The Eden Magazine

Magazine

September 2021

EDEN T h e

HEAVEN ON EARTH

By Keith Michell

LIFE IS LIKE A BOX

OF CURIOSITIES

By Michael White Ryan

CANCER R.I.P

THE ULTIMATE FIGHT

By Steve Kelly

BEST FRIEND ANIMAL SOCIETY CEO

Sister

JENNA

A SPIRITUAL MENTOR, AUTHOR, LECTURER, & FOUNDER OF THE BRAHMA KUMARIS MEDITATION MUSEUM

JULIE CASTLE HER MISSION IS

TO END THE KILLING OF HOMELESS PETS

NEVER FORGET HONORING THE

20th

ANNIVERSARY OF SEPTEMBER 11TH

By Gerald "Jerry" Sanford & Chris Griffith

e t o N s ' r o it Ed Welcome to our September issue.

What is happiness? According to some experts, living a happy life has different terms for each one of us. That is because we are not sharing the same standards. For example, someone might feel satisfied and content to have a beautiful house, top model car, and expensive wardrobe. But for some, these are meaningless, and their happiness lies in traveling and experiencing different cultures with just carrying a backpack.

So, the question still arises, what is happiness? Perhaps happiness is just how you see your surroundings. When we are thinking through the different dimensions, our mind is open to exploiting happiness. When we learn to enjoy our life full of denotation and purpose, then we are happy. How can anyone take this away from us?

I hope you enjoy our September issue.

Maryam Morrison

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The Eden Magazine

@The Eden Magazine

Photo by Jess Bailey

@The Eden Magazine

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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.

DINA MORRONE

Maryam Morrison

SASHA GARY

EDWARD HAKOPIAN

ALEXIA MELOCCHI

ARTIN MARDIROSIAN

ANGELA DUNNING

MICHAEL WHITE RYAN

SHERI DETERMAN

VITO TROTTA

PHYLLIS KING

GREG DOHERTY

JAYITA BHATTACHARJEE

JOE SANTOS, JR.

SHELLY WILSON

MARCO NUNZIO ALATI

ISABELLE RUEN

GRETA PAZZAGLIA

NANCY E. YEAROUT

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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 SASHA GARY VITO TROTTA PHYLLIS KING JOE SANTOS, JR. SHELLY WILSON ANGELA DUNNING NANCY E. YEAROUT MICHAEL WHITE RYAN MARCO NUNZIO ALATI 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 8

NEVER FORGET (HONORING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF SEPTEMBER 11TH)

NEVER FORGET (HONORING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF SEPTEMBER 11TH)

By Gerald "Jerry" Sanford & Chris Griffith

22

8

SISTER JENNA

10

SISTER JENNA

By Dina Morrone

22

MARIAN ANDERSON (A RARE LOOK INTO THE LIFE OF A WORLD-FAMOUS ICON)

By Emile Henwood

26

JULIE CASTLE CEO OF BEST FRIEND ANIMAL SOCIETY

26

34

RELIEVE LINGERING COVID-19 SYMPTOMS WITH PLEASURE TAI CHI

By Tai Chi Master Tommy Kirchhoff

38

HEAVEN OF EARTH

By Keith Michell

42

AND THE BRIDGE IS LOVE

By David Biro

38

46

HOW A DIGITA ERA OVERPOWER THE PANDEMIC ISOLATION

By Jayita Bhattacharjee

52

WHY SIBLING RELATIONSHIPS MATTER

By Fern Schumer

10

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59

SNAP! TAKING PICTURE

By Joe Santos Jr.

52

Cover Sister Jenna

Life is Essential, Feel it 62

WHAT FEAR CAN TEACH US

By Angela Dunning

66

66

HUNGRY FOR MORE

By Dr. Adrienne Youdim

74

LIFE IS LIKE A BOX OF CURIOSITIES

By Michael White Ryan

80

3 WAYS TO CULTIVATE ABUNDANCE DURING TIME OF LOSS

By Phyllis King

86

74

AGING PARENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE BAD DESCISIONS HERE'S HOW TO NAVIGATE

By Amy Cameron O'Rourke

92

92

CANCER R.I.P THE ULTIMATE FIGHT

By Steve Kelly

94

WAYS TO CONNECT

By Sasha Gary

80

96

FINDING PEACE & CONNECTION WITH GAIA IN THE LAST DAYS OF SUMMER

By Nancy E. Yearout

94

MY PERSPECTIVE ON MY UNCONVENTIONAL.....

86

96

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Never Forget Honoring the 20th Anniversary of September 11th

Photo by JAY HEIKE

“By Gerald “Jerry” Sanford and Chris Griffith

Retired FDNY Firefighter Shares Remarkable Story About the Day Before 9/11, His Volunteer Work During the Tragedy’s Aftermath, and the Helmet that Brought Him There 8 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e Seprtember 2021

A

s the nation approaches the 20th anniversary of 9/11, many Americans reflect on their experiences in the wake of this national tragedy and document them for generations to come. “It Started with a Helmet: A Retired Firefighter’s Return to New York City the Day Before 9/11,” by retired FDNY firefighter Gerald “Jerry” Sanford and Chris Griffith, shares the true gripping account of Sanford’s selfless contributions while volunteering with the FDNY during the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks.

In his memoir, Sanford reminiscences on his earlier years working for the NYPD and his 29-year career with the FDNY, including his time as their press secretary that had him working alongside major New York political figures such as Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Mayor David Dinkins. Upon his retirement, Sanford moved to Naples, Fla., but quickly grew restless and found himself working at the North Naples Fire Control and Rescue District.

as Jonas had famously helped an elderly woman down the stairs after her legs gave out and then miraculously survived in what remained of the stairwell when the tower collapsed. They were eventually rescued together from the rubble, which the news called the “Miracle of Stairwell B”.

“It Started with a Helmet” is a powerful memoir that twines Sanford’s rare ground-level perspective with important historical information that serves to educate the public and keep those who tragically lost their lives in the minds of generations to come.

Sanford’s book also shares his experience battling lung cancer – an aftereffect many surviving 9/11 first responders have battled– as well as his continuing work to honor those who died by helping to establish the Freedom Memorial in Naples, Fla. To learn more, please visit www.itstartedwithahelmet.com.

In this role, he came across an early 1900s antique leather fire helmet, which ultimately became the catalyst that led him back to New York City the day before 9/11. Sanford instantly knew the helmet was from a firehouse in the Bronx, Ladder 42, and contacted his former boss, Commissioner Tom Von Essen, about presenting the station with this historical keepsake. However, Ladder 42 was being renovated at the time, so Von Essen suggested waiting until it was over at the end of Summer 2001, ultimately scheduling the presentation ceremony for September 10th, 2001.

Sanford vividly recalls the events of the helmet presentation as well as the firefighters and people in attendance, including those who tragically lost their lives the next day, such as Father Judge and the chief of the department, Pete Ganci. Unbeknownst to Sanford and his traveling companions as they headed back to Florida the next day, the terrorist attacks were already underway when they landed for a plane change in Pittsburgh and saw the horrific events unfolding live on the televisions in the airport. Sanford eventually made it home, but he quickly decided he needed to be back in New York City.

He volunteered to serve the FDNY in one of his former roles as press secretary. With the city in ruins and the fire department in disarray after losing 343 brave men that day, Sanford quickly got to work on the grim tasks of planning and attending funerals of his friends and brothers while also trying to organize the chaos.

One task that had a bright side to it was when Sanford helped to arrange an on-camera meet and greet with fire Captain Jay Jonas and President George W. Bush

Gerald “Jerry” Sanford Sanford is a retired FDNY firefighter. After serving 29 years with the FDNY, he then served 17 years with the North Collier Fire Control and Rescue District as their public information officer and retired for a second time. Sanford decided to share his remarkable story about September 11th and how an antique leather helmet connected the two fire departments.

Chris Griffith is a real estate agent turned writer from Bonita Springs, Fla. Griffith and Sanford met while volunteering for veterans’ organizations in the Southwest Florida area. Having written real estate columns for a variety of newspaper and magazine publications, Griffith graduated to books so that she could document and share Sanford’s remarkable story about September 11th and the helmet. They reside together in Naples, Fla. 9 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e Seprtember 2021

SISTER JENNA A Spiritual Mentor, Author, Lecturer, and founder of the BRAHMA Kumaris Meditation Museum, sits down with us for a very enlightening conversation.

By Dina Morrone

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Sister Jenna, Thank you for your time, please tell us how you chose your life path?

SJ: I wouldn't say I chose it. Honestly, this path chose me. There is no way that, when I was younger, I envisioned a life for myself of service and helping people's lives to be better. This path definitely chose me. It's funny how we think we have so much control over our destiny and the truth is that we don't. We just don't.

And so, my answer is: this path chose me.

As founder of the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Museum, would you please tell us the mission behind the Meditation Museum?

SJ: I wanted a place people could come where they didn't feel they were being preached at. I wanted to create an environment where, the moment you walked in, you could feel the essence of who you really are, in a way that you might not be able to feel when you're out there in this world of chaos and distraction we live in today. I know the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Museum has become a place of solace -- a place of respite, a place of comfort and personal growth to many.

It aims to help people discover their gifts, helping them realize how strong they are, giving them insights into the things we need to embrace about ourselves and the parts we need to let go of. The Meditation Museum is all about becoming more of a service for our humanity because, once you understand the essence of who you are, there is no way you're going to hold yourself back from giving back to society. This Meditation Museum has been a gift. I cannot begin to tell you the thousands and thousands and thousands of lives that have been transformed as a result of the Meditation Museum, and I am so honored to have played a role in that.

As we see tragedy happening every day worldwide, how can we move forward with all the negativity around us?

SJ: One of the things that I love about the teachings of the Brahma Kumaris and the philosophy of Raja Yoga meditation is that it turns the attention to you. You become the one that will change in order for the world to change. If we continue to hold on to three Cs -- comparing, criticizing, and complaining -- there will be no change. Once you recognize that the change that needs to occur has to start within you, then you stop worrying about the direction the world is going in. The world is in the state that it's in because people are not paying attention to themselves and the energy they bring into the world. In our spiritual philosophy in meditation, there is a very important quote we live by. I use it all the time. "When I change, the world has to change." If I keep looking at the doom and gloom, that's what I'll feed. If I look at what's transformative and what's right and light and pure, well,

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that's what I'm going to feed. In our philosophy, we want to feed the light and what's right so that we can elevate consciousness and elevate our future.

You mentioned in one of your speeches, "No one is born full of hatred, and only a person in great pain, confusion or distress would harm another. At the soul level, we are all perfect, and the souls that do us harm are also grieving, for they will have to come face-to-face with the results of their actions. The Karmic debt does not go unpaid." Is this concern for all living beings or only if we are in the human body? Would you please explain?

SJ: We need to have the awareness to recognize that there are things we're doing at the energetic level that create these karmic results. There isn't another answer that makes sense. It doesn't make sense that some people are born into certain conditions. It doesn't make sense that some have a golden spoon in their mouth while others live in a state of poverty. There has to be something that we're missing - or maybe it's right in front of our eyes. The more we recognize that the soul's original nature is pure, peaceful, loving, and powerful, then a person in that mindset will not give suffering to another person. I have found that when I show up less than my best self, I either give sorrow or take sorrow. When I'm in that body awareness, fed by an acronym I speak of, ALGAE -- anger, lust, greed, attachment, and ego -we find ourselves contributing to suffering. Peace, love, purity, bliss and truth do not. So yes, hurt people hurt people. Pure people inspire purity in others.

WE NEED TO HAVE THE AWARENESS TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE THINGS WE'RE DOING AT THE ENERGETIC LEVEL THAT CREATE THESE KARMIC RESULTS. THERE ISN'T ANOTHER ANSWER THAT MAKES SENSE. Would you please share with us your daily basis practice?

And tips for mindfulness.

SJ: Back in the day, I used to own two-night clubs in south Florida. I used to go to bed around 7 a.m. in the morning, and now I'm waking up around 4 a.m. every day, listening to the deepest thoughts that are emerging at that time. I connect my energy to God; I ask him what he wants from me for that day.

For me, God is love, so sometimes I'll ask God, "tell me what does love want me to do today." That helps me a lot. In the spiritual teachings of the Brahma Kumaris, we have the Murli, which I conduct at 6:30 a.m. every morning, during which we talk to the students about the soul, God, karma, and time.

Following that, we have breakfast, and my meetings happen after that. Regardless of what the day has in store, every hour,

we have a nice practice in the Brahma Kumaris called "traffic control." I pause for 2-3 minutes every hour, and I go into the experience of Om Shanti. "Who am I? I am peace, am I not?" Alternatively, I'll check where my thoughts are and see if they are connected to the values of God and love. Checking in every hour on the hour is essential in helping me preserve the energy of light and might that I received. In addition to that practice, I do service. I try to be available for people's hearts and minds. As my day comes to a close, I aim to turn in at a reasonable hour, usually around 11 p.m., and then I am up again in the morning. I love the morning rise. I can feel myself unlike any other time of the day. I can feel God's presence, which is important to me. That's my day.

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Sister Jenna with Oprah Winfrey

Dennis Kucinich & Mrs. Elizabeth Kuchinich

Serving Veterans

With Sharon Stone & Shahin Mafi

With Sister Gita

I CONNECT MY ENERGY TO GOD; I ASK HIM WHAT HE WANTS FROM ME FOR THAT DAY. FOR ME, GOD IS LOVE, SO SOMETIMES I'LL ASK GOD, "TELL ME WHAT DOES LOVE WANT ME TO DO TODAY." Many of us are dealing with our loved ones who have Alzheimer's. What was the single most challenging experience you had when your mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and how did you find a spiritual path to accept her as who she is and respect all her differences?

SJ: This is such a sensitive area for me right now because now that we have recently relocated to a new home, I actually share a bedroom with my mother, even though we have nine bedrooms. I've done that because I'm concerned she won't be able to take care of herself alone. I did it to protect her, but I've had really rough days because of it. In regards to the original question, the hardest thing for me was to accept that she's changed. I lost my best friend, my mother, a spiritual teacher, my business partner. That's a lot of important relationships that have all now been transformed into only one - that I've gained a child. I've never had an interest in having children, and now the universe and destiny have given me a child that I have to take care of. The hardest thing for me was to accept that change. On some days, she just seems so normal. But on

95% of the days, she's just entertaining. I've had to accept that.

How can we be in peace within ourselves and the world around us?

SJ: To be at peace with yourself and the world around you something I use for myself, is to check in a lot with how I'm feeling. Based on how I feel, it gives me some insight into what I am thinking. I think that's essential. The second thing that's really important is to observe your thoughts, words, and deeds to see if they are connected to a vibration of peace and love. Look, I talk so much throughout the day, but I am still able to maintain my peace. So, even in my speaking, I am conserving my energy by speaking from the awareness that my original nature, my original religion, is peace. So, I continue to weigh that, and I support that connection with myself to that understanding and belief that I am a peaceful soul. I am Om Shanti. Whatever the world wants to do around me, it can do what it needs to do. But the person in charge of how I choose to feel is me.

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Is the diverse spiritual, cultural, and faith impacting our self-being with the Divine?

SJ: You cannot squeeze God into a religion. He is much too big for that. One of the reasons people are fighting so much with themselves and each other is that there's a need for a deeper understanding and deeper experience of the Divine. Our diversity is a must.

That's what makes the world beautiful - we don't want everyone to be the same. I don't want everyone walking around in a white Sari.

That would be so boring. Let me be the one walking around in a white Sari. The point I'm making is that if you feel that your connection to Source is an intimate one -- and it's personal, and it's yours, and it's pure -- it doesn't belong to any religion, but the experience is yours. I think we would get along much better with each other. I think we would accept each other's culture and diversity and connect at a soul level much more honest with each other. There would be a Golden Age. We wouldn't have to put so much money into wars or end famine. We would put money into growth and light and the future. So yes, I think we should stop squeezing God into a religion and start experiencing more of his love.

You have traveled to over 90 countries to provide practical life tools and solutions that empower people to foster and build stronger relationships. Can you share with us the most influential moment that you experienced?

SJ: Wow, there has been so much. I don't know where to begin.

One memory that's coming up was a trip I took to India early in my spiritual growth. I went out on what's known as the Village Outreach Service for the Watumull Global Hospital and Research Centre. While I was there, I went out with the doctor in an ambulance, and I remembered holding a baby. He was two years old, but he was so malnourished that he was like a newborn baby. I remember holding that baby in my arms, and I witnessed the baby's soul leaving the body. He died in my arms. I remember the doctor saying, "Jenna, you can put him down. He's gone." And I said, "No, No, you can shake him, right? Can't the soul come back if you just shake it? Maybe give him some milk or something."

And she said, "No, Jenn. We lose a lot of children like this in this village." There was something about that moment when I saw that the light of the baby was gone. That has stuck with me all these years. It helped me deepen my belief in being soul-conscious and knowing that I'm a soul. And so, whatever thoughts, conversations, or actions I choose to perform, I became more committed to performing these thoughts, conversations, and actions with love.

And with the best of intentions. So, I guess I would say it was one of my trips to India that did it for me.

A special thank you to Sister Jenna for her time and grace.

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India is a magical land of spices. It grows the finest teas, herbs & spices. Native Indian wellness wisdom, including Ayurveda and Yoga, are global phenomenons. The country grows 25% of the world's tea production and in addition herbs, spices, and superfoods like Turmeric, Moringa, Ashwagandha, Tulsi, and Giloy. India produces 80% of the world's turmeric production, one of the most trending and high-growth superfoods. While these products come from India, there had never been a home-grown Indian brand selling them globally.

In 2015, a 23-year-old Bala Sarda finally decided to launch VAHDAM® India with a vision to take the 'best of India to the world' under a home-grown, sustainable brand.

Bala Sarda comes with a lineage of over 85 years in tea and is the fourth generation in his family to run a tea business. He always had the entrepreneurial bug right from his childhood. However, he never thought he would join the tea industry. From the outside, it looked like a very boring and commoditized industry to him.

And everybody from India was primarily bulk exporting, which was not something that excited him. But soon after graduating from college, he started researching a few industries and realized the white space for a native Indian brand for the world.

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Made in India, for the world vahdamteas.com

'VAHDAM' is the reverse anagram of Bala's father's first name, 'MADHAV'.

6 years later, VAHDAM® India is now an award-winning, digitally native, global wellness brand shipping the finest Indian Teas & Superfoods to over 2 million consumers across the world under a home-grown & sustainable brand. It has been shipped to over 130 countries so far, with the USA being its primary market.

The conventional supply of tea in India is impaired by the involvement of multiple middlemen like auctioneers, wholesalers, retailers, suppliers, and by the time the tea reaches its consumers, it loses its superior freshness, flavor & quality.

Very early on, I realized that tea-growing was not the problem. We've got amazing artists in the form of farmers growing these products, but there was nobody taking care of the products once they had been harvested, says Bala. By leveraging technology & cutting out unnecessary middlemen, VAHDAM® has disrupted the 200-year-old Global tea supply chain and built a truly vertically integrated global brand.

All VAHDAM Teas are sourced directly from farmers within days of harvest, packaged garden fresh at their BRC Certified state-of-the-art facility, and shipped di- VAHDAM is an online first brand and shipped its products to 50 rectly to global fulfillment centers in various parts of the countries in the first year of its operations. We built a global brand world. from day one through the internet as the medium and shipped to 50 countries in the first year of our operations which would not have been By eliminating all unnecessary middlemen, VAHDAM® possible had it not been for the internet and the fact that it is a digitally not only makes garden-fresh, high-quality teas & super- native brand, says Bala. foods available to consumers across the globe but also retains all earnings in the region where they are grown VAHDAM® has been endorsed by global icons like Oprah Winfrey, and nurtured by millions of farmers with immense love, Ellen DeGeneres, Mariah Carey, Martha Stewart, Chris Pratt and care, and passion. A process that ultimately helps every is the only Indian brand to have been featured in 'Oprah's Favorite farmer get a better price for their produce.

Things' two years in a row (2018 & 2019).

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Oprah Winfrey is an inspiration for millions around the globe is a tea connoisseur and a huge chai lover. She has been extremely vocal about her love for Chai. Chai originated from India, and VAHDAM® was the first tea brand from India to make it to her list. The entire team at VAHDAM® was thrilled and honored to be a part of Oprah's Favorite Things, says Bala VAHDAM® has been featured on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Wendy Williams Show, and also on National Television, including Good Morning America, View Your Deal, and QVC.

Teaware & Drinkware.

For us, our brand purpose is 'Native Indian Wellness Reimagined for the Modern Consumer.' We want to take Indian products with wellness connotations and put them in the everyday life of modern consumers through delightful experiences, said Sarda.

It is available in 1000 stores in the US, including Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue., Wegmans, Erewhon Market, Sprouts Farmers Market, Macy's, and Wegmans.

It is one of the fastest-growing brands on Amazon USA, and Bala Sarda was awarded in person on behalf of VAHDAM®

by Mr. Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, last year.

While the brand has been awarded with over 30 awards globally, including SOFI Award, Global Tea Championship, and the Great Taste Awards, Bala Sarda has been featured in Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia, Entrepreneur 35 Under 35, Business World 40 Under 40 (2019) and GQ Top 25 Influential young Indians.

VAHDAM® offers 100 signature blends, including LooseLeaf Teas, Pyramid-Shaped Tea Bags, Gifts, Samplers & Assortments, Turmeric Teas, Herbal Teas, Matcha, Iced Teas, 20 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e September 2021

For us, our brand purpose is 'Native Indian Wellness Reimagined for the Modern Consumer.' We want to take Indian products with wellness connotations and put them in the everyday life of modern consumers through delightful experiences.

Do Good By Doing Good VAHDAM® is deeply committed to the people and planet, and its motto of the business has always been 'Do good by doing good. It is a Certified Climate Neutral & Plastic Neutral Brand.

The company's carbon footprint is measured from the farms in India to their customers' doorsteps globally. VAHDAM then makes carbon offsets via investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives in India. Additionally, VAHDAM recovers and recycles an amount of plastic equivalent to its packaging.

They also direct 1% of their revenue towards the education of the tea growers' children under their social initiative, 'TEAch Me.' Recently, TEAch Me partnered with BYJU'S, the world's most valuable EdTech startup, and committed 100,000 academic program's access which is being distributed to the tea grower's children, absolutely free.

These are steps in the right direction as VAHDAM® strives to become a more sustainable and responsible brand. Their commitment has always been purpose beyond profits, a relationship beyond ratios, and value beyond numbers. They endeavor to offset all the carbon footprint and emissions created by the company until they are completely plastic-free and carbon negative in operations.

COVID COVID has been a boon for e-commerce adoption globally.

It has covered enough ground in a few months than what would have taken several years otherwise. It is making consumers realize the convenience of ordering online. Sarda notes that the pandemic accelerated VAHDAM's growth, given the shift towards wellness products, larger adoption of e-commerce globally, and a more effective execution capability with a strong leadership team in place. "Even though our supply chain was dented at the start, we faced the situation head-on and catered

to the growing demand. We needed to implement many local levels and simple innovations to ensure every customer continued to get their VAHDAM® product. We are a young startup, and that gave us the agility, dexterity, and nimbleness to make quick decisions and take immediate changes to overcome these never-before-seen challenges," says Bala.

With the rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic initially in 2020, the abrupt national lockdown in India, all activities crippled, millions of tea estate farmers & owners in India faced tremendous hardships due to the failing crop, low cash flow & zero revenue. The tea industry is the second largest employer of labor and understanding the seriousness of the issue, VAHDAM® undertook a few initiatives.

It offered 100% Interest-Free Loans to partner estates in order to ease cash flow, partnered with the renowned NGO, CRY (Child Rights and You) for distribution of Family Ration Packs & Hygiene Kits & Sanitizers to over 1100 tea growers' families and over $300,000 worth of Teas were donated to frontline medical workers in the United States and India.

Additionally, VAHDAM launched two fundraisers in 2020 and 2021 to provide critical relief with the 'Tea Estate Workers Relief Fund' in the early days of the pandemic and the INDIA COVID-19 EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND' while the deadly second wave hit India.

Plans Ahead The pandemic has accelerated VAHDAM's growth, given the shift towards high-quality and trusted wellness products and larger adoption of e-commerce globally. VAHDAM® plans to continue to grow by focusing on going deeper in their current markets, growing their omnichannel distribution, strengthening their presence in new markets, and diversifying into other relevant product categories.

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A Rare Look Into the Life of a World-Famous Icon

MARIAN ANDERSON

By Emile Henwood

Author Emile Henwood is paying tribute to legendary singer and Civil Rights activist Marian Anderson in his new book, Remembering a Great American Hero Marian Anderson: The Lady from Philadelphia.

Henwood has been devoting his time to share Anderson’s story ever since learning she was born and lived on the same street as his grandmother in South Philadelphia during the 1890s.

Readers will discover Anderson’s humble beginnings, extensive travels for performances, relationships with historical figures and royalty, unforgettable presence during the Civil Rights Movement, and more.

Henwood’s biography meaningfully shares the life lessons learned

by Anderson after her arrival on the music scene and how she overcame poverty, racial prejudices, and unimaginable obstacles with grace and dignity to share her memorable voice with the world.

An educational look at an American icon, her biography not only shares the events that defined Anderson’s remarkable 96-year life but also explored the influences in her private life that shaped the person she was.

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S

he was one of the most significant Philadelphians of the 20th Century and whose name was a household word throughout the country that has almost been forgotten today – Marian Anderson.

Those few people who live their entire lives in a virtuous exemplary manner need to be remembered by future generations. Fr. Butler's "Lives of the Saints" is a good start, but it should not end there, nor with one Christian denomination. Propriety, modesty, and gratitude were Anderson's family traits passed on by Mrs. Anderson to Marian and her two sisters. To that, Marian added humility anchored in faith and gratitude for her gifts. Arrogance was inconceivable. Marian Anderson never felt that her successes were hers alone; rather, they were primarily God's doing. The goal of this work is to enshrine the life lessons to be learned from this iconic trailblazing humanitarian who overcame poverty, racial prejudices, and obstacles unimaginable today with grace and dignity.

Marian Anderson's historic open-air Lincoln Memorial Solo Concert took place on Easter Sunday, April 9, 1939. It is well documented by the mass media and in books by noted historians. Walter White, the head of the NAACP, was the true architect of this event. The president of Howard University was concerned about a potential Ku Klux Klan disruption as the Nation's Capital had always been the KKK's favorite rally destination. Many threats of violence and safety concerns caused Marian to call her manager, Sol Hurok, at mid-

night the night before the concert, wanting to cancel.

In a nutshell: Following three unsuccessful attempts over two years by Howard University, early in the year,

Sol Hurok was also unsuccessfully trying to book Constitution Hall for a Washington, DC, concert due to their "white performers only" policy, brought on by Jim Crow laws and Washington, DC's, segregation customs. The Daughters of the American Revolution owned constitution Hall. Public outrage resulted.

Eleanor Roosevelt and several hundred other DAR members resigned in protest. Ultimately, largely due to Eleanor Roosevelt's influence, this led to Marian Anderson's outdoor Easter Sunday solo concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, in front of 75,000 people and millions on national radio. This was the largest crowd ever at that point on the National Mall since a smaller KKK rally fourteen years earlier. There was a very heavy police presence. Historians now recognize this peaceful protest event as the true beginning of the modern Civil Rights era.

Historians have overlooked that event that a bright and impressionable ten-year-old boy named Martin Luther King Jr. was in the audience, carefully listening.

Twenty-four years later, in 1963, when he delivered his historic I Have a Dream speech, Dr. King quoted the lyrics from Marian's entire opening song in 1939, "America" ("My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty"… etc.) on those same sacred steps, where he and his dear friend and mentor, Marian, made history again in 1963.

Circling back to April 15, 1947, when Jackie Robinson became the player who shattered racial barriers as he integrated baseball. Before he could swing a bat

in the major leagues or even step onto the field, he had to be signed by someone who believed in equality, who believed that it wasn't right for America's sport to be divided by the color of its players' skin.

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This man was Branch Rickey, an executive of the Brooklyn Dodgers who initiated integration's "noble experiment." Rickey's search for "the right man" officially began in 1943 when the Dodgers' management gave him the go-ahead. It wasn't long after then when Rickey and Hurok (a Brooklyn native and Dodgers fan) discovered a common denominator, in what Sol Hurok had been building and learning as Marian Anderson's manager since 1935, that served as a readymade springboard for Rickey's noble experiment—using Hurok's success managing Marian Anderson's professional career as a stepping-stone for success in Sol Hurok's new additional role as Jackie Robinson's baseball agent.

THE GOAL OF THIS WORK IS

TO ENSHRINE THE LIFE LESSONS

TO BE LEARNED FROM THIS ICONIC TRAILBLAZING

HUMANITARIAN

WHO OVERCAME POVERTY, RACIAL PREJUDICES, AND OBSTACLES UNIMAGINABLE TODAY WITH GRACE AND DIGNITY.

Undoubtedly, Hurok and Anderson's close friendship and professional relationship was a significant factor as they mentored Robinson, transforming his behavior from resentment of his persecutors to one of showing grace and dignity in the face of persecution. They quietly changed Jackie into a person, the Marian Anderson of Sports. The three remained close for the rest of their lives.

Those of us who remember Marian Anderson as simply a great singer, as I once did, are missing 90% of what this trailblazing humanitarian really accomplished. Few of her many biographers were able to focus on the entire ninety-six years of her entire life, so they mostly presented her from their particular academic, historical, or musical points of view. This book is a condensed chronological compilation from several authors, historians, and eyewitnesses connecting the dots between significant events throughout Marian Anderson's entire life to this day. By design, readers can complete this book in one or two sittings, hopefully stimulating further research and examples from her virtuous, brave life to pass on to future generations.

This short article is only a taste of the Anderson Fairy Tale. The author realizes there are many "Baby Boomers" who had personal interactions with Marian Anderson that will be shared in a sequel.

Kindly contact Emile Henwood with your story on his blog via email at author@emilehenwood.com.

At the age of 73, Emile Henwood, a native Philadelphian, discovered Marian Anderson lived on the same South Philadelphia street as his Grandmother during the 1890s. The oldest of nine children himself with two sons and four grandchildren, his family is still astounded and amused he decided to become an author after a long business career. Remembering a Great American Hero MARIAN ANDERSON – The Lady From Philadelphia is available for purchase through Amazon, and you can learn more at www.emilehenwood.com.

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WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT

JULIE Castle CEO of Best Friends Animal Society

J

ulie Castle, a leader, and voice of the national no-kill movement, was born and raised in Bountiful, Utah, a descendent of pioneers and entrepreneurs. Following magna cum laude graduation from Southern Utah University, Julie was headed for the University of Virginia School of Law when she happened to stop by Best Friends Animal Society with some friends while on vacation. The Sanctuary, the no-kill ethic, and the founders' vision profoundly affected her and inspired her to trade away her lawyerly ambitions for a low-paying, six-and-a-half-days-per-week job as employee number 17 at Best Friends.

InStyle Magazine recognized Julie as one of the 50 top women in the country who speak up, show up and get things done. Julie lives with her husband, Gregory, in Utah, where they run marathons and hike in southern Utah's red rock wilderness.

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Hi Julie, thank you for your time; please tell us when you started with Best Friends Animal Society?

It started in 1994 on a road trip to Mexico that I took with some friends in my beat-up 1979 Dodge Colt. The car was a classic, with each panel a different color, representing all of my fender-benders and not enough money to get a paint job. Puerto Vallarta was our last hurrah after undergraduate school and before I was scheduled to head to the University of Virginia School of Law. We decided to stay until we ran out of money.

When we finally ran out, with just enough cash to pay for gas and for each of us to have a candy bar, we embarked on the 1,800-mile trip back to Utah. One person in our group convinced us to stop by Best Friends Animal Sanctuary on our way back. She wanted to visit a dog who she was sponsoring, and the rest of us reluctantly agreed. And this is where my life changed in an instant.

The very moment we drove into Angel Canyon and saw the Sanctuary, I was overcome with emotion. The sheer magnitude of the sweeping salmon-colored rocks making up the canyon walls, the rolling hills of red sand that flowed so effortlessly around and under each and every rock, green trees for miles, and skies that were the most vivid shade of blue I had ever seen. It was nothing short of magical.

I recalled these words from a book called The Alchemist that I read while in Mexico: "the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, learning to read the omens strewn along life's

path, and, above all, following our dreams." And I realized this is my dream.

I called my dad to break the news that I was not going to law school (which is another story), and the rest is history. I became employee #17. There was no job description — we just did whatever was needed that day: animal care, landscaping, tour guide, whatever. My first paycheck for two weeks' work came to $180. It was definitely a work of the heart.

In your last zoom conversation, you mentioned that killing dogs and cats started back in late 1800 in New York as the public was concerned about Rabies and other health issues. Could you please tell us more about how animal shelters started in America?

Over 150 years ago, as American cities became more crowded, disease outbreaks were inevitable, including Rabies. The panic response was to kill stray dogs, who were feared to be disease carriers, in the streets. This effort became more organized, and cities across the country began to pay a bounty to round up stray dogs for disposal by a variety of cruel means. In New York, dogs were lowered in steel crates in groups of about 50 into the East River and drowned — sometimes as many as 700 a day. In St. Louis, they were clubbed to death. Pick your poison.

Public opposition to this blatant cruelty and the fact that "dogcatchers" in pursuit of a bounty payment were known to snatch dogs from the arms of matrons out for a stroll resulted in the gentrification of this grisly work.

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WHEN ANIMAL SHELTERS, GOVERNMENTS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS VALUE THE PHILOSOPHICAL PRINCIPLES OF NO-KILL AND WORK TOGETHER

TO IMPLEMENT SYSTEMS AND PROGRAMS TO UPHOLD THOSE PRINCIPLES, IT IS POSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE A COMMUNITY SHELTERING SYSTEM

IN WHICH EUTHANASIA IS PERFORMED ONLY AS AN ACT OF MERCY.

Enter animal welfare.

The first such group was the Women's Pennsylvania SPCA, founded in 1869. They at least treated the animals with respect and made some effort to return strays to owners, but killing was very much a part of the program, except that now it was done behind closed doors rather than via public executions, and they used gas rather than drowning or clubbing. Shelter after shelter began to pop up across the country, and gassing was followed by decompression chambers, which were followed in the 1960s and 1970s by lethal injection.

How many animals die yearly in the shelters in the United States? Have we improved this number from 10 years ago?

83% of the 4.3 million cats and dogs that entered U.S. shelters were saved in 2020. Sadly, 347,000 cats and dogs were killed. 51% of animals entering shelters are dogs, 49% are cats. We have seen a decline in shelter killing across the country for about the past 30 years or so, down from an estimated 17 million in the 1980s to 347,000 last year.

We started collecting data in earnest in 2016 and can say that we have seen a 76% decrease in animals killed in shelters just since 2015.

What can we do to improve more and to save more animals' life?

The community's commitment to making a difference is what drives this movement. Whether getting involved in grassroots advocacy, fostering animals from local shelters, or improving pet-inclusive housing and policies, all of these are critical to improving and saving more lives.

How can we be to the point that all the shelters be no-kill shelters?

As a philosophical principle, No-kill means saving every dog or cat in a shelter that can be saved. But it's helpful to have a way to measure lifesaving progress as we move forward together clearly, and that's where the 90% benchmark comes in.

A 90% save rate for animals entering a shelter is a meaningful and common-sense benchmark for measuring lifesaving progress. Typically, the number of pets who are suffering from irreparable medical or behavioral issues that compromise their quality of life and prevent them from being rehomed is not more than 10% of all dogs and cats entering shelters. Therefore, we designate shelters that meet the 90% save-rate benchmark as no-kill.

However, the ultimate goal is to ensure that every shelter has the resources to save every dog and cat who can be saved, whether that percentage is 90% or something else.

But first, we want to help every shelter in every community reach the 90% no-kill benchmark by 2025.

The work won't stop there, however. We'll need to continue addressing the systemic issues that put pets at risk to ensure that every savable animal can be saved and alleviate suffering and preserve the human-animal bond.

When animal shelters, governments, and community members value the philosophical principles of no-kill and work together to implement systems and programs to uphold those principles, it is possible to achieve a community sheltering system in which euthanasia is performed only as an act of mercy. Community-supported sheltering is the intersection among animal shelters, the community, and the government to support and leverage each other's resources to protect and serve the most vulnerable pets and their people in a community.

For far too long, the burden has been placed on shelters themselves to save the lives of the animals in their care. It is imperative that the community and local government provide their shelters with the support they need to succeed.

Many states still using the gas chamber to euthanizing animals, and we all know this is the most horrible way to end a life. How can we stop this horror, to ban it nationwide?

Making much-needed change starts with the support of the public. To end these horrific practices, we need public support in reaching out to our leaders (i.e., local officials, state officials, federal representation) and urging them to stop using these methods. Signing petitions, making calls, and writing Letters to the Editor are all great ways to bring these horrors to light in the hope of change.

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What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?

After many challenging, inspiring, grueling, heartwarming, tear-jerking, life-changing years of working to take the city of Los Angeles from a place where only 57% of dogs and cats were making it out of shelters alive to the biggest no-kill city in America, the NKLA (NoKill Los Angeles) Coalition and animal lovers throughout the city have succeeded in boosting the city over the no-kill threshold.

The 2020 save rate in the city of Los Angeles was 90.49%.

L.A. is now NKLA! Our work in L.A. began in 1991 as one of our first outreach programs. We launched NKLA in April 2012 after 18 months of organization and analysis. In 2011, the year prior to the NKLA launch, Los Angeles Animal Services (LAAS) took in more than 56,000 dogs and cats. About 18,000 were killed, and, significantly, more than one-third were neonatal kittens.

That fact gave rise to the largest neonatal kitten program anywhere, ever. Since 2012, more than 70,000 dogs and cats have come through NKLA programs alone.

The achievement of NKLA, a Best Friends initiative, represents 10 years of passion, commitment, blood, sweat, and tears by LAAS, coalition partners, the people of Los Angeles, and beyond. Most important of all, this work represents cumulatively hundreds of thousands of animals saved, and tens of thousands more saved every single year.

You devote your heart and soul to thousands of shelter pets nationwide to help find homes forever.

What is the most challenging aspect you are facing in this path?

The most challenging aspect is that while we know what works to save lives, it's really hard work that, right now, is complicated by this crazy new world that we find ourselves in. For instance, shelters all across the country are struggling- workers are burned out and struggling to keep up. Like many sectors, many shelters are understaffed, yet as the country opens up more, we see a sudden increase in animals entering shelters. This "summer influx" is typical, but what was different this June is that so many shelters and other animal welfare organizations are operating with skeleton crews, and we are hearing sad stories from all across the country that while the shelter workers are working long and hard to save as many lives as they can, many can't keep up with the intake. So, it's more important than ever for people to reach out and support their local shelters- by fostering, adopting, and donating.

Do you have an educational program for the public

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in Best Friend Animal Society?

We at Best Friends created an award-winning Lifesaving Dashboard for the public to access our shelter dataset, which is the most comprehensive compilation of shelter data in the U.S. It allows people to access information about shelters in their area to create more effective strategies to save more lives. We also offer volunteer opportunities with the organization and have a wide range of network partners throughout the country. People can also sign up to join our 2025 Action Team to learn how to help take their own community no-kill and learn about the legislation we are supporting to increase lifesaving and push the country to no-kill by 2025.

What is the next thing to do?

We are determined to take the entire country to nokill by 2025. We've got the expertise, and we've got the passion. And we've got the road map. So together, we are creating progressive new initiatives while growing the programs — trap-neuter-return for community cats, shelter foster networking, online resource centers to provide neighborhood support, and more — that have already brought us close to our goal. We need to continue spreading our message to communities across the country and continue to get people involved. Together is the only way we reach success.

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H

OLLYWOOD CLOSE UP

NEW FAVORITES & MUST HAVES

By Vito Trotta We live in a world where looking our best and feeling confident is just as essential in everyday life as it is in front of the camera!

Vito Trotta

Freelance Beauty Contributor vitotrotta.com IG: vitotrottahair

BEAUTYBLENDER is a must have in my book, I personally know the founder and can attest to the quality and love she puts in her product line. These new liquid creme blushes are a hybrid formula that melts into the skin creating a wash of color for a soft healthy glow.

Free of parabens and phthalates. The line is also vegan, gluten free and cruelty free.

Beautyblener liquid whip creme blush | $22 | Beautyblender.com

QMS collagen system is a new favorite of mine for anti-aging skin care. If you are looking for a product that delivers firmer, brighter,healthier and more radiant looking skin then this is the product for you! with clinically proven results the combination of science and innovation creates a truly driven skin care range that receives rave reviews from all those who’ve experienced it.

Qms collegen system | $260 | Qmsmedicosmetics.com

LEONOR GREYL is a luxurious hair care line from Paris, although new to me it is a family buisness that has been around since 1968. The alcohol free volumizing mousse has quickly become one of my favorite products to use on set with amazing results. it is perfect for a wavy curly look or just a beautiful red carpet Hollywood blow out! This amazing styling tool gives volume, shine and hold without felling stiff or sticky. my favorite part is that it contains no alcohol which is great for chemically treated hair.

Leonor Greyl mousse volumatrice | $46 | Leonorgreyl-usa.com

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Photo by JADE LEE

Relieve Lingering

COVID-19 SYMPTOMS with Pleasure Tai Chi

By Tai Chi Master Tommy Kirchhoff

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For 17 years, Kirchhoff has been refining Healing Exercise, a therapeutic/medicinal movement program based on the Chinese martial art that’s clinically proven to relieve a long list of illnesses. Then the pandemic struck. As 29 million Americans got sick and many struggled with “long-haul” COVID-19 symptoms, Kirchhoff felt a growing sense of urgency. He spoke with a researcher who found Tai Chi boosts immunity to shingles virus in older adults. The doctor told him Tai Chi would likely have similar benefits for COVID patients.

“When you can get someone to relax, all these magical things start to happen — with the relaxation response, the body starts to heal itself more like when you were younger,” he says. “We have all these clinical studies showing that it helps with breathing, energy level, and pain relief. That is COVID long-haul in a nutshell.”

The pandemic has intensified Kirchhoff’s mission to educate seniors, doctors, and everyone about the health benefits of Tai Chi. He believes the crisis presents an opportunity to get Americans, particularly seniors, to change how they view taking care of their health.

“There is an old saying — an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. How can we get people to start investing 20 minutes a day in themselves to prevent all these problems?”

Tai Chi is often described as “meditation in motion,” but might well be called “medication in motion,” Harvard Medical School notes. The list of ailments Tai Chi can relieve includes arthritis, back and neck pain, chronic pain, high blood pressure, COPD, dementia, fibromyalgia, neuropathy, and Parkinson’s Disease. Tai Chi improves posture and balance

while preventing falls. It can help people suffering from heart disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and immune system disorders to regain health.

Today, more people are embracing Tai Chi to relieve stress and maintain health and wellness. As researchers study and verify the myriad benefits of Tai Chi, seniors who practice Healing Medicine testify to its effectiveness in helping them overcome health problems.

“Tai-Chi is self care, like brushing your teeth,” Kirchhoff says. “It is something you can do every day to take care of yourself.”

A

new study of 2 million coronavirus patients calculates 23 percent of those infected still have lingering symptoms, known collectively as Post COVID or “Long Haul” COVID. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates 115 million people in the U.S. have been infected, so as many as 26 million people may have ongoing issues like brain fog, tiredness, headaches, and body aches, dizziness, and shortness of breath.

A new study is looking into why Tai Chi has outstanding advantages for people recovering from COVID-19. Tai Chi is clinically proven to relieve pain, fatigue, sleep problems, and so much more.

Studies suggest it increases energy levels and can help greatly with COPD (chronic shortness of breath). Tai Chi’s meditative aspects can improve mental focus and cognitive function. Medical experts who study Tai Chi say its benefits are vast and hard to oversell.

One group of researchers even proved that Tai Chi boosts immunity against the shingles (herpes) virus; Michael Oxman, M.D., of the University of San Diego, said in an interview that Tai Chi would likely also boost immunity against the coronavirus.

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Tai Chi – Pleasurable, not boring First, Tai Chi is not just the slow, choreographed sequence of movements for which it is often stereotyped (as boring). All quality Tai Chi practice also includes special, repetitive, warm-up exercises known as QiGong (pronounced “chee-gung”), which translates as “energy practice.” While Tai Chi itself is a form of QiGong, the repetitive QiGong exercises are almost more important than the Tai Chi “dance.” The exercises are simple and relaxing and allow the practitioner to breathe deeply, relax deeply, and develop Qi-energy more easily.

Most people find Tai Chi exercise soothing and pleasurable the very first time. With quality instruction and daily practice, many start to feel the Qi-energy in their fingers and hands within the first few weeks. Qi-energy is a wonderful sensation that feels tingly and sensitive, soft yet strong, relaxed but full of potential. While this might sound like poppycock-hooey, Qi is not difficult to develop, and it feels amazingly different than everything else. With continued practice, Qi-energy can be felt everywhere in the body.

Try to relax as much as you can right now. Good Tai Chi instruction will help you develop your relaxation to levels you never thought were possible. When you can relax deeply, all these magical things start to happen. The relaxation response triggers the body to start to heal itself more like when you were younger. As stress diminishes, the sympathetic nervous system calms down, delivers less corticosteroid, and allows your heart and lungs to function better. The deep, relaxed breathing ushers in much more oxygen to supercharge the blood, the brain, and bodily functions. When you practice Tai Chi exercises, your face should be completely relaxed, but the experience really makes you want to smile. It just feels good.

WHEN YOU LEARN THE PRINCIPLES WELL AND PRACTICE THEM ALL IN CONJUNCTION, YOU WILL FIND A NEW HEALTH, VITALITY, AND POWER LEVEL. Higher-quality QiGong exercises loosen and stretch the hips and waist, allowing the whole body to align properly. The term “posture” gets thrown around a lot. Doctors and chiropractors and yoga teachers, and athletic trainers all seem to disagree on optimum posture. Great posture should be likened to a tall tree; the roots support the base of the structure. Trees (and buildings) are vertically straight, not curved. Posture should be vertical, comfortable, and sustainable. With proper Tai Chi posture, the joints all begin to reorganize themselves, starting at the waist and working both downward and upward. Physical balance gets boosted, and chronic aches and pains melt away.

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Tai Chi is not boring, but it’s not easy. Adherence to its highly developed system of principles is what makes Tai Chi and QiGong exercise recognizable and so beneficial for the mind and body. Generally, the principles are: • Every action must be controlled with the mind and the intention.

• The use of force and strength is forbidden.

• The mind controls the waist, and the waist controls the body (think “coordination”).

• Tai Chi and QiGong exercise requires the deepest relaxation. Queues are built into the movements and practice, again and again, to remind you to relax.

• Postural decrees exist for every part body, including how to hollow your chest, “hang” your head, sink your shoulders, empty your hands and your feet— even how to position your tongue.

• Continuous movement is essential. Whether practicing the exercises or the Tai Chi dance, the movements must be continuous and unbroken.

When you learn the principles well and practice them all in conjunction, you will find a new health, vitality, and power level. And contrary to widespread advice on the internet that you must learn from a live instructor, you can learn Tai Chi exercise very well from Healing Exercise videos and DVDs. Like the old saying — “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” Tai Chi exercise is self-care, like brushing your teeth. It is something you can do every day to take good care of yourself. Investing 20 minutes a day to prevent health problems or relieve lingering COVID symptoms makes good sense. And you will enjoy it.

Always consult your physician before beginning any exercise program.

This general information is not intended to diagnose any medical condition or to replace your healthcare professional. Consult with your healthcare professional to design an appropriate exercise prescription.

Tai Chi Master and Wellness Expert Tommy Kirchhoff spent two decades refining Healing Exercise, a therapeutic, medicinal-movement program based on Tai Chi. He is on a mission to educate everyone about the proven health benefits of this gentle martial art.

Online press kit: healingexercise.onlinepresskit247.com Public site: healingexercise.org

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Heaven on Earth 38 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e September 2021

By: Keith Mitchell

I

t's early 2020; I just got off the phone with a dear friend, panic in her voice; something is shifting in our world. She expressed deep concern for where we are headed, the disconnection, the isolation.

We talked for hours about how humans relate to one another, the undeveloped language of expressing ourselves, the surface-level interactions, the characters we play. We have become critically aware of the consequences of how we are 'living' and, with this realization, identified an opportunity to offer a different approach. I thought, how can we create a solution to connect people back with themselves and integrate that knowledge to connect with others truly. How do we create heaven on Earth?

The concept of iKula Devi was born. The word "Kula" comes from the Sanskrit word meaning "community."

"Devi" is the Sanskrit word for "deity" and is translated to all things that are divine, sacred, or anything of excellence. iKula Devi is the unshaken belief that in creating community, we can bring heaven to Earth and tap into our true divinity. Our mission is to provide alternative solutions to the modern-day pandemic of anxiety, depression, disconnection, and mental health disorders by offering individuals proven tools to heal, learn, connect, and express their authentic selves. iKula Devi is a forward-thinking movement creating progressive and tactical steps to improve health and wellbeing in an integrative way by offering exclusive retreats, events, and workshops. iKula Devi, was co-created by myself, Hailey Taylor, and Jules Menconi. Coming off a career-ending, paralyzing tackle in my 7th year in the NFL, I had no choice but to turn within. My healing journey led me to yoga, meditation, breathwork, and mindfulness. This journey led me to the creation of iKula Devi.

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When a cell is fed, it doesn't need to compensate or search. Likewise, when a human is fully nourished, it doesn't need to search for alternatives. The nature of addictions and behavioral traits are created as compensation patterns. They are an attempt to search for nourishment to fill a void. Human connectivity is nourishment for our cells. Starting with self-discovery, how we operate, we feel it is critical to understand where we came from. We welcome you to join iKula Devi on September 30th for an unforgettable and life-changing 13-day expedition to Egypt (Kemet), Afraka. We are offering exclusive tours and private access to some of the most renowned structures in the world, including the Sphinx and Great Pyramids. From sailing on the Nile River to ceremonies in the temples and observing some of the most ancient structures, this trip is sure to shift your perspective, allowing an opportunity to dive deeper and gain knowledge to integrate what you've experienced.

Over New Year's, we are building an immersion retreat in the jungles of Costa Rica, to dive deeper into how we connect, what intimacy is, and the power of manifestation and vision. Stay tuned for more details on this meaningful way to bring in the New Year.

Hailey Taylor drove to Los Angeles from Maine with nowhere to live and was unsure what her future held, but she carried an intense desire to create something fulfilling, something that could change humanity. During this exploration, her gift dropped in leveraging energy to heal.

Hailey is a certified Reiki Master, Sound Healer, Mindfulness Coach, and certified Sports Nutritionist. She has an extensive marketing background and a firm vision of creating a community.

Jules Menconi, coming from 22 years working in a Fortune 100 company, could clearly see the imbalance of how we live today.

Her desire is to create a space where people can bring their whole, authentic selves into every thing they do. Understanding how the power of meditation, breathwork, nutrition, and movement manifests a more holistic human and makes us more productive and connected in everything we do. Jules is a holistic Plant-based Health Counselor, Re-connective Healer, and Mindfulness Coach.

Together we have over 30 years of experience through yoga, meditation, mindfulness practices, fitness, movement therapy, sonic therapy, energy healing, and nutrition.

As we launch our mission, we have cultivated three incredible experiences, only the beginning of what is in store. In August, we offered the opportunity to reclaim your health at Usha Village, the home of the late great Dr. Sebi. A week of meditation, yoga, and special healing treatments in the jungle of Honduras. We are learning the power of cleansing and bringing the body back to its natural, electric state.

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Our vision is to develop a self-sustainable community in Costa Rica to offer individuals an alternative way of living, of showing up in this world. We are in the process of creating a school system that will teach yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and nutrition, including how to grow food sustainably to adults and children alike. We will have a wellness center and living quarters for individuals interested in coming to learn our practices and retreats for those interested in shorter-term stays.

We believe in permaculture, self-sustainability, and group economics. Our incentive is to start working with nature rather than against it. iKula Devi is the reminder to us all that abundance is our birthright.

This is our opportunity to create whole-brain humans and to introduce a better, more fulfilling, and abundant way of living.

For information on our upcoming events or to see how you can get involved in the movement, visit us at www.ikuladevi.com.

The Light It Up Foundation is our non-profit organization that offers alternative healing to children and builds the foundation of tools needed for an impactful future.

To donate: https://www.keithmitchell59.com/light-it-upfoundation Instagram @ikula.devi

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And The Bridge IS LOVE

Photo by BECCA TAPERT

By David Biro

David Biro's new novel, And the Bridge is Love, will be published on October 12, 2021. Every week for twenty years, three friends, Gertie, Maria, and Corinna, meet in a leafy enclosure under the Verrazzano Bridge, which they have nicknamed the "Temple." There, Gertie, a feisty Norwegian divorcee and former swimmer, Maria, a family-obsessed Italian American widow, and Corinna, a book-loving hash-smoking eccentric who drives a Vespa, talk about their lives as they watch the ships sail by. Gertie, the oldest of the three and nearing her 80th birthday, decides she wants to travel the world with her two best friends, but Maria is busy secretly plotting to reunite Gertie and Corinna with their estranged families. While Gertie makes her travel plans, a series of events unfold that threaten to destroy their friendship. And the Bridge is Love, is an inspiring novel about love, family, and forgiveness.

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G

ertie Sundersen's run ended as she crossed beneath the Verrazzano Bridge. She checked her watch. "Not bad for a sixty-year-old broad," she bragged to the sky. She reached for her water bottle, poured half its contents over her head, and cried out with pleasure as cool water splashed against her skin. The rest she drank in a single gulp. *** When Maria Benedetti reached the path that led down to the shore, she paused to get her bearings. These days, she felt a little lost wherever she went. A year after her husband's death, her daughter, Livy, had moved her into an apartment a few blocks away from Livy's house in Bay Ridge. It hadn't helped.

Maria scanned the park below for someone to provide directions, but all she saw was a runner under the bridge and a tiny blond bird of a woman, reading on the grass. Maria gingerly picked her way down the path, trying not to lose her balance. ***

Corinna Hale was reading on a blanket in the park, perched like a goldfinch on the side of the hill so she could enjoy a full view of the Verrazzano. Her clawshaped right hand--part of a condition she was born with --clutched the book. She spotted a tall, thin middle-aged woman with auburn hair making her way down the hill thirty pages in. There was an elegance about her, in her floral dress, her long, slim legs moving sideways, one white espadrille after another. Her face radiated a certain sadness. A beautiful and tragic figure, Corinna decided, straight out of Tolstoy or Flaubert.

Gertie shoved the water bottle back into her fanny pack and pulled out a plum. Leaning over the rail and listening to the water lap against the rocks below, she wolfed down the soft, sweet fruit--until something hard caught at the back of her throat. Had she accidentally swallowed the pit? Uff da. She tried to spit out the damn thing, but it was stuck. No matter how many times she gagged and banged her hand against the railing, it wouldn't budge. *** Corinna had risen from the blanket to get a closer look at the tragic figure when she heard the whooping sounds. Spotting the runner clutching her throat in distress, she dropped her book and sprung into action.

As it happened, they had just practiced the Heimlich maneuver at the Senior Center a few days ago, so Corinna was prepared. She positioned herself behind the choking victim and threw her arms around her midriff. But Corinna's arms, small as they were, didn't reach very far around the much larger woman. There was no way she'd be able to execute the abdominal thrusts.

From a distance, Maria watched the commotion, rooted to the spot in horror.

"Don't just stand there," called Corinna. "Help me!"

Maria moved forward tentatively. "Me?" "Yes, you!" yelled Corinna. "Hurry!"

Maria ran to Corinna, who positioned Maria's long arms around Gertie's waist and began shouting orders. Maria squeezed with all her strength, but the abdominal thrusts didn't seem to be working. Gertie was turning blue. Remembering the next step in the choking protocol, Corinna called for back blows. Maria did as she was told, ratcheting up the intensity with each new blow to Gertie's upper back. Finally, on the fifth and hardest blow, the pit was dislodged, rocketing straight out of Gertie's mouth, coming to halt mid-air, then sailing gracefully down to land at their feet.

"That was close," Corinna said.

"Very close," agreed Maria.

The two women sighed with relief. Noticing Maria was still pale, they decided to move her out of the sun.

Together they ascended the grassy hill searching for shade, Corinna supporting Gertie's right side and Maria she left. Entering the thick line of great oaks, the three women happened upon a narrow, unmarked path that wound its way up the ridge to a small hidden enclosure. In the center of the enclosure was an old stone bench where they settled Gertie. The bench was flanked on either side by fluted stone columns, one of which was severed near the top.

What a strange, unexpected set, the women thought, as if it had been placed there in a different time and different landscape.

Even more remarkable was the view through a small opening in the twisted branches of the trees, which afforded them a direct line of sight to the majestic Verrazzano Bridge. Together they gazed at the slate-gray metal towers soaring skyward, the steel cables delicately draped from one tower to the other, ascending and descending.

The women were speechless as if all three of them had just choked on a pit and were now recovering their breath. They were dazzled by he poetry of their find, by the extraordinary sequence of events that had led them there, three complete tstrangers; and by the fact that, only a few moments ago, two of them had saved a life and the third had narrowly escaped losing hers.

"It looks like a giant bird," mused Corinna, "with the Narrows sweeping in from the Atlantic beneath its wings."

"Or a pearl necklace," said Maria.

"Or a harp," murmured Gertie.

They laughed uneasily at first and then more easily.

They told each other who they were, where they lived, how they lived. Gertie gestured to her old high school on Shore Road—less than a mile away—and reminisced about how she used to hang out with friends in the park below. Maria admitted that she still felt like a newcomer to the neighborhood and spent most of her days in her apartment, cooking her late husband's favorite Italian dishes. Corinna recounted moving to Bay Ridge after finishing her master's degree in library science in Boston almost thirty years ago. The minute she laid eyes on the bridge, she told them, she knew she was home.

43 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e September 2021

Soon they began to share details about the people and places they loved and took care of. From her wallet, Maria pulled photos of her daughter, Livy. "She looks like you," noted Corinna. "She's beautiful."Corinna gave animated descriptions of the residents at the Senior Center where she worked. Gertie spoke of her swimming career and how she always hoped her daughter would become a swimmer too—then stopped abruptly."Actually, my daughter's grown up and lives in California. We don't talk much," Gertie blurted out somewhat defiantly. "I guess you could say I only take care of myself."

There was a pause.

"Well, then you're doing a good job," Maria countered evenly. "You're so fit and strong. I can say with the best of authority that your body is made of steel."

"I couldn't even get my arms around you," Corinna agreed. "The next time you're choking to death, try to have a little less muscle mass."

The three women laughed, partly because Gertie looked so gratified, but mostly with the pleasure of a life well saved.

On the heels of smaller revelations came larger ones.

Gertie had gone through a bad divorce. She explained that Corinna had a seizure disorder, another part of her medical condition, showing them her hand. Maria, after recovering from her surprise—she hadn't noticed Corinna's hand until that moment— stammered that her hair was turning gray, forcing her to color it. When Gertie shot her a look of disbelief, Maria felt compelled to divulge something more substantial: ten years ago, she had been treated for breast cancer and had her right breast removed.

"So that one's a fake?" asked Gertie, pointing at Maria's chest.

Maria flushed. She searched Gertie's face and, detecting no malice, replied, "It's an insert."

These were not the sort of things the three women ordinarily shared with other people, much less strangers. Somehow, though, sitting on the stone bench, gazing at the bridge through the great oaks, the words flowed as naturally as the water in the Narrows below.

As the conversation wound down, Gertie suggested they meet there next week. Corinna and Maria agreed.

That next week, Corinna brought wine and incense.

She read passages from her favorite books while the women watched ships glide by. Corinna and Maria

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marveled at Gertie's athletic feats, how a person her age was still testing the limits of her body. Gertie and Maria were wonderstruck by Corinna's breadth of knowledge, from first-aid maneuvers to literature.

Corinna and Gertie admired Maria's beauty and devotion to her family. Yet, while each was attracted to the others' differences, what drew them together most was the yearning for a connection, for companionship--a companionship that had been missing from their lives for so many years.

"Shall we meet here next week?" Corinna asked.

"Yes," Maria said enthusiastically. "And the week after that."

It marked the beginning of a ritual: every Tuesday morning at eleven o'clock, the three women gathered at the special place they came to call the Temple. It marked, too, the beginning of an enduring friendship. Over the years, they cheered for Gertie at marathons; they helped Corinna plan events at the Brooklyn Historical Society; they celebrated the birth of Maria's grandson, Vinnie, and went to Livy's house for Sunday dinners. Gradually, the Temple and their lives became so intertwined, and they could no longer be separated.

Still, the air and water currents were known to be tricky in that narrow corridor that divided the upper and lower halves of New York Bay, and in the spring of 2011--twenty years after the three women first came together--the winds suddenly shifted.

David Biro graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia Medical School, and Oxford University. He teaches at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and practices dermatology in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. He is the author of This Magnificent Dappled Sea, One Hundred Days: My Journey from Doctor to Patient and The Language of Pain: Finding Words, Compassion, and Relief. He has also been published in the New York Times, Slate, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and various medical journals. David lives in New York City with his wife and twin boys.

For more information, visit www.davidbiro.com.

Photo by by EDWARD REESE

45 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e Septembe 2021

A How DIGITAL ERA

OVERPOWERS THE PANDEMIC ISOLATION

Photo by WARREN WONG

By Jayita Bhattacharjee

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Though we are baffled by the restrictive physical separation, still in the process of a grave problem, digital technology has provided digital communication to maintain our real relationships. From this perspective, it can have an increasingly positive impact on our emotional health by curbing the pandemic isolation, loosening its severity, and bringing us one step closer to each other. Time spent online or on any social media platform cannot be viewed as a potentially harmful one. It does not necessarily create any psychological damage if we make a conscious choice to use it appropriately without succumbing to addiction.

The important thing is why the technology is used, what its purpose is. Time spent digitally curtailing the communication gap for those who live far away and overseas can positively change their emotional health.

From this standpoint, time spent digitally becomes functionally useful. Several aspects of our psychological functioning are supported just the way they are by a face to face meetings and communication. The isolation is reduced as the loneliness begins to fade.

There is a compelling necessity to stay in touch with family and friends. Turning to the digital means of communication gives us another avenue of meeting our family and friends somehow, maybe the next possible way without inducing any mental scarring.

Digital communication is grounded in need, a bigger purpose, not a meaningless wanting. It is the need to stay connected that drives us to seek another route during the pandemic isolation. From that perspective, the function of communication justifies the usage of digital communication.

We are very much grounded in reality. It is not an imaginative world that leads us to a digital mode of communication. The function of communication is real, not an illusion, anchored in truth by the fact that the communicators know one another and the consent of both is carrying it on. While face to face communication gives us both visual and auditory cues, thus becoming a multi-modal exchange of details. But digitally, by using Skype, FaceTime, and Zoom, these cues are integrated and put together much more seamlessly. So from this perspective, they have become the game changers in the digital era, standing up to meet the challenge that faceto-face communication throws at them. So the extremity of a stressful situation is reduced if not eliminated completely. Social interaction at least finds another alternative path. What matters most is that the social media platforms may not be real-time plat-

forms, but at least the purpose of using them makes the digital communication function. This challenging time definitely calls for some changes, so we learn to make some alterations in the way we do things. For many, the pandemic has struck a tragedy. Perhaps the tragedy brought people to a compelling necessity to change their outlook to bring a shift in their perspectives. Instead of being judgmental, we can try to be receptive, with our eyes wide open.

In the face of a gripping pandemic, many are at a loss to understand for how long they can go along with the imposed restrictions. People are bemoaning that they are denied the travel that they took for granted all this time. Many are missing out on the connections and grappling with a massive frustration about this terrifying pandemic. Petrified at the inability to do anything about this pervasive problem, they remain horror-stricken. This pandemic has left many of us wordless with loneliness while some are ranting continually, fisting their hands aimlessly, hoping that these restrictions were lifted overnight. But the reality is, they are meant to stay from a pragmatic perspective of caring.

WE CAN SEARCH FOR THOSE

CREATIVE PEOPLE ONLINE WHO ARE INDULGENT IN CREATIVITY, WHO CAN BRING

NEW AND INNOVATIVE IDEAS

OF MAKING THE PERFECT USE OF THIS IMPRISONED TIME AT HOME. THIS WAY, WHAT SEEMS TO BE IMPRISONMENT CAN TURN TO BE

A FREEDOM OF HEART

But the isolation though needed is breeding slow and gradual depression, and anxiety is consuming people worldwide. People are no longer socially engaged with their friends and family. Many who seek to gain a sense of purpose through volunteering by contributing to this external world are now confined in their homes. The truth is, people share an invisible connection with others, and from that standpoint, they need to nurture and nourish that interrelatedness that is holding them together. Without that, the thread is stretching and getting worn out. Before it gets torn out, it's time to ponder the possibilities which can bring us together despite the difficult times.

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Though some people may prefer solitary times to others, especially introverted creatives, it is undeniable that the pandemic isolation is affecting all, and no one is beyond the cut.

Being in the company of other people stimulates us deeply, and we get to feel happiness, burst into laughter, plunge into the wildest merriment. It's a beautiful splurge in the splash of emotions, one that comes free with the sharing of hearts.

It keeps the connections revived, and we realize we are part of the bigger whole. Taking it off, we are nothing short of a husk, consumed with emptiness inside, and that definitely is depressing. People are beginning to feel the loss, the more and more they are sinking into a depression. Though the limitations have loosened a little, with the schools now in session again, they still do not have the social interaction the way they used to in the pre-pandemic situation. But instead of being devoured by the limitations, we can try to implement ways to nurture the connection we so need.

Photo by HJ BARRAZA

First and foremost, we need to gain clarity on the reasons behind the isolation, if that is for a well-supported cause and

48 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e September 2021

an altruistic one. A better understanding leads us to tolerate the stinge of separation rather than constantly fighting it.

We can gather ideas for celebrating events. For those who have their family members living far apart, for them to celebrate special occasions like, say father's birthday, we can have all the family members jubilate in baking a delicious cake and then celebrate the special day to turn it to his auspicious birthday. It can be turned into a soul-soothing one by having a video birthday party and then watch him blow out the candles. What seemed to be an impossibility can turn to be so real and alive. As with strong visual support, the entire celebration can be so animated.

We can connect in many other ways, so it can take away the loss of not connecting in person. Many families who have young ones have delved into ways, plunged into reading storybooks via live exchanges and recorded messages. Several elderly grandparents who are longing to be together with their grandchildren can practice crafts with them over Zoom.

I Grandmothers can have precious times with their grandkids over the live video. They can cut together, cook together, bake together, have hilarious times, follow instructions step-by-step, and finally enjoy having the meal together, all by the live video.

The family members who have not seen their extended family for a long time can indulge in FaceTime which can bring back the memories of the times once spent together. It revives the old times, and those recollections nurture the family connection, that precious thread that is now barely hanging in the air. Seeing the faces of one another makes the connection alive.

We can search for those creative people online who are indulgent in creativity, who can bring new and innovative ideas of making the perfect use of this imprisoned time at home. This way, what seems to be imprisonment can turn to be a freedom of heart. t would be vital to have the calendar marked to set aside some planned time when it will be with friends and family. Having the events marked and highlighted in the calendar can be a powerful reminder. For instance, they can be named." Zoom Book Club," "Zoom Movie Club," "Zoom Overseas Family Time," etc.

We can plan to walk on separate trails with our friends, but we can talk and text while walking. Or we can meet up while staying masked and maintain physical distance.

In addition, we can indulge in playing online games and conversing while playing them. That is an interactive way to reduce boredom. Digital games and virtual board games can foster game-based learning. At the same time, it can induce problem-solving, perseverance, and creativity, which are the essential keys to success.

When it comes to older people, phone calls are more meaningful than texts, as they get to hear the voice of their loved ones, which adds vitality to their depressed spirits. Reach out to them, especially if they are confined in the senior living homes and retirement facilities, as there the lockdown has excluded them from leaving their rooms completely.

A phone call can restore them to a meaningful perspective of living again. Imagining oneself in their age and situation can give us an altruistic motivation to pick up the phone and give them a call. Fill their ears with positive news, so it can give them a reason to live for tomorrow.

We can get ourselves outside to take a walk and do it

more than necessary to lift our spirits. Especially we can consciously choose the tree-lined streets as the closer we get to the trees, the better it is for our mental health.

Being outdoors and waving to others, be that a friend or a stranger eases the discomfort we feel inside and breaks us free from the gripping isolation.

We can keep ourselves occupied in doing productive activities every day. It may not contribute to connecting with others, but it helps us feel grounded in this life and gives us a feeling of accomplishment and connection with this world.

Next comes making a conscious choice to limit screen time. While it is very important to fully know what is going on around and have the latest news on coronavirus, it is equally important not to be overwhelmed by that. We can set aside some time when we are not going to indulge in a constant search of coronavirus statistics, neither are we going to talk incessantly about the pandemic. That does not mean the pandemic does not exist. It does, but we are consciously choosing to beat the isolation and depression by shifting our focus on other things. Ultimately, we need to decide on how much of that discussion is too much. How much can a human being take that and beyond which it leads one to insanity?

Ultimately, healthy habits can contribute towards beating this pandemic isolation.

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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The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man. ~ Charles Darwin

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THE LIST IS LONG… Alex and Stephen Baldwin, Jessica and Ashlee Simpson, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Beyonce and Solange Knowles, Kim Kardashian and Rob Kardashian, Eric and Julia Roberts, Madonna and her two brothers, and Prince William and Prince Harry, just to name a few. All are estranged siblings.

WHY SIBLING RELATIONSHIPS MATTER

By Fern Schumer

Of the reality show "The Osbournes," Kelly Osbourne has no contact with her sister, Aimee (who didn't participate in the television series).

"We don't talk," Kelly told People. "We're just really different. She doesn't understand me, and I don't understand her."

I could have said the same thing about my only brother. We didn't talk for decades.

While the estrangement experience may be common, it often carries profound hurt, a deep stigma, and a terrible loss of self-esteem and trust.

Support groups for the estranged exist, but many who endure this trauma are reluctant to join.

Most who can't get along with a sibling -- roughly one out of three people -- don't want to tell their heartbreaking stories, so they suffer in silence, isolated twice -- from a sibling and from social support against the loss.

Photo by DRASTIC GRAPHICS

In my case, I didn't know why my only brother had cut me off, and I never discussed it with anyone. Instead, I ruminated endlessly about the break, chronically mourning the living. The estrangement resulted in other losses.

52 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e September 2021

I no longer was a sister, sister‐in‐law, or aunt. My children had no cousins on my side of the family. I dreaded birthdays, holidays, weddings, funerals, family get-togethers—any and every possible encounter with my brother or, perhaps worse, with his glaring absence.

Even when estrangement is a clearheaded choice to move forward from abuse or unbearable discord, the cutoff leaves disconnected siblings in a world of secrecy and shame. Estrangement feels like an utter contradiction of the very nature of family, an aggressive rejection of the fundamental way most living creatures organize themselves.

Most siblings probably don't understand how they contribute to a brother or sister's well-being. In fact, the longest study of well-being, the Harvard Study of Adult Development, underway since 1938, reported that a strong sibling connection could be fundamental to emotional health. The study identified a close relationship with a sibling during college years as the single most reliable indicator of emotional health at age 65 -- more important than childhood closeness to parents, emotional problems in childhood, parental divorce, even marriages, and career.

Additional research reinforces the value of positive sibling relationships. Various studies have shown: • Adolescents who perceived that their siblings validated and valued them reported higher levels of self‐esteem.

• Sibling support correlates with better academic performance.

• Sibling support and closeness were associated with lower levels of loneliness and depression.

In childhood, brothers and sisters inculcate in one another necessary social qualities—tolerance, generosity, loyalty—that eventually shape their adult relationships.

Siblings typically spend more time together than with anyone else; for the fortunate, those relationships endure through decades, often outlasting friendships and marriages.

Still, some siblings, particularly those from dysfunctional families, are often at risk for a cutoff. I was surprised to learn that there are risk factors for estrangement, including: • Family trauma • Parental favoritism • Poor communication skills • Family values, judgments, choices, such as lifestyle or partners.

Certain life stages that require family members to

redefine their roles are particularly perilous for siblings. These turning points include: • Adolescence: A teenage sibling creating his or her own identity may leave home for college or a job, changing the established sibling relationships and dynamics in the family.

• Marriage: A new brother- or sister-in‐law may seek to reduce and/or control the couple's involvement with one side of the family.

• Birth of a baby: As a sibling focuses on his or her new family, some may feel abandoned or betrayed.

Siblings may even compete with each other through their children.

• Divorce or illness: The physical, emotional, and financial responsibilities of helping a sick or divorcing family member may overwhelm one sibling, creating resentment at an unevenly shared burden.

• · Parental illness, death, or inheritance: In this stage, siblings may compete again for power, love, and family loyalty, and conflicts may arise over health care, payment for an elderly parent, and inheritance.

A sibling cutoff often ripples well beyond its origins, disrupting ties with other relatives, friends, and acquaintances and deeply disturbs an individual's sense of belonging. Therefore, Dr. Robert Waldinger, a psychiatrist and professor at Harvard Medical School and the fourth director of the study, recommends people reach out to relatives they haven't spoken to in years. "Those all-toocommon family feuds," he says, "take a terrible toll."

Now reconciled for seven years, my brother's and my renewed connection is a treasure for our elderly mother and our children. In addition, as the Harvard study reported, we have found the loving presence of a brother or sister brings rewards well beyond our relationship.

Fern Schumer Chapman is the author of several award-winning books, including Motherland, a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award. Her work has appeared in numerous publications, including the Chicago Tribune, Forbes, The Washington Post, Fortune, USA Today, and The Wall Street Journal. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a master's degree from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. Fern is the author of Brothers, Sisters, Strangers: Sibling Estrangement and The Road to Reconciliation and co-host of the Brothers, Sisters Strangers podcast.

She lives in Chicago. For more information about her work, please visit www.fernschumerchapman.com

53 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e September 2021

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-guys-from-hollywood/id153978576

54 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e September 2021

The

FROM

Two Guys

HOLLYWOOD

55 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e September 2021

Growing up the child of awardwinning actor Joe Santos, did you ever want to follow in your famous Father's footsteps?

I have. Well, not exactly in his footsteps, but like most sons, I was in awe of my father, his art, passion, dedication, and talent. He also taught me self-confidence and encouraged me to pursue my passions, whatever they may be. So, for a while, I dabbled in acting.

I studied under Director Milton Katselas at The Beverly Hills Playhouse for two years. I then acted in a couple of plays that my father wrote and directed, and for 11 episodes, I played Officer Aiello on NYPD Blue. That was a great experience. Ultimately, I realized that other interests inside of me were stronger. I still have my SAG card, at least!

JOEY SANTOS JR. Joey Santos grew up in NYC, Malibu, and the West Hollywood Hills. He is the son of Film & Television Actor Joe Santos and Grandson to World-Renowned Latin Singer Daniel Santos.

Joey worked as an actor. He had a recurring role in the hit series NYPD Blue as Officer Aiello, and also performed on stage doing live theater.

Joey embarked on a singing career, recorded a couple of CDs, and performed in various venues throughout the US. However, his ultimate passion was the result of following in both his Grandmother's and Mother's footsteps. He became a Restauranteur -(Managed his Brother's restaurant El Mocambo in LA, was owner and chef of JoJo's Americana Supper-club in Saugatuck, and JoJo's Juke Joint in West Hollywood). This experience would lead Joey to embark on his own very successful private business of catering & hosting events for the Hollywood elite. His client list is extensive and impressive.

Joey is a celebrity chef, life stylist & co-host of The Two Guys From Hollywood Pod-cast on iHeart Radio. and a Columnist for The Eden Magazine since 2016.

56 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e September 2021

You're a man of many talents, a celebrity chef, contributing writer, and now you're hosting a podcast with Alan Nevins - Two Guys from Hollywood. What's the most rewarding thing about doing this podcast?

I love the process. I get to hang out with my close friend Alan, talk and laugh, share opinions, stories, meet and listen to interesting guests, and I'm very excited to see where this venture may lead us. I also don't have an edit button in my head, so it allows me to get things off my chest and tickles me to watch the panic in Alan's eyes.

Where and when did you develop your love of food and cooking?

First, being Italian, food, and cooking is in my DNA. I also love entertaining guests. My partner Andrew always tells people, "Joey has never met a stranger." That's true about me. I also love my home, and it's with great joy that I welcome friends and family. Honestly, I throw a dinner party with all the trimmings at least once a week. My motto is, "You're only invited once. After that, you're always welcome."

Is there a charity that is dear to you?

St. Joseph's Children's Hospital and The Cancer Institute. My mother died young from the disease. I'm passionate

about the well-being of animals, children, and the elderly. So, however, I can be of service to them by donating time, energy, or money, I don't hesitate.

What does a day in the life of Joey Santos look like?

I'm up early every day. I take time for prayer and quiet time for myself with reflection in order to prepare for whatever the new day has in store for me.

I follow it up with chores and work. I was raised with the lesson my mother taught me, "Expect company." So, our home is always in order, fresh, clean, stocked, and void of excuses. And then, of course, I make time for my partner, my friends. We insist on date nights at someplace elegant or fun or at home where we'll cook together, engage, laugh about silly stuff, and of course, catch up on NETFLIX. If you could live anywhere in the world, other than Los Angeles, where would that be and why?

New York City or Europe. In NY, I love the culture, energy, diversity, and honesty of the city. I also love the change of seasons. In Europe, I also love architecture, culture, art, food, and music!

Especially in France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Hungary. There are so many unique, exciting and beautiful countries and cities. I also adore the UK. So, to answer your question, my ideal place to live is everywhere.

Would you please share one memory from your childhood that has had a lasting impact on your life?

My older Brother was killed in an accident when he was 18 years old. He was handsome, athletic, protective, and kind. He was so full of life and wonder. I live my best life every day, not only for myself but also for him.

Losing a loved one is something we never get over. We just get on. It never gets easier, just less hard.

Who is the one person on your wish listt you'd like to interview on your podcast?

Tina Turner. And no, I won't mention Ike.

Alan, please tell us, what was the impetus for starting your Renaissance Literary & Talent company 30 years ago?

My mentor, the famous agent Irving "Swifty" Lazar, was grieving over the loss of his wife, the much younger Mary Lazar. We thought it would be a good idea for me to join forces with other agents so we would have more information and action in the office.

So I joined two other lit­erary agents and we formed Renais­sance with the idea that Irving Lazar would become part of the office. Unfortunately, he pulled out last minute and I had to move forward. He died about six months later, and I ended up with his agency.

ALAN NEVINS

Alan Nevins started his literary career working for the famed Hollywood agent Irving Swifty Lazar. Renaissance Literary & Talent currently represents an extensive estate list including those of George Axelrod (The Seven Year Itch), Cornell Woolrich (Rear Window), and Ann Rule (The Stranger Beside Me) alongside a broad range of talent from Goldie Hawn to national radio host and stand-up comic, Rickey Smiley, Duane "Dog the Bounty Hunter" Chapman, David Eisen­hower and Julie Nixon-Eisenhower, Patricia Gucci, the Estate of Audrey Hepburn, and Heidi Murkoff, the creator and author of the international best-selling series, What to Expect When You're Expecting, the longest running book in history on the NY Times Best-Seller List. Nevins made one of the largest deals in publishing history, a $42 million deal for author Tim LaHaye. Recently, Nevins closed a major book deal for Cher’s long awaited memoir, which was international front page news. Nevins, as a producer, has major properties in development at the Hollywood studios and networks.

What has been the most challenging thing you've experienced as a Literary agent?

The amount of reading. I love to read, but I was never a skim reader or super-fast reader, and I'm also obligated to keep up with what is happening on T.V. and in the movies for that side of my business, so finding time to read is challenging. Of course, it's of utmost importance that I read massive amounts of material.

Is there a bestseller or memoir you worked on that you are most proud of?

One of the early books that I sold when the internet was brand new to businesses was the memoir of Susan Travers, the only woman ever to be officially recognized as a member of the French Foreign Legion. It was also the first book I ever submitted via email. It was such a good proposal that I sent it out in August when publishers tend to be on holidays, and we suddenly had auctions going on in about six countries because of the speed of using email to get it into the editor's hands. More recently, I closed a major book deal for Cher's memoir, which we hope will be published in 2023. I chased her on it for 25 years, and suddenly I received a "yes" and nearly fell off my chair. I'm very proud to represent this American icon.

How has the Literary business changed with the Internet age?

Like many things, it moves much faster now. I remember sending contract changes to overseas publishers by

mail and then waiting four weeks for a response. We also sent manuscripts in boxes to publishers. You'd have to print ten copies of a 300-page book and send them in the mail to editors. Now it's all done by email, so it moved publishing, like many fields, into high gear.

Of all the talent you have worked with over the years, is there someone you had the pleasure of collaborating with that profoundly affected your life?

There are quite a few, but the standouts for me were Goldie Hawn, whose memoir I was thrilled to be representing. The association turned into an extraordinary friendship and working relationship, and we ended up traveling all over the world together.

The other is Heidi Murkoff and her husband, Erik. She is the author of What to Expect When You're Expecting She has dedicated her life to promoting healthy pregnancy and parenting.

We, too, have traveled to the most interesting places together – Egypt, Romania, Hungary, and Poland, among them. And Joan Collins who stepped into my life after Mary Lazar’s death when she knew things were tough for me. We’ve been friends since.

A few months ago, you began hosting a podcast with celebrity chef Joey Santos, called Two Guys from Hollywood. Tell us how the idea for your podcast came about?

I was attending the Marconi Awards (the radio equivalent of the Oscars) because my client Rickey Smiley had been nominated for Personality of the Year. While sitting with the team, two of the girls from affiliate relations mentioned that perhaps I had missed my calling and should have been on the radio. Everyone stared at me for a minute, and then the agent for Rickey said he thought they might be right, and he set me up in a recording studio. I didn't want to try and undertake it on my own, and I turned to my very quick-witted friend, Joey, who I thought would be a great partner in the venture. It turns out I was right.

What advice would you give to young up-and-coming writers?

Write about something you know and know what the heart of your story is!

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THE WAY I SEE IT

By Joey Santos, Jr.

58 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e August 2021

I take pictures of everything and everyone because I can. As time rolls along and I view my life each day, the sights, the sounds, the friends, the family I surround myself with, I begin to realize how many moments of the past I've lost. My Parents and Grandparents are now gone, and so many siblings, pets, friends, and lovers are gone too.

SNAP!

TAKING PICTURES

Growing up, I was always so busy being me, having fun, going to school, making friends, traveling, exploring, and figuring out life. The pictures I took then were with my eyes and my mind, stored deep in my heart and memory that to this day they still fill my soul and fuel my imagination. Unfortunately, so many of the camera pictures we took back then have either faded, were poorly taken, grainy, blurry, or have just disappeared. The sad part is that the few photos I still have of people I've lost are just recycled over and over again, as are the images of them in my head. Unfortunately, they, too, are beginning to blur and fade. So, now I take pictures every day. Where I'm at, who I'm with, on a plane, of the plane, where I ate, what I ate! I photograph and chronicle life in real-time for the time when life no longer feels real. So that it will always seem real as it becomes part of my time, my legacy. A legacy shared with and left for those who have wished. Those who have forgotten and have been forgotten. Those who have never known life, and for those who wish they could remember life as they had known it. And more importantly, for those who have lived and continue to live life to the fullest so others can continue to at least photobomb it if they choose not to do the same. So, remember the next time somebody says, "Say Cheese." Just smile and say CHEESE!

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

A Columnist for The Eden Magazine since 2016.

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

59 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e September 2021

Keyi Tech, one of the leading robotics companies, has recently launched ClicBot, its latest STEM robot, in the US. Combining their expertise in robotics, with STEM learning, with ClicBot, Keyi Tech aims at providing hands-on learning for kids between the age groups 5-15.

KeyiTech is designed to provide kids with an easy-to-use robot; The robot educates them while letting them get creative. It allows kids’ imaginations to run wild as they build their own robots by arranging the pieces out of the package.

The ClicBot provides kids a complete, unique robotic companion with over 200 interactions. Kids can use the robot’s two personalities - Bic as a self-balancing twowheeled robot that assists kids in exploring the world and Bac that responds to touch, sight, and gestures. These two personalities allow the kids to explore the world, and the robot also lets them create their own personalities by simply combining different modules in the ClicBot.

LEARNING MEETS FUN FOR KIDS

WITH CLICBOT, AN ADVANCED STEM ROBOT

Not only that, but kids can also learn and use coding by using graphical programming through Blockly by Google. This comes with programs available across skill levels and step-by-step guides and tutorials to let the kids code with confidence.

This robot is a great way to introduce STEM learning into kids’ daily activities.

Kids can also learn quick problem solving while staying entertained for hours thanks to this robot.

The ClicBot comes in four kits: • Starter Kit: For mild robot lovers who like simple and vivid robots. Include 2 pre designed characters, a few preconfigured robots, and design some robots on your own.

• Standard Kit: For robot designers with limited time and effort, everything in the Starter Kit is included. You can play more than a few preconfigured robots and design a good amount of robots on your own • Full Kit: For robot designers with time and effort, everything in the Standard Kit is included. You can play almost all preconfigured robots and design your own robots!

• Maker Kit: The ultimate bundle that equals almost 2 Full Kits with only 1 Brain.

Let the learning never stop.

Check out more about Clicbot here: https://bit.ly/Keyirobot01 61 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e September 2021

RECLAMING YOUR TRUE SELF

Photo by ALEXANDER KRIVITSKIY

By Angela Dunning

WHAT FEAR CAN TEACH US "Where your fear is, there is your task." C.G. Jung

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F

ear has become an unnecessarily complex emotion in the life of modern humans. In its purest form, fear is simply the internal alarm that warns us of danger; anything which threatens our survival or well-being sets it off.

Fear is a natural instinct that serves to keep us alive, safe, and protected. It is a primary impulse that all mammals, including humans, have from birth to death. It is the impulse that, on hearing the smoke alarm, makes us jump up and investigate and immediately take ourselves to a place of safety. It is the hunch when we meet someone for the first time, such as a prospective new partner, and that tells us: "No, not them; something doesn't feel right about them." It alerts us to a possible danger that we can't yet see or understand yet clearly guides us AWAY from this unknown thing, person or situation.

Yet, down the ages, we have distorted fear in a number of ways, including suppressing our instinctive impulses; overriding our fears with our powerful mind; ignoring fear's life-saving early warning signals; worrying and feeling anxious when no actual danger exists, and by seeking out extreme activities and entertainment which deliberately makes us afraid yet which don't fulfill the physiological need to flee or seek safety. The adrenaline pumps through our veins yet can't find an appropriate outlet, and our nervous system can't calm down and recalibrate in a natural way, often resulting in stress and other mental health imbalances over time.

Other mammals, particularly herd animals like deer, horses, and zebra, maintain this primal fear system and rely on it for their daily survival. To them, it is a form of communication, letting the individual and their herd (community) know that there is a potential danger in their midst and to ignore or override that gut feeling is death to them. Such animals react without questioning or doubting this innate and powerful drive. In addition, once they have reacted, usually through movement, and the danger has passed, the move-

ment allows their nervous system to rebalance, they literally go back to grazing or resting, and the fear is discharged from their system. Very unlike modern humans who have a tendency to hang on to our fear, even threats long since passed, such as from early childhood in the form of trauma and PTSD conditions.

In our modern society, fear has become so distorted it is now categorized in the form of anxiety disorders, for which there is a variety of diagnoses and treatments, including drugs. It is now widely viewed as a mental health illness, costing individuals, businesses, and governments vast amounts of money to deal with, not to mention lost opportunities for living a full and happy life.

Many of us have been greatly conditioned out of this natural life-saving response and instead into very confused attitudes towards this natural warning system of our body which include physical symptoms such as a pounding heart, shaking legs, closed throat, butterflies in the belly, dilated pupils, headaches or muscle tension. We ignore all of these physical signs plus our intuition to our peril.

The very thing that we most fear could very well be the thing we are destined to do.

When we are not dealing with fear which is alerting us to an immediate danger, then it becomes possible to adopt a very different attitude towards this emotion, and instead, it can actually become our guide and teacher. Fear CAN be a portal into the very life we truly wish to live. Fear can be a crucible, helping us burn away the dross of our unlived life. Fear can be our cross, not one which we have to bear but rather one on which we symbolically die to our old, scared, and small existence and instead begin to embrace a new, expanded life. Facing our fears involves embracing our vulnerability and our humanity and, in so doing, enable us to shed our bravado, egotism, and feelings of either helplessness or reckless invincibility. Fear often wakes us up in the middle of the night when our usual ego defenses are lowest

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Photo by KYLE SUDU

and makes us question our decisions, choices, and direction in life. Often we dismiss these on waking the next morning as just "silly" or "night-time terrors," but surely, there must be some truth in them; otherwise, why do they arise at all? The clue is in the fact of when they arise, as I said when our usual ego level of consciousness is at its lowest and other more subtle information can penetrate our awareness, including valuable intuitive insights and gut reactions, and the voice of our truest or highest-self can get through to us then. These are the voices and hunches which we ignore most of the time.

Furthermore, we could learn to face our anxiety and seek to embrace it instead. I don't mean in a "feel the fear and do it anyway" way. In fact, I find that particular attitude pretty reckless and damaging as it only further severs our vital connection to our innate, internal warning system. Neither do I mean giving in to our fears and wrapping ourselves up in cotton wool forever, whereby we never risk anything, never stretch ourselves, and therefore never step into our fullest potential. Rather I mean, we could learn to LISTEN and RELATE to our fear and learn to regard it as a best friend, a close ally often seeking to do its very best for us.

We could do this by asking the following questions: What is the danger, if any?

What do I need to do to move myself to a place of safety?

What am I really afraid of right now?

What do I need?

What information can I unearth from within this feeling to help me?

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Is this feeling state real fear or vulnerability?

What do I really want to experience in life?

What do I most yearn to do but am too afraid even to try?

If we ask these kinds of questions, rather than adding more fear to our fear by always turning away from it, suppressing it, rejecting it outright, or pretending it isn't there, then we would be accepting the totality of our human experience.

Much better instead is to hold our fear in our arms and cradle it, softly asking what it wishes to tell us.

If we reconfigure our relationship to fear in this way we can see that it serves two core purposes: It keeps us safe AND it can guide us towards that which could expand our life; if we would just listen to it. Looked at this way, fear becomes simply a core emotion that only ever wants what is best for us in the end.

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.

65 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e August 2021

Excerpt from Hungry for More: Stories and Science to Inspire Weight Loss from the Inside Out

Hungry

Photo by MAHDI CHAGHARI

for More

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By Dr. Adrienne Youdim

We must redefine the term “comfort food,” because we’re actually doing the opposite when we eat sugary and fatty foods, according to Adrienne Youdim, MD, FACP-an internist who specializes in medical weight loss and nutrition, and is author of Hungry for More: Stories and Science to Inspire Weight Loss from the Inside Out (the #2 Best New Release in Diet Therapy books on Amazon). She is known to prescribe books, podcasts, and has even written a prescription for a puppy. It’s what makes her approach to weight loss so successful.

hunger hormones. Research has shown that when animals are subjected to stress, they respond with increased hormone ghrelin. Ghrelin is a hormone that is released from the stomach, signaling hunger to the brain. In normal physiology, an empty stomach will trigger the release of ghrelin. Still, studies show that stress will cause the release of ghrelin as well, triggering hunger and the desire to eat irrespective of food intake, resulting in weight gain.

But there are other ways in which food and hunger are connected in the brain. The limbic system is the part of our brain that is responsible for processing sensory input and emotional experiences such as pleasure and motivation. The structures of the limbic system are stimulated by alcohol, sex, drugs, and, not surprisingly, by food. When we eat highly palatable foods such as sugar and fat, dopamine, a feel-good chemical messenger in the brain or neurotransmitter, is released. Dopamine is responsible for the feeling of pleasure and satisfaction we experience when we eat. Dopamine boosts our mood and makes us feel happy, even euphoric, in the moment. Dopamine also interacts with other parts of our brains to coordinate a feeling of reward, reinforcing the positive feelings that arise from eating palatable foods and motivating us to do so repeatedly, thereby creating a habit.

“It’s no surprise we turn to fried chicken and warm chocolate chip cookies,” says Dr. Youdim. “These foods stimulate dopamine in the same way emotional connection and heartfelt conversation and belonging stimulate dopamine. Certain foods may represent comfort, but they do not actually provide comfort, not in the long run. When we eat unprocessed foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein, high quality car- When we eat a chocolate chip cookie, for example, bohydrates, our bodies actually feel good, dopamine is released, and we feel pleasure. Dopamine stimulates the pre-frontal cortex, the thinking comfortable.” part of the brain that helps us make the decision to eat more or to eat it again.

T

he marriage between food and emotion is hardwired in our neurochemistry. In the many years of doing this work, rarely have I encountered a human whose emotions did not inform their eating. When we are happy, we eat. When we are sad, we eat. When we are longing, tired, and hopeless, we eat. The hormones that manage our hunger respond to food and nutrients, but they also respond to our emotions. In fact, our emotions literally hijack our

Yum, that cookie was good. I think I would like to eat more.

Dopamine also acts upon the hippocampus and amygdala, the parts of the brain that are responsible for emotional responses and the formation of memories. So, if your mother happened to make you fresh chocolate chip cookies when you were young to cheer you up when you were sad, dopamine would have signaled these structures to store that emotional memory.

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DOPAMINE

IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FEELING OF PLEASURE AND SATISFACTION WE EXPERIENCE WHEN WE EAT. DOPAMINE BOOSTS OUR MOOD AND MAKES US FEEL HAPPY, EVEN EUPHORIC, IN THE MOMENT. My mom loves me. She made me chocolate chip cookies to make me feel better.

Months, years, even decades later, you will recall that sweet memory whenever you come across the smell of fresh-baked cookies as a feeling of love, attention, and care. Finally, dopamine informs the nucleus accumbens, the part of the brain that executes the actions you contemplate.

Photo by JAYDEN SIM

I will walk to the pantry to get more cookies. Or in my case, grilled cheese.

As if all of this were not enough, dopamine has yet another way of promoting the habitual intake of pal68 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e September 2021

atable foods. Over time, dopamine becomes less responsive to the food or foods we eat, which means that more food is required to trigger the release of dopamine and, therefore, the pleasurable effects of the food.

So not only are we motivated to eat the chocolate cookie again, but we are required to eat more of it in order to get the emotional payoff. As palatable foods will result in pleasurable feelings, we become motivated to seek these foods in a repeated habitual way, particularly when there is emotional distress, so that we can reproduce feelings of pleasure. In these ways, food becomes synonymous with positive emotions and comfort.

Comfort food did not get its name from anywhere. Based on all the mechanisms I described, comfort food does provide comfort in the moment. But when the dopamine wears off, we are left unsatisfied and desiring more, which in essence is not comfort.

If we pay close attention to when we do indulge in comfort foods, we actually do not feel comfortable at all. Foods with excessive sugar, for example, result in a feeling of irritability and restlessness followed by sluggishness and fatigue. Food that is high in fat usually leaves us feeling tired, drained, even lethargic.

In reality, food that is completely the opposite of what we perceive as “comfort” is the food that, in fact, makes us feel comfortable. When we eat unprocessed foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein, high-quality carbohydrates, our bodies feel good, comfortable. Certain foods may represent comfort, but they do not actually provide comfort, not in the long run.

Dr. Adrienne Youdim is a Board Certified Internist specializing in medical weight loss and nutrition and founder and creator of Dehl Nutrition - a line of functional nutritional bars and supplements.

With 10+ years of experience, Dr. Youdim uses a holistic approach to nutrition that blends lifestyle changes and evidence-based medicine. Dr. Youdim holds a BA from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and an MD from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). She completed her residency training and fellowship at Cedars-Sinai.

Dr. Youdim holds multiple board certifications awarded by the American Board of Internal Medicine, the National Board of Physician Nutrition Specialists, and the American Board of Obesity Medicine. She is also a Fellow of the American College of Physicians. Dr. Youdim is an Associate Professor of Medicine at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. She has been featured on CBS News, Fox News, Dr. Oz, National Public Radio, W Magazine, and the Los Angeles Times.

Photo by BURST

of

The Power

Choice

By Shelly Wilson

LET CHOICE WHISPER IN YOUR EAR AND LOVE MURMUR IN YOUR HEART. BE READY. HERE COMES LIFE." ~ Maya Angelou

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M

oment by moment, our lives are changing based on the choices presented to us. Choosing to be conscious of those choices while staying in the heart-space of love, rather than fear, is essential to create consciously. As human beings, we do have free will, although it doesn't always seem that way. Our ability to create begins with recognizing the power of choice. Sometimes, this concept is interpreted as - to choose this means not to choose that.

Our human life experience is continually evolving with every choice we are making and even with those choices that are being made for us. Making conscious and empowered choices is fundamental for our overall wellness, including our physical health and mental/emotional well-being. In addition, there are decisions that affect us but do not have our input or involvement. Ultimately, in those instances, the power of choice lies in our perception of the situation and our response to it.

Preferences relating to politics, religion, or sexual orientation are individualized choices, although external societal aspects may influence our decisions. When we encounter or are exposed to acts of hatred and prejudice of any kind because of our choice, it is a reminder for us to shine even brighter and love even more.

Moreover, we must also begin to realize the value in the power of choice. Instead of imagining how choices are ways to control outcomes or manipulate reality, we can see each choice from a higher perspective.

Each of our choices correlates to a vibrational frequency emanating love or fear. Choices aligned with a high vibration often bring excitement, ease, and relaxation into our bodies. The choices reflecting low vibration feel contracted, heavy and fill us with doubt, shame, guilt, worry, or resentment.

Consciously or subconsciously, we choose to live in

lower or higher vibrations. Lower vibrations create more reactionary choices: retaliation, judgment, criticism, doubt, and self-abuse. Higher vibrations move us into the choice of creation instead of reaction: understanding, acceptance, and self-love.

When considering personal choices, any addictive behaviors or addictions to substances, alcohol, gambling, pornography/sex, social media, technology, shopping, exercise, and caffeine should be addressed if it is affecting our health and life in a detrimental way. Striving for a healthy balance is ideal. Moderation and the ability to do without are also an indication of choices. If one cannot refrain for even a short period of time or feels obsessed with the need to indulge, the activity or substance may be deemed addictive. In certain instances, seeking appropriate medical or rehabilitative treatment may be warranted and would be determined as necessary by a mental health counselor or medical professional.

Throughout our life, some people may try to control us or the choices we are making. Seeking validation from others and then feeling the need to conform can affect our well-being. When we allow this to happen, we are once again either consciously or subconsciously giving our power away to another. Focusing on feeling empowered that every choice we make is the right choice for us at the moment helps us to move through those moments of uncertainty, doubt, and fear.

It doesn't matter. It is not easy to discern what is right or wrong for you, but it really doesn't matter. There are so many possibilities, infinite possibilities, and each one affords its own adventure. And none can really take away from the path you are meant to follow.

In fact, any path will only embellish your life path.

The problem comes in when you have to decide which choice is the most harmonious. And the way to make a harmonious decision is to make it on the premise of love. Make it from a foundation of love, respect, and tenderness. ~ Dean Shrock

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What I have come to realize is that life is truly all about making choices and then choosing to take action on the choices that we make. When we align our thoughts, words, and actions with our beliefs and come from a place of love, amazing things will and do happen. We attract those people into our lives who are a reflection of us, and we also attract people who are here to help us grow. We can choose to explore more in life and perhaps even step outside of our familiar comfort zone. The power of choice enables us to enhance our life or continue as is.

It is also important to mention that every choice we have ever made was always the perfect choice at that moment based on the information we had available to us. Recognizing our spiritual growth with these experiences reminds us to forgive ourselves for any choices we made and now regret.

Every experience and individual we encounter as well as any self-perceived mistakes or proverbial bad choices, offers us opportunities for learning and growth.

Gaining Clarity from Within Whenever you are guided to do so, tap in and tune into what your body is saying to you through your Solar Plexus chakra, which is your power center and gut instinct. This area of knowingness can be thought of as an internal compass or GPS and is a great device for gauging energy and situations. As you become attuned to listening to your body, it will become easier to recognize the messages you are receiving.

To consciously and effectively make a decision, listen to what your body is conveying to you and let your gut be your gauge as you feel into the choices you are making. When needing to make a decision, ask the question you are seeking insight on either aloud or within your mind. I always include the words right now as the choice we are seeking clarity on may or may not be right for us at that moment, but it is more appropriate at another time.

Ask the question - Is ____________________ ___________________________ right for me, right now? (fill in the blank with the specifics you are inquiring about) Then, let your gut guide you. If you feel relaxed and at ease, the answer is yes, and to proceed by taking action. If you feel a bit nervous or anxious, the answer is maybe, and perhaps do more research

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to acquire additional information. If you find yourself feeling upset, nauseous, and not quite certain, the answer is no or not at this time.

Then, let your gut guide you. If you feel relaxed and at ease, the answer is yes, and to proceed by taking action. If you feel a bit nervous or anxious, the answer is maybe, and perhaps do more research to acquire additional information. If you find yourself feeling upset, nauseous, and not quite certain, the answer is no or not at this time.

At the moment you make a choice, you can also ask your body, “Is this choice right for me?” or “What are the consequences or outcome of this choice?”

If your body sends a message of comfort, that’s the right choice for you at this time. If you feel uneasiness in your body even as you ask the question, then it’s not the appropriate or perfect choice at that moment. To be clear, if this area feels unsettled, nervous or anxious, it’s a reminder to pause and wait until you get the proverbial green light. If this area feels calm, relaxed, and comfortable, then you have your green light to proceed.

In addition, you may also feel surface sensations, such as tingling, buzzing, chills, and so forth, so take note of the physical sensations you feel and when you feel them. Doing so can enhance your clairsentience or clear feeling ability.

Be true to yourself and make conscious, informed choices.

Feel into who and what is right for you as you make decisions.

Invest time and energy in what you love to grow your spirit.

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

73 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e August 2021

LANGUAGE OF SPACE

By Michael White Ryan

LIFE IS LIKE

A BOX OF CURIOSITIES 74 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e September 2021

A

re we there yet, the innocent voice cries out, conscious yet utterly oblivious to one’s surroundings, living life in antic ipation to, only that which personally gratifies? Consumed by the delusion of choice, yet in real terms, well trained in the art of what’s needed for human acceptability. Do we relive our daily lives in the memories of like and dislike, the two most powerful differences that have created all the problems this world can muster? Supposedly living in the moment, totally unaware, we are avoiding those special moments, personal to one’s life, where opportunity awaits with open arms.

Is life like a box of varied chocolates, thank you Forrest Gump, or a box of curiosities, overlooked and unseen due to a depth beyond one’s predetermined perceptions? Does the goal or career feed the human to the same extent as to how a connection with love embraces one’s total beingness when engaging with another human?

Does the environment we live in today allow humans to discover a vision of who they really are?

It seems humans have a tendency to embrace life for around 60, 70, 80 years, without the slightest notion that death is also living with us every second of one’s journey. When a loved one passes on, it’s those memories, not the goals or careers, just those single moments when the connection takes hold of all our being, which comforts one through the journey of our healing process. Like sitting together in

the park, they can no longer exist, and as one acknowledges the emptiness, a thought arises, were they ever even here?

Do you know what really matters?

Have you asked yourself, what is it, this foodstuff we eat, that seemingly has no meaning to life itself? Are we eating a tradition handed down from an unknown source that has, via a one-tracked mind, been turned into a convenient box of Wheaties to fit a 40-hour week lifestyle? Dozens of commercial food fads, revised almost on a monthly existence, designed in detail yet lacking in life-essence. Do we live longer due to the lack of tigers in the parking mall? Of course not. Don’t you realize it’s all that legal, healthy, nutritious food we consume?

The wellness exhibition is the latest and greatest that mankind has to offer humans to live a healthy future. Watching a massage demonstration, the ugliest man alive strokes and caresses the individual while explaining how to channel and remove the stresses of daily life out of the body. When finished and questions answered, the individual who volunteered for the experiment rises, sits, and slowly moves in rhythmic ecstasy in anticipation of, don’t stop now, give me more. Is it for pleasure that we live, all wanting and living for something external, without knowing for what purpose?

To BECOME that which makes a difference, that perfect family, that wealth, that position of power, to be noticed, that that that, the choices are endless in this crazy mixed-up world. All chosen by the predetermined choice-mind?

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Music is the traveler, takes hold, and slowly the body moves into a trance state of wonder. Wonder where that I am choice-mind is now that the body-creature has completely taken control? Trance is one of the most powerful states of being the human body-mind is capable of experiencing. No wonder raves and Burning Man are so cherished. They are the freedom trains, the energy seeking human travels, requires, for maintaining its stable existence.

We are all different, generalized, and minorities, being treated and investigated as the same; time to wrap this baby up and vamoose out of here, no small task when confronted with new choices that have finally moved from the shadows out into the open for all to see. Have fun in exploring one’s new universe; it’s the dipper stage all over again, only this time, one has the opportunity to map out a chosen path in specified directions minus the outcome.

How many of us live near the beach, walk on the beach and never go swimming. That Swim Ming is such a strange fellow, never quite sure, why the possible always stands somewhere off in the distance, wanting engagement. When will time ever open its door?

The question remains, can one live out their life as a curiosity and maintain an open mind to all that they encounter while traveling this human highway of existence? Or do we live a ghostly existence seeking needs and desires that tantalize one’s human mind and leave the unnoticed soul-journey unknowingly in the lost and found bin? I think this is where our soulmate comes to find us, rescue us from the darkness, and be saved for another day in forever forever.

Tomorrow when one moves beyond that, gonna retire someday, finally arrives; that’s when we start living yesterday’s dreams...The many plans of all the exotic places to explore, those many new and stranger-friends waiting to meet, fun and excitement will be explored., those many new and Stanger-friends waiting to meet, fun and excitement.

There’s this deep hunger lingering on the inside, which needs to be known. It’s an interesting process when the external manages, trains, and develops; the internal grows equally simultaneously. Returning home, the question arises, which will remain, the newfound hunger or the well-respected, well-trained yesterday-being?

The question remains, can one live out their life as a curiosity and maintain an open mind to all that they encounter while traveling this human highway of existence? Or do we live a ghostly existence seeking needs and desires that tantalize one’s human mind and leave the unnoticed soul-journey unknowingly in the lost and found bin?

In today’s world, more than ever, we feel the restrictions separating us from getting back to the good-old-normal.

Time has placed a drought in the minds of humans; increased longing for times past has now been fertilized. And yet, one can sit in the arms of the tomorrowbeing and contemplate, is now the moment to move forward. No looking back, and like old clothes, old ideas need throwing out with the garbage and allowing within, a refreshing approach to, what is it that really serves this heart-mind-being—then acting out those requirements fully.

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With newfound eyes, one can look out to those seemingly far horizons, which now look a tad closer, actually within arm’s reach. You know what to do, take action on what is next on your human agenda.

Following another is a bit like following another dog’s rear end, not that sometimes it’s necessary to seek out the best advice in order to reach one’s goal, no, remember there is no goal, just moving forward with ya mate, buddy, Curiosity. Remember, movement is life; now let’s dance this baby home forward into Tomorrowland, where the box of jewels is waiting, for you friend.

Blessings, the world has turned towards the humans.

Michael White Ryan is a cofounder with his wife Pamela Edwards of Language of Space.

They are leaders in sustainable business growth via Performance Design and Performance Code.

Sustainable design encompasses both Western and Easternphilosophies including advanced Feng Shui principles, \ Environmental Design, Buildings, Alternative Health, Business Advisory Consultants and 20 plus years as entrepreneurs. Recognized in the top 100 globally and are Americas Leading Feng Shui BusinessConsultants.

They are on faculty at CEO Space International one of the oldest business organizations in America today, currently operate in 7 countries and reside in Australia. www.languageofspace.com

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SKIING THE HIGHEST SAND DUNE in North America: A look into a world without snow

By Wade Holland

E

very skier lives for face shots. Face shots of that fluffy, buttery, white stuff. Though what if in the near future, we're living in a world where snow replaces SAND?! That dystopian future might not be that far off.

The facts are there. The earth is warming at alarming rates.

June 2021 was the hottest month in North America in recorded history. Winters are getting shorter and milder. The United Nations Environment Programme identified the ski industry as one of the most vulnerable industries to climate change

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worldwide. The world is changing for the warmer.

I grew up as a competitive freestyle mogul skier in Montana.

When I was growing up, Montana had bitter cold winters and snow storms that absolutely poured for days. Storms that left cars under a blanket of snow, school getting cancelled due to hazardous conditions, and skiing that became the stuff of legends. In my early ski days at Bridger Bowl, there was so much snow that you'd be riding the chairlift and see only the top of a snorkel curving its way down the mountain. Yes, that was a person underneath all that snow.

Mogul skiing led me to Colorado — Ski Country USA baby!

In Colorado, I was introduced to North America's highest sand dunes, the largest at the time being Star Dune. This otherworldly environment (the largest alpine desert in the world) seemed about as alien a landscape as I could imagine. The dramatic rocky peaks juxtaposed against striking high desert, with little to none of the iconic forestry that's quintessentially Colorado.

It occurred to me — what if this becomes the future of skiing?

As an adventure personality, my belief is using my platform to enact radical action – so why not go attempt to ski the sand dunes and show how the global warming crisis might shift the sport.

I hauled my gear out into the desolate dunes outside of Mosco, Colorado. I was going to ski those dunes to get a taste of what a world without snow would be like.

Snow is forgiving. Sand on the other hand — is not. When the wind starts to howl (which is all hours of the day), sand feels like a million little rocks relentlessly pelting you all over your body. I wore shorts and a tank top, but I totally underestimated that level of exposure with this sand. Every single crevice of my body had tiny grains of sand wedged in it and this was just from the hike out to Star Dune. If you've ever walked on a beach, you know it can be slow moving. Now add a backpack with boots, skis, equipment, and hike up a steep mountain face of sand under the blistering sun.

Once at the top of Star Dune and looking over a vast sea of sand, I couldn't help but think of all livelihoods that would be adversely affected if the ski industry had to shift this dramatically.

I strapped my skis on, chose my line, and tried bombing down the mountain, but I immediately realized this was nothing like snow. It felt like I had sandpaper on my feet. It was a struggle picking up momentum and maneuvering with the same ease I was accustomed to. I eventually found a rhythm, but this was

not any contemporary understanding of skiing. This was something else. This wasn't the cold smoke that I fell in love with as a kid in Montana. Warren Miller would say, "skiing is a dance and the mountain always leads." There was no dance here. This was more like trying to do the tango underwater.

The being at the dune itself was a beautiful and unforgettable experience, but it was far from snow. Just attempting to ski in this hostile and arid environment was grueling, exhausting, and felt almost nothing like skiing feels today. It could very well be the future of tomorrow though.

I won’t mince words. Today we are beyond climate change — we’re in a full-on climate crisis. Over my lifetime, I’ve watched the lesser-known slopes around the American West disappear. As winter storms fail to bring in fresh powder, artificial snow-makers have become a necessary insurance policy resorts need to invest in to stay in business. While some legends of the sport are forming organizations (like Jeremy Jones’ Protect Our Winters) to preserve the sport as we know it, some major gear companies have gone on the record saying they’re shifting focus from developing new snow sports equipment to developing more water and land-based sports gear.

The world is working around the clock to return to normal and people are working aggressively to make up for the lost time.

With any luck, they’ll do so with a shared acknowledgement that if we’re not all careful, we the occupants of this small blue ball will soar upward to the sun with reckless abandon -- only to land fall hard in a barren and desolate pile of sand where the great outdoors of our generation once stood. Take it from me, sand is an absolutely miserable substitute for snow. https://www.wadeholland.media/ @WadeHolland Photo courtesy by: Connor Tieulie / Shandrew PR

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Abundance Corner

By Phyllis King

3

WAYS TO CULTIVATE Abundance During Times of Loss

A

bundance can be a tricky word at times. The mind wants to use the word as a measure of success. Abundance, more accurately, is a description of a flow of energy. Abundance describes whether we are in the right relationship to the highest vibrations possible to us in a moment. There is no one size fits all. The mind often wants to assign abundance to a tangible outcome.

Spiritual people often think that they must put on a smile or never utter a word that is not "positive." If they do, they are not "abundant." That is not the case. What is necessary is that we honor our present moment, whatever is in the moment, and give ourselves to it fully.

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An example might be the ending of a relationship.

You may be in the throes of breaking attachment and are heartbroken. How can you feel abundant during a loss? The most abundant thing you can do is to honor and care for yourself. Many times, spiritually speaking, that is the purpose of the loss. Loss provides an opportunity to learn how to love ourselves unconditionally.

It can be easy to pick ourselves apart in a relationship breakup for what we perceive to be our limitations.

We feel bad about ourselves because someone did not love us the way we had hoped. The most abundant thing one can do in this scenario is to love themselves more.

The example above it is not about feeling a specific way in a specific moment. It is about turning our attention toward compassion and self-care. This is the journey of staying in the right relationship to abundance. Even when someone is crying their eyes out, if it is honest and necessary at the moment to feel sad, that is an abundant act. When we do not feel our sadness, it turns to anger or rage. The more abundant choice is to honor the sadness before it progresses to something harsher.

One of the least abundant acts we can do during a loss is to pretend we are not hurting because we think we are getting life wrong. Yes, we are spiritual beings having a human experience. We must balance being human in the context of our soul's evolution. That is the journey. It is okay to embrace it fully. Enjoy it, cry from it, or be mad at it. There is no right and wrong in managing energy—only cause and effect and authenticity. What we intend in our hearts is the foundation of our creative process, no matter where we are in it.

Abundance begins with honoring the moments of our life. The moments that we have, not the moments we wish we had. Our ability to master presence in this manner will take us further on our quest for tangible abundance than anything else.

Loss is part of being human. When we consider the existential question of loss, it points us to the soul's journey every time. When we garner a larger perspective than the moment we are in, it fosters peace in our daily lives.

Below are three reminders about how we can cultivate abundance during times of loss: •

Stay away from judgments about yourself or

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others. Don't do it. Be an observer as much as you can. We learn a lot from watching how we respond to life and why. We can heal much more quickly when we are objective.

•

Do not hide your pain. Allow a trusted friend or confidant into your inner circle. Ask someone to walk with you for a time until you can walk on your own again. Support is not a sign of weakness.

It is a strategy for success.

The Practice of radical self-care and unconditional love of self, I am not referring to massages and facials, although these are nice treatments. I mean, answer your heart's call. One day it may be facial. Another day maybe to start writing a book, or a song, take a trip, or stay in bed. In the act of self-care, we learn to love ourselves through moments that are messy.

In that, we embrace the totality of who we are.

One of my favorite quotes about life and living is from the NY Times Bestselling author, Augusten Burroughs, who said, I like flaws and feel more comfortable around people who have them. I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together by good intentions. This statement is human and illustrates how we can best manage life as an abundant spiritual being. I could not agree more.

Love yourself through your loss. Embrace it. Honor it.

Soon the energy will shift to something else, and relief will be yours.

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

Life is your Creation

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AGING PARENTS Have the Right

to Make Bad Decisions Here’s How to Navigate

BY Amy Cameron O’Rourke

“I want to control my aging parents, but I think I’m going to lose this battle.”

Photo by JOHAN CUPIDO

This quote in a recent Wall Street Journal article refers specifically to one woman’s wish that she could rein in her older parents from resuming their usual pre-COVID social life now that they’re vaccinated. She’s worried that their many gatherings at church and with friends could still pose a risk to their safety despite the vaccine.

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But the same statement could be made by countless other adults who long to protect their aging parents from countless other potential dangers: driving when their eyesight and reflexes are not what they used to be, climbing ladders to clean out the gutter of their home, keeping—and eating—expired food in the fridge. These things happen—all the time.

So do lifestyle changes affecting older loved ones’ health and fitness that younger generations wish to fix. Refrains like “stand up straight, mom,” “let’s go to the gym together,” “try walking three times a day,” and “what if you got meals delivered?” are all too common.

Most often, these efforts to control parents’ behavior are met by resistance. Adults in their Fragile Years resist attempts by their children to help them stay healthy and safe because they fear help is a sign that the end of life is approaching and that they’re no longer in control. This is especially pronounced when it comes to the big and touchy decision about getting help. An older client once told me that she saw accepting a caregiver as “the beginning of the end.”

Watching a parent who was once strong, upright, and clear-thinking diminish pain and sadness. And trying to get the parent not to decline and stay clear of dangers is a normal response. But when is—or isn’t— it the right thing to do?

From my 40 years of experience as a care manager to older adults, I have come to believe that it’s best for adult children to give up any thought of “controlling” their aging parents, even if this means allowing them to make bad decisions. Trying to control them will ultimately prove as futile as telling kids what to do over and over again. Instead, my advice is to work with them to help them feel more comfortable with assistance, whether from loved ones or a professional caregiver.

Navigating this process takes patience and skill.

Here are a few steps you can take to make it go more smoothly: Get involved early in the game. While I was assessing an older woman on her daughter’s request, the woman said to me, “my daughter thinks I am dying, doesn’t she?” The daughter hadn’t visited in three years. Her sudden involvement was a red flag.

To some, this can feel like a death knell. If you are involved on a regular basis over the years, your presence and support will not be alarming, and your parent will be more inclined to cooperate with your initiatives rather than resist.

Spend some extended periods of time with your parent. The 72-hour visit concept laid out by Dr. Dennis McCullough in his book My Mother, Your

Mother is very effective. The goal is to spend time with the parent over an extended period of time. No judgment, no convincing them to do anything; just be there. You can observe, get a better sense of your parent’s capacities, and build trust.

Avoid using the tone of voice you would with a child. It’s a surefire way to fail!

Proceed slowly. Chances are, your ideas are bigger and more complicated than what your aging parents are ready for. Ratchet down, go slow. Seek solutions that are small in size and build from there.

Lighten your emotional baggage. Lingering feelings of anger or frustration toward your parent will block decision-making and trust. Seek outside help from friends or professionals to work through these unresolved issues.

Build a support team. Siblings, friends, nieces, rabbis, nurses, colleagues, attorneys, financial advisors.

Who can listen and bring ideas to the table? Who will your parents trust? Ask your community for referrals. One good referral can lead to another.

If you feel you need an additional layer of support in navigating this and other challenges of the Fragile Years, you might consider hiring a professional care manager. Care managers help families transition through the Fragile Years together. Yes, it can be expensive. But there’s always the option to pay for a few sessions and create a game plan together.

A care manager can also help save money over time by helping you make better choices from the outset, avoiding costly errors.

As with the other approaches above, this will bring greater peace of mind.

Amy Cameron O’Rourke is a nationally-known pioneer and advocate for senior care in the U.S. A professional care manager with over 40 years of experience, she is the founder and president of The Cameron Group: Aging Life Care Services in Orlando, Florida, and author of The Fragile Years.

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Nidhi Tewari Mental Health Therapist, Clinical Social Worker and Speaker

With most American's spending 40+ hours a week in their workplace, we must recognize the need for addressing mental health in places of employment. With so much of our lives being devoted to our place of work, why do we shy away from talking about mental health in the workplace?

Because workplaces bring together people of different races, backgrounds, and life experiences, leaders have the responsibility of creating a safe, tolerant, and supportive atmosphere for their workers. Nidhi Tewari, LCSW, says it starts with those in leadership understanding the complexity of diverse mental health needs and how to handle them best.

Nidhi Tewari is an acclaimed Licensed Clinical Social Worker, mental health therapist, and sought-after speaker with more than a decade of experience. She is an EMDR International Association Certified EMDR therapist and uses this expertise to treat and reduce trauma-related symptoms and anxiety, stress, performance anxiety, and grief.

Nidhi has spoken before university, corporation, and conference audiences on resilience, trauma, post-traumatic growth, selfcare, leadership, digital wellness, and burnout.

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Photo by PRISCILLA DU PREEZ

Her work has been featured in Forbes, Oprah Daily, Yahoo, VICE, Theravive, and PsychCentral, and on various news networks on the topic of mental health.

Where do the stigma and shame surrounding mental health come from, especially in the workplace?

The fear of judgment from leadership or team members fuels the stigma and shame surrounding mental health in the workplace. Many fear that they will view them as less competent if they acknowledge they are struggling with their mental health, so they do not speak up about it.

If someone wants to be promoted eventually, there is a concern that they will be passed over if they are vulnerable enough to share mental health difficulties.

Well-being is often mistakenly viewed as homogeneous across age, race, gender, and sexual orientation, but mental health needs vary based on diverse experiences and identities. Adaptability and individualization are key elements of understanding and meeting the diverse needs of employees because mental well-being interventions are not one-size-fits-all. For example, the needs of someone diagnosed with ADHD are likely going to differ from the needs of someone who is neurotypical, so employers must be flexible.

Are there any protections in place for employees regarding mental health and their work environment or job security?

According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), "if you have depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or another mental health condition, you are protected against discrimination and harassment at work because of your condition. You have workplace privacy rights, and you may have a legal right to get reasonable accommodations that can help you perform and keep your job." Implementing the appropriate interventions in the workplace on a case-by-case basis can be more challenging, as this requires flexibility to meet unique needs.

Supporting the well-being of individuals from diverse backgrounds requires a willingness to be a student instead of a teacher. Learning to attune to each person's unique needs allows for more authentic connection and greater success as leaders.

Photo by Elisa Ventur

How can employers and those in management or leadership display or enhance understanding of the diverse needs of employees?

You have mentioned the importance of those in positions of authority modeling healthy behavior. Can you elaborate on that?

Psychological safety is built from the top down, so those in leadership positions or positions of authority must create psychological safety by showing that vulnerability will be respected and celebrated instead of judged and shamed.

Leaders can do this by being honest about their own work/life stressors, publicly taking mental health days to normalize using these days off, and supporting their colleagues when they share about their own experiences.

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What does it mean for employers to be active listeners, and why is it so important?

Active listening entails listening with the intent of deeply understanding instead of listening with the intent of replying. Active listening is key because it allows employers to understand their employees' challenges better, allowing them to ask clarifying questions instead of operating based on assumptions.

What are the benefits of regular checks in's and how can employers begin to implement those?

Employers should have a pulse on the morale, strengths, and struggles of their employees.

Regular check-ins allow for an opportunity to gauge the health and cohesion of the team. Scheduling time at least once monthly across the entire organization to assess successes and growth edges is critical. Check-ins can include a high and a low, which allows employers to anticipate the team's needs. Then, employers can proactively plan to ramp up support when team stress increases, versus taking a reactive stance in addressing these needs as they become more evident later on.

How can employers emphasize well-being as a core element of their values and focus on work/life balance, and how can they use language that is validating to their employees?

Employers can emphasize well-being by creating longterm initiatives that promote taking care of mental health. Paid mental health days, adequately paid vacation time off, and scheduled times weekly where staff can participate in meditation and movement can be helpful.

EMPLOYEES SHOULD KNOW

THEIR RIGHTS WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR MENTAL HEALTH BEING

A PROTECTED CHARACTERISTIC IN THE WORKPLACE. THEY CAN ASK FOR ACCOMMODATIONS AND UTILIZE THE PROPER CHANNELS TO GARNER SUPPORT, SUCH AS EXPRESSING

THEIR NEEDS

TO THEIR DIRECT SUPERVISOR AND THE HR DEPARTMENT. Also, having an excellent suite of benefits, such as 8-10 free, confidential Employee Assistance Program sessions, low deductible, and low co-pay mental health services, 90 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e September 2021

and free access to apps like Calm or Headspace can help ensure that employees have adequate resources for meeting their mental health needs.

Finally, reducing the friction in asking for a mental health day is integral, as many employees do not want to admit that they need a mental health day out of fear of explaining themselves and fear of being judged. Employers can have a neutral, templated email that signals that they would like to utilize a paid mental health day without providing a justification or explanation.

In terms of using validating language, normalizing a person's experience is powerful, and using this technique helps employees feel seen, heard, and understood. This can be done by communicating to employees that they are not alone, that their struggles are valid, and that there are resources available to support them through challenges in and out of work.

This is imperative in reducing stigma and shame, and in turn, this creates psychological safety in real-time. We must ensure that feedback on productivity or quality of work is never tied to a person's mental health struggles, as this can also increase feelings of shame.

How can employees advocate for themselves and their coworkers?

Employees should know their rights when it comes to their mental health being a protected characteristic in the workplace. They can ask for accommodations and utilize the proper channels to garner support, such as expressing their needs to their direct supervisor and the HR department.

If they are unsure where to begin, this information is usually located in the employee handbook or onboarding documents. Employees should try and give the processing time to work before further escalating the issue, as there needs to be flexibility from all parties when addressing mental health in the workplace. Also, employees should speak up early on before there is a problem with performance or attendance. This way, leadership can work to support them before challenges arise.

Is there anything else you can add regarding workplace mental health?

Workplace mental health is quickly becoming one of the most important metrics in gauging employee satisfaction and retention in top Fortune organizations. Neglecting to address mental health at work could cost your organization time, talent, and money. While speaking about mental health in the workplace can intimidate leaders, taking these steps mentioned above builds the foundation for a thriving workplace with healthy employees.

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Photo by STEVE HALAMA

Cancer R.I.P.

THE ULTIMATE FIGHT

By Steven Kelley

T

he Ultimate Fight Lightning is an amazing natural force. I was reminded of that force when cancer struck me in the form of brain cancer in June 2018. In an instant, my entire life was jolted to a new reality cancer patients know well; family tears, guarded and frightening diagnoses, M.R.I.'s, chemotherapy, financial stresses, life and health insurance concerns, restrictions for eating and physical activity, and even restrictions on sex. Damn!

Those are tough pills to swallow.

The thunder that preceded my "lightning" disease was in

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the form of partial blindness and loss of memory. Those dark clouds, for me, have mostly passed and changed into a less-than-comfortable truce with cancer. My disease, Central Nervous System Lymphoma (C.N.S.), is an incurable and inoperable tumor.

After fighting through the initial stages of cancer and receiving incredible care at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute under the precious guidance of Dr. Lakshmi Nayak, the Director of the C.N.S, Cancer Institute, I live a robust life. I might even call it "charmed."

"Secrets are dark things.

They don't exist in the light.

They glow faintly in forgotten corners, in mysterious mind nooks, in lost memory maps.

Secrets are the shadows of the soul." ~ Sukanya Venkatraghavan

My Secret Visitor "I don't know why she came. No one else knew. I didn't remember when she started stalking me. My first glimpse of her was fleeting. I barely saw a shadow over my shoulder. She wasn't ugly. She wasn't pretty either. She was formless. Not fat-not skinny; not black – not white; But somehow, I knew my stalker was female.

She didn't draw much attention in the beginning. That would change. I didn't have to like her. She didn't care if I did. She was determined to be in my life. I couldn't remember when we first met. I don't know how she found me.

I woke up one day, and she was with me - attached. She wouldn't leave. She was there every day. She was, in point of fact, irresistible - destined to be my companion for life.

I found out her first secret on June 1st, 2018. I remember that day well – even though the days after were a blur.

She stomped in with heavy footsteps banging her heels – impatiently. Finally, she found the key. She couldn't wait to get in. She waved the key in front of me and stuck her finger up my nose. I thought I heard her whisper, "I got you – you bastard! I'm in."

I froze. I didn't know what to do.

Until then, she had been working quietly – mostly unnoticed. Where was she from? Was she local? How did she get in? Somewhere down the hall? Through the cellar? She had many more secrets. I should have locked the damn door!

Inside all of us is a house with great architecture; lots of doors – entries with locks needing keys. A maze of intricate hallways connects rooms. Some we see, some hidden away so no one can see—not even ourselves.

In my house, you couldn't find your way without a map.

I'm sure of that. You couldn't get in without a key. How did she get inside? Where did she get the map? I had eerie thoughts. Was she from the future sneaking back to the

present to warn me? Or was she the adventurer inside of me - leaping forward to see ahead and then come back to warn me?

Or was she truly evil? Did she come to hurt me – delivering a selfish and angry beating because ….." ********** I don't think I'll ever know why.

Cancer still is scary. But you have to find a way to get over it. My way is to make every day amazing – somehow – someway – I give myself an open the door to a bright future; light over darkness.

That also comes with helping others. On one of the most fulfilling days of my life, a good friend called me to ask me to sit with him and his two grown children. His wife was struck with brain disease. Would I mind sharing something – anything that might help?

Having been through his awful predicament, I knew what to say. I listened first, but when given the opportunity, I let them know my survival tricks. Candor, humor, exercise, and positivity are all needed. When the clouds are that dark, you have to laugh to punch your way through, even if it is in the darkness itself.

I told them that I gave everyone permission to laugh and tell jokes during my treatments – even to make fun of me. My kids had a pretend to fight over my stuff which I adjudicated with laughs.

We lamented that I would never have time to improve my golf game. We swore a lot too. It makes it easier to remove that "convention" of polite company.

As I look back, I can say, "It's better to be lucky than good, but it's also true that when you create a space filled with powerful teammates, you can't help but get lucky!

As I wrote my memoir "Cancer R.I.P. – The Ultimate Fight," I chose to personify cancer about my brain cancer.

As my tumor grew, "SHE" (cancer) ate away at my vision, and I became increasingly confused. At one point, I couldn't find my bathroom from my bedroom – only eight feet away.

I compared that experience to what I envisioned it would be like to be stalked. I didn't want my readers to attribute a "male-to-female" situation to my experience, as that scenario would incorrectly slant the fear I was trying to convey. By choosing a female gender, I hoped to create curiosity and allow readers to witness with me the fear of the multiple losses I have experienced (memory, balance, and vision/blindness).

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The Healthstyle Emporium Sasha Gary

Photo by GRZEGORZ

Ways to Connect

O

ur world has been so divisive for the past two years outright. How do we find our way to a world that is more unified? At the rate the world is turning, we won't last much longer into the future. The environment, climate change, and human connection are all disconnected.

The way of the future is community. Is that community, your peer group, or does that include the community you don't know or don't understand? How can we be of help and service to one another on a worldwide level?

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The simplest way to define community is a group of people living together or in the same locality or who share interests or a sense of identity. It can be religious, political, rural, sports, school.

With the digital age, you can connect worldwide and learn from one another, and shared goals that bring us together.

Communities that bring us together for a shared interest like art, the environment, community organizations. Connecting on a social and spiritual level where everyone's opinion is valued even if it's different than your own.

The LA Art Show brought together a beautiful community of shared art lovers after a long year of separation. From total isolation to reconnection.

They were allowing connection, emotion, and beauty to affect us.

The shift from last year's pandemic has shifted relationships around, and it's time to connect with new friends who have more in common with you now than before the lockdown. We have all shifted, grown, and have new ideas. Begin by being a good listener and learning from someone new.

Let's go back to basic civility with one another. There is such a dismissive attitude to each other these days that it needs to stop. We have common courtesy for one another. So we can unite all as one.

How are you giving back to your community? Are you volunteering and participating in your own community? How can you live in your neighborhood, and people don't know who you are? Try volunteering.

Volunteering has so many health benefits. By giving to other people, it's great for your mental and physical health. It gives you a sense of purpose, it can help reduce stress, and reconnects you to other human beings, so you aren't feeling alone in the world as many people are feeling nowadays. Plus, volunteering is fun!

There are amazing organizations here in Los Angeles where you can volunteer with animals, the ocean, kids, gardens, art, and so much more. You can sharpen your social skills too! This is amazing for someone who might be an introvert to learn to be a little more outgoing.

Global communities connected on virtual calls all throughout the world aren't going to be changing

anytime soon. All of the apps that connect us all daily, the new normal.

We all thrive in community and connections. Not one man or woman can do it all alone. And, you don't want to. No man or woman is an island. Having a sense of community unites us all, and it gives us something much grander than just ourselves.

Online communities are fantastic to bring together people who have a shared interest from all over the world. You may have more in common with people from all over the world than the people right in your neighborhood. Because of technology, you can connect in shared interests. I now have friends from all over the world because of the different groups I joined. If you can't find one, create a community!

You truly do not ever have to feel alone in this big beautiful world. All you have to do is look for the things you value and show up to make a connection.

It's really up to you.

We are all here to help one another thrive, grow, help one elevate to the next level in life.

"A true community is not just about being geographically close to one someone or a part of the same social web network. It's about feeling connected and responsible for what happens. Humanity is our ultimate community, and everyone plays a crucial role."

If you feel disconnected, please don't hesitate to reach out to me on my Instagram @sashagaryhealth and be a part of my community.

"You will never walk alone."

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!

95 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e September 2021

HIGH ROAD TO HUMANITY

By Nancy Yearout

Phtot by TSUNAMI GREEN

Finding Peace & Connection

with Gaia in The Last Days of Summer 96 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e September 2021

H

ow Summertime makes us smile with the birds singing, and the buzzing of bees heard so clearly in the warm summers breeze.

become more harmonious and balanced.

Connecting with nature as often as you can assists in the balance of your own energy fields naturally and will rejuvenate your heart and soul.

What a magical time of year we are experiencing right now, as the final days of Summer have arrived. We take that last fun trip to the beach to soak up the sun, walk upon the warm wet sand, and plunge into the cool waters.

Clinical studies have proven that the more time we spend in nature significantly reduces our stress hormones and activates healing DNA, repairing our bodies. The best thing we can do for our minds, body, and souls is to go outside and chill. And the most important practice for humanity is to be grateful for what the earth provides. Remember to thank Mother Earth for the food she supplies, the water we drink, the soil and sand we walk upon, the trees that shade us, the grass beneath our feet, and metals and raw materials we take from her to build our homes and cities, heat them and cool them and keep us comfortable.

Acknowledge her gifts and give thanks to our earth, for she is conscious living energy which sustains our lives and gives to us freely as we are her children.

Many of us jump in our cars or on our bikes and head out to the countryside. This is a special time of year to see the green stalks of sweet corn swaying in the fields as it's almost time for the harvest. This is the time of year when the beans and alfalfa are almost ready for picking.

Some people see the cotton exposing its white fluff and know the last days of summer have arrived. For some of us, it’s the sight of pumpkins and gourds still green on the vines that let us know summer is coming to an end.

This is the season when local farmers display their freshly picked lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, squash, and corn with all their bright colors for our choosing. All at once, the harvest appears in the markets, and the bounty is displayed on roadside stands that seem to pop up out of know where along our highways.

There is nothing quite like this time of year when the mornings are cooler, the flowers and trees are in full bloom, and the hummingbirds are in joyful flight.

Mother nature provides abundant gifts to us as we enjoy her happy earth energy on a late summer day.

Mother earth does a nice job of providing summertime fun for us as we walk on her sandy beaches, raft her flowing rivers and enjoy her blue summer skies.

More and more people realize the importance of our connection with nature and the healing energy that our mother earth provides to humanity. Many call the earth Gaia and believe she is the spiritual embodiment of the earth. She is alive!

It is apparent that a new curiosity about Gaia has come to light as we search for the true treasures of life.

She represents the loving, nurturing intelligence that oversees life on earth, just as a mother would do. She provides the balance for the tree, plants, animals, and humanity. By moving into alignment with her, we can

Nancy Yearout is an Psychic Reader, Intuitive Life Coach, Author and Inspirational Speaker. Her religious and spiritual work has enabled her to help many people to live the life they desire! Nancy feels inspired to share the wisdom and the messages she receives with others. Her real-life experiences are shared each week on her Radio Show/Podcast, High Road to Humanity where insightful, spiritual guests share their story. This is Nancy’s way of each sharing new insight about raising the vibration and consciousness for all of us to create a healthy, Loving and kinder people as well as a safe harmonious place to live. My Credentials: Sales Coordinator for General Motors Corporation, Sales Manager for multiple, Owner and Qualifying Broker of The Harville Estates Real Estate & Development LLC, Owner of Energy Girl Publishing LLC., Author of, Wake Up! The Universe Is Speaking to You, Author of Monthly Contributor to Eden Magazine, Motivational/Inspirational Speaker, Intuitive Personal Coach Intuitive card reader, Energy Healer, Radio Host/Podcast High Road to Humanity.

Nancy Yearout Hosts a Radio Show/ Podcast every week on Toginet radio and iTunes called High Road to Humanity. Visit her website www.NancyYearout.com or her Podcast www.Highroadtohumanity.com 97 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e September 2021

99 THEEDENMAGAZINE.COM e May 2021