The Eden Magazine February 2022

FEBRUARY 2022

EDEN T H E

MAGAZINE

HEAL

YOUR HEART AND LOVE

By Dr. Bradley Nelson & Jean Nelson

SIGNS YOU NEED A BREAK

JUST BE LOVE

By Shelly Wilson

By Julie Potiker

WHAT ARE ARCHETYPES?

By Carmen Harra & Alexandra Harra

Gabriella WRIGHT

AN ACTRESS, ACTIVIST, HUMANITARIAN

MEDITATING WITH INTENT

By Sherri Cortland

e t o N s ' r o Edit Welcome to our February issue,

Are you living a life that is meant for you, or do you find yourself constantly struggling to be someone else or living someone else's life?

What if the meaning of your life is far greater than what you think or feel it is at this moment? What if you are here to do and accomplish much more than what you think is possible?

While contemplating these profound questions, try to find time to meditate on why we were born and the purpose of waking up in the morning, running around, and going to bed at night.

Make time in your day to smell the roses and fresh air, try new things, fall in love with nature, smile at a stranger, hold hands with those who need to know that no matter what, there is someone there for them if they are falling. Connect with those with whom you have lost touch. Let go of unhappy memories.

These simple adjustments will not answer all of life's questions, but they can help slow us down enough so our minds can become clearer to understand who we are, why we are on this earth, and what we're meant to accomplish.

We, at The Eden Magazine, wish you a Happy Valentine's Day.

Maryam Morrison

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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

SASHA GARY

SHELLY WILSON

SHERRI CORTLAND

ARTIN MARDIROSIAN

VITO TROTTA

SHERI DETERMAN

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ANGELA DUNNING

PHYLLIS KING

ISABELLE RUEN

EDWARD HAKOPIAN

MICHAEL

GREG DOHERTY

GRETA PAZZAGLIA

ALEXIA MELOCCHI

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.

JOE SANTOS, JR.

JAYITA BHATTACHARJEE

NANCY E. YEAROUT

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 MICHAEL SASHA GARY VITO TROTTA PHYLLIS KING JOE SANTOS, JR. ANGELA DUNNING NANCY E. YEAROUT SHELLY WILSON SHERRI CORTLAND JAYITA BHATTACHARJEE CONTRIBUTING STYLISTS + MAKEUP ARTIST EDWARD HAKOPIAN GRAPHICS & PHOTOGRAPHY GREG DOHERTY ISABELLE RUEN SHERI DETERMAN ARTIN MARDIROSIAN (Nexision) GRETA PAZZAGLIA 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 10

GABRIELLA WRIGHT

By Dina Morrone

22

36

HEAL YOUR HEART & LOVE AGAIN

By Dr. Bradley Nelson & Jean Nelson

26

UNDERSTANDING, THE THREE TIMELINES OF GRIEF & SUPPORTING THESE EXPERIENCING EACH

By Peg Conway

32

22

THE KING'S SPEECH FROM BECOMING THE INSTRUMENT

By Kenny Werner

48

36

THE PITCH FOR THE HOMELESS

By Sherman S. Haggerly

42

SIGNS YOU NEED A BREAK

By Julie Potiker

48

GOOD VIBRATION; SUBTLE ENERGY TECHNIQUES FOR A RADIANT NEW YOU THIS NEW YEAR

By Cyndi Dale

56

54

NET ZERO & ENERGY-EFFICENT HOMES ARE HEALTHIER FOR PEOPLE & OUR PLANET

By Anna DeSimone

56

JUST BE LOVE

By Shelly Wilson

62

26

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A WOMAN'S PERSUASION

By Jeanette watts

62

Cover by ©JSquared Photography (@j2pix)

Life is Essential, Feel it 66

MEDITATING WITH INTENT

By Sherri Cortland

70

66

THE LONGING, THE LOVE AFFAIR, SEEKING THE PEARL OF THE DEEP SEA

By Jayita Bhattacharjee

76

LETTING YOUR LIGHT SHINE

By Angela Dunning

80

ENTERING THE FOREIGN, COUNTRY OF GRIEF, REFLECTIONS OF THE DEATH OF A PARENT

By Caroline Pearce & Carol Konaromy

70

86

WHAT ARE ARCHETYPES?

By Carmen Harra & Alexandra Harra

88

STEP TO MAINTAINING POSITIVE BALANCE & MENTAL HEALTH

By Sasha Gary

96

4 STEPS TO THE MOST AMAZING LOVE CONNECTION OF YOUR LIFE

By Phyllis King

76 80

88

102

94

LARGE HERBIVORS MAY IMPROVE AN ECOSYSTEM'S CARBON PERSISTENCE

By Rishika pardiker

102

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"Clean water, the essence of life and a birthright for everyone, must become available to all people now"

Photo by SILA BAISCH

~Jean-Michel Cousteau

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GW

GABRIELLA WRIGHT

G

By Dina Morrone

abriella Wright, actress, activist, humanitarian, co-founder with Deepak Chopra and Poonacha Machaiah of Never Alone, a suicide prevention initiative, and innovator of Mental Hygiene Toolkit, opens up about her passions, causes, and acting role in the yet to be released film, We Are Never Alone.

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Please tell us how your life's journey brought you from London to California?

It was my U.K. agent in 2010 who asked me to go to Los Angeles to do Pilot Season. That's how I first got acquainted with my love for California. As time went by, I started working more and more with the U.S., and now most of my projects start in the U.S. before they migrate to the rest of the world.

How did you segue from a graduate in English Literature and Social Economics to a career as an actress?

With my father being an artist, I was surrounded by art.

He was one of the first artists to do performance and video art in the 60s. So, art was the common language at home. It was my natural state of being if I could call it as such. It was a stretch for me to study Social Economics, but I wanted to understand the world and how societies are structured. I was and am still interested in international relations. It would explain, in a way, why art was and is always my number one way of creative expression and with a relationship to the world that is expressed through my inner and outer need to understand human behavior. Shakespeare is one of the most acute observers of human behavior and the entanglement of how human stories bleed through generations over and over again. As actors, we explore the journey of translating these emotions and feelings so the audience can experience a form of catharsis. So, to answer your question, it is all connected. It's just a continuum of a path.

Of all the acting roles you've interpreted, which one has been the most impactful?

I could answer this in so many different ways. We take on acting roles for different reasons. Some are purely financial. Some are because they reflect a state of being, a shadow part of oneself that has yet to be explored.

I played a woman who suffered from severe bipolar disorder after losing a child. It was a very challenging role, and I learned so much about the diversity of our inner mental states. Years later, I worked mental health into my roles. They have almost always preempted parts of my life.

Also, I am finally feeling free as a woman to embrace my full self-expression in so many different ways. In my latest role, a film yet to be released, We Are Never Alone, I play a mother who loses her son to suicide. It was a very challenging role - the stages of grief - yet very timely. We experience grief as a collective constantly.

So many things we don't talk about hide under the surface of our being.

I still believe the best roles have yet to come!

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You also co-founded the Never Alone Suicide Prevention and Mental Well-Being Initiative of The Chopra Foundation. Would you please speak to us about this movement and how our readers can get involved?

I never thought I would be a co-founder of a mental health initiative. At the time, I was focused on releasing trauma for women and girls and victims of violence. A lot of my humanitarian activities until then had been engaged in empowerment programs for various charities in Asia.

But then, three and half years ago, my little sister, a singer-songwriter, died by suicide. There had been signs in the past, but living in a failing system where mental health is not a priority, or it is seen and labeled as a distinct illness, brings a lot of shame to the person experiencing it. As a family, we had been navigating the ups and downs of helplessly witnessing someone with hidden suffering, and we knew no way of how to help her.

Her songs are magnificent and speak about the intensity of the razor's edge, and suddenly she left us. After that, I realized that I could not just sit back and participate in a collective passive societal structure with no bridges and do nothing.

messages exchanged. This service is free, and you can find her on our website.

This year, we hope to release a new program called Freedom from Suffering.

Of course, I had to heal, and so did my family. The intention was set. I met Dr. Deepak Chopra, and we brainstormed with his colleagues on how to help alleviate suffering in general.

Every 40 seconds, someone dies by suicide in the world.

We have a lot of programs that are in development.

During the pandemic, we released an emotional A.I. chatbot (a chat function) named Piwi, after my little sister. I am thrilled to say six million minutes have been exchanged on the platform, and 13 million text

What do you do daily to stay focused and grounded?

Every day I do meditation, self-inquiry, Qi Gong, and sleep at least eight hours. I also research and constantly learn something new about the state of the world. I am constantly immersed in the thought pattern of how we can create a beautiful world for all where joy is at the center of everyone's daily choice.

Is there something you have been passionate about since you were a child that still pleases you today?

I am completely in awe of nature. David Attenborough is still my childhood hero, and I am still engaged with his compelling storytelling. His love for nature and living entities has never left me. I love the infinite languages the world encompasses. I think in another life, I would have loved being an explorer, like him. To a certain extent, I have explored nature, especially the Himalayas, in the most recent years. That brings me great enjoyment.

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Of all your travels, which place has had a lasting impact on you and changed the way you see the world?

India and Nepal. India opened my eyes to the human condition, and the importance of understanding the state of our human suffering and the contrary joy found in the presence of a moment. Nepal, because of the vastness of kindness that I can find on everyone's face. It's a gentile soothing feeling, and I also feel the Himalayas are the womb of the world. I feel safe, at peace, timeless.

You have been meditating for over 20 years. What is the difference between meditation and meditation with elements?

Meditation has only one goal, to go to the source of thought, which is entangled with every sensation, feeling, image, and thought.

Meditation is a way to create a deeper relationship with who you truly are. The "I" has no name, no story, no identity. The destination is the journey itself. Meditation is a tool to explore your true nature beyond any concept you could ever imagine.

Meditation for self-realization is liberation from everything and everything that you think that reality is.

The elements such as fire, water, air, earth, and ether can also take you to the source since they are part of reality. Any meditation can take you to the source of all thought, the source of infinite awareness, the birth of reality itself.

There are many different methods, and sometimes one has to explore to find and expand our relationship with pure consciousness as long as you stick with it and create a routine of expanding reality.

Would you please tell us more about your dedication to sharing your meditation practice with parolees in the greater Los Angeles area?

Yes, before the pandemic, I regularly went to Amity Foundation with director Michel Pascal. He is the director of the meditation program there. It's a lovely experience, and they continue to deliver great work and help the parolees. We even filmed there for our film, We Are Never Alone. A lot of love is simply shared because when we get to the bottom of everything and anything, love is all that is found. And once you find that moment, you feel at home. A lot of the work we have done, and continue to do, is filled with that soul intention of taking each other home to a place of self-love and peace.

What is the best way to heal from grief and guilt?

That is a very long answer. Sometimes you have to sit with things. There is timing, a natural rhythm to everything. One could say a cycle. Sometimes you just have to sit with these turbulent emotions, and when I say sit, you have to sit in the middle of the storm. Like a storm, when you sit in the middle, the storm finally lets go of its center, and finally, the emotions stop twirling, and there you are again. You must observe your body.

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See where the tightness of grief lies, where the shame of guilt lies. Write your thoughts down. Do not stay in your head and mind. Create a relationship with yourself, despite how guilty you feel about the story you have engaged with.

I realized over time that grief is a testimony of the love you have for the one who has departed. Accept its presence. Accept the beauty of grief, and as you do, know that you are never alone.

Grief is part of the deeper healing and acceptance of impermanence.

What does it mean to you to be a Social Icon?

Simply always focusing on others, listening, learning, and being present to certain suffering in the world and bringing light to it.

As a motivational speaker, you have had the opportunity to speak to so many through the various platforms available.

Please share one inspiring story from one of these events that affected you deeply and emotionally, and why?

Yes, there have been so many experiences, and in a way, each one is so precious.

I think what I love the most is when I can sense transformation and breakthroughs, especially with the youth. Young girls and boys need to be heard and listened to. When one speaks, you have to listen to the silence of a room.

One of the most intimidating talks and yet a talk that changed my life and self-confidence was in January 2020.

I was invited to speak at Amrita University on campus in Kerala, in south India. This talk was for all of the teachers and higher officials of the university. No students. I was presenting the importance of mental hygiene as a distinction. The room was full of Ph.D.'s and wellregarded professors, and there I was, an actress with, yes, maybe half a life of meditation and self-awareness but by no means any university scholarly mindset. Life had consumed me, and I had not returned to continue my university path even though I wanted to. I was intimidated, yet I felt so much love in the room. I was thinking, what could they possibly learn from me? They know way more than I do.

That's when I realized the power of storytelling and how to share in a way that breaks open the shell of so many.

That was the most extended lecture I had ever given by myself - two and half hours of sharing how to overcome trauma and create safe spaces for one's mind in any setting. It was interactive and fun. Sometimes their listening was so intense you could almost hear a pin drop. It was joyful, yet everything was based on reality. Many professors came to thank me for bringing light to the plight of mental health in university settings and sharing part of my mission. They felt empowered to play their part for the students as the school year started. Little did we know at that time that this great pandemic was circling our way.

What was the turning point when you realized you had to create change through activism?

When I went to India, notably in the Bihar region of India, I could not accept all the human suffering I witnessed for the first time.

As a Catholic child, I was taught to pray every night. But I realized the so-called "God" did not answer my prayers to help all the world's starving children. So, I lost faith and stopped believing and praying. Seventeen years later, when I went to India, I saw a group of kids crawling on their hands due to polio deformity and lack of resources. So, I did research and started raising awareness on these "rag pickers." Rag pickers in India are children who collect rags from the rubbish to make money. They are street kids who live a risky life of peril. After witnessing this, I could not just return home and live. My mind was back with the children, and that's how it all started.

What is the one thing you cannot live without and why?

I cannot live without my Mala and my prayer beads. My Tibetan teacher gave them to me when I was very sick in the hospital going through a tough time personally. I healed, and ever since, my prayer beads have been with me

to every country, through every hardship and situation. And I can't live without my tea.

Please share with our readers your upcoming projects.

We Are Never Alone shall be released this year. I am looking forward to sharing it with the world. I also have a new series called Never Alone Artists, where we explore the themes of mental health, the world of music, and much more. But these two projects are the ones coming out soon!

Photographer: ©JSquared Photography (@j2pix) Styling: David Gangel Hair: Eduardo Mendez Makeup: Robert Bryan

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MEDITATION HAS ONLY ONE GOAL, TO GO TO THE SOURCE OF THOUGHT, WHICH IS ENTANGLED WITH EVERY SENSATION, FEELING, IMAGE, AND THOUGHT

John Kelly Chocolates

I

f you are a chocolate lover, you need to try exquisite, delicious, and aromatic John Kelly Chocolates.

John Kelly Chocolates is famous for its bourbon-filled bonbons and dark chocolate with french grey sea salt truffle fudge bites.

John and Kelly opened their first store in Hollywood in 2004. Today they are making 23 variations on their original recipe of "truffle fudge."

Academy Award-winning Actors like Renee Zellweger and Viola Davis are just a few regular customers of these fantastic chocolatiers. Our exclusive interview with John Kelly Chocolates with John Kelson, co-owner and founder of John Kelly Chocolates.

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As our readers go to your website and see the marvelous story about how two friends joined together to create such delightful treats, have you had any time that you thought you were in over your head? What advice would you give to anyone who wants to start their own business?

We got into the food business with no prior experience, so the learning curve, to say the least, was something else.

However, all businesses have their ups and downs, and as a business owner, you must deal with challenges, no matter the arena. You just need to stay the course and persevere. Having your own business is not for everyone – some people like to have more security. It's good to keep in mind that when your business is your own, you have your livelihood on the line, and you hope that you are making the right decision at any given time. And most importantly, you have to believe in your product!

Kelly and I were deeply committed to making a high-quality premium-based chocolate line, and that's what we stayed focused on.

As you work to create great pieces, is it hard to get the right blend for Vegan choices?

We do have some vegan options, and we want to offer those choices. We consciously looked for chocolate with no dairy in it, so our chocolate-dipped fruit is made with dark vegan chocolate.

We also have vegan dark chocolate bars. As we develop new products, we will be presenting new vegan options, and we are always looking at trends and what is resonating with the consumer. Our clientele has very high expectations, so we want to make the best version possible whatever we do.

What was your most challenging piece to create?

Our chili flavors were challenging, particularly the Habanero. We wanted to get the right balance – we didn't want it to be so hot that there was a burn, and at the same time, we didn't want it to be so mild that it would be a disappointment.

The other challenging recipe was for the Bourbon flavor. We use real Kentucky Bourbon, and because it is a liquid, it changed the consistency of our signature "Truffle Fudge.

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As you look to the future to expand your operations, have you given any thoughts to opening a boutique in any other country?

We have been shipping more internationally, and the one place we feel we could establish ourselves is in the UK. This might not take the form of a standalone "brick & mortar" outlet, and it could be more of a store within a store. We also have a big following in Japan as they love our attention to detail when it comes to packaging. Our "favor boxes" have been a big hit as they are both beautiful and thoughtfully designed.

During the Cover-19 era, did you see a significant increase in your online orders, and how did you handle the growth?

The pandemic was a step into the unknown as it is like nothing anyone has experienced before. To our surprise, our online sales quadrupled. Sales in the stores were initially down last year, but sales have picked up considerably this year. In terms of handling the rapid growth of our business, we just deal with it. Put our heads down and get the orders out!

As the pandemic unfolded, we found that people loved to indulge in comforting, feelgood products because they were stuck at home. And this seems to continue to be the case as our online sales are maintaining their pace and even slightly increasing. Also, now that people are traveling more and gathering with friends and family, they are buying more gifts to compensate for last year.

Who would you say is the biggest fan of your chocolates?

In general, our clientele skews females, but men also buy our products. We do have "A list" celebrities that are return customers year after year – like Keanu Reeves, Renee Zellweger, and Viola Davis – but I could never pick just one.

Besides your three boutiques in Los Angeles, where else can one find your John Kelly Chocolate?

Aside from our stores and our website, they are available at high-end grocers such as Whole Foods, Central Market, and Bristol Farms, fine department stores such as Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman, luxury hotels, wineries, and specialty stores across the country.

Any thoughts or wisdom tips would you like to share with our readers?

Our Chocolate appeals to sensualists and people who appreciate quality food products. Our customers, including our corporate clients, always tell us the same thing – that they have never had such a positive response when they give our chocolates as gifts – so they come back year after year.

I always tell people, "If you are going to spend the calories, make sure it is worth your while!"

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Photo by PATHDOC/ADOBE STOCK

Heal Your

Heart AND

Love AGAIN HOW ENERGY HEALING CAN HELP YOU FIND LOVE

By Dr. Bradley Nelson and Jean Nelson

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L

ove is essential to life. Babies need it for growth hormones to function so they can survive and thrive. We all sense the safety, warmth, and security of love. It is sustenance for us. Love is the very foundation of life. Our first conscious memories of love come from our nurturing mothers and fathers in healthy family relationships. As we grow older and move beyond the boundaries of home and family, we treasure the love of friends. Life would seem empty and meaningless without connections built with the energy of love.

Many of us dream of the perfect love — of having someone special to love and love us back. Disney and Hollywood both support our hopes and desires for true love from our youth, and we love the dream. Romantic love is highly valued and sought by nearly everyone. It's the most demanding, the most tempestuous, and also so very endearing.

Ideals of love include someone who's perfect in every way — which none of us is.

We look for someone who is beautiful in body and soul, trustworthy, adoring, kind, thoughtful, strong, courageous, genuine, loyal, devoted, committed, hard-working, and fun. Ideally, this person will have common interests, values, goals, and many other wonderful things. Everyone's list is a little different.

Love is about being of service. As newlyweds, we were so focused on each other and loved being together. Living the dream made it easy to feel the fruits of love — happiness, warmth, and contentment.

It's essential to act in loving ways if love is what you want more of in your life. Love is worth creating, embracing fearlessly, and cherishing. The energy of love multiplies and expands, as every parent is sure to find out with the birth of each new child.

Love is more than simply falling in love.

Feelings of love require loving actions if love is to last. Making the joyful effort to be loving is what creates the magic. Relationships

require sustained loving, or there is the risk of falling out of love.

Love brings an ongoing choice: To feel the fruits of love, you need to continue to choose to love by doing what it takes. There is a common saying that you have to work at love, and it is true. You need to keep doing loving things day after day to keep love alive.

Love takes many forms in daily life: cherishing, caring, honoring, supporting, listening, sharing, appreciating, helping, planning, playing, dreaming, creating, celebrating, and more. For love to stick, you need to practice them all.

Love is always a choice. We can do or not do what creates loving feelings each day. We can look for ways to demonstrate our love, or we can ignore the little promptings we feel to show love. And we have the consequences of the choices we make. For a relationship to continue in love, we must constantly choose to practice loving. Making the decision to love is a commitment and brings with it trust, safety, and a sense of belonging.

Love is communicated through kind and thoughtful deeds; meaningful time spent together, genuine words were spoken, thoughts and sentiments expressed and felt, thoughtful gifts, and human touch. Relationships are ever-changing and evolving and need nurturing so love can grow strong.

If you know how love is best received and felt by the person you love, you are wise to use those avenues to express your love.

It's essential to act in loving ways if love is what you want more of in your life. Love is worth creating, embracing fearlessly, and cherishing. The energy of love multiplies and expands, as every parent is sure to find out with the birth of each new child.

Likewise, every time you open your heart to others to serve them, you grow in compassion and love. Conversely, when you refuse to listen to the inner knowing that tells you to help, love, and serve another, you reject the light and truth that is speaking through your heart. This diminishes your joy and possibly theirs.

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that we all admire in another person is to see him or her become victorious over tremendous odds and come out on top with a dynamic spirit and a loving heart. If we keep love alive through our trials, we are allowing God to create greatness in us. Love is a power. Love heals us. Even broken hearts can heal with love.

Photo by YURP ZAP/ADOBE STOCK

When your heart, the very core of you, is threatened and feels vulnerable, you might put up a wall to protect yourself. Most of us do this. It's a subconscious coping mechanism of a sort, an attempt to disconnect from your own heart's ability to feel the pain. Heart-Walls isolate, insulate and disconnect you from some of the pain, but they also numb much of the love and joy you long for and need to feel to be happy. They cause you to live more out of your head instead of from your heart. Unfortunately, this allows you to be unloving and feel okay about it because you lose empathy and short-circuit your relationships. Having a HeartWall will prevent you from being connected to people in a loving way. It'll keep you from being truly and deeply happy.

Sometimes painful memories of traumatic events can prevent us from freely giving and receiving love.

Trapped Emotions, unresolved feelings can lodge in our physical and energetic bodies. Multiple Trapped Emotions can form Heart-Walls, energetic barriers that can interfere with our ability to love. A protective mechanism designed to shield the heart from further hurt, a Heart-Wall can block you from experiencing good feelings. Your love, desire, and happiness may get trapped behind that Heart-Wall, harming not only you but those who need your love.

If you have been hurt by someone you've loved or by someone who you thought should have loved you, it's important to realize that it wasn't love that hurt you, but rather, the lack of it. None of us perfectly loves all of the time. We're human, and humans make mistakes. We can get deeply hurt by those we open our hearts to who betray themselves by betraying love itself.

When people are untrue to love, they cheat themselves and others of its beauty.

You may have experienced deep hurt at some point in your own life. The silver lining about being hurt is that you are taught how it feels to be hurt. You learn empathy. Then you can decide to be kind and loving regardless, so you won't cause deep hurt in others. You can strive to be your best and truest self. The greatness 24 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e FEBRUARY 2022

There's hope if you have a Heart-Wall. That's what The Emotion Code will teach you so that you can have love in your life! It's possible to heal, and really love how you feel! We invite you to experience the healing and embrace the joy that comes from having an open heart.

Join us and be Heart-Wall free! You can be more open to love, joy, and charity for all people. You might even experience a little more romance, too.

Veteran holistic physician Dr. Bradley Nelson and his wife Jean Nelson have been married for more than 40 years and have eight children and five grandchildren. Through their company, DiscoverHealing.com, they have trained thousands of certified practitioners worldwide who help people overcome physical and emotional discomfort by releasing their emotional baggage.

Dr. Brad, (D.C., ret) is one of the world’s foremost experts on natural methods of achieving wellness. His best-selling book The Emotion Code provides step-bystep instructions for working with the body's energy healing power. A revised and expanded edition of The Emotion Code is now available from St. Martin's Press.

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

UNDERSTANDING THE THREE TIMELINES

OF GRIEF AND

SUPPORTING

THOSE EXPERIENCING EACH

By Peg Conway

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IF YOUR LIFE IS BUSY, A SIMPLE TEXT THAT SAYS “I’M THINKING OF YOU TODAY” IS ALSO WORTHWHILE

Grief awareness has acquired new importance with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Researchers estimate that each person who dies from the disease leaves behind nine grieving people. Behind the numbers, the actual bereaved may be a child or a spouse, or a sibling of varied ages, and the different time horizons of everyone’s loss influence how friends can offer effective support.

At twenty-five—nearly two decades after losing her mother to breast cancer as a little girl—this very question starts to percolate for Peg Conway when she’s involved in a traffic accident that unleashes startling emotional reactions. As the years go by, Peg becomes increasingly aware of the many ways in which memories of her childhood and latent feelings of sadness and loss affect her behavior, especially when she marries and becomes a mother herself. Determined to understand her own perplexing, erratic responses, she delves into her past and soon understands that she’s experiencing long-buried childhood grief. Gradually, she confronts how growing up surrounded by silence in a family that moved on from sorrow and in an era where emotional awareness was not the norm had caused her to suppress her mother’s memory for far too long.

My mom died of cancer when I was seven years old, so the time element of grief looms large in my experience. I felt her absence differently in childhood than I did as a young adult, when I got married, became a mom, and as my kids grew, which I write about in my forthcoming memoir, The Art of Reassembly.

Even now, decades later, I value connection with others around my loss, but our culture typically limits “grief support” to the first months or maybe up to a year following a death.

In The Art of Reassembly: A Memoir of Early Mother Loss and Aftergrief, Peg shares her journey of reassembling the forgotten pieces of her past—garnered from photos and keepsakes as well as conversations and travel to places she once lived—Peg rediscovers the mom she barely knew, and in the process discovers that truth, no matter how painful, heals us.

This poignant memoir set in the Midwest takes readers on a journey from the depths of denial to the joy of self-discovery while offering fascinating glimpses into approaches to healing, including Healing Touch energy therapy, which Peg practices.

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Recent Loss Grief support focuses on the immediate period after death for a good reason. The bereaved may be overwhelmed both with emotions and tasks. Ordinary life functions must continue even as the logistics of funeral planning occur. Some people become quite activated and “get things done”, while others freeze up. Offering food is a natural gesture, but asking first is more helpful. For a couple of weeks after my mom’s death, I remember our refrigerator being full of desserts and casseroles, but I wonder now if that eased my dad’s burdens or added to them.

As an adult supporting the bereaved, I’m influenced by my stepmother’s model of practicality. Can you drive the kids, walk the dog, bring a meal, or mow the lawn?

If someone is coordinating assistance, communicate with that person to lighten the load on the griever. Or volunteer to be the point person.

I also learned growing up that you should show up at funerals, and I’ve made it a habit to do so. On the receiving end of this action, when my mother-in-law died a few years ago, I discovered how

much it truly means to have friends attend the visitation or service. It tells the bereaved that the person who died mattered to others, which itself is consoling.

When talking to the bereaved, be aware that your body language speaks as eloquently as any words. If you feel anxious, it’s common to fill space talking about your own experience of trying to find a silver lining to the situation. Resist this impulse! Instead, to convey a compassionate presence, exhale deeply, feel your feet on the ground, and just listen and allow them to speak or not as they wish.

Ongoing Inevitably, after the funeral or other observances, the bereaved are left pretty much alone to figure out how to carry on with their lives. Yet continued awareness of their loss will be deeply appreciated.

In the era of my growing up, no one talked about grief as adults or children, so there were no support groups or counseling. However, our family did benefit from sustained gestures of care.

I feel eternal gratitude for my grandparents and our neighbor, who not only drove us home from school but also took us on regular library excursions and to buy school supplies.

In recent years, the unexpected death of my friend’s young adult daughter provided me an opportunity to pay forward such kindness. During the ongoing timeframe, similar principles about being practical and specific apply as in the immediate aftermath, but it’s a more subtle interaction.

Try to reach out regularly in a low-key manner, extending offers that could be declined rather than acting as a rescuer.

“I just made a pot of chicken noodle soup. Can I bring you some?” is better than “How’s your grief going?” or a vague, “Can I bring dinner sometime?”

If your life is busy, a simple text that says “I’m thinking of you today” is also worthwhile.

When you’re with them, remember to ground yourself in calm so that you are fully present. Speak of the person who died from time to time in conversation as it feels natural. It helps the bereaved to know that other people remember. You can be sure that they are thinking of their person all the time.

Put reminders in your phone for the birthday and death anniversary of the person who died as well.

Holiday times may also be especially difficult. Acknowledge these occasions by sending a card, offering to spend time together that day, or just texting a quick remembrance.

Long Ago If you know someone who lost a parent or sibling when young or experienced the death of a child, you might be surprised to realize that their grief continues to be felt no matter how many years have passed.

Like any bereaved person, birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays can be sensitive times and are good to remember, but age thresholds are even more significant, though seldom recognized publicly. These events include reaching the age of their parent when they died or when their child turns the age they were at their parent’s death or their sibling’s death, or every fall when their child is not present to start a new school year or the year their child would have graduated from high school or college.

Adult milestones like getting married or becoming a parent, or when their child might have done these things, also can trigger renewed grief for the person who has not been present and will not be in the future. Out of the blue reminders can always pop up as well, like hearing a certain song, engaging in certain activities, eating certain foods, or seeing a movie with similar events.

All these triggers are largely hidden, so it’s helpful if friends support bringing the long-ago loss into the present. Ask about the person who died, even if decades have passed. What were they like? What were their favorite things? What’s their favorite memory of them? Focus on their life, however brief, not their death. If they don’t have memories because they were too young, simply acknowledge how hard that must be without trying to comfort or rationalize.

What are your timelines of grief? Importantly, you can normalize grief and loss by speaking of your own people who have died and how you mark their birthdays and anniversaries. That itself would be of great support to others!

Peg Conway writes and practices Healing Touch energy therapy in Cincinnati, OH, where she also volunteers at a children’s grief center.

Her essays about early mother loss and long-term grieving have appeared at The Manifest-Station, the Cincinnati Enquirer, and The Mighty. After earning a master’s in journalism, she worked in corporate communications. Later, she became a certified childbirth educator and doula.

Peg and her husband have three grown children and one grandchild.

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Photo by Alessandra Freguja

The King’s

Speech FROM BECOMING THE INSTRUMENT

By Kenny Werner

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D

id you see the movie The King’s Speech?

It’s the perfect example of what can flow when the conscious mind is at least distracted. It exhibits the idea that we play better (using the knowledge that’s been sufficiently digested) when we don’t think about it.

Interestingly, it also applies to musicians that already play great but fill their heads with the conviction that they don’t. When I pulled their attention off of the performance, they flourished in all cases.

The story is about Prince Albert, who would later become King George VI of England (played by Colin Firth). He was unexpectedly pressed into duty when his brother, King Edward VIII, abdicated the throne in order to marry an American divorcee that he had fallen madly in love with. The nightmare for Albert was that he had a horrible stutter and could not make it through public speeches. Having the crown thrust upon him would be humiliating for himself and for England. Speech therapists of the day treated the impediment as if it were only physical, but one very unconventional therapist had a different theory. Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) believed it came from deeper psychological issues, a strange the notion at the time.

It recalls another fantastic story I was told about Art Tatum.1 The story goes like this: Tatum was recording a solo piano album. His greatest devotee, Oscar Peterson,2 came to watch the session.

Sitting in the recording booth, he noticed Art playing with headphones on.

This was strange because headphones are used in the studio to hear each other when isolated in separate rooms.

The part I wish to highlight here is early in the film.

Prince Albert’s first meeting with Lionel infuriates the royal, but he has him perform one experiment. Logue had a newfangled invention; a record recorder called a Silvertone. He put headphones on the prince and played The Overture to La Nozze di Figaro by Mozart very loudly. Then he gave him the famous soliloquy from Hamlet, “To be, or not to be . . .” We don’t hear the prince speaking. We only hear the orchestra.

Albert, frustrated by Lionel’s “method,” rips off the headphones and chooses to leave, saying that this was not for him. Lionel tells him to at least take the recording home as a souvenir.

After another disastrous speaking engagement, the prince, sitting at home, decides to put the recording on and hears himself speaking as never before, “To be or not to be, that is the question . . .”

He speaks the soliloquy until he stops without a single stutter! He realized that this unconventional therapist had the answer for him, and their interaction is followed for the rest of the movie . That is an exampleof distracting one’s self from the conscious mind.

His stutterdisappeared when he focused on something else. I’ve taught students with everything from a physical impediment to a mental block of some kind.

But Art was playing solo, no need for headphones.

Oscar asked the engineer why he was wearing headphones. The engineer replied, “He’s listening to the World Series!” Incredible! Tatum’s flow was probably all the greater for not concentrating on the playing.

His hands already knew what to do. It’s not magic.

If one has mastered the technique, not only can the hands play by themselves, but they are probably better served if one stays out of the way!

I know this to be true. It’s not a theory or just a good story. It’s my reality. In the good old days, before the Internet or even cable TV, the World Series was on a plain old broadcast TV. We had TVs that had the equivalent portability of modern-day laptops, I guess, except batteries were not available.

You needed to plug it into the wall. I remember playing a duet concert. The grand piano was open, facing the audience, of course, leaving a lot of hidden space behind it. I set up my portable TV, watched the game for the whole concert and didn’t stop once. Without my control, the ideas just kept coming, unfolding as organically as in nature. I was dimly aware that the music was beautiful, but my mind was lightly monitoring the game.

Many years ago, I was playing a gig at Fat Tuesdays in New York City. That club had a horribly dry sound on the bandstand. It had a low ceiling and a mirror for a back wall.

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I always had trouble playing there for whatever acoustic reason, trouble getting in the groove. One of those nights, I was struggling just to groove on the tune when I looked at the wall to my left. That was the mirror.

As I watched my hands play, suddenly I started grooving like a (insert profanity here). Then I looked away, and again I struggled.

I looked back at the mirror again, and my hands again fell in the groove. In other words, while I watched his hands play, they grooved. When they became my hands again, I struggled.

It provided another piece of the puzzle for me.

Another example was more recently while recording my most recent (as of this writing) solo piano album titled, “The Space,” I tried the Art Tatum idea. For the first thirty-five minutes of that recording, I listened to a talk. I wasn’t paying attention to my hands. What came out was not on the virtuosic level of Tatum because that technique simply isn’t there, but it was the most organic, flowing, and evolving sequence of music I could have ever played. It’s why I named the album “The Space.” Finally, I had recorded something that was completely from The Space!

There are less dramatic ways of diverting one’s attention for the greater flow. Many musicians do it, but they hadn’t thought of it in this way. Ask successful jazz musicians what they’re focusing on, and they may say they just focus on the drummer or the soloist. They’re actually doing the same thing. By focusing on the soloist, they’ve taken their attention off of every little thing they’re doing. The result, by the way, is an uncanny coalescence of the entire group, true symbiosis. The Miles Davis bands were most famous for having chemistry that even dwarfed the virtuosity of the individual members. I dare say that if classical musicians become similarly acquainted with that part of their brains, the orchestra would be transcendent!

Just what this is and how and why it works is the subject.

Two recurring themes in this book are witnessing but not being ensnared by the conscious mind or thoughts and training the body so that it plays. In that spirit, I always like to say, my mind is smarter than me and my hands play better than I do.

1 A great jazz pianist, in fact, possibly the greatest pianist of all time.

2 Also, one of the all-time greats.

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Kenny Werner has been a worldclass pianist and composer for over 40 years. His prolific output of compositions, recordings and publications continue to impact audiences around the world. In 1996 he wrote his landmark book, Effortless Mastery: Liberating The Master Musician Within.

Werner was awarded the 2010 Guggenheim Fellowship Award for his seminal work, "No Beginning No End," a musical journey exploring tragedy and loss, death and transition, and the path from one lifetime to the next. He has performed with such legendary musicians as Dizzy Gillespie, Betty Buckley, Toots Thielemans, Charles Mingus, Marian McPartland, Bobby McFerrin, Lou Rawls, Michel Legrand, Gunther Schuller, Bill Frisell, Pat Metheny, Elvin Jones and many more. He is the founding artistic director of the Effortless Mastery Institute at the Berklee College of Music and has composed for international orchestras, received numerous NEA grants and been nominated for an Emmy Award. His latest book, BECOMING THE INSTRUMENT: Lessons on Self-Mastery from Music to Life published in January 2022. https://kennywerner.com.

Life is your Creation

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Photo by NICK FEWINGS

A Pitch for

THE HOMELESS

By Sherman S. Haggerty

How do we start the conversation about changes that could lead to better futures for the unhoused and the communities we live in? Social worker and author Sherman S. Haggerty has context and solutions to offer. With decades of experience as a homebuilding executive and director at Volunteers of America Northern California-Northern Nevada, Sherman is available for interviews, expert commentary, and Q&As with actionable steps and concrete strategies your audience can use to fight homelessness.

According to Forbes, Los Angeles has 63.7K people who are losing their chances to leave homelessness behind and become respected, contributing members of their communities. Partly due to policy changes at the federal level, the prospects for the unhoused are sinking to an unprecedented low.

Sherman offers practical solutions for our government leaders and the average person, including physical and mental health programs, volunteer and community outreach, the destigmatization of homelessness, and so much more.

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W

e’ve come a long way in appreciating marginalized voices and the stories they have to tell and experiences they have to share. But one of the populations that is still suffering, and which counts members from most marginalized groups among its own, is homeless. There are programs to rehabilitate addicts and help the formerly incarcerated to transition back into society, as there should be.

But the number of programs for the homeless is drastically shrinking.

The homeless will not have the chance to integrate and improve our community that other groups have been able to claim unless there is a drastic shift in our ability to value these human lives: Lives that are currently being abused and underserved. Female-identified folks, people of color, and Immigrants of all nations fought for the opportunity to have a chance to stake their claim as a contributor in their community. These groups have influential, credible leaders fighting for their equality and now for the beauty of their diverse contributions.

The homeless have no voice. Despite the fact that there are national alliances and lobbyist groups claiming to be working to end homelessness and non-stop rhetoric from our politicians, many do not appear to make fiscal policy or develop plans to help the homeless get out of their circumstances for good. Sadly, most of the population is discounted as not capable of achieving independence; too many mental health struggles, too much addiction, too much reliance on “handouts.”

Prior to 2017, there was a rich history of homeless services in Sacramento County for alcohol and drug recovery, stabilization, life skills training, vocational training, and employment placement. These organizations were working together to move large segments of the homeless off the streets and into their own market-rate housing. Many of those who went through that system remain major contributors to our community. They run businesses, work in social services, treat our community as medical professionals, and more. That continuum of care that worked people through levels of assistance to reach independence and thrive has been dismantled, and today there is no coordinated effort to rehab and put our existing homeless back to work. Thousands of formerly homeless were put back to work during the first fifteen years of this century right here in our back yard.

We’ve come a long way to provide affordable housing, but we need to put humanity back into homeless services, and that is more than housing. And it is more than just rhetoric about how badly we need those services. It is a detailed plan for rehabilitation, training, employment, AND housing solutions. Plans that focus on the details are fiscally much more practical and actually produce a return. It is demonstrably financially advantageous to the city and community when our unhoused are trained and start working. Helping our current homeless population get back to work and become independent isn’t the only answer, but it needs to be part of the solution in order to move forward.

Sherman Haggerty is the Director of Business Development for Volunteers of America, Northern California-Northern Nevada.

He served on the Volunteers of America (VOA) Board of Directors from 2005 to 2013. In 2014 he became the director at Mather Campus, where VOA served over one thousand homeless clients through 2019. In 2019, he finished his work to become an ordained minister with VOA, focusing on trauma and moral injury. Sherman has a master’s degree in management from the Peter F. Drucker Graduate Management program at the Claremont Graduate School. He spent 35 years as a homebuilding executive and was voted into the California Homebuilding Foundation Hall of Fame in 2011, emphasizing his record of community service.

For more information, please visit pastorhaggerty.com.

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WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT

Marjan

Neshat

Over the next several months, Iranian American actress Marjan Neshat will star as the lead in three overlapping plays, all of which take place in the Middle East. These works are a melding of who she is and perhaps who she might have been had her family not escaped Tehran when she was a child. In the play English, she can be seen at the Atlantic in co-production with Roundabout Theater Co., opening on February 22nd. Marjan just finished a successful run in Sylvia Khoury's acclaimed play, Selling Kabul, at Playwrights Horizons. Marjan's work is known to audiences through her many roles in film and television, including the multi-award-winning film Rockaway as well as the indie feature Almost in Love. On television, she most recently appeared in New Amsterdam, Bull, and The Accidental Wolf.

What is the play English about?

The premise is a classroom in Iran where four adult students are preparing for the Toefl-the test of English as a Foreign language. They hope that English will be their bridge to a brighter future through a maze of word games, listening exercises, and show-and-tell sessions. But it is about so much more. I asked our brilliant playwright Sanaz Toossi whose response was this English is about how identity is bound up in language, and the injustice we feel when we have to cede those parts of ourselves in order to survive, and ultimately, the pain of being misunderstood." For me, it also explores the idea of what we think of ourselves and what we connect to that may not necessarily be what the world allows us. My character's relationship to English represents my need for something more, a need to surpass the

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parameters of my given life. But the why of that is a question I think I'll be exploring throughout the process.

How is your character in English different from the role you played in Selling Kabul?

That's a very interesting question. Off the bat, I'd say that my character in English has the luxury of choices that are not afforded to my character in Selling Kabul. There is a romance to my character in English, a romance and an almost wistfulness that is not afforded Aafiya, as she is living life in survival mode. But I will say, I have lived with the character of Aafiya for years now, and I know her from the inside in ways that I am yet to discover in Marjan (yes, same name), who I play in English. I'm really looking forward to getting to know the character more deeply.

Tell us about your recent experience playing Aafiya in Selling Kabul?

I played an Afghani woman named Aafiya who is desperately trying to keep her family safe. Her brother Taroon interpreted for the Americans, but as they began a round of withdrawals in 2013, he was targeted by the Taliban. Aafiya is a compassionate, strong, moral, loyal, educated woman who is dealing with impossible circumstances—having to choose between the life of her brother or those close to her.

What was it like being on stage in Selling Kabul during this time of crisis in Afghanistan?

I don't think I've ever been involved in a play that spoke so directly to a humanitarian crisis that is alive in the audience's psyche. It feels essential to tell this story. It feels essential that people don't get their news feed and forget. Our foreign policy has consequences, and unfortunately, the consequences for the people in Afghanistan are beyond dire. It was really important to me that this play is made about a family; there are no dialects, they are not otherized. We wanted the characters to feel like they are family, not people somewhere in the middle-east that have nothing to do with us. I hope people were moved beyond just empathy but felt a need to help.

In what ways do you relate to your characters?

In so many ways, as an actor, I always try and start with what I intuitively understand about my characters, and then I can get a better sense of the things I don't, and that is where the imaginary leaps come in. Some of my best teachers have taught me that we do all really carry universes inside us, so if we can understand it, we can play it. For me as an artist, I'd say I have a slow process; I really like to dive deep and sit in my characters for as long as time allows. So that not only do I know the words on the page but beyond that, I can intuit what music they'd listen to, what poems they mem-

orize, what their favorite food would be, what they dream about. I feel really fortunate that all the roles I'm playing this year feel like they have a line into my understanding of the world at large.

How has the Covid19 experience impacted your work as an actress?

Wow. I think we will all be processing how this pandemic affects us for a long time to come. I think the juxtaposition of life becoming so much smaller and more contained increased in me the need and desire for expression and creative outlets. In the middle of the pandemic, I remember saying to my husband that I had begun to lose a sense of my identity because I wasn't used to being reflected back to myself by just two people. Every day when we venture out into the world, I think we learn something about the way we are in the world by the way people respond to us. Good or bad. I will say that the first day back in rehearsals after Covid and the ensuing rehearsal process was for me so much more alive as a result of that need and hunger building up in me. Suddenly looking into my scene partner's eyes or hugging another person felt like it contained so much more juice somehow. I also think it made me even more grateful for the opportunity to take all the feelings and reflections and pent-up feelings of being locked away and begin to share and explore the other artists.

When did you know you wanted to become an actress?

I think I was 12. When I was young, we moved a lot, and I was shy and hypersensitive, and books were my only reliable friends. I remember reading a book about old Hollywood where the protagonist was a young actress, and it captured my imagination. I think the seed was planted then, but I did my first play when I was 14. I was a Freshman in high school, and I mostly lived my life on the outside. I was the arty girl dressed in black who was mostly quiet. Then I showed up for rehearsal, and I was playing this sort of light-hearted "floozy"

Some of my best teachers have taught me that we do all really carry universes inside us, so if we can understand it, we can play it. For me as an artist, I'd say I have a slow process; I really like to dive deep and sit in my characters for as long as time allows 39 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e FEBRUARY 2022

(I had my first kiss on stage), and for the first time in my life, I truly had a sense of being a part of something.

That all these different people had come together to make something, to tell a story, and I was one of them. It was such an exuberant sensation to be a part of a whole.

From that point on, I essentially committed my life to this field.

What do you like most about living in New York?

It's the first and only place that I have felt I belonged.

As I answer these questions, I see this recurring theme of belonging. I think this is part of the immigrant experience. I moved to this country at 7, which is fairly young, but I have never felt entirely American or entirely Iranian. There is a hybrid reality that lives between those two places, and for me, New York personified that. From the first time I walked around the village, I had a sense of belonging that I think I'd been seeking my whole life.

I felt such an affinity for this place which felt like its own country made of outsiders, misfits, artists, dreamers… it contained multitudes, and I felt proud to be here.

Who were your role models growing up?

My mom was a huge role model for me. She left her own mom and the life that she knew so that her daughters would have a chance at a better life. My father couldn't speak English very well, and my mom supported all of us through her work. She was a psychiatric nurse. Having my own child now and knowing how hard it is to work and take care of my child, I can't imagine how hard it must have been for her to juggle it all, and she did it with such grace. I think I get my work ethic from her.

Are you a spiritual person?

Yes. I grew up in an atheist household. Though I don't practice any kind of organized religion, I feel my best when I'm in conversation with a larger sense of our interconnectedness. I don't know that I could name the feeling or prescribe any rules to it other than a deep sense of something larger than ourselves. I also started a TM meditation practice about six years ago, and it really changed my life for the better. It allowed me to be more present with myself and those around me.

What do you want your contribution to the world to be?

That is a great question and one I think about all time, especially since having a kid. When my son Wilder was 7, I left him for five weeks to go to Williamstown Theater Festival to do a production of Selling Kabul. I knew I would miss him immeasurably, and I had a lot of guilt

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about leaving him. I took him for a walk before leaving for the train to buy him a donut and to make him tons of promises about what we'd do when I came back. But I also told him that as much as I loved him, I was leaving him for a bit because this was how I could contribute to the world. My love for what I do, my attempt to embody other people's stories, and in my way, hold a mirror up to human behavior was my contribution to the world, and that's what I wish for him too. To find what he loves and participate in the world by leading with what he loves.

What makes you truly happy?

My family Books Trees Seasons Deep conversations Music Connectedness Work Art Beauty A really good meal

u

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Photo by MOHSEN AMERI 42 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e FEBRUARY 2022

SIGNS YOU NEED

Feeling Stressed, Exhausted, & Burned Out? Try These Mindful Methods to Calm the Chaos in 2022

K A E R B A

By Julie Potiker

A

fter almost two years of living through a pandemic, I imagine you are ready for it to be over!

I know I am, but regardless of when that happens, I want to do all I can to keep myself and everyone I care about healthy. That includes not only the commonsense things we’re told to do to protect our physical health but also things we can do each day to protect our mental and emotional health.

This is so important as recent surveys find that the pandemic weighs heavily on people. Pandemic stress, anxiety, and depression remain rampant. Many people struggle with the grief of losing loved ones, long-term symptoms of COVID-19, and exhaustion from dealing with disruptions of the pandemic on top of all the other stresses of life.

When we are exhausted and burned out by constant stress, we are unable to function at our best. It may feel like we are looking at the world through a haze, simple tasks can become a struggle, and we may get frustrated and lose our temper more easily. Some signs you need to take some time out to revive your mental and emotional health include: 1. Disturbed sleep – You find yourself sleeping either too little or too much.

2. Brain fog – Your mind seems sluggish, and you have trouble focusing on tasks, remembering things, and paying attention.

3. Low productivity – You notice you are not getting as much done as usual, and everything seems to take twice as long as it should.

4. Low mood – You feel you have lost your connection to loving life.

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One reason people get to this state is they push themselves to go-go-go, plowing through their to-do lists without taking any time to care for themselves. Moms and women are particularly prone to overlooking their own needs while always putting their families’ needs first. If you’re experiencing the signs above, it’s a red flag that you need to take time out for yourself. You must put on your proverbial oxygen mask first in order to serve others as your best self.

Not sure where to begin? Here are 10 things you can do to rejuvenate your mental health, reboot your mood, and boost your emotional wellness: 1. Meditate. Download the Insight Timer app and pick a guided meditation to do every day. Insight Timer now has over 100,000 meditations, but no need to freak out — they are organized and searchable by length, topic, and author. I have a nice collection on there, including meditations on Giving and Receiving Compassion and Loving Kindness and Letting Go that are good for emotional wellness.

(You can find my meditations by typing my name, Julie Potiker, in the search function at the top of your screen inside the Insight Timer App.) Try a few and pick the ones that speak to you and fit your schedule.

2. Get grounded through the soles of your feet or by rubbing a here-and-now stone.

3. Practice mindfulness while brushing your teeth.

4. Take time out for mindful eating.

5. Stroll with a purpose with mindful walking.

6. Practice taking in the good.

7. Be in the moment with your favorite music.

Make a playlist of songs that move you.

8. Practice the Sending-Receiving Meditation.

9. Try calling yourself “sweetheart,” “dear,” or another term of endearment.

10. Engage in Loving Kindness Meditation for yourself and others.

These practices can help you connect with the beauty of living in the moment, instead of worrying about the future or ruminating about the past, as we primates are wired to do! They can reshape your perspective, pulling you back to what is most important — your life, health, and happiness! They are all rooted in Mindful Self-Compassion.

Mindful Self-Compassion is about treating yourself with love, kindness, and care — just as you would your dearest friend or loved one. When you’re having a hard time, you fail, or you notice something you don’t like about yourself, it allows you to care for yourself at that moment rather than pushing through with self-criticism or ignoring your pain.

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Mindfulness enables us to turn toward and acknowledge our difficult thoughts and feelings (such as inadequacy, sadness, anger, or confusion) with a spirit of openness and curiosity. Self-compassion involves responding to these difficult thoughts and feelings with kindness, sympathy, and understanding so that we soothe and comfort ourselves when we’re hurting.

I developed the S.N.A.P. method and acronym to make it easy to remember and practice Mindful Self-Compassion when we need it most. S.N.A.P. stands for: Soothing Touch Name the Emotion Act Praise Let’s start with soothing (or supportive) touch. When you put your hands on your body with intention and attention, this releases oxytocin and endorphins, providing a more effective way to pause, switch into a mindful state, and calm your nervous system.

Naming the emotion that you feel allows you to widen your perspective. You can see that feelings and moods come and go but don’t define you. Rather than avoid difficult feelings, you can let them flow through you and dissipate, like clouds on the sky of your mind. So let’s put it all together: Soothing Touch When you feel stress, place your hands where you find it soothing — it might be your chest, belly, hugging your upper arms, or cradling your face. Try different locations and see which feels most soothing. This supportive touch will allow oxytocin and endorphins to flow through you to help calm your nervous system.

You can also place your hands on the area where you notice constriction and soften around the area by inclining your mind with thoughts of a warm compress or warm oil.

Name the Emotion Name what you are feeling at the moment. Is it a worry? Sadness? Anger? Loneliness? Naming what you feel helps calm your body’s stress response and gives you time to locate it in your body while giving you the perspective to know that you are not your emotions.

Act Choose a tool to help yourself feel better. Start by asking the ultimate Mindful Self-Compassion question, “What do I need right now?” Then do what you can reasonably do with what you’ve got in the moment.

For example:

•

While driving: Try controlling your breathing, making you exhale longer than you inhale to lower your blood pressure and slow your heart rate.

I often do this while one hand is on the wheel and the other hand is on my heart, my favorite soothing touch spot.

•

When toddler tantrums or teen drama erupt: Try dropping your attention to the soles of your feet as you control your breathing to slow the whole showdown.

•

When teen or adult family drama makes you want to flee, stay focused on your body and breathing.

Breathe in compassion for yourself because it’s so difficult, and breathe out compassion for them because they are suffering (even if their behavior is disturbing). Doing this can help to calm your nervous system.

•

At work: Depending on your work situation, you may have more options for relief at the moment if you can close the door (even if it’s in the bathroom stall) to give yourself a few minutes for quiet reflection. Ground yourself by touching a polished stone that you keep on your desk or focusing on the soles of your feet. Take a break at the water cooler and exhale longer than you inhale for a few rounds of breathing. Whether looking out the window, taking a walk, breathing deeply, or calling a friend, use whatever tools work for you to shift your mindset and mood.

Self-Compassion in this way, you will start to honor and accept yourself, [AE1], no matter what is happening.

Things will not always go the way you want them to.

You will encounter frustrations; losses will occur; you will make mistakes, bump up against your limitations, and fall short of your ideals. This is the human condition — a reality shared by us all..

The more you open your heart to this reality instead of constantly fighting against it, the more you will be able to feel compassion for yourself and all your fellow humans in the experience of life.

Praise Give thanks for your practice for helping you manage stress. Thank yourself for showing up day after day, trying to do your best. Thank the universe, or your spirit of choice, for giving you the strength and courage to keep on keeping on.

Many people think of praise in relation to religion.

If you are religious, you can give praise and thanks to your deity. But you don’t have to be religious to cultivate a sense of gratitude and enjoy all the benefits it brings for your health and happiness. When you give thanks, the gratitude you feel starts an upward spiral of positive reinforcement. This can help you to be compassionate with yourself and others moving forward and remind you to take time to care for yourself when you need to.

When you feel anxious, exhausted, depleted, or overwhelmed — like you are about to snap — remember to S.N.A.P. instead. By regularly practicing Mindful

Julie Potiker is a mindfulness expert with extensive teacher training in a variety of tools and methods, including Mindful Self-Compassion. Through her Mindful Methods for Life program offerings and her book — Life Falls Apart, but You Don’t Have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos — Julie helps others bring more peace and wellness into their lives.

For more information, visit www.MindfulMethodsForLife.com.

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Edx Education

Makes Learning Through Play Super Fun and Productive for Kids!

Wherever kids learn best, Edx Education ensures they have the best tools for learning and play.

Originally for classroom use only, the brand now makes its high-quality offerings available for home use, welcomes news to the growing population of families that homeschool their children or want to get a jumpstart on learning skills.

It's amazing to see how concrete, fun, and structured materials help with developing motor skills and enhance brain development. The brand's educational materials focus on six specific learning and developmental areas: • Gross Motor Skills • Fine Motor Skills • Social and Emotional Development • Speech and Language • Cognitive Development • Curiosity

For more than 25 years, Edx Education has designed innovative educational products and material that encourages learning through play.

Educators firmly believe this is a highly proven method of teaching for early childhood education.

Fun and engaging tools are great for building tactile and visual skills, helping with concentration, fine motor skills, and early math concepts such as counting and sorting.

It's the perfect way to spark kids' interest and imagination while effortlessly encouraging them to learn.

Award-Winning Child Development Toys 46 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e FEBRUARY 2022

Edx Education designs and develops innovative, quality hands-on educational products and materials for a broad range of markets, including early childhood and primary school. For over 25 years, the brand has worked closely with leading educators who advise on trends in education and the development of innovative new products. Its education and product development philosophy is Learning Through Play.

Check out these award-winning educational toys to add to your home that make playbased learning ideal for young minds, encouraging STEAM skills linking math with art. All products are available on Amazon.

www.edxeducation.com

Step-a-Trails • An excellent resource for building children's gross motor skills, balance, and coordination • Pieces with textured surfaces allow children to safely balance and gain Rainbow Pebbles® confidence while the rubbery bottom • A collection of brightly colored 'pebedges prevent slipping bles' in various shapes and sizes • Can be incorporated into obstacle • The seemingly simple Rainbow courses for fun physical play Pebbles are a flexible, open-ended • A perfect rainy-day activity as chiltoy that develops a child's depth of dren can design their own courses knowledge through creative play • Made of injection-molded, durable • The pebbles take up very little space plastic with non-slip top surfaces and and can be used for a wide range bases GeoStix® /Junior GeoStix® of activities tailored to varying age • Pieces will support the weight of a • The GeoStix Letter and Construction groups (18 months+) standard-sized adult Set is an exceptional learning toy • Ideal for developing fine motor skills • Provide unlimited imaginative play that are essential for learning to write • Intelligently designed colorful sticks • Recommended Age: 18 months and that your child can use to make • Encourages a child's counting, sortup shapes and letters ing, and creative abilities • Awards: • The included guide cards are easy to • Awards: -The National Parenting Centre follow with a series of fun pictures -The National Parenting Centre -NAPPA Awards and color matching directions -NAPPA Awards • Price: $59.99 to 69.99 www.ama• Encourages endless creativity beyond zon.com/edxeducation (three sets the direction cards - colors, letters, Demo video: https://www.youtube.com/ available) matching, hand-eye coordination, watch?v=lpLMuzdTR10 direction following, fine motor skills, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkbNcounting nffyRQ4 • Awards: • Price: $18.99 to $39.99 on www.ama-The National Parenting Centre zon.com/rainbowpebbles -NAPPA Awards • An eco-friendly version is also -Academics Choice Awards available: https://www.amazon.com/ Edx-Education-75152-Friendly-AcThe Junior Geostix are designed for 3yrs + tivity/dp/B07V32SC9D to play, learn, and create designs from letters, numbers, and so much more.

Children will explore with the different sized GeoStixs.

Enjoy hands-on learning, improve fine motor skills, and develop creative thinking skills while playing with this letter construction set.

Have fun developing early childhood skills in creative thinking, problem-solving skills.

• Price: $25.99 www.amazon.com/ edxeducation (three sets available)

47 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e FEBRUARY 2022

Photo by PAFFY/ADOBE STOCK

GOOD

VIBRATIONS Subtle Energy Techniques for a Radiant New You this New Year

By Cyndi Dale

48 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e FEBRUARY 2022

N

o matter your biological age, energy medicine offers significant anti-aging benefits.

From the get-go, I must admit that I have my own secret ingredient. I have spent almost two decades following my youngest son’s baseball career, with most of the games occurring between February and June in the upper Midwest. Guess what that means?

Yup. I am typically sitting on the bleachers in glacial weather. The downside is that I am usually miserable. The upside? My wrinkles freeze in place.

Short of recommending my own unique practice, there are numerous activities that promote longevity, good health, and a youthful appearance. The ones I share herein are backed by science but subsidized with a subtle energy spin.

Bless Your Water. Health advisors agree. Good health depends on downing at least 8-10 glasses of water a day. In fact, when we are young, our body is comprised of as much as 78 percent water.

By retirement age? Our water content might be reduced to only 50 percent. The primary constituency of cells, water keeps your organs running, your weight steady, and your skin plump. In other words, water slows down aging.[1] Want even more gains? Bless your water energetically.

Studies by researchers including the late Japanese scientist Dr. Masaru Emoto show that loving intentions, words, thoughts, and sounds result in aesthetically pleasing molecular structures in the water.[2] The inference is that if you send loving thoughts into your water before drinking, you stimulate positive benefits in your body.

Skeptics have tried to debunk Emoto’s work because his research is hard to duplicate. However, other researchers are offering quantum explanations for Emoto’s photographed outcomes, to

include M. Pitkanen. Over-simplically, Pitkanen explains that dark matter, a strange substance that makes up about 80 percent of the energy in the universe, can cause a person’s intense emotions to imprint in water—if they believe in the process.[3]

In other words, if you fully desire that water keeps you youthful, it will. Try using statements like, “I am vivacious and youthful”, or “My DNA is keeping me young and vibrant”.

Drink Water—Then Get into the Sun. New research by Dr. Gerald Pollack from the University of Washington is suggesting that light and water not only mix extremely well, but the combination keeps you well.

When water is exposed to light it becomes semi-crystalline, turning into a “fourth phase of water”, the other three phases being liquid, gas, and ice. In this form, Pollack labels it “exclusion zone water” or EZ. EZ water carries negative charges, and those charges make your cells work properly.

Want to drink from the fountain of youth? Pollack recommends getting out in the sun, drinking green smoothies, and earthing, or walking on the ground with bare feet.[4] How about blessing your water and setting it in the sun before drinking it?

Program Your Phonons. Phonons are quantum waves produced from vibration that are the smallest units of sound. They are made every time your heart beats, after which they scatter, carrying data with them.[5] Hundreds of studies conducted by organizations including the HeartMath Institute have proven that holding positive emotions and spiritual beliefs in your heart enhances good health.[6] Well, those phonons play a role, sending messages throughout the body. Consider turning your “water” affirmations into mantras, sounds, and chants and let the resulting phonons spread the cheer.

49 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e FEBRUARY 2022

WHEN WATER IS EXPOSED TO LIGHT IT BECOMES SEMI-CRYSTALLINE, TURNING INTO A “FOURTH PHASE OF WATER”, THE OTHER THREE PHASES BEING LIQUID, GAS, AND ICE. IN THIS FORM, POLLACK LABELS IT “EXCLUSION ZONE WATER” OR EZ. EZ WATER CARRIES NEGATIVE CHARGES, AND THOSE CHARGES MAKE YOUR CELLS WORK PROPERLY Make Scalar Waves. Scalar waves are a unique form of light that serves up miraculous effects. Research has shown that they enhance the immune and endocrine system, destroy harmful microbes, speed up tissue regeneration, and accelerate wound healing. They also aid in detoxification and decrease inflammation.[7] There are three types of scalar waves[8], and most importantly, your own body can manufacture them.

[1] [1] Howard Murad, “Beyond Botox: The Key to Anti-Aging is Water,” https://drhowardmurad.com/beyond-botox-the-key-to-anti-aging-is-water/.

[2] TWE, “Dr. Masaru Emoto and Water Consciousness,” https://thewellnessenterprise. com/emoto/.

[3] M. Pitkanen, “The experiments of Masaru Emoto with the emotional imprinting of water,” June 2018, ResearchGate, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335909571_ The_experiments_of_Masaru_Emoto_with_emotional_imprinting_of_water.

[4] S. Pangambam, “Water, Cells, and Life: Dr. Gerald Pollack,” February 8, 2019, The Singju Post, https://singjupost.com/water-cells-and-life-dr-gerald-pollack-full-transcript/?singlepage=1.

[5] Mind-Body Harmony, “Sound Healing…More Than Just a Good Vibration,” July 5, 2015, https://www.thinksmarterworld.com/sound-healing-more-than-just-a-good-vibration/.

[6] HeartMath Institute, “Researching the human heart and brain,” https://www.heartmath.org/research/.

[7] Miracle Balance, “The Science Behind Scalar Energy,” Maybe 24, 2019, https://www. miraclebalance.net/the-science-behind-scalar-energy/; Glen Rein, “Interactions with Scalar Energy—Cellular Mechanisms of Action,” For release by the CIA 3/7/2001, https://www. cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP96-00792R000500240008-9.pdf.

[8] H. Schnabl et al, “Longitudinal magnetic waves trigger higher ATP-levels and extend the aging process of plants,” OAT, https://www.oatext.com/longitudinal-magnetic-wavestrigger-higher-atp-levels-and-extend-the-aging-process-of-plants.php.

[9] Cyndi Dale, Energy Wellness for Trauma, Stress & Chronic Illness (Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 2020), 60-62.

Our subtle and physical anatomies create scalar waves from Mobius loops. A Mobius loop is made of a single strip of energy formed into a figure eight. Our system manufactures these loops (and hence, scalar waves) when we are healthy or in a positive environment.

Short of that, we must encourage our system to concoct them.[9] One method is to spin while dancing. That vortex-like movement promotes the meeting of energies that fashion Mobius loops. Walk amongst trees or enjoy running water, as these substances give off negative ions, which can do the same. Personally, I draw subtle elements into my system a few times a day to craft these life-sustaining Mobius loops.

Subtle elements are the quantum elements that construct all of reality. I work with twelve such elements, which are fire, water, air, earth, metal, stone, wood, ether, star, light, sound, and Presence. The latter is the energy of your Higher Power. To bring them into yourself, take a few deep breaths and affirm your own spiritual essence. Connect to your Higher Power and ask that it brings in all the elements needed to create good health.

These life-enhancing ideas are easy to put into place, which makes them super great New Year’s resolutions.

Tired of creating a list you only check off once, if at all? Simply add a couple of the subtle energy “good vibration” protocols to your daily life, and a lot of the concerns that pop up as important once a year will drop away anyway.

Short of the subtle, there is that “baseball element.” I guarantee it will freeze your wrinkles in place.

50 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM eFEBRUARY 2022

Cyndi Dale is an internationally renowned author, speaker, and energy healer.

She is the author of 28 books on energy medicine, intuition, and spirituality. Her newest book is Advanced Chakra Healing: Four Pathways to Energetic Wellness and Transformation.

51 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e JANUARY 2022

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

52 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COMe JANUARY 2022

Respected medical intuitive Kimberly Meredith, recently featured in The Eden Magazine, has reason to celebrate. In less than a month, her highly anticipated book, Awakening to the Fifth Dimension: Discovering the Soul’s Path to Healing, is climbing sales charts nationwide and is now a best seller on Amazon.

Kimberly carefully packages so much of her healing energy, knowledge, and experience in the pages of her book where many more followers, believers, and those just starting out on a spiritual path for mental, emotional, and physical healing can participate and learn. In a world often riddled with confusion and despair, she shares her insights for everyday living while offering hope to so many. Her practical information creates the tools and atmosphere needed to help elevate the reader to a higher level of being, beyond the 3-D world of today and into the 5-D world of tomorrow. In this higher dimension, miracles, love, and healing exist for those who seek it.

Awakening to the Fifth Dimension: Discovering the Soul’s Path to Healing is nothing less than a gem of enlightenment and a must-read for those seeking something more meaningful and purposeful in their lives.

The book is available online and nationwide at Amazon, Walmart, IndieBound, Books-A-Million, Bookshop, Powell’s, Barnes & Noble, and other fine literary retailers.

Kimberly is a world-renowned medical medium, healer, and speaker.

With her remarkable abilities, she has helped thousands of people and animals to improve from all manner of medical and emotional conditions by calling in the Divine and Christ Consciousness. Kimberly can also connect with those who have crossed over to bring messages to the living.

Kimberly received her miraculous healing gifts from the Holy Spirit following two Near-Death Experiences (NDEs), during which she was blessed with an incredible encounter with God. Through her healing mediumship and blinking eyes, Kimberly can see into the body faster and more accurately than the fastest MRI and thermography machines, accurately detecting all manner of medical conditions. Kimberly also possesses the ability to emit healing Scalar energy – even through walls – as measured by Dr. Norm Shealy during scientific testing to validate Kimberly's abilities. She has also been tested by the PSYtek Subtle Energy Laboratory and at the famed IONS

Institute of Noetic Sciences, founded by Apollo astronaut Edgar Mitchell.

Currently, Kimberly hosts the #1 rated radio program, The Medical Intuitive Miracle Show, heard on KCAA and iHeartRadio. A favorite on the speaking and expo circuit, she will be featured at the upcoming Conscious Life Expo (Los Angeles, CA) and New Living Expo (San Mateo, CA).

Kimberly has recently been a guest on Wake Up With Marci -WLNY CBS TV, The Donna Drake Show-Syndicated, Carlos & Lisa Show -Beyond TV, Coast To Coast AM with George Noory, The Aware Show, Melissa Billie Clark Show, and more. She has also been featured in dozens of magazines, including recent issues of Preferred Health Magazine, The Edge Magazine, and Women Fitness.

Kimberly Meredith offers many individually personalized services for adults, children, and animals both in person at her Los Angeles office and on Skype.

For more information on Kimberly Meredith:Website: www.

TheHealingTrilogy.com | Instagram: @Meredith.Kimberly 53 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e FEBRUARY 2022

Photos courtesy of Canadian Home Builders’ Association

NET ZERO AND ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOMES ARE HEALTHIER FOR PEOPLE AND OUR PLANET

By Anna DeSimone

R

esearch completed by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University found that consumers are increasingly worried about the link between health and everyday environmental exposures. In its study, Healthy Home Remodeling: Consumer Trends and Contractor Preparedness, the Joint Center found that indoor air quality ranked as the leading source of concern.

Data from the study showed that 30% of households expressed concerns about some aspect of their home negatively impacting or posing a risk to their health. Among homeowners surveyed, the most common reason cited for exploring remediation steps was that a household member had developed physical symptoms.

According to a report completed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Home RX: The Health Benefits of Home Performance, energy-efficient enhancements can change the physical environment of homes by stabilizing temperatures, enhancing indoor air quality, and improving environmental conditions.

The DOE report analyzed data from 300 technical articles and a total of 44 studies conducted in the United States, Canada, and other countries around the world. The report identified that energy-efficient enhancements typically completed by builders and home improvement contractors have proven to directly impact health.

A study completed by the International Energy Agency (IEA), Capturing the Multiple Benefits of Energy Efficiency, examined health outcomes resulting from energy-efficient measures completed by residential homeowners. A number of efficiency measures were studied, including insulation, air sealing,

54 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e FEBRUARY 2022

improved heating systems, improved cooking systems, and ventilation. Each measure was analyzed for its primary housing effect, secondary housing effect, and expected health outcomes.

Results from every type of measure indicated “reduced symptoms of respiratory disease.” Examples of other health outcomes were telling. For example, in addition to a reduced risk of respiratory disease, the “ventilation” efficiency measure also indicated a reduced risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and depression.

If ventilation is not adequate, pollutant levels can increase in two ways: by not bringing in enough fresh outdoor air to dilute emissions from indoor sources, and by not carrying indoor air pollutants out of the home. Pollutants consist of “particulate matter (PM).” PMs represent a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Some particles, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are large or dark enough to be seen with the naked eye. Others are so small they can only be detected using an electron microscope.

There are a number of upgrades that can be made to a home’s heating, cooling and ventilation system that will remove stale air and provide a continuous supply of fresh, filtered outdoor air. Portable air purification devices are fairly inexpensive, and can be very effective in homes, apartments, or offices.

Smart home technology is a good way to monitor levels of moisture, humidity, and indoor or outdoor air quality. In addition to fire and smoke, detection systems are now available with powerful sensors that detect mold, floods, radon, carbon dioxide, and other environmental toxins.

Environmentally Responsible Building According to the World Green Building Council, “A green building is a building that, in its design, construction or operation, reduces or eliminates negative impacts, and can create positive impacts on our climate and natural environment.”

Sustainable homes are built or renovated with materials that are durable, non-toxic, and did not harm the environment. Most fabricated materials are made with renewable or recycled materials, and wood is sourced from a sustainably managed forest.

The National Green Building Standard (NGBS), issued by Home Innovation Research Labs, provides a blueprint for builders for the construction and renovation of residential properties. Homes are certified by an independent third-party energy rater, and based on factors such as energy efficiency, water efficiency, and indoor air quality. A home’s energy efficiency is based on a whole-house assessment. Known as an “energy score,” the efficiency rating of a home is based on measurable performance factors of individual appliances or operating systems.

The cradle-to-grave concept is based on a lifecycle analysis that assesses the potential environmental impact of a building from start to finish. Factors considered include human health, the quality of ecosystems, climate change, and the use of resources.

Environmentally responsible building standards have been developed by institutes such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), the Passive House Institute (PHIUS), and the International Living Future Institute (ILFI).

The LEED rating system was established in 1993 by the U.S. Green Building Council and its newest programs are aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Net zero homes are homes that produce energy from an installed renewable source such as solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. Over the course of 12 months, if the renewable system generates the same amount of energy used by the home, the effect is known as net zero.

“Positive energy” is the result of generating more electricity than the house requires. Excess generation has cash value to homeowners, and is often used to power electric vehicles. “Zero carbon” homes involve additional metrics, including greenhouse gas emissions that extend back to the manufacturing facility of construction materials.

“Zero energy ready homes” are built with all the features of a net zero home—minus the renewable energy component. Homes are pre-wired for renewable energy, enabling a seamless and less costly installation in the future.

Eco-modern design aesthetic Open floor plans, soaring windows, along with sustainably sourced materials help save the planet, while accommodating today’s active lifestyle. Pictured are exterior and interior photos of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association’s 2021 Net Zero Award Winner. The Vancouver, B.C. home was built by Hasler Homes, Ltd.

Photo credit: Heidi Long, Longviews Studios, Inc.

Log homes are a time honored tradition Wood is one of the most sustainable forms of construction, and provides excellent thermal conductivity. According to the North American Forest Products Industry, “In a wood building, the carbon is kept out of the atmosphere for the lifetime of the structure. Wood stores more carbon than is emitted during its harvest, production, transport, and installation—even when transported over great distances.“ Since wood is a lighter building material, log and timber frame homes require less reinforcing steel and smaller footings, thereby reducing carbon emissions.

Everything old can be new again Just about any home has the potential to be net zero—even homes that are 100 years old. Frequently called a “deep retrofit,” homes undergo a series of efficiency measures, along with installation or upgrading of appliances. The 160-year-old, 900-square-foot homestead cabin shown was the first LEED Platinum certification in Montana, and is believed to be the oldest LEED Platinum project in the nation.

The cabin was moved to its current location, and the exterior walls were split and filled with insulation. Original features include beadboard cabinets, and doors and roofing from reclaimed materials, and the original Majestic stove was refurbished to Energy Star standards. All materials were sourced within 500 miles of the site.

Anna DeSimone is author of Live in a Home that Pays You Back, a Complete Guide to Net Zero and Energy Efficient Homes, featuring programs in the U.S. and Canada. www.annadesimone.net disclaimer : 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. The Eden Magazine supports environmental protection, the species life, and proteting the forest.

"The disastrous effect caused by wood harvesting and logging, especially unplanned operation, includes loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, desert encroachment and many more problems. Harvesting operation would influence the population and habitat of many species which are residing in the forest." from http://globetamk.weebly.com/blog/wood-production-itsenvironmental-impacts-and-what-the-finnish-think-about-the-matter 55 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e FEBRUARY 2022

Photo by OLADIMEJI

JUST BE

LOVE

By Shelly Wilson

57 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e FEBRUARY 2022

Love is a feeling, an emotion, a state of being, and even an action. This high-vibrational energy may entail love for self and love for others, which can include familial love, platonic love, intimate love, and unconditional agape love.

Choosing to stay in the heart-space and doing our best to see every individual and experience through the Higher vibration of love — through the lens of love — is essential for our journey into consciousness. With so much chaotic, heavy energy surrounding us at this time, we can recognize the negative energy rather than allow ourselves to become affected by it. Subsequently, we can consciously choose to shift the worry, fearful energy we may feel to one of awareness and concern as it is a different vibration. There are situations that understandably warrant extreme concern for our safety, and we may feel overwhelmed and even consumed by fear in those instances.

How you love yourself is how you teach others to love you. ~Rupi Kaur Heart-centered living begins with the practice of self-love, which is compassion for self. With this practice, we actually start to put ourselves first, not from an ego-perspective, but from a heart perspective. When we choose to accept and practice heart-centered living, we understand that we are the central point of the creation of our personal reality. We are, in essence, the center of our Universe.

Granted, some individuals may view this concept as being self-centered, selfish or even inconsiderate.

In certain instances, one could possibly deem it as such if neglect for others is involved.

Many individuals find it easy to love others and to express that love but find it challenging or uncomfortable to feel that same loving energy for themselves. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of self-love is the "regard for one's own well-being and happiness." Embodying selflove is truly a choice. This practice is not the result of achieving this or attaining that. There is nothing to wait for or anyone to wait on. The practice of self-

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love is not a destination; it's an intentional journey.

How we feel and what we do contributes to that metaphorical ocean of oneness. As a drop in the proverbial ocean, we are each creating a ripple by our very act of being. When a friend or family member disagrees with us or has differing beliefs, we can do our best to stay in the space of grace and choose to love even more. Yes, we may be guided to express our point of view, but there is no need to justify it.

Everyone has their own unique human life experience, and therefore will always have their own perception in regards to each experience.

In his book, Whatever Arises, Love That, Matt Kahn refers to "the new paradigm of spirituality as a love revolution that begins with you," which reminds us that self-love is an aspect of the basic foundation on which we build a happy, healthy and abundant life.

Spread love everywhere you go.

Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier. ~ Mother Teresa Until we are able to fully understand unconditional love and learn to love ourselves, we may be unable to bring the feeling of worthiness to our relationships.

Of course, this has nothing to do with selfishness but being awake and aware enough to know that we can only give what we are and have. Therefore, if we do not have love within us and for ourselves, how can we give love, kindness, respect, consideration, or compassion to others?

Photo by NIKOLA ZIVIC/ADOBE STOCK

The only way that we can now evolve, therefore, is elegantly simple: discover, experience, and heal the parts of ourselves that do not love, and discover,experience, and cultivate the parts that do. ~ Gary Zukav

We may even be called to connect more deeply to ourselves while listening to our spirit, heart, and physical body. Intentionally devoting time to practicing self-care and self-love will create the same ripple effect throughout all of our relationships.

Through the intentional and empowering act of selflove, we can connect with and embrace the power of our hearts as we focus on our physical health and mental/emotional well-being.

Where there is love, there is life. ~ Mahatma Gandhi Practicing heart-centered consciousness is worthwhile and reminds us that love is always here regardless of the situation or circumstances. Being the embodiment of love involves having compassion for ourselves and those around us as well as staying in the space of grace when facing adversity. Whenever possible (and it's always possible), just be loved!

Self-love is…

• Choosing yourself and taking responsibility for all of your choices and experiences.

• Establishing personal boundaries and knowing what is right for you, including saying no when you mean no rather than saying yes to appease others.

• Saying what you mean to say and also communicating your needs and desires to yourself and to others.

miraculous creation without feeling guilty, arrogant, or entitled to do so.

• Not rehashing your self-perceived mistakes and instead choosing to see them as opportunities for learning and growth.

• Spending some quality, connected time with yourself, which may include pampering instead of partaking in activities to just occupy your time.

• Trusting the individualized path that your soul is on without comparing your journey to others and making a genuine effort to become a conscious co-creator of your destiny.

• Listening to your heart (spirit) and following what your gut (intuition) says instead of living solely in your head (ego).

• Intentionally moving into the flow of allowance without feeling the need to over-analyze, overthink, or attempt to control anything you have no control of.

• Knowing how you're spending your emotional, mental, physical, and financial energy and recognizing whether these activities bring joy, peace, connection, nurturing rest, and creativity to your life.

• Taking care of your physical health by providing your body with nourishment, rest, hydration, movement, and the comfort it needs to the best of your ability.

• Honoring your emotions and mental health while recognizing certain people, places, or things that may not be right for you or resonate with you.

• Seeking solace in safe, loving, and supportive environments when possible.

• Wearing clothes that make you feel good.

• Taking time to do whatever you love, just to play, without worrying about wasting time or thinking that you should be doing something more productive.

• Seeing yourself as a beautiful, unique, and

Shelly Wilson is an author, intuitive medium and conscious creator who is passionate about helping people wake up to their greatness. She supports others as they navigate their own journey into consciousness to experience aliveness. Shelly’s books, 28 Days to a New YOU, Connect to the YOU Within, Journey into Consciousness and Embracing the Magic Within are available in paperback and eBook.

She is also the creator of Cards of Empowerment and Clarity Cards. ShellyRWilson.com EmbracingTheMagicWithin.com

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Subminimal How is this different from other frothers?

NanoFoamer creates microfoam that seamlessly blends with the espresso, enhancing the flavor profiles and mouthfeel of the drink. Milk frothers simply whisk the milk creating dry foam, a big bubbly substance that quickly separates into layers.

Designed and engineered by Dominic Symons, a technology designer that looks to solve problems and enhance our everyday lifestyle, he found a gap in the market and filled it (literally). He has a self-proclaimed passion for all things simple and making good coffee better.

The NanoFoamer and FlowTip Milk Jug do just that.

NanoFoamer • Produces quality microfoam in seconds • No professional-grade espresso machine required • Makes velvet-textured milk; works with milk alternatives • Unlimited access to a latte art masterclass with purchase • Have complete control over how much or how little foam you want to create

BE YOUR OWN BARISTA Enjoy the Coffeehouse Experience at Home

How do you take your coffee? For connoisseurs of lattes, cappuccinos, and flat whites, Subminimal is the coffee-making brand to get to know. Your barista-quality coffee drinking experience has just been elevated at home. So has your Instagram feed!

Easily create a superfine microfoam in seconds with the NanoFoamer, the brand’s hero product. Imagine spinning bubbles so small (at 10,000 RPM) they become invisible, with the milk transformed into a liquid velvet texture that blends perfectly with the espresso and crema. It’s impressive and without the need for an expensive espresso machine!

The NanoFoamer creates that texture we love so much in our lattes. There’s nothing like it on the market. It even comes with access to a latte art masterclass so that you can learn to dazzle others with your coffee-making skills!

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Store on the adhesive wall-mount or put the protective hood on and keep it in a drawer • •

Battery operated (two AA); waterproof Price: $39 FlowTip Milk Jug The only latte art pouring jug featuring a comfortable ergonomic heat-resistant handle Designed to make it easy for beginners and ultra-detailed for the pros Warm-up your milk without a steam wand or large espresso machine, thanks to the heat resistant handle Compatible with all stovetops Price: $49 (black or stainless steel)

By AMENIC181/ADOBE STOCK

Subminimal designs manufacture and markets coffee-making products for making perfect espresso-based drinks at home. The brand has invented and patented the best milk frother, one that can make silky microfoam milk suitable for making latte art on cappuccinos, lattes, and piccolos.

For more information, visit https://subminimal.com.

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Photo By MASTER1305

A WOMAN'S PERSUASION An Excerpt from

By Jeanette Watts

In A Woman's Persuasion, by Jeanette Watts, readers get to explore what Austen's compelling love story would look like if it played out in present-day culture and if the couple torn by social constructs was made up of two women.

"I was at the Jane Austen Society of North America's Annual General Meeting (JASNA AGM) in Kansas City," Watts said, "when another attendee proposed that "Persuasion" is one of Austen's least-adapted books because the events don't match life nowadays. But they do! You just have to have the stakes right."

Watts took on the challenge, realizing that all the elements of the romance aligned perfectly if the character's family objected to the romance because of gender instead of economics.

"Turning a classic into a lesbian romance might strike some as sacrilegious," Watts said. "But Jane Austen was all about depicting ordinary people. And the world is not only made up of straight people."

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A

fter a sleepless night, Anne got up early enough to run to the corner market for some Gatorade and bananas to combat the inevitable hangovers and made breakfast for everyone.

They all staggered into the dining room in pairs. Only little Walter did not look the worse for wear since even Charlie was uncomfortable from his medical misadventure.

The voices in the room were a low murmur, punctuated by occasional gasps of pain when Walter would let loose with the sort of loud, happy squeal that only toddlers can make.

Mary tried to get him to take a pacifier to keep him involved, which only resulted in more loud noises, this time of protest.

Anne distracted him with goldfish crackers while everyone else helped themselves to the eggs and bacon and toast Anne had set up buffet style on the sideboard.

Photo By GECKO STUDIO

A new loud noise contributed to the discomfort of the group when Louis' phone chirped, and Louis stood up with a triumphant shout. "It's from Freddie!" His hangover forgotten, he read out loud with a happy laugh. "You forgot your bag last night. Do I remember that you live in Brooklyn? I'm going to the aquarium this morning, do you want me to bring it to you?

Leaving soon, I'll need your address."

He did a happy dance around the dining room while the rest of the family moaned and covered their ears. Mrs. Musgrove finally protested. "Can you please keep it down to a dull roar?"

Louis was too busy texting his reply to do more than nod.

While everyone else ate, he paced the room staring at his phone until it chirped again with an answering text. He made another noise to make the room wince. "She's on her way; she'll be here soon!" he crowed.

Anne had a plate full of eggs and bacon and toast but suddenly found she couldn't swallow any of it. She tried some tea.

That wasn't going down too well, either. She sat in her chair, watching her food getting cold, and continued handing goldfish crackers to Walter.

She jumped when the doorbell rang. Henry beat Louis to the door to answer it, and in walked Freddie. "Wentworth Delivery Service!" Louis took the offered bag of lost kitchen paraphernalia; then Henry escorted Freddie into the dining room.

"So, you know my brother and his wife Mary; this is my mom and dad. These are my nephews. Charlie is the one who fell and dislocated his shoulder," Henry jumped in to make the introductions. "And this is Mary's sister Anne."

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BEING IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH A SOLDIER IN MILITARY SERVICE TOOK DEDICATION AND COURAGE, NOT WEAKNESS AND TIMIDITY.

"So this is the brave little fella who took a tumble," Freddie's blue eyes smiled down at the little boy as she held out her left hand so he should shake with the one that wasn't in a sling. "Don't worry; you will be back to climbing things you shouldn't in no time." She looked up, and her eyes met Anne's. It was probably no more than a second, but it felt like an hour. "I think we went to Cornell together."

It was Anne's turn to be casual. "I think you're right.

English class, wasn't it?"

"That sounds right. Small world."

Henry and Louis were getting impatient with not having Freddie's undivided attention. "So you're going to the aquarium by yourself? You want company?"

Freddie smiled, and Anne thought that everyone in the room had stopped breathing. Freddie could have been a fashion model instead of a pilot if she had wanted. "I'd love the company. My sister and brother-in-law were busy today; I told them I could certainly entertain myself. I've never been to the aquarium."

table full of dirty dishes and the sideboard full of brunch remnants alone.

Well, the moment she had dreaded had come and gone, and she didn't have to dread it anymore. They had made eye contact; words had been exchanged.

And she wasn't dead. It hadn't killed her. She thought it would, but it didn't. She crunched on a leftover piece calculating how many years it had been since they had stood together in the same room.

She had graduated in 2001, so it must have been 1999. Almost eight years. How can this possibly hurt so much when there were almost eight years between their breakup and today?

She remembered the bright blue eyes boring into hers in those few awful and precious seconds. She was still the same beautiful, driven, brilliant woman she'd fallen in love with. Then she remembered the way she received Henry and Louis' attentions, and part of her had to wonder. Had the military changed her, forced her back into the closet? She might be willing to pretend to be something she was not for the sake of her career.

It was a relief when Charles and Mary and the boys got home from their walk. It was hard to hear herself think with their four voices filling the air.

It was less of relief late that afternoon when Henry and Louis got home from the aquarium, full of news of everything they did and everything she said. "We tried to get her to come back here with us, but she already had plans. She did agree to take a rain check, so we'll get to see her again soon. She thought we could meet her in Manhattan."

Anne understood the conversation completely: Freddie was avoiding her. "Maybe it's just as well; you don't want to monopolize TOO much of her time."

"Well, then, let's go!" There was a flurry of activity while Henry and Louis grabbed coats, then the three of them were out the door.

"Oh, yeah, we asked her what you were like in college," Henry amended the earlier narrative. "We were hoping maybe you had some wild, embarrassing adventures when you were young."

After they left, the rest of the party finished their coffee and tea and the last of the Gatorade. Charles and Mary decided to take a walk in Prospect Park, and Mr. and Mrs. Musgrove excused themselves with errands they needed to get done. So Anne faced the

"She said she didn't know you that well; you only had a couple of classes together," Louis added. "But she did say she barely recognized you; you've gained so much weight since then. Were you a lot skinnier when you were in school?"

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Anne felt her face growing hot. "Yeah, I didn't stop with the Freshman Fifteen, I'm afraid. There used to be a lot less of me." She excused herself from the room.

Alone in her room, she stared at her reflection, watching the tears as they traveled one by one down her face, playing the words over and over again in her head. "She barely recognized you; you've gained so much weight since then."

The gradual move from one size up to the next had never bothered her. She hadn't cared about her appearance. Her father and sister had pestered her, tried to nag, shame, and cajole her into joining them at the gym. The more they criticized her, the less she cared.

Now, for the first time in eight years, she really looked at herself in the mirror. And she didn't like what she saw.

It wasn't the weight and her appearance. It was what the weight stood for. Back when she fell in love with Freddie, she had liked herself. She was fine with her a ppearance, even though she didn't obsess over it the way that her father and Elizabeth did. But she used to take better care of herself. In college, she used to swim three times a week, and she would take her homework to the fitness center and ride the exercise bike while she read.

When she and Freddie were together, they would both eat salads at lunch together in the cafeteria. Now, if she was honest with herself, she hardly ate anything green.

She'd stopped caring after that awful day when Freddie had walked away from her.

She wondered if Freddie had said the words out of spite, calculating that Henry and Louis would repeat them to her, or they were merely said honestly, not thinking that they might get repeated back to her. She could only assume that Freddie expected the hurtful words to reach her ears. Freddie had not forgiven her.

Well, could she blame her? Her feebleness of character, her inability to stand by her loved one in the face of adversity, wasn't something Freddie would respect. Being in a relationship with a soldier in military service took dedication and courage, not weakness and timidity.

Anne couldn't blame her for being hurt, even disgusted.

She was not worthy of the love Freddie had offered her.

The eyes that looked back at her in the mirror confirmed what she already knew. She had to change. It was too late with Freddie, but she wanted her self-respect back.

Jeanette Watts is a writer, adjunct professor, dance instructor, tailor, actor, and history buff.

She graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Madison with a bachelor's degree in English & Communication Arts, Radio/Television/Film, and from the University of Southern California, with a master's degree in the School of Cinema, Critical Studies.

She is the founder of the Terpsichorean Delights Dance Assembly, Queen City Vintage Dance, Madame Gigi's Outrageous French Cancan Dancers, Hard Core Vintage Dance, and Raks Devi, a member of the Charlotte Writer's Club and the Atlanta Writer's Club. Watts is an avid customer, has worked with museums in Dayton, OH, and Charlotte, NC, and regularly appears in costume at book signings and events.

For more about the author or her books, please visit http://www.jeanettewatts.com.

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Spiritual Growth Checkpoint:

MEDITATING WITH INTENT,

DIRECT CONTACT WITH OUR HIGHER SELF, AND MESSAGES FROM MY GUIDES

By Sherri Cortland, ND 66 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e FEBRUARY 2022

M

y Guides are continually channeling information about our Higher Self. They are very clear that our Higher Self is our best source for guidance and information, and they reach out via synchronicity, repeating numbers, and even repeating song lyrics. Receiving messages from our Guides and Higher Self in these ways is great, but Spirit would much rather converse with us, not have a one-sided conversation where they hope we recognize and understand the message being communicated.

All of us deserve direct communication with Spirit, and over the years, my Guides have channeled a lot of advice and meditations to help us achieve this kind of connection. One of the things they talk about and continually build upon is practicing intent during meditation to receive messages from Spirit and/or our Higher Self. It’s not hard to do, and getting started just takes a little bit of determination, focus, and practice… · As you sit down to meditate, state clearly that you intend to communicate with your Higher Self or Guide. · Next, state verbally or mentally your intent (goal) for the session. · Then breathe, clear your mind, and listen. · If you receive a message for which you need clarification, ask for it.

As with most things in life, practice makes perfect, and so does trusting what comes through. A great way to develop trust in yourself is to keep a journal of the messages you receive while you’re meditating with intent.

Keeping a journal will help you build confidence and provide you with a written record of the messages you receive. To help motivate you to give meditating with intent a try, here are channeled messages from three of my Guides about the importance of receiving messages from our Higher Self: From Akhnanda: “Dear ones, so often you seek help and wisdom from each other, through books, and from other sources that you trust. Why not trust yourself?

Lest you forget or have not yet remembered, you are a Creator in your own right, as you are most certainly part of the Creator/Source/God. Even so, when incarnated and blind to who you are, it makes sense to seek guidance. Your Higher Self knows who you are and understands exactly what it is that you have set out to accomplish during this lifetime. You are eternally connected to your Higher Self, and your Higher Self is the cradle of wisdom for you when you are incarnated.

Seek help and wisdom from your Higher Self. Do so by going within. Go within by sitting in silence. Gather wisdom and direction by listening to guidance that will flow. Go in peace.”

From Gilbert: “Are you aware of who you are? I know you think you know who you are, but let us reveal to you an important universal truth: You and I are both the same. We are both parts of the source, and right now, you are also an emissary of the source here is Earth. At this time, you are incarnated in order to have experiences and learn things you want to learn, and this information is being reported back to the source via your Higher Self so that the source can grow along with you. In this way, you have three distinct missions right now: (1) You represent source; (2) You are incarnated to learn and grow for the benefit of your own distinct soul; and (3) You are here to help the human race continue to raise overall vibrations and evolve. So you see, who you are is extremely important and not to be taken lightly.

In all of your actions, remember who you are, and you will make the best choices possible. Go in peace.”

From Sunna: “As you know, my area of expertise is the Higher Self, and today I would like to remind everyone that not only are you each part of God/Creator/Source, you are also part of your Higher Self. The Higher Self appears separate when one is in body, but all souls are continually connected to this entity that is, well, YOU. There is no better guide to be received than that which comes from your Higher Self, yet there appears to be a trust issue when it comes to paying attention to the valuable information one receives from this font of wisdom. Is this because the guidance is given internally?

Is this because it comes from within? It is time to trust yourself and trust the guidance that comes from within.

Go in peace.”

Are you ready for direct communication with your Higher Self and Guides? Of course, you are, and you certainly deserve it! Sit quietly for five minutes right now—you’ll be glad you did.

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.www.Sherri-Cortland.com https://www.facebook.com/ChanneledGuidance 67 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e FEBRUARY 2022

Enjoy a Home Spa-Day With Products Straight From the Farm

Images of lavender fields alone are enough to bring soothing comfort to our senses. Why stop there?

Hereward Farms takes lavender grown on its Ontario farm and creates small batches of pure luxury products that accent your natural scent (not like grandma’s overpowering aromas!). These selfcare items are intentionally made to improve your skin and its texture.

The small family-owned brand has all the products needed to indulge in a full spa day at home with lavender-infused oil products. Everything is single-handedly planted, grown, and produced on the farm. The family has been farming in this area for over five generations. In 2021, they planted over 4,000 lavender plants to make their highly popular spa-quality lavender products.

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These skin-benefiting products use the finest ingredients expertly blended with lavender that are 100% natural, non-GMO, and cruelty-free with no additives, pesticides, or chemicals.

See what lavender can do for your skin this fall and winter season.

Lavish Infused Lavender & Sunflower Oil Face Serum • Pure lavender-infused with sunflower oil creates a soothing combination to ease skin • The base of this product is sunflower oil which is extremely high in Vitamin E, known to be a very efficient skin antioxidant • It hydrates all skin types and can be directly applied to the skin as it absorbs fast and has a light touch • Use on the face and body to help moisturize dry skin • Rich in beta-carotene • Price: $19.23 USD (1 oz.)

Ravish Infused Lavender & Sweet Almond Body Oil • Pure lavender-infused sweet almond oil and grapeseed oil creates a soothing combination to ease skin and hair • The base of this product is sweet almond oil and grapeseed oil, which is high in Vitamins A, B, D, and E, known to be a very efficient moisturizing agent • Sweet almond oil has a smooth texture similar to that of coconut oil • Helps balance oily skin while nourishing dry skin • Use this oil for your body • Price: $25.63 USD

Wellness Bundle • The perfect gift for someone that needs a break - or even for you!

• A carefully curated bundle with wellness and self-love in mind.

• This care package includes: • Ravish Infused Lavender + Sweet Almond Body Oil or Ravish Infused Lavender + Sunflower Body Oil • Soaked Bath Salts • Pucker Up Lip Balm • Balanced Facial Toner • Lavish Infused Lavender + Sweet Almond Face Serum, or Lavish Infused Lavender + Sunflower Face Serum • Wicked Candle • Price: $92.12 USD Hereward Farms is a small family-owned lavender farm in Ontario in the Hamlet of Hereward.

The family handcrafts spa-quality infused lavender oil products for allnatural skincare. Everything is planted, grown, and produced on the farm.

Follow them on Instagram @herewardfarms.

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THE LONGING, THE LOVE AFFAIR, SEEKING THE PEARL OF THE DEEP SEA

By Jayita Bhattacharjee

S

eek the longing, not the river, for it is the thirst that will carry you. Thus, you will not be bewildered in the dense wilderness, for it will be your burning flame, in the thick of a night.

On a mystic journey of life, we are spiritual beings streaming the whispers, singing in the deepest of deeps. We are the hands of compassion on afflicted souls drooping in spirit, the morning glory in bloom. And deep inside, we carry a pilgrim’s soul, longing to delve into the mystery of unseen, for whose hands lie behind the gilded sunrise. Unknowingly, we are led to unlatch the gateways to a tender spring, from where love and bliss cascade. Embracing this truth, you will be compelled to believe in a divine spark that ignites the deepest deeps as you trudge through the barren plains of life.

You who are born with a divine purpose will light up this world with an undying luminosity. To find a spring of joy is to meet your sacred space with humility so unashamed that yours’ becomes a life overflowing with abundance, as your eyes are lighted with the mystic longing. As the thirst descends your soul, it becomes an annoying quest, burning your eyes with a joy that dims every earthly desire. It is the elixir of living.

It will be the bejeweled truth of your innate divinity. Along the way, you will be reborn with a gilded sunrise, whose effulgence will erase the dark of winter. Your soul will behold the eternal mesmerism, for you will be transformed to an enchantress.

Thus is unveiled the broken mystery in light.

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The awakening will undulate through your body, mind, and spirit, glimmering in the darkness of ignorance. Eventually, you will love yourself, for you are the manifestation of God, seeded with splendor.

Recognize the indwelling divine spark, for it will be beholding through the pilgrim’s eye.

The mystic thirst is a longing to belong in this immense universe with a delight that can no longer be contained. Your spirit is transformed in this trance, in finding a meaningful purpose, as you seek the answers to unresolved questions. Traveling through stillness, practicing silence, you hunger to meet that which is godly. You carve your way, led by an immense thirsting, and this thirst will become the light of your soul.

Seeking and thirsting seem to blend in unison, and a holy dance arouses your soul, unfolding seeds of possibilities. As the mystic walks along the path in the light of truth and it will alchemize you, where every vision will arise from the search of a self. You will be transformed into a sacramental soul. In spiritual enlightenment, you venture into the sacred journey, as you hear its holy hum…begin again, for this is the walk among the pathless woods of life.

You witness the signatures of a heavenly spirit that quench your hungry soul seeking mystic pleasure.

That urges the spiritual unfolding from a seed to a flower, and in the process of spiritual evolution, you arise, rich and ripe. You sense your fragrance as the light enters you, lifting you from bewilderment, and you learn to drink the sweetest nectar of living. This drunkenness comes from a heavenly tavern. An intoxicated being, you learn to hold the mesmerism from morn to the eve for unceasing is its glow. Eventually, it becomes your fount of light. Let this be the deepest prayer to bring you in intimacy with God. For that is togetherness wrapped in the choicest blessing.

The longing pulls you to feel the weaving of the beauteous wonders hidden in this universe, but your thirst reveals them in a mesmeric light; As you embrace the sacred beauty with outstretched arms, you find your spring of joy, you unfold your coiled deeps, and a heavenliness descends down your soul. You enable yourself to absorb the sacramental message of consciousness that is wafting in the breeze by sensing your essence. Breathing in its smell, you exhale what held you back. As from your heart, something flows like the primordial wine filling all the kindred ones with your dripping tenderness. Finding the doorway to healing, you plunge in peace, deep inside your deeps.

As you unlatch the doorway to this eternal paradise, you dive deeper, drowning your illusion, for this is the sea of peace. And the healing begins as the spirit 72 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e FEBRUARY 2022

in you meets God, and the wayfarer in you finds the fount of healing waters, for it has the unceasing flow, peering into the blinding darkness, seeing beyond the unseen, thinking beyond the realm of thinking, a clarity penetrates the deepest depths of you. And you stand beneath the abundance, its blessings that burn your every worldly desire, for to enter that trance is to step into the otherworldly.

This is where fears commingle with love, and chaos turns to harmony. They are transformed to create euphoric drunkenness. This longing comes with magnificent grandeur. Your heart is driven to come to the brink of ocean, to search beneath its waters with the eyes of light, for there lies the pearl of all pearls, the gem of gems. In this longing emerges a blessed love affair with God, for it is in sensing him that you go through a spiritual where stillness speaks to your soul. This transformation is your autobiography, as the pearl is of the oyster. This longing is the circumstance of your conception. Plunge in this awakening, as in this plunging begins your rising.

Embracing that wealth leads you to the doorway of a shrine. Your life becomes the journey of a pilgrim, the remaining in ecstasy along the way. It is then that the longing heightens your senses, and you tremble, unable to contain yourself, as the rain-laden clouds break down for no longer they can contain. So, you too bow in surrender, in the transformation in your deeps, plunged in such madness, your life becomes a song of the soul, where every lyric is born out of thirst.

Your song is in the godliness as you have seen God in your soul!

While walking, you left your footprints on the rugged shores of life, unwearied and untiring in search of a self. But the glory of light bathed your deeps, liberating you in a heavenly splendor! From that moment onwards, you celebrate life as a mystic seer. Every moment unfolds like a fount of living wonders.

This is a celebration as you are shaken in your deeps, for this is drunkenness in an utter sacredness. You remain still without speaking while deep-seated inside, as deeper becomes the meaning of life for you who could not grasp the mystery of it, now plunge in delight and drown your woes. You learn to remain calm, as your soul is directed by the light. Outside the monotonous landscape of life, you hear the call that penetrates through the open windows of your soul.

Turning away from the somber gloom, you recapture the charisma, the enchantment that falls from the lips of heaven. In the middle of the barren plains, you are filled again with fragrant wonders. And the prose of your life then begins as your eyes catch hold of the gilded landscape, freshly revealed.

The longing pulls you to feel the weaving of the beauteous wonders hidden in this universe, but your thirst reveals them in a mesmeric light; As you embrace the sacred beauty with outstretched arms, you find your spring of joy, you unfold your coiled deeps, and a heavenliness descends down your soul You celebrate this life as a divine festival with a spirit of exaltation! This longing throbs with God deep inside of you as it kindles a thousand lamps flickering inside. You breathe as a spirit of light in the wounded splits of your deeps. You burst forth your true angelic being, awakened in a lotus smile.

As you open your ears to the music of this joy, the orchestra plays the songs of universal oneness, and you find the harmony, silently playing the lute-strings of your deeps. In this longing, you mingle with the divine, for this is the true pathway to liberation. And freedom is found by your soul bird. This realization strikes you as you step in further and further into the heart of silence. This is the moment when stillness creates music to your ears.

You find your peace in this stillness within and know the nectarine joy of living in this longing, the search of light in whatever you behold along your way. The thirst pulls you into the search of this ageless delight, and thus the pearl shyly breaks out of the oyster.

This thirst makes you expansive, and you dance on the laughing meadows of gold. It stirs the ocean of your heart, bringing a delirious joy. As you loosen the knots of illusion, you gaze deep inside, through a penetrating vision, finding yourself caught in eternal mesmerism. Let us have the vision that captures the vista of eternity, which glimmers with the vision of ageless beauty.

Cutting through the chill of dark times, you stepped into the spark of an eternal gem, and every curse turned to a blessing. The realization strikes you that you are a mere sojourner, and every woe is burned in the sacred flames, and thus you keep moving by the drunken pull of a search, for you hear the roar of waves. They hold something for you in the deep seabed.

For what holds an eternal gleam can never be found in shallow waters. You may have walked through the bitter frost, but you are not lost as the longing lit the lamp on frosty nights. Your search pressured you to light the eyes of your heart, and thus you see the pearl of all pearls, bearing an eternal luster. You who mourned for a loss now find a blessing in the mouth of the curse.

Let this lamp of longing burn brightly in the temple of your heart, for in its light, you have this intoxicating laughter like the sound of your soul. For you, the vision is inscribed in eternity, as your soul has ripened in a thirsting, taking you to the pearl of pearls. In love, you are with God as godliness falls on your deeps, for there you are at the altar of your inner shrine!

You woke up to God gleaming within you. Let the peace-laden light flooding your soul be the light that you need to walk by. Heaven and earth mingle in a delight that knows no bounds, as you live with this longing, and with your arms flung open, you engulf every agony with ecstasy. Diving deep beneath the currents whirling inside, you behold the treasures long yearned for, the pearl of deep-sea waters. And you become enamored of the gem that the diver in you brings to light. Thus you sign the autobiography of your soul.

Jayita Bhattacharjee was born in Calcutta, India and later on pursued education from University of Houston in Economics, she had chosen her career as a trustee and teacher. Her Indian residence is in the vicinity of the famous Belurmath. Currently, she is settled in Tampa, Florida. Her love for writing on a journey of heart and soul was hidden all within. Looking at the moments captured in love and pain, joy and grief, the hidden tragedies of life...it was a calling of her soul to write.

Her books "The Ecstatic Dance of Life', " Sacred Sanctuary", " Light of Consciousness", "Dewdrops of Compassion" are meant to shed light on what guides a person to respond to the mystical voice hidden inside, to soar in a boundless expansion with the limitless freedom of spirit."It is in the deepest joy that I write with every breath of mine."

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RECLAMING YOUR TRUE SELF

Photo by ZOLTAN TASIT

By Angela Dunning

Letting

"We are all meant to shine, as children do. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." Marianne Williamson A while back, I woke up one morning with a gentle rendition of this song: "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine" in my head. Over the years, I've learned to pay attention to which song is in my head on waking, particularly if it's not something I've listened to recently. I recognize these as direct messages from my unconscious psyche, and often they hold a very healing and pertinent piece of information in their title or lyrics. As I hadn't heard this particular little song for many years, I wondered where it had come from? And why was it playing in my head now? I looked it up and found that it was written in the 1920s for children to teach them about Jesus and that it also became a popular gospel song.

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The fact that it is essentially a children’s song gave me by far my biggest clue. At that time, I had been deeply immersed in psychotherapy and was particularly working on my earliest childhood experiences and how, what happened then, still hugely influenced how I think, feel and live my life now as a 50-year-old woman. So it made sense that such a song should come up at that point. It also touched me deeply and moved me to tears.

The other aspect to this and the main connection for me was around exactly what that line in the song was stating: That I am going to let my light shine. This is because I tend to hide my light due to fear of reprisal, and as a result, my life is often very limited.

This situation had gotten much worse over the past few years, hence why I was back in therapy. However, this beautiful, gentle song brought tears to my eyes that morning as I felt it touch me deep inside the very core of my soul—tears of sadness for so much unlived life and potential. Tears for the inadequate upbringing I had which dramatically failed to provide me with the support and affirmation that I even had a light, let alone helping me find ways to let it shine in the world. In fact, at times, my mother actively tried to prevent me from doing such a thing.

All ambition was forbidden lest it cast a shadow over her own unlived life and insecurities. Therefore, to this day, I keep my light well sheltered, dimly lit, and as inconspicuous as possible. I also feel tremendous stress, anxiety, and guilt whenever I DO try to let my gifts be visible to the world. So it is a constant challenge to find the right balance of just enough shining to feel safe, but not too little that I fade into the background completely and thus, dim my own inner soul-light.

We can let our light shine in many ways, including seemingly very small ones. We can remove the pressure from ourselves to be outstanding in our field or to be wealthy, popular, or famous. Instead, we can recognize that simply doing small acts of kindness are powerful and valuable ways to shine. We can do any small thing each day that lets us use our innate gifts, whether this is through rescuing a shelter dog or cat and caring for them, being present with our

children, being kind to an elderly neighbor, or caring for our aging parent or grandparent. We don't have to be a super-woman or man; we don't have to be rich and successful. Rather, we can find the right way to bring a little of our light out into the world each day.

As Clarissa Pinkola Estés says: "Ours is not the task of fixing the entire world all at once, but of stretching out to mend the part of the world that is within our reach.

Any small, calm thing that one soul can do to help another soul, to assist some portion of this poor suffering world, will help immensely."

We all have a light; as Marianne Williamson says, each child is born with divine light, and we can see this most clearly of all when we look at the faces of newborn babies. Their light moves us profoundly as it reminds us that we once also had such a pure, bright light and were born to shine.

THAT's why we are here: We ARE born to shine in whatever way is our way.

Letting our light shine is a vital part of what it is to be a human being alive. It is the inner energy that fuels us, and it is the energy source that enables us to contribute during our lifetime. No act of light shining is ever too little or insignificant. So let your light cast its beauty in your little corner of the world right now, and know that whatever happens or has happened to you, your little light is gonna shine if you let it.

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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The Healthstyle Emporium Sasha Gary

STEP TO

MAINTAINING

Photo by DEAGREEZ/ADOBE STOCK

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HEALTH

M

aintaining a positive mental balance for your mental health is a great way to prioritize yourself. There has been a trend in mental health apps, meditations, and companies that have shifted towards the most significant health crisis we've had during the pandemic. Focusing on your mental health is one of the best things you can continue to do for yourself and your family. Being your day in meditation or prayer helps you to connect to your inner being. It will bring you more focus and a positive mental attitude.

a stronger immune system and boost your ability to fight dis-ease.

A positive mental attitude will help you look at everything differently. Your attitude affects everyone around you. As we are all being affected by life in different ways, if you choose to focus on the good things, more good things will happen. If you believe it is good in everything and life is always happening for you. Then even when there are lessons to be learned, it's always a positive outcome. One of my favorite mantras I recite is Everything Is Always Working Out For Me by Abraham Hicks; another one is Life Is Happening For Me by Tony Robbins. Guess what? When I recite these mantras during difficult times, it always works out for my highest good!

You can prioritize your mental health by taking care of your body, stopping comparing yourself to others, and treating yourself with kindness, love, and respect.

As a Cancerian woman, it's vital for me to feel like my feelings. You should do it too! Don't hold back, cry, beat up your pillow, scream into your pillow and let it go. You will feel so good after. Just don't dwell in it!

Envision a positive future. See yourself living the life you've always desired. You can achieve a positive outlook on your life. Keep dreaming because dreams come true if you work towards them.

Having a regular exercise routine boosts natural endorphins in the brain. Getting a good night's sleep is so important. It regulates your circadian rhythm. The brain can function properly without enough sleep, so count your sheep.

When you have a positive mental attitude, you attract more positive people into your life as well. You will begin to notice the negative people slip away. Like attracts like.

Whenever I would volunteer with the kids in the school, I would teach them screenwriting and make movies with Youngstorytellers. It would take all focus off of me and my focus when to the kids. Whatever mini catastrophe I was having in my life was minuscule.

I would listen to the kids talk hear their imaginations of the stories they were creating, and it would make me laugh, keep me in suspense, keep me in wonderment.

You are cultivating an attitude of gratitude! Every morning, start your day by counting your blessings.

Every little blessing! It's the best daily practice you can begin for yourself. Even before bed at night, you can write down three things that you are grateful for! You feel good doing it and being appreciative of life.

When you give back to others and stop making everything about you, you take the focus off of your own problems. Give more! Not just monetary, get out there and help other people. Life has a great way of balancing everything out. Humankind and connection will uplift and inspire everyone involved.

I don't advocate faking it till you make it. When you want to change your energetic state when you're not feeling positive, the best way to shift your perspective is to change your physiology, as Toby Robbins talks about. That means moving your body, flowing energy, cultivating your gratitude, breathing deep. You can do this at any time throughout your day, especially before meeting with other people, whether that is before work, a meeting, or a date.

I am wishing you an inspired, positive year ahead!

The challenges throughout life will always be there.

The challenges are what makes us better person. It's the journey of life. If you can have a way to make things a little easier as you go through life and you become more in the flow of life, it will feel easier.

You will feel less stressed, and stress leads to dis-ease.

If you have a positive mental attitude, you will have

Sasha Gary is Gratitude Life Coach. actress, and writerin The Healthstyle Emporium www. theHSE.net. at is a 16 week online health program for women that shows you how to implement small sustainable changes one by one to help you with whole food nutrition, self-love and a conscious movement.

Sasha is a yogi of 25 years, a crystal healer, and an avid sound bowl meditation participant and lives in Venice California!

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ENTERING THE FOREIGN COUNTRY OF GRIEF:

REFLECTIONS ON THE DEATH OF A PARENT

Photo by ALLIANCE

By Caroline Pearce and Carol Komaromy

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eath is universal, and everybody's business, yet much remains hidden about how it feels to experience the death of someone close. In our recent edited collection Narratives of parental death, dying and bereavement, we invited academics who have spent their careers researching death, dying, and bereavement to share their experiences of parental death and take the reader behind the scenes of academic theory and expertise to highlight how death has impacted their personal lives. The individual descriptions of death and grief contained in the book capture the everyday practicalities of managing the death and dying of a parent, including the difficulties of caring responsibilities and the realities of dealing with occasional tensions and ambiguities in family relationships.

Grief is an individual experience and a social one informed by societal perceptions of the timeliness of death and the significance of a relationship. The death of an elderly parent is often perceived as an expected part of the natural life course. Yet the accounts in our book attest to the claim that midlife experiences of parental loss are no exception to the social complexities of grief. Indeed, as those living in western societies increasingly have their first experience of bereavement later in life, people may feel just as unprepared as at any other stage in the life course. Though it is it anticipated and expected, the death of a parent can present unique existential and ontological dilemmas and questions as it removes the buffer against death.

In this extract from the book, the eminent bereavement scholar and psychiatrist Colin Murray Parkes recounts his experience of the sudden death of his father and reflects on the 'lessons' this experience provided him both personally and professionally: My parent's house, old stables converted into a bungalow, with fine views across the Hertfordshire countryside to Shenley, was half an hour by car from Chorleywood. I drove there in a bewildered state of mind. I was trying to make sense of the news.

Dad, aged 68, was a semi-retired lawyer. He had been working, visiting his office in New Barnet, three days a week. A large and formerly athletic man, he had suffered from osteoarthritis, and it had been hard and painful for him to carry so heavy a body on his aging, arthritic hips. In addition, he had had cancer of the bowel, which, though successfully removed along with his rectum, had left him with a colostomy, an opening in his abdominal wall, through which the contents of his colon passed

into a plastic bag. His body had become a burden to himself and to my mother. This said, there was no reason for him to die. He took capsules for blood pressure, but nobody had suggested that his life might be at risk. It didn't make sense.

When I arrived, it was to find a group of neighbors standing in the driveway. The doctor had been and gone, and mother had shut herself in the house and would not open the door. I rang, knocked, and called out,'It's Colin, Mum .'The door opened, my mother looked out, shrunken and grey.

'I'm sorry you've come. (Pause) You'll take me away from him.

'No, I won't.' I said, 'I want to be with him too.'

My father lay on his side, on the floor by the bed, a very solid presence, in his pajamas and dressing gown. There was a cut on his brow where he had fallen, but it was not bleeding. I reached out and touched his brow, remembering how often he had proudly carried me on those shoulders, and I had clutched him around the head, equally proud. My tears came as I knelt, then lay on the floor and held him. I felt my mother's arm on mine. She was lying, on his other side, on the floor, the three of us, together, for the last time, ever.

After a long time, there was a ring at the door. The GP had returned with the death certificate. Mother sighed, 'I suppose we must leave him now. She went to make a cup of tea while the GP and I hauled him into bed and washed traces of blood from his face. By the time we had finished, his body had looked clean and tidy, but something had gone; he was not there anymore. My mother nor I needed to spend more time with him. It seemed that the time we had spent on the floor had made it easier for both of us to let go of him. This was lesson number one.

We sat on the sofa in the living room with the GP, all three of us weeping quietly together. Dad and the GP had been friends for many years, and I felt warmed by this evidence of the doctor's genuine affection. He had seen my father during the preceding week and told him that his blood pressure was much too high. It seemed that this hypertension had caused a massive stroke; some blood vessel in his brain had burst and disrupted that delicate structure. Dad must have tried to get out of bed before he fell forward and struck his head. The fact that there was little blood indicated that his heart had stopped; he had died very rapidly.

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My experience of hospice had taught me not to be afraid to cry, but any embarrassment I might have felt was dispelled by this GP's sharing of his own grief.

I was dreading having to break the news to my extended family and friends. I found it difficult to organize my thoughts. Images of Dad lying inert on the floor, and the sight of his pallid face, swam in my memory and interrupted my ability to think clearly.

The first person I phoned was my brother Roger, he answered at once, but I found myself unable to find words, 'What is it, Col?' he asked, alarmed. At last, I stammered out some kind of explanation, and soon both of us were crying together.

The second call, to Patricia, was slightly easier, I began to get the words in order, and the sound of her gentle voice comforted me. After that, I phoned the children, then started on Dad's friends, family and others.

Before long, I had the story pat and had calmed down enough to comfort them. By the tenth call, I realised that I had stopped feeling. From then on, although I continued to miss my Dad, I was able to acknowledge the full reality of his death.

Sudden, unexpected deaths are a common cause of PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) which can now be treated by EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprogramming). This is a complex method that focuses attention on the most painful traumatic memory that is repeated again and again until it gradually diminishes. It seems that my ten telephone calls may have had the same influence. Even the most horrific memories get organised; they may even get boring if repeated again and again. That was lesson number two.

It seems ungrateful to say so, but the sympathy I received from my colleagues and friends over the next few weeks was hard to accept. I was repeatedly reminded that I had changed from the consultant and expert on bereavement to the recipient of care and concern; the grief doctor had become a grief patient.

I was touched by their kindness but unsettled by it.

Did I need a shoulder to cry on? No, I already had that and had made good use of it. Did I need someone to talk to? I did not think so, although, with hindsight, it has taken writing an auto-biography to help me to review the importance of my father in my life. My discomfort arose from a vague feeling that I had lost status. At the same time, the place I was in felt unfamiliar. I became aware that grief is a foreign country.

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ing people an object of study and care, we subtlety downgrade them in status from person to object and from equals to subordinates. I was now in a different world and wondering if I could get back to the old one. I do think that we need to recognise and respect the gap that exists between our patients and ourselves and be careful not to misuse our status. This was lesson number three.

On becoming a bereaved person, one's subjective experience that feels so individual and unique is opened up to the generalising effects of bereavement theories that explain grief as a linear process of stages. Becoming generalised, an object rather than a person can feel belittling as Colin identifies in his account, contemplating that as one of the bereaved, he now inhabited a 'different world'. Entering the foreign country of grief, one enters a new but formless sense of identity as bereaved person, and in the case of parental death, as an orphan.

For Colin Murray Parkes, sympathy from colleagues reminded him that his external identity had changed from 'the expert on bereavement' to a 'grief patient .'When a parent dies, one is faced with trying to understand the role that parent played in constructing one's own sense of identity. As children, we embody our parents through physical resemblances, along with other cultural and social characteristics. Through this process of understanding one's inheritance, the authors of our edited collection also seek to make sense of who their parents were. Parents and what we inherit from them are deeply intertwined into who we are and what we become – whether our parents are present or absent. Our story is their story and vice versa.

Narratives of Parental Death, Dying and Bereavement: A Kind of Haunting by Caroline Pearce and Carol Komaromy (Palgrave Macmillan) is out now'.

Caroline Pearce is a Visiting Researcher at the Palliative and End of Life Care Group, University of Cambridge, UK. Carol Komaromy is a medical sociologist who has worked extensively in both NHS clinical practice and academia. She served as co-editor of the journal Mortality and was a founding member of the Association of Death and Society. Carol has retired from full-time work but is an honorary associate of The Open University, UK.

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WHAT ARE

ARCHETYPES?

By Carmen Harra & Alexandra Harra

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hroughout history, we’ve tried to classify people into different groups according to their personalities in an attempt to understand “why they do the things they do.” This is the basis for all psychology. Why does one person lie and another tell the truth? Why does one person cheat and another remain faithful?

The word archetype comes from the Greek archein, meaning “original,” and typos, meaning “pattern.”

So an archetype is an original pattern. In psychology, it’s a pattern of thought present in the human psyche.

The forerunner of prototypes was Plato’s theory of forms, his argument being that all forms (things) on Earth draw their origins from perfect forms in the realm of ideas. According to this theory, the patterns we perceive in our world are merely representations of a perfect pattern on some higher plane of existence.

Carl Jung was inspired by Plato’s forms and applied the concept to human psychology. Jung believed that universal patterns reside within the depths of our consciousness and surface in the form of beliefs, fears, wishes, and so on. He identified three basic human motivations—the Ego, the Self, and the Soul—containing four archetypes each. The ego is made up of the Innocent, the Orphan, the Hero, and The Caregiver. The Soul is comprised of the Explorer, the Rebel, the Lover, and the Creator.

The Self is represented through the Jester, the Sage, the Magician, and the Ruler. Each of these twelve archetypes is the human incarnation of an ideal form. We share the Jungian belief that archetypes are manifestations of the collective consciousness which we experience throughout life.

“What is the evidence that archetypes exist?” you might ask. Well, one way we know archetypes exist is our very own evolution. Humans derive from an original mold of their kind. If we analyze the forces that drive us, we will see that they’re mutual throughout the human race: we run on the same thread. We all strive for ideals of love, liberty, and happiness, among others. We know an archetype for the concept of love exists because love is ingrained in us, even if it’s intangible or has innumerable definitions. We continue to draw on cosmic consciousness—thinking, feeling, and doing the same things that have existed since the dawn of time. Archetypes are nestled within the very roots of our nature. We cannot change them; we can

only change how we relate to them as we expand our understanding.

The theory of archetypes can be well applied to relationships. The ways in which we relate (or don’t relate) to another person also emerge from our subconscious. We have witnessed this truth for many years, working as psychologists and intuitive counselors and hearing every type of love scenario imaginable. We’ve worked with women who desperately desired the emotionally unavailable man, women who sought to escape the overwhelming man, couples that fell out of love then back in love, and men who realized they had been living a lie and actually loved other men. You name it, we’ve heard it.

In listening to tens of thousands of cases over time, something interesting happened: we noticed that the same types of people kept cropping up—people unrelated to each other but displaying almost identical qualities and comportment. As soon as a client started describing the man she was dating, we could almost finish her sentence because we knew what came next based on the archetype she was describing.

We began to comprehend that personality traits descend from archetypes and that a person’s behavior is steered by his higher design. We noted that people come with characteristics similar to how a person with red hair also has freckles or a person with dark skin usually has dark eyes. For example, someone who is predisposed to introversion is also likely to have issues with communication and trust. We also realized that while we inherit much of our personality, it’s not fully formed until we pass through experiences that solidify who we are. No one is born narcissistic or too independent, addicted to his work or to the idea of love, emotionally reserved or wounded. But the likelihood of becoming introverted will be exacerbated if that person is bullied in school, not shown enough love at home, or rejected by a lover.

We believe a person’s archetype is encoded in his genes, even if it’s not physically apparent. It continues to develop through his early relationship with his family and incipient awareness of his sexuality.

The latter is dependent on the former: a person’s relationship with his family during his youth sets the groundwork for his relationship with his sexuality as he enters adulthood. A mother’s or father’s parenting style will impact the child for life, long after moving out of the house.

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A few years ago, someone advised Alexandra to write a book for young women to recognize Mr. Right from Mr. Wrong. We realized it’s not quite that easy when we talked about this.

While it’s true that some partners are just plain wrong for us, most human beings are far more complex than we can imagine. Our characters aren’t black or white, good or bad; we are a symphony of colors. Our personalities are multidimensional. It is, therefore, not our place to tell you that the archetype you’re dating or would like to date is right or wrong for you. We’re here to provide insight into what you can expect. The value of the seven archetypes we’ve identified is that they serve as a predictability chart, laying out all the components of a man’s personality. We present each archetype’s most critical character traits—innate and learned—that influence his relationships positively and negatively.

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE SEVEN ARCHETYPES We continued observing the personas we encountered in our practice, particularly in regard to how they handled love relationships. We began taking notes on our clients’ backgrounds, experiences, and demeanors and eventually developed seven distinct archetypes: The Independent The Workaholic The Narcissist The Free Spirit The Hopeless Romantic The Wounded Warrior The Introvert More specifically, we divided the archetypes into two categories: the “me” archetypes and the “we” archetypes.

The difference between the two is how much the archetype relies on his ego to make decisions in his relationships.

The Independent, the Workaholic, the Narcissist, and the Free Spirit are more ego-driven, while the Hopeless Romantic, the Wounded Warrior, and the Introvert employ their egos less.

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dously. We also provide an analysis of the truly balanced individual, which we call the Well-Rounded One, in comparison to the other archetypes.

Our next two chapters focus on the archetypes within these categories.

Each of the seven archetypes possesses strengths and weaknesses, and each is capable of upholding a relationship so long as he’s willing to work on himself. As stated before, we believe there’s no such thing as a commitment-phobe, but some archetypes adapt to commitment more easily than others: certain attributes lend them a higher susceptibility to attachment and a keener sense of dedication. Other archetypes are more emotionally resistant or have tougher psychological barriers to overcome before they can engage in a healthy relationship. It boils down to what values each archetype must learn or change to cultivate a fulfilling relationship for both partners. For example, the Narcissist needs to learn the value of sacrifice. The Independent needs to learn the value of attachment. The Workaholic needs to learn to prioritize what really matters, the Wounded Warrior needs to heal, and the Free Spirit needs to ground himself in purpose. The Hopeless Romantic needs to be more realistic, while the Introvert needs to open up and trust.

Each archetype needs to unlearn something unhealthy or unhelpful, then learn something new and positive to be in a successful relationship. We don’t want to remain confined to the limitations of our archetype, unable to live up to our commitment goals and to renege on our promises. This causes us much suffering and confusion, not to mention a heck of a lot of trouble for our partner! Our goal is to escape the boundaries of one archetype and become as flexible as possible in our lives and our romances, ready to tackle any challenge. The goal isn’t to achieve perfection but balance.

Carmen Harra is an intuitive psychologist, best-selling author, radio show host and relationship expert. In the past 25 years, she has helped over 40,000 people rediscover peace of mind, reclaim personal power and regain joy. Her clients come from all walks of life, from the lady next door to Hollywood celebrities and eminent politicians.

She’s the author of international best-sellers like Everyday Karma, Decoding Your Destiny; The Eleven Eternal Principles; and Wholeliness, among others. Carmen has hosted call-in shows on Hay House Radio, WOR Radio and WABC Radio.

She currently hosts Miracle Guidance for Everyday Life every Tuesday on OMTimes Radio.

Alexandra Harra is a certified life and relationship coach and author, while also boasting commendable career accomplishments as a writer.She writes regularly for renowned publications such as the Huffington Post and proactively aids her mother's mission to bring joy and love into people's relationships.

Follow the author on her website, www.CarmenHarra.com.

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Who Am I?

By Chakuna Machi Asa

W

ho am I? I spent much of my young life with this haunting question in mind. I was on a quest to understand everything that I could about my journey in life and my place in the world.

I also questioned how can I eventually use this information to benefit others? One cannot actually study the self without studying the system as a whole. It opens the door to other questions about society, religion, and the culture of humanity.

Our self-identity is rooted in three major concepts: • The mental belief systems that we carry.

• The daily rituals that we partake in.

• Our relationships with ourselves and the world.

My self-discovery process opened a doorway into earth-based indigenous traditions and learning how to connect with and honor my own ancestral lineage. I now offer these ancient transmissions of energy through my music, art, and sharing my own life story. My hope is that I can reawaken this authenticity in others. In our modern busy global culture, especially American culture, we are suffering from a huge gap in our connection between ourselves, the earth, and our ancient ancestors. This gap can create severe suffering.

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A human must be deeply rooted in the raw ancient forces emanating from the earth in order to feel safe.

This opens our ability to connect with others.

The world is structured around our collective belief systems. It defines how we act in public and what is okay to do around each other privately, in groups, or even when we are alone. Humans innately need to feel emotionally safe and want to be viewed as “normal.” However, normal is just a collective belief system. This definition varies based on family ideals, cultural trends, social pressures, and religious belief systems. It is important to transcend these pressures within yourself in order to become more deeply connected. You were created as part of the whole to add something unique and special to the collective. The feeling that we are lost or missing something important is just our own longing for self-love and a connection to the earth. How do we really connect well with others without a connection to ourselves? By exploring human nature on a deeply heartfelt level, we begin to release fear-based belief systems that are truly holding us back from a global functional evolution. Our collective belief systems can actually evolve when our personal belief systems evolve.

Our modern human culture often feels like a strong current and, specifically, American culture. If you hold on too tightly to it, you will simply float away and get lost in the collective projection. As a child, I struggled to understand who I was within this busy culture. Over the years, I realized that I was missing my magical connection with the earth, my longing for earth-based ritual, and the ancient teachings from my ancestral lineage. I am 70% Nordic Scandinavian. My great grandparents on my mother’s side were born in Sweden and Finland. They immigrated to the United States in the 1890s. My grandfather spoke fluent Finnish, but the American government insisted that his children learn English and that they assimilate. They wanted our family not to pass down our language. I feel like we lost so much when we lost our languages. I understand now and believe that this was harmful to not only my family but many others as well. Native Americans have been devastated by this force of assimilation. Until more recently, I didn’t realize that this was contributing to me feeling lost. This loss manifested in the deep roots of my own identity.

Now is an important time in America. It is time to

listen to one another, share our stories, and reconnect to our roots. We are the “Melting Pot,” but we are stronger together when we become stronger in our own grounded selves. We must learn to more deeply respect all races, cultures, and traditions or we will be swept away with the modern current through a destructive reflection of our own selves.

Our spiritual and physical daily rituals also define not only our own identity but our current mental reality. If you think about it, the simplest things in life are considered rituals. What we eat, drink, and how much or little we sleep. They all affect our lives in some way. Our daily rituals define who we are to ourselves and who we are to the people around us. We must ask ourselves, how balanced are these rituals? Are they beneficial, harmful, or just plain survival?

There are four main aspects of the self to ritually feed: the physical body, the emotional body, the spiritual body, and the mental body. Over the years, I have discovered a similarity in the earth honoring ritual practices of many different indigenous traditions. Even though our ancestors were spread throughout the entire globe, with no technology to connect them, their ancient rituals are more similar than some of today’s modern religious practices.

If we reconnect to this knowledge, it will help our collective human evolution. We have technologically evolved in so many ways that we must be careful not to lose sight of these important things that root us into a strong mental reality There are four main aspects of the self to ritually feed: the physical body, the emotional body, the spiritual body, and the mental body. Over the years, I have discovered a similarity in the earth honoring ritual practices of many different indigenous traditions. Even though our ancestors were spread throughout the entire globe, with no technology to connect them, their ancient rituals are more similar than some of today’s modern religious practices.

If we reconnect to this knowledge, it will help our collective human evolution. We have technologically evolved in so many ways that we must be careful not to lose sight of these important things that root us into a strong mental reality.

Here are some ways on how you can deepen your own connection to the earth and to yourself.

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Finally, write down as many of your belief systems as you can think of.

What do you believe to be true about you and the world?

What do you believe about why you are alive?

Why were you created?

How do you feel about who you are?

I encourage you to write down all the positive and negative ones. Choose a few things from the list that you feel are holding you back. Search for ways to explore these belief systems.

Make a list of all your daily rituals. Write down everything that you can think of that is a habitual activity. Foods and drinks that you love sleep habits, spiritual practices, emotional habits, coping habits, working habits, etc. Why do you like these habits?

Are they beneficial or harmful in any way? Are they survival or pleasure? Do you have any spiritual rituals?

One of the rituals that I encourage you to explore is making “earth offerings,” which is the act of placing items onto the earth in gratitude for what the spiritual realms and the planet offer to you. You use items such as flower waters, cornmeal, tobacco, herbs, plant butter/oils, flowers, salts, metals, crystals, and other elements. This practice shows up in most ancient traditions, and it teaches us about abundance, purpose, and gifts. You can also make offerings to the earth by doing basic things such as planting flowers for the bees, planting trees, and putting up birdhouses.

Explore all your relationships in your life. Research how to have good boundaries with others and yourself. To help you focus, you can make a list and ask yourself these types of questions: Do you often feel drained by the people around you?

What relationships feed you?

What relationships can be harmful? Can these be resolved by strengthening your self-worth and putting up good boundaries?

How much time do you spend rejuvenating your relationship with yourself?

What is your relationship with your ancestors like?

Do you feel that your family has supported you?

How do you honor relationships? Are you committed to any of them, and why?

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Where do they come from? Are they true?

Can they be changed?

Why do you believe this? Is there another belief system that you would like to replace some with?

I also encourage you to research the earth-honoring traditions of your own cultural lineage.

Who am I? I am a person who thought there was something wrong with me because I was suffering.

It turns out there was nothing wrong with me. I was missing myself, and although it wasn’t my fault, it was still up to me to raise my awareness, get in touch with my roots, and practice love daily to come back home. This awareness is enough, and I plan on spending the rest of my life mirroring this love for you. My newest CD, Auroral Magic, is in honor of the earth’s ancient ancestors, indigenous traditions, the planet, my guides, and the healing gift of music.

My ancestors are singing through me and offering a healing message to you.

Chakuna Machi Asa (“Ancestor, Healer”) is an award-winning music producer, artist, and founder of 4 Directions Records, based in Michigan. She is also a Crystal Lover, Explorer of Seiðr, and Healer who holds certifications in Massage Therapy, Reiki III, Therapeutic Kinesiology, Crystal Healing Therapy, and Reiki Drumming.

She graduated from Michigan State University with a B.A. in Psychology, including specialized studies in abnormal psychology, philosophy of love and justice, shamanism, and world religions. Learn more at https://www.chakuna.com/.

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Abundance Corner

By Phyllis King

W

e all want love, but not something that all people get to experience.

Dating apps and love businesses command three billion dollars in the U.S. economy every year. If dating and navigating all the nuances of getting to know a new person were not challenged enough, the entry of COVID into our lives added several more layers of challenge to the process.

Logistics set aside, how can we know if the person we are considering will be right for us.

Will they like us or find us attractive? Will we be able to endure another disappointment if it doesn't work out? At what point should we call it quits looking for love?

Put this way, finding love can feel very daunting and complicated. I want to simplify the entire process and offer some concrete ideas anyone can use to attract an amazing love connection and cultivate love in your life. It's probably not what you think.Contrary to popular belief, it's not our appearance that attracts others; it's our energy.

Immediate physical attraction is superficial and fades quickly. It is not that self-care to bring our best self forward is not a good idea. It is Self-care for self. It must be done for self, not for "other." When we do self-care for "self," it adds to our inner confidence and sense of self-acceptance and self-love. What we feel good about ourselves, we can help others feel good about who they are.

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We can inspire safety. When others feel safe, they open their heart.

Steps to the Most Amazing Love Connection

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of Your Life

In addition, consider these four ideas: CHECK YOUR MINDSET/AVAILABILITY: Be honest with yourself about whether you actually want a relationship. Often we say we want a relationship, but we are unwilling to make the changes or adjustments that will be required to have a partner. We do not want to make time. We have such a long list of what our partners must have that no one could ever meet the requirements. We make ourselves unobtainable. We think about relationships as something that should give to us. Do for us. Be for us.

Make us happy. That mindset will leave us single more than any other.

When relationships are something we give to, nurture, and honor, then we are in the universe of relationship success.

• When both people come to a relationship with a point of view that they will give to each other, honor each other, cultivate the best in each other, then they have the foundation of something that can be wonderful and fulfilling.

•

DOUBLE-CHECK YOUR BIASES AND JUDGMENTS. Our biases and judgments are often hidden in what we call "preferences." Our life, history, community, and minds feed us information about who is appropriate and why. We want to look very closely at these "preferences." Be curious about why we have them. Often preferences are ego-inspired filters we use to avoid exposing our own lack of self-worth. We fear being judged or perceived in an unflattering manner.

The preferences we put on other people mask our own insecurities. When we do that, we put up impediments to love, and we are no longer looking for love. We are looking for someone to make us feel better our ourselves. If this is the case, we must work to heal and become unconditional with ourselves. Then we will be ready to love.

BE VULNERABLE – SHOW WHO YOU ARE. We are all mostly control freaks. Very few of us are not. We become control freaks because we want to try to avoid pain. We all have been hurt in life. When we learn in some small way how to read signs and signals of possible imminent injury and navigate away from it, we think we are in control. We become obsessed with staying in the control position and keeping ourselves safe.

• What causes people to be attracted to us is our vulnerability. In that, we give others permission to be vulnerable and show who they are. It is when we are "seen" we feel alive and want to love and con-

nect. If we do not show ourselves, others will not show themselves. We remain disconnected personalities rather than connected souls. We cannot play it safe and fall in love. Control is not the answer.

•

LOVE IS EVERYWHERE – HONOR IT. We can get so immersed with qualifying and measuring our potential partners we forget to notice the part of them that is fueled by pure love, something we all have inside of us. It's our divine birthright.

When we look for the goodness of a heart, we naturally connect, and it is easy. Love knows its own language. It's woven into the fabric of our very being. We have to train ourselves to remember this truth and listen to love's voice by turning our attention to our own hearts. We can do this easily when we quiet our minds and go inward. Notice our inner light and essence free from the trappings of the personality. Feel the warmth of our own light. Bask in the awareness of our light and love.

With this awareness, commit to bringing our light forward every day. Then, commit to looking for the light in others first when we see them, Only focusing on seeing the inner light of the person we are with. From this judgment-free - pure love awareness space, we easily sense if the person we are with is a love match that can grow into something wonderful. When we focus on inner love, meeting inner love – compatible hearts find each other with ease. It becomes fun and rewarding to search for love, to experience love, and ultimately connect to a loving partner.

Make it easy on your heart to look for love with love.

It works.

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

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In Memory of Beloved Cairo

THE HARDEST GOODBYE

By Alexia Melocchi

I

know unconditional love, and my cat Cairo was its vessel. But losing a beloved pet, especially if it happens too soon, is almost like torture. The heartbreak can be earth-shattering, but unlike humans, the heart cannot close and wither because that kind of love lives on, even after our fur babies cross over the Rainbow Bridge.

Cairo was my most beautiful Hello and my hardest Goodbye.

When I first got him from the West Los Angeles Shelter as a way to heal from my divorce, it was love at first sight. I spotted him alone in a cage; his gaze was one of the saddest I had seen. But when I held him to see if we were a match, he During the visit, please verify with the doctor that they have received the most latched on to me and never let go. updated records and ask them relevant enough questions to prove they were read.

If any treatment is recommended unless of extreme urgency, take some time to Five years with Cairo have filled me with joy, think about it, even for a day, do your research online, and ask for second opinions. purpose, hope, laughter, and pure magic.

If something is “off”, spare no expense and ask for blood work as a first step to get Until tragedy struck, he was taken for a routine a clearer picture of the situation. vet exam at fancy BH animal hospital and prescribed an enema he did not need, which caused When you take your pet home, observe your pet and see any changes in behavior. acute kidney injury, and his fate was sealed.

If you are worried, your gut is telling you something, listen to it.

A week later, he was gone, and we chose compassionate euthanasia.

They always say trust the Yelp or Google reviews, but if there is anything I have learned from this experience that I can pass on to the readers is that the choice of a medical professional for humans or animals alike is best made through referrals.

I have compiled below a short list of to-do’s before a vet visit- as with COVID, it is not unusual that as an Owner, you will be asked to sit in your car, and there will be even less control of the situation as a result.

Demand for follow-up by your vet after any type of invasive procedure. If you are not getting it, take your animal back in at any sign of behavioral or physical change, even if the vet discourages it. You are not paranoid. It is better to be safe than sorry.

As I am going through the five stages of grief, including guilt for failing to follow the precautions mentioned above, I would say to myself, and anyone who loses a pet, that animals, like humans, have soul contracts. Cairo’s agreement with me was a painfully short one, but he will live forever in my heart as an angelic guide clearing the path for something else- or another creature needing to find his human family.

Believe in the circle of life.

“They did not leave your life. I moved them”. God.

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QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU COME TO TERMS WITH FORGIVING, FROM A WOMAN WHO FORGAVE HER SURGEON’S GRAVE MISTAKE

I

magine learning you had a tumor that’s not life-threatening but needs to be removed right away. You’re relieved that the surgery will end the unexplained symptoms of dizziness and lethargy you’ve been having and are looking forward to getting back to your usual self. But after the operation, your doctor confesses he’s made a horrible mistake that will leave you with a lifetime of medical issues.

Photo by ENGIN AKYURT

Given a choice between vengefully suing the surgeon or forgiving him then letting go, what would you do?

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By Lorena Junco Margain

I have been there. When diagnosed with a tumor on my adrenal gland, my surgeon removed my left gland when the tumor was on the right. This mistake destroyed my health and left me with a lifetime of medical issues that can never be fully resolved and will likely take years off my life.

My family’s immediate reaction was: “Let’s get revenge. Let’s sue the surgeon for everything he’s worth.” My friends agreed. But this thought brought me no comfort.

On the contrary: the idea of devoting my precious energy to pursuing the negative force of revenge made me feel even more bitter and exhausted. I realized it wouldn’t mend my broken body or soul. I write about this in my memoir On the Way to Casa Lotus.

After months of soul searching, I decided to do the one thing that felt right for my own future: embark on a quest for peace and healing—beginning by seeking space in my heart to forgive. Only by forgiving the surgeon and moving on, I realized that I could reclaim my emotional health, which impacts my physical well-being.

Along the way, I was forced to consider what forgiveness would mean to me and why I would choose it at all. This process helped me come to terms with, and ultimately go through with, the decision to forgive the surgeon whose mistake altered my life so profoundly.

Here are the questions that helped me make -- and live with -- my decision.

What outcome do you want and need -- and will revenge help you get it?

It is important to ask yourself this as a first step.

Often one somebody wrongs us; our gut reaction is to get even. But is that really the end result you’re seeking? And will it really make things right? You might not be able to achieve the exact result you want -- in my case, I will never get my health back -- but you can ask yourself what would be the next best outcome.

For me, that was peace and emotional healing - which revenge would not help me achieve.

What would be the upside of revenge, and how would it make a positive impact?

The only potential upside I saw in my situation was for some good to come out of it: some new understanding, some change in the status quo that contributed to this situation. After much reflection, I realized that revenge would not have this effect. Considering whether your own situation might be turned around to make a broader, positive impact can weigh revenge versus forgiveness more clearly.

Would revenge help change the status quo that contributed to this situation in any way?

If you’re unable to fix the harm that was done to you, perhaps you can help fix the system that led to it. That was important to me. Ask yourself whether and how getting even and causing the person who wronged you to suffer will help change the system or structures that led to the wrongdoing.

Is this about justice, and if so, what does justice look like to you?

I spent a long time contemplating how justice could be achieved. I had been robbed of my adrenal gland.

You can’t attach a dollar value to that. And I wondered: What does justice look like? An eye for an eye? A scale in perfect balance? No reparations or apologies could right this wrong. Getting even, I realized, was not justice. If I was ever to make peace with what happened to me, I’d have to find that balance within myself. Food for thought.

How genuine will the satisfaction be of knowing that you’ve made the person who wronged you suffer?

I knew that by suing and seeking revenge, I could make the surgeon suffer. But I realized that if there’s any satisfaction to be found in the suffering of another person, it’s a hollow satisfaction, a void within the soul. It felt toxic to me. How would that satisfaction feel to you?

Who is this decision about you, or the person who wronged you?

While contemplating revenge, I understood that whether I decided to go through with suing the doctor or not, the decision had to be about me, not him.

What did I want for my future? What did I need in order to heal? The doctor’s future was of no significance in this equation.

After considering many months of playing these questions and my answers over and over in my mind, I began to see that this tragedy—while it was not a gift in itself—opened doors to a host of hidden blessings that have enriched my life in many ways. And I have come to believe that forgiveness is always the best choice.

But reaching that conclusion is half the journey.

Lorena Junco Margain Art collector and philanthropist Lorena Junco Margain is the author of On the Way to Casa Lotus, a memoir about her journey coming to terms with the permanent consequences of a surgeon’s devastating mistake. After studying visual arts at Universidad de Monterrey, she co-founded the Distrito14 gallery in Monterrey. She also co-founded and curated, with her husband, the Margain-Junco Collection to promote awareness of Mexican art internationally.

She lives in Austin, Texas, with her family.

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Photo by GAUTAM ARORA

LARGE HERBIVORES MAY IMPROVE AN ECOSYSTEM’S CARBON PERSISTENCE The grazing habits of wild animals like elephants and boars enable long-term carbon storage, according to new research that stresses the need to align climate mitigation goals with biodiversity conservation.

By Rishika Pardikar

W

ildlife and open-canopy ecosystems like grasslands are rarely a part of discussions surrounding climate change mitigation. Now, a new review points to interactions between wild herbivores and vegetation to show how restoration efforts could be optimized by aligning climate goals with biodiversity conservation.

The idea that herbivores are necessarily bad for carbon storage because they consume and disturb vegetation is “far too simplistic and risks poor land management decisions with bad consequences for biodiversity,” said Jeppe A. Kristensen, the paper’s lead author and a fellow at the School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford.

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By grazing, Kristensen explained, herbivores recycle plant material to the soil via dung and urine. Decomposers in the earth (mostly microbes, as well as larger animals like earthworms) feed on this nutrient-rich resource and bury fractions of it in the soil. By increasing the amount of carbon cycled through the soil, Kristensen and his coauthors argued, ecosystems with large herbivores may store a larger fraction of total ecosystem carbon in pools less vulnerable to perturbations than living plant biomass.

The paper presents a holistic framework of linkages between vegetation, large herbivores like elephants and wild boars, smaller organisms like earthworms and dung beetles, and microbes.

The paper presents a holistic framework of linkages between vegetation, large herbivores like elephants and wild boars, smaller organisms like earthworms and dung beetles, and microbes. Aboveground and belowground carbon sequestration services provided by these living elements of an ecosystem ought to be viewed as a whole rather than as a series of singular foci, the paper argues.

“There is a lot of focus on aboveground carbon. And nature management efforts are usually about increasing forest area. But soil carbon is an important aspect, and herbivores improve soil carbon and nitrogen sequestration,” said Judith Sitters, a researcher in forest and landscape ecology at Wageningen University and Research who did not contribute to the new paper. Sitters was, however, the lead author of an earlier paper that showed how megaherbivores (animals weighing more than 1,000 kilograms) increased both carbon and nitrogen pools in the soil. Sitters added that megaherbivores like elephants and rhinos have a far greater impact on key ecosystem processes than smaller ones like zebras because of the amount of food they eat and the amount of dung they deposit.

An Ecosystem-Wide Perspective For millions of years, herbivores have been integral to how ecosystems work. Sumanta Bagchi, an associate

Photo by KEVIN JACKSON

Terming grasslands as “overlooked global reservoirs of carbon,” the research shows how herbivores redistribute carbon from aboveground vegetation (where it is vulnerable to disturbances like wildfire and disease) into more persistent belowground soil pools. Soil pools are composed primarily of undecomposed plant and animal residues (particulate organic matter) and more resistant carbon stabilized by interaction with mineral soil particles (mineral-associated organic matter).

professor with the Centre for Ecological Sciences and the Divecha Centre for Climate Change at the Indian Institute of Science, said the presence of herbivores changes “the quality and quantity of food supply for microbes in soil.” In the absence of herbivores, Bagchi said, “carbon’s residence time in the soil is reduced.”

Bagchi was not involved in the new review but is one of the authors of an earlier paper suggesting why moderate levels of grazing could promote net soil carbon storage in ecosystems. Maintaining the influence of large herbivores on grazing ecosystems through conservation and rewilding efforts could be of “high importance” for soil carbon sequestration, Bagchi said.

Kristensen agreed, suggesting “a mix of climate-friendly forests, high-yielding agriculture, more extensive semipastoral systems, and dedicated nature parks where biodiversity is given first priority” as perhaps the best way to optimize multiple goals like climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation.

Scientists like Bagchi, Sitters, and Kristensen are not alone in highlighting the links between biodiversity and climate change. In 2020, two bodies of the United Nations (the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) released a landmark report to highlight how “functional separation” between the fields of climate change and biodiversity “creates a risk of incompletely identifying, understanding and dealing with the connections between the two.”

This story originally appeared in "EOS” 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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LACK OF FAITH IN THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE By michael

Photo by ROBSONPHOTO/ADOBE STOCK

Where oh where art thou now...fellow humans?

It appears that in these topsy-turvy alternating moments in time, one's life and lived experiences have thrown us, from all possible directions, a curved ball! The pressures brought about by a number of unusual world events have opened a Pandora's Box of not expected (unexpectations). This is all due to a circling within the human mindset of unnoticed humans, not fears (unfears) and the presence of a huge amount of verbally unspoken, not anxious (unanxieties) within the human mindset.

REMAIN STABLE

Easier said than done while trying to remain stable within one's self-imposed bubble. Thousands of unseen world events stream past at the pace of a runaway train. What gives? By appearance, it's hard to fathom as each day renews, emerges as never before.

WHAT MATTERS We may find ourselves searching out remembering's, dare I say, search out, rediscover particles one may grasp on to in hope, like a ship attached to a landing dock. Afraid the present self will drift off into the unknown distance and find itself awake, somewhere lost in the unacknowledged self.

It's the shakedown of the century! Ooh, where, ooh, where do I be?

Answers exist everywhere. It's the 9 to5, coffee for ignition, the purpose of discovering one's direction, and endless collections to reflect on what is one's identity. It's neither good, bad, nor indifferent. Just keep on walking towards the open door, have faith in one's unacted experiences. Just keep on walking; is this not how we remain in the present?

Now the question for the tomorrow-time could go something like this. In yesterday's pre-2022, one's conscious, ooh how I miss you, was a program made up of memories, goals, numerous foretold expectations, all driven by the level of one's mindset, say Hello, you don't want this to end?

Listen carefully; one can hear the sound of February's electric energy is now upon us tall persons, for we are all standing on the cusp between past and future presence. Just as a child who is about to walk moves into a new way of being awakened to a world of new possibilities.

Standing now, in the presence of February's freely given innocence, how will you choose your beingness in this moment's frequency? Will the independent, will the collective us, self jump the great divide, that no man's land, which has constantly separated one from their futures consciousness, one's endless state of beingness.

BOOM Being aware of one's observation skills will help in grasping the complexity of one's beingness to self; it is absolutely necessary starting now in this year

of 2022. Our educated existence appears to have swallowed up the very capable expanded essence of how to be human. Unfortunately, one's a fractured mindset; call it mindfulness, call it whatever fits with you; it's still by our own choosing. It doesn't have to be this way; all is chosen, exists only by what one deems in the rankings of importance.

MYSTERY IS POTENTIAL It is easily understandable the reactions the human mind is having to these constant barrages of changes it has to comprehend outside its usual predetermined normality. Let's face it, reality has taken a hard hit, and one's foundation no longer exists.

Reflection in the lack of faith in one's human existence has brought about The Time to build.

Not a renewal of past constructs, rather a new ground floor, where one can stand and know, all else is secondary.

WE ALL THINK WE ARE SOMEBODY That thought alone prescribes one with an identity, cementing a predetermined direction, a trajectory in which one will travel through their living experiences from birth to death. The key factor creating confusion within the human physic is, we are not dual beings; the world we live in is. Our world functions as a duality construct, and therein lies the unanswered question, who are we, thus setting the never-ending unanswered.

Where oh where do we go from here? That, my friend, comes down to choosing from what already exists within how one is in their state-of-beingmindful. Are you aware of how often you fluctuate being a follower of an outside force? Or when you are your very own force, acting in your leadership role, one's natural state-of-functionality.

Desire to have a conscious awareness from a dual perspective on how to function in this world about you. Coupled this with having a nondual perspective of who you are and how you respond to the world about you, thus giving rise to an unshakeable faith in your Human Experience.

What follows with this state of maturity is behavioral knowing. You have just enrolled in your apprenticeship; it has now, just this very minute, been activated!

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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HIGH ROAD TO HUMANITY

Photo by PHOTO GALLERY

By Nancy Yearout

The Year of the Water Tiger Brings Strength & Compassion HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR! THE YEAR OF THE WATER-TIGER. Chinese New Year is being celebrated all around the world this February 2022, the event lasting fifteen days.

The Year of the Tiger is the third of 12 astrology signs in the Chinese Zodiac. The Year of the Tiger occurs every 12 years, so if you were born in 1962,1974,1986,1998, or 20120, then you are ruled by the powerful Tiger.

This is the time we should clean house, give away cash, give of ourselves and help those in need. It is a new beginning!

People born in the year of the Tiger are said to be fearless, loyal, and have high self-esteem. Tigers have a strong sense of justice and rarely back down.

Chinese New Year is celebrated at the second new moon following the winter solstice. The festival marks the end of winter and the beginning of a long-awaited Spring.

The Tiger is associated with the yang, the male energy. Some other attributes of the water tiger are independence, family orientation, and the water brings out emotions. The Tiger is a symbol of strength, combating evil, and bravery. The Tiger hates to be told what to do. We should go with our gut and follow our dreams.

Many Chinese people wear the Tiger image on their shoes, hats, and clothing as a symbol of luck! But the most interesting trait of the Tiger is his heart as the Tiger does what’s best for the collective. The Tiger considers all animals, all of humanity, and the entire plant kingdom when making choices.

As we begin February 2022, we have an opportunity to be the Tiger, approaching the new year with strength, compassion, and love for all living things on planet earth.

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This is an exciting time to be alive to be part of the shift in consciousness, a shift to kindness, gratitude, and love for all living things. This is the time to stand up and roar! Speak your mind, be who you are, be your authentic self.

It’s been said so many times, “All We Need Is Love.” Love overcomes all obstacles, fear, war, hate, and destruction of our earth and its resources.

The division we now see and feel will dissipate as the energetic vibration of warmth, kindness, compassion, and love increases across the land. We all have a part to play in changing humanity to becoming a kinder, more loving people; we must know that each of us are important and loved. And each of us makes a difference.

Nancy Yearout is the voice behind the popular podcast High Road to Humanity. www.HighRoadtoHumanity.com On YouTube and Bit chute, you will find her video presence on Nancy Yearout’s High Road to Humanity. This is the platform that she uses to interview experts from across the globe in various fields of expertise, health, religion, energy healing, yoga, dream experts, astrologers, mediums, psychics, and seekers of the truth.

She is the author of Wake Up! The Universe is Speaking to You. Nancy is a psychic empath and an energy healer offering assistance to all who seek the truth. You can book a session with Nancy on her website to ask her questions. She will provide insight to enhance your journey in life and guide you in creating your dreams. www.NancyYearout.com.

Nancy is an Inspirational speaker and will book by appointment. Nancy is also the owner and qualifying broker of a real estate company in New Mexico.