.

Berkeley TM Center, 950 Gilman St, #100, Berkeley. 510-872-2287. Berkeley@TM.org.

Gentle Yoga | Oakland 1-2pm. No experience needed. Wear comfortable clothes. Designed for women who have, or have had cancer. Class includes gentle asana practice, as well as restorative poses. Women’s Cancer Resource Center, 5741 Telegraph Ave, Oakland.

510-420-7900. WCRC.org.

Drumming for Rain | Walnut Creek 5:30-6:30pm. If some people do dances, in hope that it will rain, why can’t you drum for rain? You can, and we do! Join us for some fun. Bring with you a pillow or mat to sit on, drums, shakers, or anything percussion. Bring a friends, family, or come alone. Free. Held in Walnut Creek. For directions please call Susan K Faron, PhD, 925-932-2090.

WalnutCreekPsychologist.org.

Wednesday Night Street Party | Pleasanton 6-9pm. Join the town of Pleasanton every Wednesday evening for a fun night of children’s activities, great food, live music changed weekly, and fun for the entire family. Adults over 21 years of age can enjoy the beer and wine garden. Downtown Pleasanton, Main St, Pleasanton. Events@Pleas antonDowntown.net. PleasantonDowntown.net.

Turn ON San Francisco | San Francisco Preferred arrival: 7:15pm. Doors locked: 7:30pm.

Through three guided round-robin style games, you’ll express yourself and gain new (and maybe surprising) insight into yourself and others. All this in a room full of cool, fun people engaging in honest, humorous, playful conversation. Topics are based on thoughts that we only would have in our head. Singles and couples welcome. Registration preferred. Those without reservations will be put on a wait list until 7:20pm. 47 Moss St, San Francisco. 408-390-2095. Awakening360.com/ event/99#sthash.ostqQT4Y.dpuf.

East Bay Biodanza Class | Berkeley 7:30-9:30pm. Also on Thursday. Beginner level, open to new participants. Biodanza, which means Dance of Life, is a system that integrates music, movement and authentic interactions to provide experiences of intense perceptions of being in the here and now. Sliding scale: $20-$25/single session; $65-$80/monthly pass. Jeffery Bihr Studio, 5390 Miles Ave, Berkeley. 415-717-3578 or 415505 9482. Biodanza.us.

thursday

You will be taught to correctly use a mouse, the keyboard, how to set up email, and also to search/ surf the internet. Free/drop-in classes. Central Library, 2090 Kittredge St, Berkeley. 510-981-6100.

Yoga at Bishop Ranch 15 | San Ramon 12:05-12:50pm. Please arrive a few minutes early.

Take a midday break to reconnect with yourself while you relax and rejuvenate with gentle Hatha Yoga.

Build strength, flexibility, balance and coordination.

Deepen your self-awareness and inner peace. Please bring a mat. All levels are welcome. $42/5 class package, $75/10 class package. 12667 Alcosta Blvd, Ste 135, (BR15), San Ramon. ClarityWithSusan@ gmail.com. ClarityWithSusan.com.

Youth Yoga | Walnut Creek 3:45-4:30pm. Ages 5-8. 4:45-5:45pm. Ages 9-11.

Members and non-members welcome. This class is designed to work with pre-teens in developing a strong sense of self. Students are taught relaxation techniques, yoga postures and breathe work. Age appropriate activities are used to promote self-love, community and an awareness of the environment. No yoga experience necessary. $12/class; $38/month.

Yoga Works, 1131 Locust St, 2nd Fl, Walnut Creek.

925-478-7272. InfoNorCal@YogaWorks.com.

Weight Loss Class | Castro Valley 6-7 pm. Come to the Nature’s Sunshine Health Center weight loss class. We are currently working on a one-on-one basis. $25/week. Nature’s Sunshine Health Center, 21709 Redwood Rd, Castro Valley. Please call to schedule your appointment at 510-582-8482.

Change Your Water, Change Your Life | Walnut Creek 6:30-7:30pm. Join us for a presentation to learn how alkalized, ionic Kangan water can bring your body into a state of balance. Eliminating toxic pesticides and household chemicals from your daily life.

RSVP. 925-609-4426.

Free Kundalini Meditation | Berkeley 7pm. See Sun listing for details. Free. Rudramandir, 830 Bancroft Way at 6th St, Berkeley. 510-486-8700.

Ellen@TrikaShala.com.

Lake Merritt Oneness Blessing and Meditation | Oakland 7-9pm. The purpose of Lake Merritt Oneness is to support the awakening of humanity; by cultivating direct experience of oneness consciousness through universal teachings, meditation and oneness blessings. The Oneness Blessing is the sacred technology that advances each person’s journey into the direct experience of awakening. This gift to humanity helps to deepen our personal connection to the divine. These blessings have catapulted many people from around the globe into an awakened state and deeper awareness. The Blessing allows us to completely experience and dissolve old hurts, fears, and worries. It also silences repetitive thinking. Suffering decreases naturally. Lake Merritt Church, 1330 Lakeshore Ave, Oakland. LakeMerrittOneness.org Ballroom & Social Dance | Livermore

Beginner Computer Class | Berkeley 10-11am. Learn the basics of using a computer.

7:30pm. Join instructor Joallyn Bohn and learn the beginner steps to the Tango, (American style). This class if for adult students. A partner is recommended but not required. Smooth soled shoes are much better to war than rubber soled shoes. Free. Organized

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SEPT

YOGA IS THE POETRY OF MOVEMENTS

by Livermore Area Rec & Park District, 522 South L St, Livermore. Register at Active.com.

East Bay Biodanza Class | Berkeley 7:30-9:30pm. Beginner level, open to new participants. See Wednesday listing for details. Sliding scale: $20-$25/single session; $65-$80/monthly pass. Jeffrey Bihr Studio, 5390 Miles Ave, Berkeley. LauraLouc@gmail.com. KRohnem@Galileo Web.org. Biodanza.us.

friday Nia | Oakland 8:45am. See Monday listing for details. Namaste Rockridge, 5416 College Ave, Oakland. Info@ FloraMotion.net. FloraMotion.net.

Parent’s Night Out | Emeryville 6-10:30pm. This is a great night out for everyone in the entire family. Children’s ages are 4 and up, and must be potty-trained. The kids get to jump, frolic, flip, while in a safe environment. Then they can enjoy pizza and an appropriate movie. All while parents get a night out. $35. Head Over Heels Athletic Arts, 4701 Doyle St, Bldg F, Emeryville.

For questions and more information please call 510-655-1265. Diedra@HohAthleticArts.com.

HOHAthleticArts.com.

Concert in the Park | Pleasanton 7-8:30pm. Enjoy an eclectic mix of music from the 50s, 60s, rock, and soul. West Grand Boulevard has performed for a countless number of people at weddings, festivals, fundraisers and clubs. Support your local restaurants by picking up some dinner to bring with you. Concert is free. Lions Wayside Park, 4401 First St, Pleasanton.

Drop-In Volleyball | Walnut Creek

Today’s business climate poses new challenges.

Advertise your products and services in our

September Yoga & Music Issue

7-10pm. Open to the first 45 participants. $5.

Tice Valley Community Gymnasium, 2055 Tice Valley Blvd, Walnut Creek. 925-256-3572. Wal nutCreekRec.org.

Dancing Under the Stars | Oakland 8:30-10pm. Each week a new dance will be taught, for those who want to learn. Taught by a professional dance instructor, Bradley Montoya.

30-minute dance lesson/free. Jack London Square, Broadway & Embacadero, Oakland. 510-645-9292.

More information at JackLondonSquare.com.

Ecstatic Dance, Dance Jam | Berkeley 8:30-11:30pm. It doesn’t get any better than this!

All ages welcome to this no-alcohol, no shoes event. Great sound from professional DJ’s, using fantastic equipment. Dance the night away on bamboo floors, listening to Soul, Disco, Techno, Funk, Ambient, and the list goes on. You don’t want to miss this. $15. Studio 12, 2525 8th St, Berkeley.

To advertise or participate in our next issue, call

925-557-7583 28

saturday Webinar Series: The Degrees of Woman in Sufism Join Susan Rahima Schmall to learn how spiritual

East Bay Area | www.NAEastBay.com

connection affects illness as it manifests in the physical, emotional and mental bodies. Incorporate spiritual healing for the physical body. Gifted at creating a safe nurturing space for people with physical illness and emotional pain can find peace.

She is passionate about helping students develop their own gifts as healers and human beings.

SufiUniversity.org/Distance-Learning/Webinars/.

Fun Run with Fleet Feet | Pleasanton 9am. Distances range from 2-8 miles, and is great for everyone with a pace from walkers on up. It’s always a fun time! 925-699-4926. EthanFalls@ Comcast.net.

Basement Pilates | Walnut Creek 9-10am. All levels welcome. Bring mat, towel and water for Pilates class by local instructor. Free.

Sports Basement, 1881 Ygnacio Valley Rd, Walnut Creek. 925-941-6100.

Farmers’ Market | Danville 9am-1pm. One of the best things about living in California is our fresh produce. Fruits and vegetables grown locally, and served on our tables. What more is there to ask for? Free admission. Railroad Ave, Municipal Parking Lot, Downtown Danville.

Farmers’ Market | Pleasanton 9am-1pm. Stop by and visit the market that offers a diversity of fresh fruits and vegetables. Open year round, every Saturday. Rain or shine, you can purchase the freshest items from the farmers that planted and harvested these crops. Downtown Pleasanton, E Angela St, Pleasanton.

Health & Awakening | Oakland 10-11am. Oakland Asian Cultural Center, 388 9th St, Suite 290, Oakland. 510-637-0455. Info@ ShaolinMaster.org.

Breema, the Art of Being Present | Oakland 10-11:30am. Breema opens a new and natural way to connect to yourself and be nurtured and energized. $10/first class is free. The Breema Center, 6076 Claremont Ave, Oakland. 510-428-0937.

Breema.com.

Castro Valley Farmers’ Market | Castro Valley 10am-2pm. Join us very week for the freshest and the best produce and baked goods our state has to offer. Many vendors to choose from. Open all year round. Castro Valley BART Station, Redwood Rd and Norbridge, Castro Valley. If you have any questions or would like more information, please call Ron Radini, 510-745-7100.

Bloomin’ Belly Flow Prenatal Yoga | Walnut Creek 11am-12:15pm. See Wednesday for details. Bloom Retreat, 1444 S Main St, Walnut Creek. 925-9396262. BloomRetreat.com.

Bay Street Twilight Market | Emeryville 3-7pm. Join us Saturday evenings as the streets come alive. All are welcome to stroll the sidewalks and streets, searching for their baked goods, local fruits and vegetables, crafted preserves, and so much more. Local artisans and makers. Free. Bay Street, 5616 Bay St, Emeryville. 510-655-4002.

BayStreetEmeryville.com.

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

acupuncture EASTERN MEDICAL CENTER

Dr. Teresa Shen, LAc, PhD China 5933 Coronado Ln, Ste 100, Pleasanton 925-847-8889 EasternMedicalCenter.com Award-winning natural family healthcare clinic brings 5,000 years of traditional Chinese healing and 4 generations of expertise including acupuncture, acupressure, cupping and herbs.

See ad, page 10.

AYURVEDA & HOMEOPATHY RASHANA RAUNIAR SHARMA (BHMS, CCH, AWP)

Chetna Center for Health and Wellness 110 Ryan Industrial Ct, Suite #1 San Ramon, CA – 94583 925- 255- 5375 ChetnaCenter. com Certified practitioner of Ayurveda, Homeopathy and Reiki serving the Bay Area for over 15 years.

We provide safe and natural health care alternatives for all ages with concerns on digestive issues, stress, anxiety, allergies, recurrent cough and cold, constipation, insomnia and other immune related issues. Therapy is designed and customized per individual’s unique body constitution and includes Natural and Herbal remedies, Diet & Lifestyle changes and Meditation. We also provide Reiki initiation and healing. Consultation can be given in person or via Skype or phone.

BIOPHOTON LIGHT THERAPY BIOPHOTON SERVICES

Kathy McIntire 1151 Harbor Bay Parkway, Suite 100 Alameda, CA 94502 510- 217-8677 BiophotonServices.com Biophoton therapy restores the body’s ability to self-heal. This is done by influencing the biophotons (light) emissions of the body, neutralizing chaotic light and strengthening coherent light.

Causes of biophotons disruption range from whiplash/scars to environmental toxins, GMOs, heavy metals, electromagnetic radiation, etc.

CHIROPRACTOR

body work

JANE H. BAXLEY, D.C.

The Breema Center 6076 Claremont Avenue Oakland, CA 510-428-0937 Center@Breema.com Breema.com

Breema® is a simple, natural form of touch and body movement supported by universal principles that provides a unique approach to experiencing body-mind connection. The aim of Breema is to bring us to a tangible experience of presence that becomes our foundation for a new dimension of health and consciousness. See ad, page 9.

BUSINESS Savvy Selling NOW!

POSTURE PERFECT Certified Posture Expert Certified Advanced BioStructural Correction Practitioner 931 Hartz Way #120, Danville 925-406-3222 DrJaneBaxley.com Dr. Baxley combines cutting-edge postural and pain management technologies with ergonomic training to provide immediate and lasting improvement. Breathe easier and stand straighter with less effort starting with your first visit.

Patients report relief of issues including neck, low back, knee, and foot pain as well as increased energy, improved health, function, and sports performance.

HEALING ARTS CHIROPRACTIC

Leslie Ellis 925-338-2924 office 925-299-1920 mobile

As a healer, you love helping people! Do you enjoy the business side of your practice? I work with entrepreneurs to help them become more comfortable with all aspects of sales. If you are going to be wildly successful, you need to be good at selling!

Contact me for a free strategy session. Leslie@ SavvySellingNow.com or 925-338-2924.

BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS San Ramon Holistic Chamber of Commerce

Katie Sokolski, D.C. 187 40th Street Way, Oakland, CA 94611 510-356-7832 Dr.Sokolski@gmail.com HealingArtsChiro.com Healing Arts Chiropractic offers a whole-body approach to wellness that utilizes applied kinesiology, personalized nutrition programs and massage therapy. Our holistic treatment plans are designed to facilitate wellness from the inside—what you feed your body, as well as the outside—keeping your mind, body and spirit moving in a healthy way. See ad, page 7.

MICHAEL REHL, DC

HolisticChamberOfCommerce.com/ Ca-San-Ramon MeetUp.com/San-Ramon-Holistic-Chamber-of-Commerce We are an expanding organization representing holistic professionals, practitioners and businesses.

We encourage and promote healthy living, and support the professionals and businesses that make it possible. Together, we can make a difference.

Want to be seen (and found) at The Holistic Chamber of Commerce- come and join this community and learn how folks can find you via the web and locally.

See ad, page 18.

Chiropractic & Advanced Holistic Health Care 1280 Boulevard Way, Ste 211, Walnut Creek Michael@MichaelRehl.com MichaelRehl.com Offering a holistic approach to chiropractic care, Dr. Rehl incorporates nutrition, applied kinesiology and deep tissue work into his practice. By treating the whole body, Dr. Rehl’s treatment plan engages his patients so that they are an integral part of their healing process. See ad, page 6.

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CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY MARCHELLE MILLIGAN, MS, CMT 3189 Danville Blvd., STE 250E Alamo 925-286-6237 TheRhythmWithin.org

CranioSacral Therapy encourages the body’s natural healing abilities and internal pharmacy to regain health and balance in a gentle way.

CST can help with headaches, back pain, whiplash, TMJ, trauma, and sleep issues plus many more.

EDUCATION Singing Stones School 2491 San Miguel Dr. Walnut Creek, Ca 925-948-5006 SingingStones.org

Singing Stones School will provide an education based on the Waldorf philosophy from kindergarten through high school for children in the Tri-Valley area of Contra Costa County. It is holistic in nurturing the whole child and also in terms of its commitment to community. See ad, page 16.

University of Spiritual Healing & Sufism (USHS) 800-238-3060, option 5 Outreach@SufiUniversity.org SufiUniversity.org

USHS offers transformational programs for those who want to be agents of divinely-guided healing.

Programs are based on establishing a deep connection with Divine Love, then opening to streams of healing light from God, transforming physical illness and emotional pain into states of greater health and spiritual wholeness.

ENERGY HEALING Sarianna Smith, RN, CHT Energy Healer Walnut Creek, CA 561-324-5344 SariannaS@gmail.com

Many modalities for healing: Acupressure, Cupping, Life Activations, Energy healing, Hypnotherapy and more.

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HERBAL MEDICINE Ancient Traditions Healing Erin Massengale 624 Ferry St. Martinez, 94553 925-725-1067

Health reflects how one is balanced in the different expressions of ourselves; mind, body and soul and our perception of life experiences, our environment and our food. Disease in any of these categories will in some degree be reflected in all others. Dis-ease healed naturally leaves a person stronger. Integrating herbs and healing modalities of the greatest healing systems and cultures in the world; Western, Ayurvedic, Chinese Traditions and Shamanism, I work with individuals to achieve and maintain vital health, wellness and longevity.

HOLISTIC CAREGIVING HOLISTIC CAREGIVERS

Leni Pratte 1-877-7800-CARE Info@HolisticCaregivers.net HolisticCaregivers.net Our holistic approach to caregiving offers wellness-oriented families a higher level of care sprinkled with holistic practices. We believe that the individual is multi-faceted with needs and wants beyond the basic standard of care in this industry.

From whole food nutrition to breathing exercises to meditation, we follow a program that is client and doctor-approved, with many options for growth and stimulation.

NEW ERA DENTISTRY

Dr. David Partrite, DDS 520 La Gonda Way, Ste 103, Danville 925-837-3101 Info@NewEraDentistry.com NewEraDentistry.com Whole-body dentistry approach; David Partrite, DDS, facilitates your body’s detoxification through a mercury- and fluoride-free practice, utilizing the most bio-friendly materials and a clean, safe environment through filters and ionizers. From cosmetic dentistry to safe mercury filling removal to working closely with your other holistic practitioners, every visit is a health-promoting experience. See ad, page 13.

HOLISTIC HEALTH COACH ALEXANDRA LE NY HEALTH COACHING

925-858-2133 AlexandraLeNy@yahoo.com AlexandraLeNy.com As a certified Health Coach with the AADP, clients are guided in improving their health and happiness through dietary and lifestyle changes. With support and direction we focus on balancing their primary foods (work, relationships, spirituality and exercise) and secondary foods (diet). This is achieved through a holistic approach on health, taking into account diet, lifestyle, environmental toxins, and disease prevention. Healing is supported through knowledge in nutrition, supplements, herbs, aromatherapy and homeopathic options.

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep. ~Scott Adams

holistic dentist Fremont natural dentistry DR. Colin Yoshida, DDS Fremont Natural Dentistry 3885 Beacon Ave, Suite C Fremont 510-745-1800 FremontDentistry.com

Fremont Natural Dentistry is a comprehensive holistic dental provider using options such as Ozone Therapy, safe mercury amalgam removal, Laser Gum Therapy, minimally invasive restorations and an overall biodental health experience. Give us a call to schedule your next holistic dental appointment today. See ad, page 15.

East Bay Area | www.NAEastBay.com

HOLISTIC VETERINARIAN ALTERNATIVES FOR ANIMALS Jennifer Luna-Repose, DVM 919 Moraga Road, Lafayette 925-283-6160 AlternativesForAnimals@gmail.com Alternatives4Animals.com

We are one of the few veterinary clinics in the Bay Area that is exclusively dedicated to Holistic Medicine. We offer acupuncture, chiropractic, Chinese herbal m e d i c i n e , h o m e o p a t h y, Bioresonance therapy, nutrition, flower essences and laser therapy.

Our treatments address the whole animal and the root cause of disease, not just the symptoms.

HYPNOTHERAPY ARLENE THOMPSON CLINICAL HYPNOTHERAPIST, C.Ht., M.Ed. 925-485-7997 Pleasanton Arlene_Thompson@att.net ThompsonHypnotherapy.com

Get rid of blocks to your personal growth, by harnessing the power of your subconscious to reach your goals. Full-service, individualized hypnotherapy, 20 years in business.

Nothing is work unless you’d rather be doing something else. ~George Halas DRAKE BEAR STEPHEN, BA, CHT 925-348-3336 DrakeInnerprizes.com DrakeBearStephen@pacbell.net

Ever wonder who you were in a past life? Have you created your affirmation for the afterlife you want? Drake is a hypnotherapist and shamanic energy medicine practitioner that specializes in integrating past lives with present lives. Call for a free consultation today.

nutritionist NUTRAPARTNERS

Kathy Napoli, Registered Dietician 3189 Danville Blvd, Ste 260, Alamo 925-831-3900 KNapoli@NutraPartners.com NutraPartners.com Restore health and vitality through personalized nutrition and lifestyle programs, including the 8-wk program Lighten Up. Kathy’s clients achieve increased energy; improved blood sugar and lipid levels; and relief from digestive issues and food allergies. With 20 years experience as a clinical nutritionist and nutrition consultant, Kathy teaches workshops throughout the Bay Area on topics such as Age-Proof Your Skin, Get Lean and Strong and Stop Inflammation. She holds a Masters of Arts in Holistic Health Education from JFK University.

Blessed are the hearts that can bend; they shall never be broken. ~Albert Camus

products

SPIRITUAL HEALING

ESSENTIAL WELLNESS

HOLLY M. COOK

925-354-4508 SacredHeartAscension.com Holly@SacredHeartAscenion.com

Wellness Advocates 925-997-2226 Oils@EssentialWellnessHub.com Discover the power of dōTERRA essential oils: 100% pure Certifies Pure Therapeutic Grade (CPTG) essential oils. The safest, purest and most beneficial essential oils available today. Essential Wellness teaches informed self-care with the use of dōTERRA oils and encourages individuals to take a proactive role in medical care. Call today for your complimentary wellness session.

ROLFING/STRUCTURAL INTEGRATION MEDICINEVOLUTION

Change your time line to fit your spiritual desires. Clear deep beliefs and trauma that hold you from moving into your true essence.

Specializing to connect physical and emotional dis-ease with energy/ soul blockages, Holly can help you move forward and clear the past allowing you to create a desired future. Her clients have experienced shifts in their consciousness, spiritual awakening, cleared family issues and have overcome physical and emotional pain. Explore a blended session of shamanism, theta healing, Reiki, chakra clearing and more. Also available for phone sessions.

BE EMPOWERED!

Chris Corrales 925-922-2246 Chris@MedicinEvolution.com MedicinEvolution.com Deemed a master by his peers, Chris Corrales’ 15 years of private practice have given him a reliable reputation as one of the best massage and bodywork practitioners in the Bay Area. His ability to discern and treat the causes of injury and imbalance has proven unique and profound. See ad, page 5.

SOMATIC therapist

A Beautiful Light 925-997-7518 Kathleen@A-Beautiful-Light.com A-Beautiful-Light.com Expand your potential!

Experience greater health and empowerment in mind, body & soul with these once secret, ancient lineage classes, activations & healings. Proven for over 3,000 years, these ancient wisdoms create transformation & greater energetic flow in all areas of life. Kathleen is a Healer, Guide & Ritual Master in the Modern Mystery School from the lineage of King Salomon.

NEAL WINBLAD, MFT, SEP 780 Main St, Ste 201, Pleasanton 925-963-9786 NWinblad.com

WELLNESS CENTER

Somatic Experiencing is the gold standard for resolving complex trauma. In most cases trauma is quite easy to treat, doesn’t require a lot of talk and doesn’t need all the emotional catharsis so common in psychotherapy. Call me today for a free consultation and sample session. See ad, page 23.

SPIRITUAL CENTER UNITY OF TRI-VALLEY

7567 Amador Valley Blvd, Suite 108, Dublin 925-829-2733 UnityOfTriValley.org We are a welcoming spiritual community for people of all faiths and backgrounds. Unity is a positive path for spiritual living. Whoever you are and wherever you are on your spiritual journey, YOU are welcome here!

PLEASANTON FAMILY WELLNESS CENTER

Kathleen Beaulieu, CMT, IMT 1491 Cedarwood Ln, Ste A Pleasanton 925-600-0503 Kathleen@PleasantonWellness.com PleasantonWellness.com Discover your body’s healing potential. Nutritional and diagnostic counseling for lifestyle changes including weight loss, gastrointestinal, thyroid, hormone, allergies and vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Expert massage therapy, 20 years experience specializing in pregnancy, automobile injuries and post-surgery recovery.

Call to place your ad 925-557-7583 NAEastBay.com

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LIVE A LIFE OF PURPOSE Join Us in Spreading the Light.

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