April issue 2015 by Natural Awakenings of Southern Maine

H E A L T H Y

L I V I N G

H E A L T H Y

P L A N E T

feel good • live simply • laugh more

FREE

NATURE’S INNATE WISDOM

Why We Must Listen

Eco-Friendly Gardening

Landscaping Trends of 2015

Support A Good Cause & Sleep Better

Buckwheat Pillow Business Benefits Autism Foundation April 2015 | Southern Maine Edition | MaineAwakenings.com

contents 10 5 newsbriefs 10 healthbriefs 1 1 globalbriefs 1 2 localfeature 8 14 wisewords 11 15 ecotip 19 fitbody 2 1 business spotlight

22 community

spotlight

24 calendar 29 resource guide

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

1 2 GREEN GARDENING:

2015 Trends in Landscaping

by Jessie Shiers

14 HEALING JOURNEYS

Paul Stutzman Finds Universal Truths on His Treks by Randy Kambic

16 NATUREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S WISDOM Its Lessons Inspire, Heal and Sustain Us by Christine MacDonald

1 9 MASTERING THE FORCE

The Martial Arts Hold Deep Inner Lessons by Eric Stevens

advertising & submissions HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 207-615-3675 or email Ads@MaineAwakenings.com. Deadline for ads: the 10th of the month. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: News@MaineAwakenings.com. Deadline for editorial: the 5th of the month. CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Email Calendar Events to: Coordinator@MaineAwakenings.com. Deadline for calendar: the 5th of the month. REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets! Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets call 239-449-8309. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.

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20 10 STEPS TO

ACHIEVE THE BLESSINGS OF SLEEP by Svetla Popova, LCPC

21 BUCKWHEAT

PILLOW BUSINESS BENEFITS AUTISM FOUNDATION by Jessie Shiers

22 WILD CARROT HERBS:

Herbal Consultations for Wellness and Fertility by Jessie Shiers

23 12 STEPS TO A

HEALTHY BEDROOM by Christine Chamberlin

natural awakenings

April 2015

letterfrompublisher “Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet, and the winds long to play with your hair.” ~Kahlil Gibran

contact us Publisher Debjani Das Editors S. Alison Chabonais Sean Lynch Shonali Das Linda Sechrist Contributing Writers Sean Lynch Amy Paradysz Jessie Shiers Contributing Photographers Gregg Hryniewicz Amy Paradysz Ad Designer Helene Leininger Design & Production Lisa Avery Printer Trumbull Printing Multi-Market Advertising 239-449-8309 Franchise Sales 239-530-1377 Natural Awakenings of Southern Maine P. O. Box 7769, Portland, ME 04112 Phone: 207-615-3675 Fax: 207-221-1005 MaineAwakenings.com Facebook.com/MaineAwakeningsMag ©2015 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved. Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing.

ast week, as I was working to organize this issue, sweet spring birdsong just

outside my window captured my attention. How I’ve missed nature’s dear birds and welcome their return. In that moment, I was able to remember what it felt like to have the sun kissing my skin and the feel of soft green beneath bare feet. Those days are nearing, Mainer’s… just a few weeks to go!

Celebrating Earth Day together on April 22 calls out for revisiting longed-

for joys of the season: the smell of fresh mown grass, the touch of ocean’s salty breezes, the welcome surprise of wildflowers and the beauties of garden flowers re-emerging from their beds. We walk among Creation’s majestic trees waking from their long sleep to bathe us in fresh air and dappled shade. It all prompts us to treat our Earth with everlasting love and gratitude, for she is a living, breathing entity that needs our care to prosper.

Christine MacDonald’s feature article, “Nature’s Wisdom: It’s Lessons

Inspire, Heal and Sustain Us,” explains how the whole global community can learn to enjoy the healing benefits that reconnecting to nature brings to our lives. This month’s Wise Words selection introduces the powerful lessons widower Paul Stutzman gleaned through reconnecting with nature and himself during his two-thousand-mile journey of the forested Appalachian Trail.

Every day, I feel blessed to be working with the wonderful people that make

this publication a success. Thanks go to all the advertisers and readers that have

Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. It is available in selected stores, health and education centers, healing centers, public libraries and wherever free publications are generally seen. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business.

chosen Natural Awakenings as your preferred source for access to all that is

We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.

wishes for a Happy Earth Day, a feast that our readers honor all year long.

SUBSCRIPTIONS To sign up for a copy of our monthly digital magazine, email Publisher@MaineAwakenings.com. Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soybased ink.

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healthy and green. Let’s continue to keep our natural health community strong by visiting businesses participating in the magazine—there is no better way to show your support. As always, I send you all my love and gratitude, plus best

Om Shanti Om,

Debjani Das, Publisher

MaineAwakenings.com

newsbriefs

Natural Awakenings Earns Top Franchise Business Award

atural Awakenings has been named one of 200 companies in the Franchise Business Review’s 2015 Top Franchises Report. The healthy living magazine was one of five franchise companies cited as best-in-class in the advertising and sales category. To select the top franchises across industries and performance categories, the organization surveyed more than 28,500 franchisees. “We feel privileged that it was our franchisees’ expression of high satisfaction that earned us this award,” says Sharon Bruckman, CEO of Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. “Gaining this recognition proves that our process of providing franchisees with editorial, promotional and operational support, partnered with their enthusiastic dedication in individual markets, serves communities well. Together, we are nourishing and growing a healthy living consciousness in America.” The network now encompasses nearly 100 franchisees nationwide and in Puerto Rico. Franchise Business Review, headquartered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is a national franchise market research firm that performs independent surveys of franchisee satisfaction and franchise buyer experiences. 2015 marked its 10th annual Top Franchises Report. For more information, call Anna Romano at 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com and FranchiseBusinessReview.com. See ad, page 8.

Tiny House Envy?

maller economic footprint, smaller ecological footprint, smaller actual footprint: the Tiny House movement is here in full force. The Open Bench Project, a makerspace in Portland, is hosting a Tiny House talk from 4:30-6:30 p.m., April 4. Whether you are interested in building a tiny mansion, cabin, ski chalet or just want to know more about this interesting phenomenon, this discussion is for you. Location: Open Bench Project, 10 Thompson Point Road, Portland. For more information, visit www.OBPortland.org.

Do You Know Which Supplements And Vitamins Are Good For You? Are the supplements & vitamins you are now taking interacting with one another? What Does Nutrition Have To Do With Chiropractic Care? The goal of chiropractic care is to help patients achieve total health & balance with their body. This includes recommendations on nutritional supplements & healthy food choices. We provide structured nutritional program based upon your individual needs.

Learn more! Schedule a visit today. 800.610.1199 | www.alebrocenter.com 135 Rogers Road • Kittery, ME Kittery’s Holistic Wellness Center since 1976 natural awakenings

April 2015

newsbriefs Satisfy Your Qigong Curiosity

f you’ve ever been curious about Qigong—briefly described as “life-force integration”—here’s your chance for a free lunchtime class, whether you want to participate or just observe. In general, Qigong is practiced to maintain health, achieve quality longevity, deepen martial skill and achieve mind-body-spirit awareness. Come by at noon on April 7 for a glimpse of Hunyuan (Primordial) Qigong at Maine Center for Taijiquan & Qigong in Portland. Pre-registration is appreciated. Location: Maine Center for Taijiquan & Qigong, 500 Forest Ave. (rear of building), Portland. For more information, and to pre-register, contact Jason at 207-780-9581 or email info@mainetaiji.com, or visit www.mainetaiji.com. See ad, pg 25.

Source Maine Sustainability Awards Dinner at Pineland Farms “Source,” a Sunday section of the The Portland Press Herald/Sunday Maine Telegram, is hosting the first Maine Sustainability Awards dinner at Pineland Farms on April 9. The event will honor the people, nonprofits and businesses connecting Maine to its roots and making the state a healthier place to live. Tickets, which are available on Eventbrite, are $25 per person and include a locally-sourced buffet at 5:30 p.m. An awards presentation and scholarship announcement are set for 6:30 p.m. Cost: $25. Location: Pineland Farms, The Commons (Mount Washington Room), 32 Farm View Drive, New Gloucester. For more information, email marketing@mainetoday.com.

Be Part of World T’ai Chi and Qigong Day in Brunswick

ach year, practitioners of the ancient arts of T’ai Chi and Qigong create a global wave of goodwill as events take place at 10 a.m. in each time zone on the last Saturday of April (April 25 this year). Maine is participating with a free event at Bowdoin College. This is a relaxed environment for people of all ages to learn, practice and celebrate the unifying power of Tai Chi and Qigong for achieving better health.

Southern Maine Edition

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Southern Maine

Cost: Free. Location: Bowdoin College Museum of Art Quad, 9400 College St., Brunswick. (In case of rain, the event will be in the Morrell Gymnasium.) For more information, visit www.worldtaichiday.org.

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Radiant Life Symposium Returns to Freeport

f you’re interested in hearing from scientists, health professionals and wellness experts on cutting-edge treatments, you’ll want to register for the Radiant Life Symposium hosted by Inner Image Ingrid LeVasseur Clinical Thermography founder, Ingrid LeVasseur. With her, will be an impressive lineup of speakers to Freeport on April 10. For this second year of the symposium the keynote speaker will be Jim Oschman, Ph.D., the foremost researcher in energy medicine, having published more than 60 articles in scientific journals and books. Jill Wheaton, a certified live microscopist, will discuss how hidden food allergies could be wreaking havoc on your metabolism and brain function. Werner Brandmaier, the founder of the Institute of Feng Shui & Geopathology and a trained engineer, will discuss the impact of subtle earth energies on our health and well-being. Other speakers will cover acupuncture, dealing with trauma and managing stress and anxiety. The symposium will also include a showcase featuring discounted products and services.

Your Personal Retreat

It’s All

About You

Cruelty-Free, Organic & Vegan Salon The Best Thing About Our Products Is What We

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545 Westbrook St • South Portland, Maine www.organicrootsme.com

Cost: $137 includes all speakers, lunch and refreshments. Location: Harraseeket Inn, 162 Main Street, Freeport. For more information, visit radiantlifesymposium.eventbrite.com. See ad, pg 13.

WHY CHOOSE BAY CLUB?

Iyengar Yoga Convergence: A Multi-Teacher Weekend Intensive

our of New England’s top certified Iyengar Yoga teachers are leading the second annual three-day Convergence at Portland Yoga Studio on May 1-3. The lineup of instructors includes Jarvis Chen of Massachusetts, Linda DiCarlo of Rhode Island, Rebecca Weisman of Vermont, and Patricia Walden, hailed by “Time” magazine as “The best yoga teacher in the western world.” Cost: Free. Location: Bowdoin College Museum of Art Quad, 9400 College St., Brunswick. (In case of rain, the event will be in the Morrell Gymnasium.) For more information, visit www.worldtaichiday.org.

News to share?

Submit information online at MaineAwakenings.com or call 207-615-3675 Submittal deadline is the 5th of the month.

• Raw Food Juice • Smoothie Bar • Steam & Sauna • Lockers/ Towel Service • 2 Hours FREE Parking Mention this ad • 35+ Classes and receive • NASM Certified Personal Trainers 1 FREE WEEK! Bay Club Fitness • 207-772-5444 One City Center, Portland Maine 04101 www.bayclubfitness natural awakenings

April 2015

newsbriefs Mom-and-Kiddo Yoga for Mother’s Day Weekend

aine Yoga Kids is offering a special mother-daughter class in Portland on the Saturday of Mother’s Day weekend, from 1-2:30 p.m., May 9. Learn poses, relaxation techniques, new ways to move and stretch, and enjoy learning fun ways to play together. Register in advance. Cost: $20 per pair. Location: Pediatric Development Center, 125 Presumpscot St., Portland. For more information, contact Jenna at maineyogakids@gmail.com or Cayce at 617-448-7846. See ad, page 26.

has been ranked in the best 50 in its size class among 200 companies named in the Franchise Business Review’s 2015 Top Franchises Report. The healthy living magazine was one of five franchise companies cited as best-in-class in the advertising and sales category. To select the top franchises across industries and performance categories, the organization surveyed more than 28,500 franchisees. Franchise Business Review, headquartered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is a national franchise market research firm that performs independent surveys of franchisee satisfaction and franchise buyer experiences. 2015 marked its 10th annual Top Franchises Report.

For more information visit our website: NaturalAwakeningsMag.com/ mymagazine or call 239-530-1377

Southern Maine

New Reiki Teacher at Organic Roots in South Portland

ayleen Hayden, a Reiki master teacher, recently joined Organic Roots Salon at 545 Westbrook Street in South Portland. Jayleen’s healing work through Reiki helps individuals navigate life changes, manage physical discomfort, relieve stress, improve sleep, and even reconnect with life passions. Her work is centered on self-awareness, empowerment, and authenticity. Its effectiveness lies within the teachings of self-reliance and resilience.

For more information, call 207-518-8624 or email hello@jayleenhayden.com. See ad, page 7.

Shaman Tina D’Amore Back in Portland Area

he ancient method of healing, shamanism, is tens of thousands of years old, and is found throughout all cultures of the world, on every continent. And now it’s found on Forest Avenue in Portland! Shamanic Pracitioner, Tina D’Amore offers healing that can help guide you through, what is not working in your life. From healing trauma and soul retrieval, to hands-onhealing and word medicine, D’Amore wants to help you rediscover YOUR inner power.

Location: 1 Forest Avenue, Suite 2A, Portland. For more information on shamanic practitioner Tina D’Amore and 3 Crows Healing, visit www.3crowshealing.com, or contact Tina at 207-272-2799 or 3crowshealing@gmail.com.

MaineAwakenings.com

natural awakenings

April 2015

healthbriefs

Local Toxins Increase Risk of Autism

Olive Oil Boosts Healthy Cholesterol

n an effort to understand what makes olive oil so good for heart health, a study from Europe’s Cardiovascular Risk and Nutrition Research Group and the U.S. National Institutes of Health has found that olive oil’s polyphenols significantly increase the size of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL) in the blood and enhance the HDL’s ability to inhibit formation of the abnormal fatty deposits, known as plaque, within the walls of arteries. Polyphenols are natural compounds from plants known to help prevent cancer and heart disease. In the three-week study, researchers isolated the effect of polyphenols by dividing 47 healthy European men into two groups: one ate a diet containing polyphenolpoor olive oil and the other consumed polyphenol-rich olive oil. The enriched diet resulted in increased size, fluidity and stability (resistance to oxidation) of the HDL molecules by reducing their triglyceride core. The researchers note that the oxidation of cholesterol lipids such as lowdensity lipoprotein (LDL) is linked with arteriosclerosis.

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onfirming previous findings, a large study from the University of Chicago has found that autism is linked to toxic environmental exposure. The research examined data from nearly a third of the U.S. population, which showed that both autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disabilities increased as exposure increased in region-by-region testing. The research measured clusters of autism incidence together with exposure rates in different counties and states across the country. The areas with greater environmental toxin exposures had significantly increased autism rates. The correlation was significant among both boys and girls, but stronger among girls. Proximity to urban areas also increased autism incidence. For every 1 percent increase in urbanization, there was about a 3 percent rise in autism and intellectual disabilities. Influential toxins include pesticides, plasticizers, lead and pharmaceuticals.

Acupuncture Increases Quality of Life for Allergy Sufferers

esearch from Berlin’s Charité University Medical Center suggests that acupuncture is an effective treatment for patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis. Published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, in 2013, the study analyzed data on the costs and quality of life of 364 allergy patients that had been randomly assigned to receive one of three treatments: rescue medication alone (taken when symptoms are greatest); acupuncture treatment plus rescue medication; or sham (nontherapeutic) acupuncture plus rescue medication. Patients receiving acupuncture incurred higher total treatment costs, but also gained significantly more quality of life compared with the rescue medication-only groups.

Strawberries Reduce Blood Pressure

study published in the World Journal of Diabetes concluded that the regular consumption of a flavonoidrich strawberry beverage reduces blood pressure in people with Type 2 diabetes. The study divided 36 subjects, all with moderately high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes, into two groups—the first drank the equivalent of one serving of fresh strawberries per day made from freeze-dried berries, and the other group drank the same amount of an imitation strawberry-flavored drink over a six-week period. Blood pressure was tested at the beginning and end of the study for all participants. At the end, the group drinking the real strawberry beverage registered significantly lower diastolic blood pressure than at the outset; it was also lower than the imitation strawberry group. The average diastolic blood pressure of the group drinking real strawberries went down by 6.5 percent and the systolic dropped by 12 percent. The strawberry-flavored group’s systolic blood pressure was also reduced, but only by 3.7 percent.

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

Vanishing Wildlife

50 Percent Gone in Under 50 years The latest World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Living Planet Report shows that the Living Planet Index (LPI), which measures more than 10,000 representative populations of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish, has declined by 52 percent since 1970. The report is widely considered the leading sciencebased analysis on the health of our planet and the impact of human activity (Tinyurl.com/WWF-Living-Planet-Report). In fewer than two human generations, populations of vertebrate species— the life forms that constitute the fabric of life-sustaining ecosystems and serve as a barometer of how humans are impacting nature—have dropped by half. Nature conservation and sustainable development go hand-in-hand; it’s not only about preserving biodiversity and wild places, but about safeguarding the future of humanity. Living Planet Report partners include the Zoological Society of London, Global Footprint Network and Water Footprint Network. Marco Lambertini, director general of WWF International, states, “We need leadership for change. Sitting on the bench waiting for someone else to make the first move, doesn’t work. Heads of state need to start thinking globally; businesses and consumers need to stop behaving as if we live in a limitless world.”

Soil Salvation

Organic Farming May Counteract Greenhouse Effect The nonprofit Rodale Institute, the United Nations and the Soil Association are reporting that modern, chemical-intensive industrial farming is stripping the soil’s natural ability to take carbon back out of the atmosphere through photosynthesis and store it in the soil. Rodale researchers say that by returning to small-scale organic farming, more than 40 percent of annual greenhouse gas emissions could be captured in the soil, and if the entire world’s pasture and rangelands were managed using regenerative techniques, an additional 71 percent of those emissions could be sequestered. Further, organic practices could counteract the world’s yearly carbon dioxide output while producing the same amount of food as conventional farming. Rodale claims that using regenerative organic agriculture—like low or no-tillage, cover crops and crop rotation—will keep photosynthesized carbon dioxide in the soil, instead of returning it to the atmosphere. The institute cites 75 studies from peer-reviewed journals, including its own 33-year Farming Systems Trial, which directly compare organic farming with conventional farming.

Buzzing Buddies

‘Flying Doctor’ Bees Prevent Cherry Disease University of Adelaide researchers are introducing a “flying doctor” method of employing bees as preventive medicine. Project leader and bee researcher Katja Hogendoorn, Ph.D., says, “All commercial cherry growers spray during flowering to control the later development of cherry brown rot. Instead of spraying fungicide, we’re using bees to deliver a biological control agent right to the flowers, where it’s needed.” The innovative delivery works via entomovectoring. This is a new technique for Australia, with potential application in many horticultural industries. The biological control agent contains spores of a parasitic fungus that prevents another fungus that causes the brown rot from colonizing the flower. Future applications of the small, winged medics are expected to become available for disease control in almonds, grapes, strawberries, raspberries, apples, pears and stone fruit. Source: Adelaide.edu.au

Nature always

wears the colors of the spirit. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Source: OrganicConsumers.org natural awakenings

April 2015

localfeature

Green Gardening: 2015 TRENDS IN LANDSCAPING By Jessie Shiers

s April arrives in Maine, so do the sun, the mud, and the first tenacious buds of early spring. Hardy Mainers are waving goodbye and good riddance to the paralyzing cold and ice of another long winter, and putting on our short-sleeved shirts and gardening gloves. It’s time to dig out those garden beds, folks. As you plan this season’s flower and vegetable gardens, consider the trends of 2015. This year’s themes all relate to ecofriendly gardening practices that minimize the environmental impact of landscaping while maximizing the productivity and sustainability of the outdoor living space.

Edible Landscapes Incorporate into your landscaping and flower garden designs a variety of plants that will provide you not only with a beautiful outdoor living space, but also nutritious, home-grown food. Many fruit trees are gorgeous when blossoming, providing shade and a privacy screen when planted along the road, and later in the season will provide apples, cherries, peaches, plums or other fruits. Consider a dwarf variety for easy care and quick fruiting. Minimize the amount of open grassy lawn and maximize the productivity of your yard by planting a perennial bed filled with asparagus, strawberries, chives, and raspberry bushes. As an added bonus, after they’ve produced foods for your table, asparagus and chive blossom into unexpectedly beautiful yellow and purple flowers. Herbs and edible flowers—lavender, sage, mint, thyme, and nasturtium—can be grown easily in decorative pots or raised beds. Climbing vine plants such as peas and beans add a vertical element to the design. Leafy greens such as curly kale, colorful Swiss chard, and mixed lettuces can be surprisingly decorative. Try planting 12

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them as an edge or filler along the side of a flower garden. More and more, gardeners are discovering that vegetable gardens and flower gardens don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Mix and match ornamental plants with edible ones for an outdoor space that is pleasing to the eye as well as the palate.

Pollinator Gardens Pollinator gardens encourage bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. One of the most pressing problems facing the ecosystem today is the decline in the number of pollinating insects needed for the reproduction of plants, caused by habitat loss, disease, and overuse of pesticides in industrial agriculture as well as home gardening and landscaping. In your home garden, you can provide much-needed sources of pollen and nectar to attract and support communities of bees and butterflies, as well as hummingbirds and bats. When planning your pollinator garden, keep the following tips in mind: • Provide a variety of brightly colored plants that flower at different times of the year—early spring, summer, and fall—to provide a consistent food source throughout the growing season. • Plant shrubs and perennials of varying heights in clumps, rather than isolated plants, to provide shelter from sun and rain, as well as hiding spots from predators. • A variety of colors and shapes of flowers will attract a wider variety of pollinators—some prefer white or violet tube-shaped flowers, while others like red or orange bowl-shaped flowers, for example.

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• Choose native plants, including wildflowers, which will attract and serve as larval host plants for native pollinator species. • Never use pesticides or herbicides on a pollinator garden—or any flower garden—to avoid spreading toxins to beneficial bird and insects. • Rather than having a perfectly manicured yard, leave some areas of bare ground and allow leaf litter and plant debris to collect, providing shelter for ground-nesting species. • Visit www.pollinator.org for more information and listings of native plants.

Succulent Gardens Succulents are perennial plants with fleshy, fluid-filled leaves that can grow in surprising ways—without noticeable soil, on rocks and rock walls, or even on a vertical surface. They require very little water and minimal maintenance to survive and thrive. A commonly seen garden succulent in Maine is the familiar hens-and-chicks (Sempervivum spp.) found growing in dense clusters of rosettes on rock walls. This decorative plant is extremely coldand drought-hardy, preferring snowy winters and temperate summers. Plant Sempervivum outdoors in rock gardens and planters or on garden walls. The mother plant produces tiny offshoots that will develop into independent plants. After each rosette flowers, it will die. Remove the spent rosettes to allow the offshoots to thrive and spread, take care not to overwater, and your Sempervivum will survive indefinitely (hence its Latin name, meaning “lives forever”).

Another common variety of hardy succulent that thrives in Maine’s climate is stonecrop (Sedum). There are many subspecies of Sedum that fall into two types—trailing ground cover, or taller, vertical flowering plants. The varietal Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ is an excellent choice for adding a bright pop of color to gritty, welldrained soils, and will produce spectacular blooms well into the fall. Ground-covering sedum varieties such as Sedum acre fit well into rock gardens, creeping into the spaces between other plants and rocks. Many ornamental succulents are native to hot, dry climates like the American Southwest and would not fare well if planted outside in Maine. However, indoor succulent gardens are a growing trend in home décor, and if kept inside, succulents can provide a striking appearance with very little care. Halls Pond Gardens in South Paris, Maine (hallspondgardens. com) is a beautiful spot to wander through displays of outdoor succulent rock gardens, as well as offering both Sempervivum and Sedum varieties for sale in their nursery. Also for sale are artistic miniature succulent gardens grown in sculptural stone for interior decorating. Make your yard work for you in a way that is sustainable and environmentally friendly this season. Choose a low-maintenance succulent rock garden; an edible landscape of decorative herbs, fruits, and vegetables; or a beautiful array of flowering native plants and wildflowers that will attract and support butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Jessie Shiers is a freelance editor and writer. She and her husband, Jason Shiers, own Pleasant Hill Property Services, a landscaping company in Norway, Maine.

WHY AN ORGANIC MATTRESS IS RIGHT FOR YOU

While we sleep, our immune system recovers and prepares for the day ahead. If your mattress is filled with airborne allergens and chemical toxins, your immune system will battle these rather than repair itself. Regular bedding & mattresses are laden with polyurethane foam, toxic flame retardants, and water or stain resistant chemicals.

Organic Innerspring Mattresses Our cotton innerspring mattresses are made with organic cotton batting and organic wool — free from chemicals and pesticides! Great for those who are chemically sensitive or allergic to latex. A good fit for families on a budget because an innerspring is generally less expensive than a latex mattress.

Natural Latex Organic Mattresses When it comes to latex there’s “natural” and then there’s “all natural”. We sell only “all natural” latex mattresses so you sleep chemical-free. Beware mattress stores online and in your neighborhood selling “natural” or “green” or “sustainable” foam mattresses. This is “green wash” marketing hype.

FIND A HUGE SELECTION OF THE BEST ORGANIC MATTRESSES IN THE WORLD

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natural awakenings

April 2015

AWAKENING AMERICA

wisewords

Healing Journeys

Paul Stutzman Finds Universal Truths on His Treks by Randy Kambic

Natural Awakenings Celebrates 20 Years of Conscious Living

Read What People Are Saying About Natural Awakenings Natural Awakenings provides helpful information on natural health and environmental issues with a consistently positive perspective and tone, which is not always easy considering how serious and intimidating some of these topics are. It’s a rarity. ~ Sayer Ji, founder, GreenMedInfo.com

Publications like Natural Awakenings reach many people and I’m so glad to be able to share a voice beyond the propaganda. ~ Melinda Hemmelgarn, Food Sleuth

I have changed so much over the last year finally realizing that life is so much bigger than me. I love this Earth and all the wonders that are a part of it, and your magazine contributes to my appreciation.

~ Theresa Sutton, Connecticut

It is unusual to see your level of writing and consciousness in a free publication. Thanks for a great work. ~ Kaih Khriste’ King, Arizona

Natural Awakenings magazine is the only advertising I use for my practice other than word of mouth referrals and it has brought us new patients consistently especially now that we advertise monthly. The quality of the leads is great and we really enjoy helping the holistic-minded patient. The publisher is great to work with and truly wants to see the business succeed. We plan on always advertising with Natural Awakenings and expanding our presence in the magazine.

aul Stutzman was a successful executive with a family restaurant chain and a happy father and husband married for more than 30 years when his wife, Mary, passed away from breast cancer in 2006. Questioning his faith as to why this happened, Stutzman quit his job to hike the 2,168-mile Appalachian Trail (AT), advising everyone he encountered, “Don’t take spouses and families for granted.” His book, Hiking Through, recounts this extreme adventure and relates his subsequent thoughts about grief, healing and life. Stutzman chronicled his second journey, a 5,000-mile-plus crosscountry trek, in Biking Across America. This time, he perceived a “noble, yet humble America that still exists and inspires.” More recently, the author has turned to fiction with The Wanderers and Wandering Home, both enriched with reflections upon the values of his Amish Mennonite upbringing and marriage.

What kept you going? Early on, I realized how soothing nature was to my grieving soul. Still, there

~ Cate Vieregger, DDS, Colorado

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were times it would have been easy to abandon my journeys and head for the safety of home. The desire to discover if my life held any meaning after such a great loss kept me moving forward. I kept telling myself on both journeys, “If my wife can fight cancer for four years, I can overcome any obstacle I encounter.” I was determined to write about what I was being taught by nature. I also believed books written by and about someone seeking solace via an incomplete pilgrimage would be cheating the reader.

What do such journeys teach about nature and our response to experiencing it? I find comfort in nature. I believe the beautiful streams and waterfalls, the grand views from mountaintops and the wildlife were all created for our enjoyment. When we absorb this beauty and wonderment, the stresses in life slowly melt away. Granted, not everyone will be able to do what I did; however, a stroll through a local park, along a beach or in a flower garden can have similar effects.

Did these extended physical endeavors make mental demands that catalyzed unexpected self-growth? Treks like these into the unknown are physically demanding. With time and effort, one’s body gets into shape for extended hiking and biking. The mental hurdle must be crossed next. You’ll miss home and loved ones. Loneliness will set in. This is where you discover who the real you is. Are you tenacious enough to push through the desire to abandon the pilgrimage or will you succumb to the allure of comfort and safety? On my journeys, I had to make difficult choices. There is a saying that applies to folks planning to hike the AT end-to-end through 14 states: “If hiking the entire Appalachian Trail isn’t the most important thing in your life, you won’t accomplish it.” My daughter gave birth to my grandson while I was hiking. Although she asked that I come home for the event, I declined. I kept on hiking because I knew I wouldn’t return to the trail if I went home. I’d spent my lifetime trying to do the right things for my three children, but now had to do what was right for me.

What did you learn about Americans along the way? I discovered that most Americans are kind, law-abiding citizens. Most are still willing to help a stranger in need. Unfortunately, I feel we focus too much time and energy on the minority of malcontents.

How have these experiences informed your creative process? America is a great country. The beauty I’ve witnessed from a bicycle seat and on two feet hiking the mountains is a continual source of inspiration. Many folks are unable to do what I do. My ongoing desire is to describe the images imprinted in my mind in such a way that others can feel as if they are there walking with me. For more information, visit PaulStutzman.com. Randy Kambic is an Estero, FL, freelance writer and editor who regularly contributes to Natural Awakenings.

ecotip Sustainable Shopping Tips Smart Choices Help our Home Planet

The buy local movement and popularity of local farmers’ markets continue to grow, but we can do even better when it comes to sustainable shopping. A recent Greendex.com survey on environmental impacts of consumer behaviors in 18 countries reports that more Americans are eating local and organic foods and say they’re going to consume less meat and bottled water. Nevertheless, we continue to eat the most processed and packaged foods and the fewest fruits and vegetables of all the countries surveyed. Evidently, we need to literally put our money where our mouths are. The Greendex survey cites several basic ways to make our diets more sustainable. These include eating more vegetables and less beef and lamb (recognizing the greater environmental impact of raising animals); participating and supporting community supported agriculture and fishery initiatives; economizing meal planning; and storing food properly in the refrigerator to maximize space and freshness periods. When grocery shopping, peruse the perimeter aisles first, where whole foods are stocked, instead of the interior shelves, which typically comprise processed foods according to MotherEarthLiving.com. More cooperation between the public and private sectors and individual involvement can also increase sustainability in communities around the world. Rachael Durrant, Ph.D., a research fellow with the UK-based Sustainable Lifestyles Research Group, cites in a recent paper the need for improved understanding of the key roles that civil society organizations play within processes of large-scale social change and warned that many communities are vulnerable to grave environmental and social risks. Durrant lauds “greener, fairer and healthier practices, such as community gardening or cookery classes,” plus “those that change the rules of the game through campaigns or lobbying to coordinate and facilitate activities of other groups.” Supporting food and farming management that’s independent, cooperative and welcomes volunteers, for example, is highly beneficial.

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April 2015

Nature’s Wisdom Its Lessons Inspire, Heal and Sustain Us by Christine MacDonald

The environment is not separate from ourselves; we are inside it and it is inside us; we make it and it makes us. ~ Davi Kopenawa Yanomami, Amazon shaman

hile the idea that we humans stand apart from—or even above—nature is a prevailing theme in much of modern civilization, naturalists and other clever souls throughout the ages have observed that the opposite is true: We are part of, depend on and evolve with nature— and we ignore this vital connection at our peril. “If one way is better than another, that you may be sure is nature’s way,” admonished the Greek philosopher Aristotle, in the third century B.C.E. “Time destroys the speculation of men, but it confirms the judgment of nature,” Roman politician and philosopher Cicero ruminated two centuries later. Nobel Prize-winning physicist and philosopher Albert Einstein remarked, “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” Today, more of us are looking to nature for ways to improve physical, mental and emotional health, develop 16

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intelligence, innovate, overhaul how we build homes and neighborhoods, and raise our children.

Healthful Nature

As Henry David Thoreau wrote in his classic 1854 book Walden, “We need the tonic of wildness.” While we know firsthand how walking in the woods can elevate mood, scientists have documented that a regular dose of nature has other far-reaching benefits. It can lower stress hormone levels, blood pressure and undesirable cholesterol; help heal neurological problems; hasten fuller recovery from surgery and heart attacks; increase cancer-fighting white blood cells; and generally aid overall health (Health Promotion International research report; also Nippon Medical School study, Tokyo). Regular playtime outdoors helps children cope with hyperactivity and attention deficit disorders, accord-

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ing to research published in Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care. Exposure to nature can help adults escape from today’s wired lives; reinvigorate, be fitter and less likely to suffer from obesity, diabetes and heart disease, as reported in studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and a University of Washington research summary. It can also unlock understanding of the spiritual essence of life. Hours regularly spent by youth outdoors stimulate imagination and creativity and enhance cognitive development, helping them learn. Nature also helps youngsters develop social awareness, helping them better navigate human relations (Tinyurl.com/ OutdoorHealthBenefits Research). “It’s strange and kind of sad that we are so removed from nature that we actually have to ask why nature is good for us,” says Dr. Eva Selhub, a lecturer at Harvard Medical School, author of the new book Your Health Destiny, and co-author of Your Brain on Nature. “The fact is our brains and bodies are wired in concert with nature.” Recognition of nature’s positive effects has grown so much in recent years that physicians increasingly write their patients “prescriptions” to go hiking in the woods, counting on the healthy exercise and exposure to sunlight, nature and soothing views to address health problems stemming from poor diets and sedentary lifestyles. Healthcare clinics and hospitals in Washington, D.C., New York City, Chicago, Indianapolis, Albuquerque, New Mexico, California’s Bay Area and elsewhere have launched Prescription Trails programs aimed at objectives from preventing obesity in children to healthful activities for retirees (Tinyurl. com/AmericanHealthTrails). Bestselling author Richard Louv calls the positive nature effect “vitamin N” in The Nature Principle. He contends: “Many of us, without having a name for it, are using the nature tonic. We are, in essence, self-medicating with an inexpensive and unusually convenient drug substitute.”

Such ideas are commonly accepted in many cultures. The Japanese believe in the restorative power of shinrin-yoku, which could be translated as “forest medicine” or “forest bathing”. Indigenous peoples like the Brazilian tribe led by Shaman Davi Kopenawa Yanomami, fighting to preserve their land and way of life in the Amazon, profess to be at one with the innate riches of sustainable rainforests (SurvivalInternational.org/parks).

Innovative Nature

Scientists, inventors and other innovators are increasingly inspired by nature. Biomimicry, part social movement and part burgeoning industry, looks to how Earth’s natural systems work and solve problems. University of Utah researchers, inspired by the durable homes built by sandcastle worms, are creating a synthetic glue that one day could help repair fractured bones. Architectural components manufacturer Panelite makes energy-efficient insulated glass by mimicking the hexagonal structure that bees use in honeycombs. (Find other precedents at Tinyurl.com/ BiomimicryCaseExamples). The inspiration for biomimicry comes from many places, says Dayna Baumeister, Ph.D. co-founder of Biomimicry 3.8, a Missoula, Montana, company working with other companies and universities to propel biomimicry into the mainstream. “People are recognizing that they’ve been disconnected to the natural world,” she says. “We also realize that [as a species] we are in trouble. We don’t have all the answers, but we can look to other species for inspiration” for clearing pollutants from our bodies and environments. Plants and fungi are now commonly used to clean up old industrial sites that resemble nature’s way of removing pollutants from water and soil. A University of California, Berkeley, meta-study confirms that farmers currently using organic farming methods and solar power achieve roughly the same crop yields as conventional techniques with far less dependence on fossil fuels, reducing greenhouse gases and petrochemical pesticide and fertilizer pollution.

Cyclical Nature

These breakthrough technologies emulate the way nature uses the building blocks of life in an endless cycle of birth, reproduction, decay and rebirth. It’s part of a broad rethinking of the principles behind sustainability—building, manufacturing and living in greater harmony with natural systems, perhaps eventually eliminating landfills, air and water pollution, and toxic site cleanups. “A toxin is a material in the wrong place,” says architect William McDonough, of Charlottesville, Virginia. The only individual recipient of the Presidential Award for Sustainable Development, he is co-author of Cradle-to-Cradle, a groundbreaking book that calls for re-envisioning even the nastiest waste, and The Upcycle: Beyond Sustainability—Designing for Abundance. McDonough imagines a world where waste becomes raw material for new buildings, furniture and other goods—akin to how a forest reuses every deceased tree and animal to nourish the ecosystem and spawn new life.

With 80 percent of U.S. residents currently living in urban areas, architects, builders and municipal planners are likewise pivoting toward nature, prompted by the scientific evidence of the many ways that human health and general well-being rely upon it. While this contact is preferably the kind of “stopping by woods” that inspired New England poet Robert Frost, even a walk in a city park will work. “Urban nature, when provided as parks and walkways and incorporated into building design, provides calming and inspiring environments and encourages learning, inquisitiveness and alertness,” reports the University of Washington’s College of the Environment, in Green Cities: Good Health. The American Planning Association stresses the importance of integrating green space into urban neighborhoods. Not only does so-called “metro nature” improve air and water quality and reduce urban heat island effects, urban wilds such as Pittsburgh’s Nine Mile Run and Charlotte, North Carolina’s Little Sugar Creek Greenway also restore natural connections in densely populated city centers.

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April 2015

Natural Intelligence

A growing number of scientists say that research about our place in nature has sparked fresh thinking about our role and devastated quaint notions about our species’ superiority. “Single-celled slime molds solve mazes. Brainless plants make correct decisions and bees with brains the size of pinheads handle abstract concepts,” points out Anthropologist Jeremy Narby, author of the groundbreaking book Intelligence in Nature.

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Man is everywhere a disturbing agent. Wherever he plants his foot, the harmonies of nature are turned to discord. The proportions and accommodations that ensured the stability of existing arrangements are overthrown. Of all organic beings, man alone is to be regarded as essentially a destructive power. ~George Perkins Marsh, Man and Nature (1864) At a national conference of Bioneers, an organization based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and San Francisco that gathers nature-minded social and scientific innovators, Narby said: “We are nearly identical to many animals. Many behaviors once thought to be exclusively human are shared by other species. The zone of the specifically human, as determined by science, has been shrinking.” We haven’t lost the ability to tap that primal animal inside, even if most of us are more likely to “venture into the forest” by watching a movie or playing video games. We may feel cut off from our instincts, but studies show time in the woods can do wonders to restore the keenness of our senses to connect with the subtle changes in natural habitat, the movements of other species and the changing seasons. The rise of human civilizations may have taken “survival of the fittest” in new directions, often decidedly tamer ones, but experts ranging from scientific researchers to lifestyle analysts say humankind is still hardwired by our more primitive past. Despite the ingenious ways we’ve devised to exploit other life forms, capitalize on Earth’s resources and protect ourselves from

nature’s sometimes terrifying power, our fate remains linked to natural laws and limits, from nurturing our body’s immune system to resolving planet-sized problems like climate change. “‘Nature’ is our natural environment,” according to Selhub. We don’t have to move to the country to reconnect, she says. “Even spending 20 minutes a day outside has an effect.” Houseplants, nature photos and aromatherapy Earth scents can also help indoor environments better reflect our own nature. The wealth of research and common sense wisdom is aptly summed up by celebrated author Wendell Berry in The Long-Legged House. “We have lived our lives by the assumption that what was good for us would be good for the world. We have been wrong. We must change our lives so that it’ll be possible to live by the contrary assumption, that what is good for the world will be good for us. And that requires we make the effort to know the world and learn what is good for it.” Christine MacDonald is a freelance journalist in Washington, D.C., whose specialties include health and science. Visit ChristineMacDonald.info.

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MASTERING THE FORCE

The Martial Arts Hold Deep Inner Lessons by Eric Stevens

ew words are as oddly coupled as martial and arts. The first means “relating to war and soldiers,” while the second means “something that is created with imagination and skill, and is beautiful or expresses important ideas or feelings.” All martial arts represent a paradox of push and pull, yin and yang, external and internal. Their practice represents the blending of our physical lives in harmony with our emotional makeup, allowing our external activity to mirror our internal being. Seldom is the fusion of body, mind and spirit easily achieved with one activity, but martial arts are an exception, because they focus equally on internal and external well-being. Here are five key life lessons that martial arts can teach us. Learn how to breathe. True connection with our breath permeates an artist’s realm. A vocalist must reach deep within the diaphragm to sing proficiently and a dancer must learn to time their breath while performing. A martial artist learns to control breath with stillness and speed, like juxtaposing yoga with intense contact sports. Breathing properly makes the practitioner a better martial

artist and a healthier one. According to a study published in the American Journal of Chinese Medicine, hypertensive qigong program participants were able to both lower their blood pressure after 10 weeks and increase their oxygen uptake by 20 percent. Avoid conflict by developing character. While it may seem counterintuitive that learning how to fight could avoid conflict, it’s an essential part of martial arts. The philosopher Lao Tzu said the best fighter is never angry. The martial arts are primarily about discipline, heightened awareness and honing an ability to face our own internal conflicts. Several studies corroborate that practicing martial arts produces positive behavioral changes. For instance, according to a study published in the Journal of Adolescence, participating students in the martial arts were characterized as being less impulsive and less aggressive. Connect the external (body movement) with the internal (energy movement). The energetic force that catalyzes expressive kicks, punches, blocks and other outward forms is as essential as the movements themselves. In Chinese

martial arts, that force is referred to as qi, the life energy that intrinsically unites body, mind and spirit. Be both an artist and athlete. Artistry and athleticism need not be divergent forces. The martial artist combines the grace of a creator and skill of a warrior, and watching a martial arts competition can be as riveting as watching a ballet or sports event. Most of us may not be talented artists or natural athletes, yet all students can learn how to integrate both worlds by blending physicality with stillness and expression through action. Let go of ego, find mental clarity and access the present moment. Jirōkichi Yamada, a master of Japanese kenjutsu, said, “The way of the sword and the way of Zen are identical, for they have the same purpose; that of killing the ego.” The focus of all true martial arts is the process, not the outcome. Whatever the style of execution, preparatory practice and meditative application, they all require the discipline of being purely present. Gaining such clarity requires grappling more with ego than with opponents; the real battle of a martial artist is waged within. Bruce Lee, the film star who revolutionized Western awareness of martial arts and founded jeet kune do, realized that martial arts’ transcendent philosophy gives us many lessons to draw upon. He suggested, “Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.” Eric Stevens has been a fitness professional and martial arts coach for 15 years. He writes about related topics from Denver, Colorado. Connect at EricChristopherStevens@gmail.com. natural awakenings

April 2015

10 Steps to Achieve the Blessings of Sleep by Svetla Popova, LCPC

uring sleep, our body and mind relax, recharge and restore while the brain works on very low frequency waves, 0.2 Hz to 12 Hz, as opposed to higher frequencies during the waking hours—13 Hz and up. The endocrine glands produce adequate quantities of various hormones that govern our body and mind. We process the information we accumulated during the day, and during REM sleep, we sort out what we need to remember and what to throw away. Then, if we are lucky and go to the low-brainwaves sleep, we get our physical injuries throughout our body healed. A good night’s sleep makes us smarter, healthier, happier, more productive, and a whole lot more enjoyable to be around, let alone prettier. Can you imagine if we had a good night’s sleep consistently? Sleep is a basic necessity just like air, water and food. Ask chronically sleep-deprived people and they may confess that all they think about is sleep and they fake every other interest in life. A multitude of medical and emotional problems, late-night work-shifts, and parenting infants carry the burden of sleeplessness, even without the added self-created reasons. Let’s see ten simple (but not easy) things you can do to get more of the coveted blessings of sleep:

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1. 2. 3.

A good night’s sleep starts in the morning—expose yourself to bright light during the day.

Get your body moving—walk, dance, exercise, do some gardening, etc.

Don’t consume caffeinated food or drinks in late afternoon or evening; they work against your brain’s preparation for sleep; and they are also diuretics, which will wake you up at night to go to the bathroom. The same applies with alcohol. It may help you fall asleep but will wake you up in the middle of the night.

4. 5. 6. 7.

Stop working hard about an hour before bedtime— that’s how long it takes for the brain to relax and prepare to sleep.

Get fresh air in your bedroom. Get the temperature down to between 62 and 66 degrees.

Turn the lights down one hour before bedtime. Sleep in a very dark room or with a comfortable sleeping mask because the pineal and the pituitary glands, which start the whole cycle of hormone production throughout the body, work in darkness, and are very finicky when we interrupt them.

8. 9.

Go to sleep in your bedroom rather than on the couch and then waking up to move to your bed.

Turn off your computer, tablet, TV, or other backlit screens one hour before sleep. This may be very difficult, but is important for two reasons: these devices excite your brain with volume and content of information; and the bright screen confuses our body into thinking it is morning, the time to be active, not resting.

10.

Create a rhythm in your life, which can be as simple as going to bed and waking up at the same times each day.

With these 10 steps, you might find new meaning in the phrase, Good night! Svetla Popova, LCPC, owns and operates the practice Accelerated Counseling LLC, which treats children, teenagers, adults and couples. In addition to being a licensed counselor, she is trained and certified in EMDR, Reiki, and EFT, and can be reached at (207) 761-3883 or at AcceleratedCounseling.com. See ad, pg 5.

businessspotlight

Buckwheat Pillow Business Benefits Autism Foundation by Jesse Shiers

o you have trouble sleeping? Do you awaken with aches and pains in your neck and back, or do you suffer from sleep apnea or snoring? A new pillow could solve your problems. L-OMA Buckwheat Pillows, made in Standish, offer unequaled head and neck support to relieve back and neck pain and discomfort associated with standard pillows. “Because of the shape of the buckwheat hulls, the pillow holds its shape,” explains Gregg Alexis, founder of the Bridges Foundation, which now owns LOMA. “So you can adjust it to wherever you need the support and it will stay that way. It perfectly contours to your head and neck, so it opens up your airway, improves circulation, and eliminates nerve pinching. Because you’re supported to the shape of your body, you’re sleeping more naturally.” You’ll also sleep well knowing that 100 percent of the proceeds from your purchase go to a good cause. In 2006, L-OMA Buckwheat Pillows founder Heidi Fogarty donated her entire business (named for her grandmother, Lani Oma) to the Bridges Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides services for adults and children who are on the autism spectrum or who have sensory sensitivities, developmental disabilities, or ADD/ADHD. For caregivers of these individuals, many of whom need full-time specialized care, daily life can be a fulfilling yet exhausting challenge. The Bridges Foundation, founded in 2004, offers respite care for these situations, providing caregivers with a much-needed and well-deserved break. Trained respite providers open their own homes to children and adults with disabilities, or may offer care in the client’s home. The program can be uniquely tailored to each individual family’s needs.

In addition, the Bridges Foundation offers classes and clubs at their Standish facility in such areas as wellness, art and cooking. These clubs offer an opportunity for kids and adults to learn new skills as well as meet others and build relationships in a safe, welcoming social environment. The Bridges Foundation’s unique vocational program provides training and parttime job opportunities through L-OMA for adults with developmental disabilities, while simultaneously earning funds for the nonprofit organization—about half of the foundation’s annual budget. Through the vocational program, individuals can learn skills that meet their abilities, from stuffing and sewing buckwheat pillows and weighted blankets, to filling orders and shipping, to working in the administration of the business. This part-time work is fulfilling and socially beneficial for these individuals, as well as providing them with a source of independent income. When the Bridges Foundation took over L-OMA, it was a successful business manufacturing only buckwheat pillows. Since then, the foundation has expanded L-OMA’s offerings with its own designs for weighted buckwheat “autism blankets,” as well as a range of other products. In a gratifying example of harmony, the L-OMA weighted blankets are designed for people with autism or ADD/ADHD. The sensation of a heavy buckwheat-filled blanket is soothing, comforting, and offers a point of focus for individuals who may have dangerous sensoryseeking behaviors or have trouble filtering the various stimuli of daily life. “A really nice feature about the blankets,” says Alexis, “is that the buckwheat is cooler, so you get the weight without it being hot.”

Buckwheat-filled weighted vests are also available and can be worn throughout the day without impeding mobility. The blankets and vests may also be useful for people with other disorders, including developmental disabilities, restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea, cerebral palsy, anxiety disorder, and Alzheimer’s disease. Alexis says that buckwheat is an ideal substance to use as pillow fill. “It’s extremely durable and hardy,” he explains. “It lasts far longer than just about any other pillow on the market, with an expected life of about fifteen years. It’s not a good conductor of heat, so it stays cool and won’t absorb heat from the body. It’s utterly hypoallergenic. For the price, the durability, and the benefits of it, I don’t think you can beat it.” The pillows, blankets, and all other L-OMA products feature 100 percent organic, non-fumigated buckwheat hulls. The pillows can even be customized with aromatherapy sachets of lavender or balsam, grown in New England. All proceeds benefit the nonprofit Bridges Foundation. For more information on services offered through the Bridges Foundation, visit thebridgesfoundation.org. To order L-OMA buckwheat pillows, weighted blankets, or other products, visit www.l-oma.com or call (207) 595-8106. See ad, pg 20.

natural awakenings

April 2015

communityspotlight

Wild Carrot Herbs:

HERBAL CONSULTATIONS FOR WELLNESS AND FERTILITY by Jesse Shiers

ild carrot (Daucus carota) is a powerful herb also known by the common name Queen Anne’s lace. Mischa Schuler, a community herbalist offering consultations at her location on Munjoy Hill in Portland, recalls that wild carrot was one of the first herbs that called her to her vocation. “I was sitting in an herbal conference, wearing a name tag that, in addition to my own name, included the name Wild Carrot below it,” she says. “At some point, in the midst of a lecture, I looked down at my name tag, not knowing a thing about wild carrot. I knew in an instant that the name of my future herbal practice would be Wild Carrot Herbs.” Specializing in women’s and children’s health, Wild Carrot Herbs offers herbs to support respiratory health, digestion, skin and hair, pregnancy and breastfeeding, and fertility and contraception, among other issues. At each 60- or 90-minute consultation, Schuler, explains, she accesses “deep listening skills to hold space for a client’s needs and to discern patterns of health or dis-ease.” She then develops an herbal regimen and supplies a month’s worth of herbs for the client to take home. Schuler holds a Master of Science in Herbal Medicine, a clinically focused degree, as well as a Master of Teaching in Secondary Sciences. She is a graduate of the Sage Mountain Advanced Herbal Training Program in Barre, Vermont, and apprenticed with Deb Soule at Avena Botanicals during the summer of 2007. “Within our supportive herbal community, we each offer the plants from our own experience,” Schuler says. “I enjoy blending unique herbal and flower-essence formulas for whomever I am seeing, and incorporating plant spirit work and ritual when it feels appropriate. I meld science and folklore in a gentle manner.”

Southern Maine

Throughout the year, Wild Carrot Herbs offers classes on using herbs for heart health, children’s health, breastfeeding support, women’s health, aphrodisiacs and fertility. Herbalism 101 courses are a great opportunity to learn how to use herbs to support your family’s health every day. Wildcrafting classes teach you to identify, harvest, and prepare herbs from the wild. Fertility Awareness classes teach women and their partners the art of tracking the body’s fertility signs to support either conception or contraception efforts. The unique Plant Spirit Journey evenings offer an opportunity to develop a personal relationship with plants. Classes are offered at a variety of locations, including Portland Adult Ed’s PATHS facility on Allen Avenue, Starry Eyes children’s store on Washington Avenue, and Wild Carrots on Congress Street. For those wanting to delve even deeper into an herbal journey, Schuler offers intensive six-month or year-long apprenticeships

in herbalism. The Women’s Plant Medicine Apprenticeship is a six-month journey moving through the growing season, visiting with the plants through their growth cycle to observe proper harvesting and wildcrafting for the making of remedies: flower essences, tinctures, oils and salves. Participants develop a personal relationship with the plants through this interaction in the wild, as well as opportunity to connect through shamanic journey work. The combined experience, playfulness and friendship of Debra Bluth and Mischa Schuler will hold the space for your learning. Six two-day weekend workshops begin in early May and run through September 2015. Location: 306 Congress Street, adjacent to the Portland Food Co-op. Call (207) 2743242 or visit www.WildCarrotHerbs.com to schedule a consultation or for more information on upcoming classes and apprenticeships. See ad, pg 17.

Are You Remembering To Put Time, Effort And Care Into Your Relationship?

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• At the beginning of a relationship and want to build a strong, healthy foundation • In an established relationship and looking to reconnect and revitalize their bond • In a fractured relationship that needs repair and restructure or • At the end of a relationship where the goal is to let go with loving care.

12 Steps to a Healthy

Bedroom

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Step 6:

Step 1:

Get an air purifier that uses filtration Step 3: Replace your existing conventional matknown as HEPA (High Efficiency Particutress because flame-retardant and stain-re- Replace conventional bedding with late Air). A good HEPA filter will eliminate sheets, pillowcases, blankets and duvet sistant chemicals were sprayed on it at the 99.97 percent of all particles the size of covers made with all-natural or organic factory. Its foam cushioning could contain three microns or larger. In choosing an fibers. All fabrics, unless specified, are PBDEs or petrochemicals. Oil might be air purifier, consider yearly costs for filter treated with a chemical flame retardant one of its main ingredients. Sleeping in replacement. Some units require ongoing or stain protection. Instead, choose items such close contact with these off-gassing filter replacement and yruxuL azzecloD peelS neemade rG cideP-layoor R organic yb larutacotton N P-R imusayO rellprove eS tseto B be very with untreated toxins can be unhealthy. expensive in the long run. or wool – organic cotton now comes in Instead, choose a natural latex mattress, which is antimicrobial, antibacterial MOORDEB NAELC EHT MORFmany SSEcolors RTTand AMpatterns. CINAGRO RUOYStep ESAH 7:CRUP DLUOHS UOY YHW and dust mite resistant and relieves presbreeding dnsure a spoints. essertCheck tam ethat ht gthe nitlatex set ,isyratraleast c ew dStep narb y4: reve hcraeser eW .uaeruB ssRemove enisuBold retcarpeting teB eht –hatiw gnitar +A na ev ground for dust mites – and replace 97-percent natural and not a 60/40 blend Replace conventional pillows with those spleh egdelwonk tcudorp evisnetxe ruO .noitcurtsnoc dna ytirup rof sdradnats suorogir ruo teem yeht eruits eb ot g with hypoallergenic cork, ceramic tile or of natural- and petrochemical-based crafted of untreated cotton, organic cot.ediced uoY .dnemmocer eW .netsil eW .riaf era secirp ruO .uoy rof thgiwood r si taflooring ht gnidthat deb dna sserttam eht tcel is not treated with a materials. A natural latex mattress provides ton, buckwheat hulls, wool or natural toxic finish or recycled linoleum called the neck, shoulders, hips and knees with MT rubber (97 percent natural latex). Avoid pressure relief as sleep occurs in the matdown pillows, which attract mites and can Marmoleum. Include scatter rugs that can be easily washed. tress rather than on top of it. produce mold as they draw moisture in

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natural awakenings

April 2015

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Step 8: Get rid of conventional draperies or shades. Invest in untreated wood blinds or fabric shades made with organic fibers.

Step 9: Repaint with non-VOC paints or try hemp wall upholstery that can be stapled into place without using adhesives.

Air out bedrooms and bedding. The Environmental Protection Agency and the National Lung Association recommend opening windows to regularly recycle the air. Those with seasonal allergies should use a window guard to stop pollen, dust and dirt particles from entering the room. And don’t be so quick to make the bed – upon rising, let bedding air out.

Step 11: Maintain a clean sleeping environment. According to the Mayo Clinic, bedding should be washed often in hot water at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit to kill dust mites. Cold water washing can be done with detergents specifically designed to kill dust mites.

Step 12: Conventional pet beds are as unhealthy for pets as conventional beds are for pet owners. Choose instead those made of all-natural or organic cotton, with removable covers that can be easily laundered in hot water. Most of these steps do include a financial component, yet each one is an investment in good health – surely the most important investment that can be made. Chris Chamberlin is co-founder of The Clean Bedroom, which has allergyfree, eco-friendly mattresses, bedding and accessories. Sleep showrooms are located in Portland, ME; Kittery, ME; Wellesley, MA; Greenwich, CT; New York, NY; Brooklyn, NY; and Santa Monica, CA. For more information, visit TheCleanBedroom.com or call 207-438-9778. See ad, page 13. Southern Maine

NOTE: All calendar events must be received via email by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Email Coordinator@MaineAwakenings.com for guidelines and to submit entries. No phone calls or faxes, please. Or visit MaineAwakenings.com to submit online.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1 Free Gentle Yoga Class – 1-2pm. Enjoy a free yoga class. No registration required, just come in. Free. The Yoga Center, 449 Forest Ave Plaza, Portland. 774-YOGA (9642). MaineYoga.com.

THURSDAY, APRIL 2

Step 10:

calendarofevents

Free Restorative Yoga Class – 5:30-7pm. Enjoy a free yoga class. Please call ahead to reserve a space. Free. The Yoga Center, 449 Forest Ave Plaza, Portland. 774-YOGA (9642). MaineYoga.com.

markyourcalendar THURSDAY, APRIL 2 Pure Ease Yoga Classes – Apr 2, 9, 23, 30. 6:308pm. Reduce pain, improve flexibility, enhance strength and stability. Mixed levels. Registration required. $18/drop-in. Turning Light Center, 168 W Pownal Rd, North Yarmouth. 207-829-2700. TurningLight.org.

FRIDAY, APRIL 3

markyourcalendar FRIDAY, APRIL 3

your pillow, your A-game and all of your friends. Free. Monument Square, Congress St, Portland. FaceBook.com.

SUNDAY, APRIL 5 Lewiston Winters Farmers’ Market – 10am-1pm. The market features a wide variety of Maine grown and produced goods including fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy, baked goods, maple products, handmade soap, body products, flowers and more. St. Mary’s Nutrition Center, 208 Bates St, Lewiston. USM.Maine.edu.

MONDAY, APRIL 6

markyourcalendar MONDAY, APRIL 6 Pure Ease Yoga Classes – Apr 6, 13, 20, 27. 8:30-10am. Reduce pain, improve flexibility and enhance strength and stability. Mixed levels. Registration required. $18/drop-in. Turning Light Center, 168 W Pownal Rd, North Yarmouth. Info/ registration: 207-829-2700. TurningLight.org

markyourcalendar MONDAY, APRIL 6

Hunyuan (Primordial) Qigong Class – 9am. Bring a friend to try this beautiful and therapeutic art. Everyone is welcome to participate or observe. Pre-registration is not required, although appreciated. Free. Maine Center for Taijiquan & Qigong, 500 Forest Ave, Portland. 207-780-9581. MaineTaiji.com.

Therapeutic Touch: Energy Healing – 12-4pm. Jane Jacobson’s passion is to support you in your quest for health and happiness. $40/30-min session; $70/1hr session. Leapin Lizards, 449 Forest Ave, Portland. 207-761-7953 or 207-221-2363. LeapinLizards.biz or JJacobs1@Maine.rr.com.

Edible Book Festival – 5-7pm. Create a piece of edible art referencing a book or poem to display for the festival. Free. Portland Public Library, 5 Monument Sq, Portland. 207-871-1700. PortlandLibrary.com.

Good Night, Nature – 6-7pm. Gentle moonlit hour based around a bedtime story about animals of the night. Come in pajamas, but be prepared to venture outdoors. Bring a snack. Registration encouraged. $10/members, $15/nonmembers. Gilsland Farm, 20 Gilsland Farm Rd, Falmouth. 207-883-5100. MaineAudubon.org.

SATURDAY, APRIL 4 5th Annual Race The Runways – 8:45am. Participate in a 5K, 1 Mile, Half Marathon or Kids Fun Run on the airport runway. $15-$50. Brunswick Executive Airport/Brunswick Landing, 220 Neptune St, Brunswick. RaceTheRunways.com. Feldenkrais Class – 1-2:30pm. The Feldenkrais Method brings awareness through movement, re-educating our bodies from old habits. Gentle, relaxing yet very effective body work. Free. The Yoga Center, 449 Forest Ave Plaza, Portland. Info: 207-774-9642. MaineYoga.com. Wine Walk in The West End: The Wines of Bordeaux, France – 2:45-5pm. Enjoy a guided tasting and walking tour of Portland’s vibrant restaurant scene. $49-$55. Congress Squared Restaurant, 157 High St, Portland. WineWiseEvents.com. Portland Pillow Fight Day 2015 – 3pm. Participate in the biggest pillow fight you’ve ever seen. Bring

MaineAwakenings.com

TUESDAY, APRIL 7

markyourcalendar TUESDAY, APRIL 7 Hunyuan (Primordial) Qigong Class – 12pm. See Apr 3 listing. Maine Center for Taijiquan & Qigong, 500 Forest Ave, Portland. 207-780-9581. MaineTaiji.com. Read to Grace – 3:30-5pm. Children can have a 15 minute session to read to Grace, an 8 year old yellow Labrador retriever. Please sign up in advanced. Free. Sam L. Cohen Children’s Library, 5 Monument Sq, Portland. 207-871-1700. PortlandLibrary.com.

markyourcalendar TUESDAY, APRIL 7 April Beginning Herb Series: Herbalism 101 – Apr 7, 14 & 21. 6-8pm. Join community herbalist, Mischa Schuler, in a three week series to make herbal decoctions and infusions, vinegar tinctures and oils and a salve. Please register. $60. Wild Carrot Herbs, 306 Congress St, Portland. 207-2743242. WildCarrotHerbs.com.

markyourcalendar TUESDAY, APRIL 7 Pure Ease Yoga Classes – Apr 7, 14, 21, 28. 6:30-7:30pm. Reduce pain, improve flexibility and enhance strength and stability. Mixed levels. Registration required. $18/drop-in. Turning Light Center, 168 W Pownal Rd, North Yarmouth. Info/ registration: 207-829-2700. TurningLight.org.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8 Grow Your Own Organic Garden – 6-9pm. This workshop will teach you how to enrich soil, make compost, cultivate various plants and you will be given free seeds to take home. $10. Gorham Middle School, 106 Weeks Rd, Gorham. Gorham.CourseStorm.com.

THURSDAY, APRIL 9 Emerge Film Festival – Apr 9-12. Times vary. Enjoy a diverse selection of Maine-made, national and international films in the categories of documentary, short and feature length films. $5-$75. Locations vary throughout Lewiston and Auburn. EmergeFilmFestival.org.

markyourcalendar THURSDAY, APRIL 9 Inner Image Thermography – All day. Providing radiation-free breast screening without the dreaded squishing. Screening includes the interpretation and written report by a licensed MD. $160. Dragonfly Oriental Medicine, 964 Western Ave, Manchester. 207-781-6060. MyInnerImage.com. To schedule appointment: TimeTrade.com/book/CRV2C. Pure Ease Yoga Classes – 6:30-8pm. See Apr 2 listing. Turning Light Center, 168 W Pownal Rd, North Yarmouth. 207-829-2700. TurningLight.org. Woodcock Watch – Apr 9-10. 7-8:30pm. Walk the Reserve at sunset with Reserve Director, Paul Dest, to watch the aerial courtship sky dance of the famed timberdoodle. $5/members, $7/ nonmembers. Wells Reserve & Laudholm Trust, 342 Laudholm Farm Rd, Wells. 207-646-1555. WellsReserve.org.

FRIDAY, APRIL 10 A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Apr 10-11. 8pm, Fri; 2pm, Sat. A magical forest, love triangles, fairies, and the infamous Puck: a Shake-

spearean favorite for all ages. $10-$30. Westbrook Performing Arts Center, 471 Stroudwater St, Westbrook. 207-857-3860. WestbrookPAC.org. The Very Best of Celtic Thunder – 7pm. Enjoy an eclectic collection of the group’s best-loved and most popular songs from the past seven years. $41.75 - $101.75. Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St, Portland. 207-553-4363. WaterFrontConcerts.com.

SATURDAY, APRIL 11 Spring into Spring 5K & Fun Run – 8am. Shake off the winter doldrums while benefitting a good cause. $15-$20. Greely High School, 303 Main St, Cumberland. RunSignUp.com. Mind Body Spirit Festival – 10am-4pm. Energize and rejuvenate your spirit at this festival featuring holistic health practitioners, naturopathic medicine, energy healing, Reiki, massage, reflexology, medical intuitive, gems, jewelry, aura photographing and readings, workshops and more. $5/admission. Hutchinson Center, University of Maine, 81 Belmont Ave, Belfast. 207-649-2386. MindBodySpiritFestival.org. DIY Craft – 1-3pm. Families are welcome to work on arts & crafts projects at their own pace. Materials provided. Free. Sam L. Cohen Children’s Library, 5 Monument Sq, Portland. 207-871-1700. PortlandLibrary.com. Yamuna Body Rolling – 2-5pm. Marianna Moll will teach how to unwind from the feet up while focusing on the neck, shoulders and upper back with this therapeutic self-care practice. $55. The Yoga Center, 449 Forest Ave, Portland. 207-774-9642. MaineYoga.com.

markyourcalendar SUNDAY, APRIL 12 The Radiant Life Symposium – 9:30am4:30pm. An all-day event featuring one of the foremost scientists on Energy Healing, Dr. James Oschman and other local thought leaders of Southern Maine. Registration includes lunch and snacks. $108. Harraseeket Inn, 162 Main St, Freeport. RadiantLifeSymposium.EventBrite.com. 4th Annual Memorial Middle School Wellness Run – 10am. Increase awareness of health and wellness in our communities with this run. $12-$20. South Portland High School Track, 637 Highland Ave, South Portland. Running4Free.com. Race to Educate – 10am. The 5K and 10K road race winds through scenic roads throughout the town. All proceeds will be presented to Friends of Cocoons. $40. Waterhouse Pavilion on Main St, Kennebunk. TheRace2Educate.com. Family Yoga – 10-11am. All ages. Yoga is fun for the whole gang and a perfect way to stay active. We’ll sing, dance and play as we learn yoga basics together. No experience necessary. Drop-ins welcome. $10/per family. Optimal Self Health and Wellness Center, 640 Congress St, Portland. 617-448-7846. MaineYogaKids@gmail.com. MaineYogaKids.com. Bath Antique Show and Sale – 10am-2pm. The fair will showcase antiques from local dealers. $4. Bath Middle School, 6 Old Brunswick Rd, Bath. BathAntiquesShows.com.

A Wine & Food Walk on Congress: Emerging European Wines – 2:45-5pm. Enjoy a guided tasting and walking tour of Portland’s vibrant restaurant scene. Starting restaurant TBA. $49$55. Various locations on Congress St, Portland. WineWiseEvents.com.

29th Annual Chocolate Lovers’ Fling – 1-4pm. This special gala event features multiple courses of chocolate tasting and a silent auction which is the largest annual fundraiser for SARSSM. $50. Holiday Inn by the Bay, 88 Spring St, Portland. ChocolateLoversFling.org.

SUNDAY, APRIL 12

MONDAY, APRIL 13

5K Care4Kids Run/Walk 2015 – 9am. Participate in the first annual race that benefits programs for children. $20-$25. Camp Ellis, Saco. G2RaceReg. WebConnex.com.

Pure Ease Yoga Classes – 8:30-10am. See Apr 6 listing. Turning Light Center, 168 W Pownal Rd, North Yarmouth. Info/registration: 207-829-2700. TurningLight.org.

Great Scot Trot 5K – 9am. Participate in this walk/run as it supports a scholarship program. $17-$25. Bonny Eagle High School, 700 Saco Rd, Standish. Running4Free.com.

TUESDAY, APRIL 14 Book Event: Voting Down the Rose – 12pm. Join author Anne B. Gass, as she discusses the account of

It helps when something thats good for you is also fun. Gentle, evidence-based curriculums with surprising results: improved flexibility, core strength, balance, functional integration & mental tranquility. Beginners always welcomed.

mainetaiji.com | 207-780-9581 500 Forest Ave., Portland, ME 04101

natural awakenings

April 2015

Maine native Florence Brooks Whitehouse’s efforts to win women voting rights circa 1914-1920. Free/members, $5/nonmembers. Maine Historical Society, 489 Congress St, Portland. 207-774-1822. MaineHistory.org. Pure Ease Yin Yoga Classes – 6:30-7:30pm. See Apr 7 listing. Turning Light Center, 168 W Pownal Rd, North Yarmouth. Info/registration: 207-8292700. TurningLight.org.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15

markyourcalendar WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15 Plant Spirit Journey – 7-9pm. To the regular and rhythmic beat of a drum, we will journey to meet the spirit of a plant. This wonderful opportunity develops a direct relationship with plants and your own medicine. Registration required. Location disclosed upon registration. $20. Wild Carrot Herbs, 306 Congress St, Portland. 207-274-3242. WildCarrotHerbs.com.

THURSDAY, APRIL 16

markyourcalendar THURSDAY, APRIL 16 Inner Image Thermography – All day. See Apr 9 listing. Robertson Chiropractic, 362 Belmont Ave, Belfast. 207-781-6060. MyInnerImage. com. To schedule appointment: TimeTrade.com/ book/ZR63N.

Free. Meeting Room 5, Portland Public Library, 5 Monument Sq, Portland. 207-871-1700. PortlandLibrary.com.

SATURDAY, APRIL 18 Gem and Mineral Show 2015 – Apr 18-19. 10am-5pm, Sat; 10am-4pm, Sun. Look through mineral specimens, fossils, beads and jewelry from renowned local and international dealers. $4/adults, $3/seniors & students, free/children. Alfond Center, Saint Joseph’s College of Maine, 278 Whites Bridge Rd, Standish. MaineMineralClub.org. The Yoga of Awakening – 9am-1pm. Enjoy a workshop with Arthur Kilmurray, a master teacher from Boston. $65. The Yoga Center, 449 Forest Ave, Portland. 207-774-9642. MaineYoga.com. Meditation and Yoga Class – 11am-12:30pm. This 5-week session focuses on meditation and yoga. $69. The Yoga Center, 449 Forest Ave, Portland. 207-774-9642. MaineYoga.com. A Wine & Food Walk in the Old Port: Wines of Central Coast California – 2:45-5pm. Enjoy a guided tasting and walking tour of Portland’s vibrant restaurant scene. Starting restaurant TBA. $49-$55. Various locations on in the Old Port, Portland. WineWiseEvents.com. Loving Tender Touch Practice Partners – 3-6pm. Breathe, relax, move, center, share and touch from an ever deepening place in your heart-centered being. Creative playful guided practice partner touch for last half of our time together. Contact Grace for details. $60. Location disclosed upon registration. 207-775-7888. PureEnergyIntegration.com.

SUNDAY, APRIL 19

FRIDAY, APRIL 17 62nd Annual Kora Shrine Circus – Apr 17-18. 4pm & 8pm, Fri; 9:30am, 2pm & 7pm, Sat. This year’s circus will be a 2-ring circus with many of the top acts you’ve come to expect. $5-$12. The Androscoggin Bank Colisee, 190 Birch St, Lewiston. KoraShriners.org. Annual Patriots Day Weekend Celebration – Apr 17-19. Times vary. Enjoy a weekend of family fun with activities, games, food, music, vendors and much more. Various locations throughout Ogunquit. VisitOgunquit.org. Friday Night Book Club – 5:45-7:15pm. Enjoy an evening of reading and discussing this novel, “Life Among Giants” by Bill Roorbach. Refreshments will be provided. Registration preferred.

Dirty Dog Mud Run – 9am. Have fun in this 5k race with 10-12 obstacles including mud, cargo nets, tire pulls and more. Compete as an individual or with a team. $5-$375. Thomas College, 180 West River Rd, Waterville. RunSignUp.com. UNE Foolish 5K – 10am. Participate in a race that benefits Cancer Care of Maine. $20-$25. Rotary Park, 11 Parkview Cir, Biddeford. Active.com. Lewiston Winters Farmers’ Market – 10am-1pm. See Apr 5 listing. St. Mary’s Nutrition Center, 208 Bates St, Lewiston. USM.Maine.edu. Patriots Day 5-Miler – 12pm. Participate in the oldest race in Maine that benefits the Boys & Girls Club. $18-$22. Portland Club House, 277 Cumberland Ave, Portland. BGCMaine.org.

MONDAY, APRIL 20 62nd Annual Kora Shrine Circus – Apr 20-21. 2pm & 7pm, Mon; 9:30am, 2pm & 7pm, Tue; 2pm & 7pm, Wed. See Apr 17 listing. Cross Insurance Arena, 45 Spring St, Portland. KoraShriners.org. Look What I Found! Preschool Program – Apr 20-23. 9:15am-1pm. Explore and enjoy nature through free play, stories, songs, movement, games, natural crafts and hikes. Bring indoor/outdoor attire. Child members: $45/day, $160/wk; Child nonmembers: $30/day, $220/wk Gilsland Farm, 20 Gilsland Farm Rd, Falmouth. 207-883-5100. MaineAudubon.org. April Vacation Camp – Apr 20-24. 9am-3pm. Grades K-5. A new theme will be introduced each day through cooperative games, scientific examination and creative arts exploration. Child members: $60/day, $280/wk; Child nonmembers: $75/day, $355/wk. Gilsland Farm, 20 Gilsland Farm Rd, Falmouth. 207-883-5100. MaineAudubon.org. Pure Ease Yoga Classes – 8:30-10am. See Apr 6 listing. Turning Light Center, 168 W Pownal Rd, North Yarmouth. Info/registration: 207-829-2700. TurningLight.org. April Vacation Week Camp: Vernal Pool Party – 9am-3pm. Ages 7-12. Investigate insects, search for salamanders and listen to frog songs while exploring how important these springtime wetland habitats are for wildlife. Registration required. $40/members, $50/nonmembers. Wells Reserve & Laudholm Trust, 342 Laudholm Farm Rd, Wells. 207-646-1555. WellsReserve.org.

markyourcalendar MONDAY, APRIL 20 Therapeutic Touch: Energy Healing – 12-4pm. See Apr 6 listing. Leapin Lizards, 449 Forest Ave, Portland. 207-761-7953 or 207-221-2363. LeapinLizards.biz or JJacobs1@Maine.rr.com.

TUESDAY, APRIL 21 Read to Grace – 3:30-5pm. See Apr 7 listing. Sam L. Cohen Children’s Library, 5 Monument Sq, Portland. 207-871-1700. PortlandLibrary.com. Pure Ease Yin Yoga Classes – 6:30-7:30pm. See Apr 7 listing. Turning Light Center, 168 W Pownal Rd, North Yarmouth. Info/registration: 207-8292700. TurningLight.org.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22 Earth Day Celebration – 10am-1pm. Celebrate beautiful planet Earth with a concert, games, crafts and other activities. Free. Wells Reserve & Laudholm Trust, 342 Laudholm Farm Rd, Wells. 207-646-1555. WellsReserve.org. Speaker Series: Earth Day Film Festival 2015 – 6-9pm. A special screening of the Maine Outdoor Film Festival with food and drinks. Limited seating. Please register. $5/members, $8/nonmembers. Gilsland Farm, 20 Gilsland Farm Rd, Falmouth. 207-883-5100. MaineAudubon.org.

THURSDAY, APRIL 23 April Vacation Week Camp: Marshy Mysteries – 9am-3pm. Ages 7-12. Search for fish in the marsh’s salty pools, discover what lurks in the

Southern Maine

MaineAwakenings.com

layers of mud and make a tasty “peat” treat to take home. Registration required. $40/members, $50/ nonmembers. Wells Reserve & Laudholm Trust, 342 Laudholm Farm Rd, Wells. 207-646-1555. WellsReserve.org.

A Spirits Walk in the Old Port: Bourbon – 2:455pm. Enjoy a guided tasting and walking tour of Portland’s vibrant restaurant scene. Starting restaurant TBA. $55. Various locations in the Old Port, Portland. WineWiseEvents.com.

Pure Ease Yoga Classes – 6:30-8pm. See Apr 2 listing. Turning Light Center, 168 W Pownal Rd, North Yarmouth. 207-829-2700. TurningLight. org.

MONDAY, APRIL 27

FRIDAY, APRIL 24 April Live Wildlife Show¬ – 10:30-11:30am. Take a close look at the furry and feathered guests that we protect. Shows sell out quickly so please register. $5-$10/members, $10-$15/nonmembers. Gilsland Farm, 20 Gilsland Farm Rd, Falmouth. 207-883-5100. MaineAudubon.org. Dance Party – 7-9:30pm. Dance to everything from Cha-Cha to Waltz and everything in between. Open to the public. $10. Swing & Sway Dancing’s Studio, 143 Maverick St, Rockland. 207-5940940. SwingNSway.com.

SATURDAY, APRIL 25

markyourcalendar SATURDAY, APRIL 25 Saturday Series: Balanced Body, Balanced Mind – 8:30-10:30am. Body and mind are interconnected. We cannot have a calm, clear, focused mind if the body is achy or bloated, nor can we expect to have a relaxed, resilient body if our mind is racing or tied up in knots. Explore creating a better balance. Pre-registration required. $20. Turning Light Center, 168 W Pownal Rd, North Yarmouth. 207-829-2700. TurningLight.org.

THURSDAY, APRIL 30

markyourcalendar THURSDAY, APRIL 30 Inner Image Thermography – All day. See Apr 9 listing. Boulet Chiropractic, 675 Main St, Lewiston. 207-781-6060. MyInnerImage.com. To schedule appointment: TimeTrade.com/book/K4DJ2.

Pure Ease Yoga Classes – 8:30-10am. See Apr 6 listing. Turning Light Center, 168 W Pownal Rd, North Yarmouth. Info/registration: 207-829-2700. TurningLight.org.

Pure Ease Yoga Classes – 6:30-8pm. See Apr 2 listing. Turning Light Center, 168 W Pownal Rd, North Yarmouth. 207-829-2700. TurningLight.org.

Nature Explorers: Attracting Wildlife to Your Yard – 9:30-10:30am. Kids will enjoy self-guided learning stations and group time to read a story, explore a mystery bag and learn about a mystery animal. $10/members, $15/nonmembers. Gilsland Farm, 20 Gilsland Farm Rd, Falmouth. 207-8835100. MaineAudubon.org.

plan ahead SATURDAY, MAY 2

TUESDAY, APRIL 28

Saturday Series: Meditation Basics – 8:3010:30am. Review the basics to begin a new practice or refresh an old one. Manage stress and anxiety, develop a stronger inner center, balance your nervous system, rewire your brain and more. Anyone can gain the benefits of meditation: all it takes is 10-15 minutes a day. $20. Turning Light Center, 168 W Pownal Rd, North Yarmouth. 207-829-2700. TurningLight.org.

Pure Ease Yin Yoga Classes – 6:30-7:30pm. See Apr 7 listing. Turning Light Center, 168 W Pownal Rd, North Yarmouth. Info/registration: 207-8292700. TurningLight.org.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29 Lunch ‘n’ Learns: The Greening of Cuba- An Agricultural Tour – 12-1pm. Sue Bickford will talk about her latest class, Food Systems of Cuba, and her ten-day field trip exploring Cuban farms, universities, farmers’ markets and Cuban cuisine. $2. Mather Auditorium, Wells Reserve & Laudholm Trust, 342 Laudholm Farm Rd, Wells. 207-646-1555. WellsReserve.org.

4th Annual Urban Runoff 5K and Green Neighbor Family Fest – 9am. Take part in handson activities about water, learn steps to becoming a green neighbor and have an all-around good time. Free. Deering High School, 370 Stevens Ave, Portland. UrbanRunOff5K.com. International World Tai Chi & Qigong Day – 10am. This special event provides a unique opportunity for people to learn, practice and celebrate the unifying power of Tai Chi and Qigong for achieving better health and a better world in a fun, relaxed environment. Free. Bowdoin College Campus, Bowdoin Museum of Art, 9400 College St, Brunswick. WorldTaiChiDay.org. Taste of Home Cooking School – 10am. Enjoy a jam-packed, two hour demonstration of fabulous recipes and an expo. $17. Westbrook Performing Arts Center, 471 Stroudwater St, Westbrook. 207857-3860. WestbrookPAC.org.

SUNDAY, APRIL 26

markyourcalendar SATURDAY, APRIL 25 Kids Yoga – 1-1:45pm, ages 4-6; 2-2:45pm, ages 7-9. Kids will enjoy and learn simple yoga moves to help wind down from April vacation. Contact Darcy for details. $10. Turning Light Center, 168 W Pownal Rd, North Yarmouth. 207-829-2700. TurningLight.org.

Think Spring, Green Living, and Adopting a Manatee. Call 1-800-432-(JOIN) 5646 savethemanatee.org Photo © David Schrichte

natural awakenings

April 2015

ongoingevents NOTE: All calendar events must be received via email by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Email Coordinator@MaineAwakenings.com for guidelines and to submit entries. No phone calls or faxes, please. Or visit MaineAwakenings.com to submit online.

daily Calm Steady Strong – Mon-Sat. Therapeutic Yoga for people affected by cancer. Call to schedule individual appointments. Turning Light Center. 168 W Pownal Rd, North Yarmouth. 207-829-2700. TurningLight.org. Children’s Activities – Times vary. Kids will enjoy several activities that are offered daily at the museum. Prices vary. Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine, 142 Free St, Portland. 207-828-1234. KiteTails.org. Muse Paintbar – Times vary. Learn to paint like professionals while eating and drinking. Pick a class, reserve a spot, and a trained artist will guide you to make a masterpiece. Prices vary. 245 Commercial St, Portland. Info/reservations: 207-618-9500 or MusePaintBar.com.

Exhibits at PPL: Our Places, Our Times: Portland Through the Decades – 10am-7pm. Explore a series of photos pulled from the Portland Press Herald Still-Film Negative Collection that depicts life from the 1930s-2000s. Free. Portland Public Library, 5 Monument Sq, Portland. 207-8711700. PortlandLibrary.com. Old Port Culinary Walking Tour – 10:30am. This 2.5 hour tour travels to several Old Port venues for an opportunity to sample delectable, Maine-inspired foods and learn about the history of the area. $50. Old Port Wine Shop, 223 Commercial St, Portland. 207-233-7485. MaineFoodieTours.com. Bingo – 6:30pm. Except Thurs. Play bingo almost every night. Doors open at 3pm. $10-$25. South Portland Bingo Hall, 200 John Roberts Rd, South Portland. 207-761-2717. SoPoBingo.com.

sunday

Therapeutic Yoga – Mon-Sat. Get out of pain and back into life. Mindful and personalized approach to reducing pain, improving flexibility, enhancing strength and stability. Call to schedule individual appointments. Turning Light Center, 168 W Pownal Rd, North Yarmouth. 207-8292700. TurningLight.org.

Bluegrass Brunch – 9:30am-1:30pm. Enjoy brunch while listening to live music by Ron & Wendy Cody with Lincoln Meyers. Music begins at 11am. Gather, Farm Fresh Eatery, 189 Main St, Yarmouth. 207-847-3250. GatherMaine.com.

Yoga Classes – Times vary. We offer a wide variety of yoga classes, including: Vinyasa, Lunch break Slow Flow, Community Hatha, Gentle Hatha, and Yin Yoga. Contact for details. Bhakti In Motion, 155 Brackett St, Portland. 207-632-4789. BhaktiInMotion.com.

Johnny T’s Salsa Night – 7-8:30pm. Enjoy an open salsa dancing night perfect for practicing your moves. This is not a class, but a gathering of students looking for a place with great music. $5. Swing & Sway Dancing, 143 Maverick St, Rockland. 207-594-0940. SwingNSway.com.

Yoga Classes – Times vary. We offer classes at a variety of levels including: Vinyasa Flow, Therapeutic, Gentle, Restorative and Mediation, Feldenkrais and Yoga Philosophy. Contact for details. The Yoga Center, 449 Forest Ave, Portland. 207-774-9642. MaineYoga.com. Ever After Mustang Rescue – 9am. Ages 15+. Volunteer for the adopt-a-horse program. Call for details. 463 West St, Biddeford. 207-284-7721. MustangRescue.org.

monday Pure Ease Yoga Classes – 8:30-10am. Reduce pain, improve flexibility and enhance strength and stability. Mixed levels. Registration required. $18/ drop-in. Turning Light Center, 168 W Pownal Rd, North Yarmouth. Info/registration: 207-829-2700. TurningLight.org.

New Year!

Now Is Exactly The Right Time To Start Optimal Self Community Health & Wellness Center... a space that offers a wide range of holistic therapies available for the Community

Personal Training Fitness Classes Energy Work Massage Therapy & Yoga

Join Eric & His Team! 640 Congress St • Portland, ME 04101 207.747.5919 • OptimalSelfME@gmail.com • www.optimalselfme.com 28

Southern Maine

MaineAwakenings.com

Women and Horses Workshop – 6-7:30pm. A hands-on learning experience with horses. $10. Ever After Mustang Rescue, 463 West St, Biddeford. 207-284-7722. MustangRescue.org.

tuesday Eat Well Play Hard – 11-11:45am. This program is designed to teach young children about healthy eating and the importance of regular physical activity. Free. Sam L. Cohen Children’s Library, 5 Monument Sq, Portland. 207-8711700. PortlandLibrary.com. Old Port Culinary Walking Tour – 2:15pm. This 2.5 hour tour travels to several Old Port venues for an opportunity to sample delectable, Maine-inspired foods and learn about the history of the area. $50. Old Port Wine Shop, 223 Commercial St, Portland. 207-233-7485. MaineFoodieTours.com. Romantic Rumba – 6:15-7:15pm. Your hips will be moving and your heart pumping as you learn steps to woo your partner in this 4-week series. No partner or experience necessary. Please register. $40/series, $12/drop in. Swing & Sway Dancing, 143 Maverick St, Rockland. 207-594-0940. SwingNSway.com. Pure Ease Yin Yoga Classes – 6:30-7:30pm. Reduce pain, improve flexibility and enhance strength and stability. Mixed levels. Registration required. $18/drop-in. Turning Light Center, 168 W Pownal Rd, North Yarmouth. Info/ registration: 207-829-2700. TurningLight.org.

wednesday Old Port Culinary Walking Tour – 2:15pm. See Tuesday listing. Old Port Wine Shop, 223 Commercial St, Portland. 207-233-7485. MaineFoodieTours.com. Board Games – 3-6pm. Come to the children’s room and play a board game. Bring your own or play one of ours. Free. Sam L. Cohen Children’s Library, 5 Monument Sq, Portland. 207-871-1700. PortlandLibrary.com. Acoustic Wednesdays – 6:30-8:30pm. Enjoy fresh food and drinks while listening to live music. Gather, Farm Fresh Eatery, 189 Main St, Yarmouth. 207-847-3250. GatherMaine.com.

thursday Thursday Morning Bird Walks – 8-10am. Take an easy stroll while looking for birds, wildlife and plants. Bring binoculars and a field guide if you have one. $5/members, $8/nonmembers. Gilsland Farm, 20 Gilsland Farm Rd, Falmouth. 207-883-5100. MaineAudubon.org. Yogitos: Yoga & Playgroup – 9-10am. Ages 4 & under. This class is designed for younger yogis. We’ll use songs, games, stories and play to learn about yoga. We do 30 minutes of yoga followed by 30 minutes of free, unstructured play. Drop in anytime. $10/per child. Optimal Self Health and Wellness Center, 640 Congress St, Portland. 617-448-7846. MaineYogaKids@gmail.com. MaineYogaKids.com.

Furry Tales, Story and Adventure Hour – 1011:15am. Preschoolers are invited to discover the exciting world of animals with stories, playtime, crafts, animal time and more. Free. Animal Welfare Society, 46 Holland Rd, Kennebunk. 207-985-3244. AnimalWelfareSociety.org. Women and Horses Workshop – 10:30am-12pm. A hands-on learning experience with horses. $10. Ever After Mustang Rescue, 463 West St, Biddeford. 207-284-7721. MustangRescue.org. Old Port Culinary Walking Tour – 2:15pm. See Tuesday listing. Old Port Wine Shop, 223 Commercial St, Portland. 207-233-7485. MaineFoodieTours.com. Third Thursdays – 5-9pm. Enjoy an evening with live music, food, drinks, special programming and the museum. $12/adults, $10/seniors and students with ID, $6/ages 13-17. Portland Museum of Art, 7 Congress Sq, Portland. 207-775-6148. PortlandMuseum.org. Cha-Cha – 6:15-7:15pm. This 4-week series is the perfect way to spring onto the dance floor. No partner or experience necessary. Please register. $40/series, $12/drop in. Swing & Sway Dancing, 143 Maverick St, Rockland. 207-594-0940. SwingNSway.com. Pure Ease Yoga Classes – Except 3rd Thurs. 6:308pm. Reduce pain, improve flexibility, enhance strength and stability. Mixed levels. Registration required. $18/drop-in. Turning Light Center, 168 W Pownal Rd, North Yarmouth. 207-829-2700. TurningLight.org.

friday Children’s Programs: Story Time – 10am. Kids enjoy stories, finger plays, songs and crafts. Free. Graves Memorial Public Library, 18 Maine St, Kennebunkport. 207-967-2778. GravesLibrary.org. Fridays at the Farm – 10-11:30am. All ages. Explore the farm, help collect eggs and milk the cows. $5. Pineland Farms, 15 Farm View Dr, New Gloucester. 207-688-4539. PinelandFarms.org. Therapeutic Touch: Energy Healing – 12-4pm. Jane Jacobson’s passion is to support you in your quest for health and happiness. $40/30-min session; $70/1hr session. Leapin Lizards, 449 Forest Ave, Portland. 207-761-7953 or 207-221-2363. LeapinLizards.biz or JJacobs1@Maine.rr.com. First Friday Art Walk – 5-8pm. 1st Fri, Various galleries and art venues open for the art walk. Free. Portland. LiveWorkPortland.org.

saturday Nature Yoga For Families – 10:30-11:30am. Enjoy a unique combination of storytelling, yoga postures and movement to the theme of plants and animals in winter. Registration encouraged. $10/ child members, $15/child nonmembers. Gilsland Farm, 20 Gilsland Farm Rd, Falmouth. 207-8835100. MaineAudubon.org. Wine Tasting – 1-3pm. Customers can sample and learn about various wines and what to purchase. Contact for date. Browne Trading Market, 262 Commercial St, Portland. 207-7757560. BrowneTrading.com.

communityresourceguide Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide email Ads@MaineAwakenings.com to request our media kit.

ACUPUNCTURE ACUPUNCTURE BY MERET

Meret Bainbridge, LAc 222 St John St, Ste 137 Portland, ME 04101 • 207-878-3300 Meret@AcupunctureByMeret.com AcupunctureByMeret.com Meret offers comprehensive holistic care, utilizing Acupuncture, Chinese herbs, Acupressure and Bodymind work, since 1997. Specialties are Women’s Health, pain, headaches, fibromyalgia & depression. Insurance accepted. See ad, page 31.

BARTLETT ACUPUNCTURE & HERBAL MEDICINE

Kath Bartlett, MS, LAc 7 Oak Hill Terr, Ste 3, Scarborough, ME 04074 207-219-0848 • BartlettAcupuncture.com Kath@BartlettAcupuncture.com At Bartlett Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine, I am dedicated to helping my patients thrive. I offer significant pain relief and effective treatment of chronic disease and other internal conditions using a holistic approach of acupuncture & Chinese herbs. With 13 years in practice, my patients’ treatment outcomes are higher than reported acupuncture studies.

ART THERAPY BODHI SIMPSON, LCPC, ATR

Vast Horizons Center for Personal Growth Sparhawk Mill 81 Bridge Street, Yarmouth ME (207) 650-8170 BodhiSimpson@yahoo.com VastHorizons.com I am passionate about facilitating experiences that inspire creative expression and opens hearts and minds to possibilities. Through art therapy, we are able to access our core issues and begin the process of healing. I work with individuals and groups of all ages, and facilitate workshops for personal growth. See ad, page 22.

CHIROPRACTOR HEALTH BOUCHER FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC

Dr. Beth Boucher and Dr. Meghan Schoening 1009 Portland Rd, Arundel, ME 04046 207-467-3391 Info.BoucherFamilyChiro@gmail.com BoucherFamilyChiropractic.com At Boucher Family Chiropractic, our goal is to help you reach your full potential. We use hands-on chiropractic techniques to help each practice member achieve a better well-being. Our gentle approach is appropriate for every age and every nervous system! See ad, page 15.

COMMUNITY HERBALIST WILD CARROT HERBS

Mischa Schuler 306 Congress St, Portland ME 207-274-3242 WildCarrotHerbs@gmail.com WildCarrotHerbs.com Flower essences, herbal remedies, and shamanic plant spirit techniques are available individually and in combination to gently support healing of physical, spiritual and emotional shock. Chronic and acute conditions of the respiratory, skin, digestive and reproductive systems are nurtured here. Specializing in women and children’s health, particularly anxiety and depression, contraception and fertility. See ad, page 17.

COUPLES COACHING AUDREY MCMORROW, MA, CAGS. BCC Vast Horizons Center for Personal Growth Sparhawk Mill 81 Bridge St, Yarmouth ME (207) 650-8052 Audrey@VastHorizons.com VastHorizons.com

Audrey offers Couples Coaching for those intent on realizing the potential of their committed (or troubled) relationship; Psychosynthesis (a transpersonal psychology for individuals); a Thrive Women’s Group; and various workshops for personal development throughout the calendar year. Please see website for further details. See calendar for upcoming events. See ad, page 22.

Interested in seeing your business in the Community Resource Guide? Call 207-615-3675 natural awakenings

April 2015

CRYSTALS

FITNESS HEALTH CENTER

LAVISH EARTH

Amy@ThisLavishEarth.com 207-766-8448 • ThisLavishEarth.com My mission is to offer the most beautiful, unique, highest vibration crystals and minerals, perfect for holistic practitioners and collectors. See calendar for upcoming events.

OPTIMAL SELF COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER Eric Hilton 640 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101 207-747-5919 OptimalSelfME@gmail.com OptimalSelfME.com

Optimal Self is a center for fitness, healing, and community, offering a variety of modalities that enhance the mind, body, and spirit. We provide a sophisticated weight room, a variety of classes, personal trainers, massage therapists, and energy workers. See our schedule or book an appointment online at optimalselfme.com. See ad, page 28.

DENTAL PEAK DENTAL HEALTH

Stefan Andren, DDS 74 Gray Rd, Ste 3, W Falmouth, ME 207-878-8844 • Info@PeakDentalHealth.com PeakDentalHealth.com Maine’s first eco-certified dental office is a welcoming and caring place to reach your oral health goals. Please call, email or stop in to learn more about how they can change your perception of what the dentist can be. It is what you deserve. See ad, back cover.

EDUCATION MERRICONEAG WALDORF SCHOOL Early Childhood through Grade 12 57 Desert Rd, Freeport, ME 04032 207-865-3900, Ext 103 AdmissionsDirector@MerriconeAG.org MerriconeAG.org

AtMerriconeag, students’ capacities for learning are awakened and enriched by a different way of teaching, and an education brought to life through experience: in storytelling, movement, recitation, observation, dramatic acting, music, drawing, and painting. An emphasis on oral expression in all subjects enables our students to develop into confident, self-aware adults, and a focus on hands-on learning and discovery nurtures their lifelong love of learning.

ENERGY HEALING PURE ENERGY INTEGRATION Embody Your Essence~ Empowered to Live Your Truth Pine Street Studio, West End Portland, ME 04102 207-775-7888 NancyGraceRosen@gmail.com PureEnergyIntegration.com

Maine’s first eco-certified dental office is a welcoming and caring place to reach your oral health goals. Please call, email or stop in to learn more about how they can change your perception of what the dentist can be. It is what you deserve.

Southern Maine

HOLISTIC HEALING 5 ELEMENTS HEALING CENTER

59 Shore Rd, Ogunquit, ME 207-646-3900 FiveElementsHealingCenter@yahoo.com 5ElementsHealingCenter.com Ogunquit’s destination for holistic healing. We offer a wide array of services including: Integrative health programs, Acupuncture, Homeopathy, Herbal T r e a t m e n t s , Aromatherapy, Reiki, Shamanistic healing, Chakra and Meridian balancing, Therapeutic Massage, Reflexology, Chinese Cupping, Foot soaks, Pedicures, Skin care and Body waxing for anyone that is looking to relax, unwind and restore from the stresses of life. We are also proud to offer our clients a full line of organic, vegan and gluten free skin care products.

ARCANA (IN THE OLD PORT) Kate Hebold, Owner 81 Market St, Portland, ME 207-773-7801 ArcanaHealingArts@gmail.com ArcanaMaine.com

Arcana is a holistic healing arts center and retail gallery in the heart of the Old Port. Aiming to honor and celebrate the uniqueness of its patrons, Arcana upholds a high standard of mindful care in every service offered: massage, Reiki, polarity therapy, readings and special events.

Never interrupt someone doing what you said couldn’t be done.

MaineAwakenings.com

~Amelia Earhart

HOLISTIC PSYCHOTHERAPY ACCELERATED COUNSELING, LLC Svetla Popova, LCPC, NCC, Reiki Master 23 Ocean Ave, Portland, ME 04103 207-761-3883 AcceleratedCounseling.com Svetla@AcceleratedCounseling.com

Whether you are overwhelmed by severe problems or simply feel stuck and your life is going nowhere, I’d love to hear your story. We will work together to discover the incredible strengths you have, find solutions that satisfy you, and open your horizons for growth, self efficacy and life enjoyment. See ad, page 5.

YARA PEREZ, LCPC, EMP

200 High St, Portland, ME 04101 207-358-6331 HolisticTherapy@YaraPerez.com As a psychotherapist and counselor, I strive to offer a safe and nurturing environment where one can feel empowered to connect with their essential self. I use holistic, traditional, and integrative approaches and enjoy working with individuals and couples.

HOMEOPATHY BAYLIGHT CENTER FOR HOMEOPATHY

Jane M. Frederick, Director of Advancement 222 Saint John St, Ste 137, Portland, ME 04102 207-774-4244 Jane@BaylightHomeopathy.com BaylightHomeopathy.com At Baylight Center for Homeopathy, our mission is to illuminate the benefits of this transformative healing art. Our practitioners and faculty are fervent proponents of joy, creativity, freedom, and ease, and of the knowledge that homeopathy is an effective source of support for these integral aspects of healthy living.

LIFE COACH BETH KOEHLER, PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT LIFE COACH

Beth Koehler Saco Healing Arts Center 209 Main St, Saco, ME 04072 207-653-9792 • BKoehler926@gmail.com BethKoehlerLifeCoach.com C o n f u s e d ? Procrastinating? Ready for a change? I specialize in helping you realize just how powerful you truly are and that the answers you seek are inside. I’ll be by you side as you tap into the strength and courage you need to manifest your life’s goals. Time spent with a Life Coach can be life altering. Let’s get started! See ad, page 18.

NON – PROFIT THE BRIDGES FOUNDATION / L-OMA ORGANIC BUCKWHEAT PILLOWS 35PILLOWS Ossipee Tr, (Route 25) WITH A PURPOSE! 100% of ME sales 04084 proceeds support our Standish, non-profit for people with disabilities. 207-595-8106 TheBridgesFoundation.org

“Your buckwheat pillows

have changed my life!”

- Kimberly The“Very Bridges pleasedFoundation with my pillows. is a non-profit, Truly an amazing product.” charitable organization providing - Richard “Beyond my expectations.” educational, employment, social & - Sharon recreational opportunities for persons with sensory and/or energetic sensitivities, learning, emotional and/ • Organic buckwheat pillow produced in MaineThese individuals work or developmental disabilities. • Conforms to the head, neck and spine, which alongside The position Bridges Foundation staff, making and optimizes the sleeping • Organic buckwheat allow forOrganic the circulation of air shipping our hulls L-OMA Buckwheat Pillows™, providing for a cooler pillow as hulls theyareearn a living wage while at the same time • Our non-fumigated and are the finest available on the market helping raise to fund programs and services for • Hypoallergenic with money aromatherapy option available themselves and others. See ad, page 20. Order today! 207-595-8106

The Bridges Foundation | PO Box 1416 | Gray, ME 04039 35 Ossipee Trail (Route 25) | Standish, ME 04084

NUTRITION TheBridgesFoundation.org

A LEBRO CENTER FOR WELL BEING Dr Richard Lebro 135 Rogers Rd, Kittery, ME 03904 800-610-1199 DrLebro@gwi.net AlebroCenter.com

A Lebro Center for Well Being is a holistic wellness center that focuses on empowering your body with the necessary nutrients needed for the healing process. They offer chiropractic care, nutritional therapy, massage therapy, and much more. With professional care and individualized attention, they will put you on a road to optimal vitality. See ad, page 5.

ORGANIC BEDDING THE CLEAN BEDROOM

5 Shapleigh Rd, Kittery, ME 207-704-0743 Two Portland Sq, Fore St, Portland, ME 207-517-3500 TheCleanBedroom.com

The Clean Bedroom is an organic and all-natural mattress and bedding resource with seven showrooms, including its new location in Portland. Through its showrooms and website, ecominded shoppers gain insight to create a healthier sleep environment. See ad, pg 13.

THERMOGRAPHY

SHAMANIC HEALING 3 CROWS HEALING

Tina D’Amore Shamanic Practitioner 1 Forest Ave, Ste. 2A 207-272-2799 3crowshealing@gmail.com www.3CrowsHealing.com Tina utilizes various techniques, including vibrational sound, as well as shamanic journeying to optimize the healing capacity within you. Tina helps you open to the effects of toning, hands-on-healing and word medicine to trigger the chain reaction to move what is not moving in your life. Tina holds years of experience with animals and children. She especially serves and holds sacred space for those who struggle with chronic illness. Preliminary *FREE* phone consulation.

TAI CHI & QIGONG MAINE CENTER FOR TAIJIQUAN & QIGONG 500 Forest Ave (rear) Portland, Maine 04101 207-780-9581 info@MaineTaiji.com MaineTaiji.com

Maine’s resource for Taijiquan & Qigong, offering AM, midday, and PM classes. Certified instructors provide quality Taiji & Qigong programs that empower individuals of all abilities to prevent disease, foster athletic/martial performance and cultivate the integration of physical, mental and spiritual health. Proudly serving Portland since 1999. See ad, page 25.

INNER IMAGE CLINICAL THERMOGRAPHY Ingrid LeVasseur, CCT 5 Fundy Rd, Ste 10c 207-939-7355 Ingrid@MyInnerImage.com MyInnerImage.com

page 13.

Inner Image Clinical Thermography offers pain-free, radiation-free breast screening to the women of Maine. Our primary office is in Falmouth, however, during the spring and fall we bring this advanced technology to all areas of the state. Call us for details. See ad,

YOGA MAINE YOGA KIDS

Cayce Lannon 617-448-7846 MaineYogaKids@gmail.com MaineYogaKids.com We are a team of ChildLight Yoga certified instructors offering classes in various locations around Southern Maine. Instead of offering classes in one studio space, we collaborate with schools and community centers to make yoga accessible for children everywhere. Please check our website for current schedule or get in touch to learn more! See ad, page 26.

TURNING LIGHT CENTER Darcy Cunningham 168 W Pownal Rd, N Yarmouth, ME 207-829-2700 TurningLight.org

Therapeutic Yoga: a mindful and personalized approach to reducing pain, improving flexibility, enhancing strength and stability. Together, we apply movement, breath, stillness and sound to relieve pain, tension and stress, helping clients become more able to enjoy life. Group yoga classes also available. See ad, page 17.

ORGANIC SALON ORGANIC ROOTS

Betsy Harding 545 Westbrook St, South Portland, ME 207-799-2995 OrganicRootsMe.com

ad, page 7.

Organic Roots Salon and Day Spa is a fashion forward cruelty-free and vegan friendly salon. We are extremely passionate about our work and dedication to our natural and safe products, environment, and a healthier, more sustainable and compassionate world. See

natural awakenings

April 2015