The Eden Magazine August 2022

EDEN T

E

2 0 AUGST

H

N IZAGAM E

COMING FULL CIRCLE ON

UVALDE

IS THERE A PURPOSE?

By Phyllis King

Remembering and Honoring all the Lives Lost to Violence

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The Eden Magazine

@The Eden Magazine

Photo by Jess Bailey

@The Eden Magazine

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DINA MORRONE

Maryam Morrison

JOE SANTOS, JR.

EDWARD HAKOPIAN

ALEXIA MELOCCHI

ARTIN MARDIROSIAN

ANGELA DUNNING

ZEE

SHERRI CORTLAND

LISA JOY WALTON

BEN ROLLINS

PHILIP SMITH

GRETA PAZZAGLIA

JOE MAGNANI & JARED SCHLACHET JSquared Photography 4 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e AUGUST 2022

PHYLLIS KING

SHERI DETERMAN

ISABELLE RUEN

GREG DOHERTY

MEET OUR TEAM

Photo by ISABELLE RUEN

Discover the path to a peaceful life among other living beings. We are all made of vibration and light in the universe to manifest our energy around all livingness.

EDEN T H E

MAGAZINE

Since 2010

The Eden Magazine is a free online publication focuses on spreading compassion to all Sentient Beings living in a healing and peaceful world FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MARYAM MORRISON EXECUTIVE EDITOR/ CONTRIBUTING WRITER DINA MORRONE COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR/ CONTRIBUTING WRITER ALEXIA MELOCCHI CONTRIBUTING WRITERS ZEE PHYLLIS KING JOE SANTOS, JR. ANGELA DUNNING SHERRI CORTLAND JILL LEBEAU & AMIT WEST M.A. GUEST WRITER PHILIP SMITH CONTRIBUTING STYLISTS + MAKEUP ARTIST EDWARD HAKOPIAN LISA JOY WALTON GRAPHICS & PHOTOGRAPHY GREG DOHERTY BEN ROLLINS ISABELLE RUEN SHERI DETERMAN GRETA PAZZAGLIA ARTIN MARDIROSIAN (Nexision) ©JSquared Photography (@j2pix) WEBSITE www.theedenmagazine.com 325 N. Maple Dr. Po Box 5132 Beverly Hills, CA 90209 To purchase a copy visit us in www.theedenmagazine.com

Eden Magazine is a non-profit monthly online magazine. We aim to create a better environment where we live among other living beings in peace and harmony. We support artists that their work matches our criteria. If you would like to submit your artwork, article or/and your photography for our future issues please contact Maryam Morrison at; maryammorrison@theedenmagazine.com The Eden Magazine reviews article content for accuracy before the date of publication. The views expressed in the articles reflect the author(s) opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher and editor. The published material, adverts, editorials, and all other content is published in good faith.

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Table of Contents 8

RECLAIMING MUSIC, THE QUINTESSEITIAL HEALING SOUL

By Jovanke Ciares

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36

COMING FULL CIRCLE ON UVALDE IS THERE A PURPOSE?

By Phyllis King

20

CHANGE YOUR STORY TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE

By Roz Clark

24

8

THE KEY TO THE MEDICAL MYSTERY OF MS?

By Edith Forbes

40

32

HEART BREAK, HEART-WALLS HEALING

By Dr. Bradly Nelson

36

CONNECTING WITH AND PRESERVING EARTH

By Kamlesh D. Patel (Doogi)

40

INTRODUCING MOON SIGN ASTROLOGY

By Lori Reid

52

44

SLEEP WELLNESS AGING AROUND THE DOCK

By Abigail James

48

EXPERT REVEALS AMERICA'S FAVORITE VEGETABLES AND HOW TO GROW THEM

52

THE DANGER OF LIGHT

By Geradine Mair

24

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48

Cover by JENNIFER MCCARREN FRECKLEDFLOWER.COM COVER PHOTO (OPAL)

54

Life is Essential, Feel it

KABBALAH OF LIGHT

By Catherine Shainberg

60

OLEXEOPORATH SPEAKS!

By Sherri Cortland

54

62

THE ONE THAT GOT IN THE WAY!

By Joey Santos Jr.

64

LEARNING TO PARENT YOURSELF THROUGH YOUR PETS

By Angela Dunning

68

FOUNDATION PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE

By Zee.

60

72

THE MAGIC OF THE DANCE WITHIN TUNING INTO YOUR OWN UNIQUE RHYTHMS

By Jill Lebeau & Amit West M.A.

78

TURNING TRIGGERS INTO TRASURES

By Judy Wilkins-Smith

86

THE STORY OF TREE & CLOUD

By Daryl McCullough

64 68

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98

78

THIS SUPER - TREE COULD HELP FEED THE WORLD AND FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE

By Michael Gruwald

98

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R

eclaiming Music

The Quintessential Healing Sound

I

grew up in a very musical household, so I always think of music and community together. To me, they are interrelated and mutually supportive, and that is why I have combined them in this chapter. Yes, they are two different aspects of wellness, and I discuss them separately below. But in practice, I find that one always leads to and complements the other: All music is a shared experience, and every community seeks to express its own voice, its own music, if you will. All music is made to be heard and shared, even if it is made and listened to alone, and no practice is better at strengthening communal bonds than sharing music together.

Reclaiming Music: The Quintessential Healing Sound Plain and simple, we love music because the emotions it evokes are pleasurable. Humans are hardwired to feel pleasure, such as from food, smells, sex, touch, and sound, in the same way, that we are hardwired to feel pain. Once we experience something that stimulates our pleasure receptors,

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By Jovanka Ciares

we seek it out while avoiding that which gives us pain. Music, this seemingly simple combination of sounds, harmony, rhythm, and patterns, can profoundly affect our emotional and mental state, and I would argue it is one of our very first sources of pleasure. Music is with us — soothing us, changing our moods and our emotional state — from the moment we are born, making it the quintessential sound for healing in our lives. Even in utero, fetuses can hear and react to sounds and rhythms. We know this because, after birth, babies can recognize their own mother’s voice and even music that was played during pregnancy.

Music embodies and evokes a whole range of emotions. We don’t just love happy music. We listen to music to help us release anger, feel energized, reduce frustration, invoke passion, and help us relax. In most circumstances, music helps release chemicals like dopamine, known as the feel-good chemical, while reducing stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.

Photo by Hamid Tajik

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We don’t have to be from a culture for that culture’s music to move and inspire us. In fact, it’s the universal power of music to help us feel that makes it healing.

Music has been critical to our evolution as a society and as rational, sentient beings. I don’t have to tell you that every culture, throughout the ages, has developed its own form of music that comes to define that culture and that helps bring the community together.

The styles and genres we are exposed to growing up become part of our identity, as familiar as our own name.

Yet music is so universal that we can learn to love and embrace all kinds and styles. Sharing different musical tastes is how we learn about one another, how we bond, and how we expand our sense of self and community.

I grew up in Puerto Rico, and for years, my grandfather, Papi Jaime, was the only music teacher in my hometown.

At one point, probably every person who learned how to play guitar in Canóvanas learned from Papi Jaime.

His brother, Mañeco, a sweet, dark chocolate–skinned man with a unique raspy voice — who, as of this writing, is still thriving at ninety-two years old — played the trumpet and loved my deep enthusiasm for music. Another uncle was a wonderful singer. My mom still has one of the most beautiful singing voices I’ve ever heard, a talent that sadly only gets to be enjoyed by her family and the folks at her church, but that she still expresses every chance she gets. I learned to play guitar, piano, and flute, and I sang in the university choir.

I grew up listening to my grandparents’ favorite songs: boleros from the 1940s and 1950s, which was my parents’ favorite music. We also listened to quite a lot of traditional tropical rhythms of the Spanish Caribbean: salsa, merengue, and traditional Puerto Rican seasonal music like bomba y plena. Not to mention Spanish pop artists like Menudo, Luis Miguel, Mecano, and Fiel a La Vega. In college, I was exposed to and fell in love with two very 10 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e AUGUST 2022

distinct musical genres: Nueva Trova (also known as “nova trova” or “protest music”) and traditional European classical music.

Beginning in the 1960s, Nueva Trova was a sociopolitical and artistic movement that evolved in Latin America to protest the foreign policy and interventionism of the United States, which supported various dictatorships and devastating economic policies. The music spoke of social change, colonialism, injustice, sexism, racism, and patriarchy, and it embodied the plight of marginalized peoples and the hope for a revolution that would lead to a better tomorrow. Even writing these words and thinking about my favorite protest songs, I feel a rush of emotions and a need to continue the hard work of speaking out for silent voices — that’s the power of music!

Meanwhile, I was invited to my very first classical music concert in college.

This featured symphonic music from the Romantic period (1830–99), when European society was going through a major shift, including the industrial revolution. The concert included pieces by Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, and others. The music was so melodic and gorgeous, that I spent half the concert in tears. I loved it so much, in fact, that the following semester I changed majors, stayed in college an extra year, and graduated with two degrees in music theory and education.

We don’t have to be from a culture for that culture’s music to move and inspire us. In fact, it’s the universal power of music to help us feel that makes it healing. So when using music and sound as a wellness tool, open your heart and mind. Don’t just listen with your ears.

No matter the style, genre, or sound, if music helps us feel, it can make a positive impact in our life.

Jovanka Ciares is the author of Reclaiming Wellness and several other titles. A certified wellness expert, integrative herbalist, nutrition educator, and coach, she offers lectures and workshops in Spanish and English.. Visit her online at http://www.jovankaciares.com.

Excerpted from the book Reclaiming Wellness: Ancient Wisdom for Your Healthy, Happy, and Beautiful Life. Copyright ©2022 by Jovanka Ciares. Printed with permission from New World Library — www. newworldlibrary.com.

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Once you’ve chosen the area with that special connection, you can shift and move the map, add an enamel heart or a pearl marker to mark a specific place and more. Your options range from a necklace, ring, earrings, or even a brooch. The team goes the extra mile to keep you involved in the design process and updates you every step of the way. With each custom-made order, Talia Sari ensures you’ll receive an eye-catching product that your loved one will never forget.

On top of its stunning value, the Custom Map creates an air of mystery, drawing in people to ask where you found the beautiful piece and what it means to you - making it a great conversational piece. The minimalist design goes with any outfit or setting, so your loved one can carry this memorable place with them anywhere.

With Mother’s Day right around the corner, Talia Sari is offering a limited-time promotion to help you find a remarkable gift that she will not forget. Order a Custom Map now through April 20th to receive 15% off and ensure the piece arrives on time for your Mother’s Day plans.

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For more information, visit taliasari.com.

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This article is dedicated to all the lives that were lost to the violence of any kind

M COING

FULL CIRCLE ON UVALDE IS THERE A PURPOSE?

By Phyllis King

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F

rom Sikh Gurdwara to Sandy Hook to Uvalde, mass shootings have become commonplace in the United States of America. The grief and horror that comes with senseless carnage is a gut punch that draws blood and tears for many that never dry.

I can think of no harsher experience for a human being than to watch innocent children and their teachers get murdered.

Especially in a school setting where safety is paramount, and the entire objective is to nurture young hearts and minds. To see the promise of their lives cut short violently and callously is traumatic for the strongest of hearts and those with the deepest spiritual awareness.

How do we come to terms with such tragedy? How can we digest this kind of trauma? Is it even possible to garner any value it may have in the grand scheme of life?

These are difficult questions. We were made for this and capable of creating a path that will provide answers that heal. Life is not intended to be easy. All of us know that is the case. Each person has trauma and tragedy in their life.

When the collective culture mirrors back to us the limitations of our belief systems in a manner that is so horrific what do we do with that? It can be paralyzing. That is the one thing we cannot allow to happen. There are steps to digesting shock and trauma that can help us come full circle with a sense of promise and optimism for the future.

First, we must feel the grief of the moment. There is no correct way to grieve. It may be alone, or with others. The more we come together the faster we will heal. The instance of shared experience is a powerful healer.

Consider group and community activities even with strangers. Twenty-one years ago, I delivered twins at childbirth who died. It was one of the most profound experiences of my life. The grief was overwhelming. So, I talked and cried to a great therapist. I talked and cried to my loving friends and family. Yet, it was only when I connected with a stranger who had had the same experience did, I begin to feel better.

Shared experience is a powerful healer.

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Photo by Azadeh Davoudi

First, we must feel the grief of the moment. There is no correct way to grieve. It may be alone, or with others. The more we come together the faster we will heal. The instance of shared experience is a powerful healer.

When we feel an injustice has been perpetrated, we can choose to move in a direction of change. No movement maintains the status quo. We must remember that no matter how large a problem or issue may seem change is always possible. Just as tragedy can occur in the blink of an eye so can too can grace occur. Know and trust that there are two sides to that coin. Tragedy can occur instantaneously, so to can blessings occur. Never forget that.

Next, from grief, we may have rage. We must choose how best to direct this energy.

Left undirected we may misuse the power of rage. That is an important distinction.

Rage and anger are energies we can use to produce new results, often rapidly. The intention we set using our rage is important in how we progress. Rage can help us take action that is both productive and expedient. Use it for that purpose.

Photo by natalialeb?Adobestock

Collective atrocities do not happen in a vacuum. They occur with the consent of the collective. Whether a tragedy is individual or in a city or a nation, it is an opportunity for every being to awaken to their power to make a difference.

With the courage we find to grieve, and the wisdom we access to direct our rage productively we can reimagine the future.

We can align with views and ideas that will influence outcomes and create new beginnings. It is always possible to change the future. As we digest our grief and manage our rage, we can create certainty that tragedy does not have to be our truth or our experience.

We are spiritual beings having a human experience. Experience is the operative word. Masters and avatars through history have taught us that the soul wants to experience. It is not the experience itself that has meaning. It is who we become because of the experience that has value. Through experience, we learn who we are. Without the negative, we cannot fully know the positive. We need contrast. Enlightened masters have also taught us that once we understand the difference between pain and joy, we then have free will to choose which reality we want to experience the most and engage accordingly.

We must never underestimate the power of our purpose, our intention, and our divinity. If we do, we render ourselves powerless to the status quo. Life is not about learning

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as much as it is about remembering. The more we remember, moment to moment, day by day, that we are divine creative beings, the more we will exercise our free will to create outcomes that match the love and purity in our hearts. When we do not acknowledge our divinity as creative beings, we become like a turtle lying on its back struggling to turn itself over. It can be done, but it is difficult. We have so much more available to us if we will only awaken and remember who we are.

Embrace the human experience. Mine the gold of the moment, not just as a tragedy but as an opportunity to awaken as a more fully realized spiritual being – to recognize our power. We can direct our energy to effect incredible and even miraculous change. It is possible. It is what we came here to master.

Until we recognize we are divine we will continue to create experiences that force us to ask the most important question we ever ask ourselves, which is "Who am I?" Am I divine, or am I just flesh and bones?

It is when we grasp that we are divine, and live from divinity that everything comes into focus. We empower ourselves to create the benevolent outcomes we desire.

This is the purpose of tragedy and trauma, to move us toward ourselves, to help us recognize who we truly are, and then to take charge of that power in the most fulfilling way.

Think of the beautiful children and teachers who gave their physical life in Uvalde.

These are the truest form of missionaries, in my view. The senseless Tragedy of Uvalde is reminder for us to live life each and every day in love.

Children are precious, fragile, and impressionable. As adults we must all do our part to make sure we always choose love, not hate, and to show acceptance, and compassion. If you believe that in any part, you empower yourself to honor their sacrifice and recognize it as a great opportunity to create a planet and a society motivated by love rather than fear.

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The overpowering grief that comes when we lose a loved one, and specifically a child, through a heinous act is a trauma that can last a lifetime. We are indelibly scarred. It is a burden many cannot endure. There is no set answer for relief. We can only hope that honoring the beauty of the lost life will sustain us until a new day can dawn. Perhaps in that hope, those grieving will awaken one morning without a flood of tears and heartbreak resting on their chest where love once resided. For today, survive. Today, live to see another sunrise.

That is enough.

Special thanks to: Editing: Dina Morrone Photography by: Jennifer McCarren

Known as the Common Sense Psychic (tm), Phyllis King has worked with tens of thousands of peoplein 25 countries. She is known for her practical and down to earth approach. She has been featured on, ABC, CBS and NBC TV, radio programs across the country, and has been published in over 70 print and online publications.

She has four books, including Bouncing Back, Thriving in Changing Times, with Dr. Wayne Dyer. Her latest book The Energy of Abundance is available in bookstores now.

Phyllis holds a B.A. in Sociology. www.phyllisking.com

Photo by Ben Masora

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CHANGE YOUR STORY TO

CHANGE YOUR LIFE

By Roz Clark

T

he most monumental shift that you can make in your life is to change the narrative.

Tony Robbins often says, “It’s not what happened; it’s the meaning that you ascribed to what happened.” Our power comes from being able to shift from being stuck in our story to being able to stand on our story.

Be Curious When things don’t go as you had hoped or planned, look for the lesson learned or new language that you can put around the experience.

When I finally accepted that I would never be free from constantly being in financial peril if I stayed in our toxic and dysfunctional marriage, I had some monumental decisions to make. I had to decide where I was going to put my focus and energy and how to release anger and frustration.

For a fleeting moment, I allowed myself to say, “I bet on the wrong horse” because things ended so poorly despite my best efforts. I knew that language wouldn’t serve me because it was aligned with the same draining energy I was choosing to leave behind.

I chose a more empowering narrative of,

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“I’ll always bet on me because I always show up, and I never give up.” I allowed myself to trust who I knew and believed myself to be.

You have the power to change the narrative anytime you want and as many times as you need to.

The Person Who Broke You Cannot Fix You As much as we sometimes want it, you don’t need the person who harmed, disappointed or betrayed you to acknowledge what they did and apologize to you. Yes, it would be nice, and yet it’s not necessary.

While you’re looking for closure, karma, or clarity, the truth is, most people do what they did and move on to repeat their patterns with the next person.

Here’s the rub…

Continuing to ruminate on how you were wronged or how unfair life is will only bring you more of the same.

Release people to the outcomes of their choice and create the energetic shift that you need to move to create the life that you truly want.

What that looks like is focusing on what you want to create in your life, going forward without bringing the energy of guilt, resentment, or blame into your future.

Photo by JJ Jorden

Don’t Be Afraid of The Messy Middle Healing is not a linear process. It ebbs and flows, and some lessons have to be repeated a few times until we fully embrace what we came here to learn and to be.

Learning to embrace and even celebrate the process of being present with the joy and the pain that life brings allows us to experience a level of peace and power beyond our wildest expectations.

One sacred text calls it “the peace that surpasses all understanding.”

Stop trying to control the storm.

When we find ourselves in the eye of a storm, be it physical, financial, spiritual, or emotional, we often become so exhausted and distracted trying to overcome the storm that we completely miss what it has come to teach us.

Instead, calm and center yourself, and be open to learning the life-changing lesson that the storm has come to teach you.

The grace to grow and evolve in the midst of turmoil is such a profound gift. Don’t miss it railing against what is meant to be for the time being.

Embrace and celebrate who you are becoming in the process.

When you look back, you will be able to see more clearly and appreciate the beauty and perfecting power of the force that led you to a higher version of yourself.

We Are The Creators of Our Life, Not Just The Managers of Our Circumstances We were created by a Divine Creator to be creative, and yet we allow ourselves to become victims of our circumstances.

How often do you find yourself reacting, or even dare I say, overreacting to people and circumstances that have taken you to your breaking point?

When that happens, what usually tends to be the case is that you are not responding to what is happening at that moment 22 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e AUGUST 2022

but rather to what you have been tolerating for far too long.

When life has become a mundane and pedantic day in, and day out, our unlived dreams become fuel for the fire of our internal pressure cooker waiting to explode.

The truth is that you are either living the life that you chose to create or the life that you choose to tolerate.When You Change Your Mind, You Can Change Anything If you are longing to do and achieve more, dare to ask probing questions that will allow you to find the clarity that you need to course-correct to live your best life.

Here are 5 Empowering Questions To Ask To Move Beyond Frustration and Disappointment 1. Are my choices and actions in alignment with my values?

2. Am I excited to get out of bed and do my life’s work every day?

3. Are the people in my inner circle a reflection of who I believe myself to be?

4. Am I creating quality experiences that will be remembered for a lifetime?

5. Is who I am who I have always wanted to be?

Yes…I know these are big, thought-provoking questions.

Ask yourself these questions and journal your response and the feelings that come up as you do the exploration.

Don’t beat yourself up. It is simply information.

You are where you are based on the choices that you have made. The good news is you can always make a new and different choice.

This is the beginning of becoming the best version of you.

Roz Clark is a Transformational Strategies Coach on a mission to help high-achieving heart-centered entrepreneurs to tap into their inner power, break through the barriers that have held them back and figure out what they really want.

Featured as “A Force For Good” on the Tony Robbins Podcast, Roz has also been honored by PSB. Roz focuses on bringing clarity to attendees in her workshops, masterclasses, mastermind cohorts, and for a select few, 1:1 coaching sessions. She teaches busy, successful entrepreneurs how to live happier and more fulfilling lives by being their authentic selves.

Roz’s magic lies in her unique ability to share her joy and passion for holistic practices thatcreate well-being for her clients and students in ALL areas of their lives: mental, spiritual, and physical while creating more fulfilling relationships and financial abundance.

Visionary Artist Mom Special Needs Advocate Transformation Coach Roz Clark is a “Renaissance Woman” helping others build a life filled with joy, vibrancy, and purpose! www.rozclark.com

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T The key to the medical mystery of MS A milk-free diet that made me live symptom-free for 26 years

By Edith Forbes

In recent years, I dived back into learning about MS. Although the cause is still not known, other knowledge has expanded dramatically since 1995. I wanted to see if there is more information about the possible link between milk and MS.

o a person interested in science, multiple sclerosis is a compelling medical mystery, an unpredictable disease with an unknown cause. It is a frightening intruder bringing the lifelong threat of debilitation and disability to someone who has just been diagnosed with the disease.

When I experienced my first two episodes of MS in the early 1990s, there were no medical treatments to reduce the likelihood of progression. The doctors told me there was nothing I could do. I should just live my life.

In fact, I could do something. As a curious person who was also very scared, I could dig for information. I headed to the library at a nearby medical center and started reading about MS. At that time, a lot of the information was on epidemiology. Where was the disease common? Where was it rare?

What were the characteristics of populations with a high incidence? When I looked at the map of MS incidence, I noticed something interesting that none of the books were talking about.

In regions with a temperate climate, the countries with high incidence were ones that consumed a lot of milk.

The countries with low incidence consumed very little milk.

I mentioned this observation to a relative who is a research physician, and he did a search of medical journals.

Turned out some French scientists had just published a study that described and quantified this pattern.

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Photo by By Dmitry?AdobeStock

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So now there was something else I could do. I could try an experiment with myself as the guinea pig. If MS might be linked to milk consumption, what would happen if I stopped consuming milk?

Would my outcome improve?

In 1995, I stopped eating any milk products whatsoever. No cheese, butter, ice cream, or yogurt.

Nothing else in my diet changed.

I was an omnivore who grew my own vegetables, beef, chicken, and eggs, and I ate a lot of those things, as well as most other ordinary foods. An account of this experiment became the subject of my recent book Tracking a Shadow: My Lived Experiment With MS. The experiment is ongoing, but preliminary results are in. When I was eating milk products, I had two MS flare-ups in a year and a half. In the twenty-seven years since I eliminated milk, I have had one mild flare-up in 2004. I have never taken any MS medications.

I’ve never suffered from fatigue, and my only lingering symptom is some slight numbness in my hands.

A study group of one does not prove anything. MS is a variable disease, and my good outcome could be chance. But it does make me ask more questions.

In recent years, I dived back into learning about MS. Although the cause is still not known, other knowledge has expanded dramatically since 1995. I wanted to see if there is more information about the possible link between milk and MS. The first thing I learned was that my personal experiment has not yet been replicated on a larger scale. As far as I could find, no one has studied whether elim26 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e AUGUST 2022

inating milk can improve the outcome of MS. However, I did find information suggesting avenues for further inquiry. For instance, scientists investigating the increasing incidence of MS in Japan found that the gut flora in MS patients is different from the flora in the wider population. This suggests diet may be a factor, possibly by promoting inflammation. Separate data from the dairy industry in Japan shows that milk consumption has also been increasing.A different line of inquiry came from a study in Quebec. MS is an autoimmune disease in which a person’s own T cells attack myelin in the central nervous system.

The Quebec study demonstrated a cross-reaction in which myelin-reactive T cells from MS patients reacted to a protein from a virus that causes the common cold.

That common cold virus also infects dairy cattle and is often present in their milk.

Besides looking at what has been learned about MS, I also wondered whether my experience would be relevant to others who have it. With the help of my family physician, I was able to get information about my genetic makeup, and I learned that I belong to one of the genetic types most commonly associated with MS. So my case is not exceptional, and if any of my experience is useful, it could be useful for many people.

Perhaps the scientific community will look more closely at the link between milk and MS someday.

In addition to finding out whether a diet change improves MS outcomes, a study of what underlies the connection could yield valuable information about the disease and possibly lead to new treatments.

Edith Forbes is the author of Tracking A Shadow: My Lived Experiment With MS, a memoir about the self-designed experiment that led her to identify a unique approach to the disease.

She has also written four novels published by Seal Press in Seattle. She began her career in computer programming but abandoned it for less logical pursuits, including farming, house renovation, and writing.

In addition to novels and her memoir, she has penned essays, poetry, screenplays, and a cookbook.

She holds a degree in English from Stanford, was raised on a ranch in Wyoming, and currently lives on a small farm in Vermont.

The author's opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints on this article do not reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of The Eden Magazine. and strickly is the author's opinion.

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Photo by By Valua Vitaly/AdobeStock

New From Southern Italy Prato Botanico Is Clean Beauty Skincare At Its Finest

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C

iao Bella! The luxe Italian skincare brand, Prato Botanico, comes to the U.S. to greet clean beauty lovers with all-natural organic products. Key botanical ingredients are harvested in southern Italy and exemplify the natural goodness of the region.

With an artisanal approach, the brand lovingly crafts luxurious, high-performance skincare using the purest botanical extracts blended with both care and intention to deliver beautiful-looking skin. They use cold-pressed botanical oils to formulate their products and preserve the nutrients and enzymes, ensuring maximum nutritional content in every offering.

Founders Thomas and Crystal Gourley noticed the lack of vegan and clean skincare brands in the U.S. compared to Europe. They set out to change that and treat their skin ailments simultaneously, introducing these Italian luxury products to the U.S. beauty industry.

The entire line is created in small batches and through a handpicked and handmade process. All products are cruelty-free, vegan-friendly, and NATRUE certified, the highest and most stringent organic certification a skincare brand can receive from this organization. It’s only awarded to a brand that is entirely committed to producing natural and organic cosmetics. Prato Botanico products are free of parabens, synthetic fragrances, mineral oils, phthalates, and sulfates.

Eco-friendly packaging of glass and natural beechwood encapsulate the formulations.

Intensive Elixir • Fights free radicals for superior anti-aging action • Hydrates and nourishes the skin, making it instantly appear more beautiful, youthful, and radiant • Powerful organic serum helps the skin to retain water molecules due to its meaningful concentration of high and low molecular weight hyaluronic acid • Organic aloe vera serves as a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent rich in restorative vitamins and minerals • Offers deep hydration with visibly improved radiance and a smoother skin texture • Made with aloe vera and hyaluronic acid • $85

Purifying Face Mask • A multifunctional mask formulated to detoxify, balance, rejuvenate, and delicately exfoliate the skin • Tones and purifies the skin, helping it to breathe easier and rid itself of accumulated stresses and pollution • Formulated with hyaluronic acid and Mediterranean organic extracts that offer a wide range of benefits for the skin, including moisturizing, calming, soothing, protecting, nourishing, and regenerating • Additional botanical ingredients offer a strong anti-pollution and antioxidant action, while green clay purifies and balances • Microspheres of olive leaves provide a delicate final exfoliating effect • Made with hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, olive oil, shea butter, jojoba oil, rice bran, pomegranate, lavender, and sea fennel • $75 29 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e AUGUST 2022

Luxurious and sustainable Italian skincare is now within reach Renewing Eye Serum • Moisturizes, firms, and protects the eye contour • Helps reduce visible signs of stress, fatigue, and skin aging by minimizing the appearance of wrinkles, puffiness, dark circles, and fine lines • A powerful triple anti-aging action derived from an effective mix of organic plant botanicals and hyaluronic acid works exceptionally well on dry and sensitive skin • Botanicals include pomegranate and grape seed oil, two powerful antioxidants providing strong protection against the signs of aging • Made with hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, sweet almond oil, shea butter, pomegranate, grape seed oil, and prickly pear • $80 Enriching Night Cream • Actively nourishes and moisturizes the skin, reducing the appearance of wrinkles and restoring a natural glow from the first use • Boosts collagen production overnight, restoring skin elasticity and counteracting damage accumulated throughout the day, which leaves skin soft, smooth and balanced • Organic aloe, olive fruit, almond, and jojoba extracts combined with potent hyaluronic acid and prickly pear serve as powerful anti-aging treatments high in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that aid in restoring the skin's youthful appearance • Made with hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, olive oil, sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, shea butter, pomegranate, grape seed oil, and prickly pear • $69 30 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e AUGUAT 2022

About Prato Botanico: Prato Botanico, Italian for Botanical Meadow, is proud of its rich Italian heritage. From its key botanical ingredients and product formulations to the manufacturing and packaging, experience the incomparable beauty of the Italian spirit. The sustainable, plant-based skincare line is crafted with fresh, high-quality ingredients harvested in southern Italy.

Follow them on Instagram @pratobotanico.

Life is your Creation

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Photo by Adobestock

Heartbreak,

Heart-Walls, and Healing

By Dr. Bradley Nelson

How grief, heartache, and sadness can harm your heart, and how energy healing can help 32 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e AUGUST 2022

From more than 20 years in private practice and training more than 2,000 healing practitioners worldwide, Dr. Nelson observed how unresolved negative emotions contribute to loneliness, depression, anxiety, heart disease and other ailments. People who have experienced profound heartache repeatedly can develop a subconscious protection against further hurt that Dr. Nelson calls a "Heart-Wall™."

"There may have been times in your life where you have felt that physical sensation we refer to as 'heartache,'" Dr. Nelson says. "This feeling of pressure or discomfort in the chest and throat occurs when the deepest part of us is under assault, typically when someone is hurting us or were feeling a deep sense of grief, hurt or loss."

T

he family of a beloved teacher killed in the massacre at a Texas school says her husband died of a broken heart, shining the light on a condition called broken heart syndrome.

It has been proven that the death of a loved one can cause people to develop an irregular heartbeat. The more unexpected the death, the higher the risk, according to a recent study that reinforces research on the relationship between emotions and heart failure.

These are common physical sensations that result when your heart — the core of your being — is suffering from deep trauma.

In the ancient world, the human heart was thought of as the seat of love, the seat of the soul, the core of your being, and the source of your creativity. New research is beginning to reveal that the heart functions more in these ways than we have imagined. For example, heart transplant recipients often report strange symptoms, including changes in their taste in music, preferences in food and entertainment, as well as handwriting changes. Some even reported receiving memories that were not their own.

There are thousands of stories of “cellular memory” like these. How is this possible?

The answer may lie in new technological developments. It has been proven in the laboratory that your heartbeat becomes instantly measurable in the brain waves of another person when you are focusing love and affection on them. There is an invisible communication going on between us that we had never been aware of before.

While people suffering from heartbreak can experience physical and emotional symptoms, there is another condition we call a Heart-Wall that can keep people cut off from others and harm their ability to form deep and lasting relationships.

Another study from the U.K. a few years ago found that bereavement doubles a person’s chances of dying of a heart attack or stroke. Heartbreak is not just an expression for the strong emotions we feel surrounding loss; it is a very real condition that can damage your health and even lead to premature death.

When you experience deep grief, hurt, or loss, it may be interpreted as an assault on the core of your being, on your heart.

These feelings can be so uncomfortable, so foreign, and so difficult to deal with that they often result in the formation of an energetic “wall” put up by your subconscious mind to protect the heart from further injury.

You can probably remember a time in your life when you thought your heart was going to break. That sensation may have felt like an elephant was sitting on your chest or that you couldn’t breathe.

Heart-Walls are made up of Trapped Emotions and unresolved feelings from past traumatic and troubling events that lodge in the body’s energy field and go undetected for years or even a lifetime.

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A Heart-Wall is your body’s attempt to protect your vulnerable heart.

When this energetic barrier of Trapped Emotions forms, it can keep you from feeling hurtful, negative emotions as deeply.

A Heart-Wall can form when the energy of one or more emotions becomes trapped around the heart. A HeartWall is your body’s attempt to protect your vulnerable heart. When this energetic barrier of Trapped Emotions forms, it can keep you from feeling hurtful, negative emotions as deeply.

Although this can be helpful in the short term, the problem is that it inhibits our ability to feel loving, joyful, and wonderful emotions as well. If you feel like you struggle to open up to the people around you, as though something holds you back from fully connecting with others or stops you from feeling emotions deeply, you may have a Heart-Wall.

Over the years, we have worked with countless people suffering from HeartWalls, leading us to conclude that this condition is a widespread cause of loneliness, isolation, and relationship troubles.

We believe that 93% of people have a Heart-Wall.

Determining If You Have a Heart-Wall Having a Heart-Wall can make it harder to give and receive love. You may not be able to feel positive emotions as deeply, such as happiness, gratitude, empathy, and more. It can cause feelings of loneliness, isolation, and sadness. A HeartWall may impact you physically as well.

Ask yourself the following questions. If you answer yes to one or more, you may have a Heart-Wall. Identifying this possibility is a great first step.

• Have you been injured emotionally in the past?

• Have you felt an emotional pain in your heart, as though your heart was breaking?

• Do you feel as though you can’t fully experience joy or happiness?

• Is it challenging for you to connect with others?

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• • • •

Is it hard for you to connect romantically?

Do you feel closed off to love?

Do you often feel lonely or isolated from those around you?

Do you feel heaviness or discomfort in your chest, neck, or shoulders?

Does any of this sound familiar? If so, you might have a Heart-Wall. Once you’ve determined what’s potentially holding you back, the next step is to clear the Trapped Emotions that form your Heart-Wall.

What To Do If You Have a Heart-Wall The most effective way we know to clear the Heart-Wall is using The Emotion Code, which is contained within The Body Code™app. Often, clearing a Heart-Wall requires three to five sessions to be completely removed. This is because a Heart-Wall is typically made up of layers of emotional energy or Trapped Emotions in the body. Each layer must be identified, then systematically cleared.

By following the steps of The Emotion Code and The Body Code charts, you may be able to clear these layers in a way that does not further interfere with your energy.

A Heart-Wall can be identified and removed by following the Emotion Code charts and self-testing or by working with a Certified Emotion Code or Body Code Practitioner. If you’re not sure how to use The Emotion Code to clear energetic blockages, we recommend taking The Emotion Code certification course, reading The Emotion Code book, or working with one of our certified Emotion Code or Body Code practitioners or staff practitioners that are found on the practitioner map at DiscoverHealing.com.

Some General Steps Practitioners Follow When Clearing a Heart-Wall Include: 1. Use muscle testing to connect with your subconscious and determine deeply held answers you likely couldn’t access otherwise.

2. Refer to the Heart-Wall Chart and Emotion Code Chart and follow the questions listed there.

3, Identify whether you have a HeartWall.

4. Begin to determine the Trapped Emotion(s) that make up your HeartWall using The Emotion Code Chart.

5. Ask pertinent questions to determine additional details about the emotion.

6. Swipe a magnet over the governing meridian to release the identified Trapped Emotion.

7. Determine through muscle testing if the emotion was released.

8. Ask your subconscious if there are more emotions to release from your Heart-Wall.

Even if the answer is no, your Heart-Wall may not be fully cleared. Often a HeartWall is comprised of multiple emotions, and it will take a number of sessions to fully release it. The body can only process so many emotions in one session because it needs to process those emotions that are cleared. If you are at your limit for a session, your subconscious will let you know as you are muscle testing. Give yourself time, then test again!

After Releasing a Heart-Wall After releasing a Heart-Wall, you will likely feel an immediate shift. Many people report being able to feel love and joy more deeply — sometimes for the first time in years. One woman who has been through this process gave this testimonial: “Removing my Heart-Wall was a powerful experience. When my practitioner and I were getting to the last few emotions, it felt like a separate door was opening with each release. It felt like love and light were pouring out of each new opening. My heart grew more and more full and satisfied with each layer that was released.”

As part of our ongoing research, our Emotion Code team of researchers measured the responses of one hundred randomly selected subjects in the areas of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and drug and alcohol abuse in the form of self-reported measures before and after their HeartWalls were cleared.

The most significant differences from our initial research were shown in the areas that plague society today, such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety. The results from our study showed a 35 percent improvement on average for study participants suffering from PTSD when the Heart-Wall was cleared. Depression results also revealed a 36 percent average improvement in research participants.

Additionally, results on anxiety indicated participants felt a 10 percent average improvement in scores, showing that participants are experiencing less anxiety in everyday life.

Other information that was tracked before and after Heart-Wall clearings included how satisfied the participants reported to be in their relationships, along with how their spiritual connection changed over time. In addition, whether they felt meaning and purpose in their lives. Results for relationship satisfaction showed an average increase of about 12 percent, which means those who had their Heart-Wall removed viewed their romantic relationships as more satisfying. Similarly, a person’s spiritual openness improved by about 10 percent, which means they became more open to all aspects of spirituality.

To learn more about our ongoing research studies, visit DiscoverHealing. com/research.

u

Dr. Bradley Nelson is a Veteran holistic physician and one of the world’s foremost experts on natural methods of achieving wellness.

He is also the CEO of Discover Healing, author of the bestselling book The Emotion Code, and creator of The Body Code system.

For more information and a free Emotion Code Starter Kit, visit EmotionCodeGift.com.

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Photo by Mohamed Lammah

CONNECTING

WITH AND

PRESERVING EARTH The Planet Was There Before us, and Will be There After Us

By Kamlesh D. Patel (Daaji)

H

ere is a sobering fact: Homo sapiens (modern-day human beings) appeared on Earth around 130,000 years ago, whereas our planet is around 4.5 billion years old. This means we’ve been here for about 0.000028% of the Earth’s existence.

Yet, in this remarkably short period, we’ve contributed to global warming that has heated the oceans by the equivalent of dropping one atomic bomb into the ocean every second for the

past 150 years.1 Each second, one Hiroshima bomb dropped in the oceans.

How long will nature tolerate our transgressions?

Reversing climate change is not an act of altruism toward the planet. It’s our only option for survival. You may have heard the example of a frog in a bowl of warm water. The frog enjoys the warmth but doesn’t realize the water is getting warmer. Eventually, the water gets hot enough and kills the frog.

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But that’s not entirely true. In real life, when the water becomes hot, the frog realizes the danger and jumps out of the bowl. The frog is wise enough and knows when to jump. We may not have the time to jump, and we have nowhere to jump.

to make wise decisions. For example, a doctor without balance may misdiagnose; an industrialist without balance may put short-term profit over the highest good. When our inner climate is polluted, we destroy the source that nourishes us.

The story of Easter Island, famous for its monolithic stone sculptures, is a cautionary tale. Most ethnologists believe that Easter Island was once rich in vegetation and resources, but the tribes on the island plundered them. They cut down all the trees and fought over resources. The soil eroded into the seas, the birds left the island, and the fish moved to new waters. People kept fighting, and most of them died of starvation. Easter Island is still there, but the human societies disappeared.

I grew up in a village near Surat in Gujarat, India. I have seen how the chemical industries in the region spewed effluents to a point where the groundwater became brown and fizzy like soda.

The smog from factories was so persistent that wearing masks was the norm for most workers in those factories. Can you imagine a mindful, conscious industrialist allowing toxic effluents to be released into the water?

If my tone sounds alarmist, that is because it is an alarming time.

Not too long ago, I was reading an industry report that said that globally there are 100 companies (including state-owned enterprises) that contribute to 70% of all the emissions. Then the simple solution one would say is to shut them down. But a simplistic solution to a complicated problem is usually wrong or idealistic.

The economy, jobs, national security, and human rights are a web of knots woven into the climate challenge. You pull at one, and others get squeezed too. So we need comprehensive policymaking, cleaner technologies, reduced consumption, equitable allocation of resources, and a unified effort amongst nations. But all these steps take time.

So, in the meanwhile, what can we do to help?

Start with the Self: Principles of Yama and Mother Earth The problems of the environment underscore a much deeper problem facing humanity – that of thought pollution.

When conflicting thoughts and emotions muddle our thinking, our minds become imbalanced, and confusion sets in. An unbalanced mind finds it hard 38 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e AUGUST 2022

Yoga offers us some solutions to fixing thought pollution. Through Yoga, we develop attitudes that ennoble us and benefit those around us, especially the planet.

The beginning step of Yoga is Yama. The practice of Yama blesses us with four key attitudes. These are honesty, truthfulness, moderation, and non-possessiveness. Let’s look at these attitudes in pairs, starting with “honesty and truthfulness.”

When we are honest and truthful, will our conscience allow us to act irresponsibly? A company with honest and truthful leadership will not take shortcuts like fudging environmental tests or cutting corners with effluent treatment.

The purity inside will not allow the hypocrisy of saying something and doing something else.

Now, let’s look at the second pair of values, “moderation and non-possessiveness.”

Moderation means the balance of all senses and faculties; nothing more or less than needed for the purpose. Today, moderation is generally disturbed, and rampant over-consumption is the result.

In a consumption-driven economy, the consumer decides what, how much, and

Each small effort gave the plants the extra week or two they needed before the rains arrived. Keep taking small steps to become a better child of Mother Earth. She takes care of us, and we should do our bit in caring for her.

Lack of moderation also leads to hoarding. For example, when the wealthiest countries in the world hoard stockpiles of food and vaccines while entire continents go without, it shows how we hoard at the cost of others. Individuals, communities, and nations hoarding resources and monopolizing the gifts of Mother Earth will reduce only when non-possessiveness develops in hearts.

Regular practice of meditation reins in thought pollution and creates an inner environment conducive to following Yama. We realize that the tree, the bird, and the fishes all have the same life force flowing through them, all droplets of the same ocean of life. The interconnectedness of existence helps us to develop love and reverence toward all creation.

How can I hurt something I love? How can I disrespect something I revere? As a result, we imbibe non-violence, which is the fifth attitude of Yama. But the nonviolence is of a higher order because now it’s not just about not hurting creation.

It’s about caring for and nurturing it.

Our circle of conscience grows, and we care more and more. We mold our lifestyle to walk the earth with loving-kindness. When such hearts assume leadership roles in companies, governments, and civic agencies, their decision will reflect how much they care for the planet. It takes only a generation to witness such a shift.

Green shoots of change Some of you may think this a pipedream, the optimistic musings of an old man. But consider what we have achieved in Kanha Shanti Vanam in a handful of years. We took an arid landscape chiseled out of the granite of the Deccan Plateau and transformed it into a lush ecological paradise. Our goal is to build a sustainable economy, offer jobs, and create a community that lives in harmony with nature.

But the project started with meditative minds coming together. When there was nothing on these lands, we first built a temporary structure so people could meditate. Today, nestled in the leafy foliage of Kanha is the world’s largest meditation hall. So, if the example of Easter Island scares you, let the example of Kanha inspire you.

Similar to Kanha, across the world, conscious communities are bringing together indigenous knowledge, grassroots action, and the latest technology to transform how we care for the Earth.

Take the case of the Yugal Mangi Forest rangers in Outback Australia. For millennia, the Indigenous tribes have practiced patch burning, traditional “control burning” that creates greener pastures and diverse wildlife and prevents large-scale wildfires. The rangers teamed up with Indigenous elders to develop a fire calendar that includes the latest maps, weather data, and traditional knowledge of the seasons. Similar initiatives are underway in the U.S., where the Indigenous tribes are training firefighters in the art of preventive fires.

Where to begin?

I remember a few years ago in India; the monsoons arrived much later than expected. That summer was brutal, and we had thousands of small trees all over Kanha precariously hanging in the balance. There wasn’t enough water to go around, and it was only a matter of weeks before the saplings would die. So, visitors who came to meditate started bringing cans and bottles of water with them in their vehicles. They would drive to the farthest corners and water the saplings. Hundreds of visitors who were coming each day started bringing water with them. You may wonder, what can a few bottles of water do? Each small effort gave the plants the extra week or two they needed before the rains arrived.

Keep taking small steps to become a better child of Mother Earth. She takes care of us, and we should do our bit in caring for her.

Photo by Lawless Capture

when. Cultivating moderation will rein in over-consumption, conserve the planet’s resources, and help families save more money.

Kamlesh D. Patel, also known as Daaji among his followers, is the spiritual leader of Heartfulness, an author, and the fourth in the line of Rāja yoga masters in the Sahaj Marg system of spiritual practice.

He displays the perfect blend of the Eastern heart and Western mind and is able to connect with people from all walks of life and backgrounds, giving special attention to today’s youth. To learn more about Daaji and the Heartfulness practice, please visit this website: https://heartfulness.org/us/daaji

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Photo by Adobestock

I

NTRODUCING MOON SIGN ASTROLOGY

40 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e AUGUST 2022

By Lori Reid

In astrological terms, the Sun travels through all twelve signs over twelve months, returning, on your birthday, to the same point in the heavens where it was at the moment you were born. So a "return" denotes a whole revolution of the Sun and, therefore, a complete year of your life.

A

strology is a deeply fascinating study that works on many levels. It can help explain how and why we make the things we do: our preferences, decisions, how we live, love, and respond to external events. As individuals, we are complex beings, often acting instinctively to people and situations. Why do we react to certain conditions the way we do? Why do our moods change from one day to the next? What guides our choices? These are the fundamental questions that astrology can help us to answer.

And when it comes to our instincts and emotions, astrology unequivocally turns our focus onto the movements of the moon.

Your Lunar Code sets you off on that journey to discover the basic you. By studying your Moon sign, its position on the day you were born, and its influence as the moon moves through the ebbs and flows of the month; you will be laying the first building block toward understanding your psychology. Most people know what sign of the Zodiac they belong to. Saying that you're a Gemini, a Leo, or a Capricorn, for example, is pointing out in which sign the Sun was located at the time you were born. However, very few people know what sign the Moon was in on the day of their birth. And yet our Moon sign is just as important as our Sun sign, if not more so because it is our Moon

sign that reveals our innermost feelings and emotions.

As well as describing your feelings, your Moon sign can tell you about your deepest drives, your needs and desires, your reactions, and your personal sensitivities. It reflects how you interact with other people, what sorts of relationships you're likely to form, and how you come across emotionally. Your Moon sign will highlight your expectations, your dreams and hopes, what makes you feel good, what nurtures you, and in what things or people you find the greatest comfort. The Moon in Taurus, for example, will endow you with very different emotional characteristics, too, say, the Moon in Sagittarius. In Taurus, the Moon strengthens and stabilizes the feelings. A person born with this moon seeks permanence and security in his or her life.

This is a very different story from that of the happy-go-lucky individual born under a Sagittarian Moon. This person would run a mile rather than be tied down. So, each sign the Moon travels through will "colour" your emotions with its own distinctive characteristics and qualities. But because the Moon moves quickly through the Zodiac, staying for just two-and-a-quarter days in each sign, many of us normally use an expert astrologer to find the exact position of the Moon for our time of birth, thinking that this is not something we can do for ourselves.

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Predicting the Future Many happy returns! Have you ever heard someone say that on a friend's birthday? And have you ever wondered, who or what is it that returns?

Simple – it's the Sun. In astrological terms, the Sun travels through all twelve signs over twelve months, returning, on your birthday, to the same point in the heavens where it was at the moment you were born. So a "return" denotes a whole revolution of the Sun and, therefore a complete year of your life.

From this point on your birthday, the Sun starts off on a fresh journey and thus sets in motion the cycle of events that will take the next twelve months to complete.

Beginning at Aries and ending with Pisces, there are twelve signs of the Zodiac. Each sign describes a set of characteristics, personality traits, and particular interests. For example, courageous Aries takes a keen interest in sports. Being first in the Zodiac cycle makes Aries something of a pushy sign, but it does mean that Aries people are keen to break new ground and lead the way. Gemini, on the other hand, is more cerebral.

Matters of the mind, communica-

tion, and social affairs are the principal preoccupations of this sign of the Zodiac. As the Sun travels from sign to sign, it switches your attention to those aspects associated with the sign it is in at that time. So, in one month you may find that financial affairs predominate because that month's sign has rulership over money. Then, as the Sun moves out of that sign and into the next, it could be your domestic life that heats up, as family or property matters become the new leading preoccupations in your life for that particular month.

Just as each sign influences the characteristics of the people born at that time of year, so it also affects what we think about and the actions we take.

This information empowers us to work with the Zodiac so that we can exploit its influences to our best advantage – planning when to take action and when to sit back and enjoy. As we know that the Sun spends just over four weeks in each sign, it is possible to work out, starting from your birthday, and in relation to your sign, which issues are likely to come up for you over the course of a year and, moreover, at what point in the year these affairs will be demanding your attention.

Lori Reid is a best-selling author and top astrologer.

She has written more than 50 books, which have been translated into 30 languages.

Her features have appeared in Prima, Marie Claire, and Best magazines, and her TV work includes This Morning.

Lori has also appeared on GMTV, UK Living, and BBC1's Good Morning. Your Lunar Code is available in all good bookstores.

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www.sodastream.com TURN PLAIN WATER INTO FRESH SPARKLING WATER IN SECONDS

WE BELIEVE THAT SOMETHING AS SMALL AS SPARKLING YOUR WATER AT HOME CAN SPARK A HUGE CHANGE IN THE WORLD

Photo by Adobestock

44 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e AUGUST 2022

Sleep

Wellness AGING AROUND THE CLOCK

By Abigail James

45 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e AUGUST 2022

I am a seasoned insomniac. So much so that I feel like it’s part of my DNA. Even as a child, I remember sliding into my mum’s side of the bed in the early hours of the morning when I couldn’t sleep.

Perhaps it’s why I’m fascinated by sleep.

I’ve spent years educating myself on how we can try to optimize our sleep – and what to do when our body’s screaming out for it. We all know how difficult it is to function – mentally and physically – after a poor night’s sleep. We’re sluggish; we have trouble concentrating; we’re grouchy and more susceptible to stress.

That’s before we mention the effect on our skin: puffy eyes, dark circles, and a dull, lifeless complexion are all the hallmarks of a night spent tossing and turning. We may be able to get away with it when we’re younger, but for most of us, this is no longer the case as we age.

The occasional bad night’s sleep is one thing. Most of us tend to bounce back after some decent rest. However, sleep deprivation over a long period of time has a cumulative effect that scientists have linked to a number of physical and mental issues. So, when it comes to aging well, understanding sleep science is an essential piece of the puzzle.

Achieving eight hours of sleep every night is easier said than done! I have spent many a night getting increasingly emotional for not being able to do something as simple as getting to sleep or staying asleep. In modern society, sleep seems to be in crisis. Not only are sleep disorders on the rise, but it’s become a kind of badge of honour to boast about how little sleep we can “get away with.” We spend so much time looking at screens and less of our day outside in natural light. We put work, train schedules, and our social lives first. For many people, sleep sits at the bottom of their priority list. I would argue that this is about to change as our understanding of sleep and how it can empower us deepens.

Why is Circadian Science so Important?

Most of us have been told to aim for

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around eight hours of sleep per night.

Yet, circadian science – a fast-developing field of research – tells us that sleep is more complicated and individual than that.

Aging well is not just about how much you sleep but about when you sleep.

Circadian processes were mentioned in Chinese medical texts as early as the 13th century. In 2017, the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded for research into circadian genes that control our daily rhythms. Today, it’s thought that there are many as 351 genes that influence our individual “chronotype”. Our chronotype is a genetically determined internal clock that governs our sleep and activity patterns across twenty-four hours. This clock is the reason we hear about larks and owls. If you’re a lark, you’re likely to rise early, be most productive before noon, and sleep earlier – but not without suffering a mid-afternoon slump in alertness and productivity. Owls wake late, sleep late – and might not even get going until around 4 pm. Chronobiologists (scientists who study sleep patterns) estimate that around 80% of us actually sit somewhere between these two extremes, rising and sleeping at more moderate times. I used to be an owl; however, over the years, I’ve changed into more of a lark. So, why is our circadian rhythm so important? Our circadian clock controls the timings of every organ system and bodily process. When it suffers longterm disruption – by work schedules, our diet, or watching box sets late into the night – we increase our risk of allergies, cardiovascular disease, gut disorders, obesity, premature aging, and so much more. The activity of the circadian system is the reason why you’re more likely to suffer a heart attack at 6.30 am than any other time of day or night!

I know many people, including myself, find they wake up at the same time every morning; this can all be connected to our natural circadian processes. Find your body’s natural sleep/wake cycle, then try to stick to it. Consistency – not simply quantity – is vital when it comes to optimizing our sleep.

The less we sleep, the less we can sleep. So, sleeplessness becomes a self-perpetuating cycle.

u

Sleep, Happiness, and Success Sleep has the power to limit, or unlock, enhanced brain function and mental wellbeing. People who sleep less than eight hours a night report higher levels of stress. There’s also a strong correlation between insomnia, anxiety, and stress.

On the flip side, tuning into your body’s circadian rhythm and getting good quality sleep can have a hugely uplifting impact on your mood. After just a single good night’s sleep, you can feel the difference: you’re more refreshed, the brain switches back on, and you generally feel calmer. The cumulative benefits of good sleep, night after night, are even more compelling. Research shows that good sleepers are more likely to be optimistic, motivated, and perform better in their careers – so much for politicians and FTSE100 leaders surviving on four hours a night. And for my many years juggling a career and being a single parent of three! If you’re already a good sleeper, this may all come as music to your ears. If, like me, you’ve spent hours wondering whether it’s better to count sheep, clean the house or give up on sleep entirely, there is good news. By better understanding sleep, we can learn to reset our internal clock and ultimately age better.

Sleep and Ageing – Your Skin Has a Circadian Rhythm Too Most of us recognize that there’s a link between the quality of our sleep and the appearance of our skin because we see it with our own eyes. Look in the mirror after a sleepless night, and you’re likely to see eye bags, dark circles, fine lines more pronounced, red patches, and a generally lifeless face looking back at you. Anyone who suffers from conditions like eczema and acne will know how much worse they can be after a night of sleep disruption.

Yet, as well as the day-to-day effect sleeplessness has on our skin, it also directly impacts how fast and well we age over time. Research shows that just one bad night’s sleep can make our cells age faster. Just imagine what many months,

years, or even a lifetime of poor sleep can do! If we want to age well, we’ve got to sleep well.

Setting Yourself Up for a Good Sleep The term “sleep hygiene” often crops up on social media. It’s basically a posh phrase for a good bedtime routine by reducing things that might keep you awake and getting into better habits that support sleep. When we’re children (or when we have children), we tend to live by an almost unshakeable bedtime routine. When my kids were younger, it was essential, not just for them but for me as well. In the evening, we’d eat, have a bath, relax with a book or bedtime story, turn the lights off by a certain time, and be done. As adults, this routine gets out of whack, or even thrown out of the window completely, for any number of things: Increased time on mobiles and screens, late working hours and night shifts, partying, early morning meetings, and long commutes. It’s easy to fall into the mindset that we don’t have time to sleep, which is just crazy! The less we sleep, the less we can sleep. So, sleeplessness becomes a self-perpetuating cycle.

As a hedonistic teenager, on a night out, I had to be the last man standing, often not going to sleep at all – I had no idea I was setting myself up for a lifetime of more sleep issues. Now a good night for me is in bed by 9 pm. The most important thing is that if you feel tired at 9 pm, go with it. There’s no rule about having to stay up until 11 pm – so don’t ignore what your body clock is trying to tell you. Try and sleep at the same time every night and wake at the same time each morning. Ideally, we would resist the weekend lie-in because even a onehour difference can throw your circadian clock out of whack. I often wake at the same time on the weekend but enjoy lying in bed for longer, reading the papers with hot tea, so I am physically awake but still enjoying the time to relax.

Abigail James is a multi-award-winning skincare and wellbeing expert who has established herself worldwide as one of the most respected expert facialists and voices within the health and beauty industry.

She regularly consults with top lifestyle and skincare wellbeing brands.

Find her at: abigailjames.com.

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Photo by Adobestock

EXPERT REVEALS AMERICA'S FAVORITE VEGETABLES

AND HOW TO GROW THEM 48 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e AUGUST 2022

• • •

Potatoes are the most popular vegetable in America, with 14 states searching how to grow them more than any other vegetable.

Cucumbers are the second most popular vegetable, with seven states searching for how to grow them.

Beetroots are the third most popular vegetable to grow in America.

New research has revealed the vegetable that each American state wants to learn how to grow, with potatoes being the most popular vegetable.

The research conducted by gardening experts at AllAboutGardening.com analyzed Google Trends data to establish the vegetable that has the highest search volume for 'how to grow' it in each American state in the past five years. Logan Hailey, the organic vegetable specialist at AllAboutGardening.com, also reveals the top tips for growing America's most popular vegetables.

The analysis revealed that potatoes had the highest number of states searching for them the most, with a total of fourteen American states, including Connecticut, Utah, Montana, and Oklahoma. Expert Logan reveals the best tip for growing your own potatoes is to pre-sprout them: "Pre-sprouting or "chitting" your seed potatoes can jumpstart your harvest by up to two weeks and reduces the risk of rot and waste.

To do this, you should lay your potatoes out in an even single layer on a tray or in egg cartons, place them in a light area (such as a window sill or porch) with the optimum temperature ranging from 60-70°F and let them sprout until they're around an inch long before planting."

Cucumbers are the second most popular vegetable, with seven states searching for how to grow them more than any other vegetable, including New York, Nebraska, Texas, and Iowa.

Logan's top tip for growing cucumbers is to

trellis them: "If you want to save space in your garden and yield higher quality cucumbers that are less prone to disease, trellis cucumbers rather than letting them vine along with the soil. Use a cattle panel mounted on T-posts or rebar to create a cheap, simple trellis. Then, plant cucumbers about 12" apart and allow them to vine up the panel. Prune off the suckers to promote more fruit growth and keep plenty of airflow between the foliage."

A total of six states searched for how to grow beetroots the most out of any vegetable - the third-highest number of states in the research.

States with residents searching for how to grow beetroots the most include Colorado, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Alabama. Commenting on how to grow beetroots properly, Logan states: "Beets often lack the nutrient boron, which can lead to "black heart rot," weak leaves, or poor root growth. If you suspect your soil is lacking in bioavailable boron, you can side-dress or foliar spray with an organically-approved Borax (boric acid) at a rate of 1/2 ounce per 100 square feet."

Two vegetables came joint fourth, with five states searching for each of them the most, respectively – these vegetables carrots and zucchinis.

Carrots were the most searched for vegetable in five states – Arizona, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, and Minnesota. In order to best grow carrots, Logan advises the following: "Due to their finicky watering needs, carrot seeds tend to be difficult to germinate. Try using a piece of row cover or clear greenhouse plastic laid over the soil surface to maintain even moisture until they sprout. Also, don't forget that thinning is essential for quality carrots. If you have noticed spindly or undeveloped carrot roots, be sure that you are using snips to thin out 2-4" of space between each carrot seedling."

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Zucchinis were the vegetable with the most searches for how to grow it in Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Ohio, and Wyoming. Zucchinis are notoriously prone to powdery mildew. To prevent this, Logan explains: The secret to keeping zucchini plants disease-free is maintaining air circulation by providing 2-3 square feet of space per plant, keeping weeds down, and preventatively applying diluted neem solution during moist conditions. It also helps to mulch with a straw or dried leaf mulch to prevent rain splashing onto the leaves."

Learning how to grow your own food, in particular, vegetables is not only great skill and hobby to have, but is an incredibly useful way to cut costs when grocery shopping.

Three vegetables came joint fifth, with four states interested in growing these vegetables – onion, bell pepper, and squash - more than any other.

The states that wanted to learn how to grow onions more than any other vegetable was Washington state, California, Massachusetts, and Oregon. A quick tip Logan shares for anyone wanting to learn how to grow onions is to save time: "If you're an impatient gardener craving spring scallions or sweet onions, opt for "onion sets" or starter bulbs to make your harvest quicker. These mini onion bulbs can be planted instead of seeds to save you time and effort from thinning."

The states of Florida, New Mexico, Georgia, and Wisconsin searched how to grow bell peppers more than any other vegetable. Logan advises the following for anyone looking to grow their own bell peppers: "Boost bell pepper yields and flavor by amending vermicompost or composted chicken manure to your garden beds.

These moderate feeding Solanaceae-family crops also love an added boost of diluted fish and kelp fertilizer once they begin flowering."

The squash was also the most searched vegetable to learn how to grow in four states, with those states being Hawaii, Maryland, Mississippi, and Virginia. The secret to getting the sweetness in a squash, Logan reveals, is to cure them properly: "Proper curing squash is the secret to sweetening the flavor and enjoying butternut or pumpkin pies all winter long. As your winter squash plants thrive in the garden, prepare a cool, dry area for curing with a ventilated table, fans, and dehumidifier (if in a moist climate).

When it comes time to harvest, wait until the squash vines begin to wither and yellow, then cut your squash with 2-3" of stem and let them firm up in your curing chamber for 7 to 14 days.

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This can also be done in the garden if you are lucky enough to have warm, dry fall weather."

Lettuce was the most searched for vegetable in only one state – Missouri.

Logan reveals it can be tricky to grow lettuce: "Lettuce gives us a bit of a predicament: we crave its crisp, cool leaves in the heat of the summer, yet these plants are quick to bolt and become bitter in hot weather. If you want to enjoy tasty summer salads, opt for bolt-resistant varieties like 'Salanova' and companion plant them in the dappled shade of your trellised tomato plants."

Meanwhile, turnips were also the top searched vegetable to learn how to grow in only one state, with that state being West Virginia. To ensure you're growing the perfect turnips, Logan suggests consistency: "Consistency is key with turnips. If you want crisp, tender turnips, use drip irrigation or soaker hoses on timers to ensure a slight but continuous soil moisture. Use ample compost to increase water holding capacity and ensure that the soil doesn't ever dry out."

Commenting on the study, a spokesperson from AllAboutGardening.com said: "Learning how to grow your own food, in particular, vegetables is not only great skill and hobby to have, but is an incredibly useful way to cut costs when grocery shopping."

Courtesy copyright to: https://www.allaboutgardening.com/

How you can Play the "Energy Game" to invite more Happiness, Love, and Abundance into your Life

Phyllis has worked with tens of thousands of people in 30 countries. She is known for her practical and down-to-earth advice. She has been featured on ABC, CBS, and NBC TV and hundreds of radio programs across the US, the UK and Erope.

Photo by BlackDay/AdobeStock

THE

DANGERS

OF PERSISTENT

STRESS

By Geraldine Mair

P

ersistent Stress is the emotion that is linked to the conflict of your internal systems. Setting yourself standards that even you find difficult to maintain causes pressure to take root and inevitably the erosion of your self-worth. The toll on the physical and mental well-being of any individual who lives this way can become unbearable, ensuring the personal exchange that is paid for failing to address this difficult state can be a costly one.

The side effect will impact your behavior towards others, as

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your capacity to stay calm with being negatively disrupted makes it difficult to function at your best. To convert the stress responders into something that serves your life in a positive way, it is essential to understand that the symptoms are not the root of the problem; they are a sign for action.

Whatever created the environment of distress is the culprit; there is no point in putting a band-aid on a situation and expecting long-term results; you will need to embrace change.

Stress is the body's individual response to process a given situation.

If you are having trouble sleeping, your eating patterns are erratic, and your moods are unpredictable, it is your internal compass or GPS system that will alert you. In layman's terms, you will know something is very wrong, for it is undoubtedly the most advanced screening structure in the world, and everyone can access it at any time. No doctor or professional can identify that imbalance faster than you can.

Listen to what it is telling you; never Listen to what it is telling you; never feel as if you can cheat the dealer with this one, for you will only be able to play this card for so long before your body gives up on you, playing Russian roulette with your physical or mental health for too long will leave you exhausted and courting illness. Persistent Stress causes a huge imbalance in the endocrine system; this is the operating system in control of all your hormones. The production of too much cortisol disrupts the normal body functions that fight to keep you in homeostasis (body, mind, balance). Adrenaline, another stress hormone, increases heart rate and elevates blood pressure; in short supply, this is a good thing as cortisol increases the availability of substances that repair tissues, and adrenalin supplies the body with available energy, which is great if you are in the middle of a physical workout or running from a threat.

However, the risk of large amounts

of stress hormones circulating in your system constantly downgrades the body's immune response by lowering lymphocytes (the white blood cells needed to fight infection). Using further harmful actions like smoking and drinking to cope with the Stress as a release mechanism puts you at greater risk.

When you weigh this knowledge against the current crisis of the pandemic, it is more important than ever to care for the home that you live in (your body). Exercise, meditation, massage, and walking in the fresh air all counteract Stress by flooding the body with serotonin, the mood stabilizer, and dopamine, the reward hormone; this is responsible for rebalancing and brings about feelings of calm. Taking the time to schedule this into your day will change your outlook over time; when you alter what is familiar to you by embracing an alternative, it assists in the brain's ability to undergo biological changes known as neuroplasticity; when repeated often, it alters the brain at a cellular level and increases your ability to make large scale changes know as cortical remapping.

This often happens when an individual's threshold has been reached for what they can comfortably bear. When there is no longer any resistance, they become more open to change due to awareness, and this is often the starting point to pursuing a better life and a quest for peace.

Exercise, meditation, massage, and walking in the fresh air all counteract Stress by flooding the body with serotonin, the mood stabilizer, and dopamine, the reward hormone; this is responsible for rebalancing and brings about feelings of calm.

Geraldine Mair (Nicol) is a freelance writer and author of books and articles on self-help, perspective, awareness, and personal development, along with how-to reference manuals.

Geraldine is also a Certified Complementary Therapist, holding diplomas in Counselling and Psychology.

Having offered talking therapies to clients over many years, she has helped hundreds overcome personal issues, making her significantly experienced.

She has authored 3 self-published books, including one on Amazon Kindle Best Seller in its category, and ran a successful business in the wellness industry.

As a fully certified Complementary and Holistic therapist holding diplomas in Counselling and Psychology, she has offered to talk therapies to clients over many years and helped them to overcome personal issues.

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Photo by Adobestock

An excerpt from the Kabbalah of Light

By Catherine Shainberg

54 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COMe AUGUST 2022

How can the ancient Jewish mystical traditions help us answer our most urgent questions and transform our lives? In the Kabbalah of Light, Catherine Shainberg provides a step-bystep guide that helps readers tap into the subconscious to activate powers of manifestation and creativity using a practice passed down over centuries.

The book, and Shainberg's method, which she calls Saphire Imagery, is based on the 800-yearold work, the Kabbalah of Light, originated by Rabbi Isaac the Blind of Posquieres, France (1160 to 1235). The Sheshets of Gerona, Italy, passed the Rabbi's knowledge and practices through the generations. Now, Shainberg's book draws on this ancient work to help readers discover their path to transformation.

Shainberg has worked globally with thousands of clients and students of all faiths using her contemporary techniques and practices. The Kabbalah of Light includes 159 short experiential exercises and practices to begin dialoguing with the subconscious through images. Through inner gazing, readers will access images, dreams, and imagination in new ways that serve as both a creative force and a direct path to transformation. Fast and simple, the practices can help readers discover their areas of “stuckness,” release past traumas and ancestral patterns, free the imagination, and open the way to the bliss promised by ancient traditions.

Do we really need to travel out of our bodies, or do we simply let the unconscious rise and submerge our conscious minds, thus giving us access to hidden knowledge?

W

hen Sigmund Freud coined the words "unconscious mind," he may not have realized that the concept of a vast unconscious part of ourselves, submerged like an iceberg beneath the surface of what we commonly call the conscious mind, has existed since time immemorial. The ancients were well aware of an unconscious realm populated by dangerous or godlike characters, fierce animals, hybrids of all sorts, and mind-boggling obstacles; what Freud understood as the unconscious mind was a store of memories, repressed emotions, and other mental complexes that remained trapped in a noman's-land and could negatively affect our everyday life and behavior.

He believed that these repressed emotions and memories should be brought to conscious awareness in order to be cured. He interchangeably used both terms "unconscious" and "subconscious" until he finally settled for the word unconscious. Today psychologists are still debating the differences between the two, but the word subconscious is rarely used. The preferred term is "unconscious" for all of our "other than conscious processes." Yet I propose to you that the term subconscious, coined by French psychologist Pierre Janet (1859-1947), is more accurate. Janet believed that there was a storehouse of the information below our conscious mind that could be accessed through focused awareness.

Beginning this productive dialogue with our inner world leads us to uncover our soul’s purpose and manifest our dreams in the outer world.

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Kabbalah of dreaming is also called the Kabbalah of light or Saphire.

Saphire is unique among other forms of Kabbalah in that it limits its practice to the imagination and visualizations to access higher levels of consciousness.

The ancient world had many names for the realm that lies below our awareness. They called it the other world, the world of the dead, the Happy Isles, Olympus. Heroes' journeys involved crossing the "val" to the other world: Perce la vallée, pierce the valley, is the meaning of Perceval's name in the Arthurian legends. An Ivri, or Hebrew, means the one who crosses over. Shamans the world over speak of journeying out of their bodies to seek hidden knowledge and wisdom; alchemists had a funny way of illustrating their relationship to the unconscious: a man sitting in a vast cauldron, a fire burning under the pot. Likewise, in China, the oldest book in the world, the I Ching, has a hexagram named the cauldron.

Here is what the hexagram says: "The image suggests the idea of nourishment . . . The supreme revelation of God appears in prophets and holy men." In other words, without resisting, sit in the cauldron of natural forces, and the information from your unconscious will rise up in you, nourishing you and flooding you with prophecy and holiness.

Do we really need to travel out of our bodies, or do we simply let the unconscious rise and submerge our conscious minds, thus giving us access to hidden knowledge? Here is another way it is described: "And God hovered over the p'nei tehom (the face of the abyss)" and created the world in seven days. Read p'nei tehom as God's unconscious realm. Can we, like God, hover over the void of the unconscious and bring forth new creations? We do it every night when we dream. Kabbalists call this maneuver the plunge--yeridah--the drop of the conscious mind into the unformed substance of the unconscious mind to elicit new formations. *** At the deepest part of the ocean, the old story goes, lies hidden the great serpent, Leviathan.

Raising the Leviathan is what happens when, having cleared the subconscious of its garbage, the subconscious and the conscious minds meet in an explosion of light, a revelation. This 56 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e AUGUST 2022

co-creation is what I call the manifestations of the third mind, the superconscious.

To think of the mind as comprised of three levels fits what ancient stories tell us about heroes exploring the three levels of Earth, the underworld, and the sky. Descending from the Earth level into the underworld, the hero Herakles meets Cerberus, who guards the entrance to the underworld. To be sure we don't miss out on the deeper meaning of the myth, the story tells us Cerberus has three heads, three levels that Herakles must master (which he does with his bare hands) to ascend to Olympus, the heaven of the Greek gods, and become immortal, a god or a star in the firmament. Osiris, Isis, and Horus are the Egyptian trinity, Father, Mother, and Son, the active, the receptive, and the holy breath that must be mastered to reach enlightenment. The same theme reemerges in the Christian trinity of Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Jesus of Galilee dies and resurrects in three days. In medieval times, Dante's journey takes him through hell and purgatory to paradise. The Tarot's High Priestess wears the three-tiered crown to remind us that this is what we must aspire to. To escape the imprisonment of duality, we need the movement illustrated by the number three. Call these three levels the conscious, the subconscious, and the superconscious. In the myth of Noah's ark, God, infuriated by the villainy of people on Earth, sends a great Flood to annihilate them. He warns Noah, whose name means rest or comfort, to build an ark, a place of refuge against the chaos and subsequent flooding of the people's untamed unconscious forces.

According to the midrash, the ark has three levels, one for the beasts, one for the refuse, and one for the humans. Each level must be tamed, cleared, or visited for creation to reemerge, whether in the form of a new world, a new life, or a transformed personality. In either case, insight from the superconscious--in a brilliant flash zigzagging past the refuse into consciousness--can change the course of one's life.

Leviathan, we are told, is the flash of insight. He rises at the call of the holy ones, the ones who dare to plunge. His scales spark colors radiant with rainbow hues and brilliant white. He offers himself up, like truth, on a platter for the sages' delectation. The Leviathan's scales of rainbow light are reminiscent of the flaring multicolored brilliance of the Holy Grail or of the alchemists' philosophical stone. It is he--the bodymind that "knows"--that rises up in response to threats to your survival, whether external or internal. When Leviathan rises, the place is flooded with light.

And God said, "Let there be light, and there was light." Here is no place for anything UN-conscious. Keep using that word, and your mind will subliminally hear "unconscious" as meaning unreachable, even by focused awareness. And since the subconscious is so powerful, this will block the light from rising.

Because the subconscious and the superconscious often appear together in a mixed state, I am choosing to use the word subconscious from now on to refer to both. The aim, of course, will be to clear the subconscious garbage so as to reveal the superconscious in its clarity and give it free range to act in our favor, for our survival, and for our joy.

Like the heroes of old, the restful ones, the holy men and women who dare, can you also plunge into the underworld where creation is awaiting the jolt of your presence to emerge, like the great beast from tohu vavohu? How do you provoke the information hidden in the magma of the chaos? My goal here is to prove to you that you can do what the old ones did. The Book of Kabbalah of Light will guide you through your inner subconscious landscape's swamps, jungles, and deserts. Like Herakles, you will find the tools and resources to deal with your Nemean lion, your Augean stables full of excrement, and your Stymphalian birds screeching in

your ear. You will learn to respond to the necessity of the images that surface in your mind, thus clearing the path for the superconscious to emerge. Will you find the light? Yes, you will.

This is a tried and true path to enlightenment, based on the knowledge of thousands of years of studying the plunge and verified by many initiates' successes in attaining light and what Jewish sages call dveikut, the cleaving of the self to the divine. This Kabbalah of dreaming is also called the Kabbalah of light or Saphire. Saphire is unique among other forms of Kabbalah in that it limits its practice to the imagination and visualizations to access higher levels of consciousness. Whereas other schools use letters and chanting or mediations on the void, Saphire only works with dreams, day visions, waking dreams, and guided imagery exercises to climb the ladder to dveikut. While the practice incorporates Jewish concepts, you do not need to be a Kabbalist or even Jewish to do this practice, everyone dreams.

What does this book offer you? Food for both your conscious and your subconscious minds. You will be led step-by-step through the methodology and tools to tap into your subconscious, thus satisfying the needs of your conscious mind. Simultaneously, through practicing the visual exercises you will find in this book, you will be plunged into the wondrous experience of your subconscious mind. There are no words, save a poet's, that can come anywhere close to describing the experience of the inner light. I will not even attempt to express its power and wonder. Each of you has a unique version of the interior world, like an individual sign the world has been waiting for. By activating your inner vision, you make your outer world more real, alive, and exciting. Try the exercises, and you will fall in love with your creative power to transform yourself and--oh, surprise, to change your world.

Catherine Shainberg, Ph.D., is a renowned teacher, healer, psychologist, and dream and imagery expert.

She is the lineage holder for the Kabbalah of Light, as transmitted to her by Colette Aboulker-Muscat, revered kabbalist and teacher whose mother was a Sheshet and with whom Shainberg spent ten years of intense study in Jerusalem and an additional 20 years in collaboration.

In 1982 she founded the School of Images, dedicated to teaching the techniques of this ancient tradition.

The author of Kabbalah and the Power of Dreaming and DreamBirth, she conducts imagery and dreaming workshops internationally, and at the nine International Schools of Imagery she created around the world.

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Photo by Yannick Pulver

Welcome to our Contributor Writers ' neighborhood

Spiritual Growth Checkpoint:

By Sherri Cortland, ND

D

ear Readers, this month, I’m turning my column over to my Arcturian guide, Olexoporath, who has two meditation assignments and some important advice for us.

Assignment #1: “Greetings. Let us discuss the soul and who and what you really are, and I will give you a mediation assignment.

As an individual soul, you are an aspect of your Higher Self, and it is a larger aspect of the Source/ Creator/Goddess/God. As part of your soul’s journey during this incarnation, part of your challenge is to realize the truth of who and what you are.

This is very important because such a realization and acknowledgment will help you understand yourself better. Therefore, here are three things we wish you to ponder during your meditation practice: We ALL originate from the same Source. We are all made up of the same genetic material as the Source/Creator/Goddess/God. All souls have the potential to achieve whatever they set out to achieve.

As you meditate on these things, also consider that as soul aspects of the Source who are currently having a human experience, you are extremely goal-oriented and seek to have experiences that fulfill your individual needs and goals.

This means that you, who are in the body, and we, who are not currently in the body, are the same from a DNA point of view. We are also very different because no soul has taken the same path. Therefore, we are equal, yet different, and our differences and individuality are celebrated on this side of the veil and should be celebrated on your side as well.”

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Assignment #2: “Greetings. Let us talk about trust. When we are in the body, we are quick to give our trust to other people, what we read or hear in the news, and even what we hear from others in the break room. It is interesting that the last person we are often willing to trust is ourselves.

No one comes into the body alone.

You are surrounded by Spirit. You have Guides, and you have your Higher Self.

Are you in a quandary? Do you need direction?

If yes, it is all well and good to ask friends and family for their opinions, but the one and only opinion that you should base your action on is your own.

When you have a decision to make, sit down for a few minutes and meditate. Ask your Higher Self and/or your Guides to help you reach the best decision possible, then listen to them. You will know the rightness of what you hear in your gut. Trust your gut. Trust yourself. You cannot go wrong by listening to your heart. Now go in peace.”

Thank you for taking the time to read my column; I am so happy and honored to be on this journey with you. Namaste.

Sherri Cortland has been communicating with her Guide Group, the “GG,” since 1987 via automatic writing.

Much of the information she has received is included in her four books, which were originally published by Ozark Mountain Publishing and are currently available on her website and on Amazon.

On Sherri’s website, you will find several free classes and meditations, along with more articles and workshops on video. https://www.facebook.com/SherriCortlandAuthor www.Sherri-Cortland.com

Photo by Adobestock

Olexeoporath speaks!

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THE WAY I SEE IT

By Joey Santos, Jr.

That

One TheGot Way!

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(in the)

Let's talk about this one.

There's an old saying, "speak, and write what you know." So, I'll share some parts of what I know about this one.

Have you ever felt you met "the one?" It's interesting to me looking back at past relationships, how many "the ones" I've met. And what exactly does "the one" mean? Is it that they possess all of the amazing qualities in life we all wish to have? Admire? Aspire to become? Or is it based on a moment of unbridled passion, lust, plain old physical attraction working overtime, or an innocent school boy/girl fantasy crush? Whatever it may be, it certainly requires a bit more study.

Example: "You had me at hello" is problematic. "We met last Thursday. He's so amazing. The wedding is on Monday." They broke up on Friday!

Oh, it happens. It happened.

I don't mean to sound bitter (I'm not), but realistic, I certainly am. And I'm also guilty of being in similar situations.

Many of us are. I don't think the behavior of the dream needs to change. Just the behavior in the dream does. And studies show we can control our dreams. In other words, maybe we need to search less

and be sought after. I find there to be a certain sense of desperation to always being on the hunt. A constant hunger. The need to feed. Once we are no longer full (usually after only a few hours), what happens then? We get hungry again. We are animals; after all, it happens. Now, if only we could sync instinct to strategy, urge to behavior, and brain to genitalia, we'd get someplace.

This brings me to "The One That Got in The Way." I was once so in love that I talked myself into overlooking the signs that read, "For One Night Only," "Broken," "Don't Try This at Home," "Expired," "Batteries Not Included," "RUN." To me, that was the "one."

And I was determined no matter what our differences were, and there were many, I was going to make them work. I was determined that He would not become The One That Got Away. Well, He did. Far and away. And it was okay because who I found that "got in the way was me? Yes, I found myself and realized that there is nothing or no one in this life worth trading oneself for.

Nothing. Sit back, stop looking for, start looking yourself over and start looking in. Find you. Like you. Date you. Love you. Marry you. Once you do, you begin to control your dreams, your destiny, and the clear path to meeting another "one.

Photo by By Viorel Sima/Adobestock

T

he love of my life.

My soulmate. My first, my last, my everything. The one that got away.

Joey Santos is a Celebrity Chef, Life Stylist & Co-Host of The Two Guys From Hollywood Podcast on Spotify.

A Columnist for The Eden Magazine since 2016.

Joey was raised in NYC, Malibu, and West Hollywood. He is the son of Film & Television Actor Joe Santos, and his Grandfather is World-Renowned Latin Singer Daniel Santos. To follow Joey on IG: @jojoboy13 To contact Joey; whynotjoe@gmail. com

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OUR TRUE SELF

Photo by Adobestock

By Angela Dunning

Learning To Parent Yourself Through Your Pets

Taking on a pet can often be a very big and important step in healing and recovery.

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L

earning to parent yourself and your inner child can be impossible if you did not receive a template from your own mother or primary caregiver as an infant. This deficit can leave long-lasting and very deep wounds in an adult, rendering them almost incapable of taking care of and valuing themselves, let alone loving themselves.

The un-mothered/parented child-adult constantly looks to others to support and nurture them, sometimes even into late adulthood if this wound is left unhealed. While at the same time often neglecting their most basic needs and desires and making authentic living almost impossible.

One of the ways people CAN learn to parent themselves, and in so doing, eventually come to a place where they feel genuine compassion, tenderness, and love for themselves, is through taking care of a pet. Small animals, in particular like cats and dogs, can play an invaluable role in this most vital area of healing and development in a deeply wounded person, such as those with early Childhood Developmental Trauma.

It’s important, however, that this isn’t happening on an unconscious level. It has to be a conscious process involving awareness and a desire to grow.

I see many people who infantilize their pets, treating them like babies or children without any awareness that they are doing this through projecting their own inner-child onto the animal so that the animal carries this like a burden. This is counter-productive and doesn’t facilitate growth as it keeps the animal in a constricted lifestyle and the person disconnected from their own inner child and true needs that are still needing attention and love.

One of the ways we can become aware of our attitude towards ourselves and our pets is through watching our dreams, as often our pets will appear in them because they are a big part of our daily life. If we are paying attention to how we are caring for them, then they will tend to change in our dreams, showing signs of development, strength, and confidence perhaps. Jungian author and analyst Marion Woodman talk about how often people who are utterly disconnected from the needs and deprivations of their own inner child have dreams of neglected small animals or birds kept locked in an attic, who they have forgotten about and don’t know yet how to care for them.

Photo by Adobestock

Small animals, in particular, can represent at a very deep unconscious level the needs of the inner child, often so neglected by the adult-self who has learned inattentive patterns from their parent/s. Adopting a cat or small dog or another small mammal (rather than reptiles or birds)

can take a developmentally challenged adult on a huge journey of learning to care for another small and vulnerable being who is wholly dependent on them.

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So if we take on a new pet, through the process of the daily routine required in feeding and caring for an animal, the person learns the art and discipline of consistency, trustworthiness, and care for another. In addition, discovering the pet’s unique personality, history, and needs, which may also involve their own experiences of neglect and/or abuse, particularly if they are a rescue animal, and learning how to read and meet these needs, plays a further vital part in strengthening the person’s capacities for the following areas of psychological, emotional and social development: 1. Empathy: The ability to empathize with another being.

7. Increasing our tolerance of and empathy for fear and uncertainty in our animals through increasing our understanding of just how vital safety is for mammals, including ourselves: Safety is the number one need at all times; everything else can only flow once the animal, child or adult feels safe.

2. Developing Presence: The capacity to stay present when around them and especially when handling them. This is particularly important if you have a tendency to dissociate.

Just over a year ago I adopted a beautiful black cat called Bella from a local rescue center. I had no idea who she was or what would transpire between the two of us, but from the moment I saw her picture on the website I knew that she was the cat meant for me at this point in my life. The picture of her only showed her eyes and little of her face as she was hiding in a cat igloo.

Yet, I saw in her eyes something I recognized and understood immediately: Fear or even terror and I just knew I had to take her on.

3. The ability to notice and begin to modulate your own nervous system and emotional arousal levels in order to calm a frightened animal, or conversely, to raise your level to initiate play and fun in a safe way.

4. Increasing your sensitivity towards another’s needs, feelings, and desires. This takes the person out of a wholly self-centered orientation and expands their abilities to consider another’s situation and needs. This is particularly important for animals with a history of abuse and/or neglect as they will have high levels of fear and difficulty trusting people.

5. Developing a constant, consistent, and steady “Safe Base” for the animal, like a good-enough mother, would for a baby, so that the animal learns they can depend on you; that they can trust you to take care of them and protect them, as well as tend to their needs each day.

6. Developing greater patience, understanding, and tolerance for vulnerability – both the animal’s and your own.

8. Ultimately, feeling deep love for another being and for ourselves, perhaps to such depths that we never have before. Risking the vulnerability of loving this animal deeply and, in the end, knowing that loss and heartache are inevitable when owning a pet.

When she first arrived, she had PTSD levels of anxiety and reactivity. The slightest noise or change triggered her, and for the first few weeks, it was pretty awful, and I doubted whether I could cope with her. However, after employing an Animal Communicator to ask more about her background and why she was so reactive, she conveyed to me the following simple yet heartbreaking plea: “Please don’t give up on me.” That was it, I was completely in love with her, and I knew she and I were meant to be together. It hasn’t been easy, and she is still very reactive to certain things, but on the whole, she has settled down a lot and is coming into herself more each day, gaining confidence, and relaxing in our home together.

Safety is the number one need at all times; everything else can only flow once the animal, child or adult feels safe.

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Photo by Adobestock

Throughout, I had this uncanny intuition that she was teaching me about something very important. I had an inner knowing and sense that she was somehow showing me how to better care for myself through caring for her.

I’ve had many other pets in the past, but this time it felt different as if there was this big yet invisible connection and purpose to our having found one another. And the parallels between our “issues” and healing are many.

Recently, I asked the Shamanic Healer I work with to do a session with my cat, to see how she was doing one year on, and to ask if she needed anything more from me to support her. At the end of the session, she stated: “I have come to teach Angela about how to be a parent.

I am her daughter, and this is my role”.

My uncanny intuition had been spoton. I just knew that she was here to help me learn how to be a good parent both to her and to myself at long last.

Having never had children because of my own severe childhood trauma, this is indeed a poignant and very moving relationship for me to experience; observing my own and her healing is very beautiful indeed.

As a result of taking care of this nervous

yet utterly sweet little cat, I am indeed learning how to be more present, dependable and consistent, and caring, both towards her and towards myself.

Something big is changing in me. She is helping me heal a little more each day as my experience of caring for her enables me to care for myself better. She is helping me strengthen my own capacities to care for another being which is enabling me to turn towards my own vulnerable, nervous little inner-child self with the same tenderness and pure love I give to my cat. And over time, I hope such newfound love for my wounded little child-self will enable her to also settle down, gain confidence and feel more relaxed and that we won’t be at such odds as we always have in the past but rather become more united, like a bonded mother and child dyad, through the same kind of tender, loving care and attention I give to my beloved cat.

Ultimately, through loving my cat as much as I do, I hope some of that pure love is also rubbing off on my inner child as I begin to see her through the same loving eyes as I do my beautiful Bella.

Photos by AdobeStock

Angela Dunning is a regular contributor to The Eden Magazine. She is the author of The Horse Leads the Way: Honoring the True Role of the Horse in Equine Facilitated Practice.

Angela writes regularly on Facebook: ebook.com/thehorsestruth.

You can learn more about Angela and her work helping people and horses at: www. thehorsestruth.co.uk.

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FOUNDATIONS PAST, PRESENT FUTURE

By Zee

W

elcome, “it’s so exciting to be here with you today” there’s today’s mass foundational saying, if ever there was. It’s gone around the globe and somehow continues, picked up by everyone important and used as their Hello greeting. I can feel it; can you feel it!

For some of us, their idea of excitement is so enlivening it doesn’t reach the level of complacency, and yet, here we are, where marketing and tradition are at odds with one another.

Our foundational mother Earth has reached a point in her life where we, the keepers, have decided to leave her in peace while we jump ship and watch her demise from afar. Humans have such an incredible, compassionate foundation for that which has been used to the tenth degree, past and present. Even with our immense understanding of progress, the very same compassion is always there, a signpost waiting for the humanity in the future for all to engage in, the oppressed and oppressor.

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Photo by Adobestock

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Now is the opportunity to grasp what new experiences are waiting along your path; signpost in hand, in bright, bold letters, welcome? Go ahead and make this life a little bit better!

Is love the most powerful of all foundations? It could well be the question of this age. If only we humans could find it. Is attachment the unlikely event we call love? Has connection become the potency of our existence? Humans function within a limited personal understanding of their complex intellectual mindset at a survival level. This has never included the actual self, only the physical creature within the pecking order of its contained thinking.

The breath of Life is our independent Quest We live and breathe to hear the stories others tell of their life journeying how they have overcome their hardships, their betrayals, and their successes.

These are the motivational driving forces in today’s arena; another’s foundation has become one’s own copycat driving force. Stories, we all love a good story with a dash of emotion to capture the heart. Our story has become the representation of the fluffy toy we hold so dear and never wish to let go of.

Humans sell it like a used car as a survival mechanism and own it for generations, never to move forward on a new adventure.

A new foundation for the modern world exists now. We have become our stories. Our experiences have defined us. We lap it up at every level of existence. Whatever happened to “it’s not the journey, it’s the destination .”Fortunately, with time, after a thousand story episodes, a little bit of the now constrained human may come out of its shell.

No matter what life dumps on you, the one foundation that never gives way is the one where you discover how to stand up in your own space for yourself.

This foundation is twofold; one is inter70 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e AUGUST 2022

nal in how you decide who you care for yourself and trust in yourself. The other is the decisions one has determined on how to show up in the external world to outside forces, the attitude, one’s behavior, and the almighty identity.

Like the tides of the ocean, there exists a tide within you, some days, you’re in, and at other times you’re out. This is a normal human trait, don’t beat yourself over spilled milk; humans make mistakes. Constantly being sorry is an acknowledgment of a lifetime foundation of self-failure.

Don’t you comply with this? There may be different mistakes along life’s journey; a mistake is a one-off; from this moment forward, never say the word sorry, comprende!

Ok, let’s take a peek at how we understand/define this word foundation; here are 3 examples.

1. It’s the lowest load-bearing part of a structure (you), typically below ground level (your inner self, where our earthly soul resides).

2. Also, a foundation is an underlying basis or principle. How one sees themselves (principles), govern all the different identities we play out in our daily interactions with other humans, past, present, and future.

3. A foundation is our support upon which the act of beginning or creating rests (all thoughts, all actions) begin from a self-built definition of who we think we are, comprising of both negative and positive.

In a nutshell, a firm foundation in self will enable you to withstand the massive up/down experiences that come your way. You will get through anything without disturbing one’s emotional state of mind, health, and being.

Photo by Adobestock

As humans move forward in our thinking-awareness, an obvious transition transpires. We are the foundation of all that exists in this earthly universe, and all that exists in the earthly universe is the foundation of us, all human creatures, all living creatures, them/ they. How does this function? You live one aspect of the foundation, and your other billion neighbors each live out all the other varying aspects to leave no stone unturned! That’s what is defined as connected, bam!

Unfortunately, some humans prefer/like to play the “I am the separation game .”These persons cling to this foundation as their normal. This, too, shall come to pass!

Foundations, we are all aware of the many types; we studied there, work there, support them and give time and money where needed.

Yet they are all secondary to the one and only primary, that be independent-you.

Your task/quest is to follow up on the personal maintenance required to get your awareness to acknowledge and kick the physical into action. What does it take to get me into one’s future, healthy, safe, and strong? Ask a twenty-year-old, no, there’s plenty of time. Ask a seventy-year-old, yes, I should have started when I was younger. Now go and build a long-term foundation.

Next comes what is best suited for you and becomes only your foundation. Be wise; investigate the best choices which will maintain enjoyment. Make it more than an intellec-

tual experience. At times enjoyable may lose interest; ask, what new interests did this lead me to? Pick that up and run with it. Always remember, along with all doing also comes enjoyable silence, peace, and rest. Make space with these three new friends.

If you are reading this article, then you have already experienced what has been. Forget those regurgitating echoes of the past.

Now is the opportunity to grasp what new experiences are waiting along your path; signpost in hand, in bright, bold letters, welcome? Go ahead and make this life a little bit better!

Is it dangerous? Who can tell? The journey is heavily signposted. You choose the direction, and the many outcomes will be waiting. They are a series of bus stops to stay and extend one’s self for a time. As we travel, our choices become, is the world, the world we live in today.

Yes, it’s a pivotal moment when we reach inside, sit down, and come to terms with all that one has explored up till this precise moment was self-created. It’s our warts and all living foundation that has kept one alive just to experience the morning sunrise and the setting of the sun in all its glory. To experience love and to tell another that you love them.

Now that’s a foundation that should be mandatory!!! What say you?

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Photo by Milo Weiler

The Spiritual Sandbox

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The

MAGIC of the DANCE

Within Tuning Into YOUR OWN

Unique Rhythms

By Jill Lebeau & Amit West, M.A.

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ear your own voice in the choir. Dance your own dance. As beloved Wayne Dyer would say, row your own boat. Don't row someone else's.

March to the beat of your own drum, Thoreau teaches. And we say, living tuned in, tapping into your own rhythms is the essence of Sovereignty. When you hear your own voice in the choir, it's so much easier to live in a state of clarity.

Making empowered choices in co-creating the life of your dreams. Living in the magical flow of All That Is. When you hear your own voice in the choir, you can hear what makes your Soul hum. And, when you're focused on fully loving your mind, body, and spirit... you're free and available to notice your own harmony within.

What in the world does your nervous system have to do with all that? Everything! When you aren't paying attention to how your nervous system is guiding you, it profoundly affects your overall well being your vibrational offering.

Your unique vibration is your calling card. It emanates from you, summoning the people, opportunities, dream homes, and dream vacations to you that match your vibration.

Everything vibrates, the chair you're sitting on, the trees, plants and flowers, the birds and the bees, the sound of your voice... all carry a vibration. Life is vibration!

As we pay attention to what's going on within and around us, we become more graceful dancers with the dance of life.

Just as the seasons ebb and flow, so does your nervous system. It lets you know when you're going with the flow of life guided by your intuition or, conversely, when you're resistant to life's unfoldings. When you're out of sync, you will feel tired, depleted, irritated and reactive, disconnected from yourself, your joy, your passion, and your motivation.

Kinda the feeling of... life sucks, right?

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But when you listen to the cues from your nervous system, whether to rest, recharge, or forge forward, you have an opportunity to become way more joyful and enthusiastic about your life! Yes, that's what happens when you choose to honor the Divine Guidance that you're receiving. In every moment.

If you want to know what your energetic frequency and vibration feel like, tune into your nervous system. This will require just a bit of practice, but with patience and playful dedication, it will become more and more effortless.

Here is a simple practice for you to try: Sit comfortably, allowing your spine to be erect without any tension. Close your eyes and set your intention to tune into and feel the energy flow of your nervous system. Gently inhale through your nose for a count of five, filling your belly and chest. Then exhale gently through your nose for a count of five, emptying your belly and chest. Allow your thoughts to be there without engaging with them simply. Bring your awareness to your spine; just feel what the energy feels like there. Is it calm and peaceful? Is there any sense of worry or anxiety? Are you able to focus on this present moment?

Or are you thinking about your to-do list? If you are focusing on the past or future, your energy will be scattered in many different directions. In that case, you are reducing your power of Presence. And your vibrational signal to the universe is diminished, much like what happens when you walk into a room and use the dimmer switch to dim the light.

This simple practice will help you to have a sensed, felt experience of the energy currents and rhythm of your nervous system. And it will also help you receive the messages your nervous system is sending you.

So as you can see, paying attention to your nervous system and receiving the guidance it offers you all day long will support you to live a tuned-in, empowered life that you absolutely love.

Jill Lebeau- As a spiritual psychotherapist and author, Jill’s mastery is guiding people to live in the magical flow of ease, joy, abundance, love and freedom.

Jill is here to help you remember the truth of who you are, a magnificent Being of limitless love and expansion. As the Creator of your reality, you can be, do, or have, whatever you desire. It's Jill’s joy to show you how fast, easy, fun and thrilling it is to elevate into your highest vibration!

To learn more about Jill's please visit; https://www.easejoylove. com/ Amit West, M.A. - As a transformational facilitator, healer, guide, teacher, and ceremonialist, it’s Amit’s deepest Joy and honor supporting people on their awakening heart consciousness journey.

Informed by her own devotional walk of life. Remembering together the truth of who we are. Living life to its fullest, sharing our Light, love, gifts, and wisdom. Co-Creating life, guided by our ancestors, allies, and guides who are all here for, with and within us.

Connecting reverently with our mother earth, nature, and all sentient beings.

Website is: https://www. heartpathguide.com

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Photo by Adobestock

Tezahn is a natural herbal cold infusion that instantly transforms plain water into a therapeutic immunity booster. The infusion relaxes your mind & body, keeping you rejuvenated & uplifted all day.

Made with 100% organic herbs and spices, the beverage is convenient to make, easy to carry around, and refreshing to drink – motivating you to drink more water throughout the day!

A refreshing, guilt-free thirst quencher, Tezahn can be effortlessly integrated into your busy daily routine to support a healthy lifestyle, from yoga class to the office.

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Tezahn is available in 3 delightful infusion varieties, including Ginger and Jaggery, Tulsi and Spices, and Mint and Turmeric. https://www.tezahn.com

Health is a state of the body.

Wellness is a state of being.

Photo by Adobestock

~ J. Stanford

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Turning Triggers Into Treasures

By Judy Wilkins-Smith

C

ontent and trigger warnings, book bans, gender sensitivity, cancel culture. Even though most psychologists and social workers now agree that trigger warnings don’t work and “cognitive avoidance” (dodging sensitive topics) is counterproductive to emotional growth, the list of social hot potatoes and things we won’t or can’t look at grows longer by the day.

Perhaps this is because we haven’t understood these unpalatable hot buttons for what they are: messengers sent directly from our subconscious pointing us in the direction of where the buried treasure within us lies.

American novelist and activist James Arthur Baldwin wrote, “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” And that’s very true. But I’d like to take his words a big step further and say, “Not

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everything that is faced can be changed, but everything we face holds a gift.” We just need to look at things the right way.

Let me give you an example. A client (I’ll call her “Alison”) came to me after a recent vacation in Hawaii. She was deeply disturbed because mask mandates had been set in place that made it impossible for her and her family, who were not vaccinated, to sit inside a restaurant to eat. They had to sit outside or ask for takeout. “Fortunately, Maui has great weather, and many restaurants have outdoor seating,” she said. “But that’s not the point. I got hugely upset and angry. I felt discriminated against and couldn’t help but think about how my grandmother and grandfather had been excluded from eating in restaurants because they were Black. I knew it wasn’t the same thing and tried not to react. But I ended up getting so upset I got sick, and we had to fly home early.”

Photo by Adobestock

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I reassured her that, although running away is what most of us naturally consider when we’re feeling overwhelmed emotionally, instead of quitting her career, what she needed to do was to see beyond the triggers and anger to the treasure they were pointing her toward.

Together we set up what’s called a “constellation,” in this case a physical 3D map of her closest family members—her mom, dad, siblings, and maternal grandparents—comprised of pieces of paper with one family member’s name written on each piece. Alison then arranged the names in her family system on the floor in a way that energetically made sense to her, a pattern that reflected the actual relationship dynamics of the family: who was closer to whom, who was distant, who was absent, who was engaged and who wasn’t. We also included the presence of anger. Alison wrote the word on a piece of paper and placed it where she felt it needed to go, which was beside the names of her mother’s parents. As she looked at the whole pattern, literally standing in the middle of the pieces of paper set out on the floor, I prompted Alison to talk about her family.

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If you look deeply enough, you’ll find the gift waiting for you, longing to ignite the next step. And that is true transformation.

As it turned out, her mother’s parents, who lived in the South, had been deeply active in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 60s.

But her mother moved to Chicago to go to school and met her father, whose family wasn’t involved at all.

“It’s like when she moved North, Mamma washed her hands of the whole thing,” Alison said. “My parents acted like discrimination didn’t even exist—like they’d escaped or something. And early on, both my older brothers got into computers and IT.” She studied the layout of the names on the floor. “It’s like everything grandma and gramps felt and did and stood for went totally unseen by everybody.”

“Except you,” I said. Her eyes flew wide. “So,” I continued, “What do you think your grandmother and grandfather wanted for their children and grandchildren? What were they working toward?”

“A world where we could live in peace and be free to live the lives we choose,” she replied promptly.

“And isn’t that exactly what your parents and brothers have done?”

She gasped. “Oh, my God, yes,” she said slowly, realization dawning.

“Is it possible that anger has its time and place? Is it possible that while your grandparents used their anger to effective purpose, holding onto their anger is not honoring them so much as holding you back and denying the gift they worked so hard to give you?”

Photo by Priscilla-du-preez

As we explored her situation, it became clear that Alison was always looking out for the underdog.

Although it was deeply unconscious on her part, she often projected her own issues about discrimination onto others. As a lawyer representing women of color who were victims of discrimination, this wasn’t hard for her to do. She also kept getting emotionally involved and angry at the injustices her clients experienced.

“It’s like all the hurt and unexpressed rage of my forefathers and mothers is coming out through me,” she said.

“I can’t control it, and I hate it! I’m even beginning to think I need to change careers.”

Alison was stunned. “I never looked at it that way before,” she whispered, eyes glued to the pieces of paper on the floor around her.

I asked her, “What has anger given you? Can you look at anger and thank it for anything?”

She thought about it and nodded. Taking a deep breath, she said, “Thank you, anger, for what you did for my family. You inspired ambition, success, and peace. I can see you had a place in my family. But I don’t need to carry you anymore.”

Systems—whether it’s a family system, a business system, or a social system—are like the people that comprise them. They’re wired to evolve and grow. And, like people, growth is dependent upon actions and breakthroughs in the system being built upon and expanded. Alison had been acknowledging her grandparents by emulating them—repeating the pattern of anger instead of moving beyond anger to take their legacy to the next level.

Subconsciously, she was angry at herself for not doing so. She’d also been angry at the rest of her family, interpreting the gift of their peace as indifference.

That which doesn’t grow stagnates. Sir Winston Churchill summed up this cycle very well when he said, “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Alison had been repeating history, finding all sorts of people and situations around her to keep the old anger pattern alive.

When I asked Alison what new emotion could replace anger and take her and her family’s legacy forward, she was quick to reply. “Determination!” she cried. “I can keep my career and not be victimized by it. I can be bold in my determination to help other women. I can show them what it looks like not to be a victim! I can help them live the kind of free life my grandparents created for me!”

See how you can move beyond a trigger and find strength?

Next time you get upset by something, don’t judge yourself or try to dodge it. Stop for a moment. Reflect upon the trigger. Consider the issue and its context within your family. Ask where it belongs. Where did the issue start? Who else had this issue? Was it expressed? Was it buried and ignored? Was it judged? By whom? What is trying to be expressed and/or healed through you? If you look deeply enough, you’ll find the gift waiting for you, longing to ignite the next step. And that is true transformation.

Judy Wilkins-Smith, author of Decoding Your Emotional Blueprint: A Powerful Guide to Transformation Through Disentangling Multigenerational Patterns, is a highlyregarded Systemic Work & Constellations expert, coach, and motivational speaker and founder of System Dynamics for Individuals & Organizations.

For more information: https://judywilkins-smith.com/

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WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT An interview by Phyllis King

llyson A Spellman

Vegan, Animal Advocate, Empowerment Speaker, & Award-Winning TV Personality

Allyson Spellman has been in the entertainment industry since the age of six.

She is an award winning TV Personality who has worked in television, feature films and on Broadway. In addition to her love of performing, she has traveled extensively as a motivational speaker.

She is currently a JTV Host and Animal Avengers Ambassador. She is passionate about animal rescue. She is the creator and co-host of the show Duo Gooders, with her daughter Shayler.

Duo Gooders is dedicated to helping parents and children learn ways to live more compassionately. @allysonspellman

T

oday I am talking with empowerment coach, JTV host, and animal advocate Allyson Spellman. Welcome.

Thank you so much, Phyllis. It is such a blessing to speak with you. We are going to go literally with the divine flow.

One thing I have always admired about you is your energy and your positivity. How do we stay empowered and positive with so much going on in the world?

I wish there were a magic wand, but it really is work. One thing is committing to the practice of it. I cannot be responsible for what is happening around me or the reaction of others to me, or their reaction in general. Once I learned that, it took off so much stress of trying to control. Circumstances are out of our control, like the world as a whole right now.

You are the ultimate entrepreneur, always creating successful ventures.

What is your secret?

It is important to have a support system, a network of people who see the greatness in you when you become so burdened by life circumstances or wonder how you will get from point A to point Z? The other piece is that people avoid living their authentic life. Instead, they feel like, "I need to be more this, or I need to be more than, or I need to look like that." We throw around the word authenticity a lot, but it is so true. Authenticity is the key to attracting so many things in life that bring us joy.

How do you personally surrender when you feel stuck?

Such a great question. I will tell you, my practice daily is to take my daughter to school and then take my quiet time, time for me to get centered. I highly

suggest it. I meditate. I love to write in a journal to give voice to my inner thoughts to find a place of love and joy inside.

And when you come from that place of love, so much is possible. It comes down to love or fear. Those are our two choices. It is easy to love those that are lovable. But we are tested when it comes to compassion for those who aren't so lovable. I fight to be a force for love every day. That is my anchor.

I think how beautiful it would be if we all followed our calling and committed to that as a collective universe. My passion is changing the world, inspiring change-makers, and of course, for me, particularly helping animals. That is my absolute passion. And even being a vegan as well, because I live a vegan lifestyle, I find instead of coming off preachy, the best thing you can do is live your life.

You have had a passion for animals for as long as I have known you.

I have always had a connection to animals. I was the little girl bringing home the strays. My parents were lecturing me that we couldn't bring home another turtle from across the street. My connection to animals never stopped. Then, one of my closest friends is Shannon Elizabeth, an actress who inspired me years ago. I was flipping through a magazine, and I stopped in my tracks when I saw a picture of her surrounded by all these dogs.

It really hit me then. That was twenty-plus years ago. I read how she started this cat and dog rescue in Los Angeles using her platform for good. I remember sitting at that moment, going, oh, my gosh, that is what I want to do. I currently work with the Shannon Elizabeth Foundation for endangered animals.

I think how beautiful it would be if we all followed our calling and committed to that as a collective universe. My passion is changing the world, inspiring change-makers, and of course, for me, particularly helping animals 83 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e AUGUST 2022

I want to talk about some of your careers.

You are on TV. You've been in that industry for a long time. It's such a hard industry. Yet you really live your ideals and values. How do you feel all the harsh energy of your business and stay so positive and grounded?

It's rough. I think it's because I've been there a long time, and I understand the culture. Mostly I have learned to connect to what's important to me in life despite glitz and glamour. I have had to go through hard times, as everyone does. I think we can all hit bottom at times in our life. If we can come to understand what is real and meaningful to our happiness and how to have gratitude for the simple things life has to offer, we can thrive. Simple appreciation for what is true keeps me centered and the person I want to be in the world.

It has been an evolution for you?

Yes. Early in my career, I would think if I achieved a certain situation, "this was it!" I had arrived, and life would be perfect. We're talking about a career now. More to the question, it could be anything. I call a relationship, status, and so many different things false saviors. We think that if we get those things, our life will be wonderful. But when we get there, guess what?

There are problems with that too. Too often, we go to something else looking for a feeling of success. I understand how tempting it is to try to fill ourselves up with things that never will.

I have learned how very important it is to hold tight to your core values.

I have a lot of compassion for everyone, not just in my industry. I know it is very hard to live in a mindset that thinks that happiness is outside of us. I'm grateful to have made it through to where I am today. I have a great career. It is not everything. I make time for my passion projects, my family, my friends, and myself.

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You are also now doing a show with your daughter Shayler, Duo Gooders.

I am truly blessed to be the mommy of such an amazing little girl doing this show together. We interview different sanctuaries, attend various community events, and highlight people making a difference, especially with animal rescue.

The show's goal is to share a dual perspective, parent and child, on living compassionately.

You have so much fun together.

It is true. We flourish individually and collectively when we focus on our passions and purpose. We all have the power to be changemakers. We all have a platform we can use for good. When I looked at Shannon way back in the day, I thought I had to be a celebrity or something. We are all on platforms, especially today, social media, our community, our neighbors, and our family; that is our platform, and we all have it. We all have an opportunity to step into what sets our souls on fire.

Well, thank you for your time. Any parting words before I let you go?

I want to encourage everyone to pay attention to the heartstrings, and the passions, the themes that keep showing up in your life; they are not random. They are your calling. And we are all here indeed to do something big in the world, and that does not mean it has to be big.

There is a reason they're in your heart. Take the next step and lean into it. And again, what a beautiful place this entire world would be if we all committed to our callings.

THE STORY OF TREE AND CLOUD

photo by weris7554/Adobestock

By Daryl McCullough

PRESENTS A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON THE NATURE OF DEATH, HELPING READERS COPE WITH THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE Heartwarming Children’s Picture Book, Set in Nature, Shares a Positive Message about Friendship, Loss, and Grief, Opening Discussion for Both Children and Adults.

During the last decade, author Daryl McCullough faced his mother’s battle fighting cancer. After her death, McCullough cleaned out his childhood desk and found a draft of this story, written as a junior high school assignment when he was dealing with the loss of a dear family member. His mother had kept this manuscript for more than 40 years and, at her weakest moment, left it for him to find.

A metaphorical tale set in nature about friendship and coping with loss, the story has new resonance and purpose today. With some rewriting along with 86 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e AUGUST 2022

inspiring illustrations by his talented aunt Maryanne Smith, they capture the essence and beauty of nature while providing some insight into the mysteries of life, change, and death in “The Story of Tree and Cloud.”

McCullough’s book has been awarded the 2022 “Firebird Book Award” for best book about grief, as well it’s the recipient of 8 “2022 Outstanding Creator Awards,” including First Place, Children’s Inspirational Books.

The book explores topics of friendship, coexistence, death, and grief through the eyes of an ages-old oak tree named Folie, who lives on the top of a golden California coastal hill. Folie demonstrates valuable lessons of true friendship, nurturing, self-care and compassion.

Throughout the seasons of her life, Folie sees and experiences many fascinating things, but she also experiences loss and the resulting grief. Soon, she comes to understand that her beloved friend’s spirit lives on after death, ultimately finding comfort with this newfound knowledge.

“The Story of Tree and Cloud” emphasizes that losing a friend or loved one is not the end of that relationship.

The circle of life – whether among humans or in nature – can be bittersweet and beautiful, although it is sometimes hard to grasp. In honor of his mother, McCullough shares this heartfelt story to inspire personal reflection and conversation about life, change, and death amongst readers, especially during these times of uncertainty.

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“We lost a cherished pet last year, and this comforting book really helped our family cope. Bravo to the story and beautiful art.

We see our beloved Jip in the house, on the trails, in the clouds quite often now, and it makes us smile.” ~Ed Harris, Award-winning actor on screen and stage

s winter came again, the temperatures fell, and the nights became shorter and cooler.

The rains came again, and Cloud dropped some delicious rain right at Folie’s roots. A small puddle formed once again, and both Folie and Cloud were pleased. The new puddle did not last very long this time. But now Folie knew why.

After providing Folie with a drink, the rest of this little puddle went back into the air and joined Cloud and Cloud’s friends. It made sense to Folie; it felt good to Cloud. The next morning, a familiar titmouse rested on Folie. “Where do puddles go when they leave us?” she asked.

Folie smiled. “Look up there in the sky,” she said. ”Our friend Puddle is now a beautiful cloud. Puddle taught me a great and important lesson—dear friends never fully leave us when they die.” The bird smiled sweetly but admitted she was sad and a bit scared because she didn’t quite understand. So Folie explained further.

The butterflies stopped to rest on their long journey, and the swallows said hello once more as they passed by in-migration. As the weeks passed, more clouds formed, and Folie smiled to herself. She knew that there were now more friends joining Cloud in the sky. And on unseasonably warm days, those beautiful clouds provided some welcome shade for Folie and the others. Those sweet, friendly clouds provided comfort, joy, smiles, and lasting friendship for many years to come. And it was definitely not the end.

Paintings by Maryanne Smith

“You see, we don’t just get to know a loved one’s physical shape,” she said. “We learn to know that per-

son’s spirit and fall in love with his or her soul. When someone we love leaves us, that person’s beautiful spirit lives on within us, alongside us, and in the atmosphere around us. We just have to look for signs and listen carefully because that spirit is always with us.” “This is wonderful news!” said the bird, causing her bird friends to sing loudly, rejoicing and dancing throughout Folie’s branches. The caterpillars munched on Folie’s leaves, and they didn’t bother her at all. In fact, they kind of tickled her.

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“As a mom, I really love books that help kids learn to understand their feelings and emotions. This sweet book about two best friends really touched our hearts, and I’m sure it will resonate with any family dealing with loss or change.”~Rachel Bilson, Actress, and Star of Hart of Dixie and The O.C. Then one day, to Folie’s amazement, the Puddle looked up, smiled at her, and cheerfully said, “Hello!”

Astonished and happy, Folie replied, “Well, hello there, little Puddle; I’ve been watching you grow. It has been fun to see you getting bigger, but I never dreamed you would be able to talk with me. I’m very excited to have a new friend at my roots.”

“Well, I’m excited to be here!” said the Puddle. “I could feel myself growing, and let me tell you—your shade feels wonderful to me.”

The Puddle and the tree talked and talked and shared many enjoyable stories. olie named her new companion Puddle, of course, and they became the best of friends.

Swallows heading north that early spring rested in the Folie’s branches and bathed in Puddle’s refreshing water.

Puddle grew larger as even more rain fell and then got smaller after the rain stopped for a few days.

As spring came, the days grew longer and warmer. But Puddle seemed to be getting smaller, shrinking more and more with each passing day. Folie began to feel anxious.

Folie talked with Puddle about these feelings, and although they didn’t know exactly what was happening, they understood that they shared the same concerns.

One warm afternoon, Puddle looked up at Folie with very sad eyes and admitted to not feeling well. The Puddle was drying up, and I was feeling helpless.

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even deeper into the soil to find water to nourish her.

Folie understood that Puddle was leaving her, but she didn’t know where Puddle was going or what to do about it.

One terribly hot night, Folie was restless and said good night to her friend.

She said, “I love you, sweet Puddle. You have been such a great friend.”

“I’ll keep you in my dreams, dear Folie,” Puddle said weakly. “There isn’t much water left to sustain me.”

Early the next morning, Folie woke and stretched her beautiful limbs. She rubbed some sleepy dirt from her leaves and looked around for her friend, just as she had every day that year.

But today, Puddle was not there. Where Puddle once was, only some pebbles and drying soil remained.

The Puddle had provided Folie with good company and conversation but was no longer by her side. Puddle’s absence left an empty feeling in Folie’s heart.

As the days went on and a hot summer passed, Folie became sadder because she was missing Puddle daily. Insects and animals who regularly stopped by looking for Puddle were sad too. Everyone around Folie missed their dear, nurturing friend. They missed the rain and cool air, but they missed Puddle even more.

Then, one fall morning, as Folie was busy taking fresh breaths and trying to be strong, she felt a gentle gust of wind.

Folie turned her gaze from the ground up to the sky and allowed that breeze to flow through her limbs and leaves. The air felt especially clean and refreshing to her.

Daryl McCullough is a professional writer and marketing communications executive who loves creative expression.

He lives in the Los Angeles area with his husband George and their family dog Ferdinand. “The Story of Tree and Cloud” was written in memory of his mother and is his first published book.

About the Artist Painting 2 & 3 Maryanne Smith is an artist living and creating artwork in her home of York County, PA. She has spent much of her life capturing nature on canvas; she also enjoyed a career creating artwork and designs for premium wallpaper for York Wallcoverings. She is Daryl’s aunt.

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Can You Hear Me? Answer the Call

The Big Yes!

By Sandy Travis Bildahl

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aying yes to my own Bravery Becomes You adventure wasn't easy. My inner voice was calling with ideas about "what's next," while my everyday voice was giving me bad advice with its "Get real, life is okay 'AS IS'" chant. And so, I kept hanging up. Until one day, I realized it was me calling. I want the best for myself. And then, I tried something new and listened in a different way. I tuned into my feelings and heard clearly: "It's time!

What are you waiting for? If not now, when?"

I got it. Message received. I finally talked to ME.

Photo by Adobestock

Of course, that's when I got the phone call from my 24-year-old son, asking if I'd like to go on a six-week camping road trip out west.

Easy answer. NO. What?

Hmmm. Camping. Outdoors. Bears. Snakes.

And the lifestyle of my son, which might not jibe with mine. And the biggest issue? I have never camped in my life! What kind of test was this?

Should I go? I quizzed everyone for opinions. My listening was on the overdrive. Messages came from everywhere.

I heard: Too uncomfortable. Too inconvenient (no showers, internet, or bathrooms). Too much time. You're too old (I didn't like that one). And on and on…, which led to the final agreement by most. Don't go! And I listened.

I remember standing in my living room shouting to the walls, "I do not want to go camping!!!"

But the universe was not giving up on me. Luckily, I also heard the words of the amazing young woman who cuts my hair. As I shared the pitfalls of my possible journey, she answered, "Sounds wonderful… I Hope I can do that someday," and "Nothing to be afraid of."

Afraid? Me? Scared? Yes! But overriding that fear was her enthusiasm and words.

I wanted to be like her. I wanted to be excited. I wanted to be brave.

Adding to that was the fact that my coaching business focused on the Bravery Becomes You concept that I had created, developed, and believed in. I'd been talking the talk…, so was now the time to put words into action?

I was scared, so I called in my superior powers of rationalization, saying, "Hey, this fits perfectly with your general state of confusion, your longing for adventure, and it's also a fit with your business goals… Why not consider this 'the ultimate business trip?' Finally, something sensible and practical.

And that's when I called my son Travis and said, "Yes, I'm on my way.

I'm putting bravery into action."

One call. One step over the edge. Fearless, here I come!

For the next six weeks, challenge and

bravery were by my side every minute!

Afraid to walk over the top of a waterfall? Yes, but I pushed myself and found a way (that I thought was safe). Crawl across slippery rocks covered with bees and then get into a freezing cold swimming hole? Yes. Awkward and uncomfortable didn't stop me as I chanted Bravery Becomes You and slid into the water.

Driving more than I ever thought possible through Oregon, Washington, California, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado on steep, winding roads that sometimes made me cry (or get out of the car and walk). Camping mostly on public lands and in national forests with no one in sight. (Drive down a road, pick a spot, and pitch the tent.) Did I mention that we had no set itinerary?

How about days of no showers, no internet, no makeup, no bathrooms, no phone service, nobody around except bears and owls and things that rustle the trees in the night?

I resisted constantly. Did it matter if we drove 11 hours through the mountains to hear a band in a bar? Did it matter that I hadn't washed my clothes or my hair for over a week? Did it matter that we drank out of the same water bottle that was probably full of germs?

And yet? It all worked out perfectly.

Every moment was 100% amazing (even the frightening, uncomfortable parts). And all the worry? What was I thinking?

Thinking! It turns out that whether I'm on a great road trip or at home at my desk, the quality of my day is all about what I am thinking and how I am reacting. I knew this, but my trip added a new dimension and option to make choices that upgrade every experience.

Why? I discovered how to think with my feelings first.

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I was learning how to navigate my life from the inside out. And being brave?

It's the secret push that transforms old thinking patterns into new ones.

Bravery brings the magic, power, and energy of adventure into everything you do. Bravery is about feeling the joy of positive energy and understanding your fears and obstacles.

Getting past what holds you back feels so great that you want to do it again and again. And the more you're brave, the more confident you become. Nothing feels better—or looks better than that. And that is what Bravery Becomes You is all about.

I wanted to enjoy the adventure of everything a new chapter of life could offer. And it finally showed up with a little help from the ME who was waiting to be heard. I hadn't been listening to my brave voice. Now I know better.

Your future direction is up to you and how you feel, react, and listen!

You're the driver behind the wheel, and you've got the map!

Getting Braver – What I Learned About Fear: Fearful thinking and reacting override the sound of your own voice calling, but being brave enough to listen in a new way and follow what you hear is exhilarating.

Your listening needs a tune-up! It's time to hear the beautiful sound of your inner intelligence that's been patiently waiting to share the answers to "what should I do and how can I do it?" that you've been longing to know.

Of course, what you're hearing is the voice of your inner knowing. It often speaks quietly, sometimes it whispers, which means it's not always easy to hear. But if you listen carefully, the gentle words that are trying to guide you into a new way of being will come through loud and clear.

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It's also possible you can't hear that voice. Been a while since you've checked in with yourself? A busy life can make paying attention to yourself seem indulgent or self-centered. But still. You know that you don't want to live every day stuck on repeat. It's kind of like reading the same book over and over again. It's time for a new chapter.

So, whatever the state of your listening skills, why not turn up the volume and start a conversation with the real you that knows what feels right and what doesn't. It's reassuring to hear a voice that ignites your future direction with clarity.

That inner intelligence is also in touch with a great idea generator.

Your imagination! Creative thinking, curiosity, and wonder are practical skills that offer new ideas and solutions. Creativity also instantly bypasses the grip of those familiar but rigid old ways of thinking and opens the door to exciting possibilities.

It's like waking up from years of sleep that had you believing that your dreams aren't practical and won't happen. But activate your imagination and discover the power of your mind to start making your ideas come alive. When a thought begins to take form, it's in the first stage of becoming real. And that's all you need to set the wheels of action into motion.

Your imagination can come up with ideas big and small, but no matter the size, the seed of your thought will grow. How big, small, wild, or calm is up to you. I always say, "The size of your dreams is only limited by how big you can dream." So, if you want to write a book, make it bigger. Dream you’re on the bestseller list. How about you're the top seller of all time. Why not? And if smaller dreams are better for you? Then do that. Unrestricted joy is yours to enjoy! There are no rules. Have fun!

Note to the reader: View from the Scenic Overlook is a tool I use all the time. Imagining the future (with feeling) elevates mood, ignites purpose (being brave and standing up for who you want to be and what you want to do), and fuels motivation. It's also a great way to start the day. When I wake up, and my busy mind starts whirring with my "to-do list" and worry, a moment to check in with my vision instantly turns anxiety into joy and reminds me that what I focus on is up to me. And bonus! The more you check in with your future vision, the more it becomes real.

This article is an excerpt from Sandy Travis Bildahl’s 4th book, Bravery Becomes You: On the Road to Fearless and Free, available from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B094GJG3LD Sandy Travis Bildahl is an awardwinning writer, bestselling author, certified emotional intelligence and business coach, and inspirational speaker.

She believes that when Bravery Becomes You, the process of releasing internal struggles that are not aligned with your true self activates unstoppable confidence and the joy of being alive. Her Get Brave Road Map ensures life satisfaction and includes a Get Brave Compass that directs the future with clear vision.

The power of stories to create lifetransforming change has been the author’s passion throughout her 30-year entrepreneurial career.

She loves the wonder of adventure, being scared, and living brave.

Your future direction is up to you and how you feel, react, and listen!

You're the driver behind the wheel, and you've got the map!

Time for You! From now on, each story is followed by "bravery tools" that will jump-start your adventure to the future. Right now, we're starting with Brave Tool #1: View from the Scenic Overlook. There are four more that I will add later.

But right now, we've arrived. It's time to activate your unique vision of the future by using Brave Tool #1: View from the Scenic Overlook. Instructions follow.

The Scenic Overlook is where you'll preview, practice, and experience seeing your future like it's really happening! To begin, relax. Read the following. Then close your eyes and let your mind travel: Imagine a day in the future. Go there in your imagination. See yourself. You're taking a moment to look back in time. You can see that you answered the call to be who you were longing to be, doing what you wanted to do. And it happened! You can feel it like you're there. You've never felt as good or so proud of yourself. You stood up to obstacles and let go of what no longer worked for you. You were brave! Nothing stopped you. (It doesn't matter if you know what you want right now; the goal is to activate how you want to feel, no matter what you do. Can you awaken a sense of satisfaction and joy and see yourself happy?) Now note sensations, smells, tastes, the feel of the air, and sounds? Consider what you look like?

What are you wearing? Is anyone there with you? Daydream the best day ever.

Again, feel it like it's real. Listen to the voice within. Then open your eyes.

What did you experience? What did you do when you were brave? How did it feel? What's calling? What does the voice within say? This is a good time to write down your thoughts.

Congratulations! You've just activated your future.

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This Super-Tree Could Help Feed the World and Fight Climate Change

Photo by nirutft/AdobeStock

By Michael Grunwald

Canary Media’s Eating the Earth column explores the connections between the food we eat and the climate we live in.

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tartup Terviva aims to plant millions of pongamia — ​“miracle” trees that can grow on arid badlands and yield products similar to soybeans and olive oil.

and palm oil without diesel tractors or chemicals or even added water.

It’s a self-sufficient, heat-tolerant, drought-tolerant, jungle-tough badass of a tree that can produce monster yields on marginal land on a warming planet.

Feeding the world without frying the world would be a miraculous achievement. Somehow, we’d need to grow far more food with far less environmental impact while using far less land. We’d also need to grow far more trees, so we could store more carbon on earth and reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.

It may sound surprising that after growing wild for thousands of years throughout South Asia and Australia, pongamia is only now being domesticated and reinvented as a super-crop in the United States. But if we’re going to reduce agricultural emissions by 75 percent by 2050 to meet the goals of the Paris accord, while increasing agricultural production by 50 percent to feed 10 billion people, we’re going to need some surprises.

Well, a miracle has arrived.

It’s called pongamia, an ordinary-looking tropical tree with agricultural superpowers. It produces beans packed with protein and oil much like soybeans, except it has the potential to produce much more nutrition per acre than soybeans. It’s hardy enough to grow on just about any land, no matter how degraded, without any pesticides or irrigation.

It not only removes carbon from the atmosphere, which combats climate change, but it also sucks nitrogen out of the air, so it usually doesn’t need fertilizer that accelerates climate change.

In other words, it’s a dream crop for a hot and hungry planet that’s running out of fertile farmland and fresh water while choking on pollution from agrochemicals. At a time when modern farming is under attack for poisoning and depleting soils, pongamia can stabilize and restore soils.

At a time when the food system generates one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions, growing pongamia cuts emissions, sequestering about 5 tons of carbon per acre per year.

Basically, pongamia is an answered prayer for the planet in vegetative form — a reforestation crop that can replace deforestation crops like soy

Terviva has now raised more than $100 million, hired more than 100 employees, sequenced the entire pongamia genome, and built a solid reputation as an ag-tech startup.

You probably haven’t heard of pongamia before, which is probably a giveaway that it hasn’t yet transformed the global agricultural sector, and that this column won’t be uninterrupted good news. The world is currently mired in a food crisis, created by horrific droughts in Africa and elsewhere as well as the war in Ukraine, and pongamia obviously hasn’t saved the day.

But the crop itself really is as cool and miraculous as it sounds. It really could help feed and heal the world.

And the story of Terviva, the Oakland-based company that’s trying to bring pongamia to the masses, is a cool and miraculous story.

So let’s do the good news first.

Pongamia is not a new tree or a rare tree. It was cited for its healing properties in ancient Ayurvedic texts, and while it’s still most common in India, it can now be found all over the world, including in a park near my Miami home. It’s got a broad canopy, an extensive root network, and pretty white and pink flowers that bloom in the spring, so it’s often planted in yards or parking lots as an ornamental, windbreak or shade tree.

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Its oil, also known as karanja, is used in India as a natural lubricant, varnish and lamp oil. Pongamia seeds also produce the active ingredient in the antifungal remedies you can buy at CVS. But plant guides warn that pongamia’s seeds have a ​“bitter taste and disagreeable aroma,” with some guides suggesting they’re poisonous, which explains why they’ve never caught on as animal feed or human food. And that explains why pongamia was never cultivated as a crop before a University of California, Berkeley business student named Naveen Sikka visited central India in the spring of 2009, to see if the tree could produce sustainable biofuel.

At the time, the U.S. and European Union had ambitious new biofuel mandates, and investors were blasting money into the space; the oil giant BP had just made a massive investment in a bioenergy research center at Berkeley.

Sikka knew biofuels had one serious downside: Using good farmland to grow energy instead of food leads to the clearing of natural carbon sinks to create more farmland to replace that food. But when he saw pongamia flourishing in rocky soils in India’s arid badlands, he saw a unique opportunity to grow renewable fuel on low-quality land so that it wouldn’t compete with the food supply or drive deforestation.

Courtsey photo to https://www.terviva.com/farmers/

Sikka’s idea when he founded Terviva was to create a genetic library of pongamia traits, a kind of arboreal 23andMe, then

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breed the superstar trees that could create the most fuel on the worst land. The biofuels market tanked while he was still fundraising, and Terviva had several near-death experiences as it burned through cash, but miracles soon began to happen.

The first miracle was the de-bittering of pongamia. Sikka had hoped it could be made palatable, at least for cattle, though he feared that would require nasty chemical solvents unfit for human consumption. He was stunned when his team figured out a way to do it with a solvent already consumed by quite a few humans: alcohol.

That’s when Terviva began to pivot from fuel toward its current mission of ​“planting millions of trees to feed billions of people.” As a child, Sikka regularly visited relatives in India, and after college, he worked for the U.S. State Department in West Africa, so he had witnessed the developing world’s desperate need for protein and vegetable oil firsthand. Now he had a way to grow a lot without using any productive land.

The problem was finding someone to do the growing, because farmers are notoriously reluctant to gamble on untested crops, especially tree crops that take four years to yield their first harvest. Farmers are only willing to take a risk like that when they are, as Sikka puts it, ​“totally fucked,” which brings us to Terviva’s second miracle: A bacterial disease began wiping out Florida’s citrus trees, inspiring some totally fucked farmers to take a chance on pongamia on a few of their worst tracts of land.

“The universe has smiled at us so often. We’ve had so many strokes of dumb luck to get where we are,” Sikka says. “And we still haven’t made a dent.”

You knew the bad news was coming eventually. After 12 years of miracles, Terviva now has 1,500 acres of pongamia in the ground.

But around the world, there are about 300 million acres of soy in the ground. Sikka had hoped farmers would rush to pongamia once the Florida experiment proved the concept, but that has not happened. The world finally has a high-yield, low-impact crop that can grow almost anywhere, and it’s still a rounding error, barely a blip on the global landscape.

quiring delicate negotiations with village elders, direct payments through mobile phones, and sophisticated geolocation technology to trace the seeds. But it’s already produced 5,000 tons of beans, enough to take Ponova oil to market, while injecting $2 million into impoverished rural areas. Sikka believes India can be an economic engine for Terviva, and vice versa. He also believes pongamia could inspire the Danones of the world to invest in other exotic tree crops indigenous to the global South, from ramon seeds to croton nuts to Bambara beans.

Again, though, Terviva’s 5,000 tons are a pittance compared to the world’s 350 million tons of soybeans, and $2 million barely counts as a drop in the $200 “It just shows how hard it is to billion global cooking-oil bucket. change agriculture,” Sikka says.​ Unfortunately, the problem of “It takes forever, even when ev- feeding the world without frying erything goes right.” the world is an almost indescribably gigantic problem.

The thing is, agriculture does need to change for the earth to re- By 2050, the agricultural sector main hospitable to humans, and will have to produce a couple bilforever is too long to wait. lion additional tons of food each year without clearing any addi*** tional forests. That will require dramatic changes on the demand Sikka continues to hope that side, like wasting less food, eatmore farmers will embrace pon- ing less beef and using less good gamia. He also hopes that insti- land to grow biofuels. It will also tutional investors with deeper require dramatic changes on the pockets and greater risk tolerance supply side, like higher crop and than farmers will finance much livestock yields, more resilience larger projects to plant tens of to a warmer world, fewer emisthousands of acres of pongamia. sions from fertilizer and manure, But since hope is not a business and less chemical and mechanical plan, Sikka has figured out a way degradation of soils. to generate revenue and start selling ingredients without reshaping Pongamia checks a bunch of the agricultural landscape. There those boxes, but not at a large are already over 1 million tons of enough scale to matter much yet. pongamia seeds on trees growing One lesson of its miracles is that wild in India, and Terviva is now it will take a lot more miracles to paying impoverished villagers to transform global agriculture. pick them.

Startup Terviva aims to plant millions of pongamia — ​“miracle” trees that can grow on arid badlands and yield products similar to soybeans and olive oil.

Michael Grunwald is a bestselling author and award-winning journalist who was a staff writer for The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, Time magazine and Politico Magazine.

He is writing a book about the race to feed the world without frying the world, and he's co-host of Climavores, a new podcast about eating on a changing planet.

This story originally appeared in "CANARY MEDIA’” It is republished here as part of The Eden Magazine partnership with Covering Climate Now, a global journalistic collaboration to strengthen coverage of the climate story.

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“Meditate, oft. Separate thyself for a season from the cares of the world.

Get close to nature and learn from the lowliest of that which manifests in nature, in the earth; in the birds, in the trees, in the grass, in the flowers, in the bees; that the life of each is a manifesting, is a song of glory to its Maker.

And do thou likewise!” ~Edgar Cayce

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L

iliane Cilli

A Clairvoyant, Medium, & Psychologist Liliane Cilli was born in an Italian family who came to France in the 1950s.

A happy mother and today a thrilled grandmother of five grandchildren, fulfilled within her family.

Already during her youth, she perceives many flashes, which will prove to be premonitory.

After graduate studies in psychology, Liliane finds that her visions are more and more numerous and precise and that she is Ready to put this gift at the service of others.

Liliane will focus almost exclusively on clairvoyance, leading her to develop a regular column on a central French radio station.

Today Liliane is mainly concerned with her private clientele, to which she devotes all her energy.

She also always enjoys being at the service of others to help them prepare for their future in the best possible way.

Liliane speaks French and Italian; you can also send Liliane a message in English.

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