Spring 2017

New

Consciousness Review

SPRING 2017 | NCREVIEW.COM

The Empath’s

Survival

Guide Condition

Critical

in Israel/Palestine The

Autoimmune

Fix

Your

CINEMA - ASTROLOGY

HAPIguide

Health Story:

Nature’s Healing Powers

ONLINE DIRECTORY & RESOURCE GUIDE Coaches, Healers & Spiritual Advisors for

health • awakening • purpose • inspiration

CONTENTS 6

12

5 From the PUBLISHER HEALTH 6 Nature’s Healing Powers

by Carl Greer, PhD

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30

49

AWAKENING 42 The Power of Love with James Van Praagh 49 The Power of Seeing the Impossible

by Barbara Oakley

10 The Autoimmune Fix

by Dr. Tom O’Bryan

52 What Humans Just Don't Understand About Life by Neale Donald Walsch

12 Attending by Dr. Ron Epstein

IN THE STARS

14 The Art of Healthy Living

by Homayoun Sadeghi

55 Astrology Forecast

by Mark Dodich

INSPIRATION

PURPOSE

17 The Empath’s Survival Guide with Judith Orloff 22 Why Exercise Can Harm Your Health!

by Ziad Masri 28 One Story One Song

by Richard Wagamese 30 You and the Unloved Ones

by Georgina Cannon CONSCIOUS CINEMA 35 Managing Our Personal Power

by Brent Marchant 38 The Wisdom Tree Movie

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59 Condition Critical in Israel/Palestine

by Alice Rothchild 62 How Soon is Now? with Daniel Pinchbeck 63 Cooler Heads Needed in Civil Crisis with Dr. John Demartini 68 HAPIguide RESOURCE DIRECTORY

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new

ConsCiousness Review

SPrinG 2017 | nCrevieW.CoM

The Empath’s

Survival

Guide

Review

Condition

CritiCal

Bold Perspectives on Life, the Universe and Everything

in israel/Palestine The

autoimmune

Fix

Your

CINEMA - ASTROLOGY

HAPiguide

New Consciousness

Health Story:

Nature’s Healing Powers

ONLINE DIRECTORY & RESOURCE GUIDE Coaches, Healers & Spiritual Advisors for

health • awakening • purpose • inspiration

Cover Personality: Carl Greer, PhD

HAPIguide

Resources for Conscious Awakening

Subscriptions New Consciousness Review/HAPIguide is a quarterly publication covering books, films and products and people in the areas of Health, Awakening, Purpose and Inspiration.

Subscribe for free at http://ncreview.com/magazine or 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@ncreview.com or visit our website for guidelines.

Publisher & Editor Miriam Knight ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER MJ Schwader CONTRIBUTORS Reviewers Miriam Knight, Brent Marchant, Cynthia Sue Larson, Diane Holcomb Feature Writers Brent Marchant, Mark Dodich Contributing Writers Neale Donald Walsch, Ziad Masri, Georgina Cannon, Barbara Oakley Production Design Natasha & Neboysa Dolovacki New Consciousness Review PO Box 80547, Portland, OR 97280 Tel: 503-892-3300 Web: www.ncreview.com and www.HAPIguide.com Email: info@ncreview.com

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FROM THE PUBLISHER HAPIness Inside

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e are passionate about bringing you examples of how people are bringing a New Consciousness to so many different areas of life. We think of this awakening as a willingness to put assumptions aside and truly listen to other points of view with an open mind; to reflect on our thoughts and actions and how they affect and even create our reality; and to understand how connected we all are through the cosmic web of life. Here in this magazine and on our websites we have chosen to apply the acronym H A P I to the categories we cover, for Health, Awakening, Purpose and Inspiration. Usually our articles and interviews fit quite neatly, but sometimes we have to push or stretch a bit; but it’s our acronym, we love it and we hope you enjoy it too.

So starting with our section on Health, we have Carl Greer’s article that talks about immersing ourselves in nature as one means of accessing the trans-personal realms for help in straightening out our lives and health when they have gone askew. Delving down into the science behind many of the diseases that increasingly plague us, Tom O’Bryan explains the connection between sensitivities to gluten, dairy, and sugar and how they wreak havoc in our bodies; the way they manifest as disease in us depends on our particular weak link, which could be genetically inherited and/or triggered by environmental causes.

Awakening to the reality of other dimensions seems to be popping up all over. Barbara Oakley is a professor of engineering and a New York Times best selling author who writes about the power of seeing the impossible.

Neale Donald Walsh is coming out with a new book in the conversations with God series, and in his article he explains what humans just don’t understand about life – illuminating reading as always. To sum it all up, James Van Praagh explains it best when he describes the power of love.

The Purpose section focuses on why we are here. As the prophet Micah asks, “what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Alice Rothchild’s book and interview illustrate better than most how complex it can be to discern justice, and how important it is to display kindness.

Humility in making judgments about the social and political challenges facing our country and the world seems to be conspicuously missing just now.

If you are one of those highly sensitive people who seems to be a sponge for all the tensions and emotions roiling around you, can take Inspiration from Judith Orloff’s article, The Empath’s Survival Guide. If you are a movie buff you won’t want to miss Brent Marchant’s insightful analysis of themes from the silver screen, and there’s even more inspiration and guidance to be had from Mark Dodich’s astrology forecast.

We hope you are enjoying the community at www.HAPIguide.com and exploring the events and services offered by the growing group of coaches, healers, and spiritual advisors. Please show your appreciation for New Consciousness Review and HAPIguide by patronizing our sponsors. And please consider becoming an ad sponsor yourself.

Thanks and blessings

5 | New Consciousness Review

Miriam Knight Editor & Publisher

HEALTH COVER FEATURE

The Evidence for Nature’s Healing Powers

By Carl Greer, PhD, PsyD

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In this excerpt from Change Your Story of Your Health: Using Shamanic and Jungian Techniques for Healing, Dr. Greer writes about the healing powers of nature and how we can integrate its benefits into the new story of our health and wellness….

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any people have intuited that nature has healing powers, but now researchers are discovering more about how our bodies and minds benefit from our interactions with nature. When it comes to scientific and medical research, some of the positive effects of nature are measured by study participants’ self-reporting.

Others are measured by lower blood pressure or lower levels of stress hormones such as cortisol.

Some studies look at brain activity changes, which

HEALTH show we have a different internal experience when we are exposed to nature. These experiences contribute to better mental and physical health in the short and long term.

A 2007 British study showed a walk in nature reduced depression in 71 percent of the participants.2 That matches up with Japanese research into the practice of shinrin-yoku, which can be translated as “forest bathing,” or immersion in a wooded environment. Studies have shown that walking in the woods lowers levels of the stress hormones cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline, boosting immunity and mood. It also reduces heart rate, lowers blood pressure, improves sleep, and increases anticancer protein levels.3 Eva M. Selhub and Alan C. Logan have pointed out in their book Your Brain on Nature that the Victorians sent those with “nervous conditions” or tuberculosis to sanitariums. These facilities were typically located in pine forests, as evergreen trees were believed to emit something into the air that promoted healing. As it turns out, these claims were not the mere invention of imaginative promoters of sanitariums. Selhub and Logan note, “Natural chemicals secreted by evergreen trees, collectively known as phytoncide, have also been associated with improvements in the activity of our frontline immune defenders.”4 The air in natural areas, especially in forests or near moving waters such as rivers, tends to have a very high concentration of negative ions, known to increase levels of the mood-boosting neurotransmitter serotonin. These types of ions also are associated with a sense of greater vitality, and they reduce depression, fatigue, and stress.5 Breathing them in is easy to do when we are outdoors in nature.

Touching soil, or perhaps just being near it and breathing it in to some degree, benefits health, too.

An increasing amount of research is showing a connection between microbes, encountered when outdoors, and a healthy gut colony of organisms that contributes to digestive health and even positive moods and protection from depression and anxiety.

Dirt puts us in contact with microorganisms that establish their home in our digestive system.

As David Perlmutter, MD, wrote in his book Brain Maker: “The microbiome is dynamic. It’s ev-

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Gardening is one outdoor activity known to have many health benefits, including reduction of physical pain and stress, improved mental wellness, increased physical fitness, increased social contact and sense of community, and greater consumption of fruits and vegetables. er-changing in response to our environment—the air we breathe, the people we touch, the drugs we take, the dirt and germs we encounter, the things we consume, and even the thoughts we have. Just as food gives our bodies information, so does our gut bacteria speak to our DNA, our biology, and ultimately, our longevity.”6 A healthy colony of microbes in our gut serves to promote our immunity as well as healthy cognitive abilities and emotional well being.

Gardening is one outdoor activity known to have many health benefits, including reduction of physical pain and stress, improved mental wellness, increased physical fitness, increased social contact and sense of community, and greater consumption of fruits and vegetables.7 In a garden, you are exposed to sunlight, needed for the production of vitamin D and serotonin. Both affect mood, reducing the risk of depression. Most of our serotonin, a neurotransmitter that contributes to a sense of contentment and happiness, is produced not in the brain, where it is used, but in our digestive system, where microorganisms from the environment live.

It makes sense that being in the sunlight, touching dirt, and getting physical activity could improve depression and anxiety. Then too, planting, weeding, and harvesting vegetables in a garden offers the health benefit of greater accessibility to foods known to promote health.

HEALTH

Why are we so sensitive to the difference between natural and unnatural environments? How could something as simple as unnatural sounds have such strong effects on our emotional wellbeing and health? The answers may lie in how the body, brain, and nervous system process experiences in man-made environments versus natural environments.

One of my clients, who had cancer, told me that gardening made her feel happy and relaxed because it made her feel connected to the earth and life itself. She also said it made her less preoccupied with her cancer.

Although being in nature, enjoying it and moving our bodies as we appreciate it, is good for the body and mind, we are increasingly spending time indoors in artificial environments. Consequently, our eyes and skin are exposed to artificial light. We know that interaction with technological devices affects our eyesight. It’s now common to have an eyeglass prescription for close reading, one for regular vision including distance vision, and yet another for reading from a computer screen or mobile device located 20 to 26 inches from our eyes (trifocals are common now, too). Children who spend more time indoors have an increased risk of nearsightedness. Researchers are still looking into how indoor lighting might be affecting us differently from how natural sunlight affects us. Fluorescent lighting, for example, may increase your chances of developing an eye disease or cataracts.8 Being indoors or in an urban setting, away from natural sounds and exposed to more mechanistic sounds created by humans, has deleterious health effects

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HEALTH as well. According to a report issued by the Harvard School of Public Health in conjunction with the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, “Excessive anthropogenic [caused by humans] noise has been associated with annoyance, disruption of sleep and cognitive processes, hearing impairment, and adverse impacts on cardiovascular and endocrine systems.”9 It seems the further away from nature we get, the more our bodies have to struggle to adjust to our unnatural lifestyles. Consider whether this struggle may be related to health problems you are experiencing.

Why are we so sensitive to the difference between natural and unnatural environments? How could something as simple as unnatural sounds have such strong effects on our emotional wellbeing and health? The answers may lie in how the body, brain, and nervous system process experiences in manmade environments versus natural environments.

One benefit of spending time in nature is that you enter a mind state similar to the one typically achieved when using shamanic practices, and the nervous system is able to switch from an alert sympathetic state (fight or flight) to a soothing, restorative parasympathetic state (rest and digest) for better health.

That switchover fosters greater immunity and triggers a process of cellular repair in the body.

Research on “green exercise”—in other words, exercise undertaken outdoors, in a natural area— shows it provides even greater health benefits than exercise indoors, presumably because of the effects of nature. Exercising near water may be especially advantageous.

In his book Blue Mind, author Wallace J. Nichols cites many neuroscience studies showing that our moods can be positively affected by time spent interacting with bodies of water. He suggests we humans evolved to be calmed by the mere sight of water before us — a patch of blue meeting the sky and above a field of green.

Perhaps we have inherited an ancestral memory of walking across a lush green landscape, rich with plants that feed us and the animals, and looking toward the horizon to be comforted by the sight of the nourishing waters of a lake or river. In such places, we may experience a sense of home as well as a connection to the land that helps us to better understand who we are and what our lives are about. Writing in Walden; or, Life in the Woods, Henry David Thoreau said, “A lake is the landscape’s most beautiful and expressive feature. It is earth’s eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.”10

INTERVIEW

Carl Greer, PhD, PsyD is a practicing clinical psychologist, Jungian analyst and shamanic practitioner. He teaches at the C.G. Jung Institute of Chicago and is on staff at the Replogle Center for Counseling and Well-Being, and is the bestselling author of Change Your Story, Change Your Life. To purchase his new book, Change the Story of Your Health, click here and for more information visit CarlGreer.com

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW

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HEALTH REVIEW & INTERVIEW

THE AUTOIMMUNE FIX: How to Stop the Hidden Autoimmune Damage that Keeps You Sick, Fat and Tired Before It Turns into Disease

by Dr. Tom O'Bryan

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Tom O’Bryan is a world expert on gluten and his ground-breaking book ‘The Autoimmune Fix’ outlines the step-by-step development of degenerative diseases and gives us the tools to identify our own dis-ease process years before the symptoms are obvious.

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nderstanding of the impact of wheat and other sensitivites on the development of individual autoimmune diseases can be critical to your health by avoiding or reversing chronic disease and metabolic disorders.

Conventional medicine has been poor at understanding the causes of the many autoimmune diseases causing chronic pain, digestive disorders, disease and debility, and ineffective in treating their symptoms. That’s why this book is such a breath of fresh air and should be required reading

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HEALTH in every medical school and by every health practitioner. It all starts with preventing inflammation, and prevention starts in the gut.

“Excess inflammation pulls on your chain, and wherever the weak link in your health chain is, that’s where tissue damage will occur.” Inflammation is not bad per se; it’s the body’s repair and protection response, but it can get out of control when the body is overwhelmed by constant stress and nutritional and environmental toxins. Dr. O’Bryan, an expert on metabolic disorders and autoimmunity, zeros in on the role of wheat sensitivity, insulin resistance and dairy intolerances in particular.

Gluten, sugar and dairy are the first three suspects to eliminate in addressing leaky gut syndrome, although you may have other sensitivities. Just how the reaction to these proteins can manifest as many different autoimmune diseases is explained in fascinating detail. It is a sad commentary on modern agricultural practices that foods that used to be the staff of life and builders of healthy teeth and bones have been rendered toxic by factory farming, and pesticide-laden agriculture.

The good news is that Dr. O’Bryan offers clear guidelines for identifying your personal potential weaknesses and vulnerabilities, how to eliminate the most likely offenders from your diet and environment, and how to rebuild your immune system and repair and rejuvenate your body. He provides detailed lists of foods to avoid, helpful supplements, and even recipes. Working with a good specialist and functional medicine would be ideal, of course, but if your medical advisors are not clued in, this book would be a great gift for both them and you.

No one has a greater stake in your health than you.

With so many temptations around in social settings, in restaurants and supermarkets, it is challenging, to say the least, to avoid them. It really is a case of personal responsibility, but the information in this book should both scare and inspire you sufficiently to make your own health your priority, and give you the tools for success.  Reviewed by Miriam Knight

INTERVIEW Dr. Tom O’Bryan is a world expert on gluten and it’s impact on your health.

He is an internationally recognized and sought after speaker and workshop leader specializing in the complications of Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity, Celiac Disease, and the development of Autoimmune Diseases as they occur inside and outside of the intestines. He is the visionary behind BETRAYAL a docu-series about Autoimmune Disease. Considered the ‘Sherlock Holmes’ for chronic disease and metabolic disorders, he is a clinician par excellence in treating chronic disease and metabolic disorders from a Functional Medicine Perspective. He holds teaching Faculty positions with the Institute for Functional Medicine and the National University of Health Sciences. He has trained and certified tens of thousands of practitioners around the world in advanced understanding of the impact of wheat sensitivity and the development of individual autoimmune diseases.

His website is www.theDr.com.

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW

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HEALTH ARTICLE

A Practice of Stillness

by Ronald Epstein, M.D.

An excerpt from “Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness and Humanity” Practicing presence, for me, is practicing becoming available (to myself and others) and practicing quieting the mind. Being available means showing up and letting patients know—through words and gestures—that there is space.

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atients can recognize presence when they don’t feel that they have to say, “I know you are busy, but . . .” or “Sorry to bother you with . . .”

Clinicians are afraid of being too available—myself included. They’re afraid that patients will call them at all hours of the day and night and invade their personal lives relentlessly. Even though I know that’s a real risk, I have to remind myself that being more available often saves time. At the end of a visit, I’ll say that usually I’d schedule a follow-up visit in a month, but that they can come back sooner; they usually say no but appreciate knowing that space is there. Sometimes I give out my home phone number to patients who are worried or are seriously ill.

Patients rarely call, and in thirty years of practice, I can count on one hand the patients who called inappropriately. Knowing that they can reach me makes them feel that I’m present. I find that they call the practice less often; they don’t feel a need to repeat and amplify their concerns.

Quieting the mind makes space within the clinician; it promotes openness. For those who are drawn to it, sitting practice offers one way to quiet the mind,

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HEALTH and the presence that is achieved while alone can translate into presence with others. Among doctors who take the time for stillness, nearly all feel that the time one makes for contemplative practices—meditation, reflection, awareness—is soon recaptured in increased clarity. The goal of presence is not necessarily efficiency, but efficiency often arises from presence.

All contemplative practices offer ways of practicing stillness. Yet these practices do not confer immunity to strong emotion; quite the opposite. Even those who’ve spent thousands of hours meditating have the same kinds of reactions to stress as anyone else. Their hearts race, they feel anxiety and dread, and they experience moral outrage.

Research shows that these immediate emotional reactions are at least as robust in experienced practitioners as in those who’ve never done any contemplative practice. So why bother? The difference is that in experienced practitioners, those stress reactions abate sooner—they don’t keep on reverberating. Rather, experienced practitioners discern more rapidly which emotions and experiences are “theirs,” and which belong to other people—in other words, they’re good at self- other differentiation. They have the skill to “decenter”—they can feel their own emotions and at the same time observe them as if they were standing outside themselves. They develop a capacity for what psychologists call mentalization—they understand their own mental states rather than being oblivious of or mystified by why they feel the way they do. They have learned to see their mental states as something they can control rather than the other way around; they know that these states are transitory and not enduring, that they ebb and flow. For example, they more readily distinguish between I am feeling angry—an emotion that they can control—and I am angry—a person whose anger is part of their identity. They learn to set aside their immediate reactions so that they can respond more mindfully. All of these skills open up space for presence. Physiologically, meditators learn to regulate the expression of certain genes that affect the number and type of receptors to the stress hormones (such as epinephrine, cortisol) that course through our systems when we’re aroused and anxious, as well as the neurotransmitters (such as serotonin, dopamine, neuropeptide Y) that play a

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All contemplative practices offer ways of practicing stillness. Yet these practices do not confer immunity to strong emotion; quite the opposite. role in regulating emotion. It’s not that you don’t have strong and sometimes distressing feelings; while feeling their immediacy, you learn how not to be consumed or paralyzed by them.

Excerpted from Attending by Ronald Epstein, M.D. Copyright © 2017 by Ronald Epstein. Published by Scribner, an Imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc. Reprinted with permission.

Author Bio: Dr. Ronald Epstein, author of Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness and Humanity is a Professor of Family Medicine, Psychiatry, and Oncology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, where he directs Mindful Practice programs, the Center for Communication and Disparities Research, and the Dean’s Teaching Fellowship program. His landmark article, “Mindful Practice,” published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1999, has revolutionized physicians’ view of their work, and his writings are required at over a third of medical schools in the US. Dr. Epstein has been named one of America’s Best Doctors every year since 1998 by US News and World Report.

For more information visit his website at http:// www.ronaldepstein.com, and connect with him on Facebook.

HEALTH REVIEW

The Art of Healthy Living

by Homayoun Sadeghi, M.D.

The Art of Healthy Living: A Mind Body Approach to Inner Balance and Natural Vitality is a nice slender paperback book so it doesn’t intimidate people, and you can just carry it in your purse, your bag, or whatever.

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he author is Dr. Homayoun Sadeghi, medical doctor, and in this book he shares gems from this doctor’s personal experience as a physician, and insights that he originally jotted down in his personal journals. He kept these journals because occasionally things would come up that just riveted his attention and reminded him of magic. Now he doesn’t use the word magic, but to me it really is magic the way that our bodies can heal, and it really does happen in a mind body approach. It’s something where our thoughts can totally affect and influence our well-being.

What I also love about his book is that it invites us to join his journey. One of the central concepts of the book is that our mind is the main perpetrator behind disease, morbidity, and mortality. Something he says in the book is, “Consciously or not, by focusing on things that cause discomfort and disease, we can actually manifest the physical characteristics that are in line with those realities.” Now that sounds a bit dark, but he quickly adds, “Naturally, the reverse can also hold true,” and that gets to the heart of why this is such a gem of a book, because it’s all about how we envision ourselves to be; how we can dream of ourselves and our futures

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HEALTH

to play a much bigger role in our own health and healing and our well being.

He focuses on dreams and how we live in a field of dreams where we don’t need to struggle but we can start learning to go with the flow. Within that flow, Dr. Sadeghi urges us to constantly dream of creating a better, more exciting future. He goes on to explain, “When you dream of a brighter future, your body will learn to stay healthy as long as it takes for you to create that future.” This sounds simple but it’s really like the key to bringing age-old secrets of healthy living back into our lives. He illustrates what those are, encouraging us to be happy, hopeful, grateful, forgiving, pure, living in the now, and to stop stressing ourselves about what the outcome of various events might be so we can start basking in the glow of embodying these qualities and feeling the experience of returning excellent health.

This might sound far out, it might sound crazy, but often people that start this process are the ones

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who don’t have anything else to lose. They get to a point where nothing else works and then they start discovering the joy of how thoughts can generate positive feelings and turn everything around. We don’t need to wait until it’s too late – I don’t think it’s ever too late – but we don’t need to wait until we’re desperate.

This is a book that’s not preachy. If you know someone who’s in poor health and they need some hope, it’s perfect. If you know someone who is just ready for something new, this is perfect. This is not a book that’s written in such a way that if you’re not open to it, it could provoke you; so in other words, it’s a book of common sense. If someone’s already fixed in how they view the world they’re not going to like it, but if they’re open minded at all, then this is a book that can bring hope to dark places and to anyone feeling that they’re at a very difficult point in their life.  Reviewed by Cynthia Sue Larson

INSPIRATION HEALTH INTERVIEW & REVIEW

The Empath’s Survival Guide Judith Orloff, MD Interviewed by Laurie Sue Brockway

The Empath’s Survival Guide is a new book that offers life strategies for sensitive people who need help staying centered and hopeful in a sometimes difficult world. It also shows us how to hone our gift of empathy to make the world a better place.

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o one knows the joys and challenges of being an empath better than Judith Orloff, MD. She was born with second sight, into a family of 25 physicians and several generations of healers. She struggled in her early life to find a way to cope with and then finally embrace her gift of intuition. Her journey led her to devote her life to helping others.

Her latest book, The Empath’s Survival Guide: Life Strategies for Sensitive People, is a guide for a wide range of empaths and all sensitive people who struggle with managing the gifts—intuition, creativity, and spiritual connection--with challenges that overwhelm them. The book also offers a much-needed acknowledgment that empaths are not imagining the things they feel and sense. As Dr. Orloff explains, “We actually feel others’ emotions, energy, and physical symptoms in our own bodies, without the usual defenses that most people have.”

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INSPIRATION HEALTH An Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA, she synthesizes the pearls of traditional medicine with cutting edge knowledge of intuition, energy, and spirituality to achieve physical and emotional healing. Her bestselling books, The Power of Surrender, Emotional Freedom, Second Sight, Positive Energy, and Guide to Intuitive Healing offer readers practical strategies to overcome frustration, stress, and worry.

● So many people have been told “you’re too emotional” or “too sensitive,” and they grow up feeling like there’s something wrong with them. Is it your experience that many of these people are empaths?

Absolutely! I wrote The Empath’s Survival Guide to legitimize the gift of sensitivity and teach sensitive people of all kinds to protect their energy so that they can thrive. As an empath I know how demoralizing it feels to be labeled as “overly sensitive” or told “Honey, you have to get a thicker skin” by parents and society, as if we were some kind of weaklings who just need to “steel up.” The opposite is true. I believe that empathy is the human trait that will help all of us to save the world. Everyone who

Empaths are sponges who absorb the emotions and physical symptoms of others. They don’t have the usual defenses that other people have to filter out noise, light, sound, intense emotions or stress. So empaths often end up taking on other people’s stress in their bodies--and they feel exhausted, anxious, depressed or sick. is an empath or who simply wants to lead a more heart-centered life in an often-insensitive world can benefit from learning skills to protect their gift of empathy.

● What are some of the common hallmarks of an empath?

Highly Sensitive People (HSPs) have all the sensory components of extreme sensitivity such as sensitivity to light, sound, touch, crowds but empaths actually absorb emotions/energy/stress /physical symptoms from other people. As a result, empaths can become exhausted or ill and not know why.

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Empaths are sponges who absorb the emotions and physical symptoms of others. They don’t have the usual defenses that other people have to filter out noise, light, sound, intense emotions or stress.

So empaths often end up taking on other people’s stress in their bodies--and they feel exhausted, anxious, depressed or sick. As a psychiatrist, I’ve worked with many empaths who come to me totally worn out and misdiagnosed by mainstream medicine as being hypochondriacs, neurotic or with some “disorder” that requires antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication. With the empaths in my private practice, I always begin with teaching them how to avoid absorbing other people’s energy so they can feel stronger and more grounded within themselves. The upside of being and empath—and there are many-- is that empaths have depth, intuition, deep compassion, deep spirituality and are passionate lovers and mates. As an empath, I

INSPIRATION HEALTH would never give up my sensitivities for the world.

They let me know the secrets of the universe because I can feel the energy of all things.

● What is the difference between an empath and a Highly Sensitive Person?

Highly Sensitive People (HSPs) have all the sensory components of extreme sensitivity such as sensitivity to light, sound, touch, crowds but empaths actually absorb emotions/energy/stress /physical symptoms from other people. As a result, empaths can become exhausted or ill and not know why.

They are emotional sponges! Empaths also have heightened intuitions. Both highly sensitive people and empaths have very action mirror neurons to increase our compassion.

● Can you share some of the gifts of being an empath?

I cherish being an empath and I’m grateful for the blessings my sensitivities bestow on me each day.

I love being intuitive, feeling the flow of energy in the world, reading people, and experiencing the richness of being so open to life and nature. We

Empaths have different requirements in a relationship for it to work. Empaths need a lot of alone time.

They sometimes need separate beds or even bedrooms. Empaths get overstimulated with “too much togetherness” and need to authentically communicate this to their partners.

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empaths have many marvelous traits. We have huge hearts and the instinct to help others in need or who are less fortunate. We’re dreamers and idealists. We’re passionate, deep, and creative, in touch with our emotions, compassionate, and can see the big picture. We can appreciate other’s feelings and become loyal friends and mates. We’re intuitive, spiritual, and can sense energy. We have a special appreciation for the natural world and feel at home there. We resonate with nature, plants, forests, and gardens. We often love water. Whether we are soaking in the womb of warm water in a bath or living by the ocean or a river, it energizes us. We may feel special intuitive bonds with our animal companions and become involved with animal rescue or animal communication.

● What is the biggest challenge for empaths in intimate relationships?

Empaths have different requirements in a relationship for it to work. Empaths need a lot of alone time. They sometimes need separate beds or even bedrooms. Empaths get overstimulated with “too much togetherness” and need to authentically communicate this to their partners. Empaths are often unconsciously attracted to “unavailable people” who don’t let them come close enough to have all their fears of intimacy arise. It’s possible to have loving, healthy relationships if empaths can define and express their special needs.

● What exactly is emotional contagion? And how does it impact the empathic person?

Research has shown that we actually “catch” other people’s emotions and empaths are more prone to doing this because of their high sensitivities and openness. Research has shown that many people pick up the emotions of those around them. For instance, one crying infant will set off a wave of crying in a hospital ward. Or one person loudly expressing anxiety in the workplace can spread it to other workers. People commonly catch other people’s feelings in groups. A recent New York Times article stated that this ability to synchronize moods with others is crucial for good relationships. What is the lesson for empaths? To choose positive people in our lives so we’re not brought down by negativity. Or, if, say a

INSPIRATION HEALTH friend is going through a hard time, take special precautions to ground and center yourself. These are important strategies you’ll learn in this book.

This doesn’t mean that we don’t keep informed. It means we get the basics and don’t allow sensitive selves to be demolished by the massive suffering.

I also recommend news and technology fasts so that empaths can regenerate themselves in nature or during quiet time.

● What is the neuroscience behind being an empath?

In the book, I discuss five intriguing research findings. Empaths may have hyperactive mirror neuron systems which heighten our compassion for loved ones and fellow humankind. Other findings include the possibility that empaths are reading the information in other people’s electromagnetic fields (such as those around the heart and brain.)

Also how we process dopamine, the pleasure hormone, is a factor. Empaths don’t require as much dopamine stimulation to be happy-- but extroverted people who aren’t empaths do. They can’t get enough of parties, and high stimulation events— whereas empaths love their alone time and quiet meditation—they need a lower amount of dopamine input to be content.

● An old cliché is that woman is more sensitive than men. Does gender play a role when it comes to being and empath?

I have a Facebook empath support community with over 6000 people and most of them are women! Women tend to be more open in expressing their emotions, and take on a lot of stress and get drained. Men are also empaths (of course!) but sensitive boys have often been shamed by their sensitivities so they shut them off as adults. I embrace sensitive men, and urge them to come out of the empath closet and shine!

● Do empaths have to be especially careful about exposing themselves to negative news coverage and social media?

Because empaths have such big hearts, they often hurt very deeply too. For all my empath patients, I suggest limiting their exposure to the news so they don’t start absorbing the suffering of the world.

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● What is empathy so important in our world today?

Empathy will help us know what it’s like to be in other people’s shoes. It will foster compassion in a divided world. It will help our families and world come together in harmony. We all desperately need to develop and practice more empathy to bring our troubled planet together. Empathy is the most important quality we need in our world today!

Click to get your copy of The Empath’s Survival Guide: Life Strategies for Sensitive People.

To learn more about the power of empathy, Dr. Orloff’s book tour schedule, and to sign up for her Empath Support Newsletter visit www.drjudithorloff.com. Join Dr. Judith for her book talks and signings on April 18th, 7:30 PM in Portland at New Renaissance Books and April 21 +22 in Seattle at East West Books for a Friday evening talk 7:30 PM and Saturday workshop.

INSPIRATION HEALTH REVIEW

B

 Reviewed by Caroline Myss eing an empath is the new normal. “The Empath’s Survival Guide” is a perfect guide book. Now people will know how to cope with being highly sensitive and empathic in their everyday lives without developing exhaustion, compassion fatigue or burning out. As Judith says, “Conventional medicine often pathologizes sensitivity but now you will see it as the gift that it truly is.” This book is fabulous and so timely. Everyone needs this book!

The Empath’s Survival Guide

Empaths are sponges who absorb other people’s emotions and symptoms. Dr. Orloff offers a wealth of practical strategies to stop absorbing other people’s stress while keeping your sensitivities open and alive. She addresses the special needs of empaths—such as getting adequate alone time, setting clear limits with people, and grounding--in areas such as health, work, parenting & raising empathic children, combating narcissists and other energy vampires, as well as in love and all relationships. Also empaths can develop heightened intuition which they must learn to cope with in a grounded way.

Dr. Orloff discusses plant empaths, earth empaths, relationships empaths, telepathic and precognitive empaths, food empaths + more! The secret to a happy life for everyone who wants to nurture their empathic abilities in an often overwhelming world is to practice the self-protection strategies in this book. Judith’s book validates the truth that empaths experience the world around them primarily through their energetic or intuitive senses. Such knowledge is vital to understanding and caring for your own awakening sensitivities.

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HEALTH

by Judith Orloff MD

INSPIRATION HEALTH ARTICLE & INTERVIEW

Exercise Is Harming Your Health (here’s how to quit)

By Ziad Masri

Y

ou’re thinking one of two things right now: 1. There must be a typo. How could exercise be harming my health?!

It’s one of the most important things for my health!

2. Whoever is saying this is my favorite stranger on earth. I always had a sneaky suspicion that something as hard and boring as exercise couldn’t be good for me. Now please tell me this is for real so I can stop feeling guilty about not exercising as much as I should.

Well, it’s not a typo.

I’m simply someone who sees things from a different perspective, and I want to share this uncommon way of seeing with you. If it helps you transform your life for the better, I’m happy.

So let’s break it down.

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INSPIRATION HEALTH The Hidden Reason Why Exercising Can Be Harmful To Your Health We’ve become a society who sees things in parts.

We focus on separate aspects and ignore the whole.

You are the mind behind your thoughts. You are the energy behind your emotions. You are the spirit behind life itself.

You are a multi-dimensional being.

And you are beautiful.

Modern medicine, for instance, often isolates health issues to a specific part of the body. It not only isolates parts of the body from the whole physical system, but also from the mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of ourselves.

But sometimes you forget that. We all do. And then you try to fix yourself, or escape from yourself.

But you intuitively know that these other aspects are just as important as the physical. You know that when you’re mentally overwhelmed, this can often manifest as a headache, or shoulder and neck pain. You know that when you’re emotionally distressed, this can often manifest as illness. You know that when you’re spiritually disconnected, this can often manifest as a lack of physical energy.

Of course I’m not saying that exercise is harmful to your physical health. Obviously it’s not, and it should now be clear to you that this isn’t what I was getting at. But what is your definition of health? Is it only physical? Or does it include the multi-dimensional aspects of you?

And what’s the most convenient way to do that?

Exercise.

And it’s this intuitive knowledge that reveals the hidden reason why exercise can strangely be harmful to your health.

I’m also not saying that exercise is, in and of itself, harmful to these other aspects of you either. But it’s how you use it that can be harmful to you, on a holistic level.

You see, health is not just about your body. It’s about all of YOU. And you are not just your body.

You are so much more than that.

To understand this, let’s look at two ways you can use something as seemingly beneficial as exercise to undermine your holistic health.

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INSPIRATION HEALTH gy wants to be heard. It wants to be acknowledged and felt- not judged, ignored, or escaped from.

Exercise can become a subtle addiction when you use it as an escape from your emotions. You might be telling yourself that exercising helps you gain mental clarity - which I concede, it can - but mental clarity does not necessarily equal healthy emotional processing.

1. You Exercise To Escape Yourself.

Feeling bad? Go for a run. Angry? Take it out at the gym. Frustrated? Get on that bike and pedal like crazy.

We’ve convinced ourselves that this is a healthy way to deal with our emotions. We’ve convinced ourselves that drinking our problems away is bad, but exercising them away is good. And while of course I’m not saying that exercise isn’t a much better alternative than drinking, what I am proposing to you is that they can both act as means for addictions. Sure, escaping with alcohol is much worse for your physical health, but remember that there’s much more to your health than the physical aspect.

Exercise can become a subtle addiction when you use it as an escape from your emotions. You might be telling yourself that exercising helps you gain mental clarity - which I concede, it can - but mental clarity does not necessarily equal healthy emotional processing.

Our emotions are there to be felt. We may judge some to be good and some to be bad (that’s how our parents and society raised us to think) but in reality they’re just energy in motion. And that ener-

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Acknowledging and accepting the energy of powerful emotions such as anger, sadness, lust, and guilt, allows them to be felt in the moment and processed in a healthy way. And this is very healthy for your emotional self.

You might think that you are processing your emotions by hitting a punching bag at the gym when you’re angry, or running on the treadmill like crazy, but this outward expression (or venting) is only relieving the symptoms. Yes, you feel better when you release the energy in this way. But what about the cause?

You see, the truly healthy way to process emotions is to work on the causal level. If you don’t do that, the same emotions are going to keep coming up over and over and you’ll be continually trapped relieving the symptoms by letting it out at the gym.

But is this what you want? Don’t you want to be happy and peaceful in your life?

Well, happiness and peace come from processing the emotions on the causal level. And to do that you don’t need to analyze what happened to make you feel upset. What happened is just a mental story. To do it you need to sit with the emotion with awareness and let it express itself internally without your judgment or resistance.

Acknowledging and accepting the energy of powerful emotions such as anger, sadness, lust, and guilt, allows them to be felt in the moment and processed in a healthy way. And this is very healthy for your emotional self.

INSPIRATION HEALTH Doing that is miraculous.

The emotion releases by itself when you’re not resisting it and trying to get rid of it. But more importantly, it gets released at the causal level, healing an inner wound that you’ve held long inside of you.

You see, psychologists have now understood that all of our emotions are simply triggers from early childhood emotional trauma. Even if we had a great childhood, we have a lot of repressed emotions. These emotions are literally lodged within us on a cellular level. When something happens in your life that upsets you, the upset has nothing to do with what’s happening now. The event is merely a trigger for the emotion that’s still trapped within your body since early childhood. And guess what?

As long as the emotions remain trapped, you will keep getting triggered. Over and over and over…

For instance, a friend or coworker criticizes you and you suddenly feel a surge of anger. While it seems that the anger is coming from them- that they caused it- the reality is that their criticism taps into your childhood pain of being criticized and yelled at for doing something wrong. As a child, such experiences were traumatic because you internalized the criticism and made it a part of your identity. In your mind, it wasn’t what you did that was bad, it was you that was bad. That’s what you registered emotionally and that’s the feeling that’s being triggered when you get criticized now.

Even if we had a great childhood, we have a lot of repressed emotions.

These emotions are literally lodged within us on a cellular level.

Exercising vigorously does not release these trapped emotions on the cellular level. You might go hit a punching bag or go for a run and release the surface level anger and feel good momentarily. But the unconscious emotional pain from your childhood is still there, waiting to be triggered and throw you off balance again.

The healthy solution is to feel your emotions with awareness. How? Follow this simple 4-step process:

 Instead

of resisting and stuffing down the arising emotions (inwardly suppressing it) or shouting or working it off (outwardly expressing it), sit (or stand) quietly with the intention of being with your emotion.

 Pay attention to the felt-sensation of the emo-

tion in your body. Forget what your mind is saying and how it’s telling you that it’s all the other person’s fault. Those are just stories that intensify the emotion and keep you trapped.

Just feel the sensations without labeling them.

Don’t even label it as anger, or sadness, or guilt.

Exercising vigorously does not release these trapped emotions on the cellular level. You might go hit a punching bag or go for a run and release the surface level anger and feel good momentarily.

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 Gently talk to your emotion. Tell it that you see

it. You acknowledge it. And it has every right to be there. It’s just energy. But it has its own existence. And you honor it and invite it to be there and do what it wants to do.

 Watch all this from the perspective of the ob-

server. There is a YOU that is watching the emotion, that is much greater and more expansive than it. We tend to say “I am angry” and feel that this is our whole being. But it’s not. Watching the emotion without labeling it, trying to

INSPIRATION HEALTH control it, or trying to get rid of it, puts you in contact with the truth of who you are behind the emotion.

And that’s it!

That’s all you do. Most of us mistakenly think there is something we need to actively do to heal ourselves, but that’s not true. All you need to do is to be that Presence and Awareness and let everything arise and unfold non-judgmentally in that. Each time you do that, you heal at the causal, cellular level.

Of course we all have lots of repressed emotions from early childhood, so this isn’t a one-time process. But every time you do it you’re healing on a fundamental level, and each step brings you closer to true peace and happiness.

After you do that, you can exercise!

What you need to quit is not exercise itself, but the addiction to using it as an emotional escape, which destroys your health from a holistic perspective.

2. You Exercise Your Tyrant Muscle.

The other way that exercise is often used in a harmful way is that since many of us find exercise hard and boring, we end up forcing ourselves to do it.

We will ourselves. We motivate ourselves. We yell at ourselves.

But have you ever asked what that is doing to your spiritual aspect of self?

Be kind to yourself. What good is it to have a healthy and fit body if you’re not learning the only lesson you’re here on earth to learn? What good is it to feel good physically but feel disconnected spiritually?

The reason most people feel uninspired and spiritually disconnected is that they don’t have a healthy relationship with themselves. They beat themselves up. They’re the tyrant that keeps them enslaved.

What’s the solution?

Kindness.

It’s the only true religion or spirituality.

Be kind to yourself. What good is it to have a healthy and fit body if you’re not learning the only lesson you’re here on earth to learn? What good is it to feel good physically but feel disconnected spiritually?

To help you be kind to yourself I have a little trick for you: speak to yourself as you would to a young innocent child. Would you yell at them to exercise? Would you give them a motivational speech?

Would you guilt them for not doing it?

Of course not.

All you need to do is to be that Presence and Awareness and let everything arise and unfold non-judgmentally in that.

Each time you do that, you heal at the causal, cellular level.

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You would encourage them gently. You would remind them why it’s good for their bodies and lovingly suggest that they do it. And if they resisted, you wouldn’t overpower them with an iron will.

You would find a way that they could get the benefit while doing something they enjoy.

Who said you have to go to the gym to exercise if you hate doing so? Find a sport you like and do that. Turn a fun activity into something more physically active. The more kind you are with yourself,

INSPIRATION HEALTH the more your creativity will flourish and provide you with many enjoyable ways to get the physical exercise you need while actually enjoying it.

How to Be Truly Healthy Remember, true health is not just physical health.

You are so much more than your physical body.

See yourself in that way every day.

Don’t use exercise in a way that makes you physically healthy but destroys you on an emotional and spiritual level. That’s the thing to quit! So quit it, and start maintaining a holistic view of your health and your life.

You’ll be feeling more connected to yourself than ever. And that gives birth to inspiration.

Can you imagine what it’s like to live an inspired life? A life where you feel a sense of freedom from your emotions and the tyrant inside your head. A life where you know that you’re truly progressing in a meaningful way each day, from the inside out.

A life where you go to sleep each day knowing the day was well lived.

You can have that life.

Exercise is only the outer level. The real relationship to change is not with it, but with yourself.

And your life will never be the same again.

Once you start doing this, transformation will begin happening so rapidly that you’ll be shocked.

INTERVIEW Ziad Masri is an author and entrepreneur who has taken the road less traveled. Driven early in life by the seemingly conflicting desires of worldly success and deep spiritual fulfillment, he set out on a 15-year journey of self-discovery.

During this period he achieved business success while continually exploring ancient spirituality, non-mainstream science, and mystical practices to find the deeper meaning of life and the universe. Emerging with a profound understanding of the hidden truths of reality, he is now on a mission to help people transform their lives—and the world—by guiding them to rise above their limited sense of self to live a deeply meaningful and awakened life. You can get his new book, Reality Unveiled: The Hidden Keys of Existence that Will Transform Your Life (and the World) on Amazon.

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW

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INSPIRATION HEALTH REVIEW

One Story, One Song

By Richard Wagamese We are all story, and all part of a larger story, says Richard Wagamese in this book of reflections, and it’s our responsibility “to live out the best possible story of our time on this earth.”

D

rawing on his skills as a storyteller, with prose at times poetic, Wagamese shares his thoughts on the human story under the themes of humility, trust, introspection and wisdom.

In “The Puzzle,” he writes a beautiful parable for daily life. As a way to occupy his son, a father tears into pieces a magazine photo of outer space and tells the boy to put the puzzle back together. The son completes the task quickly. How so? The boy explains that it was simple; on the other side was a picture of a man. “So I put the man together first, and the world came together just fine.”

Wagamese uses story as a vehicle to transmit wisdom. Writing of an elderly school teacher and the bullies in his class, he shows what it is to be honorable. A bear foraging on berries reminds him the world needs our protection. As a boy, teaching himself baseball after enduring embarrassment and shame heals his spirit. Lovers of Native teachings and literary writing will enjoy Wagamese’s heartfelt and inspiring meditations on the power of stories, how they strengthen us, and how they shape our lives.

Journalist and poet Richard Wagamese is Ojibway from the Wabaseemoong First Nation in Ontario.

(Douglas & McIntyre, 2016)

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 Reviewed by Diane Holcomb, East West Bookshop

INSPIRATION HEALTH ARTICLE

You and the Unloved Ones

by Georgina Cannon

Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness ~ James Thurber

W

I

We all have ’em. Friends that we love deeply who have friends we can’t stand. Extended family members who are disruptive, emotionally diminishing, or just plain pains in the butt!

If we had the choice, these people wouldn’t be a part of our lives but because they are, through loving connections with others, we have to find a way of making the relationship with them work.

n general, we usually like people who are like us: same values, same patterns, same way of seeing the world. So if we can find a way to make ourselves in some way—however small—like or appreciate the person who drives us crazy, there’s a possibility that we can make our life easier.

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INSPIRATION HEALTH a h-u-u-u-ge difference in your life, especially in your relationships with the unloved ones.

In neurolinguistic programming (NLP) jargon, it’s called “rapport” subconscious rapport. All the other person knows is that they feel more comfortable with you. You might want to read some NLP books or take some classes to find out more. I promise you, it will make a h-u-u-u-ge difference in your life, especially in your relationships with the unloved ones.

“You are kidding, right? Make myself like that idiot who drives me nuts. Why would I want to do that?”

Relax… I said, make ourselves, in some way— some way, which includes subconscious body movements, speech patterns, even breath rhythm.

Because science has shown that human beings all have a need to be accepted and appreciated. We subconsciously check for similarities or differences in others. We need to find—or make — a “sameness”: the existence of common ground, of common humanity. If we can make ourselves similar by something as simple as breathing in the same sequence, or talking at the same pace, or sitting in the same position, we create a deep subconscious feeling of acceptance. And the other person doesn’t even know it’s happening. In neurolinguistic programming (NLP) jargon, it’s called “rapport” subconscious rapport. All the other person knows is that they feel more comfortable with you. You might want to read some NLP books or take some classes to find out more. I promise you, it will make

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The next level of change in moving toward co-habitation on this planet with the unloved ones is listening. Really listening. Listen to the other with a view to understanding, not disagreement or agreement.

This is not the time to prove you are right and they are wrong. You are listening and learning their view of their world so that you can better understand their personal needs, hopes, dreams, and wishes.

Whether or not they share the same political views or social understandings as you do, it’s more important to realize where you are similar—love of family, animals, the outdoors … whatever. Make it your goal to find the sameness, not the differences. It changes the energy between you. Everyone wants to be accepted and respected for who they are. It’s your job, as the person who wants to live in harmony, to find that place in them that can be respected and accepted in your mind and heart. Be generous with yourself, without losing your core.

Life gets easier that way. And most importantly, you retain your power – your strength. You don’t lose it to anger or irritation. You are in charge!

Excerpt from The Third Circle Protocol: How to Relate to Yourself and Others in a Healthy Vibrant, Evolving Way Always and All-Ways, Findhorn Press (December 13, 2016) Reprinted with permission

Georgina Cannon is an award-winning author, board-certified, master consulting hypnotist, trainer and founder of the Ontario Hypnosis Centre. For more about Georgina Cannon go http://www.GeorginaCannon.com

CONSCIOUS CINEMA

Managing Our Personal Power

By Brent Marchant

Power. The word itself inspires a range of impressions, from intimidation to awe to a tool we can use to manifest a range of envisioned outcomes and conceptions. But what is it really?

A

ccording to the principles of conscious creation (also known as the law of attraction) – the philosophy that maintains we materialize the reality we experience through our thoughts, beliefs and intents – power is the unseen driving force inherent in those underlying metaphysical catalysts. And, given that thoughts, beliefs and intents spring forth from each of us, that means we each have access to the power that accompanies them.

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CONSCIOUS CINEMA Such a capacity places considerable might in our hands. Indeed, as author and conscious creation advocate Jane Roberts wrote in one of her seminal works, The Nature of Personal Reality, there’s enough power in our thoughts, beliefs and intents to send a rocket to the moon (something which we as a species accomplished literally in 1969!). So, given the stakes involved here, power thus becomes something that we need to examine carefully – and to manage and employ even more judiciously.

When we look at the myriad ways we can put power to use through our thoughts, beliefs and intents – either individually or collectively – it’s easy to see how it can be harnessed for an array of results, for better or worse. For some of us, this may be a piece of cake, but, for others, it can be tricky business indeed. For those of us who are less comfortable with that idea, tapping into sources of inspiration can prove quite beneficial in helping us get a handle on it, and, as with many conscious creation concepts, movies often provide us with great examples to draw from.

The first step in this process is recognizing that we, in fact, possess such power. And, to make the most of it, we must intentionally claim it for ourselves, especially if we feel as though we lack it, lost it or never possessed it in the first place. Such is the challenge profiled in “Moonlight” (2016), the saga of a young African-American man coming to terms with his emerging homosexuality in a community often ambivalent, if not downright hostile, toward his alternative lifestyle. Told in three chapters from the protagonist’s formative years (portrayed superbly and seamlessly by Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders and Trevante Rhodes), the film chronicles the odyssey of a soul-searching youth looking for his sense of personal empowerment and how to lead a life that he comes to believe is rightfully his.

Similar themes run through the more whimsical narrative of director Tim Burton’s inventive and award-winning adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s timeless fantasy, “Alice in Wonderland” (2010).

In this version of the childhood classic, the hand of a now-20-year-old Alice (Mia Wasikowska) is promised to a suitor (Leo Bill) in whom she has no interest, a pending fate that threatens the future she envisions for herself. To extricate herself from these circumstances, Alice embarks on a surrealistic journey to learn how to reclaim her “muchness” – her own sense of personal power – to take her life (and existence) back. Her adventures provide an inspiring tale for audiences of all ages, meaningful viewing for kids in their formative years, as well as adults who believe they’ve lost control over the course of their lives.

Claiming – and subsequently managing – our power are themes that run through a variety of films, especially those in the superhero genre. Two fine examples come from the X-Men franchise, “X-Men: Days of Future Past” (2014), which deals with embracing our power, and “X-Men: Apocalypse” (2016), which examines how to manage it. In a similar vein, the action-adventure saga “Watchmen” (2009) plumbs these concepts as well, offering audiences an array of surprisingly profound insights for a film of this stripe. While the story lines of these three pictures are far too involved to detail here, they all effectively explore the nuances of these notions, accompanied by tremendous special effects, fun humor and well-developed narratives.

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CONSCIOUS CINEMA perils of conceding our power in an unrepentantly self-serving world.

The dangers of abrogating our power is also apparent in the gripping, Oscar-nominated foreign language film, “Timbuktu” (2014). When the fabled Malian city is overrun by political and religious extremists, life changes drastically for the locals when they’re coerced into adopting new lifestyles and practices, many of which run counter to their own long-established traditions. The picture examines their responses, the majority of which involve acts of capitulation or quiet defiance, measures that portray the range of power management options available to each of us.

(Sensitive viewers should be advised, however, that “Watchmen” is probably not for them, given its often graphic, frequently violent nature. Some might take issue with the value in this, but, considering the movie’s message concerning personal power management and the responsibility associated therewith, this approach is appropriate in the context. Still, if this troubles you, steer clear!)

As valuable as claiming our power is, the opposite is true when we give it away, as is evidenced in the haunting drama, “Never Let Me Go” (2010). Revealing too much about the film’s story would constitute a spoiler, but suffice it to say that it follows the lives of three orphans from the time they’re children (Isobel Meikle-Small, Charlie Rowe, Ella Purnell) to adulthood (Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, Keira Knightley) while growing up in a special school overseen by a steely head mistress (Charlotte Rampling). With elements of a science fiction thriller and a bittersweet romance, this profoundly sad cautionary tale tragically reveals the

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As “Timbuktu” also reveals, it’s quite possible to abuse our power, with wide-ranging impacts. This is a conscious creation theme common to many cinematic releases, such as “The Social Network” (2010), an often-scathing docudrama chronicling the rise of Facebook through the sometimes-ques-

CONSCIOUS CINEMA ten best depicted in cinematic character studies, such as “The Iron Lady” (2011), an inventive look at the life of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (Meryl Streep). Rather than offering viewers a rote biography of the United Kingdom’s first woman to lead Parliament, the picture presents a psychological examination of Thatcher’s life and career, showing how the power she wielded reflected her own mindset and led to the reality she subsequently created.

Comparable metaphysical themes run through the wartime drama “The Hurt Locker” (2008), in which the leader of an elite military team charged with defusing improvised explosive devices (Jeremy Renner) takes increasingly daring chances in his mission, ostensibly addicted to the danger, despite the risks to himself and his crew’s other members (Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty). Wielding one’s power in this way, needless to say, carries the potential for serious consequences. But, no matter what the reason behind such a manifestation, it will invariably present its creator with a faithful rendition of the thoughts, beliefs and intents driving it. tionable maneuverings of its founder, Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg). Similar notions are explored in the stylish independent comedy-drama “Creative Control” (2015), the misadventures of an overworked New York advertising executive (Benjamin Dickinson) assigned to devise a campaign for a new brand of virtually reality eyewear who lets the product get the better of him – and his judgment – when testing it to determine its capabilities. However, the abuse of power, ironically enough, may also serve as a source of inspiration, as evidenced in the tense music school drama, “Whiplash” (2014), in which a maniacal jazz instructor (J.K. Simmons) hell-bent on mentoring a prodigy for his own glory obsessively bullies one of his students (Miles Teller) into living up to his full potential, a story that’s a dual-edged sword to be sure.

Regardless of how we employ our power, it will surely fuel results that are a direct reflection of who we are and what we want to create, regardless of the nature of the manifestation. This is of-

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When we understand what our power can do for us, we can create the reality we want – if we allow it, something that might be easier said than done.

That’s especially true if our beliefs are conflicted, circumstances that may cause us to scatter our power in various directions. Such is the case in the unusual comedy-drama, “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” (2014), the story of a former movie action hero (Michael Keaton) seeking to establish himself as a “legitimate” artist through his staging of a “serious,” upscale Broadway production. But is this new venture who he really is?

Or would he be better off channeling his power into something more suited to his abilities, like returning to the role that made him a star? That’s the conundrum the middle-aged actor must decide for himself – and where he’ll ultimately place his power.

One of the most valuable ways we can make use of our belief power is to employ it in effecting change in our lives. An excellent example of this can be found in the heartwarming, inspirational tale “Wadjda” (2012), the story of a young Saudi girl (Waad Mohammed) seeking to raise money to

CONSCIOUS CINEMA defied the odds (and prognosticators) by coming together to peacefully oust the despot, powerfully ushering in a new era of liberty for the country. Likewise, the engaging documentary “Fambul Tok” (2011) explores how opposing forces in the African nation of Sierra Leone used their collective power to come together to resolve their differences and heal old wounds in the wake of a bloody civil war, many of which stemmed from the conflict’s utterly horrendous atrocities. Along comparable lines on the domestic front, there’s “Selma” (2014), the film depiction of the campaign led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) to secure equal voting rights in Alabama, a jurisdiction that systematically sought to disenfranchise minorities – and unduly sway election outcomes – an initiative that helped change the course of the nation.

As important as it is to use our collective power to effect political change, it’s just as beneficial to employ this strategy for manifesting things of a more personal nature. In the moving biopic “Dallas Buyers Club” (2013), hard-partying rodeo cowboy and AIDS sufferer Ron Woodroof (Matthew McConaughey) is frustrated by the unavailability of alterbuy herself a new bicycle, a simple but decidedly defiant act in a nation where such tomboyish ways are frowned upon by the powers that be.

Confronting those who attempt to use their power to usurp our own can be one of the best uses of this resource, an example of which is presented in the intense domestic comedy-drama “August: Osage County” (2013), in which a long-bullied daughter (Julia Roberts) takes on her long-bullying mother (Meryl Streep), a clash of wills years in the making – and long overdue for resolution. That kind of defiance is also found in “The Lobster” (2016), the quirky, satirical comedy-drama about a middle-aged architect (Colin Farrell) using his personal power to combat a dystopian society’s dictates concerning compulsory coupling – and the draconian consequences for failure to comply.

Using our power collectively to bring about change can be particularly rewarding, benefitting ourselves and others. For example, the Chilean historical drama “No” (2012) illustrates how a nation under the thumb of oppressive dictator Augusto Pinochet

36 | New Consciousness Review

CONSCIOUS CINEMA native (but apparently effective) drug treatments during the early days of the epidemic. In response, the inventive entrepreneur creates an innovative purchasing network to import these life-extending substances from Mexico and make them available to fellow victims of the disease. It’s an operation that gradually takes on a life of its own, eventually spreading far and wide and providing much-needed hope to countless patients.

It’s especially touching when collectively fueled undertakings spread joy and happiness to those most in need (and deserving) of it. Such altruistic, compassionate and playful efforts are the stuff of “Batkid Begins” (2015), a heartwarming documentary detailing the plan to bring a little fun into the life of a five-year-old cancer patient, Miles Scott. When Miles’s parents contacted the Make-AWish Foundation to materialize his dream – that of becoming Batman for a day – the organization got to work to make it happen. But what the foundation didn’t expect was the overwhelming response to its request for public assistance, an effort that drew interest from across the nation and around the globe. The result was a mass event to remember, one stoked by the collective power and unconditional warmth of the public, all to spread a little joy to a little boy. Nice.

As these examples show, our personal power can be tapped to accomplish great things when properly tempered and astutely focused. These films

It’s especially touching when collectively fueled undertakings spread joy and happiness to those most in need (and deserving) of it. Such altruistic, compassionate and playful efforts are the stuff of “Batkid Begins” (2015), a heartwarming documentary detailing the plan to bring a little fun into the life of a five-year-old cancer patient, Miles Scott. present numerous sources of inspiration we can draw upon in learning how to use it – and how not to use it – to get worthwhile results. So, to that end, let’s claim our power, channel it suitably and get busy!

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

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.

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CONSCIOUS CINEMA REVIEW

The Wisdom Tree Movie Written & Directed by Sunil Shah

I

s the reality before our eyes everything there is? Many of us have come to believe that, almost with an unshakable certainty. But is that view correct? If so, then what are we to make of anomalies involving phenomena we’d be quick to label extraordinary, inexplicable or even paranormal? Those are among the mysteries deftly examined in the inventive, engaging metaphysical drama, “The Wisdom Tree.”

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Skillfully bringing together multiple story lines, the film opens with what seems like a straightforward accident investigation that quickly escalates into an exploration of life’s deeper issues, probing matters as fundamental as the very nature of existence.

This is brought about through the seemingly unrelated but uncannily (and appropriately) entangled relationships of a neuroscientist (Sheetal Sheth), a quantum physicist (Patrick Alparone) and an FBI agent (Eric Holter). Through their remarkable,

CONSCIOUS CINEMA synchronistic interactions, these unlikely seekers dive deeply into questions related to the building blocks of reality and the state of human evolution, all with staggering and revelatory ramifications.

Unlike many other films that attempt to tackle subject matter such as this, “The Wisdom Tree” succeeds beautifully at weaving its philosophical concepts into the main narrative without being obvious, awkward or intrusive. In doing so, the picture skillfully gets its points across without interrupting the flow of the story or becoming bogged down in jargon or vague platitudes. It also adeptly illustrates the many parallels between scientific and spiritual disciplines, fields of study that are essentially two sides of the same coin and not the antagonistic opposites they’ve long been thought to be.

For those seeking answers of their own, this film – though a work of fiction – may nevertheless shed valuable light on finding one’s own way. Existence may prove to be far different – and far more incredible – than any of us may have imagined. And “The Wisdom Tree” shows us how, entertaining and enlightening us along the way.  Reviewed by Brent Marchant

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Unlike many other films that attempt to tackle subject matter such as this, “The Wisdom Tree” succeeds beautifully at weaving its philosophical concepts into the main narrative without being obvious, awkward or intrusive. In doing so, the picture skillfully gets its points across without interrupting the flow of the story or becoming bogged down in jargon or vague platitudes.

Copyright © 2017, by Brent Marchant.

All rights reserved.

AWAKENING HEALTH INTERVIEW

The Power of Love: Connecting to the Oneness James van Praagh Interviewed by Miriam Knight

Miriam: I thought your book was really a distillation of everything that you have worked for throughout your life. It just seems to pull it together in the most beautiful way.

James: Thank you, that is exactly how I feel and you got it – 35 years of my work is in this book.

Miriam: You’re considered an evidential medium.

What does that mean?

James: An evidential medium is a person who is able to communicate with other levels of awareness, with souls that have passed out of the physical dimension into the spiritual dimension. A medium goes halfway – that’s what a medium means, in the middle – so I meet this spirit and they come and press upon my mind; so it’s a mind-to-mind communication, telepathic you could say. They’re sending forth impressions of memories, of experience about their life with the person I’m giving a reading for, the events that they had together, details about their lives that only the person I’m doing the reading for and the person from the spirit world would know. So, it’s bringing through evidential details: names, places, events, memories, experiences that they would know.

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AWAKENING HEALTH

Miriam: This is not just a party trick, because it really helps people get over the pain of losing a loved one, or unfinished business that they’ve had with people who have crossed over.

James: That’s right, exactly.

Miriam: One of the real core points that I took away from your book, was the difference or the opposition between fear and love. Can you expand on that?

James: Sure. It goes back to my belief that we are souls having a human experience, not the other way around. I think that as souls our natural vibration or frequency is love, the energy of love. I think that’s what we’re made from. I think fear is very much a human concept evolved of the ego - “Fear: false ego appearing real.” I think that life is a series of choices we made based upon two things, either love or fear.

A lot of people choose fear, whether they’re conscious of it or not, because they’re raised to want to please somebody, whether it’s our parents or society. We choose to behave a certain way, go into jobs, careers, relationships, based upon what other people think of us, or approve. So, we’re not living our true self, but if we do what we love to do, have a passion for, we’ll be very fulfilled because we’re coming from our natural vibration of love.

Life is a series of choices. And, choices are based upon either love or fear.

Miriam: And, of course, the ultimate fear is the fear of death. And what you do as an evidential medi-

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um is really convince people that there is no death, or death is an illusion.

James: That’s exactly right. We know that there’s oxygen all around us, but we don’t see it. But, we use it to sustain our lives. We know that there are radio waves, all different types of frequencies and waves all around us. Here we are speaking on a radio, and people can hear from all over the world, but we don’t see our actual voices visibly in the airwaves, yet we know they exist. Same thing with the spiritual dimensions, and same thing with us.

A lot of people choose fear, whether they’re conscious of it or not, because they’re raised to want to please somebody, whether it’s our parents or society. We choose to behave a certain way, go into jobs, careers, relationships, based upon what other people think of us, or approve.

AWAKENING HEALTH God out. If there is too much ego, then you can’t see yourself for who you truly are; you’re just trying to feed into this illusion.

This is the illusionary world, the Earth. And, the spirit world is our soul’s home. That’s where we belong. We know that there is no pain with death because we’ve had a lot of people with near-death experiences and come back and talk about those experiences.

I always say, as a soul, 20% of who we are is in the body; probably 80% is out of the body. So, there are many more levels of consciousness and awareness. You are not the body; this is a temporary space that you’re in for as long as the soul needs to learn its lessons. And, then you go home.

This is the illusionary world, the Earth. And, the spirit world is our soul’s home. That’s where we belong. We know that there is no pain with death because we’ve had a lot of people with near-death experiences and come back and talk about those experiences. Myself included. And, that is a natural state. When we leave the body, it’s our graduation.

It’s our time to go home. And, I’ve never met in 35 years of doing this work, one person come back and say: “Oh, I really miss that physical body. I really miss the pain, the density, the fears. I really miss it.” I’ve never had that. It’s been quite the opposite.

Miriam: And yet we were created with egos, so the ego has a purpose. What, in your view, is this purpose?

James: Well, the ego is necessary in order to have the human experience; we have to have our senses to believe in the self and who we are on a physical level. The ego helps us to make things happen, but we have to be very careful that there is proper balance, because I also say ego can be E-G-O, edging

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Miriam: Doesn’t it also play a role in expanding the universe. I always think of the veil of forgetfulness when we take on a body here as being the Creator’s way of giving us free reign to create our lives in any way that we can conceive of.

James: Exactly right. I totally agree with you. We do go through a valley of forgetfulness. I believe in reincarnation. I believe that we’ve been through many different schools and the earth is one of many, many, many different schools. Again, I go back to the soul, the experience of those that come back. They say the earth world is like one grain of sand on the beach. That’s how many planets and star systems that there are. So, I think the ego in some way keeps us grounded for living in this reality, and testing out different aspects of it. I think the more in tune people get with themselves, with their own souls, whether it’s through a path of prayer, religion or meditation, I think they’re getting more to their soul self, which, I believe, has lived many, many lifetimes. The more one is willing to go within and listen to that wisdom, they’ll always be correct, but sometimes the ego, that human part, will get in the way and hold them back from their truth.

We do go through a valley of forgetfulness. I believe in reincarnation. I believe that we’ve been through many different schools and the earth is one of many, many, many different schools.

Again, I go back to the soul, the experience of those that come back.

AWAKENING HEALTH Miriam: James you talk in your book about letting our soul’s expression blossom. How do we find out what our soul really wants to be?

James: I think we have to have a relationship with our soul, our soul self. Once, you do that you find out the characteristics of your soul and one of those should be a passion. What do you have passion for?

What do you love to do? Let your soul express itself whether it’s through painting or storytelling or design work or writing, accounting, whatever it might be. Don’t hide your light, that’s certainly what it’s about.

I also think that it goes back maybe lifetimes, and that we create these passions or they get stronger and they expand more and more, and that we prepare for these lifetimes with these passions. So I think that which ignites you, which you feel love for, that’s what I think the soul’s passion is.

Miriam: Passion and love are often used interchangeably, but love in your book has such a profound and all encompassing meaning. How do you define it?

James: Well, this is really interesting. I once took a tour to Sedona, Arizona, many, many years ago to see UFOs. We went up to Boynton Canyon at 10:00 at night and of course, I said, “Let’s look up and see UFOs.” Well, it didn’t quite work that way and I’m thinking to myself, “People are paying money to see this. We have to have some kind of experience.” And I heard a voice say to me very clearly, “You need to meditate, you need to raise your vibration.” So, I told my group and we did a meditation. At the end of the meditation we began to see different lights in the sky, different colors in different spaces all around us and far away. The gentleman who was helping lead the group with me said, “They’re here.” And, I said, “Yes, I can sense that, I can see that.” He said, “Can you get some communication with them?” I said, “Well, let me try.”

So I walked out to this field and I really opened up all my energy centers. I opened up the mind and I sensed that there were these beings that were kind of lowering their vibrations, slowing themselves down. It reminded me of putting like a 767 into the head of a needle, they were really going down to this human level. They came to me in a thought,

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So what I’m talking in the book is that there’s this energy around us we can use to create the life we want. It’s a different type of love, of course, than emotional love – it’s an energy, it’s a force. Love is the greatest healing force in the world. It is a force that brings everything together. which said, “We are from the Pleiades. We don’t understand one thing. You human beings have the energy of love all around you, yet you don’t use it.

Why is that?”

So what I’m talking in the book is that there’s this energy around us we can use to create the life we want. It’s a different type of love, of course, than emotional love – it’s an energy, it’s a force. Love is the greatest healing force in the world. It is a force that brings everything together. It’s the force that creates. It’s the force that builds.

Miriam: And, it is sort of the opposite of fear. Fear will pull you out of love.

James: It is the opposite of fear. Where love brings together, fear separates. One has to be very, very careful of that. There are so many living in fear on this earth and it’s an illusion instead of the real space. And if we could just turn that fear into love, it would be a very different world. If you could begin to realize that we are all loved beings. We are all souls and our natural energy is love. How do we know that? Well try to realize each day that every person that comes upon your path is another soul, and that in some way that that soul is put on your path for a reason, a specific reason, whether it’s to teach you something about yourself or for you to

AWAKENING HEALTH teach them something. I don’t believe in divine accidents. I think coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous. I believe in divine interaction.

I think if we could just see that every person is God. Every person is a light and every light is worth seeing or illuminating. And, they might have had different experiences, or lifetimes, or their childhood in this life, they might have different belief systems. That’s fine, but you could all try to see that God light, that love. You see, to me God is love, love is God, same thing really. So if you could see that within each person, try to see that. Not the projections that they give out. Not the illusions that they may live with, but that within them is that source energy that pulls it all together - the light of their soul.

Miriam: It sounds like the universe is really trying to get us to be happy and successful and joyful, and all we have to do is listen. How do we overcome our fear?

James: We have to listen, exactly. When I was developing my sensitivity as a medium, we had to sit in the quiet. The quiet for me was a darkened room.

I closed my eyes and I would meditate. I would just sit in the quiet. It’s so interesting when you start doing that. I did that for seven years every Tuesday night for two hours. When you start listening, you’re sitting in quiet, it forces you to listen within, to go within, hear your heart, hear your soul, and the quiet is very loud. It becomes very loud.

It’s when you can go in and have that awareness of yourself and then you see yourself in the world around you and how you are either perceived in the world around you, how you will act in the world around you. You have a truer sense of yourself and you realize that you are made of this loving energy and that so many people in the world don’t have the relationship with self, don’t listen to self. Self is love, love is our pure being, our pure self.

Miriam: You had a line in the book , one of many, that really spoke to me. You said, “The only thing we take when we leave this earth is the love we gave and the love we received.” What do you hope that readers will take from your book?

James: Well, it’s very interesting because in 35 years of working I’ve written I think 12 or 13 books

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– and whenever I hold the book it feels like it’s a gemstone. It’s something very, very special. It’s so interesting, because I open the pages and I read one sentence and I feel an upbeat, a sense of vibration, a quickening, a sense of joy. I hope people get out of the book that relationship with themselves that they might have forgotten. That it’s very, very simple. It’s not as complex being a human as they might think. A lot of people get caught up in the complexity of the simplicity, which is that we are simple loving souls and we have a choice. It’s either love or fear. So, I hope this book reminds them of their origin, reminds them of who they are.

Miriam: You know it sounds so simple. Why do we make it so complicated?

James: It is, it’s very true. We, humans like to make things so ... I don’t know if that’s to validate our existence in this world, but I find that as I go within, it’s much more exciting. It’s much more exciting. I tell you when you have the relationship with yourself and you go within, and as you know being a healer, as you go within you have that sense, that vibration. And it’s not that you’re better than anybody else or that you’re more special, it’s just that sense of self. There’s so much excitement and dynamic and interest and so much going on within and then you feel that you want somebody else to experience that same thing, experience that joy, experience that sense of creativity, that excitement, that spark, that fun, because life is too short.

Every person is a light and every light is worth seeing or illuminating. And, they might have had different experiences, or lifetimes, or their childhood in this life, they might have different belief systems.

AWAKENING HEALTH I say also – and the Spirit World has told me this recently, Miriam, and I love this analogy– they say, “Think of this world as time that is borrowed.”

You know how when you borrow something from someone, whether it’s a friend or neighbor, when you return it, most of the time you want to return it better than you received it? So they say, “Think of time that way. Think of time as this fragile piece of glass that you must return better than you find it.” I like that. It also goes into the earth, the world here.

Make sure it’s better when you leave than when you found it.”

Miriam: That is so beautiful. Thank you for that, James.

James: Oh, you’re welcome. It’s very, very true.

INTERVIEW James VanPraagh is a world renowned spiritual medium, a number one New York Times best-selling author who has written over a dozen books, including his latest book, The Power of Love: Connecting to the Oneness. A survival evidence medium, James provides proof of life after death through highly detailed messages channeled straight from the spiritual realm.

James has been a familiar presence on TV and radio for over three decades. He was the creator and the executive producer of CBS’ long-running series The Ghost Whisperer, and recently launched the James Van Praagh School of Mystical Arts online at www.vanpraagh.com

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW

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“A compelling contribution to the shift in consciousness that is happening on our planet at this time.”

- Ervin Laszlo

Personal stories of conscious awakening and messages of hope and encouragement from 37 amazing people, including: Anita Moorjani Bernie Siegel, MD Cyndi Dale Eva Herr Foster Gamble Georgina Cannon Gregg Braden James Wanless Larry Dossey, MD Blackbu Losey Meg Blackburn Peter Russell

VIDEO BOOK TRAILER

A topical and compelling collection of conscious awakening stories from more than 30 authors and filmmakers. Each contributor describes life-changing experiences that resulted in extraordinary transformation within their own life, and realizations of an interconnected and multidimensional universe.

(John Hunt Publishing, 2014) ISBN-10: 1782796053 ISBN-13: 978-1782796053

AWAKENING HEALTH ARTICLE

The Power of the Seeing the Impossible: How New Consciousness Emerges Barbara Oakley, PhD

W

C

When you see something impossible happen, it changes you. It sparks a new consciousness—an openness to different ways of seeing the world. After all, no matter what your hyper-logical engineering colleagues may say, you know there’s something inexplicable beneath and beyond the material world around you.

lick, click, click—it was the padlock that cinched together the doors of the 300-lb wall locker.

The padlock was unlocking itself.

The back of my neck tingled. It was my hair puffed on end with primordial feelings of fear. This couldn’t be happening.

But what next unfolded spooked me even more.

The newly unlocked padlock unhooked itself and flew across the room. It kapowed against the cement wall on the other side, strong as mortar fire.

No one was by the locker. The padlock did this all by itself.

That long-ago evening in the military barracks, four other women were with me. We all saw impossibilities like the flying padlock—moving things that couldn’t be moving. We heard extraordinary thumps and knocks that circled the room. “It hap-

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AWAKENING HEALTH these fundamental laws. But there’s another part of me, the part that was in that barracks room all those years ago, that says, “there could be other possibilities…”

One hundred years ago, psychoanalyst Carl Jung first posited the theory of the collective unconscious. A modern version of this theory holds that people somehow share the contents of their psyches. Once an idea, for example, arises in one person, it creates a sort of pattern that is more easily grasped by others—even when the others haven’t seen or heard of the original idea. pens around me,” admitted one of the women.

“This kind of stuff follows me.”

I wrote every detail in my diary the day after it happened. That’s what I do, after all—I write. And I didn’t want to misremember as time might fade my memory.

Not that it would be easy to ever forget what happened.

In the years that followed, I read about other occurrences like what we had seen and heard that evening. It seems we’d watched a classic episode of poltergeist activity. A troubled young woman who somehow appeared to open a conduit through which the unknown erupted. When I reflect now on what I saw that evening, the spooky “action at a distance” that physicists can’t explain takes on a whole new meaning.

Today, I’m a professor of engineering. Among other foundational laws, I’ve long taught the first law of thermodynamics—which basically says that energy doesn’t pop up out of nowhere and allow padlocks to move themselves. Of course, I believe in

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This sense of the power of impossibility has fueled me for decades.

Growing up, I’d flunked my way through math and science. I enlisted in the Army right out of high school, because I wanted to try to learn a new language. I learned Russian, and eventually settled into life as a linguist. But when I left the service at age 26, in part fueled by my sense of the impossible, I decided to explore something completely outside my mental playbook: math. I started with remedial high school algebra. To my surprise, step by gradual step, my original “haven’t-got-themath-gene” brain became retrained so that I could understand math. And chemistry. And then physics (with its beautiful, uncompromising laws). Ultimately, I became an engineer. And then a professor of engineering.

If you’d known me growing up, when I was a total math-phobe, you would know that this was all impossible. But I’d already seen the impossible.

There’s a mindshift when you see something that just can’t happen. You gain a comfort with cognitive dissonance that allows you to entertain new possibilities.

One hundred years ago, psychoanalyst Carl Jung first posited the theory of the collective unconscious. A modern version of this theory holds that people somehow share the contents of their psyches. Once an idea, for example, arises in one person, it creates a sort of pattern that is more easily grasped by others—even when the others haven’t seen or heard of the original idea.

Is this a true theory? Scientists say it’s “unfalsifiable.” You can’t prove it right or wrong. That means it’s not science.

But it doesn’t mean it can’t be true.

Or false, of course.

My sense, rightly or wrongly, is that there is a sort of mindshift that has begun to take root in the collective unconscious—a sense that we can do and

AWAKENING HEALTH learn and change far more than we ever initially believe. But this “mindshift” pattern is doing more than just resting in the unknown void. Mindshift is physically manifesting itself—coalescing into the digital bits that cascade through the ether and emerge in strikingly meaningful new ways. People are beginning to awaken to their extraordinary abilities to change and grow. Foundational discoveries in neuroscience, not to mention older, tangible page-in-hand, as well as novel online ways of reading, and learning something new, are catalysts that enable this pattern.

That’s how the book Mindshift emerged. I write, after all, and Mindshift is a channeling of the changes I’ve viewed springing forth in people around the world.

Mindshift is physically manifesting itself— coalescing into the digital bits that cascade through the ether and emerge in strikingly meaningful new ways. People are beginning to awaken to their extraordinary abilities to change and grow.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Barbara Oakley is a professor of engineering, writer, and instructor of the world’s largest online class, Learning How to Learn, with nearly 2 million registered students. Her previous book, A Mind for Numbers (TarcherPerigee, 2014), was a New York Times science best-seller. Her newest book, Mindshift: Break Through Obstacles to Learning and Discover Your Hidden Potential, is emerging as a breakthrough standout for 2017.

Barb’s work focuses on the complex relationship between neuroscience and social behavior. Her research has been described as “revolutionary” in the Wall Street Journal—she has published in outlets as varied as the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. She has won numerous teaching awards, including the American Society of Engineering Education’s Chester F. Carlson Award for technical innovation in engineering education. She serves as the Ramón y Cajal Distinguished Scholar of Global Digital Learning at McMaster University and Coursera’s inaugural “Innovation Instructor.”

Barb has adventured widely through her lifetime.

She rose from the ranks of Private to Captain in the U.S. Army, during which time she was recognized as a Distinguished Military Scholar. She also worked as a communications expert at the South Pole Station in Antarctica, and has served as a

51 | New Consciousness Review

Russian translator on board Soviet trawlers on the Bering Sea. Dr. Oakley is an elected Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. Her website is www.barbaraoakley.com.

AWAKENING HEALTH ARTICLE

Is there something that humans just don’t understand about life?

Yes – and it’s huge

By Neale Donald Walsch

H

ow is it possible for seven billion human beings to all want the same thing-safety, security, peace, prosperity, opportunity, happiness, and love-yet be unable to produce it for any but the tiniest percentage, even after thousands of years of trying?

I pose this question wherever I appear on my speaking tours, but I rarely get a satisfactory answer.

That’s because most people do not understand the nature of the problem. As a result, we keep trying to solve the problem at every level except the level at which the problem exists.

First, we try to solve the problems as if they were political problems. We author legislation, we pass resolutions, we issue declarations and sign documents, we create governments and then, by vote or by force, dismantle the governments we have created-we try everything we can think of politically, and yet we are faced with the same problems

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AWAKENING HEALTH

Yet the problem facing humanity is not a political problem, it is not an economic problem, and it is not a military problem.

It is a spiritual problem, and it can only be solved by spiritual means.

today that we have faced for centuries, and indeed, for millennia.

So we say, obviously these are not political problems. They must be economic problems. And we then try in every way that we can to manipulate how cash flows around the problems. We throw money at them (as in the sending of foreign aid), or we withhold money from them (as in the imposition of economic sanctions). We try everything we can think of economically, and yet we are faced with the same problems today that we have faced for centuries, and indeed, for millennia.

So we say, obviously these are not economic problems, they must be military problems. And then we shoot bullets at them and drop bombs on them and fire missiles into them. We try everything we can think of militarily, and yet we are faced with the same problems today that we have faced for centuries, and indeed, for millennia.

So we say, it’s time to stop the fighting and go back to the bargaining table. We need to negotiate a settlement. And the cycle starts all over again. We pass more resolutions, then we impose more sanctions, then we drop more bombs, all the while crying out plaintively: “There must be a solution somewhere.”

Yet the problem facing humanity is not a political problem, it is not an economic problem, and it is not a military problem. It is a spiritual problem, and it can only be solved by spiritual means.

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My Conversations with God book series-the first entry of which was published in 1995-has been read by millions and been translated into 37 languages worldwide, and I have been answering questions about the content of those books for 25 years. So I have some well-worn opinions on what I call “humanity’s dilemma.”

It seems to me that nothing we are doing is working. Our political systems clearly are not working.

Our economic systems clearly are not working. Our ecological systems clearly are not working. Our health care systems clearly are not working. Our educational systems clearly are not working. Our social systems clearly are not working. And saddest of all, our spiritual systems clearly are not working.

Nothing that we have created to produce a better life for all of us is producing that outcome for the largest number of people. In fact, it is worse than that. They are actually producing exactly the opposite.

It is time to arouse humanity from its slumber.

There is obviously something we don’t understand, both about life and about God, the understanding of which would change everything.

I have catalogued what I consider to be humanity’s major misunderstandings in my latest book, Conversations with God-Book 4: Awaken the Species. I offer seven tools for integrating the behaviors of fully awakened beings into an average person’s daily life.

Nothing that we have created to produce a better life for all of us is producing that outcome for the largest number of people. In fact, it is worse than that. They are actually producing exactly the opposite.

AWAKENING HEALTH Perhaps the most startling assertion of my new book, however, is not about current human behaviors, but the behaviors of extraterrestrial beings-who I am convinced not only exist, but are actively working to help the people of Earth grow in their understanding.

My book includes a list of what I believe are sixteen crucial differences in behavior between what I describe as “Highly Evolved Beings living in an awakened state” and those human beings who are not.

I understand that such an assertion will meet with skepticism at best, and derision in some quarters for sure. Still, I think most people now accept that we are not alone in the cosmos, and most would be comforted to know that benevolent beings are seeking to help us move forward in our evolutionary process.

Yet if such beings are helping, one might ask, why is our planet now facing crisis after crisis, with terrorism destroying lives, economic dreams being shattered, and unpredictable political upheaval emerging everywhere?

In my view, the fact that these conditions exist make this the perfect time for our advancement.

They comprise the storm before the calm, their severity serving to shake humanity from its complacency, awakening us to what now urgently needs to be done if we are to keep the promise of our potential.

I was told all of this in my latest conversations with God, a communication with the Divine that I believe all people are having all the time. Most people are simply calling it something else. A moment of inspiration, perhaps. A sudden insight.

A wonderful or brilliant idea. An intuitive sense.

Some have even labeled such moments an epiphany.

People will call it whatever they have to call it to get away with sharing their experience without having to claim that God spoke to them, or that Divine revelations had anything to do with it.

Whatever words we use, we are talking here about the expansion of awareness that arises from the place of highest wisdom within all of us. It is the daring vision of Galileo, the incisive clarity of Socrates, the expansive understanding of Simone de Beauvoir, the intellectual bravery of Gertrude Stein, the pure genius of Madam Curie and Albert Einstein that resides within everyone, awaiting our access and our use.

Book 4 in the Conversations with God series contains an invitation to human beings to choose to be among those who commit to moving forward their own individual and personal evolution by embracing and demonstrating behaviors that serve to awaken the species to who and what human beings really are (Individuations of Divinity), and how that may be made manifest in daily experience.

Conversations With God Book 4: Awaken the Species Rainbow Ridge Books (March 27, 2017), distributed by Square One Publishers in New York.

Neale Donald Walsch is the New York Times Bestselling author of nine books in the Conversations with God series, which have sold more than ten million copies in 37 languages. He is one of the major authors in the new spirituality movement, having written 29 books, with eight books on the New York Times bestseller’s list.

His life and work have helped to create and sustain a worldwide spiritual renaissance, and he travels globally to bring the uplifting message of the CwG books to people everywhere.

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IN THE HEALTH STARS

Astromark Astrology Forecast Overall view March-May, 2017

by Mark Dodich

A

lthough the world appears to be in chaos and emotions are high, you can view this rattling of the cage to be a good thing. Prior to last autumn, many people were half asleep as they walked through their daily routines. No more! A planetary pattern called

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a T-Square is pulling everyone apart with a wakeup call. And just like when the alarm goes off, it takes a little time to move clearly into the new day.

Over the past months, numerous groups including women, scientists, gender and race based people have come together to express their views- and it is going on globally. Don’t expect things to quiet down March through early May because the outer

IN THE HEALTH STARS planets that are a part of this motivational energy are still quite active.

But that doesn’t mean you have to participate in the anger and fear, nor does it mean that you must hit the snooze button and hide under the covers for three months. The higher purpose of this spring is to open your value system and beliefs to claim a higher perspective. When outer planets are in a challenging pattern with each other, they act as a catalyst to energize society to speak up for the world they want to create. Uranus in Aries wants to revolutionize everything immediately. Pluto in conservative Capricorn wants change to come in a more traditional, security-oriented way. Jupiter in Libra ideally wishes to expand your philosophy and belief systems so both you and the world can live in a higher balance. The god of thunder is also requiring you to shift the relationships in your life to more accurately include those who resonate with you philosophically, and release those people who are going in a direction different from your own.

Both Venus and Mercury are retrograde during this forecast, so please understand that adaptability and exploring new possibilities is required. Instead of getting caught up in all of the emotional fears that are rising to the surface, know that the world is in the process of choosing the values humanity will live by in the years ahead. Before judging harshly the ideas and values of those who disagree with you, practice listening openly and fairly. Oftentimes, if you are willing to look at the opinions and beliefs of others, you will find a common thread of truth even though the outer expression looks so totally different. Jupiter in mediating Libra helps you find that common thread, thus allowing reasonable compromises and solutions can come forth.

MARCH: The big astrological news of March is Venus entering her retrograde cycle from March 4 until April 15th. Venus turns retrograde less often than all the other planets, so her revise and renovate cycle is of heightened importance. The goddess of love represents your relationships, money, marriage, art and beauty. Relationships of all types, including your relationship with yourself and your finances, are up for review. It is a bit complicated because

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A big challenge (or motivation) has been shaking up your life for several months now, and it continues to be present. most of this going backwards cycle is in Aries, not Venus’s favorite sign. It will be common to feel like you want to be in relationship one day, and off on your own the next. Consider where your life has become out of balance between your relationship needs and your individuality needs. Use this cycle to beautify yourself and your possessions. Be willing to assert your values to be in a greater flow with the universe. Venus retrograde will complete her remodeling process in Pisces in April. If you are living in illusion or fantasy, expect your bubble to pop. Positively, Pisces brings forth a higher vision from the intuitive side of your nature, and it adds a spiritual dimension to all type of relationships.

Spring equinox is on March 20 at 3:29 AM PDT. A chart cast now gives a hint about your path in the next three months. A big challenge (or motivation) has been shaking up your life for several months now, and it continues to be present. It is as though your buttons are being pushed from multiple directions with the universe rattling the cage to wake you up and set you free. Pluto urges you to let go and trust your clear connection to Creation. Uranus stimulates you to explore new possibilities and meet new people. Jupiter encourages you to expand beyond perceived beliefs and limitations to tap into something larger and better. This high anxiety energy receives help from the asteroid Vesta if you are willing to make quiet time for her. Vesta is in nurturing Cancer now, and she is the goddess who leaves lower order activities of the mundane world to open to higher frequencies in the temple. Because she tended the fire, you may want to sneak away for a fire ceremony to release the past and open to a higher vision.

IN THE HEALTH STARS

Also of note: Ambitious Mars is traveling through Taurus March 9- April 21. This is an excellent cycle to roll up your sleeves and get to work on your goals and ambitions. Taurus understands that it takes constructive and practical effort to create your dreams. St. Patrick’s Day on Friday the 17th holds a challenging Saturn aspect. Be respectful of authority figures now and don’t skirt the law if you are in party mode.

APRIL: April brings the next Mercury retrograde cycle starting the 9th until May 3rd. This communications breakdown cycle begins in Taurus and ends in Aries. There is a theme all spring of reviewing your values and priorities, and the Taurus part of this mental review adds to that theme. What do you value and are you willing to work for it? Similar

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to the Venus retrograde cycle that completes itself on April 15th, you are deciding what you want to carry forward and what is a part of your past. Do behind the scenes research and planning for future projects. As with all retrogrades, do not cast your plans in concrete because adaptability will be required when energies move forward after the middle of May. Because Venus continues to be retrograde until April 15, it will be interesting to see how many people will file tax extensions. In addition to being a relationship planet, Venus is associated with your resources including money, stocks & bonds, investment art, jewelry, and your possessions. If you are waiting to file at the last minute, be certain to double check everything before sending off your paperwork. Of course, tax day is not until April 18th so that may mitigate potential problems with Venus changing directions.

IN THE HEALTH STARS

MAY: Mercury ends his retrograde cycle on May 3rd (since April 9), so all of the annoying challenges will start to ease up and get moving towards the middle of the month. Ambitious Mars is in Gemini all month, making May a very quick month. It’s time to communicate your ideas, take or teach short, quick classes, or make an outline for the book you want to write. Share your ideas with others, but do not believe everything you hear.

Venus moves out of the shadow of her retrograde cycle (March 4-April 15) by mid-May. It becomes easier to act on any relationship or financial decisions you made during the past two months. In fact, there is a spring fever excited feeling now that you are able to move forward with plans and projects. The only significant challenge is on the USA Memorial Day weekend when fast Mars opposes slow Saturn.

Be certain mechanical equipment (cars, lawn mowers, etc.) are in good working condition, and be careful of driving too fast or driving while tired. Mother’s Day on the 14th has the moon in responsible Capricorn, so be good to your mother on an otherwise quiet day.

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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 his newsletter at www.Astromark.us/newsletter.pdf or contact him at (503) 252-1558

PURPOSE REVIEW & INTERVIEW

Condition Critical: Life and Death in Israel/Palestine

by Alice Rothchild, MD

T

I

This was a very hard book for me to read, and even harder to review, dealing as it does with a conflict I have seen up close and personal and a country to which I still have deep ties. Alice Rothchild is a Jewish American physician who has been active for the past 15 years in supporting Palestinian nonviolent resistance movements alongside Israeli peace activists.

n trying to understand the origin of the Palestinian Israeli conflict she acknowledges that the State of Israel was established as a haven for world Jewry after centuries of Jewish persecution. She then, however, challenges the legitimacy of the state suggesting that Western

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PURPOSE powers gave away land that was not theirs to give because of a combination of guilt over having done little or nothing to save Jews in the holocaust, and a latent anti-Semitism – “the Jewish Problem” – that quite liked the idea of being able to get rid of one’s Jews.

Referring to the Zionist movement that initiated immigration to Palestine in the early 1900s, she asks, “does a national settler movement triggered

by European anti-Semitism, that is grounded in the privileging of Jews and the belittling, dehumanization, or hatred of Arabs, inexorably lead to where we are today?”

Rothchild’s book, Condition Critical is based on her audio diary and blog maintained during multiple trips to the region. It describes the many forms of humiliation and suppression imposed on Palestinians in the conquered territories as well as on Israeli citizens ethnically Palestinian. She describes unconscionable callousness and brutality against civilians, and a systematic policy of suppression of building and other economic activities that could allow them to prosper. Being a physi-

In describing the story behind the establishment of Israel, Rothchild writes of helpless Palestinians driven from their ancestral homes during the war of independence in 1948 and 1967 through brutal actions by Israeli military operations that were intent on ethnic cleansing of as much territory as possible in the establishment of a purely Jewish state.

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Rothchild’s book, Condition Critical is based on her audio diary and blog maintained during multiple trips to the region.

cian and a woman, her exchanges with Palestinian doctors and women, especially about the blockade and bombardment of Gaza city, were particularly poignant and painful to read. God knows there is no shortage of oppressive regimes in the world, but she feels strongly that having suffered so deeply as a nation during the Holocaust, it is more incumbent on a Jewish state to exhibit compassion and empathy than other countries.

In describing the story behind the establishment of Israel, Rothchild writes of helpless Palestinians driven from their ancestral homes during the war of independence in 1948 and 1967 through brutal actions by Israeli military operations that were intent on ethnic cleansing of as much territory as possible in the establishment of a purely Jewish state. The alternative narrative, which she dismisses, is of idealistic pioneers tired of centuries of anti-Semitism and persecution returning to their ancestral home in the land of the Bible, hoping to become a nation state whose citizens can hold their heads up in pride; the growth of militarism and the fortress mentality were forced upon the Israelis by terrorism and the implacable enmity of not only the Palestinians but all of the surrounding Arab countries.

The sad reality is that both of these narratives are true. Both communities live in fear and distrust of the other and yet the citizens of both sides want only to live their lives out in peace. Where is truth and justice in this equation? Rothschild lays out

PURPOSE the heart-rending plight of the Palestinian people with passion and eloquence. Where the book falls down, I believe, is in giving similar voice to the racial memory of persecution and anti-Semitism – think Inquisition, pogroms, Hitler, the Ayatollas, the KKK - and the determination to never again be the victim. Yes, the Holocaust and anti-Semitism have been waived in the faces of anyone in the West who criticizes Israel, even when its actions should be roundly criticized; however, the psychic wounds are real and deep, as are similar wounds kept raw by daily injustices toward the Palestinians.

INTERVIEW

Alice Rothchild is a physician, author, and filmmaker who practiced ob-gyn for almost 40 years.

Until her retirement she served as Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Harvard Medical School. She writes and lectures widely, and has focused her interest in human rights and social justice on the Israel/Palestine conflict since 1997. She is the author of Broken Promises, Broken Dreams: Stories of Jewish and Palestinian Trauma and Resilience, On the Brink: Israel and Palestine on the Eve of the 2014 Gaza Invasion, and her new book: Condition Critical: Life and Death in Israel/Palestine.

She directed a documentary film, Voices Across the Divide and is active in Jewish Voice for Peace. Her website is: www.alicerothchild.com

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW

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In the absence of a modern-day King Solomon it is up to people of good will on all sides to bridge these gaps, and I applaud Alice Rothchild for articulating so movingly the moral dilemma facing the Jews, who now have might on their side, but might does not make right. I know she was trying to redress the balance she perceives as being so greatly in favor of the Israelis, however I think she does a disservice to her argument to ignore the legitimate rights and aspirations of both sides for a home in this ancient land.  Reviewed by Miriam Knight

PURPOSE INTERVIEW

How Soon is Now? Finding a Way Forward for Humanity

D

An Interview with Daniel Pinchbeck

aniel Pinchbeck is the founder of the think tank, Center for Planetary Culture, which produced the Regenerative Society Wiki and his essays and articles have been featured in The New York Times Magazine, Esquire, Rolling Stones, ArtForum, The New York Times Book Review, The Village Voice, and Dazed and Confused. He is the star of the 2010 documentary, 2012: A Time for Change directed by Joao Amorim. His books include Breaking Open the Head and 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl, which was a New York Times Bestseller and earned him a spot on The Colbert Report.

Today we discuss his latest book, How Soon Is Now?, in which he suggests that we are facing an initiatory ordeal that will compel us to evolve from our current level of consciousness to realizing ourselves as one with the entire web of life. It covers everything from energy and agriculture, to culture, politics, media and ideology, but is ultimately about the nature of the human soul and the future of our current world.

You can follow is blog at http://www.pinchbeck.io/

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LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW

PURPOSE ARTICLE

Cooler Heads

Needed During Civil Crisis

Dr. John Demartini, the renowned author, human behaviorist and inspirational speaker, encourages people to avoid knee-jerk reactions and respond with both their heads and their hearts.

“We are wise when we educate each other on our similarities as much as our differences.”

I

t seems that gone are the days of civil debate, of the ability for two or more people to present opposing views to each other and not have it devolve into a verbal melee. The battle lines that have been drawn as the presidential elections loom ever closer throw this new paradigm into sharp relief. As the news cycles fill with more and more reports on the widening schisms that dominate the headlines across the nation, one human behaviorist has taken it upon himself to urge cooler heads.

“We have a reasoning part of our forebrain and we have an emotional part of our mid- and hindbrains,” he said. “If we exaggerate our emotional, we can get out of hand. If we stop, take a moment to see both sides of things and bring our minds

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PURPOSE

back into balance and governance, we can start to act with more reason and meaning.”

Demartini points out that may people are erroneously getting caught up in aspects of an inflammatory situation that deflects from the real issues.

“I realize there is discussion of racial issues here, but in anthropology the idea of race has faded away. What we now have is homo sapiens. If we are capable of procreating then we’re the same species. I think education needs to come in and help people realize we don’t need to live in the 1950s. We need to move forward and help people realize we’re all human beings on a mission to contribute.”

Demartini stresses that, even if you are convinced you are on the “right” side of an argument, it is still wise to be open to discussion, debate and disagreement without defense, coercion, or retaliation.

“We would be wise to more fully and periodically educate the police and the people that are

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carrying guns today on what might initiate such emotional reactions and thoroughly train them on how to more reasonably and rationally deal with these potentially reactive moments. We would also be wise to educate people on their similarities as much as their differences that they think they have with each other and realize we’re all

I realize there is discussion of racial issues here, but in anthropology the idea of race has faded away. What we now have is homo sapiens. If we are capable of procreating then we’re the same species.

PURPOSE homo sapiens today,” he said. “If we don’t have foresight, preplanning and repetitive training, we’ll have hindsight and reactions with impulses and instincts instead of working with reason.

Demartini acknowledges that it can be challenging to change a mind-set – either your own or someone else’s – particularly in the middle of the clash, but, this is where coming to understand other people’s values or priorities and respecting and communicating in these values plays a crucial role.

“Any time we have emotional reactions and see only the downsides and not find the hidden meaning and benefits behind an event, we’ll cyclically perpetuate that irrational reaction on to the next generation. We’ll keep unwisely repeating anything that we haven’t found higher value, meaning, or purpose in.”

That sense of higher value, or meaning is vital to healing wounds and turning the current and apparent tide of self- or other- destruction. “The key is to make sure we find meaning and not make the deaths meaningless and to see how we can more effectively communicate our actions and differences of opinion in the future. This is why education and repetitive training is essential to reduce any misperceived inequalities or intentions. It takes somebody truly caring to make and take an incredibly bold step to come out of their comfort zone of impulsive reaction.”

Any time we have emotional reactions and see only the downsides and not find the hidden meaning and benefits behind an event, we’ll cyclically perpetuate that irrational reaction on to the next generation. We’ll keep unwisely repeating anything that we haven’t found higher value, meaning, or purpose in.

Demartini feels that asking wise questions that bring about more balance and meaning to the mind is a key to thriving and appreciating more than just surviving and discriminating. “Although we may have differences in colors and viewpoints, the truth is, we are capable of wisely interacting, and we can appreciate and love each other, by asking wise questions and balancing out our perceptions.”

Dr. John Demartini is a noted educator, business consultant, author and founder of The Demartini Institute, a private research, education and service institute he founded in 1982 in Houston, Texas. A globally renowned inspirational speaker, Demartini, who was featured in the acclaimed book and movie The Secret, is the author of 40 books published in over 29 different languages. He has produced over 60 CDs and DVDs covering subjects such as development in relationships, wealth, education and business. For more information, visit his website at www.drdemartini.com.

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RESOURCE GUIDE Awakening, Cosmic Connectors, Healers & Therapists Ani Avedissian Ani is the Suburban Shaman with A Cosmic Point of View.

As an energy healer, spiritual healer and expert in all things considered paranormal, her goal is simple; to clarify information for the new Golden Age: to sort out what’s true, what’s woo, and what gets flushed down the loo.

An intuitive skill set is nothing magic or mysterious. It’s not some special gift bestowed on a few worthy souls. Anyone can learn this stuff!

If you would like clarity with just a hint of hilarity, a session with Ani might be just the thing to spice up your spiritual side. www.aniavedissian.com

Awakening, 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 (http://brentmarchantsblog.blogspot.com/) 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.

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Awakening, Coaches & Counselors, 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, 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 assist 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 Awakening, Intuitive Messengers, Health, Cosmic Connectors, Spiritual Teachers, Writer Cynthia Slon From the age of five I have been able to see the very fabric of this magnificent collaboration we call life. Sacred geometry, light frequency, cellular communication, sound dialogue and so much more create the beauty that is the infinite intelligence of love manifested as form. 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 providing messages offering closure to all souls involved. I have published a book titled Point of Light, Communicate with your DNA, Change your life, Change the world! It is unique in that the book was written by the cells of the body. The cells within the human body have consciousness and are aware of their purpose. For too long humanity has excluded their own voice creating the illusion of separation and disempowerment. Point of Light invites the reader home to the center of the heart language that guides the very purpose and reason of cell function. Many have shared how this book has changed their life for they now feel as one with their internal dialogue and empowered to make a difference in their external world. This book 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

Awakening, Inspiration, Spiritual Teachers, Writers & Gurus 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

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Inspiration, Resources, Writers & Artists 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

Awakening, Coaches & Counselors, Inspiration Fran Fisher Master Certified Coach Fran Fisher’s passion is empowering individuals, teams, and organizations to realize their highest visions. She believes that profound and long-lasting success, satisfaction, and fulfillment result from being true to the essence of who you are. Fran helps leaders access and leverage their innate nature so they break through 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, your true self. Fran works with entrepreneurs, executives, and collaborative work teams, as well as providing coaching skills training for leaders, managers, and professional coaches. To contact Fran, call 425-401-1374 or email fran@franfishercoach. com or visit www.franfishercoach.com.

Healers & Therapists Francesca Fleming Intuitively gifted since birth, Francesca is a well-known medical medium/intuitive.

She feels the energies, the aura and chakras and cords, (the flows) around a body, and receives information through channeling (mediumship) about what the ‘feel and see’ are and what to do about them. By the third grade, she had knowledge of herbs, anatomy, the ‘flows’ and would be ‘told’ what to do to correct them. Often she receives deep Divine love and a healing heat to send on to the person or animal needing it. Even today she is told what can not or should not be fixed. Over the years, she has given guidance 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, endrocrine 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 subsitute 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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NIKOLA TESLA

Intuitive Messengers, Writers & Artists 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.comAn 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. Explore her titles by visiting these websites.Children's Books: FrancescaThoman.comTesla Books: nikolateslaafterlifeconversations. comAs an accomplished Channel, Francesca is able to communicate with many persons and entities, from high-level, benevolent to Nikola Tesla. Ordained in the Temple Volume ET’s One: of Isis in 2000, she also works with a group of high angels to translate many powerful light-language Tesla provides his afterlife perspective of Time and enfolded prayers.Contact Francesca at francescastarhand@gmail.com.

channeled by Francesca Thoman

dimensions, unifying physics and metaphysics through human consciousness.

Healers & Therapists, Health Geoffrey Knight

• “The human body is a psychic phenomenon.”

• “Any such ‘physical’ theory that does not take into account the “psychic” is not fully based on reality.”

• “Electromagnetic, magnetic, auric and gravity fields are all of consciousness.” asfields a clinical hypnotherapist and

Geoffrey has over twenty years of experience 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 my expertise covers anything from bed wetting to childhood and teenage problems; Addictions, from food to alcohol, recreational drugs, and nicotine smoking; Sexual dysfunctions; From Volume Two: Weight Loss; Motivation; and Memory loss and enhancement. Geoffrey offers a free consultation for up to 45 minutes, where elaborates on enfolded dimensions and and the Torsion Fields he will beTesla happy to address your questions concerns.

Appointments can be of Para-sound and Para-light, as well as his “correspondence” made Mondays through Fridays, and some Saturdays upon special request. with a medical doctor regarding the subtler aspects of DNA,

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

• “When properly focused and coherent, belief can change the coding and nature of any thing or process.”

Spiritual Teachers, Intuitive Messengers, Writers & Researchers • “From the point of view of the higher dimensions, the electron’s flicker is another sine wave: a sine wave-like shape MEd, describing Jan Engels-Smith ShDa multi-dimensional torus.”

• “If you were to know a child’s astrological chart, his past life

Jan is an author, a Licensed Professional Counselor, a Chemical Dependency Specialhistory, his soul’s intention, and what matters most to him, ist, a Hypnotherapist, Shamanic Practitioner and a Reiki and if youawere to discover these things from yourMaster. love of that child, you would be far more likely to understand the expert in her field.

She has performed over 3500 soul retrievals and considered an and not feel frustrated enough to punish him.”

She founded child, LightSong Healing Center and LightSong School of 21st Century Shamanism and Energy Medicine. Her mission is to provide excellence in shamanic education adapting ancient healing techniques to contemporary life. Incorporating 10 years of teaching advanced science in physics, biology and chemistry Jan blends science and the quantum fields of shamanism. Jan contributes to the growing body of shamanic knowledge and assists in the evolution and refinement of shamanism as a healing art form. Jan has authored two books. Becoming Yourself: The Journey from Head to Heart, won the Reader’s Choice Award. Through the Rabbit Hole: Explore and Experience the Shamanic Journey and Energy Medicine: a book and a video series featuring the shamanic journey. Jan authored two CDs: Take Your Body With You a shamanic drumming CD and Awaken~Unburden~Create a meditation CD package of shamanic principles. Jan was featured in The Gift of Shamanism and Shamanic Transformations, published by Inner Traditions. Jan is currently involved with medical research teams studying the use of Shamanic Healing for Veterans with PTSD. www.lightsong.net

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Intuitive Messengers, Healers & Therapists, Spiritual Teachers, Writers JoyRae Freeman I'm here to make a difference. We ALL are actually. My is to help each person who is ready - to maximize their own personal fulfillment through clearing old patterns, self discovery &, empowermentIn 1996 - I received a powerful healing activation direct from Source - which expanded my intuition and became the core of the healing work I do. I did later acquire certification in NLP, Hypnotherapy, Quantum Touch, Laser Reiki - as I understood how the world of credentials works. Those courses also provided me with wonderful additional tools of empowerment and healing for others - which I use regularly with my clients. My practice includes: Private Divine Light Healing sessions & Crystal Healing, Angel Messages , Hypnotherapy/NLP sessions - including past life regressions, Group healing sessions, Speaking, Workshops/retreats, Healer Intensive Private Sessions (healing for healers), Astrology, Conscious Mate Coaching.

Contact JoyRae at 503.303.8446 or through her website, http://www.joy2u.org

Health, Writers & Researchers 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 I help patients to get the best care from their doctors--or to find a doctor who will give them better care. now coach authors of books with life-changing missions by helping them 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.

Awakening, Coaches & Counselors, Cosmic Connectors, Intuitive Messengers, Purpose 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

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Awakening, Coaches & Counselors, Health 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

Health, Healers & Therapists 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.