HAPI Guide Fall 2017

FALL 2017 | HAPIGUIDE.COM

H E A LT H • A B U N D A N C E • P U R P O S E • I N S P I R AT I O N

CANNABIS IN PERSPECTIVE: The

Cardiac Surgeon Who Became Cannabis Doctor

The

VETERANS: Share Your Stories

ASTROLOGY CINEMA

BORN AWARE (and not shutting down)

Seyvah YOUR WELLNESS IS OUR MISSION

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CONTENTS 5 EDITORIAL HEALTH 6 C ANNABIS IN PERSPECTIVE– FROM CARDIAC SURGEON TO CANNABIS DOCTOR Sanjeev Sharma MD FACS

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15 V ETERANS – SHARE YOUR STORIES

by Sandra Marinella 17 A FEW MINOR ADJUSTMENTS: A MEMOIR OF HEALING

by Cherie Kephart 18 T HE ENDOCANNABINOID SYSTEM - WHY WEED HEALS

by MJ Schwader

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ABUNDANCE 23 I N THE STARS: ASTROLOGY FORECAST

by Mark Dodich 26 T HE LOGIC OF CHANCE

by Alberto Ramon PURPOSE

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28 W AKING UP IN 5D WITH MAUREEN ST. GERMAIN 29 T HE STORY YOU NEED TO TELL with Sandra Marinella 30 B ORN AWARE

by Diane Brandon CONSCIOUS CINEMA 34 CINEMATIC MISSTEPS

By Brent Marchant INSPIRATION 39 T HE CHILDREN OF WILLESDEN LANE

by Mona Golabek 41 T HE COMPASSION REVOLUTION

by Amy Leigh Mercree 44 HAPI GUIDE PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY

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FALL 2017 | HAPIGUIDE.COM

H E A LT H • A B U N D A N C E • P U R P O S E • I N S P I R AT I O N

H E A LT H • A B U N D A N C E • P U R P O S E • I N S P I R A T I O N

Information and Resources for CANNABIS IN PERSPECTIVE:

The Cardiac Surgeon Who Became The Cannabis Doctor

Veterans!

Share Your Stories Born aware (and not shutting down)

HEALTH • ABUNDANCE • PURPOSE • INSPIRATION Incorporating New Consciousness Review

ASTROLOGY | CINEMA Cover Personality:

Sanjeev Sharma

SUBSCRIPTIONS HAPIguide is a quarterly publication covering from and about the growing community of coaches, healers, authors and spiritual advisors gathered at www.HAPIguide.com. Subscribe for free at http://www.hapiguide.com/magazine and view the archives here (http://bit.ly/2fPHsjt ) ADVERTISING To advertize in the magazine, call 503-892-3300 or email sales@hapiguide.com SUBMISSIONS To submit your work for review or interview or to submit articles, email us at info@hapiguide.com or visit our website to join the community.

PUBLISHER & EDITOR Miriam Knight ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER MJ Schwader CONTRIBUTORS Feature Writers Brent Marchant, Mark Dodich Contributing Writers Miriam Knight, MJ Schwader, Cynthia Sue Larson, Sandra Marinella Production Design Natasha & Neboysa Dolovacki HAPI Guide PO Box 80547, Portland, OR 97280 Tel: 503-892-3300 Web: www.HAPIguide.com and www.NCReview.com

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FROM THE PUBLISHER CANNABIS –

Reclaiming Our Right to Nature’s Gift

C

annabis has been used for millennia around the world for food, fiber, and medicine. It held a respected place in the US pharmacopeia until commercial and political pressures caused it to be listed as a Schedule I drug in 1970, when it was banned for use, production, and sale in the US. Drugs classified as Schedule I are considered to have no known medical benefit and a high risk of addiction. In the case of cannabis, both claims are demonstrably false, but the Federal Government has systematically obstructed research into cannabis, particularly any proposal that could demonstrate its benefits. Ironically, the same Federal Government holds U .S. Patent No. 6,630,507, which covers “the potential use of certain cannabis compounds to protect the brain from damage or degeneration caused by certain diseases.”

In defiance of this federal fiction of Schedule I, 30 states have now approved the use of medical marijuana (a politically-motivated name change for cannabis), and eight states have approved its recreational use in the past few years. This has created a Gold Rush atmosphere in the young industry. Products are rushing into the market to meet the exploding demand, and both the states and the industry itself are scrambling to create standards of purity and efficacy and much-needed consumer education.

While some information about about the medical benefits of cannabis is starting to emerge through the media, most of it focuses on recreational use. There is still relatively little coverage and much misinformation around its potential benefits and use in healthcare. This does society a disservice, so I decided to create a new podcast called “Cannabis In Focus” to provide reliable reports on the scientific research, discoveries and products that are changing peoples lives for the better. The potential uses for cannabis, even just for pain relief, are huge; and then there is the opiate epidemic... States where medical cannabis is legal have seen a significant reduction in deaths from opiate overdose. Some 100 people a day die from opiate overdose, that’s over 33,000 people last year alone. Zero patients have died from cannabis overdose, which is just as effective and can even be an exit drug for weaning people off opiates. Americans make up 5% of the world population, but use 80% of the world supply of opiates, so clearly there are huge vested interests in keeping cannabis off the market. Our goal is to provide reliable information that will build up the pressure for allowing freedom of research and information and free access to a natural plant that has dramatically changed the quality of life for so many.

The podcast launches in October at https://cannabisinfocus.libsyn.com. I hope you’ll listen in and help us spread the word.

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Thanks and blessings

Miriam Knight Editor & Publisher

HEALTH FEATURE ARTICLE

CANNABIS FOR HEALING From Cardiac Surgeon to “Cannabis Doctor” Dr. Sanjeev Sharma talks to Miriam Knight

In the current climate of the state of marijuana legalization, what prompted you as a medical doctor to really put yourself on the line and explore the use of cannabis in your practice?

W

ell as a surgeon, I’ve always been an advocate for the use of medical cannabis in my elderly patients.

Usually after a major operation, most patients will lose anywhere from 25 to 30 pounds, just because they lose a sense of smell and taste for about six to eight weeks. I always have thought that cannabis would be a great way for elderly patients to use medication to treat pain, as well as to prevent weight loss, but after 10 years of practice as a cardiac surgeon, medicine has changed quite a bit. Bureaucracy now determines whom it’s appropriate or not appropriate to operate on. Cardiac surgery is not removing a toenail, you know. The best outcomes are really in your sickest patients, but hospital administrators are more interested in the profit margin at the end of the quarter. Since I had always been an

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HEALTH advocate for the use of medical cannabis post-operatively for pain relief and prevent weight loss, I thought, “You know, here’s a new and exciting field; let me learn more about this, let me find out how patients are actually using cannabis for different ailments.”

wouldn’t, for example, treat a person who has migraines the same way that you would someone who has muscle wasting from cancer. There is a great deal of animal research being done across the world, and Israel is actually the leading clinical research site for medical cannabis use.

In the US, 29 states currently have a medical cannabis program. Most of them have multiple issues for which they allow medical cannabis use: chronic pain is the most common, but there’s wasting from cancer or HIV positive status, glaucoma, muscle spasms or pain from Multiple Sclerosis.

I really wanted to learn more about this exciting new therapy, and it has been very eye-opening.

I’ve learned so much from the patients that I’ve met and advised over the last six years.

Yes indeed, and in fact it was an Israeli researcher who first isolated the active component in cannabis.

Absolutely, yes.

This would be a good point for you to describe the difference between the different components of cannabis, THC and CBD. Cannabis itself, cannabis sativa is the genotype and phenotype that is common to North America.

There are two other phenotypes of cannabis, cannabis indica, which is most common in Asia, and cannabis ruderalis, which is most common in Russia. Cannabis itself is a dioecious plant, meaning that there’s a male and female component. The un-pollinated female will provide flowers that are rich in THC, delta nine THC is the most common psychoactive cannabinoid. The most common non-psychoactive cannabinoid is CBD, and that is present both in the un-pollinated female plant, as well as the male plant, which is commonly referred to as hemp.

This is really interesting that you, as a medical doctor, actually had to educate yourself from the reports of your patients because there’s so little research being done in this country. It seems absolutely crazy that it has been classified as a schedule one drug and treated the way it has.

You’re absolutely right, and as you said, since cannabis, THC, CBD are all schedule 1 drugs, there’s no good research being done with human subjects, and it’s so unfortunate. I’ve had a wealth of anecdotal experience from the number of patients I’ve seen over the last six years. I’ve actually been able to learn from them and develop a database of how specific strains affect different ailments, and come up with really four or five best strains and modes of therapy for specific ailments. You

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It’s the same plant?

It’s absolutely the same plant, the only difference is that the female plant will flower and provide

HEALTH great concentrations of THC, and the male plant is predominately a plant that provides the other cannabinoids like cannabidiol or CBD. There are other cannabinoids that are important medically.

There’s the acronym CBG for cannabigerol, which is a cannabinoid that is very potent for people who have hypertension or glaucoma. There is another cannabinoid, cannabinol, CBN, which is a great non-psychoactive cannabinoid that helps people with sleep. There are about 90 different cannabinoids, and the plant itself provides other essential oils. Most of the effects that people will have actually come from what are called terpenes or other plant essential oils that provide the scent of a given cannabis strain. You’ll have some strains that smell like lemon, some strains that smell like blueberry, some strains that smell like lavender; those essential oils actually provide what’s been termed as the entourage effect for cannabis. Those are really potent chemicals that work together with THC to create the euphoric effect of “being high”, or the effect of being sleepy.

inhale or smoke cannabis. Other modes of therapy are ingestion, such as a pill form, or raw in the form of juice; topically as lotions or suppositories; so you have lots of different modes of therapy.

I’m someone who believes that inhalation is fine if done properly, but you have to look at the marketplace, and most of the products out there and most of the ways that people do it can be really harmful for them.

I think it’s important to point out that these terpenes are very widespread in the plant kingdom, and it’s just that marijuana seems to bring them together a particularly potent and useful mix.

If someone, let’s say, smokes a joint or uses a pipe to smoke the flower, they’re actually harming their lungs because of the intense heat – the temperature of the vapor that you’re inhaling can get up to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit. Once you get up above 800 degrees Fahrenheit you’re also creating toxic gases like toluene that are carcinogenic.

When I talk to patients I encourage them to use these mini-vaporizers on the marketplace now that limit the temperature of the vapor that someone’s going to inhale to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

The boiling points for most of the cannabinoids and terpines are anywhere from about 345 degrees to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, so you’re going to get most of the good things from the plant without any of the other bad effects due to the temperature or toxic gases that might be created by smoking it a different way.

Absolutely, you’re very correct. Now in terms of mode of therapy, most commonly people will

Because inhaling it is the fastest way to get it into your bloodstream, I’m an advocate of people us-

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HEALTH ing inhalation for issues that range from migraines to mental health. It’s really helpful for someone who has a sudden acute exacerbation due to the situation they’re in, like with PTSD. It’s not meant to be used for everything, so my advice to patients predominately is that the best way is to ingest it, because it’s more like a medication. You’ll have a slow rise in the effects, and it’ll plateau for a good six to eight hours, so you have good relief. Unlike for migraines and mental health, with chronic pain you don’t want to have like a yo-yo effect, because if you inhale, you’ll have sudden relief of your symptoms, usually in a matter of minutes, but the peak effects are at about 20 to 30 minutes, and most of the effects are gone by an hour and a half. For people that are chronic pain sufferers, they really need much better and long lasting relief.

Can cannabis help chronic pain without getting you high?

Yes. My company has actually created organic CBD products from hemp that do just that. Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a great anti-inflammatory agent and great for pain. It is legal in all 50 states, unlike THC or cannabis, which is allowed in only 29 states. You may even find CBD oil in convenience stores that people can use in a vaporizer.

Your body actually has its own endogenous cannabinoid system. There are two specific receptors that researchers have found that create the differences in terms of therapy between THC and CBD. THC has a greater affinity for the CB-1 recep-

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tor, which is present throughout the central and peripheral nervous system. If THC binds to the CB-1 receptor, it actually increases the likelihood of neurotransmission between neurons, whereas CBD or cannabidiol has a greater affinity for CB-2 receptors. CB-2 receptors are throughout your immune system, both in B cells and T cells. CBD works through multiple pathways; for example, if there are cells that are growing at a much faster rate than needed, it will actually tell them to shut themselves down and lead to cell death, or apoptosis. CBD also will decrease the production of agents that lead to inflammation, like cytokines, as well as decrease the production of growth factors.

There are a lot of endogenous growth factors that are increased if someone has cancer, so THC and CBD have really very different effects on the body, but CBD is a great way to deal with chronic pain.

I was interested in creating CBD products from hemp, and we started that about a year and a half ago. We actually went to multiple processors in Colorado, Oregon, visited their sites, wanted to make sure that they did best practices. We work with two processors in Colorado and one in Oregon, everything is done organically, all the cultivators and processors are certified. We actually get testing of the oil that we get twice, once within the state and then once at a national lab when we receive the oil, just to assure that there’s no THC. The great thing about our oil is that currently we have three formulas, one for pain, sleep, and one for IBS. This is why I think that hemp products are really going to take off in the future because you can use them without having psychoactive effects, so your quality of life is improved and you can go about your day, without having any adverse effects.

Well, we’ve been hearing so much on the news about the “opioid epidemic”, and last year I believe 33,000 people died from opioid overdose, and that’s just what was reported. So far as I know, absolutely zero people have died from cannabis overdose.

Yes, that’s right.

Is it as effective as opioids in relieving pain?

Yes, the answer is absolutely it is as effective, and just to go a step further, historically if you look at

HEALTH states when they enact a medical cannabis law, the CDC did a study showing that a year after the law passes, there’s an actual 20 to 30% decrease in deaths due to opiate overdoses within that state. I think that medical cannabis can have a major impact on decreasing deaths from opiate overdoses, as well as decreasing the addiction to those substances.

for almost the last five years. This poor woman walked in with a cane, hunched over, really wanted to improve her quality of life, and began using our hemp-based CBD oil. It took about three months to wean her off, because you can’t go off opiates cold turkey – the withdrawal symptoms are really tremendous and patients just feel awful. It took us three months, but we successfully weaned her off of all her opiates, both short and long-acting, and she actually has been able to start exercising, got herself a physical trainer, has no use for a cane anymore. It’s really improved her quality of life.

Wow. You briefly talked about its use in cancer. I know that the traditional practice is that you cannot say that anything cures cancer, but if it induces cell apoptosis, that’s a pretty good result. How effective is it in cancers, and are there certain cancers that it’s more effective in than others?

Do you think that it has a beneficial effect on helping people wean themselves from opioid dependence? Also, can you switch to develop a dependence on marijuana?

Okay, first, that’s a great question. The studies that have been done on the addictiveness of cannabis show that it is comparable to the addictive level of caffeine. Most researchers have found that there is about a 6% incidence of addiction rate with cannabis use, and that’s about equivalent to people that are caffeine users. If you look at other drugs, opiates it’s in the mid-20’s, cocaine is in the low to mid-30’s, 30% range for addictiveness, and then if you get to heroin, it’s sort of 50-50. I think that cannabis really can be a great treatment for patients that have opiate addiction, and I’ve used it successfully, used non-THC, so CBD products from hemp, to wean people off of their opiate use.

Just to give you a brief example, I have a patient who’s a social worker for Kaiser Permanente in the east bay in California, and has been on opiates for 15 years due to fibromyalgia. She has been on both Oxycontin, as well as acute relief Percocet

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Great question. Both THC and CBD are effective against cancers; it has to do with the cell type. Research that’s been done, like I said, is mostly animal research. When you use high dose THC or CBD products, based on the cell type of cancer, you’ll see a profound reduction in tumor size. Like you said, I can’t tell someone that it’s going to cure their cancer, but there’s a definite reduction in the size of the tumor burden that a person may have.

THC is a great adjunct to use in patients that have brain cancers, like glioblastoma, whereas if you have a tumor that’s more breast or uterine like sarcoma, then you’re better off using a high-CBD oil to treat that.

In terms of cancer therapy, people don’t realize that they have to take really large amounts. Rick Simpson, the originator or founder of Rick Simpson Oil, is a person from Canada who’s an advocate for cannabis use in the treatment of cancer.

His protocol is using 60 grams of concentrated oil over a period of three months, and then usually some amount of maintenance after that, usually 100 to 200 milligrams a day. I currently have patients with different types of cancers that are on high concentration oil, from an 11-year-old with glioma, to somebody in their mid-40’s with breast cancer, and patients with uterine cancer.

HEALTH Do the insurance companies cover the cost?

No, unfortunately they don’t. The cost on average for cancer medication can range from $5,000 to $6,000, because of the concentrated oil that these people will have to purchase.

You mean, over the course of the whole treatment?

Correct.

That compares to a medication cost of what, for conventional cancer treatment?

You’re comparing apples and oranges, because usually for cancer treatments, most people aren’t paying out of pocket; they’re usually relying on their health insurance, but if you don’t have health insurance, retail costs can run into $1012,000 range for anti-cancer medications. A good example I can give you is Harvoni for Hep C, which has an incredible benefit for patients. It’s unconscionable to me that companies will do this, but Harvoni, if you follow their protocol and use Harvoni for three months, has 99% success rate in curing people of hepatitis C, but the average cost in the US is $8,000.

For the entire treatment?

For the entire treatment, and most insurance companies don’t offer that, unless you’re in a protocol; and God forbid if you don’t have insurance and have Hep C - you’re paying astronomical outof-pocket costs.

Yes, well the greed of the pharmaceutical companies is a subject for another day.

Yeah, you know I think one thing that I would say is that as an industry, the cannabis industry, the hemp industry, retailers need to do a much better

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job of educating consumers on what they’re actually using. The thing that I’m most passionate about is really educating consumers on proper use of cannabis or hemp products, and also how to be more astute at reading labels and finding out what actually they’re getting. Very few dispensaries actually take the time to educate their employees so that they can pass on that education to customers. Sadly, like big Pharma, once a state has medical cannabis regulation and taxation, everyone is vested in selling as much, taxing as much, getting as much money as possible, and you may not be getting the best products.

Is there somewhere where patients can educate themselves, aside from just spending hours and hours on the web, and getting confused?

I’m happy to provide advice. People can reach out to me via email, and they can check out our website, seyvah.com. If they have questions, they should feel free to email me at drsharma@seyvah. com.

How optimistic are you that cannabis and cannabinoids are going to make a real impact in the market?

That’s a multi-tiered question. I’ll tell you, my thoughts are that medical cannabis will be accepted in all 50 states eventually, and I think that the federal government will also allow medical cannabis use. Since it’s classified as a schedule one drug, a substance labeled by the government as having no known medical benefit and tagged as “harmful” or “addictive”, it’s illegal to do banking and business federally with cannabis [including prescribing it in federally funded hospitals].

The biggest time for concern for consumers will be when the federal government reschedules cannabis, which they will do, because Big Pharma is just waiting for them to reschedule the medication, because that will bring it completely under their purview. Gone will be the small time cultivator, gone will be the small businesses, because Big Pharma will be allowed to come in and completely take over the marketplace.

You’ll see, like in Oregon, which has already changed so much in terms of its marketplace.

HEALTH When I started six years ago, you had dispensaries, which were medical dispensaries under the auspices of the Oregon Health Authority, and they really provided good medical products. I’d say for most of the dispensaries, half of their shelf space was medical cannabis. Once the rec (Recreational Cannabis) law went into effect the OLCC (Oregon Liquor Control Commission) supplanted the Oregon Health Authority as the regulatory body.

Because rec dispensaries could provide medical products, but medical dispensaries could not provide rec products, most dispensaries pretty much changed overnight from medical to rec, and the shelf space for medical products just decreased considerably. I think that same thing will happen when it does become legal; when businesses can bank their money appropriately, and be able to claim all the proper tax deductions, my biggest concern is that Big Pharma is going to swoop in and really take over the marketplace. Pfizer actually put in a provisional patent on a cannabinoid eight years ago.

Southern Oregon is such a great place and a large area for cultivation for cannabis, and you’ve already got large companies waiting. I think it’s January 1, 2020, when big business can pretty much come in and do cultivation in Oregon. Since Monsanto already have patents on all the seeds of the foods we eat, I think if you watch them in the future they will want to be the only repository where you can get your cannabis seeds from.

Perhaps you could just give us a little quick overview of the legal status of derivatives from cannabis? You deal with CBD, which is the non-psychoactive part, available everywhere, transportable across state lines as a health benefit or medical substance, right?

Right, so briefly we set out to provide, and the catchword is a nutraceutical, we wanted to provide oils that people could use that were reproducible in terms of their effects, and were safe. It took about a year and a half, just to get the formulas right for pain relief, sleep, and IBS, Crohn’s disease. We did clinical testing with patients to create an effective hemp-based product that people could use that is also legal under federal law so it’s portable across state lines. If you were in a medical cannabis state, there are cannabis

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products that you can use within that state, but you can’t cross the state line with them, you can’t travel with them. That’s really our niche - trying to find products to help people with health issues that they can actually use regularly as a medication, without any psychoactive effects, to improve their quality of life.

Sanjeev Sharma MD FACS Dr. Sharma has been a physician since 1990. He is board certified cardiothoracic surgeon.

For the past 6 years, he has focused on alternative health. He has become a leading cannabis advocate and founded Seyvah, a company that provides treatment with organic CBD products and essential oils. Over the past six years His group has documented and educated more than 30,000 patients in Oregon and California on their use of cannabis medical products.

Miriam Knight MA After a career in the world of healthcare, science and technology, Miriam became a publisher in the Body Mind Spirit arena.

She hosts a respected radio show about consciousness, and has just started a new podcast, “Cannabis in Focus” (www.cannabisinfocus.com ) about developments in cannabis science, politics and products.

SANJEEV SHARMA, MD FACS Dr. Sharma is a board certified cardiothoracic surgeon. For the past seven years he has endeavored to provide consumers with thorough medical information to treat their symptoms. In 2016, through his extensive clinical experience, Dr. Sharma derived proprietary hemp oil and natural terpene based products that are THCFREE to treat chronic pain conditions, insomnia, and common gastrointestinal complaints. These cannabidiol (CBD) and terpene (plant essential oil) products are 100% organic, properly cultivated in the US, processed, tested, packaged, and sold on our online marketplace for consumers and B2B clients. They have been clinically tested for safety and efficacy.

We are open to collaborating with like-minded entepreneurs through licensing of our formulas.

Please contact Dr. Sharma at drsharma@seyvah.com Do you know the proper strain(s) for your ailment?

As a doctor who has treated tens of thousands of patients, I know the proper strain(s) and the mode of therapy (i.e., inhalation, ingestion, or topical use) for you. You can connect with me online to learn what will work best for you.

https://seyvah.com

HEALTH ARTICLE

Veterans – Share Your Stories

By Sandra Marinella

W

I

We all have a story.

Sometimes it is the story of being knocked to the ground – perhaps when you discovered infidelity, or a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, or the loss of a son in combat overseas. If we aren’t careful, a story like this can get buried within us. We can deny it ever happened, and this might lead to physical or psychological problems.

Let’s explore how we can find and begin to navigate a story we need to tell.

n 2013 I began to interview veterans to see if sharing their stories or writing could help them with their traumatic experiences. Veteran Mathew “Goldie” Goldston wrote me to say he kept a diary during his stint as a marine in Afghanistan, and it helped with his PTSD.

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HEALTH Goldie met me at a local diner in north Phoenix one Saturday morning. He was clean shaven and wanted to share his story. “In 2009 I went to Afghanistan – inspired to serve after 9/11. And I liked my squad. We were like brothers who shared everything,” he explained. “I would die for those guys. But it was still tough. Every day we faced IEDs which are homemade bombs. They have flammable fuel in them and are loaded with rusty screws, dirt, all kinds of nasty things — and when you get blown up by one, you usually lose a leg or arm, and — well, you are probably going to die.”

A shadow fell over his face. He lowered his voice.

“Seeing people blown up . . . seeing people die . . . it was too much.”

“One day we were crossing a canal,” Goldie looked down. “My squad had been in a firefight, and the Taliban began to shoot at us unexpectedly. We returned the fire, but it was too late. They had already hit my good buddy — Nick.” Goldie froze for just a moment, crawling back into his mental battlefield.

He shook his head forlornly. “I reached out to him, but when I rolled Nick over, and he coughed up blood, I knew.” He paused reverently. “Nick was gone. They shot him — in the head. And this experience sent a hard message through all of us. I cannot tell you how painful it is to watch someone you care about die — shot to death right in front of you.”

“How did I cope with it all? Quite a bit gets buried inside you. And you don’t talk about it,” said Goldie.

“But in Afghanistan I did keep a diary. The guys can tell you. Some guys used music. I used the writing.

The writing helped.” Suddenly Goldie’s smile resurfaced. “Yeah. It helped a lot. If you can simply write your story or your thoughts and get it out of you, it helps relieve the stress and anxiety. It takes the unseen monkey off your back.”

Over two hundred studies show us that our personal writing can help us heal physically and psychologically. Similar to writing our stories, sharing our stories holds the same promise of helping us to heal. If you don’t want to write, if you can’t write, tell your stories.

In my work with writers, veterans, and cancer patients, I have discovered there are stages that can

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Over two hundred studies show us that our personal writing can help us heal physically and psychologically. Similar to writing our stories, sharing our stories holds the same promise of helping us to heal. If you don’t want to write, if you can’t write, tell your stories. help us find our way to healing when faced with trauma: 1. Experiencing pain and grief. Our emotions can help us adapt. While there is no set order for dealing with pain and trauma, initially you might want to ignore or deny the experience.

2. Open up – break your silence. At this time, you find your voice and begin to express your emotions and share openly what has happened.

3. Accepting and piecing together a shattered story. In this stage, you begin to move your emotions into a logical framework and make sense of what has happened and what you plan to do about it. Writing is especially helpful in this stage.

4. Finding meaning. Here you make sense of your broken story and integrate it into your life. The story is complete.

5. Rewriting or transforming your story. With the pain of this experience behind you, you can move forward with renewed energy to live more fully.

The Story You Need to Tell is a guide to help you find, share, write, edit, and grow from your stories.

HEALTH SAMPLE WRITING PROMPTS FOR FINDING A STORY YOU MAY NEED TO TELL Here is a list of prompts that might help you tap into a story you need to tell. Begin by freewriting, and see how one unfolds. If the writing takes off, continue with this prompt. If it stalls, choose another. If the writing is too painful, stop.

• I knew I was faced with a challenge when . . .

• I knew it was over when . . .

• The secret I harbor is . . .

• The scars I carry are . . .

• I face the unknown because . . .

• I believe I have turned it around by . . .

• My hopes are . . .

Later come back and review this writing. At this time ask yourself: What have I learned? Is this a story I need to explore in more depth? Decide on your next step.

Based on the book The Story You Need to Tell. Copyright © 2017 by Sandra Marinella. Reprinted with permission from New World Library. www.NewWorldLibrary.com.

Sandra Marinella, MA, MEd, is an award-winning writing teacher and the author of The Story You Need to Tell. She has taught thousands of students and fellow educators and presented hundreds of workshops to veterans, teachers, writers, and cancer patients about the power of our personal stories and writing to heal, grow, and transform our lives. Sandra founded the Story You Need to Tell Project which provides workshops on the power of transformational storytelling and personal writing to increase well-being. Profits from her book support cancer research and provide educational scholarships to veterans and writers.

She lives in Chandler, Arizona. Discover more at www.storyyoutell.com.

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HEALTH REVIEW

A Few Minor Adjustments: A Memoir of Healing

By Cherie Kephart

T

he title of Cherie Kephart’s memoir A Few Minor Adjustments belies the depth of pain, illness, and fortitude she has endured while battling a mysterious and relentless illness contracted during her world-traveling adventures. With humor and insightful storytelling, Kephart grabs the reader with vivid descriptions of her Peace Corps assignment in a remote village of Africa that was the start of her medical odyssey. She then narrates in alternating funny and anguishing prose her repeated encounters with well-meaning, but clueless medical doctors and healers in a torturous and uncertain journey to find healing.

A Few Minor Adjustments: A Memoir of Healing covers seven years in which the author devolves from a healthy, adventurous explorer to a pain-filled, health-challenged patient buffeted by medical diagnoses that gave her no relief from her suffering. Through it all, Kephart stays true to her desire to maintain an active life, regardless of her symptoms.

Kephart’s writing flows with beautiful, and sometimes disturbing descriptions of her adventures, both in the wild and in her doctors’ offices. In the end, her book is a testament to Kephart’s will to live in the face of the inadequacies and myopic vision of modern medicine.

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In trying not to die, Kephart learned to live.

Through it all, she found self-acceptance, love, and forgiveness. In the end, she found the gift in facing death: Life.  Reviewed by MJ Schwader

HEALTH ARTICLE

The Endocannabinoid System - Why Weed Heals

By MJ Schwader

Due to its legal status in the United States in the past half-century or more, marijuana has gotten a bad rap. However, those who use cannabis for pain relief and symptom management tell a different story.

U

nfortunately, humans are humans, and until there is actual proof, many have not been open to the possible benefits of medical marijuana. That is now beginning to change with new understanding of its impact on our physiology.

While attempting to determine the negative effects of marijuana in the 1990’s, the research instead discovered that our brain and central nervous system contain cannabinoid receptors that are responsible for balancing many of our body’s regulatory and immune system functions. This discovery of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) is the single most important scientific medical discovery in decades. As our understanding expands, researchers are coming to realize that the ECS is a master control system of virtually all physiology. Its effect on scavenging of oxygen free radicals can be applied to all disease processes, which explains its wide medical application.

Due to the federal law against marijuana, the majority of people in the United States have no clue of

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HEALTH

the scientifically-proven medical benefits of cannabis. However, recent studies are revealing that cannabis augments the body’s own natural endocannabinoid system. Cannabinoids (CBD) are now shown as being responsible for significant reductions in heart disease, diabetes, and epilepsy. In addition, many cancers show significant responses to CBD. Cannabis, without the psychoactive component of THC, has miraculous anti-oxidant effects and can be used to manage symptoms after disease, and more importantly, prevent disease by manipulating the ECS.

• Immune function • Reproduction and Fertility • Pleasure and reward • Pain • Memory • Temperature regulation Endocannabinoids are messengers telling your body to get moving or to stop, helping the body

1. A Closer Look at Endocannabinoids

and their Relationship to Health

Endocannabinoid receptors are located throughout your body. However, certain receptors are more concentrated in specific regions. CB1 receptors are abundant in the central nervous system; CB2 receptors are more often found on immune cells, in the GI tract, and in the peripheral nervous system.

CBD helps regulate the following:

• Sleep • Appetite, digestion, hunger • Mood • Motor Control 19 | HAPI Guide

Endocannabinoids are messengers telling your body to get moving or to stop, helping the body maintain homeostasis.

Dysfunction of the ECS is thought to contribute to a wide variety of conditions, including fibromyalgia and IBS.

HEALTH

maintain homeostasis. Dysfunction of the ECS is thought to contribute to a wide variety of conditions, including fibromyalgia and IBS. In simple terms, when your body doesn’t produce enough endocannabinoids or does not regulate them properly, you are more prone to illnesses that affect one or more of the functions listed above.

In short, the ECS works in overdrive to restore the body’s natural balance when diseases are present.

It’s why cannabis relieves so many medical conditions. Ingesting cannabinoids signals the body to create more endocannabinoids and build more receptors. By doing this, the system reduces inflammation while repairing cells.

What happens if you have a weakened ECS? Significantly, chronic pain and inflammatory conditions will appear. The National Institutes of Health is examining the possibility that an ECS deficiency could be the underlying factor of “migraines, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and other functional conditions alleviated by clinical cannabis.”

In addition, research has found that humans are not the only beings with ECS. Mammals, reptiles, and even some non-vertebrates have this regula-

20 | HAPI Guide

tory structure. It affects cell growth, reproduction, and many other functions. Thus, hemp CDB products without the THC are beneficial to pets and other animals as well.

In addition, research has found that humans are not the only beings with ECS. Mammals, reptiles, and even some non-vertebrates have this regulatory structure.

It affects cell growth, reproduction, and many other functions. Thus, hemp CDB products without the THC are beneficial to pets and other animals as well.

HEALTH 2.

Sources of Endocannabinoids

The main source of endocannabinoids for our bodies is our diet, specifically Omega-3 fatty acids. Enzymes also play a critical role in the ECS, and that’s where non-psychoactive CBD comes in.

While psychoactive THC mimics the body’s endocannabinoids, CBD increases the amount of endocannabinoids in your system. That is why CBD is a natural mood-enhancer when it is not paired with THC’s psychoactive effects.

If you don’t want to have the “high” that marijuana can give you, the good news is that you don’t need psychoactive THC to stimulate the endocannabinoid system. Cannabinoids found in industrial hemp, which does not have THC, will activate the ECS. There are now CBD products made from industrial hemp that are available in all 50 states, even those that have not legalized medical marijuana.

3.

Where Cannabinoids are Taking Us

With the burgeoning of the marijuana industry, and the access to medical marijuana in so many states, new research is beginning to reveal just how effective CBD is in improving our health, reducing pain, and balancing our mental and emotional states.

The genie is out of the bottle and with more people experiencing the benefits of better health and less pain through medical marijuana, there’s no putting it back in.

MJ Schwader is a published author, writing coach, and healer based in Portland, Oregon. After years of using CBD for pain management, MJ now promotes better health through the use of CBD oil. If you would like more information about CBD products that are legally available in all 50 states, please contact MJ at mjschwader@icloud. com or through Facebook .

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ABUNDANCE HEALTH IN THE STARS

Astromark Astrology Forecast

OVERALL VIEW September-November, 2017

By Mark Dodich

A

lthough you could make an argument that every fall season is a time to buckle down and get serious, this fall is going to be serious on steroids. Mental Mercury started this productive tone while it was retrograde August 12-September 5. It started giving you hints about where you needed to get organized. By the time expansive Jupiter moves into Scorpio on October 10 for the coming year, you will feel driven

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to focus your energy more deeply on some area of your life. The flip side of the coin of getting focused like a laser beam is the need to cut out of your life that which no longer holds your attention. In the case of Jupiter, he has been in Libra since September 2016 helping you to analyze your relationships and relationship needs, and that goes way beyond your love life to include work, family and your relationship with self. Where Libra looks at everything from every possible angle, making you crazy with all the possible options and directions, Scorpio

ABUNDANCE HEALTH

tells you to make a choice and go with it. So this fall brings a “quit your bitchin’ “ attitude and pick a direction. If you are waiting for other people to make their decision first, forget that. What do you want?

SEPTEMBER: As the month after a total eclipse, September helps you process and integrate the changes and insight that started to rise to the surface during August eclipses. Three planets will pass over the sensitive 29-degree Leo of the solar eclipse, pushing you to come to terms with where your heart is engaged in this life versus where you are only going through the motions. Communications planet Mercury ends his retrograde cycle at this sensitive degree of the zodiac on September 5th. In the weeks ahead, you must make a plan to work for new heart-centered goals. Relationship planets Venus (9/18) and Mars (9/3) both hit the “heart point” this month.

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Ambitious Mars then spends the rest of the month in hard-working Virgo and Venus follows at the new moon on the 20th. It’s like the universe telling you that you can have more fun and be passionate about your work, relationships, and social connections, but you must be willing to roll up your sleeves to cleanse out the old, purify your intentions, and get to work on new projects and goals. A chart cast for fall equinox shows a great deal of help if you are willing to be adaptable in your thinking and plans.

Inflexible thinking will only give you anxiety this fall. And that means there is one of those “growth opportunities” to trust that there is a higher power helping you. Be willing to accept help from both the universe and other people to make your life easier. There are a few extra challenging days to avoid obsessive thinking and impatient behavior.

Keep your ego in check on the 13th. Don’t buy into get rich quick schemes or fantasy thinking around the 19th. The 24th through 29th require constant adjustments as you dance with life.

ABUNDANCE HEALTH OCTOBER:

NOVEMBER:

The big shift of autumn is expansive Jupiter moving into Scorpio for a year beginning on the 10th. The god of thunder wants to help you create your dreams in a big way, but he also requires you to expand your belief system and take a risk on yourself. Jupiter takes the high road of integrity and honesty. During early October, he is finishing his run through relationship oriented Libra since September 2016. During this time, you reviewed all types of relationships as your values and priorities shifted. The light and airy social energy of Libra gives way to the emotional depths of Scorpio in the coming year. Scorpio is great for making decisions and doing deep level research and healing. Scorpio teaches “Let go and Let God,” suggesting that some emotional connections will be released in the year ahead. The full moon on October 5th includes an alignment of relationship planets Venus and Mars, both in keep-it-simple Virgo. Improve existing relationships through humble and honest conversations. Don’t over-complicate your relationships and they will work better. There is a lower tolerance for people who like to live in drama games. The Libra new moon on the 19th is much more exciting as expect-the-unexpected Uranus in independent Aries opposes the new moon.

One part of you wants relationship and another part values freedom. One part of you wants raw sex and another part wants to get comfortable on the sofa with someone for the changing weather.

Find the balance between sharing and individual needs this month. If you need to promote your brilliant idea, there are a couple of positive days this month. Communicate big ideas on the 18th when Mercury aligns with Jupiter, but don’t oversell or talk too much. On the 26th, the sun aligns with Jupiter to help you present yourself in a good light.

Halloween on the 31st is under an introspective void moon, great for sacred meditation ceremonies on Samhain. Better social days for Halloween parties are the 28th and 29th.

Warrior Mars entered peace-loving Libra back on October 22 until December 8th. This uncomfortable combination asks you to practice assertive diplomacy, not unlike Mahatma Gandhi. It also supports you in seeking new relationships, as long as you are not overly aggressive. The other relationship planet, Venus, moves through intense Scorpio starting on the 7th through the end of the month. You want to go well below the surface in all your emotional connects, as Scorpio is associated with deep issues that push everyone’s buttons- sex, death, taxes! In regards to the USA Thanksgiving Day holiday, there are a couple of days to be careful while traveling.

At the Scorpio new moon on the 18th and 19th, “go really fast” Mars is challenging obsessive Pluto. Be careful of pushing limits and be polite if you get caught speeding. On the days surrounding the 22nd, Neptune is ending his; five month retrograde cycle. The negative of this is people driving while tired or distracted. The positive side of this shift is being able to open to a new vision for your life.

Thanksgiving Day has the moon moving into social and eclectic Aquarius at 12:14 PM PST through Saturday. It’s a great time to meet new and eccentric people and hear innovative ideas. Since Aquarius rules technology, Black Friday will sell a lot of technology-based holiday gifts.

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Mark Dodich has provided astrology and intuitive consultations internationally since 1980. In addition to natal astrology, Mark specializes in ACG Relocation Astrology Maps and Seven Ray Esoteric Astrology.

Check out astromark.us or contact him at Land Line (503) 252-1558 www.astromark.us

ABUNDANCE HEALTH REVIEW

The Logic of Chance: A New Approach to the I Ching Interpretation for Decision Making

I

by Alberto Ramon think most people know about the I Ching.

It’s also called The Book of Changes. It’s been reputed to be the oldest book in existence, born in China over 3,000 years ago. A lot of people, including myself, rely upon it as this wonderful, intuitive tool for making decisions. You may think that you’re all set then, all you need is that book, and I think there’s a degree of truth to that. You can just play around with the I Ching and get good results, but having said that, that’s pretty much how I got to use the I Ching.

In this book, The Logic of Chance, Ramon has clearly given a lot of thought to providing insights for how to make best use of this divination tool. There are guides out there that focus primarily on how to interpret answers, but this book helps readers first grasp the importance of how you phrase the questions. This is really critical because people might assume, “Of course we know how to ask questions.

We’ve been asking questions all our lives.” Okay, true, but having said that, what’s really terrific about Alberto Ramon’s take on this is that he shows how by using many different starting points, you can get really different answers based on the way you ask the questions. Because he respects the I Ching so much, he’s able to lead readers through these recommended ways to ask questions to get the most benefit from the I Ching.

Another wonderful thing is that short-term outcomes can also be divined by consulting with the I Ching. He has lots of examples of that. One of the more amusing and entertaining sections is about

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questions that should be avoided, like including assumptions, vagueness, or focusing too much on other people rather than yourself. This book contains all 64 hexagrams and key concepts and ideas associated with each of them, but it does not include all the changing line descriptions. For that, there’s a nice link to the website that you can go to for free access.

There is a fair amount of variability in the description of the different hexagrams across different authors, so it’s important to find a good book where the descriptions fit what makes sense to you. That’s true of any divination tool. This book does cover the basic concepts, and if you’re new to the I Ching, it’s a great starting point. You can actually use this to make important decisions in your life, which is exactly how I’ve used the I Ching for decades now.

If there’s a decision in my life that’s really important, I go to the I Ching.  Reviewed by Cynthia Sue Larson

Finding a coach, healer, or spiritual advisor just got a lot easier!

Search for Practitioners, Articles, Events, Products, and More at the Conscious-Living Review Site

www.HAPIguide.com

PURPOSE INTERVIEW

Waking Up in 5D with Maureen St. Germain

M

aureen St. Germain talks about her new book, “Waking Up in 5D,� a guide to the transition from the polarized mindset of the 3rd dimension to the joy and love of 5th dimensional vibrations.

She describes the phenomenal opportunities the fifth dimensional energies have to offer, like mastering time and aging. Maureen is the founder of Transformational Enterprises and has led trainings in personal development and spiritual awakening in more than 24 countries.

She is also the founder of Akashic Records Guides International, and an author, musician, and producer of more than 15 guided-meditation CDs. An internationally recognized teacher and intuitive, her website is http://www.maureenstgermain.com/

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW

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PURPOSE REVIEW & INTERVIEW

The Story You Need to Tell:

Writing to Heal from Trauma, Illness, or Loss

by Sandra Marinella

N

early twenty years ago, I became a writing coach helping authors publish their books.

At first I viewed my role as a guide and teacher, steering my clients through the maze of publishing. But very quickly, I began to see another phenomenon happening: they began to express their amazement at the amount of blocks they were clearing, how many more “aha’s” they were having, and in the end, how significantly healing the process of writing had been.

So when I picked up The Story You Need to Tell: Writing to Heal from Trauma, Illness, or Loss by Sandra Marinella, MA, MEd, I immediately connected with its message: writing and rewriting your story provides deep and lasting healing and transformation.

Over the years, I’ve read hundreds of books on writing, but very few of those were compelling enough to want to read again. Where Marinella’s book is different is in her narration. From post-partum depression to her battle with breast cancer, the author hooked me from the beginning with her storytelling, and then carefully wove in additional anecdotes and examples of her work

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PURPOSE with veterans and cancer patients. Her writing advice is sound, her research is well documented, and her exercises gently pull the deeper truths out of the depths of loss, trauma, and battling disease.

Using an expressive writing method (also referred to as direct or stream-of-consciousness writing), Sandra Marinella reveals how to understand, tell, and edit your personal story, all while navigating each writer’s individual challenge. Her prompts, exercises, and indeed her techniques, allow the reader to dive deep into their experience and make sense of their suffering.

The Story You Need to Tell is a brilliant, yet simple book that shines with Marinella’s gift for words.

It is now a must-read for my clients, and should

INTERVIEW

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW

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be for anyone who would like a deeply effective transformative and healing experience. The process of writing as Marinella describes in The Story You Need to Tell unearths a deep knowingness that no other tool I’ve tried does as well to reveal.

While we can’t go back to change what happened to us, we can change our perspective of it, and then create a new story. This book gently guides you through that wonderfully effective process.

If you’d like to find deeper healing, more meaning in your life, and transform your perspective of your life story, I encourage you to read this book.

Words do heal, and Marinella’s advice will help you write and rewrite the story you need to tell.  Reviewed by MJ Schwader

PURPOSE REVIEW

Born Aware

by Diane Brandon

I

I

It’s not often that I get a book, read it just about instantly and then immediately start rereading it, but this book feels like heaven to me.

Born Aware is a collection of stories and insights from those spiritually aware since birth. Diane Brandon is an intuitive counselor and consultant, and she’s been teaching people how to access intuitive information since 1996.

n her consulting, she came to find that some of her clients spontaneously started talking about really early childhood memories - like the moment of birth, or sometimes before they were born. It occurred to her that there was a common thread between these reports, so she conducted a series of surveys with 12 different individuals who know that they come from somewhere else. She shares these spiritual insights and wisdom from their points of view. I’m one of the people she interviewed and that’s part of why this means so much to me, because remembering what heaven feels like when you’re here on earth… well it’s trying.

To read the accounts from all these people who had similar experiences to mine and said things that I’d forgotten to put in there or I felt, but I just didn’t have words for, wow! That’s why it feels like heaven to me. It also includes Diane’s story, because she also has this beautiful vision of the true spiritual nature of reality being revealed.

The author believes that all of us have this natal awareness when we’re children. You can see it in a

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PURPOSE baby’s eyes. What tends to happen for most of us is that the higher spiritual awareness can kind of get shut down or closed off due to what’s going on in childhood. It’s a rare thing when people continue to live with feet in both worlds – with one side knowing that you’re a mortal being, you will die, while on the other hand, having no fear whatsoever of death; you have this spiritual orientation that never goes away. The people in her book have an orientation of being able to dip back and forth between the human persona and what she calls, higher spiritual awareness. That higher spiritual awareness doesn’t mean you’re a better person, because like she said, babies are coming in with this awareness; instead, it means that accessing higher knowledge, higher truth, higher wisdom, is all part of our human possibility, our path.

The other thing that is really important about the book is that it points out that most of the bornaware individuals have that connection to God at their very core, which means there’s no need for intermediaries between God and us. Also, there’s a lack of fear that I mentioned. Total fearlessness.

A sense of trust and faith that all is well, regardless of what it may seem. These are the kind of qualities a lot of people are seeking.

Chapter 19 is my favorite because it’s all about grooming higher soul awareness. Her theory is that we all had this born-awareness and it kind of got blurred over. A lot of us just forget about it by being raised by parents who have also forgotten about it, and in a culture that has totally forgotten about it. This chapter gets into how to live in resonant harmony with spiritual awareness. It’s just basic things like meditating, looking into an animals’ eyes, encouraging us to recognize our spiritual core.

Diane writes, “I wouldn’t be surprised if a large percentage of babies have this awareness at birth before amnesia erases any memory of it.”

The born aware thing is not about children who remember previous lives. It is different than anything that’s ever been covered in metaphysical books per se. It’s not discounting past lives, it’s just covering a totally different angle. Diane is basically showing a snapshot of what the spiritual, higher soul awareness is all about.

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What tends to happen for most of us is that the higher spiritual awareness can kind of get shut down or closed off due to what’s going on in childhood. It’s a rare thing when people continue to live with feet in both worlds – with one side knowing that you’re a mortal being, you will die, while on the other hand, having no fear whatsoever of death; you have this spiritual orientation that never goes away.

Each chapter covers a different persons’ story.

Mine is called, “Whoops! Wrong Planet!” That’s how I felt and I often do still feel that way. It’s funny, but I just love all the stories. I love the way that some of the people talk about their synesthesia and I’m like, “Yeah, yeah, yeah. I didn’t get into that, but here it is.” They talk about animals and nature, I’m, “Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

I don’t know of that’s true if the others who are included, that they just felt like, “Wow! If I had more time I would have covered all that,” but there’s just such an overlap. It really gives a complete picture of the whole journey. Again, I think it’s a show changer. This is a game changer. This book can change your world. Again, don’t worry if you don’t remember how to access early childhood memories and all that. It’s not too late for anybody. We can all access it anytime. That’s chapter 19, and I think by the time you get to that point in the book, you’re feeling it. You’re in that zone and I think that’s what this book does so well.  Reviewed by Cynthia Sue Larson

CONSCIOUS CINEMA

Cinematic Missteps

W

By Brent Marchant

e all make mistakes, even filmmakers. Despite valiant attempts and seemingly the best of intentions, sometimes they just miss the mark. But these celluloid missteps shouldn’t be seen as “failures.”

In actuality, they’re better viewed as valuable learning opportunities that represent potentially significant mileposts along their creators’ personal and artistic learning curves (unless, of course, you’re director Ed Wood, the auteur of notoriously bad, low-budget cult flicks, but then that’s another story).

So how can these cinematic blunders be considered learning experiences? As in virtually any type of materialization, they help filmmakers refine

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CONSCIOUS CINEMA their efforts, showing them the weaknesses in their offerings that, one would hope, they correct (or at least won’t repeat) in future projects. The understanding that emerges from these outcomes is particularly crucial when they (and we) deliberately employ the conscious creation process – the means by which we manifest the reality we experience through the power of our thoughts, beliefs and intents – to creative endeavors of any kind, movie making included. Our shortcomings can thus show us how to improve our manifestation efforts in subsequent creations, be they everyday do-overs or big screen sequels.

of them high profile in nature – that I believe come up short on the aforementioned fronts. Some may heartily disagree with my views about these pictures, and I genuinely respect those differences in opinion. I would hope that others extend the same courtesy to me.

And so, in light of the foregoing, I hereby present some examples of what I consider to be noteworthy cinematic missteps. I should add that most of these pictures aren’t patently awful; they just don’t live up to their hype – or potential.

So, if these debacles are such valuable learning experiences, many have asked me over the years why don’t I write about them more often? After all, the curious contend, isn’t the point of my books, articles, blogs and reviews to present insights into significant conscious creation principles as they’re illustrated through film? Well, the answer to that latter question, of course, is yes. But, even though these silver screen fiascos can represent important learning opportunities, I’ve instead intentionally chosen to focus my efforts on writing about films that offer good examples of how these concepts work and are illustrated cinematically. Why waste time on movies I wouldn’t readily recommend?

Which is why I rarely, if ever, pen “negative” film reviews. However, there is a significant exception: When movies purposely target audiences interested in New Age, metaphysical and personal growth topics (especially those with a strong conscious creation slant) and fail to effectively deliver the goods in the finished product, I won’t hesitate to hold the filmmakers accountable. In those instances, if the pictures don’t live up to their billing in my opinion, I believe it’s my responsibility to inform my readers accordingly. I’ll point out what I believe to be their deficiencies and why I think so. This may involve “flaws” in the basic premises of the narratives or in their particular cinematic attributes, such as writing, acting, editing, production values or other attributes. Indeed, if these movies drop the ball, I’ll call the filmmakers on it.

As a general rule, given the primary thrust of my writing, these are the only times when readers will see me take a predominantly negative stance. But, with that said, there are a number of films – some

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Telling a story clearly and convincingly is a cardinal rule of effective filmmaking. That’s particularly important when it comes to movies that attempt to convey sophisticated concepts requiring a certain degree of explanation, especially for audience members who may be unfamiliar with the ideas in question. That’s the major downfall of director Christopher Nolan’s mystical space adventure “Interstellar” (2014), whose muddled presentation

CONSCIOUS CINEMA regarding such notions as multiple dimensionality and alternative temporal mechanics, as well as how we can intentionally tap into these phenomena to achieve particular outcomes, tends to leave viewers more confused than enlightened.

Mishandling the material is usually a problem attributable to a film’s writing, but sometimes the fault lies with the editing or narrative structure.

That’s the case with a pair of releases from enigmatic director Terrence Malick, “The Tree of Life” (2011) and “To the Wonder” (2012), both of which seek to explore the meaning of life and our role in its unfolding. While both are cinematically inventive and take an ambitious, almost poetic approach to their material, their somewhat-unfocused narratives and need for judicious editing undercut these strengths. Viewers could easily walk away from these releases profoundly wondering about the wonder they’re attempting to depict.

A similar issue crops up in the recently released afterlife drama “A Ghost Story” (2017), in which a deceased young composer (Casey Affleck) is lost after his untimely demise. His exploration of the hereafter and such concepts as reincarnation, simultaneous time and multidimensionality – while innovatively and impressively illustrated cinematically – tends to be so “inside” that those unfamiliar with the material (even if they have an interest in it) may easily come away from this one more than a little perplexed. Unfortunately, the value of the principles explored in this release – and how they can potentially benefit us in our conscious creation efforts, regardless of which side of the veil of life we find ourselves – could readily be lost on us.

Despite the pitfall of insufficient elaboration, filmmakers can also unduly drag out the explanations of their concepts, leaving viewers itching for the movie to get on with the story. Such is the case with the Wachowski siblings’ immensely popular, award-winning sci-fi thriller “The Matrix” (1999).

Long on style (and overlong in introducing its basic conscious creation premise), the picture drones on and on, beating its core principles (and the patience of viewers) into protracted submission. This may be revelatory to those for whom these are new ideas, but anyone reasonably versed in these principles will find this offering somewhat tedious, especially in its first half.

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Regrettably, problems like this can sabotage a film’s viability severely, especially if they become apparent early on in the story, an issue that derails M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Sixth Sense” (1999) almost before it gets going. The big reveal in this Oscar-nominated saga of a young boy (Haley Joel Osment) gifted with the ability the see the deceased is so easy to figure out – almost from the beginning – that its impact is diluted by the time of its rather anticlimactic conclusion. It leaves many underwhelmed viewers asking, “Who didn’t figure this one out in the first 20 minutes?”

In addition to falling into the trap of being obvious, filmmakers can fall into the trap of being derivative, serving up material that we’ve seen before.

Such is the case with director Alfonso Cuarón’s

CONSCIOUS CINEMA nesia. What should have been an uplifting account of the experiences of the best-selling writer (Julia Roberts) comes across as more of a stylish travelogue than an insightful look at how she personally grew and evolved. Pick up the book instead.

Taking a softball approach to its subject matter is also a problem for “Rabbit Hole” (2010), the dramatic account of a young mother (Nicole Kidman) coping with the loss of her child in a tragic traffic accident. It’s an incident that prompts her to look within to decipher the meaning of existence, a journey with the potential to unlock a host of metaphysical insights for the earnestly searching protagonist. Unfortunately, the film’s light-handed treatment of its material hamstrings the picture, turning it into more of a conventional tearjerker than a vehicle for meaningful insight.

award-winning space adventure “Gravity” (2013), a film that, in many ways, feels like a warmed-over version of “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968) – and fails to match the cinematic brilliance of its predecessor. The dazzling special effects in “Gravity” are undeniably gorgeous to look at (especially on a big screen), but its disappointing story line comes up short in the originality and enlightenment departments.

Movies that chronicle individual odysseys of self-discovery are incredibly popular with conscious cinema audiences. But, for a picture to succeed on this front, it must have substantive material to present, a quality decidedly lacking in the film version of “Eat Pray Love” (2010), author Liz Gilbert’s memoir of her journey of personal awakening through her travels to Italy, India and Indo-

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When metaphysically oriented releases attempt to probe profound, useful concepts (especially those as inherently liberating as conscious creation), they can shoot themselves in the foot by placing

CONSCIOUS CINEMA caveats on their core principles or by wittingly or unwittingly incorporating contradictions into their narratives. Those are problems for “Inception” (2010), an imaginative and award-winning exploration of the dream state whose story line is undermined by a plethora of restrictions, and “About Time” (2013), a frothy comedy-drama about time travel and multiple probabilities that has more than its share of inconsistencies. Such plot devices are usually incorporated to make their narratives work, and the filmmakers probably hope that viewers won’t notice these innate shortcomings.

But, since conscious cinema fans are among some of the most astute moviegoers out there, it’s hard to slip things like this past them. And, unfortunately, these elements tend to be the downfall of these pictures.

As I noted above, most of the films featured herein aren’t intrinsically awful – just disappointing. But, with that said, I must confess that there are others out there that are truly dreadful. Two that readily come to mind are the laughably deplorable disaster epic “2012” (2009), a film that’s a disaster for reasons other than what happens on the screen (and that incorporates little more than passing lip service to the spiritually oriented nature of that enigmatic time window), and “Split” (2017), an alleged psychological examination of our multidimensional selves that’s ultimately little more than a cheesy teen exploitation movie (and an offering far below the filmmaking capabilities of director M. Night Shyamalan). Watch these at your peril.

As conscious creators well know, we often fail to get things right the first time. But, thanks to the opportunities this philosophy makes possible, we can always try again, tweaking our beliefs to get the right mix in the finished product. We can thus redeem ourselves for our “errors.” And, fortunately, filmmakers can do the same – and it’s always great to see it when that happens.

Copyright © 2017, by Brent Marchant. All rights reserved.

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A lifelong movie fan and longtime student of metaphysics, Brent Marchant is the award-winning author of Get the Picture?!: Conscious Creation Goes to the Movies (http:// booklaunch.io/ brent%20marchant/get-the-picture) and Consciously Created Cinema: The Movie Lover’s Guide to the Law of Attraction (http://booklaunch.io/brent%20marchant/ consciously-created-cinema), books that provide a reader-friendly look at how the practice of “conscious creation” (also known as “the law of attraction”) is illustrated through film.

Brent maintains an ongoing blog (http://brentmarchantsblog.blogspot.com) about metaphysical cinema and other self-empowerment topics through his web site (www.BrentMarchant.com). He is also Featured Contributor for Smart Women’s Empowerment (http://www. smartwomensempowerment.org) and Movie Correspondent for The Good Radio Network (http://www.thegoodradionetwork.com/). His additional writing credits have included contributions to Library Journal, BeliefNet, VividLife magazine, New Age News and Master Heart Magazine. Hear Brent as movie review radio correspondent on Frankiesense & More (http:// toginet.com/shows/frankiesenseandmore/) and on New Consciousness Review’s Reviewers Roundtable (www.ncreview.com). He’s a frequent guest on various Internet and broadcast radio shows, as well as a regular presenter at conscious creation conferences. Brent holds a B.A. in magazine journalism and history from Syracuse University.

INSPIRATION HEALTH REVIEW

The Children of Willesden Lane:

Beyond the Kindertransport: A Memoir of Music, Love, and Survival

by Mona Golabek and Lee Cohen

M

I

Mona Golabek tells the story of her mother, Lisa Jura, who was an aspiring young pianist in Vienna just at the dawn of World War 2. When her beloved music professor told her he couldn’t teach her anymore because she was Jewish, it shocked her; but then things got worse and worse.

t became clear to the family that life will never be the same and their very existence was threatened. Her parents managed to get her a seat on a Kindertransport* train to London. In fact, her father had won her a ticket gambling, since under the Nazis he was no longer allowed to practice his profession and sell to non-Jews.

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INSPIRATION HEALTH

Mona created a superb one-woman show dramatizing the events in the book, and it has also come out as a DVD. It was terribly moving, and she’s now going around and presenting this show and talks to youth groups around the country.

Unlike many, her parents saw the handwriting on the wall, so you can imagine their emotions as they put their child alone on a train to a distant country where she could barely speak the language, desperately hoping that she would just survive.

Anyway, she arrived in London and was placed in a children’s hostel in Willesden Lane, along with 30 other young refugees. They became her surrogate family, as did the working class British women in the East End garment factory where she worked. Her passion for music sustained her, and happily the owner of the hostel had a piano. She allowed her, in fact, encouraged her to play and made time within the schedule of chores for her to practice. The music seemed to have been a ray of light, not only for the children in the hostel, but also for all the neighbors, who would stop everything to come and listen at the windows.

Her dream of becoming a concert pianist was supported and adopted by everybody around her. The ladies in the garment factory made her an outfit so she could go on an audition to the Royal Academy of Music. The kids took turns drilling her on technique and theory. I don’t

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Pianist Mona Golaback

want to spoil the story, but it was so poignant - you need a box of tissues to hand. Mona created a superb one-woman show dramatizing the events in the book, and it has also come out as a DVD. It was terribly moving, and she’s now going around and presenting this show and talks to youth groups around the country. ( More at https://holdontoyourmusic.org). I think the idea of communicating to people, particularly to the younger generation, the reality of what it means to be a refugee is probably one of the best ways of encouraging, understanding and compassion.

The book was originally published in 2002, and came out in 2016 as a reading group guide. I warmly recommend this for anyone who wants to do a study group. It’s immensely rewarding and, ultimately, incredibly uplifting. * The Kindertransport (German for «children's transport») was an organized rescue effort by British, Jewish and Quaker charities that saved some 15,000 unaccompanied children ranging from infants up to the age of 17 during the nine months prior to the outbreak of the Second World War.  Reviewed by Miriam Knight

INSPIRATION HEALTH REVIEW

The Compassion Revolution: 30 Days of Living from the Heart

by Amy Leigh Mercree

O

I

One thing that makes this book so special is that it’s a pocket-sized book you can fit it in your purse and take with you.

t’s designed to walk a person through, as it says, 30 days of self-love, peace and living from the heart. It’s perfect for those of us who may not have had all of that in our childhood, and may have gone through a spiritual awakening and are moving ourselves through that process.

The book shares many inspirational stories, like for example, day 15: it’s a story about a person who rushed from brunch with friends to a party for his nieces.

His sister was throwing a play zone pizza party for the kids. When he got there, he played with the girls. He had a blast. Next he went off

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INSPIRATION HEALTH to racket ball, then drinks with Bill who’s going through a break up and begged him to come be his wing-man. When he got home late Sunday night his phone rang, and then a friend called to talk about her life and talked for an hour. When he finally hung up with her, he was exhausted.

When people hear that they’re like, “Oh yeah, boy does that sound familiar.” Then it just continues with more of the craziness. The point of this chapter is just how to take some time for yourself. Give yourself down time. Give yourself a break when you need it so that you don’t burn your candle at both ends. It’s basic information like this, but it’s combined with some really cool things like pointing out that you are the hero, the heroine in your own life and how to be kinder to yourself by asking questions.

It sounds basic, but I think the basics are the key and really gets into some stuff that I don’t hear everybody talking about. For example, how being kinder, being more compassionate is a gift of strengthening and resilience that we give to ourselves, we give to the world and the net benefit is

It sounds basic, but I think the basics are the key and really gets into some stuff that I don’t hear everybody talking about.

For example, how being kinder, being more compassionate is a gift of strengthening and resilience that we give to ourselves, we give to the world and the net benefit is huge because it really helps each of us recognize that there’s this oneness, this connection between all of us.

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When people hear that they’re like, “Oh yeah, boy does that sound familiar.” Then it just continues with more of the craziness. The point of this chapter is just how to take some time for yourself. Give yourself down time. Give yourself a break when you need it so that you don’t burn your candle at both ends.

huge because it really helps each of us recognize that there’s this oneness, this connection between all of us. This interconnection that permeates everything that we do. The author lives that feeling.

She really brings that, and I don’t know her personally, but Amy Leigh Mercree brings that quality of presence and compassion into every page of the book.

She may not be that perfect in real life, but the book is fabulous because you can flip it open randomly, or you can stick with the program and just take it day by day. I think she’s a perfect guide for this topic. I really love it and I think she’s just the right thing at this time. I think our world needs compassion now more than ever, and this book is ray of sunshine in what could feel like a cruel, meaningless world. A lot of people get very upset about the news, and this is a perfect antidote.  Reviewed by Cynthia Sue Larson

PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY

Health, Resources Sanjeev Sharma MD FACS Dr. Sharma is a board certified cardiothoracic surgeon. For the past seven years he has focused on alternative health and his group has documented and educated more than 30,000 patients in Oregon and California on their use of cannabis medical products. He has become a leading cannabis advocate, is the founder of Seyvah, a company that develops and provides treatment with proprietary hemp oil and natural terpene based products that are THC-FREE to treat chronic pain conditions, insomnia, and common gastrointestinal complaints. These cannabidiol (CBD) and terpene (plant essential oil) products are 100% organic, and have been clinically tested for safety and efficacy. They are sold on Seyvah’s online marketplace at https://seyvah.com.

You can contact, Dr. Sharma at drsharma@seyvah.com or 541-261-4784.

Health Cherie Kephart Cherie is passionate about healing the body, mind, and spirit and sharing her experiences to help others. She has been celebrated for her holistic approach to healing and her willingness to examine her life lessons in her writing. She is the author of “A Few Minor Adjustments: A Memoir of Healing.” https://www.hapiguide.com/california/san-diego/members/cherie-kephart

Inspiration Roslyn Rus Experiential, interactive and uplifting workshops focusing on the Oneness of Life and your own unique Journey of SELF Discovery ... Please visit my website, for more details. https://www.hapiguide.com/ontario/toronto/roslyn-rus

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Inspiration Mariel Martin Receive insight to inspire you. Born Psychic, my Gifts were strengthened during a Near Death Experience in 1976 during which I was guided to share insight and relay messages from Angels. Rated #1 on Google for Life Path Guidance and Palm Reading, I have now touched over 8,000 people’s lives with Readings and Healings. https://www.hapiguide.com/portland/members/mariel-martin

Health, Abundance, Purpose, Inspiration, Resources Dr. Lauri J. Shainsky Lauri Shainsky’s personal mission is to serve people and the earth through transformative experiences with Sound, Spirit, and Nature. As a Shamanic Sound Healer, Lauri helps people use Spirit-guided intentional sound to bring about more vibrant health and fulfilling creative manifestation. Her potent sessions provide nourishment and healing of the soul, the body, the mind, divine guidance for sustainable change and an infusion of vitality. Lauri’s shamanic healing practices are uniquely empowered with vocal sound, singing bowls and other sound healing instruments. Her courses are always intimate, participant- and spirit-directed, and guide people to rediscover their powerful, healed self, and their creative manifesting voice. Lauri incorporates nature and soul constellations as an integral part of exploring the soul and it’s ecosystem. Invite nourishing sound into your life: www.shamanicsoundhealing.com www.soundcloud.com/redstonesong www.cdbaby.com/Artist/LauriJShainsky www.shamanicheart.wordpress.com 503-939-7174

Health, Resources JoyRae Freeman Joyrae is a Master Healer (Divine Light healing gift activation direct from Source in 1996), Angel Messenger, Soul Coach, Empowerment Coach (Certified Hypnotherapy NLP), writer, radio producer, workshop-retreat producer/facilitator, business consultant and co-creator of a better world.

After practicing medical qigong for years and after receiving the powerful electromagnet healing gift JoyRae created the term and the workshop Reikigong™ and conducts workshops. She believes that the world needs more healers, whole and empowered citizens - to offset the negligence of the mainstream medical world AND to raise the vibration of the planet. JoyRae especially enjoys being “The Healers’ Healer” - providing loving, skilled support for other healers, who don’t know where to turn, but often need a trusted mentor and ego-less sage healer-coach.

Her practice includes worldwide distance healing and coaching sessions - expos and holistic fairs, speaking, workshops/retreats and private sessions in Oregon, Washington and Montana. http://joy2u.org 503-303-8446 healing@joy2u.org

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Health, Purpose, Inspiration Cherry Divine During a reiki class in the year 2000 Cherry had a life-altering awakening. This experience changed not only her understanding of life, but the course of her life was also redirected when she connected to her Ancient Self. Cherry is a clear channel for a group that chooses to be referred to only as ‘A Consciousness of Love’. Through this connection Cherry brings answers to your questions, insights into your life, wisdom that assist you on your path, messages from loved ones that have crossed and the gentle reminders of personal empowerment. As in many channeled writings, Wisdom of the Ancients is infused with energy that assists in life transformation. Each person’s response to the writings is as unique and individual as they are.

Contact information: http://www.cherrydivine.com cherry@cherrydivine.com Abundance, Purpose, Inspiration Fran Fisher Master Certified Coach Fran Fisher’s passion is empowering individuals, teams, and organizations for realizing their highest visions. She believes that profound and long-lasting success, satisfaction, and fulfillment comes from being true to the essence of who you are. Fran helps leaders access and leverage their innate nature, so they breakthrough to new levels of productivity, prosperity, and personal fulfillment.

Fran founded the Academy for Coach Training, one of the first schools accredited by the International Coach Federation. She is recognized internationally as a pioneer of the coaching profession. Fran is the creator of Living Your Vision®, a transformational process for learning to live in greater alignment with who you are at your essence. She works with entrepreneurs, executives, and collaborative work teams, as well as providing coaching skills training and mentoring for leaders, managers, and professional coaches.

To contact Fran, call 425-401-1374 or email fran@franfishercoach.com, or visit www. franfishercoach.com Purpose, Inspiration Francesca Thoman Francesca is a Certified Consultant through the Akashic Knowing School of Wisdom. Reach out to her to have your Akashic Records read by appointment. Please visit her website to learn more: YourAkashicWisdom.com An author of five visionary books, published by Empowered Whole Being Press, Francesca’s titles range from delightful children’s books to powerful channeled information from Nikola Tesla. As an accomplished Channel, Francesca is able to communicate with many persons and entities, from high-level, benevolent ET’s to Nikola Tesla. Ordained in the Temple of Isis in 2000, she also works with a group of high angels to translate many powerful light-language prayers.

Contact Francesca at francescastarhand@gmail.com. Explore her titles by visiting these websites: Children’s Books - FrancescaThoman.com; Tesla Books - nikolateslaafterlifeconversations.com.

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Health, Abundance, Purpose, Inspiration, Resources Jan Engels-Smith Jan Engels-Smith is the founder of ‘ ‘LightSong School of 21st Century Shamanism and Energy Medicine.’ Jan’s mission is to provide excellence in shamanic healing and education, and to support personal growth for well-being, adapting ancient healing techniques to contemporary life. Jan has developed the first shamanic energy medicine curriculum of its kind, offering a full spectrum of courses, which allows for those, with a curious interest in shamanism, right through to those that would like to obtain a doctorate in shamanism. (ShD). In her personal healing practice she has performed over 3,500 soul retrievals.

Jan has authored two books and two CD’s, ‘Becoming Yourself: The Journey from Head to Heart,’ won the Reader’s Choice Award. Through the Rabbit Hole, Explore and Experience the Shamanic Journey. Awaken Unburden Create, guided healing meditations.

Take Your Body with You, shamanic drumming. Listen to Jan’s Pod Cast and be inspired! http://lightsong.net/lightsong-podcast/ jan@lightsong.net www.lightsong.net www.janengelssmith.com

Abundance, Purpose, Inspiration Mark Dodich In addition to natal astrology with current cycles, Mark Dodich specializes in Earthlines (AstroCartoGraphy) Relocation Astrology Maps and Seven Ray Esoteric Spiritual Purpose Astrology. He works with individuals, relationship compatibility, and business astrology, and has provided intuitive tarot since 1980. In 2008, Mark started leading Spiritual Growth Small Group Travel to Sacred Places.

He has led groups to Egypt, Greece, and safari in Tanzania so far.

Visit www.astromark.us or call 503-252-1558

Health, Purpose, Inspiration Gina Citoli – Beyond Entertainment into “The Extraordinary” Gina elevates, illuminates and energizes her audiences with passionate optimism, engaging stories, humor and an astounding voice. She transports us to exciting new worlds of expanded perception and unlimited possibilities. This brand of entertainment is evolutionary, superbly imaginative and is specifically and intentionally designed for these times! The shows are innovative and enlivening for conferences, Girls Nights Out, community outreach, meetings or retreats. “A Cabaret of Consciousness”, Gina’s premier presentation, is a brilliant powerhouse of a performance, a remarkable message of hope and a dynamic call for humanity to embrace their true power!

There are four other performances available and all shows make for outstanding fundraisers and house parties. Gina is available in Portland OR as of Aug. 1, 2017. Find out what makes Gina’s performances so novel and exceptional at https://www.acabaretofconsciousness.com/unique-value/ www.GinaCitoli.com | www.ACabaretofConsiousnesness.com Info@AlchemyVIIEnterprises.com | 503-380-7273

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Abundance, Purpose, Inspiration, Resources Brent Marchant A lifelong movie fan and longtime student of metaphysics, Brent Marchant is the award-winning author of Get the Picture?!: Conscious Creation Goes to the Movies, Consciously Created Cinema: The Movie Lover’s Guide to the Law of Attraction and the upcoming Third Real: Conscious Creation Goes Back to the Movies (scheduled for release in 2017), all of which provide reader-friendly looks at how the practice of conscious creation (also known as the law of attraction) is illustrated through film. He also blogs about current film releases from this standpoint on his web site’s blog page and through contributions to New Consciousness Review, The Good Radio Network and Smart Women’s Empowerment. He also contributes to Frankiesense & More and New Consciousness Review radio and magazine. (http://brentmarchantsblog.blogspot.com/)

Inspiration, Resources Empowered Whole Being Press Empowered Whole Being Press is a boutique publisher specializing in supporting author’s self-publishing of quality written works that Inspire, Enlighten, and Transform its readers. We are excited to be involved in the transformation community, and are dedicated to supporting new authors who have an enlightening, compelling, inspiring message to share; be it fiction, non-fiction, poetry, YA, or books for our children.

Established to fill a publishing house need for spiritually transforming books that offers more than the standard self-publishing services, we also provide marketing support and guidance packages to insure our author’s success.

Our Intention: We are dedicated to encouraging creativity, inner exploration, and the expansion of spiritual evolution through written works by providing support, guidance, publishing, and marketing services to spiritually-focused consciousness expanding authors. We are here to serve you! Together WE create the Shift! http://www.EmpoweredWholeBeingPress.com

Health, Resources Geoffrey Knight Geoffrey has over twenty years of experience as a clinical hypnotherapist and trainer. He is a Certified Instructor of the National Guild of Hypnotists, the most prestigious body of hypnotists here in the US and abroad. A general practitioner, Geoffrey’s practice covers all areas where hypnotherapy is effective, such as: Anxiety, in all its forms; Phobias; Pain; Emotional Problems; Children: This is a particular specialty, and his expertise covers anything from bed wetting to childhood and teenage problems; Addictions, from food to alcohol, recreational drugs, and nicotine smoking; Sexual dysfunctions; Weight Loss; Motivation; and Memory loss and enhancement. Geoffrey offers a free consultation for up to 45 minutes, where he will be happy to address your questions and concerns. Appointments can be made Mondays through Fridays, and some Saturdays upon request.

More information at http://geoffrey-knight.com/ or call 503-246-7300.

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Abundance, Purpose, Inspiration, Resources MJ Schwader At Inspired Life Publications, MJ Schwader helps authors create books, courses, mobile apps, and speaking platforms that inform, inspire, and transform. Whether it is writing coaching, layout and production for print or digital media, or promotion of products, MJ guides and supports authors from concept to the marketplace. With 35 years in the publishing industry and 20 years as a writing coach, MJ has helped over 250 authors become published. MJ has studied shamanic and energy healing methods for 16 years, and has developed a technique that combines channeled information with writing exercises to help the author produce truly transformational writing. The result is profound healing, for both the writer and the reader. Whether it’s guidance in learning how to become a better writer, navigating the worlds of traditional and self-publishing, or getting help with creating your iBook or Kindle ebooks, MJ can help you get your transformational message out to the world.

Visit http://www.inspiredlifepublications.com or call 503-502-3700 Abundance, Inspiration, Resources Cynthia Sue Larson Cynthia Sue Larson helps people visualize and access whole new worlds of possibility. The best-selling author of six books, Cynthia hosts Living the Quantum Dream show on the DreamVisions7 radio network. She has been featured on the Discovery Channel, the History Channel, Coast to Coast AM, and the BBC, and has presented papers at international conferences on science, spirituality, and consciousness.

Since 1999, Cynthia has shared findings from scientific research in the fields of quantum physics, quantum biology, the placebo effect, positive psychology, sociology, and alternative medicine. Her articles have appeared in journals ranging from Cosmos and History, to Magical Blend, to Parabola, and her RealityShifters web site has compiled one of the most extensive collections of reality shift reports in the world. Her monthly ezine, RealityShifters, has thousands of subscribers world-wide.

More at http://www.realityshifters.com Visit http://www.inspiredlifepublications.com or call 503-502-3700

Abundance, Purpose, Inspiration, Resources Cosmic Ani Sometimes we need to go beyond the classrooms, the books and the internet. Sometimes it seems there is a maze of metaphysical mumbo-jumbo and conflicting, ego-driven agendas. Perhaps there is a lot you understand about spirituality, healing and metaphysics but are not sure how to “connect the dots.” Or, you are on a new journey of discovery and are overwhelmed by information. Although trained in traditional shaman lore, Ani Avedissian is a modern day Suburban Shaman with a genuine desire to clarify information and share spiritual knowledge appropriate for today’s busy, noisy world. Let her experience and expertise guide you to a deeper connection to the Cosmic Divine. Let the spirit inhabit the human because if we don’t…what’s the point? www.aniavedissian.com ani@aniavedissian.com 503-998-1237 cell PDT 503-582-0954 vm PDT Skype aniavedissian

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Health, Purpose, Inspiration Cynthia Slon Intuitive since the age of five, I have been honored to offer humanity information, healing and renewal through readings, channelings, universal dialogue, sound toning, frequency alignment and cell restoration, as well as connection to loved ones on the other side. My book, Point of Light, Communicate with your DNA, Change your life, Change the World! provides detailed information in how to access your own voice within the cellular pathway that is waiting for you to rejoin the conversation. http://www.cynthiaslon9.com

Health, Purpose, Inspiration Karen Hefner, MA, MS, ShD Deeply invested in the areas of healing and personal growth, Karen gently guides people toward their own innate health and happiness through education, ceremony, soul retrieval, extraction work, and Reiki. Karen’s intention is to assist clients and students in finding their soul’s path, their true self, their source of power and freedom. She offers this with deep gratitude to her teachers, spirit guides, and the native healers and communities who have been so generous with their teaching, healing, and ceremonies. Igniting Spirit offers healing and support to all who seek restoration, information, and community. The offerings are diverse, unique, and personal.

Karen Hefner is part of a community of Reiki Masters, Shamanic Practitioners, Teachers, and Healers who strive to provide loving healing and support to all who seek restoration, information, and community. The offerings are diverse, they are unique, personal, and the intentions behind each one are sincere. https://www.hapiguide.com/oregon/portland/members/karen-hefner-ma-ms-shd

Health Francesca Fleming Francesca is a well-known medical medium/intuitive, who feels the energies, the aura and chakras and cords around a body, and receives information through channeling for healing and balancing issues like: fatigue, sleep issues, peri-menopause and menopause, allergies, testing sensitivities, kinesiology testing, environmental sensitivities, blood pressure, specific guidance to nutrients and supplements, endocrine imbalances; fibromyalgia; genetics stopping absorptions; Candida; recovery from cancer treatments; infertility guidance; joint pains, and many, many others.

Francesca does not claim to be a substitute for a doctor. All service is considered an adjunct to your healing protocols.

To contact Francesca, call 503-805-7403 or visit her website, http://www.Be-Joy.com

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Health, Resources Julia Schopick Julia is a health researcher and writer, and the author of the bestselling book, HONEST MEDICINE: Effective, Time-Tested, Inexpensive Treatments for Life-Threatening Diseases. Her goal is to empower patients to make the best health choices for themselves and their loved ones by teaching them about little-known but promising treatments their doctors may not know about. My writings on health and medical topics have been featured in American Medical News (AMA), Alternative & Complementary Therapies, the British Medical Journal, New Consciousness Review and the Chicago Sun-Times. Julia offers a coaching service through which she helps patients to get the best care from their doctors--or to find a doctor who will give them better care. She now coach authors of books with life-changing missions to become better radio interviewees, as well as better users of Facebook. These are the two promotional methods that have kept her book, HONEST MEDICINE, an Amazon bestseller for over five years.

You may reach her via email at Julia@HonestMedicine.com.

Health, Purpose, Inspiration Tracie Mahan Tracie is a Psychic Medium, Clairvoyant, Hypnotherapist, QHHT Practitioner, Family Coach, NLP Practitioner and Reiki Master. Coming from a highly sensitive and intuitive family, Tracie has expanded her natural gifts with training and practice, enabling her to connect with guides, angels, Ascended Masters and spiritual council. In addition to being a clear channel of messages from these realms, her expertise also includes offering clients healing and energetic clearing, and perspective through looking at past lives to identify important connections with the present incarnation. She also uses Hypnotherapy as a tool to release old patterns from your life and clear out anxiety, depression and much more.

Tracie enjoys bringing all of her modalities together to create a unique and healing experience for her clients.

Visit http://www.traciemahan.com or call 503-680-2407.

Inspiration, Resources Clearmind International John Ceniseros found his way to Clearmind in 2011. The work of Clearmind, at its core, is about forgiveness of oneself, and being gentle and accepting. John feels blessed to help bring the work of Clearmind to Portland. It’s a gift he offers with a healthy dose of humor, fun, and (when necessary) silliness.

Contact John at portland@clearmind.com or (503) 799-6834

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Health, Resources Ronelle Wood - OHM/Sanctuary We are the first in the world to offer Myofascial Release and the newest breakthroughs in addressing fascial restriction as well as the physics and science of alignment. It is the only facility where you receive bodywork to interrupt painful holding patterns and the necessary training that teaches you how to stay out of those holding patterns by changing your habits of movement. You can gain access to the newest instructional videos for correcting common alignment mistakes that lead to the following problems: Hip and Knee Replacement, Back and shoulder Pain, Pelvic Floor Disorder, Foot Pain, Headaches, Sciatica. https://www.hapiguide.com/california/ojai/members/ronelle-wood

Inspiration, Resources Tom Averna Tom is the Station Manager of emPower Positive Radio, your 24/7 source for positive music! All genres, all ages, all positive, all the time! This is the ONLY station of its kind right now anywhere in the world dedicated to Posi music, short for Positive, music that makes you feel better after listening than you did before. https://www.empowerpositiveradio.com/

Purpose Ciara Sullivan - Mentoring Metamorphosis Offering an eclectic mix of Hypnotherapy, NLP, Counseling, EFT, Guided Visualization, Mindfulness Meditation, and more. Whether meeting in person or online, we work one-on-one to achieve often life-changing breakthroughs! https://www.hapiguide.com/oregon/portland/members/ciara-sullivan

Health Lyn Delmastro-Thomson, MA, CBP, BAT Are you sick and tired of feeling sick and tired? Ready to have better health and vitality, less physical symptoms and get back to living the life you really want? Let’s talk about how I can help! Call me for a FREE 30 minute Discovery Call! https://www.hapiguide.com/oregon/portland/members/lyn-delmastro-thomson

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Health Lizanne Flynn I am extremely qualified to coach humans through any situation. Add to that my ability to channel the wisdom of Animals and other light beings on Earth and beyond and you’ve got an incredibly unique service. https://www.hapiguide.com/colorado/lakewood/members/lizanne-flynn

Inspiration, Resources Crystal Hope Reed Crystal is an Author and Coach for individuals and families experiencing spiritual awakening and/or paranormal phenomena. She is also a pet psychic, able to resolve issues and give animals a voice. https://www.hapiguide.com/california/santa-monica/members/crystal-hope-reed

Health Dharmendra Singh Sailoni Dharmendraji is a New – Age Wellness Coach, Yoga Meditation Master, Spiritual Healer & Jal – Yoga Founder. He offers coaching via Skype as well as nature-tours-cum-yoga meditation retreats in famous Indian holy cities. https://www.hapiguide.com/maharashtra/mumbai/members/unique-wellness

Inspiration Nancy Waldron I am an author writing about my life to inspire others to live with joy and embody all as Sacred Divine Beings. https://www.hapiguide.com/auburn/members/nancy-waldron

Inspiration Shiela Baker Shiela uses many tools to help the soul’s evolution including Shamanic Tarot, the Akashic Records, Soul Retrieval with After-Care, Shamanic Counseling & home & business blessings. https://www.hapiguide.com/washington/tulalip-bay/members/shiela-baker

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Purpose Tom King - Gif Counseling As an executive coach I help leaders in for-profit, non-profit, public sector, or entrepreneurs deal more effectively with the challenges of doing business in today’s world. https://www.hapiguide.com/minnesota/arden-hills/members/gif-counseling

Purpose Rob Bury Rob is the founder of AweLove™ University, an organization driven to lovingly help people find their burning flame, personal authenticity and foster deep human connection. https://www.hapiguide.com/oregon/portland/members/rob-bury

Health Darlene Sochin - Indigo Healings Darlene is a Certified Reiki Teacher and Practitioner, Certified Access Consciousness Bars Facilitator and Practitioner, and a Parenting and Child Development Energy Healer. https://www.hapiguide.com/oregon/portland/indigo-healings

Purpose Acharya Bharat Bharat is a Hindu (Vedic) Astrologer and Yoga teacher who promotes spiritual astrology, a discipline that will throw light on your Karma, your spiritual path, and your ultimate goal, self-realization. https://www.hapiguide.com/beaverton/members/acharya-bharat

Abundance Lisa Jones Lisa is a Certified Angel Reader and claircognizant who helps others make life decisions, guiding them to live in love and light. https://www.hapiguide.com/arkansas/little-rock/members/lisa-jones

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Health Erica Johansen Swedish Massage, Accident/Trauma Massage, Reiki, Etheric/Chakra Balancing, Canna-Massage, Ayurvedic Massage, Palliative Care Massage, East/West Blend Massage. https://www.hapiguide.com/oregon/vernonia/members/erica-johansen

Inspiration Vickie Pruitt Open up to new ways of experiencing life and raise your consciousness at the 6th annual premiere RaSani Body Mind Spirit Fair on October 7 & 8, 2017. https://www.hapiguide.com/oregon/albany/members/vickie-pruitt

Purpose Angie Sherman - L.O.V.E. them Oils, LLC I conduct FREE wellness consults and education centered around incorporating pure essential oils into your life-style. https://www.hapiguide.com/oregon/stayton/members/love-them-oils-llc

Resources Gaia’s Workshop Drums Master custom drum maker for ritual, ceremony, communication, connection, and even entertainment - done with art from our hearts. https://www.hapiguide.com/oregon/portland/gaias-workshop-drums

Inspiration Mark L Collins Author of The Heartspace Portal, a book shares deep insights and truths about the true nature of reality, our consciousness, and being from a spiritual perspective. https://www.hapiguide.com/massachusetts/westport-point/members/mark-l-collins

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Health Rose Wood Certified in Holographic Healing, Reiki, Ho’o Pono Pono, and EFT, I connect with source, higher consciousness, divine love, to access energies to assist you with your life issues. https://www.hapiguide.com/oregon/portland/members/rosewood-blessings

Health Chris Stopa Chris is an energy healer, Reiki master and Advanced Practitioner of Jorei and Pranic healing. His specialties include relationship issues, emotional stress release and physical issues. Chris also does space clearing either in person or from a distance. https://www.hapiguide.com/oregon/west-linn/members/chris-stopa

Health Keith Post, ND, LMT Keith offers a broad range of holistic family healthcare, specializing in the treatment of acute and chronic pain, as well as the rehabilitation of injuries. He also uses a kinesiology approach called Nutrition Response Testing. https://www.hapiguide.com/oregon/beaverton/members/keith-post-nd-lmt

Purpose Ingrid Kincaid I am an Elder and Wisdom Keeper, a teacher, author and spiritual guide. I’m dedicated to helping people with European ancestry to reclaim their indigenous heritage, reconnect with their own spiritual roots and heal their ancestral grief. https://www.hapiguide.com/oregon/portland/ingrid-kincaid

Inspiration, Resources Kara Johnstad Kara Johnstad is a singer-songwriter, author, voice specialist and owner of the successful company “VOICE YOUR ESSENCE™” Kara empowers audiences around the world via concerts, lectures and 1-on-1 coaching, in studio or via Skype. https://www.hapiguide.com/kara-johnstad

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Health Badeish Lange Through my empathic and psychic/medium skills I provide a unique platform for my clients to explore self-realization and healing. I also do readings of past, present, future and past life regressions upon request. https://www.hapiguide.com/oregon/hillsboro/members/badeish-lange

Health Shelly Malone Shelly is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and Certified Bioindividual Nutrition Practitioner who does individual and group nutrition and lifestyle consulting specializing in autoimmune disease, mood/cognitive illness and other chronic inflammatory conditions. https://www.hapiguide.com/manhattan-beach/members/shelly-malone

Abundance Psychic Video Readings We offer psychic video readings for a special low a special $5. Our readers are honest and accurate! https://www.hapiguide.com/alberta/olds/members/psychic-video-readings

Purpose Sacheen Mobley - soulPATH Academy By unlocking the soul, we unlock the life. I use numerology to explore whether or not the choices clients are making are aligned with their soul’s purpose. https://www.hapiguide.com/new-york/oyster-bay/members/soulpath-academy

Purpose Blue Ray Twin Flame Reader/Teacher We are healers, teachers, and creators who play an angelic role whereby we use our multidimensional healing vibrations as a unified Soul to alter the world one by one energetically. https://www.hapiguide.com/ohio/columbus/blue-ray-twin-flame-reader-teacher

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Purpose Victoria Rose Happiness is a SKILL that can be learned and practiced! It requires changing... If you can THINK it, and BELIEVE it, you can CHANGE it. What do YOU want to change? https://www.hapiguide.com/victoria-rose

Resources Jen and Christine (OSO Sisters) Founders of the company, Om Sweet Om, designers of the OSO organic meditation cushions, Mindful Body Healing Health Coaches, and the creators of the holistic lifestyle transformation programs “Nourish” and “Designing A Life You Love”. https://www.hapiguide.com/michigan/fenton/members/jen-and-christine-”OSO-sisters”

Health, Inspiration Susan Pease Banitt Author of “The Trauma Tool Kit,” Susan offers a rainbow bridge of healing from Eastern practices to Western techniques in service of multidimensional healing. https://www.hapiguide.com/portland/members/lotus-heart-counseling

Health, Inspiration David Lewis David combines core shamanism, 21st-Century energy medicines, Mystery School teachings, Faerie Doctoring, sound healing, Holy Fire Usui Reiki, food production techniques, design process, technical and creative writing, and pedagogy to guide individuals, businesses and groups. https://www.hapiguide.com/oregon/beaverton/members/david-lewis

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Resources Emerald Spiral Events he Emerald Spiral Expo is the preeminent New Age fair in the Northwest featuring Spiritual/Metaphysical Authors, demonstrations from intuitive arts to crystals and much more. https://www.hapiguide.com/washington/bellevue/emerald-spiral-events

Abundance, Purpose, Inspiration Linda Cahan Linda is a psychic counselor, palmist and Feng Shui practitioner. She has been doing psychic work for over 40 years and is known for being down-to-earth, practical and accurate in her readings. https://www.hapiguide.com/west-linn/members/linda-cahan

Inspiration Pearl Pierce Pearl is a seasoned Shamanic Practitioner who helps clear out what doesn’t belong, in individuals, homes, businesses, and land, and restore what does. Sessions in person and long distance by phone or Skype. https://www.hapiguide.com/cedar-mill-/members/pearl-pierce

PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY

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