November Metanoia OAND 2011

METANOIA The Magazine That Makes You Think

Special Fall 2011 Edition

WeThank You For 10 Years!

BA

NN

ED

Lousy Advice

by Dr. Caleb Ng

The Power Of Women On Meeting Ellen DeGeneres and Suzanne Somers

Art

METANOIA The Magazine That Makes You Think

EXECUTIVE AND STAFF

PUBLISHERS

SALME JOHANNES LEIS & ALLISON PATTON

COPY CHIEF

CALEB NG

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS

JR LEIS AND HEINO LEIS

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

DAL FLEISCHER

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

DAN DENIS

PHOTO ARCHIVIST

GALINA BOGATCH

CONTRIBUTORS

Maureen Bader Alex Barberis Andy Belanger Donald J. Boudreaux Tim Brown Brian Croft Cheryl Gauld Marilyn Hurst Hank Leis Chris MacClure Caleb Ng Janice Oleandros Allison Patton Cara Roth Kaela Scott ON THE COVER...

Dr Allison Patton, Dr Caleb Ng & Dr Galina Bogatch of the Mountainview Wellness Centre

A very special thanks to Dan Denis, Photographer.

METANOIA MAGAZINE is a publication of METANOIA CONCEPTS INC. For questions, comments, or advertising contact by Phone: 604 538 8837, Email: metanoiamagazine@gmail.com, Mail: 3566 King George Blvd, Surrey, BC, Canada, V4P 1B5 2 METANOIA

METANOIA The Magazine That Makes You Think

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CONTENTS

Executive Summary

Lousy Advice

Power of Women

Let’s Talk

It’s Not As Easy As It Looks

Wisdom with Ellen DeGeneres and Suzanne Somers

The Rant

Dead Man Walking

Art &The Indominable Spirit

A Survivor’s Story

Painting the History of Vancouver & British Columbia Will they Come?

Forever Ignorant

Horoscope

An Artist’s Tale

It Sounds So Easy When They Say, “Just Build It”

A University Degree Is Not All It’s Cracked Up To Be.

Quotes That Might Make You Think

METANOIA 3

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY n the whole the response we get from our readers is encouraging and positive.

On occasion we get a sharply worded criticism, describing their rejection of the “kind” of magazine we are. Some of this criticism has to do with a perceived bias in our political views, even though we have interviewed and written about politicians of all political stripes absent of our criticism or advocating a differing political bent. In general we see politicians as being courageous, in that they are willing to put their person and their political thoughts under the microscope of public criticism.

Our writers are a mix of people with varying political agendas. We invite all who have criticisms of the articles to write to us, and more importantly to submit their own essays, explaining their points of view. If we don’t get letters, articulating in detail your reservations about a particular article or the magazine itself, we don’t know how to respond.

This month we have an article on Janise Oleandros, a survivor who became an artist and a Brain State Training Technician. Her’s is a story of international intrigue and ultimately of finding peace at home.

Dr. Ng makes another one of his very cryptic analysis of the challenges in becoming a Naturopathic Doctor. Suprisingly, he has been invited to be one of the speakers in Portland at The 9th Annual International Restorative Medicine Conference.

Dr. Allison Patton gets to meet Ellen DeGeneres and describes the successful women and how they shared with her and others on how they achieved their dreams, goals and objectives.

Marlyn Hurst speaks her mind and Hank Leis describes his encounter with death. And there is more. The other articles will just have to reveal themselves.

Sometimes when you’re tripping around in time and space, like Alice in Wonderland, you find yourself unwittingly tumbling down a rabbit hole, and as you try to keep your skirt down so no one will see your undies or so you don’t get what’s between your legs damaged, you keep on falling into this seemingly bottomless pit that jars you into a new reality when you finally land.

Our thoughtful and considerate request to the OAND to allow us to hand out our magazine at the OAND conference (considerate because electronically we can achieve the same

H. Leis , Executive Director purpose without needing to ask) and being denied access because according to their pompous review, it did not have Ontario content, became such an experience. We resubmitted our request to the executive to reverse their decision, but as we now expected got the same lame excuse. We humbly asked ourselves “Where has the love gone?” Where are those lovers, who once strolled, through green fields? What has happened to our colleagues and fellow graduates? Or as Mr. Rodney King asked, “Why can’t we all just get along?” We also became more introspective considering OAND’s request for more Ontario content in our Magazine.

Being the inquiring minds, that we are, we began by asking questions and became the investigative journalists that win Pulitzer Prizes. And did we get replies?!? Apparently, there were a lot of things that Ontario ND’s wanted to expunge. And so it is that we’ve decided to become the voice of NDs who are eager to be heard, but have no platform.

It made us think maybe we should get some office space in Ontario for our publication.

(Talk about turning lemons into lemonade!)

We thank the OAND for their advice – Ontario content for the magazine.

What a great idea!

What’s the Story with You? Do you have a story to tell? Do you have a rant of your own? Metanoia Magazine is looking for stories and writers. If you’ve got something to say in 500 words or less email us at metanoiamagazine@gmail. com. Be sure to include pictures. If selected for publication you will receive 2 complimentary copies of the magazine plus a link to an online version. Additional copies will cost $3 each.

4 METANOIA

p i h s r e s b a m e w M as lo th n s o e t m a r .50 a $33 Take advantage of the BCNA members rate!

Members of the BC Naturopathic Association and their patients are entitled to a corporate rate of $49 per month with no initiation fee or pre-pay for 18 months at a rate of $33.50 per month!

For questions or to sign up call Jordan Ninkovich 778.788.0073 or 604.542.5213 Offer good until October 31, 2011. Offer based on a 12 month agreement. BCNA corporate rates available at all Fitness World locations and Sports Clubs except the Granville Stree Steve Nash Sports Club location. Taxes apply.

An update of BCNA Lobbying efforts:

Recently Dr. Caleb Ng met with the current Minister of Health, Michael de Jong. The following is a copy of the summary letter to the Health Minister following the meeting.

Dr. Caleb Ng meets with Health Minister, Michael De Jong to discuss moving the naturopathic profession forward here in BC.

BCNA, 2238 P I N E S T R E E T , V A N C O U V E R , BC, V6J 5G4

PHONE: 604/736-6646  FAX: 604/736-6048  e-mail: bcna@bcna.ca

SeptemberSeptember 22, 201122, 2011

8 METANOIA

Honourable de Jong Honourable MichaelMichael de Jong Room 337, Parliament Buildings Room 337,Victoria, Parliament Buildings BC, V8V 1X4 Victoria, BC, V8V 1X4 Dear Minister de Jong, Dear Minister de Jong, Thank you for making time to meet with myself and our Executive Director, Cassie, ontime Monday, September at your constituency office. We Director, both Thank youGlenn for making to meet with19myself and our Executive appreciated your focus on issues of concern to BC’s naturopathic physicians (NDs), Glenn Cassie, on Monday, September 19 at constituency office. constructive comments and willingness to your collaborate on solutions.

I believeWe weboth appreciated your focus oncommon issues goal: of concern to health BC's naturopathic physicians share an important To improve outcomes in the province by (NDs), constructive comments and willingness to collaborate I believe ensuring the highest levels of patient-centred health careon aresolutions. available to all British we Columbians.common goal: To improve health outcomes in the province by share an important ensuring the highest levels of patient-centred health care are available to all British As we discussed, naturopathic physicians share your ministry’s goal of preventive Columbians. medicine and healthier communities. It is in fact ND’s collective role to keep people well rather than treat them only when they are sick. Our members are highly As we discussed, naturopathic physicians share yourThe ministry's of preventive trained, highly skilled primary health care providers.

College ofgoal Naturopathic medicine Physicians and healthier communities.

It is in fact ND's collective role to keep of BC, which has a robust continuing competency regime in place, ensures patients standards of ethics The safety record are people well rather thanreceive treat defined them only when theyand arepractice. sick. Our members of naturopathic doctors is testament to the education, training and regulatory highly trained, highly skilled primary health care providers. The College of framework in place.

Naturopathic Physicians of BC, which has a robust continuing competency regime in place, ensures receive defined standards ethics and practice.

The We thank patients you for your agreement to move forward onofaccess to diagnostic facilities. safety record of naturopathic doctors is testament to the education, training Your government’s commitment on this issue will streamline the delivery of care, and regulatoryenhance framework place. patient in choice and reduce costs in the public health care system. The status quo is confusing to patients and results in discrepancies in care. Diagnostic access continues to be integral to the deliveryon of competent care— We thank has youbeen, for and your agreement to move forward access tohealth diagnostic yet this care is compromised every day that members must access out-of-province facilities. facilities Your government's commitment onmembers this issue streamline due to the current restrictions. Our havewill an extended trackthe delivery ofrecord care,ofenhance choice and reduce costs in the public health accessing, patient interpreting and appropriately following-up on diagnostic tests. care system. The status quo is confusing to patients and results in discrepancies in care. Diagnostic access has been, and continues to be integral to the delivery of competent health care—yet this care is compromised every day that members must access out-of-province facilities due to the current restrictions. Our members have an extended track record of accessing, interpreting and appropriately following-up on diagnostic tests.

We are pleased that you intend to move quickly to work with the College of

diagnostic facilities is our members' top priority and we are disappointed that the CPSBC has not been open to discussing the issue with our profession. We have We are pleased that you the intendcompetencies to move quickly toof work with the Collegephysicians of Physicians to use these clearly demonstrated naturopathic and Surgeons (CPSBC) to encourage them to align with your government’s priorities and services ministry officials weofhave developed the appropriate selffocus to not your on vested interests but the best and interests patients.

If that is not possible, we hope that you will enact legislation to enable this initiative to move forward in a timely regulatory framework to ensure patient safety. We will keep in touch with your in-province diagnostic facilities is ourto members’ priority andthe we support you officefashion. and Accessing with your officials on this matter ensuretopyou have are disappointed that the CPSBC has not been open to discussing the issue with our needprofession. from our to move the forward.

We profession have clearly demonstrated competencies of naturopathic physicians to use these services to your ministry officials and we have developed the appropriate framework tofederally ensure patient safety. We will keep inwe touch withtrack your office Withself-regulatory regard to accessing scheduled items, will down and with your officials on this matter to ensure you have the support you need from our correspondence between profession to move forward. Health Canada and our national association, and share

that with your staff. While federal access is less pressing than diagnostics, it is also With regard to accessing federally scheduled we will trackauthority down correspondence primarily about discrepancies in care.items, Prescribing currently allows a between Health Canada and our national association, and share that with your staff. While levelfederal of care with thatitisis also lacking with male patients, access is lessfemale pressing patients than diagnostics, primarily about discrepancies in especially in respect hormonal issues. care.to Prescribing authority currently allows a level of care with female patients that is lacking with male patients, especially in respect to hormonal issues.

Again, we appreciate your time, particularly the thoughtfulness and pragmatic Again, we appreciate your time, particularly the thoughtfulness and pragmatic approach approach tookconfronting to issues confronting In the material wefullprovided at the you tookyou to issues NDs. In the materialNDs. we provided at the meeting our Four Point outlined in detail.

We is look forward toin discussing ability for NDs meeting our Plan fullisFour Point Plan outlined detail.theWe look forward to to attend to their patients in hospital as well as to make a referral to a specialist.

I would discussing the ability for NDs to attend to their patients in hospital as well as to like to reiterate that our initiatives are focussed not on taxing our over-burdened public makehealth a referral specialist.

I would like to reiterate that ourand initiatives are system buttotoaenhance patient choice, reduce duplication and inefficiencies streamline care. over-burdened public health system but to enhance focussed notthe ondelivery taxingof our patient choice, reduce duplication and inefficiencies and streamline the delivery of care.Please let me know if we can be of assistance to you moving forward.

Sincerely,

Please let me know if we can be of assistance to you moving forward.

Sincerely,

Dr. Caleb Ng, BCNA Vice President cc.

Dr. Caleb Ng, BCNA Vice President

Michael MacDougall, COO, Ministry of Health

cc. Daryl Michael Beckett, MacDougall,Director, COO, Ministry of Health Professional Regulation, Ministry of Health Daryl Beckett, Director, Professional Regulation, Ministry of Health

METANOIA 9

LOUSY ADVICE

Dr. Caleb Ng addresses the delegates of the 9th Annual Association for the Advancement in Restorative Medicine Conference at McMenamins Edgefield Lodge in Portland, Oregon.

“You’ve worked hard and you deserve a break. Don’t be so quick to start working as you’ll have the rest of your life to work.”

I don’t know about that. I recently heard this advice given to new graduates of a naturopathic medical program and I remember that I was given the same advice by someone else when I graduated from naturopathic school over a decade ago.

Who are these people? Why are they giving this advice? Have they built successful naturopathic or private medical practices based on this advice? If so, they never told me about it.

I remember when I graduated I had lots of student debt and no income. I actually took that “don’t be so quick to start working” advice, because the work hard option seemed like hard work (and I thought that I did deserve a break!) Do I regret listening to that advice?

You bet. But, I guess I can say that I tried that advice and learned the hard way and those kind of lessons stick with you.

I’ve served on the board of directors for our provincial association for several years now and have attended meetings where those in charge of the associations and educational institutions take a look at issues that face our profession. One key issue that seems to be developing is the incongruent expectations that some students and recent graduates have when they graduate.

What I’m talking about is the expectation that a naturopathic doctor will easily earn a considerable income when they start their practice (or business). When my recruitment officer was asked, “How much does a naturopathic doctor make?”, her answer with very little hesitation was, “Some naturopathic doctors earn about $80,000 a year.” For the group that I was touring the campus with, that was a good enough answer and away we went to apply for a career in a noble profession that we thought would provide a substantial income. Years later, I know that reward does

10 METANOIA

not come without hard work and much consideration.

So, what do you do about it? How do we change this mindset?

I find myself working many more hours than many of my colleagues while still experiencing great satisfaction in what I do.

Being a naturopathic doctor means being an entrepreneur and when I embraced that concept I started to think less and less about getting away from work and more and more about how to improve what I was doing. As a naturopathic doctor or a practitioner in holistic medicine I have come to realize that my practice is a business and not a state or province funded operation. Any coverage that I do receive from the government for treatments administered are almost more hassle than they are worth.

A practice in naturopathic medicine or holistic medicine may be challenging, but another way of looking at it is that it opens the door to many opportunities. If there were more coverage from the government for our services there would also be more regulation.

I do not welcome more regulation.

My message to new graduates is to embrace the entrepreneurial spirit and think of business not as tedium, but as opportunity for conceptual thinking, strategy, tactics and implementation.

For you to be successful you will need to be as excited about the process of creating and maintaining your business as the practice of being a naturopathic doctor.

- Dr. Caleb Ng, ND

PERSONAL MESSAGE AND GREETINGS FROM HONOURABLE MICHAEL DE JONG, QC MINISTER OF HEALTH September 2011 On behalf of the Province of British Columbia, I would like to extend greetings to the readers of Metanoia magazine.

We have a great health system and many achievements to be proud of. Since 2001, almost $7 billion has been invested to expand, modernize and upgrade hospitals and health-care facilities across B.C. These investments are improving care for patients and have created thousands of jobs that support families in every region of the province. We have also increased access to health professionals and doubled the number of training spaces for doctors and nurses.

However, we face challenges in ensuring a health care system that will be strong for future generations. Total health care spending across B.C. continues to rise. In 2011/12, government spending on health will reach almost 48 per cent of the total provincial budget, accounting for $16.5 billion, an increase of 89 per cent from 2000/01. This creates significant challenges to our health system and our ability to provide other valued public services. To address this, we’re turning to innovation, including focusing on strategic changes to ensure the system runs efficiently.

One area of focus is prevention. Chronic disease is the largest single burden on the health of British Columbians and the health-care system. To combat this trend, the Province has launched the $68.7-million Healthy Families strategy. It supports B.C. families in making the healthier choice the easier choice, and introduces innovative approaches to the challenges facing our health system. Focuses include healthy eating choices, healthy lifestyles and healthy communities. I encourage everyone to visit www.healthyfamiliesbc.ca to learn more.

In the months ahead we will continue to support families to manage their own health to reduce chronic disease and encourage British Columbians to lead healthier lives. We will also work with health stakeholders and health care professionals to ensure the benefit of each health dollar is maximized.

Sincerely,

Michael de Jong, QC Minister of Health Ministry of Health

Office of the Minister

Mailing Address: PO Box 9050 Stn Prov Govt Victoria BC V8W 9E2

Location: Parliament Buildings Victoria METANOIA 11

The Power of

Women

Dr. Allison Patton

The email came in, The Power of Women was coming to Vancouver! Wait a minute.

Powerful women are already in Vancouver.

I work with at least two if not more of them!

In fact, I consider myself one of them. Well then, what a fitting event for me to consider attending. It didn’t take much arm twisting by one of my colleagues and the tickets were purchased. Not just VIP but Emerald tickets!

If we were going to go to the event; we’d go in style. The Emerald package included lunch, special seating and a photo with Ellen DeGeneres or Suzanne Somers. I was excited for weeks thinking about the thrill of sitting amongst 3,000 fellow powerful wannabee women listening to some fabulous women speak and of course the photo with Ellen DeGeneres. I planned my outfit (Ellen likes blue), found a new pair of shoes from H&M to match, went to the salon to freshen up my hair style and the next thing I knew it was the night before the event. My colleague JR found my giddy excitement humorous to say the very least.

We worked all day Thursday and then made our way downtown. The event started early the next morning so we decided to book a hotel and stay nearby. JR said she booked the Fairmont Waterfront. So off we went; arriving without any trouble at the hotel after a nice dinner en route. We approached the hotel reception and provided the young man with our names and as he looked up our reservation on the computer, a puzzled look came across his face. He apologetically let us know that our reservation was not with his hotel but the Fairmont Pacific Rim a few blocks away.

JR and I began to laugh at our confusion and

12 METANOIA

were also pleasantly surprised as we had not stayed at the Pacific Rim before. We gathered up our belongings and began the trek up the road to find the hotel that had our booking. As we settled into our room, we were impressed by the technology we found in the bathroom.

There was a television hidden in the mirror of the bathroom; very cool.

After a leisurely evening strolling, relaxing, snacking and watching a movie, we prepared for the next morning. Shower, check, hair styled, check, clothing laid out, check, camera charged, check and so on. The shower was like bathing in a rainforest and the comfort of the bed lulled us effortlessly to sleep. Five am came quickly. We were up, dressed, and on our way within an hour. When we arrived at Rogers Arena, we were not alone; about 50 other early birds were in line waiting for the doors to open. We felt that as Emerald ticket holders we shouldn’t need to wait in line but just walk in and out as we pleased. OK, I guess that was not going to work. We stood in line with everyone else. Once the doors did open, we were one of the first in our section; we had the pick of the place. We decided on… front row centre. Amazing choice I might add.

Within an hour the 3,000 women and two men had filtered in to the Arena. The energy in the room was palpable.

Jessica Holmes, comedian and motivational speaker, was the host/mc for the event. She welcomed us with energetic enthusiasm. She is truly a gifted humorist. I still am reminded of some of her comedic skits that she put on throughout the event nearly every day. Jessica has agreed to a feature and

interview in one of our upcoming issues of Metanoia magazine where we will be able to learn more about this blossoming powerful Canadian woman. The two most hilarious segments during her performances were her Celine Dion impersonations and her skit about a Russian immigrant’s attempt as a motivational speaker. During this skit, I was laughing so hard in the front row that I believe I set off her concentration and she fell out of character. She had to turn around and face away from us to regain her composure. If you ever have the chance to hear her live or on television, it will be well worth your time.

The first woman on stage to speak was Leigh Anne Tuohy. The Tuohy family was written about by author Michael Lewis in the book the Blind Side. She has been called the “inspirational monarch of the Tuohy family.”

She truly is. She struck me as genuine, full of heart, tough and absolutely sincere. She challenged us to “do something today that you did not do yesterday; do something well.”

She also said that if you invest time in people, it is the single greatest thing you can do. What made the difference in her life was that she turned the car around and picked up Michael that Saturday morning; the Power of One. Following Leigh Anne was Loretta LaRoche, acclaimed stress expert, author and motivational speaker. She has been teaching stress management for over 30 years. I thought I was going to fall of my chair I was laughing so hard and so often during her presentation.

She was 72 on September 19th. She spoke about a number of topics. The first was on today’s children; how they are self-entitled,

poorly behaved and losing their imagination.

She is concerned that when children are self-entitled they are less likely to grow up to be emotionally, socially and financially autonomous citizens of the world.

Loretta recommends that we work on our own interior landscape by acknowledging the insane things we do and have fun with ourselves. The best way to build teams and morale is to have fun together; to amuse yourselves with each other she told us. You become what you think about. Act juicy she suggests. When someone asks you how you are, you respond with “I’m incredibly succulent, I don’t know what to do with myself; I am spurting with joy.” In life, Loretta suggests that we become as bizarre as possible and laugh as often as we can. Do it on purpose! We ended her presentation standing, holding hands swaying, and singing a resounding rendition of “Me Amore!”

Then it was time for the first break. Little did we know that all morning the man who was

a US billionaire. Amilya has her sights set on a path to her success and now she wants to share that passion with others through her own mentoring program. Her goal is to create a chain of women that connect and communicate like they never have before.

WOW! Lunch time already, we were famished. We headed up to the Captain’s Room where our lunch was to be served. We chose a table that did not end up being full and there was a space between ourselves and the next group at the table who appeared to be wives of executives from one of the sponsoring companies for the event. They did not speak to us and spent most of the time talking about their kids and jewellery. We could have repositioned ourselves to another table but chose to stay and as a result we felt a bit awkward. Maybe we needed to practice some of this living juicy a bit more! But each person has a lesson for us.

As for the afternoon speakers, there was Marlee Matlin, a break, then Suzanne Somers, a

getting ahead of her and failing to follow her signing by simply reading the script.

Suzanne Somers was next. She was wearing a knockout dress and looked beautiful. A few of her comments included learning how to appreciate the perfection about adversity and to make aging aspirational. She focuses on restoration as opposed to deterioration and she reminded us that it is not about the journey, it is about how you finish. “Aging is bitchin’,” were her final remarks.

Time for a break, Cue JR. She was off for her photo and I was off for mine. There were about a hundred people in line to take a photo with Ellen and little did I know that there was only JR in line for Suzanne. By the time JR reached the back of the stage, Suzanne was in her dressing room. They had to call her out and tell her about the photo, and she was not pleased about it. She was done her performance and this was not part of the deal as far as she was concerned. Once she was settled on doing it, then the photographer was missing. Suzanne

When someone asks you how you are, you respond with “I’m incredibly succulent, I don’t know what to do with myself; I am spurting with joy.” filming the event so it could be displayed on the large screens was scanning the audience and our faces were frequently up on the screen. During the break, people kept coming up to me and letting me know that they had seen me up on the screen; a bit embarrassing as I imagined the spectrum of facial features that I had displayed!

Well, after these three women, I did not envy the next lady on stage. Enter, Amilya Antonetti, founder of Soapworks. She asked some thought provoking questions:

• What do you want to do vs. what do you have to do?

• What do you know for SURE? • What would a perfect day look like?

• What are you proud of today?

She emphasized that our power is in our No’s and not our Yes’s. She mentioned that she is currently being mentored by Lynn Tilton,

break and then Ellen DeGeneres. My colleague was supposed to go and take a photo with Suzanne Somers before she came on stage and I was to go in the break before Ellen was interviewed for my photo. Well, it didn’t quite work out that way. At the appropriate time, JR was supposed to be escorted back stage for her photo. She was ready, but her escort was nowhere to be seen. She attempted to find her way to the back of stage right but could not make it and found it difficult to walk right in front of the stage. She left to try and get through the other way, but as a number of people were in the way and as Marlee was still speaking. She finally made it over there and then she was told that it was too late and she could have her photo after Suzanne spoke.

The main message from Marlee was that success comes with diverse eyes and that courage plus dreams equal success. The funniest point in her presentation was when she called out her interpreter Jack Jason for

said to the photographer, what are we supposed to do just stand here hugging each other forever? Anyhow, the photo was taken and that was that.

Meanwhile I had sauntered in the line to take a photo with Ellen, a Metanoia Magazine in tow. Not a minute had gone by when a security personnel asked me why I had the magazine, I let him know that I wanted to give it to Ellen. He curtly let me know that I could not do that. So, sadly and dejectedly, I put the magazine away and resumed my place in line.

Finally, Ellen arrived. The first person in line was a young lady in a wheelchair. She was so excited to see Ellen, she started crying. After the photo she asked Ellen to sign something.

Ellen did but made the comment that she couldn’t spend all day signing things; this was a photo opportunity only. Most of us cringed at the blunt truth of it. I respected her for the personal power it takes to be that honest.

Finally it was my turn to take a photo. I had been coaching myself on breathing deeply to

METANOIA 13

JR Leis, CFO of MWC, and Suzanne Somers

try and stay calm; hell it wasn’t really working.

Ellen made the comment to me that she was amazed how pretty everyone was dressed for the event. I took that as a personal compliment.

My outfit had been a perfect choice!!

Mission accomplished. Photos- check.

I met back up with JR and was trying to hear her story about the Suzanne photo moment while the Canadian Tenors sang a beautiful piece right above us.

The finale was Ellen DeGeneres. She was going to be interviewed by the Chair of the Vancouver Board of Trade, Wendy LisogarCocchia. As Jessica Holmes was doing her darndest to hold the stage while we waited for the delays as Ellen finished up her photo shoot or whatever else she was doing, we could feel the tension mounting. The woman

introducing Ellen was listing her achievements and this seemed to be going on and on. Ellen just walked onto the stage and cut the woman off mid sentence. That is enough, she said from a place of power. Then, as she sat down on the chairs that they had set up for the interview, she sank down about a foot. She mentioned that the chairs were very uncomfortable and awkward. Finally she found a comfortable position cross legged. As the interview started, Ellen mentioned that she could not hear a word Wendy was saying due to the tremendous feedback of her own voice in her ear.

I felt anxious as I noticed that nothing was being done about the issue and Wendy seemed absolutely out of her comfort zone and league. Unfortunately she was not skilled at interviewing and so it became clear that it was going to be up to Ellen to carry the interview. As a true professional, Ellen rose to the challenge. After the initial lack of organization and professionalism on behalf of the event organizers in anticipating these issues, Ellen began to speak and my anxiety dissipated. She recommends that we follow our bliss and our passion. We need to live life in truth and on our path. Ellen feels that smiling is the most important thing we can

Dr. Allison Patton and Ellen DeGeneres

do as the healing that comes from a smile has a ripple effect. In conclusion she reiterated this, “Do what you love to do, find out who you are, and be comfortable in your own skin.�

Ten hours after we arrived at the Rogers Arena, the event was over. We were exhilarated and energized. It had been a wonderful day and I had learned so much from being in the front row and being close enough to perceive all of the nuances of the event in front and behind the scenes. This experience will add to the many others that have come before and the many more to come in the future as I continue on my path toward living my life in truth as I try to stay on some sort of path!

Until next time, I raise my glass to all the powerful women in my life; may you always feel succulent and juicy!

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LIVING THOUGHTFULLY

1.

CONFIDENCE WITHIN ONESELF IS DEVELOPED BY BEING IMPECCABLE.

4.

5.

Acceptance of how things are begins the path to healthy living.

8.

2.

Eating right is achieved through serenity.

Self awareness is natural.

6.

3.

Being in the moment means escaping the preoccupation with the mundane.

YOU ARE WHO YOU SAY YOU ARE BUT ONLY IN THAT MOMENT. 7. The feeling you have about what you experience can be framed in many different ways.

Listen to what your inner voice is saying.

10.

9.

Your financial conditions reflect more who you are than the restrictions or freedoms you feel they impose on you.

When you have too much work to do, you are doing too much work and too little thinking.

face the source of discomfort and step outside of what we are familiar or comfortable with. We then realize we have to do things differently (even if we don’t know how).

In this stage, we experience higher levels of anxiety and our level of commitment to the change process increases or decreases depending upon whether we feel motivated or overwhelmed by the change. This is normal and a very healthy process to go through.

Kaela Scott, Registered Clinical Counsellor

THE PROCESS OF

CHANGE

Sally left the doctors office feeling angry, overwhelmed and scared. She knew her weight had been higher than she wanted it to be for quite some time. She didn’t realize it was actually affecting her overall health. She was now sixty pounds overweight with high cholesterol and blood pressure. With the shocking news now weighing on her, she knew she had to make some changes, but how?

On a daily basis human beings experience new things that cause us to think, act, and sometimes feel differently. Often, however, these experiences are small enough that they don’t cause us to stop and really think about how they change us. On the other hand, when things happen in our lives that are significant, or cause a high level of discomfort, we are often forced to stop and think about how we want to move forward.

There are common threads that we all share when going through a pivotal moment in our lives. For most of us, change is not always easy.

Many times we resist it. However, if we are going through a big change in our lives, one of the most important things we can do is be patient and kind to ourselves. It takes a lot to change the way we are in the world, and showing compassion towards ourselves makes the journey easier.

Using the example of Sally to clarify, there are 3 main stages in the process of change that we all must walk through.

1.The Beginning or Contemplative Stage of change is often the most difficult and typically the longest stage. This is the time when we realize things in our lives aren’t, or soon won’t be, working the way we want them to and we are forced to

Setting healthy and realistic expectations and making short and long-term goals are the first steps towards overcoming the anxiety that often accompanies change. The most important thing to remember at this time is to be patient and kind to ourselves. Change takes time and effort and being hard on ourselves or impatient tends only to make it more difficult.

This is the stage Sally is in right after she leaves her Doctors office until she begins taking steps towards a healthier lifestyle. She knows she has to change but is unsure of where to begin. Because a whole lifestyle change is needed, her decision to fully commit to the process will take some time. When she does commit, Sally needs to set small, achievable, realistic goals with the long-term goal of losing 60 pounds. Because Sally feels overwhelmed, she needs to take time each day for herself – even if it’s only 10 minutes.

2.The Middle or Work Stage of change is where we start to integrate our learning and begin to implement the short and long-term goals set in the beginning stage. Motivation usually rises in this stage as our commitment increases and feelings of being overwhelmed decrease. We begin to take small steps towards our goals and start to feel hopeful that we can get through this and actually reach our destination. We start seeing small differences in our lives as a result of doing the work, which increases self-esteem and reinforces positive behaviors.

The changes have not been mastered at this point, and if stress from outside sources (i.e. work, relationships, finances) peaks during this time we typically resort back to old patterns. Self-care is important in this stage. Taking time out to do the things that provide comfort and joy is critical to success.

At this point in the process, Sally has been implementing her short term weight loss goals. She is noticing some health benefits because she is feeling more energetic when she wakes up in the morning.

When Sally faced the unexpected stressor of her dad passing away, she noticed that instead of grieving

his loss through crying and taking care of herself she went on a junk food binge for several weeks after the funeral. . When her daughter asked her about this she realized she needed to get back on track with her goals and allow herself to grieve the loss of her dad properly by increasing her self-care.

3.The End or Maintenance Stage of change is the final stage wherein we take all that we have learned and apply it to our everyday lives. We are able to maintain the new behaviors in times of stress and are able to recognize how far we have come in the process of change. Through continued self-care and kindness towards Self, we can maintain these changes over an extended period of time.

It has been two and a half years since Sally first received the news from her doctor that her health was failing as a result of her excess weight. She felt great leaving his office today 63 pounds lighter with no cholesterol or blood pressure problems. Having lost the weight and kept it off, Sally feels as though she is actually a different person. The best part is she feels so much better about herself.

Change is an inevitable part of our lives.

Thankfully, for the most part, we aren’t aware of small changes when they are happening.

When something big does come up, however, it is important to remember that it is possible to get through it, despite how big or unbearable it may seem at the time. The important thing to remember is that the process of change begins and ends with kindness to ourselves. When we start something new it usually feels foreign and uncomfortable. Over time, if we are caring towards ourselves along the journey and treat ourselves the same way we would treat those we love, it becomes easier and what once seemed impossible or scary now becomes the new norm.

Kaela Scott is a Registered Clinical Counsellor.

She specializes in Relationship and Eating Disorder counselling and runs a private practice in South Surrey and Downtown Vancouver. Kaela has been passionate about the counselling profession since she was 16 and followed this passion through to complete a Master of Counselling degree from Gonzaga University. For more articles and other information about Kaela Scott, go to her website: kaelascottcounselling.com.

Kaela is available on Mondays at the Mountainview Wellness Centre. For appointments call 604.602.1300.

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16 METANOIA

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LITTLE MISS WHITE ROCK

Alex Barberis, Miss White Rock When most people think of the word pageant they think of pretty, airheaded girls prancing around in evening wear, competing to be the prettiest girl on stage. The White Rock Youth Ambassador program is not this.

Although the winner receives the title of Miss White Rock, we are judged on more than our looks.

When we first enter the program we are known as “Candidates� and receive a sponsor who will guide us through our candidacy.

Sponsors provide money for scholarships and generally help to fund the program. Some sponsors include the White Rock Lioness Club (my sponsor), Peninsula Resort Retirement Living and Remax Colonial.

Our first judged event is the fashion show.

All the candidates are expected to wear a costume that represents their heritage, a casual wear and an evening wear outfit. The second judged event is the Knowledge Test and Essay as soon-to-be youth ambassadors are expected to know facts about White Rock and BC. The writen essay about a topic they are given (mine was Peace Arch Hospital and Dr. Alan Hogg).

The third judged event is the Talent and Speech Night. On that night Candidates are expected to present a speech and talent of

their choice. My speech was called Natural vs.

Cosmetic Beauty and my talent was singing and playing the piano to an original composition of mine. I mentioned Mountainnview Wellness Centre and spoke of some of my experiences there during the natural portion of my speech.

The fourth and final judged event is the interview and impromptu question.

Candidates are scheduled to have an interview with the judges, and on the night of the gala, answer an impromptu question.

Once all the events are completed, the winner is announced at the gala depending upon how high you scored on all the above events. The Speech, Knowledge Test and

Interview are weighted the highest with the Talent and Fashion weighted a little less.

The winner is awarded the title of Miss White Rock and a scholarship is awarded upon completion of the program. Next crowned are the two princesses that also receive a scholarship. Finally, a Friendship Ambassador is crowned. The Friendship Ambassador is voted on by their peers and is essentially Miss Congeniality. She also receives $250 upon completion of the program. All others that are not crowned are given the title of White Rock Youth Ambassador. Together we all volunteer at fundraisers, charities, and events around White Rock.

METANOIA 17

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THE RANT ON BEING ALIVE

BY HANK LEIS

There are those who know they are going to die, and conduct their lives accordingly. Others give it no thought and conduct their lives accordingly as well. The latter are called fools.

moment. My wife and I leave – she asks me what the doctor had to say. I tell her – I see her face freeze in fear. She is shocked and close to crying.

I try to reassure her – but I’m myself in a daze trying to adjust in this moment of transition.

The writer Carlos Castaneda in his series of novels about Don Juan contends that in order for someone to be a man of knowledge, to have integrity, to be meticulous, he must be aware constantly that death lurks over his left shoulder, and that this realization and attention to his mortality, makes him a warrior. Alex Colville, the great Canadian artist, says that his art is connected to his mortality and that in knowing that he is going to die, his works reflect that knowledge. Someone has written about his art that it represents a state of affairs, just prior to something bad happening.

My mind is racing, doing an inventory of all the things that I still need to do – but the pointlessness of my thoughts does not escape me. I’ve always had lists – but somehow these lists are ludicrous now. I have no desire to beg or pray for more time. There is never enough time to do all that needs to be done for those who believe that the time spent on this planet is a gift. E=mc2 is what we think we know that describes the essence of everything - but even that elegant formula is now being questioned.

In the last year, I have been diagnosed with the possibility of three types of cancers; one condition apparently has been attended to, no longer, I’m told poses any danger to me, the other two are still under investigation, as I write. The announcement by a doctor that one is about to undergo tests for cancer is to most of us the first encounter

Nothing has changed. Life for me goes on as always until it doesn’t.

I have been lucky, I never saw any reason for discipline – and so I’ve never held a job – I’ve always done my thing. I’ve never had any talent, expertise or great knowledge about anything – so the best I could ever do was try to understand – and there were always plenty of people

...for someone to be a man of knowledge, to have integrity, to be meticulous, he must be aware constantly that death lurks over his left shoulder... we have with mortality. There is a shiver that goes through the body as if death is already attained a grip on that most nuanced, inexplicable phenomenon called life. The idea of the prospect of life ending; is chilling and clear. The past and the future fuse in an instant, and the notion of endless frivolity or concern and worry over problems becomes meaningless. There is but a single question that preoccupies the mind, “What now?” It is not a question of panic, fear or anger – rather it is a question of vacancy, because all purpose, all that has given value or concern has evaporated.

willing to teach me. Most of what I have learned is forgettable, and the fortunes I’ve made and lost irrelevant. I have been fortunate that for the most part I’ve not taken any pride in what I’ve done. Hence I’ve accomplished very little. But I have been interested in everything except the mundane. I never did believe in the “should” or the “should nots”. I’ve been a lousy friend, husband, partner and business man. I am undisciplined and wander from doing things that become boring to things that are interesting. And now, especially now – I’m OK with all of that, because I would really have regretted being otherwise.

And then there is the instant wisdom, attained in a moment’s time that everything that could be done, has been done – because shortly, nothing will have mattered – and one is alone in this moment of realization. And moreover, death tells you that it has always been thus – and that this moment, this precious moment, this wonderful gift of clarity, is the best that anyone can ever attain, because it is absent of self pity, of self indulgence, of ambition, because time has no beginning and no end, and that all the traumas we have experienced and the dramas we have created are an illusion and that ultimately none of it will matter.

I stagger out of the doctors office, and in the waiting room my wife is laughing and chatting with a friend, who is waiting to see the doctor. They both greet me with laughter and enthusiasm. It is a surreal

METANOIA 19

Mount

WELLNES

Join Us in Celebrat

Providing A Decade of Se

tainview

SS CENTRE

ting Our 10th Anniversary

ervice in Holistic Medicine

Mountainview Group Events and Benchmarks 2001-2011 1

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1. Dr. Allison Patton with Brett Wilson formerly of the Dragon’s Den 2. Salme Leis, former BC Premier, Rita Johnson, and Dr. Allison Patton 3. Dr. Caleb Ng and Health Minister Mike de Jong 4. Finance Minister, Kevin Falcon and Dr. Caleb Ng 5. Dr. Allison Patton and former BC Premier, Gordon Campbell 6. Dr. Allison Patton and Health Minister Mike de Jong 7. Salme Leis and Dr. Allison Patton with classmates from Columbia University, New York 8. Olivia Katherine Ng, future CEO

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9. Dr Allison Patton graduates with her MBA 10. Dr. Allison Patton Receives her Governor General’s Gold Medal 11. Salme Leis and former US Secretary of State, George Shultz at his offices at Stanford in Berkley, California 12. Dr. Allison Patton, Kevin O’Leary of the Dragon’s Den, and Salme Leis 13. Autumn Art Vernissage - Dr. Galina Bogatch organized this gala event which raised money for Peace Arch Hospital Foundation and Baan Sang Tawan Orphanage in Thailand 14. Dr. Allison Patton and Presidents of the BC

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Conservative Constituency Associations 15. Dr. Caleb Ng, Alice Wong MP, and Dr. Allison Patton 16. Hank Leis, Marilyn Rice, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, JR Leis, Dr. Allison Patton, and Dr. Caleb Ng 17. Suzanne Somers, Dr. Allison Patton and Dr. Galina Bogatch 18. Former US Secretary of State, George Shultz 19. Leader of the BC Conservative Party, John Cummins and Dr. Allison Patton 20. Dr. Allison Patton and Ellen DeGeneres 21. The Singing Revolution- a documentary

Highlights, Accomplishments, and Projects Birth of Olivia Katherine Ng provided by Allison Patton and Caleb Ng

Galina Bogatch Organized the Autumn Art Vernissage, a fundraiser for Peace Arch Hospital and Baan Sang Tawan Orphanage in Thailand

Co-Chaired CAND Naturopathic Medicine Week Committee 2010-2012

New York, USA Columbia University, On solving environmental issues

Guest lecturer for UBC Medical School

Las Vegas, Nevada, A4M Conference

Speaker at 9th Annual Restorative Medicine Conference

Cabos San Lucas, Mexico, Strategy meeting

Allison Patton

Kona, Hawaii, Lifestyle Project London, England, Business Presentation on Manitou Beach Project

Deputy Financial Agent-White Rock BC Conservative Consituency Association

Graduates with her MBA

ACAM certified in Anti-Aging Medicine

Elected President of Surrey-White Rock BC Conservatives Constituency Association

Original founders in partnership for a decade

Porto, Portugal, Addresses over 100 medical doctors in regards to mineral properties of water of Little Manitou Lake in Saskatchewan

Founding of Metanoia Magazine

Caleb Ng Vice President and Director of Media Relations for BC Naturopathic Association Meetings on behalf of the BCNA with government Ministers Mike de Jong, Kevin Falcon, George Abbott

Recipient of Governor General’s Gold Medal

Paris, France, Addresses over 100 medical doctors regarding her strategic marketing plan

Other Hosted Dr. Paul Swingle Neurofeedback Seminar Mentored and worked with over 30 associates and CAM practitioners Hosted Lorna Vanderhaeghe Women’s Hormones, Women’s Happiness Seminar

The Dream Team

ART AND INDOMINABLE SPIRIT – THE UNFOLDING STORY OF JANISE

OLEANDROS

“The great masters felt that if they pushed beyond the bonds of the individual mind and body and discovered, through their art, a genuine and powerful approach to Spirit itself – then they were disclosing and portraying not just sensory or intellectual pieces, but transcendent art.” - Kandinsky In other words, art was to be not simply to consist of just the technical skills of observation and creative execution, but a

24 METANOIA

method for expressing the spiritual growth and development on the part of the artist.

This is the remarkable story of a young girl who had within her the untapped essence of an artists soul – which like a phoenix unfolds its unbridled creativity, soars upwards with energy and curiosity and then peaks and crashes to once again arise and reform herself, not once or twice but through a half dozen series of transitions – each resulting in a new level of awareness and expression of artistic creativity and capacity.

What was your life like growing up as a child?

Actually my life began in adversity. I was born premature and was put in an incubator for the first days of my life. I was given a dose of penicillin to which I became allergic and almost died.

As a child I was tiny and my parents nicknamed me “Doll.” I had a lot of trouble with allergies, poor digestion, and recurring earaches. I was also shy and introverted and often bullied.

For my first thirteen years, my mom was a single mother raising five children of whom I was the fourth. She was strongly encouraged

to put all of us up for adoption but she refused. With help from her parents and her siblings, she managed to keep a roof over our heads and food in our bellies, create a home and surround us with beauty from practically nothing. Although it was hard, it was through watching and observing her that I learned to create beauty and harmony in my environment no matter what the circumstances.

My mother as a wonderful person – a sort of a gypsy – highly intelligent, always engaged, loving and had a passion for travel. “A woman full of life.” Her weaknesses were her lungs, which in later years would eventually take her life. Her gypsy soul needed to constantly uproot and be on the move. We had moved 34 times before graduating from high school.

Consequently I had very few friends.

I am sure I came by my artistic talents naturally as many of my family were artistic.

My Uncle Greg was my earliest inspiration. He was a craftsman, carver, painter and sculptor.

In my beginning years he helped me with sculpting and carving and through him I learned how to see the image within the stone before working with it.

How would you describe your artistic development as a child?

As soon as I could pick up a pencil and started drawing and sketching nature, animation, I was in love. I started entering as many art contests as I could and even winning contests for paintings at age 9. At school I was very good at visual arts and drafting, often winning awards and although I excelled in these areas I hadn’t developed as well in other academic disciplines. I distinctly remember that in Grade four I was very shy and introverted and would freeze during exams. A female teacher came up to me one day after looking at my test results and told me that I was doomed to become a janitor.

II – My TEEN Years When I was thirteen our lives changed dramatically as Mom met and married Walter Rogers, a kind and good man. I remember scenes of travelling in a trailer across the States and Canada – camping and playing outdoors.

I got to see and appreciate a larger view of the country, life, and nature.

During this time I also became quite a tomboy. Not only did we watch sports together, but he also came and watched all my activities with genuine enthusiasm.

He was a great positive support to my development. He was the perfect father figure that I craved and finally had in my life.

But always moving about like gypsies had its downside. I was constantly being uprooted and forced to make new friends and adapt to changing social scene and school environments, which could be cruel at times.

That is why I took up acting in order to break through my shyness and have a way to fit in and project myself differently.

What was your artistic development and background during this time?

As we travelled I would pull out my sketchpad. This is when nature became my first teacher as I started to understand colour, light, and reflection, positive, negative spaces.

I initially was self-taught but continued painting, sketching, and sculpting through school with help from my art teachers. I continued to enter contests and win awards and to be noticed for my ability.

What was it that caused a shift from this life into your next phase of development?

By the time of my graduation year in high school we had moved to Langley where I met a group of girls who I fit in with. I was working, saving money and was preparing for a typical high school graduation and a trip to Hawaii. Life was good but Walters’s health was deteriorating and suddenly my parents decided to move to Edmonton. So, in the middle of November I found myself in

a completely new environment which was socially very different from what I just left.

stages for the surgery and through my recovery.

In addition, the money I had saved for my trip to Hawaii was taken and used to help the family move. On my graduation I told my parents that I wanted to travel the world so as a graduation present, instead of jewellery, they gifted me a set of luggage. Being somewhat naive, I took it as a message that I had to leave home so without a second thought, off I went to the big city to start a new life and a career.

This was a dark time for me with thoughts of what I must go through and the consequences of being shattered and unable to function as a mother or my normal vibrant, active self.

III – The Young Womanhood – Career, Marriage, and Motherhood On arriving in Vancouver I went into banking and started a career track in finance. I started as a teller and kept moving up through the ranks until I finally becoming a senior loans officer.

At nineteen years of age I was married and for several years my life seemed set and very traditional. I had a career, church, child and husband, but then when the unexpected happened.

I received a call that my father was undergoing emergency open-heart surgery.

Within a week my wonderful father was gone.

He had been my male father figure and his death had a deep impact on me. Before he died he called me and we spent two hours on the phone sharing our lives and memories together so that when he actually died I had a sense of peace and completion from having had him in my life.

IV - THE Crash and The Transition: At 27 years of age I was involved in a severe motor vehicle accident and a few days later I collapsed while at work. The next morning I woke up having great difficulty moving my arms and legs but luckily my sister in law happened to come by to check on my son and myself. She drove me to the doctor’s office then to the hospital in Mission where I was told that I had shattered disks in my lower back and they were going have to do major emergency surgery the next morning.

I was in the hospital for two weeks and was in bad condition. I had lost a lot of blood and only weighed 90 pounds soaking wet. With a two-year-old child to look after, I decided to take Robert and go back to Edmonton with my mother.

Upon my returning home to Vancouver another bomb was dropped as my husband informed me he was leaving me for another woman. Life had taken another unexpected twist and I had to start anew.

Within months the house was sold, assets were divided and I was a single working mother living in a basement suite.

Key Thoughts: At this point my life consisted only of rehab, various exercise routines and church – all to get myself back to work, focus on raising my child, and creating a life that had meaning.

Through this time my art was mostly just within the church programs. However, within a year I had separated from the church and began a quest for personal meaning and spirituality in my life. This phase lead me into exploration of various spiritual and religious practices and I became fascinated with Buddhism and then progressively Ayurvedic practices. I learned how to chant and create overtones for healing from within, and then

I was in terrible pain and was terrified of being alone, with no family to support me.

Fortunately, I had a wonderful neurologist and an anaesthesiologist (bless him I can’t remember his name) who came to me and promised to stay with me during preparation

METANOIA 25

used meditation to connect to source, and learned how to visualize and manifest dreams into reality.

This search for spiritual answers was an important shift from the previous acceptance of outside doctrines and catalyzed a more personal journey into the artist’s true connections with life and art.

IV – The Woman Emerges As Full Fledged Artist In business, I continued to work in the bank as a loans officer. During this time however, I took a course called “Pursuit of Excellence” during which I met the man who would become the major player in the next phase of my life.

He was in the mining industry and over the next dozen years I helped him take his business to the multimillion dollar level. During this time, we had the lifestyle of the rich and famous – the big house, the country club and yacht club memberships, the yacht, the ski cabin, the travel, the finest things in life, and all the entertaining that goes with it.

During this period I used my artistic ability to create a successful interior design business in West Vancouver. In this venture, I learned to take my art and apply it to practical murals, fresco walls and also work with various media such as stone, marble pillars, and glasswork.

As part of my art development I went to the Vancouver film school to take a couple of courses in figurative life drawing and this interaction initiated an apprenticeship under a master painter.

This apprenticeship lasted for about two years and was very, very demanding but from this training my foundation as a painter and artist grew to include mastery of color theory, art history and oil painting on linen canvas from preparation to final glazing – all done by hand according to the traditional methods of the old master painters.

To be continued in the next issue...

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OCTOBER 25th IS

INTERNATIONAL ARTIST DAY

By Marilyn Hurst

Ever since our ancestral cave dwellers depicted their stories on their walls, humanity has looked to our artists to chronicle our history, for better or worse. The museums and art galleries of the world are filled to overflowing with works of our greatest artists and even today the paintings depicting the pathos, sorrows and joys of human life are windows to our common soul. How mundane and boring would be a life lived without exposure to the arts. Not just our home decoration, but everything we see and use on a day to day basis has been designed by someone creative.

After many years working a studio/gallery business in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, with tourists coming from all over the world, artist Chris MacClure recognized that North Americans in particular were unaware of the value that art plays in day to day life. It became his mission to bring to awareness the importance of artists and their work to the mainstream population. The idea was to honour artists by creating a special day and with the utilisation of the internet to bring this from a grassroots beginning to the starting of a world-wide event each year on October 25th.

October 25th was chosen as International Artists Day in part because it is Picasso’s birthday and Chris felt that Pablo Picasso was one of the more recognizable artists of modern times. A brilliant move as it turns out because one of the first cities to jump on board with this celebration was Cites, Spain where Picasso is virtually a household name.

Since the inception of International Artist Day, the day is now celebrated around the world with artists in Tibet, India, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Eastern and Western Europe, across Asia and North America into the Northwest Territories.

The growth is a testimonial to the huge influence of the internet and the prodding and persistence of MacClure who dedicates his time, money and efforts to the cause.

The web site, www.internationalartistday.com, gives many ideas for artists and supporters to celebrate and give meaning to IAD. Awareness is the beginning, but action is the lever which will give people something tangible with which to participate.

For example, take your favorite artist to lunch or visit a local gallery and let them know why you're there; buy a painting if you feel so moved. Have your town or city proclaim Oct.25th as IAD so the local galleries, artists and collectors can become involved.

Artists can have an IAD studio open house or show. Group shows have been popular with good success. Artists usually live hand to mouth and any show of support is appreciated. Few people realize the sacrifices that have to be made to live the life of an artist. Granted they do what they do for the love of it, but none-the-less, it can be a lonely and hard road. With consumer spending tightened, it's usually the arts that suffer economic hardships the most when the economy shifts.

Thanks to MacClure, artists now have October 25th, each year to raise the flag and give supporters, collectors, galleries and the media a chance to honour their contribution to our culture and humanity.

METANOIA 27

Brian Croft Painting the History of Vancouver and British Columbia

Brian Croft is a former fighter pilot with the Canadian Forces. Today he is a widely recognized artist whose work emanates from the beautiful locales surrounding Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He has introduced a historical and heritage perspective into his work and this has become the focal element and trademark of his various collections.

Brian’s major works are now rendered on canvas and his meticulous research and paint process continues to produce highly detailed and evocative paintings of our past. He resides in Langley, B.C. and has created over 380 works.

“As I look back on sixteen years of painting, I can see now that it began as a Forrest Gump type-of-moment; one day in September of 1995, for no particular reason, I just decided to pick up a watercolour brush and paint a picture and when I finished that I started another, then another until today my painting log records over 380 paintings.

About seven years ago I transitioned from the watercolour medium to acrylic on canvas and the paintings are now much larger in size and involve concentrations of detail that astonish even me as I step back from the canvas.

Nothing in this journey was planned; I simply painted along a path that meandered invitingly before me.

When I began this adventure, I really did not have any concrete intentions other than to simply paint. A blank canvas is just that, an enormous question mark and I answered the question with floral arrangements, still life, animals, people and old buildings. Old buildings, there it was; these often forlorn and threatened structures unearthed from within me a natural inclination to paint the heritage and the history that I saw around me in the Fraser Valley. By the end of that first year, 1995, I had completed over thirty five paintings and the subject matter was increasingly focused on our local history.

I have developed a simple by-line below my name: “Painting the History of Vancouver and British Columbia”. While this is the most efficient way to describe what I do today, it took some time and a lot of work to get there.

My early work primarily involved the painting of the history of communities like Langley Prairie, Murrayville, Milner, Fort Langley and other local centres in the Fraser Valley. This

Brian Croft, Murray Phillips, and Red Robinson at West Is Best Fine Art Show at Senator St. Germain’s Ranch in South Surrey.

work was first displayed at Westwind Gallery in Langley Prairie. I had taken some of these images to Westwind’s owner, Murray Phillips, today, an accomplished artist of considerable stature and I was encouraged to continue by the simple fact that he accepted my work. I can recall my vivid disappointment, however, when one day Murray called saying “Good news, Brian! we just sold one of your paintings”.

I was devastated at this development primarily because it was my perception that all the work and research was now in a private collection where it could not be enjoyed except by the owner. Today, I am more pleased when one of my originals sells because I now offset the removal of the original from public view by making high quality limited edition prints available at galleries. I want my paintings to tell the stories of our past to as wide an audience as can be reached.

By 2002, I had created over 275 watercolour paintings and they were very well received.

My research and paint process was producing increasingly detailed works and over time I think this became the most recognizable element of my work. Strangely however I was now under pressure from the galleries that represented me, to move onto canvas. I was so comfortable with watercolour that I resisted these insistent suggestions for nearly two years. A Christmas gift, given to me by Westwind’s Murray Phillips, when unwrapped revealed a modest acrylic paint set, some brushes, a canvas and a how-to-paint-withacrylic work book. I was trapped and another path opened before me.

From 2004 to present my work has evolved into larger works with even greater technical and historic detail and “I look forward to telling that story next.”

To be continued in the next issue...

28 METANOIA

www.briancroft.com

Will they come?

I

t has been ten years. Ten years of changes. It feels more like twenty.

We’ve achieved what others could not have done in thirty.

Why thirty? Well, it could be forty- who knows? You be the judge. But in the beginning – there were three- well four – but one left – so that one doesn’t count. Only survivors do. And there are three: Caleb Ng, Galina Bogatch and of course the one we call the chosen one - Allison Patton.

As prestigious, as it is, to be acknowledged, it is also embarrassing – because it puts you out there, way way out there, exposed and vulnerable to all those who want to take a shot at you for having the gall or audacity to take on the challenge – and many do. But it was not she who chose that designation – it was I. And I did so because I saw the passion, the tears and the will, that revealed itself through the shyness and vulnerability – so that she became the focus, the centre and the heart of Mountainview Wellness Centre – and with it went the demands and expectations of her – and thus our willingness to be subservient to her, was conditional on her leading with knowledge, wisdom and compassion.

And so it all began in 2001 – after the fearsome threesome had graduated and began their sojourn in the field of Naturopathic Medicine.

In the beginning there was the youthful confidence of knowing everything. This was later followed by a sense of humbleness that there was a lot more to know and understand, and it was only then that the learning could begin.

Build it and they will come. Well that’s what they say and those who believe it quickly go broke. They took almost five months to build it and no one came. They started to do what they really didn’t want to – chase down sick people and tell them they could help them feel better.

Begging to be able to use their knowledge was of course humiliating

30 METANOIA

– but what else was there to do but quit. They were not quitters – they persevered.

And then finally it happened. The first patient straggled in – and then come another and another. And the first year they lived off credit cards and other forms of debt. Life was not easy, but they stayed with the program. And almost suddenly, three years later, they were making an income, almost enough to live on.

And by the fifth year things were looking good. Almost a dozen people were working at Mountainview. The great art show – the Autumn Art Vernissage – with fifty artists featured, to raise money for the Peace Arch Hospital and Baan Sang Tawan Orphanage, lectures on investments, comedy nights, musicians, poetry nights, seminars, speeches – on and on. Then of course there were the strategic alliances formed with local business people, which allowed the accumulated knowledge and experience to be passed on by way of seminars and written material.

Caleb Ng was elected Media Relations Director for the BCNA. As well he worked with CAND. Galina Bogatch busied herself with elevating the services of Mountainview.

Allison Patton with some help from Caleb produced Olivia Ng. She also undertook to get an M.B.A. and with that became the recipient of the Governor General’s Gold Medal; as well she gave seminars in Porto, Portugal, Paris, France and took on business initiatives in London, England and Las Vegas, Nevada.

Also, Caleb Ng and associates took on the formidable task of producing a magazine: Metanoia. Metanoia is a magazine about health, leadership and art and most important about a new way of thinking.

The ideas are challenging to some – because it is after all about a new way of thinking – and that is what Mountainview Wellness Centre is about – a new way of thinking. They built it – and they came – but with lots of other stuff happening in between.

Mountainview WELLNESS CENTRE

PROVIDING EXCELLENCE IN NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE SINCE 2001

October Events Raw Food Workshop Date: Sunday, October 16th: 1pm-5:30pm Location: Mountainview Wellness Centre Workshop Fee: $110 + HST Registration: 604 538 8837

The Immune System and Vitamin C Presentation with Dr. Caleb Ng, ND Date: Thursday, October 20th: 7-8:30pm Location: Choices Market, Alder Crossing Fee: $5, proceeds to benefit local charities Registration: 604 541 3902

3566 King George Blvd., South Surrey, British Columbia

604.538.8837

www.mountainviewwellnesscentre.ca

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32 METANOIA

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Time To Take A Stand

Andy Belanger

By Andy Belanger and Dr. Caleb Ng

THE STATE OF AFFAIRS Our aging population and cumbersome and deficient public healthcare system create a growing demand for naturopathic medicine and yet we see a significant attrition rate in the profession - one that cannot be ignored. This profession does not subsist on fee codes and there are few if any naturopathic doctors that can completely survive on insurance coverage alone.

We can say that there are many external challenges that face our profession such as being much less established compared to allopathic medicine, but the flipside is that there is significantly more freedom from the confines of the more regulated allopathic model. We can also blame government for limiting our scope of practice, but those that do not participate cannot complain.

Dr. Caleb Ng there. This concept stayed with him as he began practice and saw that business did not take off as a new graduate might think.

1 in 2

graduates of an accredited Naturopathic Medical Program will not be in practice 5 years after graduation*

The ancient Greek aphorism is “Know thyself”.

The Chinese have a proverb called “Zhong Fu” or “Inner sincerity”. In North America we call it “taking a hard look at ourselves”. To succeed, we need to understand not only our strengths, but our weaknesses even more so. When it comes to our business IQ many naturopathic doctors rate poorly and our educational institutions have only begun to place enough emphasis on this issue. Those fortunate enough to realize that they are in the business of naturopathic medicine and not naturopaths in business are able to embrace the entrepreneurial spirit and continually bring innovation and creativity to their practice to the benefit of their business and patients.

THE COACH Andy Belanger is not a doctor. He is a coach, mentor and strategist who has developed a passion for the healthcare industry and naturopathic medicine in particular. His inspiration comes from working with his father who taught him to analyze dimensionally rather than linearly. Belanger’s formal training was in accounting, but with the help of his father he has been able to develop his natural abilities in logic and intuition.

Belanger’s father died at an early age, but not before he was able to admit that despite his logic and philosophy he regretted that he had worked on his mind and not enough on his body. This stayed with Belanger and since 1989 has become the motivation for his life’s work: to helping those in the healthcare field with business and enable them to help people with their health more efficiently and effectively.

THE DOCTOR Dr. Caleb Ng is a naturopathic doctor who graduated from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in 2001. He had the privilege of being a student in one of Andy Belanger’s classes and had his first exposure to the concept of naturopathic medicine as a business

To this day, Dr. Ng has dedicated his efforts to addressing this incongruence in the profession by trying to find the business model or sustainable economics in ventures and showing students or colleagues how to apply them practically. As a co-founder of the Mountainview Wellness Centre, better business means better service for patients.

As the vice president of the BC Naturopathic Association, sustainable healthcare means not imposing on government for fee codes, but working with government to deliver more choice to British Columbians through naturopathic doctors. And as the Copy Chief of Metanoia Magazine, he appreciates the incorporation of critical thinking and inspirational leadership into the practice and business of naturopathic medicine.

THE PLAN The “poverty” mentality that pervades our profession must stop.

Those that continue to be ignorant of the fact that we are in the business of medicine will continue to struggle, never become independent, and worst of all perpetuate this mentality to colleagues and impressionable students or young doctors. It is time for the profession to seriously do something about this issue. In the way that we vigorously pursue our political agenda, we also need to vigorously improve how we service our patients. We have focused on the technical aspect of the profession, but our skills in the four areas of entrepreneurship: administration (finances), operations (clinic management), marketing (getting clients), and leadership (building successful clinics).

It is time for all levels of the profession to commit to a plan of action in helping its membership the opportunity to succeed in an entrepreneurial sense. This is not a time for committees, but a time for action. If we don’t take action we will continue feeding the weakness.

The solution is not in just being great doctors, its being both great doctors and great entrepreneurs. In the end those that stand to benefit the most will not be the industry, but the patients the industry provides its skill to.

The Metanoia team is committed to doing its part. Doctors, association leaders, school leaders and students, are you? Together we can all make a difference but it has to be together or as Belanger has said in many presentations “you will make great employees for wholistic medical doctors and their clinics.” *Estimate based on current number of licensed naturopathic doctors in Canada compared to the number in 2006.

METANOIA 33

MISSIVES FROM DONALD J BOUDREAUX 10 September 2011

18 September 2011

Editor, Newsweek

Editor, Washington Post

Dear Editor:

Dear Editor:

Bill McKibben sees even in relatively mild hurricane Irene evidence that humanity’s refusal to “confront climate change” portends calamity (“Hurricane Politics,” Sept.

5). Credit McKibben: he snatches every opportunity to scold us humans for what he regards as our irresponsible and soul-destroying reliance upon global capitalism for our stubborn refusal to replace global commerce with “local” economies - for our blindness to what he thinks he sees, namely (as he described it in his book, Deep Economy) that our alleged “single-minded focus on increasing wealth has driven the planet’s ecological systems to the brink of failure, without making us happier.”*

Kathleen Parker’s discussion of two kinds of smarts “book smarts and street smarts” (“Smart money betting on stupid politicians,” Sept. 18) - calls to mind a vital point made by F.A. Hayek in his 1945 article “The Use of Knowledge in Society”:

Karl Popper’s description of Plato fits Mr. McKibben quite well: “He transfigured his hatred of individual initiative, and his wish to arrest all change, into a love of justice and temperance, of a heavenly state in which the crudity of money-grabbing is replaced by laws of generosity and friendship. This dream of unity and beauty and perfection, this aestheticism and holism and collectivism, is the product as well as the symptom of the lost group spirit of tribalism. It is the expression of, and an ardent appeal to, the sentiments of those who suffer from the strain of civilization.”** Sincerely, Donald J. Boudreaux Professor of Economics George Mason University Fairfax, VA 22030

“Today it is almost heresy to suggest that scientific knowledge is not the sum of all knowledge. But a little reflection will show that there is beyond question a body of very important but unorganized knowledge which cannot possibly be called scientific in the sense of knowledge of general rules: the knowledge of the particular circumstances of time and place. It is with respect to this that practically every individual has some advantage over all others because he possesses unique information of which beneficial use might be made, but of which use can be made only if the decisions depending on it are left to him or are made with his active cooperation.”* Too many “Progressives” overestimate the importance of scientific knowledge (“book smarts”) relative to that of “the knowledge of the particular circumstances of time and place” (“street smarts”) – and too many conservatives commit the opposite error.

Sincerely, Donald J. Boudreaux Professor of Economics George Mason University

METANOIA 35

36 METANOIA

Forever Ignorant

By Hank Leis

For those of us who have resisted the admonitions of our parents to be successful by subscribing to following a prescribed path, we have achieved the phenomenal goal of having become failures. We are uneducated, untrained, ignorant but most of all absent of the concerns and fears, that take one from being a natural human being into someone who is constantly preoccupied by doing things the right way, finding their way through life by seeking approval and permission from those who pretend to know the answers and have lead their lives according to the rules of life that govern conduct on earth. Of course there is no manual, there are no such rules, but pretending there is, is somehow comforting to those who are anxious and dare not reveal that they are lost and live a life without purpose, unlike those dilettantes like us who resisted the call away from the wild. There are only a few left – and I am proud to be one of them.

We spend time, visiting the edges of our sanity, and reaching into the parts that might make us insane. We have long ago given up looking for approval or listening to judgements by those who find it necessary to make them. Mostly it is the parents who are the false prophets, who neither know how to prepare their children for the future nor have the ability to explain why their own endeavors failed to achieve for them what they now recommend for us and others. But there are others, the prosthelytizers who perpetuate the myths of goodness and thus judgement and condemnation.

Parmenides, the Greek from Southern Italy reflected on these things just 2500 years ago. His insights and revelations were long ago forgotten. But now a revival is underway. Indeed, his thesis that ignorance is a blessing – is the basis for man’s longing to understand – not to know because in the knowing there is narcissism which makes man

important – and not the knowledge he acquires. Success then becomes procedural – and then a dead end to something that naturally is fluid.

Those of us who are ignorant want to go on and on and on – in the pursuit of something we’re not sure of. The longing makes us crazy – because it is never ending. But it maintains our passion to live and empties our lives of being confined by anxiety about the irrelevant.

Marriage, job descriptions, mortgages, taxation and education are all part of our sane society. Not for us though – although I confess to occasional experimentations in that realm of probity. I have not always been true to myself. But I persist in seeking the excellence one finds in being ignorant and I urge others do the same. It is freeing, compassionate and maintains the excitement of always looking forward and discards the ignorance of the past.

Who really runs BC? METANOIA 37

Horoscope Libra The importance of securing international peace was recognized by the really great men of former generations. But the technical advantages of our times have turned this ethical postulate into a matter of life and death for civilized mankind today, and made the taking of an active part in the solution of the problem of peace a moral duty which no conscientious man can shirk.

-Albert Einstein

Scorpio What most often weighs you down and brings you misery is the past. You must consciously wage war against the past and force yourself to react to the present moment. Be ruthless on yourself; do not repeat the same tired methods. Wage guerilla war on your mind, allowing no static lines of defense, make everything fluid and mobile.

- Robert Greene The 33 Strategies of War

Sagittarius It’s one thing to read about it and acknowledge it intellectually.

It’s something else to experience discrimination personally and realize in your gut how ugly and unacceptable it is.

- George P. Schultz

Capricorn What is remarkable about man’s behavior is his cooperation, compromise, and altruism. In a Darwinian sense, these traits are what put him at the highly developed level on the evolutionary scale. Socio-biologists have explained this as the “multiplier effect.”

- Hank Leis The Leadership Phenomenon: A Multi-Dimensional Model

Aquarius In the heat of battle, the mind tends to lose its balance. It is vital to keep your presence of mind, maintaining your mental powers, whatever the circumstances. Make the mind tougher by exposing it to adversity. Learn to detach yourself from the chaos of the battle field.

- Robert Greene The 33 Strategies of War

38 METANOIA

Pisces Hard work will never go out of style.

- Wendy McDonald, CEO of B.C. Bearing

Aries Those individuals, who possess the inherent assurance and problem solving ability to make the best decisions in a group concerning definition of goals, and methods to attain them, are leaders. The complex process of their emergence in a group, and their methodology is called leadership.

- Hank Leis The Leadership Phenomenon: A Multi-Dimensional Model

Taurus Another commandment is to accept negotiating as an educational process… You have to give your constituency time to get used to that, and, at the same time, educate yourself. As a good negotiator, you must try constantly to determine what is really important to the other side and what is less important.

- George P. Schultz

Gemini A small evolutionary change in the behavior pattern of individuals amplified into a major social effect by the expanding upward distribution of the effect into multiple facets of social life.

- Edward O Wilson Sociobiology , The New Synthesis

Cancer The way to a joyful and happy state is through renunciation and self-limitation everywhere.

- Albert Einstein

Leo To succeed in negotiations, you must bring strength to the table or you will have your head handed to you.

- George P. Schultz

Virgo Grand strategy is the art of looking beyond the battle and calculating ahead. It requires that you focus on your ultimate goal and plot to reach it. Let others get caught up in the twists and turns of the battle, relishing their little victories. Grand strategy will bring you the ultimate reward: the last laugh.

- Robert Greene The 33 Strategies of War

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