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Mosaic
The best things in life are
FREE
Mind, Body and Spirit Magazine 59th Issue
Enter the Portal © Heather Brewster — www.heatherbrewster.com
SUMMER 2012
Heal Your Body Journey of Healing Effective Self-Coaching Stress Affects Digestion Spirit Answers
Path of Transformation New Model of Healing Natural Healing Infra-Green Colours Attract Positive Change
The Near Enemy Victory Over Breast Cancer Heather Brewster’s Art It’s All Good
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I Love Mosaic When we moved back to Edmonton when Gabrielle was about 20 months old, it continued to happen and I took her to more doctors (concerned about the root cause), but they could not find anything. We were then referred to a specialist, who also could not see anything wrong. So whenever it would happen, I would do CranioSacral Therapy on her myself because it was the only thing that helped her. Then when she was about two-years-old, she had another, larger episode of it and she just cried and cried, trying to keep her head up. My heart broke watching her struggle and I wanted to fix this once and for all. After she exhausted herself crying and fell asleep, I put her on my massage table and began working on her. I prayed for a breakthrough.
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Then I had an idea to talk out loud to her while she was sleeping. I told her that she was safe, that all was well and that it was okay for her to simply let go of whatever was causing this issue with her neck. I told her she didn’t need to keep going through this - to just release it to God. Then I continued to work on her in silence. The next day Gabrielle’s neck was fine and… it never happened again.
by Connie Brisson My daughter Gabrielle was one of those babies that had a unique way of crawling. Instead of crawling on her hands and knees, she would scoot around on her bum, sitting straight up, while using one of her legs to move herself forward. Then one day, when she was around seven months old, she started to crawl in a circle. When I tried to figure out what was going on, it looked like something was wrong with her neck. It was kinked to one side and this was causing her to be off balance. Nothing had happened before that to bring this on and when I tried to get her to straighten her neck out, she would just cry. I took her to a doctor immediately but he couldn’t find anything wrong. So I took her to a chiropractor but that didn’t change her either. I felt desperate. I didn’t know what to do. Then I remembered Lynn Larsen (who also lived there in Fort McMurray). I had met her at a workshop a month earlier when she had impressed me with her skills while showing an alternative healing method in a demonstration. I called around, found her and drove Gabrielle straight there. She gently worked on Gabrielle using CranioSacral Therapy and within half-an-hour Gabrielle’s neck was fine; she was sleeping like an angel. And that’s when I became a believer. It was my first experience with a powerful alternative healing method and I’ve never looked back. The neck problem happened a few more times in the next few months. Each time I would take her to Lynn and Gabrielle’s neck would be fine within half-an-hour. Because we didn’t know what was causing this, or how else to fix it, I decided that I needed to know how to do CranioSacral Therapy myself and I began to take the training for it.
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There is so much more to us than what we can scientifically prove and understand. We are complicated beings. And what works for one of us, doesn’t work for all. That’s why having an abundance of choices available, for every part of our lives including our healing, is so important. In this issue of Mosaic we are doing something really interesting. One reader has asked a question about an issue she has with insomnia and nine different therapies/modalities/experts are answering her (in our Question and Answer pages). This reader is getting answers back from many different perspectives: homeopathy/Heilkunst, reflexology, nutrition, angel reading, tarot reading, psychic/channeled reading, crystals, essential oils/flower essences and chakras. Which answers/modalities will resonate for her is as personal as which answers/modalities will resonate with you. Some answers will draw you in and have you wanting even more details, while others will just be interesting information. There are so many different ways to deal with our issues and I love that Mosaic offers a ‘mosaic’ of ways to help that you may have never known about otherwise. Being aware that you have choices can change everything. To find out if you were one of the lucky 24 prize winners of our Mosaic Reader Survey, go to our website at www.MosaicMagazine.ca (Home Page, left side column, under the Website Menu listing). To learn more about the next Mosaic Book Club Dinner on June 6 at Vicky’s Bistro in Sherwood Park, go to the Calendar of Events on page 32. Hope to see you there!
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Mosaic
Contents
Mind, Body and Spirit Magazine Ltd.
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780-447-3667 780-939-0588
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by Tammie Quick, Lauren Slade & Kristin Fraser
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CONNIE BRISSON
Design, Layout & Production Co-ordination
CAROL PYLYPOW
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General Information Mosaic Mind, Body and Spirit Magazine is published four times per year on the 1st of February, May, August and November and is distributed in Alberta. We reserve the right to refuse advertisements, articles or art. Publication of any article, advertisement or art in Mosaic Magazine does not constitute the publisher’s endorsement of (or assumption for) liability for any claims made in the advertisements/advertising information or for the information, views and opinions of the individual article writers.The responsibility/liability for the accuracy of all their claims, statements and information rests entirely with the advertisers and the article contributors themselves. The contents of Mosaic is intended for educational purposes only and not intended to be used or taken as medical advice. Always consult a licensed medical doctor about your health issues. Be responsible and safe. Always research information and service providers found in Mosaic for yourself. Mosaic reserves the right to edit articles for clarity, content or length at the editor’s discretion. No part of this magazine (articles) may be reproduced in any manner without the permission of the publisher. No external flyer inserts allowed. © Mosaic Mind Body and Spirit Magazine Ltd., 2012. Subscription Rates Send cheque for $25.00 (for four issues) payable to Mosaic Magazine with your name, address and phone number. Please indicate which issue you want to start with.
COVER ART Artist: Heather Brewster Title: Enter the Portal Contact: www.heatherbrewster.com
How stress affects digestion by Norma Hope
Spirit Answers by Carmen Braga, T.J. Wallingford & Noelle Parenteau
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Mosaic Web-Site See www.ilovemosaicmagazine.com for information about Mosaic, current rates, ad sizes and distribution locations. Web-site by Gaslamp Village Web Design Studio.
How can you effectively ‘self-coach’? by Abe Brown
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Advertising For advertising information contact Connie Brisson at 780447-3667. Deadline for ads is one month prior to publication dates. Payment is due promptly when ad is booked.
My journey of healing and purpose by Sarah Salter-Kelly
10 Publisher, Editor, Design & Layout
Heal Your Body
Your path of transformation and ascension by Heather Coon
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A new model of healing by Dr. Robin Browne
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Natural Healing by Melissa Robak, Robert Dale Rogers & Jackie Pearce
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Healing with the infra-green colours by Jackie Pearce
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Skye’s View
Attract positive change with Feng Shui by Skye MacLachlan
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Esoteric Explorations
The near enemy by Catherine Potter
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My victory over breast cancer by Simone Martin
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Mosaic’s Directory of Services
29
Artist’s Gallery
Painting is like a metaphor for life by Heather Brewster
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Mosaic’s Marketplace
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Mosaic’s Calendar of Events
33
Things I Love
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Con Amore
It’s all good, even the tough parts by Connie Brisson
Next Issue: AUGUST 1, 2012 Deadline: JULY 5, 2012 ILoveMosaicMagazine.com
Summer 2012 — Mosaic Magazine
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Heal Your Body © Denise Lefebvre
“I’ve had insomnia from the time I was a child (as far back as I can remember) and it has been my biggest cross to bear. I’d like to know what the precipitating factor was and if knowing that would alleviate it. I am also very open to anything that will help me deal with it. What can I do to help myself?” SV, Edmonton by Tammie Quick Doctor of Homeopathy and Heilkunst Anthroposophical medicine tells us that insomnia is actually a fear of death. When you sleep, your astral body (the one that holds your emotions) as well as your ego body (the one that holds your ‘I’ consciousness) ‘take off’ so that the physical body can rest and rejuvenate. Insomnia is a reflection of the fear of losing these parts. Heilkunst treatment takes you back through time, using homeopathic remedies to clear the problems that have been left behind by various shocks and traumas of life. Since you’ve had this problem as long as you can recall, ask your mother what your conception, gestation and birth were like. An unplanned pregnancy and the fear it creates in the parents could activate it, or there was something that happened during the pregnancy or delivery that made mom fear for her survival.
Heilkunst also gives you support for the symptoms of your insomnia. If you fall asleep easily but wake up around 3:00 or 4:00 a.m. each night and can’t get back to sleep because you are overwhelmed by all you have to do, Nux-vomica may help. But if you can’t fall asleep when you go to bed because of thoughts about things that have gone wrong recently and in the past, then Natrum Muriaticum may be the remedy for you. Conversely, the homeopathic version of Coffe (Coffea) is excellent for an active, stimulated mind that just won’t ‘shut off’. Remember, these remedies won’t offer a whole cure without also addressing the underlying reason for your insomnia. Tammie Quick, DMH, DHHP, practices Homeopathy and Heilkunst at the Quick Health Clinic in St. Albert, AB. Call 780-221-6127, tammie@quick-health.ca or www.quick-health.ca. Appointments can be in person, by phone and by Skype.
by Lauren Slade Online Health & Reflexology Expert
days. (Source: “Preliminary Exploration of Treatment for Insomnia,” China 1996)
Insomnia can affect all age groups and is more common in adult women than adult men. The condition can lead to poor performance at work, obesity, depression, anxiety, poor immune system function and an increased risk and severity of longterm disease.
For self-help at night, there are several reflexology points in the ear that are easy to access and are known to assist with sleeping.
Several research studies have shown that foot reflexology is effective for reducing insomnia. In one study, 70 patients with insomnia were given foot reflexology. Group A was given 10 sessions twice a day and Group B was given 10 sessions once a day. Group A showed 88.57% improvement after five days and 100% after 10 days. Group B showed 22.86% improvement after five days and 91.43% after 10 by Kristin Fraser Registered Holistic Nutritionist Insomnia, which is usually correlated with stress can really be a stress in itself! Typical foods to avoid in order to get better sleep cycles are things like caffeine, refined carbohydrates (especially sugar), alcohol and greasy foods - all somewhat stimulants for your body. But the fact that you have had this condition since you were a child makes me think there may be some further underlying nutritional issues to look into with a practitioner.
Method: Half an hour before retiring apply pressure to each point with a sturdy cotton bud for a count of five seconds, then release for five seconds. Repeat three times for each point. Work both ears for maximum benefit.
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Lauren is the Principal & Founder of the Universal College of Reflexology with over 30 year’s experience and a respected educator, coach, mentor. 1-866-944-2576, info@UniversalReflex.com, www.TheReflexologyZone.com, www.LearnFootReflexologyOnline.com
creating an allergic reaction, which then stimulates the release of hormones from the adrenal glands. This over stimulation awakens the brain and in effect can prevent you from sleeping. Wheat is a typical food allergen, but there are ways to see, either by elimination or getting tested. Another food overlooked in its potential to benefit those with insomnia is fermented foods. Kefir, for example, (homemade is best) rebalances your body’s digestive system through rebuilding its good bacteria. It’s believed to have a relaxing effect on the nervous system and makes a great bedtime drink.
One association that many will not find obvious is food allergies. The thing about food allergies is that your body may be treating a certain food as a foreign object and
Kristin Fraser, BSc, is a speaker, consultant and freelance columnist on natural health, providing presentations, workshops and personal consultations via Skype province wide. Contact: kristin@innerglownutrition.ca, www.innerglownutrition.ca
Note: This information is for educational purposes only. It is intended to supplement your current health program, not to replace the care of a licensed medical doctor.
If you have a question that you’d like answered by these three ways, please email mosaicmagazine@shaw.ca
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My journey of healing and purpose I never met my mother’s killer, though his image haunted me for years. I saw him at the trial, his face staring straight ahead in the box of the accused, as we heard details about the brutality of her death. I was only 21 years old. His name was Peter. He was Cree, about 35 years old, with a history of violent behaviour. After being found guilty of first-degree murder, he hung himself in jail. I told myself he was dead - what was the point in being angry? That helped initially. But then in 2005, nine years later, his image appeared in my head more incessantly. I couldn’t make it go away. It evoked intense feelings of anger and retribution that I knew I needed to find a way to express. Nothing I read or explored gave any concrete advice on what to do in a situation like this. In fact the only advice I’d heard for people who were raped, abused, traumatized or for family members of homicide, was that you just had to learn how to live with it - essentially once a victim, always a victim. I refused to believe this. And then I remembered. We are all connected. Every experience, issue, wound and person we have ever had in our life is actually connected to us with an energetic cord. Imagine it like a great web of life. Some of these cords are filled with light, as they feed us and replenish our spirits. Others are filled with darkness and they feed off of our fear and pain. It is possible to change our relationship with the cords that are filled with darkness by bringing light to them. This may be done through conversation, writing, prayer or ceremony.
guidance and healing. My intention was to speak out loud what he had done, what I thought of it and how it had impacted me. I wanted justice on a spiritual level and I felt that by speaking this aloud, Creator would hear. This ceremony lasted many months. As I cleared away my feelings of darkness, space was made for a new way. I had a vision where I clearly saw Peter’s spirit in a way that instantaneously created a path for my compassion and forgiveness. This was a big surprise for me initially. My rational brain could not compute this experience. And yet my spirit knew it to be true. I needed time to digest this, and as I did, my whole life changed. I felt a level of liberation I had never dreamed possible. The Yellow Tunic © Maria Pace-Wynters — www.mariapacewynters.com
by Sarah Salter-Kelly Shamanic Healer
After this powerful experience I was drawn to study shamanism and for the next six years I travelled five times to the high Andes in Peru, studying the native healing traditions of the Q’ero Nation. There I was taught indigenous methods of personal healing and was also trained to heal others. These practices deepened my knowledge and abilities, bringing inner validation about my purpose and journey thus far. Seven years later, these teachings and my experiences are the corner stones of my healing practice and my life. Now I help people create resolution with the relationships that are impacting them in a negative way, allowing for balance and transformation on all levels. We need not be victims of circumstance. We can heal anything!
Sarah specializes in healing personal struggles, imbalance and trauma through ceremony and connection to the Sacred. She is available for private sessions in Edmonton and Pigeon Lake. Call 780-314-9150 or www.medicinespiritcenter.com Note: This information is for educational purposes only. It is intended to supplement your current health program, not to replace the care of a licensed medical doctor.
It’s a transformation that takes place by illuminating the pain, shifting our perspective and trusting in God to help bring forth understanding/compassion. This is how I healed unresolved issues with my mother after she had died. It just never occurred to me that I was even connected to Peter in this way. So I prayed on it. I could see he was showing up in my head because we were connected and it was time for me heal this cord. My way of healing this cord was to sit in Sacred Space, before each of the cardinal directions and pray for help, ILoveMosaicMagazine.com
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How can you effectively ‘self-coach’? I’m a big believer in coaching and in its impact on our lives, relationships and professional endeavours. Effective coaches can help us see our blind spots, clarify our focus and empower us to find and fulfill our dreams. However, there is also power in the practice of Self-Coaching: self-awareness and rigorous self-evaluation. Let’s go forward into 2012, performing some very important ‘checks’:
°
Relational Check (how you connect) - How we connect with others is critical to our own sense of health and well-being. Several years ago UCLA did a study of people and discovered that we need between 8-10 meaningful touches per day to be emotionally healthy. No wonder so many feel like they are empty! Relational wellness speaks to healthy conflict resolution, social intelligence, effective communication skills and the capacity to be truly intimate.
Check (what you think) ° Mental Where the mind goes, the man follows. We are what we think and become the product of the thoughts we consistently embrace. We need to work on the detail of our daily thought life and think healthy thoughts which consistently empower and inspire us.
°
Emotional Check (how you feel) - Emotions are not thermostats, but thermometers. They are not root causes, but symptoms of underlying issues. However, the way we feel has a huge impact on our level of motivation, actions, behaviours and results. Let’s focus on emotional management, emotional intelligence and relaxation, which leads to healthy emotions.
meditation and prayer. Seek to live congruent with your own spirituality. The Dalai Lama says: “This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.” Check (what you do) - Professional wellness is ° Professional far more than the money you make or the title you hold. It is a sense of living congruent and in alignment with your ‘LIFEFIT’: your unique combination of gifts, abilities, passion, education, training and life experience that makes ‘you’, you. It is being fully yourself and making money as you do! Check (what ° Financial you have) - Sometimes in our desire to be non-materialistic, we discount the importance of money and having things. However, there can be no doubt that financial wellness is an important part of our overall wellness. The key is having the right definition of financial wellness. Financial wellness is not a certain number of zeros in your bank account or driving a certain type of car. It is abundance. True abundance is having enough for you and for those you love and also, being able to contribute to the needs of others. Envisioning the Possibilities © Heather Brewster
by Abe Brown Certified Master Coach Trainer
In essence, self-coaching is a process in which you make decisions that will better your life. Live with intention! Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Appreciate your friends. Continue to learn. Practice wellness. Do what you love. Live a life that counts! Abe Brown is a Certified Life and Business Coach and is also a Certified Master Coach Trainer. He spent several years as a counsellor and ordained minister and then transitioned into a practice of Coaching. Visit www.momentumcoaching.ca or www.certifiedcoachesfederation.com
Check (how healthy is your body) - Our body is our ° Physical temple, our dwelling place and home. We are responsible to take care of it and to nourish it with respect and tenderness. When we do, we have healthy outcomes which will enable us to lead a fruitful life. We should practice healthy nutrition, regular sleep, relaxation, regular exercise and self-care. Spiritual Check (values and how you treat others) - The best ° measure of your spirituality is not the church, mosque, temple or synagogue. The best measure is how you treat others. It is walking with integrity, honesty, fairness and compassion. Respect. Kindness. Gratitude. Purpose. Selflessness. It is also taking time for personal reflection, ILoveMosaicMagazine.com
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How stress affects digestion by Norma Hope Certified Biofeedback Practitioner Our Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) was primarily created for our ancestors, the cave people, to get ‘pumped up’ for fight or flight when a saber toothed tiger showed up. Medical studies, in our society, clearly indicate that over stimulation of the stress response (SNS) is causing 97% of all health problems and yet the saber toothed tiger is extinct. Most of this stress affects digestion in a huge way.
Poppy Breezes © Lorraine Shulba — www.lshulba.com
The good news is stress held in the body is reversible and one of the most effective ways I’ve found to release stress is through EPR (Electro-Physiological Reactivity) Biofeedback Stress Management. Our Sympathetic Nervous System is NOT supposed to kick in when there is congested traffic on the way to work or a difference of opinion over dinner. But stress has a way of piling up during the day, creating a domino effect that seriously affects your digestive system. There is no tiger, just our own multi-colored, striped triggers that go off over and over again. Stress produces automatic responses in the body when there is a threat, real or imagined. As the fight or flight response kicks in (SNS), all the energy normally used for digestive processes and immune health in the gut gets kidnapped and redirected to survival instead. Really, who cares about that sandwich getting digested when there is a tiger coming at you! The Autonomic Nervous System in the brain has two parts: the Sympathetic Nervous System (fight or flight) and the Parasympathetic Nervous System (eat, sleep and heal). When one is turned on, the other is turned off and vice versa. One interrupts digestion and the other is truly required for digestion. The Enteric Nervous System is a separate entity known as the ‘2nd brain’ of the body - THE GUT. It is located in the lining of our entire digestive tract, esophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine (colon). The digestive system’s transit time (from the time you put food into your mouth to the time it is eliminated in a bowel movement) should be 18-24 hours. Your digestive system (if it were laid out in a straight line) is a minimum of 34 feet in length! That’s the height of a three story building; it’s a very intricate system. When you are stressed, whether you admit to that stress or not, it is the Enteric Nervous System that sends out the fight or flight signal to the Sympathetic Nervous System and Central Nervous System. That is what makes your
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belly tight when stressed. Digestion stops; all movement stops in that moment due to the nerve signals. And it is in the gut (your 2nd brain) that your mood is regulated. Recent medical studies relating to depression, indicate serotonin production actually takes place in the gut which is why colon hydrotherapy can be euphoric. The gut feelings come from your gut not your head. The gut has over 100 million neurons plus neurotransmitters and proteins. Stress can be the cause for you not losing weight or even gaining. When stressed, the secretion of cortisol and insulin dramatically increase, both of which promote fat storage. I had always thought if you were running around like a crazy person, you would lose weight - NOT so. When the Sympathetic Nervous System is turned on, digestion is not happening. Stress responses get triggered more and more as the last stress event wasn’t really resolved, just disconnected from and this explains chronic ILoveMosaicMagazine.com
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symptoms like constipation, diarrhea and even depression and anxiety. Those are recurrences, not new ones or they wouldn’t be chronic. The Parasympathetic Nervous System is that relaxed state of being that we need so much more of - the being present, the showing up, that sweet, relaxed place. Digestion can only happen fully when the body is in parasympathetic state. With Irritable Bowel Syndrome, studies state the cause of diarrhea can be too much serotonin (your gut is where 95% of serotonin is housed) and for constipation, it is not enough. And again, it is stress that causes the imbalance because it interrupts or accelerates the digestion of the foods that would normally give us this balance. It is also about what you put in your mouth. Eating on the run or mindless eating (not being present) will only hurt you now or later. It is important to realize the millions of things going on in your body which you may be interrupting or stopping if you are not relaxed when you eat. If you are busy then drink a smoothie. Also, chew your food as if your life depended on it because it really, really does. More chewing creates an alkaline condition in the body, improves elimination, stimulates the release of hormones which strengthen our immune system, promotes clearer thinking due to an increase in oxygen intake and reduces the quantity we eat. Stress also interrupts or irritates the natural peristalsis (wave like actions initiated in the muscles), in the lining of a healthy digestive tract (your colon). It is this action that starts when you begin to chew food so if you are on the run, the system is clenched, not free flowing anymore.
involved in EEG, ECG and is utilized also in the CAT scan, the MRI, TENS and ultrasound devices. A biofeedback session involves you relaxing in a reclining chair, with comfortable sensor bands on your forehead, wrists and ankles connecting you to a computer which is sending the needed frequencies to your whole being via those bands. It reads the stress reactivity on an individual basis and then does the balancing work. You just relax. Jessica is a 28-year-old client who came to me with depression and constipation. During the first biofeedback session, her belly (intestines) started rumbling and making all kinds of noise. She kept apologizing but I explained that noise is great (as things were starting to move in her belly) and then we both started laughing when it got even louder. Laughter loosens us up, shame shuts us down. She said she felt a calmness in her centre when the session ended. The next day she called to say she woke up that morning feeling hopeful (instead of hopeless despair she usually felt), she had a bowel movement and she also had the energy to go for a walk for the first time in a long time. So just stop for a minute, right now. Take a breath and take a digestive inventory of your day. I hope you feel nourished, calm and joyful because that is life without stress for the body, ‘minds’ and soul. And if not, take several more huge breaths. Norma Hope is a Certified Colon Hydrotherapist, Lymph Therapist, Biofeedback Practitioner, NeuroAcoustic Sound Therapist, Microcurrent Therapist, Thought Field Therapist and more… Call 780-477-1100 or go to www.lifesynergyinc.com Note: This information is for educational purposes only. It is intended to supplement your current health program, not to replace the care of a licensed medical doctor.
If you are having any of the following symptoms, be aware that the tiger already has you in its teeth: aching joints/muscles, acid reflux, acne, allergies, arthritis, anxiety, bad breath, cold or flu, cramping, bloating, body odor, constipation or diarrhea, depression, difficulty losing weight, edema, eye problems, fatigue, fibromyalgia, gas, heartburn, headaches, hemorrhoids, hopeless despair, irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia, low energy or chronic fatigue, low self esteem, low sex drive, nausea, poor memory, PMS symptoms, menopause symptoms, salt cravings, skin rashes, water retention and more. I know all about how stress affects our health because I have lived it. That is why all the therapies I do focus on releasing the constant stress inside the body, although Biofeedback is specific for stress reduction. EPR (Electro-Physiological Reactivity) Biofeedback Stress Management and Muscular Re-education Therapy consists of complex computer software which measures the individual clients reactants from inside the body, emotionally and physically plus mind and spirit - what is reactive, what is out of balance, what needs tuning or awareness. It is relaxing and the best stress tool out there. Biofeedback technology is not new. Quite simply, biofeedback is any technique which takes a measurement of the body and provides a result. This technology is ILoveMosaicMagazine.com
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Spirit Answers © Iryna Karpenko
“I’ve had insomnia from the time I was a child (as far back as I can remember) and it has been my biggest cross to bear. I’d like to know what the precipitating factor was and if knowing that would alleviate it. I am also very open to anything that will help me deal with it. What can I do to help myself?” SV, Edmonton by Carmen Braga Certified Angel Therapy Practitioner
around the issue but a good practitioner can assist you to release the debilitating pattern.
“Dear one, this has been caused by a past life trauma that was brought forward. Part of you lives in fear; that fear must be removed in order for you to move on. The details are unnecessary. You must forgive your attackers. They are now gone, it won’t happen again. You re-scripted this life to be harm free.
The Fool shows us that by exploring the deep, dark recesses of your psyche, you are likely to find a renewed sense of freedom. Although the process may not always be comfortable, faith in the journey will allow you to step out of the darkness into a new, brighter era of your life.
You are awake most of the time due to constant worry and it is ruling your every move. You must learn to calm down and listen only to your heart as that is where the answers lay. We are witness to your breakdowns as sleep depravation will do that, but there is hope dear one. You must let go of worry altogether. These are not yours; release them now and be with your peace. You must see them gone; let them leave you. Until then, you will be uneasy. Break the pattern - only you know how. Release it and it will be gone. Give it all to us angels to take away - we will perform the task if asked. Blessings dear one, blessings are yours. Be love; peace will follow.” Carmen teaches courses on how you can connect with your own Angels and Guides and is also an Intuitive Life Coach. Contact her at 780-994-3000; www.originalintent.ca, carmenbraga@originalintent.ca
by T.J. Wallingford Tarot Consultant Because you have had insomnia as far back as you can remember we know that something got locked in, in early childhood or possibly even pre-birth. While in our mother’s womb we imprint what is taking place in our environment and continue to do so into early childhood. At the root of this question sits the Emperor crossed by the Ace of Swords - an overactive mind inherited from a parent or grandparent, likely male. What was dad’s state of mind from your conception to early childhood? Was he worried? Was he feeling overwhelmed or does he naturally have an overactive mind? Knowing what dad was going through may give you some insight around what got locked in… Death tells us what action needs to be taken - letting go. Hypnotherapy and Family Constellations are two modalities that can be very helpful in looking back beyond conscious memory. Not only will that provide you with more clarity
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TJ is a Tarot Consultant, Astrologer and Hypnotherapist and can be reached for personalized sessions at scorpio_venus@hotmail.ca, 780-222-6328 or stop in and see her at Gypsy Chicks in Stony Plain on Thursdays.
by Noelle Parenteau Psychic Medium “As a child you were very sensitive to others but were never shown how to alleviate that which was not yours, so over the years you accumulated much. But while you become more adept with your spiritual connections, you will realize that you are indeed resting, only that you’re not in sync with your Higher Self. To find solace, know that when you are in this ‘insomnia state’, you can receive higher wisdom. This level of semi-consciousness is conducive to ‘channeling’. Changing your perspective allows you to embrace your more authentic aspects of Self. Allowing divine energies to flow through you will bring more equanimity in all areas of your life. This ‘insomnia’ is not a detriment if you shift your knowingness to a more expanded view. Call in your Guides during this restlessness and they will assist you on what your heart truly desires. All attachments need releasing. Love grows stronger as you delve into the deeper levels of consciousness; there is no loss, only personal growth. As you embrace your higher wisdom, much will be revealed to you that supports your ever increasing awareness, through commitment to Self.” Blessings in serenity. Noelle offers soul-directed, channeled messages and has a Ph.D. in Metaphysics from the University of Metaphysical Sciences. For your in-depth message from Spirit, please contact her at 780-887-9502, www.MySoulSpeaks.com, mysoulspeaks2u@gmail.com Note: This information is for educational purposes only. It is intended to supplement your current health program, not to replace the care of a licensed medical doctor.
If you have a question that you’d like answered by these three ways, please email mosaicmagazine@shaw.ca ILoveMosaicMagazine.com
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Your path of transformation and ascension Over the past three years, I have been blessed to witness many incredible client transformations. Each one was at a definite pace and included the specific circumstances that were exactly right for THAT client. At the same time, I was on my own path of transformation. Again, it was at the specific pace and had the precise elements that were exactly right for ME. It is incredible to reflect back today and completely recognize that everything occurred exactly when and how it was supposed to. Working with Reconnective Healing™ has deepened my connection with both Spirit and with myself. I now have a more peaceful existence, a life of purpose and complete trust in the natural and divine flow of life. I have eagerly embraced any of the opportunities the Universe has presented to me. I had no idea what would be next! Recently, I was incredibly honoured to be invited to attend the inaugural global training for the first 12 practitioners with the Orion Network for Evolution. The Orion Network for Evolution (O.N.E.) was recently co-founded by Christine Upchurch, Holly Hawkins-Marwood, Paul Marwood and Karen Keeney, who have been practicing and teaching Reconnective Healing internationally for many years. Two pieces of a new series of processes have been brought forth by the Universe and channelled by the co-founders of O.N.E. to assist the planet (and all of us) in our personal transformation and soul ascension.
which a new structure is overlaid without physical touching, working within the quantum field. This helps us to integrate many of the ongoing planetary changes and embrace life with greater ease. It allows us a greater connection with All-That-Is, moving us more rapidly into our true authenticity, ultimately aligning our Divine self while still in human form. The 111™ Activation is a ‘Light Vehicle of Transformation’, which allows us to carry more light, creating better connection and communication with higher wisdom for the purpose of personal and universal evolution. The Universal Sphere™ is a process which allows us to feel and experience our universal connection again. The harmonics of the vibration upon which the Universal Sphere is created is the energetic of the ‘ideal vibration of the heart’, the vibration of the heart at its optimal level. It has an impact on the human form on every single level at which it exists: the physical form, all the way down to the very essential particles within the human form and then extending on beyond that to the energetic realms, the realms beyond which the five senses exist. Lotus Mandela © Heather Brewster
by Heather Coon Certified 111™ Activation Practitioner
Universal Sphere and 111™ Activation can be done together, or independently, and are facilitated through a distance session. Both the Universal Sphere™ and 111™ Activation can be facilitated on all life - including our gardens, trees, plants and animals. Clients are describing the 111™ Activation as a profound and incredible experience. Are you ready to step forward on your path of transformation and ascension and carry more light? Heather Coon is a Certified Reconnective Healing Practitioner, and Certified Universal Sphere™ and 111™ Activation Practitioner in Edmonton. Call or text 780-977-7436. Email balanceandhealing@telus.net, www.orionnetworkforevolution.com
Ascension is a natural cycle and historically to ascend, humanity would need to go through a death or rebirth cycle so that it could begin again at a higher level of consciousness. At this time we are experiencing the opportunity to ascend without having to experience death. All life (and the planet itself) will need to go through incremental shifts to accommodate the greater level of light and consciousness. The Universal Sphere™ and the 111™ Activation are here now on the planet to allow acceleration of that transformation to occur. The 111™ Activation is the first step in the series which allows us to open up to more light in progressive stages and at a rate the physical body can handle. The 111™ Activation is a transformational, energetic session in ILoveMosaicMagazine.com
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A new model of healing by Dr. Robin Browne Doctor of Chiropractic
it’s important to know what better means to our brain and body.
Prayer, The Secret, manifestation, divination, meditation, and healing share a human quality that is truly amazing. As human beings we not only experience a common reality, some part of how we think and feel is able to influence the world in a way that shapes it. We really can be the change we want to see in the world.
The main function of the thinking brain is to freeze moments from our experience in a series of snapshots to explore them and understand them. Our body strives to be energy efficient, always seeking a state of low energy with high stability of functions. Our sense of better isn’t random; it takes energy to create or imagine something completely new. The easiest solution of ‘better’ to our thinking brain is an experience of when we last felt better. Therefore to create a state of feeling better our body uses a reference from a moment in our past.
With Network Care I show clients how to get into this present moment in a way that allows healing, energy and new resources to liberate from stored energy in the form of our muscle tension and old wounds.
The goal of most treatments is to restore the body to a normal or better state of function. Often this means to restore us to where and who we were before our
The mind has many ways to create our sense of feeling better, our sense of self and our growth or evolution. The way our body behaves in illness can interfere with our natural sense of who we are, what we want and what we can do about it.
Breeze © Oksana Zhelisko — www.zheliskoart.com
The nervous system (brain, spinal cord and nerves) organizes information into patterns and rhythms of function and meaning, including the functions and movement of our body and our ability to think and feel. When life gets difficult, whenever we’re injured or ill, we want to feel ‘better’. If we have any influence over pain versus passion, then
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problem. But healing isn’t about feeling less pain, it’s about having more life. Wellness views the body as a reflection of our relationship to our internal and external world. Symptoms and illness are viewed as diseases of meaning that teach us to grow in skills we need to reach the highest expression of our unique gifts. Healing what ails us requires us to learn through our challenges and gain more wisdom and resources in our lifestyle for us to move forward in life. So if you really want more life from your healing efforts, you need to consider your norm or baseline of health, your love of comfort, and even the word balance. There is another system in our body that uses a time in our past as a standard for ‘better’ - our defense system. When the stress in your life becomes too much, your breath will become shallow. Your posture will shift from one that supports you to one that protects you, and you will lose flexibility. The ‘fight or flight’ defense of our body takes the stressful situation and stores it as vibration in bound muscle tension. Network Care recognizes that stored tension patterns produce the symptoms of illness that come back again and again, or are resistant to healing. These same tension areas can be a source of fuel and wisdom for healing and personal transformation, if you know how to reorganize them. The body goes into defensive behavior when the level of stress is too much for your nervous system to remain organized and keep you whole. Stored tension areas are triggered by similar stressful events. When this happens frequently, your baseline of experience is to expect a stressful event. There are three common behaviors that limit health outcomes when your baseline of experience is based in excessive stored tension: • The desire to get rid of the problem or change how it feels to something better. • Health goals involve less of something: less pain, less fatigue, weight loss, quitting smoking, etc. • Seeking comfort or balance. Comfort means nothing unexpected will happen, therefore there’s no challenge and no growth. Healing requires us to evolve from our illness or injury experience and you will recognize this as a change in your lifestyle as you heal. When the body is struggling it uses more energy to maintain a sense of stability. Just like you, your body would love a change of state to something better. In comfort there is no stimulus for change, so there’s no change of state and no shift in the lifestyle that contributes to the problem.
Instead of fixing your problem(s), Network Care suggests reorganizing your nervous system to a whole new level. Reorganizational Healing (ROH, see research at www.reorganizationalhealing.com) defines the conscious role that patients can take in their wholeness and wellness. In April, significant changes commenced at the federal level and ROH is slated to be the next model of health in the United States (as of April 4, 2010, www.reorganizational.org). Reorganizational Healing involves getting into your challenge, issue, or problem instead of getting out of it. It involves recognizing and connecting with areas of stored tension. When areas of stored tension release, the vibration in them reorganizes the nervous system to a higher level and you become more aware of resources for healing and energy for lifestyle change. ROH becomes a model for self-assessment (knowing your baseline) and allows individuals to discover new strengths (reorganization of tension patterns). As the tension in your body reorganizes to ease, parts of your life heal and increasing well-being becomes your new baseline. You can easily observe ROH yourself, standing in front of a full length mirror. Observe the top of your shoulders and upper chest. Does your breath expand these areas much, if at all? What about the base of the diaphragm, where your bottom ribs intersect with the breastbone. How easily does your breath expand the lower ribs? Finally, how much does your breath fill your belly button area? Where your breath moves with ease there is the most expansion and this reflects your authentic, natural, whole person. Where the breath is resistant, where it can not flow much, is the effect of stored tension. Observe these three areas daily for one month. Attempt to notice what is new about the area each time you breathe into it. Focus on your awareness of the ease and be aware of where there is tension, but don’t focus on the tension. Gradually you will notice that every resistance in your life is reflected in your body as tension. Network Care and ROH show you how to focus on your breath and movement in a way that heals you, frees your body’s flexibility, strength and energy, AND liberates your mind and spirit! Robin offers Network Care at New Strategy Wellness Centre. It’s exciting how easy wellness can be. To get started today call 780 429-0023. Note: This information is for educational purposes only. It is intended to supplement your current health program, not to replace the care of a licensed medical doctor.
Perhaps your health goal is balance. Balance is the baseline of what it feels like to survive… the lowest level of wellness and living. Passion is the goal required for feeling whole and reorganizing your lifestyle.
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© Bernadette McCormack
Natural Healing “I’ve had insomnia from the time I was a child (as far back as I can remember) and it has been my biggest cross to bear. I’d like to know what the precipitating factor was and if knowing that would alleviate it. I am also very open to anything that will help me deal with it. What can I do to help myself?” SV, Edmonton
by Melissa Robak Crystal & Gem Store Owner There are root issues that started your insomnia years ago, but there are also stressors you are dealing with today that may have compounded onto that root issue. Your best stone is howlite, as it deals with the symptoms of insomnia. I would suggest carrying this stone with you at all times. A piece of black tourmaline will protect you from outside stressors, a known cause of insomnia, and I would also recommend amber and a Himalayan salt lamp in the bedroom to bring about a calm relaxing atmosphere. Dealing with the root cause of the insomnia will be a trickier issue. Allow yourself to reconcile past issues and let them go. Use a chakra set and quartz crystal combined with meditation to keep clear and balanced, allowing issues to surface and be dealt with as you are ready for them. Tell yourself: “I deserve a good night’s rest and I am going to get it!” and eventually you will. Stay positive and step outside your comfort zone on occasion to allow your mind to process new experiences; it will help bring past issues to the front to be recognized and dealt with. Feel like it’s a lot to handle? Keep a citrine around to keep things positive and optimistic. Melissa Robak, and husband Chris, are owners of Silver Cove: From Rock 2 Gem, Unit #3, 5230 - 45 Street, Lacombe, AB (Lacombe Mall). You can reach them at 403-789-1308, www.silvercove.biz
by Robert Dale Rogers Registered Herbalist (AHG)
by Jackie Pearce Wholistic Practitioner
Insomnia that begins at an early age is generally related to mental/ emotional patterns.
I am sensing that your Earth Star Chakra (ESC), as well as your Soul Star Chakra (SSC), are involved. This indicates to me that your sleeping has to do with a deep seated emotional experience.
You could try the English flower essence White Chestnut that helps with circular mental patterns and repetitive, obsessive thoughts resulting in a restless mind. Dill flower essence helps insomnia when nerves are overwhelmed by too much input, Red Chestnut for people worried and concerned for others, or Aspen when there is fear of dark or the unknown often associated with overlysensitive astral body. Flora Sleep is a unique spray product of flower essences and essential oils created for supporting restful repose and rejuvenation. Various essential oils can be quite calming. A drop or two of Lavender oil can increase brainwaves that induce REM sleep. Bedtime Lullaby from Scents of Wonder containing lavender, marjoram, lemongrass and roman chamomile may be added to a little cream and put into a bedtime bath, or diffused into the bedroom environment. Another popular, restful blend is Winking Blinking and Nod. It is very important with essential oils to utilize those to which you are attracted. Avoid TV, read something inspirational, and create a ritual of harmony and beauty before retiring. Robert teaches Earth Spirit Medicine at Northern Star College, instructing herbal medicine, flower essences and aromatherapy. He has authored 14 books available at www.selfhealdistributing.com. Email: selfheal@telusplanet.net
To begin balancing this out, center yourself through your ESC, which is about six inches below the feet. Feel your connection to Mother Earth her strength, support and unconditional love for you. Once connected, begin to sense the awareness of your SSC, which is about six inches above your crown chakra. While maintaining the connection to your ESC, expand your awareness beyond your physical form and feel the tranquil energy of your SSC. What are you noticing here - feelings, sensations, colors? Once you feel this energy, allow the ESC energy to move up your body, through your chakras and to meet with your SSC. Allow them to intermingle and bathe in this energy. Using your breath, inhale and sharply exhale, moving the energy down through your body to your ESC. Breathe deeply and ask your guides if there are any messages for you? Do this twice daily to receive the benefits of this exercise. Jackie is a Certified Colour Sound Therapist, also trained in Chakra Balancing, Reiki, Reflexology and Hot Stone Massage at Golden Lady Wholistics. Call 780-690-4156 or Jackie@goldenlady.ca.
If you have a question that you’d like answered by these three ways, please email mosaicmagazine@shaw.ca Note: This information is for educational purposes only. It is intended to supplement your current health program, not to replace the care of a licensed medical doctor.
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Healing with the infra-green colours The Infra-Green colours are made up of red, orange, yellow and lemon. In the Dinshah method these are the stimulating colours - they get things going, they bring things up and they purge your system! RED energy is very earthed; it connects us to our ancestors and can be used to bring things to the surface. Past lives, deep seated emotions and memories can be recalled using red energy. Red tends to be a colour we all can relate to, although we don’t all like red. It is most certainly known for its fiery energy, tendency to over stimulate and can even be associated with anger. These are all true, however they may be present when red is out of balance, not in balance. Red energy is very fluid, very quick. It is also responsible for keeping us ‘earthed’. People who have a tendency to want to live focusing only on their upper chakras or only in an energetic form will benefit a lot from red energy. Red helps us to connect to our physical form, to be present and centered and to know that there is a connection between our physical and energetic selves. Red heats us up and gets our blood pumping, literally! Often we associate red with sexuality, however ORANGE, is the true colour of sexuality, intimacy and reproduction; red assists where orange leads. Orange is such a beautiful balance. It is the bridge between intense red energy and softer yellow, it provides enough ‘oomph’ to get the wheels turning, but also has enough grace to keep the peace! Muscles love orange; as a decongestant orange can release muscle cramping and fatigue as well as being a major contributor to bone strength and health. On a personality level, orange is full of compassion, understanding and friendliness. Have you ever shown up to an event that you have never been to before and someone goes above and beyond to make you feel welcome and included, even though they are not the one in charge - that is the essence of an orange personality!
your guide and help you keep it all organized. This can be achieved in many ways, simply using a yellow highlighter, wearing yellow colour therapy glasses (available for purchase at Golden Lady) or simply surrounding yourself with the vibrational frequency of yellow through colour breathing. The dynamism of yellow allows boring or sluggish energy and feelings to be lightened, shifted and transformed into playful, inventive and rewarding experiences. Where red energy brings things to the surface, LEMON, is a colour for purging: physical, mental, emotional or energetic. If something is ready to be released, lemon will facilitate it. At the lighter end of the UltraGreen Colours lemon is of a higher frequency than red, it has more finesse and grace, which is one of the reasons it is ideal for release. Great for detoxification, lemon can assist with food poisoning and general toxicity of the body. It has been my experience through working with clients that when we are holding emotions in the body, lemon can be a wonderful colour to release those feelings and allow the client to feel the benefits both physically and emotionally. Peacock © Bonnie Hood — www.julescreations.com
by Jackie Pearce Certified Colour Sound Therapist
Colour Therapy is a very diverse healing system and works wonderfully as a stand alone therapy or as a compliment to other therapies. There are no limitations with Colour Therapy; there is always a colour to assist with anything and numerous ways to bring that colour into the situation. Jackie is a Certified Colour Sound Therapist, also trained in Chakra Balancing, Reiki, Reflexology and Hot Stone Massage at Golden Lady Wholistics. Call 780-690-4156 or www.goldenlady.ca Note: This information is for educational purposes only. It is intended to supplement your current health program, not to replace the care of a licensed medical doctor.
YELLOW energy is so vibrant and buoyant; it is fun, lively and full of focus. Yellow is the keeper of memory. When you are learning something for the first time, or are having difficulty retaining information, yellow will be ILoveMosaicMagazine.com
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Skye’s View
Attract positive change with Feng Shui 2012 is the Year of the Water Dragon. Dragon years are filled with opportunities for change and transformation, but this often involves stepping outside our comfort zones. For many, the first stage of change involves becoming aware that we want something more. This can be an uncomfortable and frightening time of being unhappy with present circumstances, yet not knowing what the future might hold. This ‘in-between’ place is where the magic happens, but it’s also a very vulnerable state of being. One might be tempted to run back to the security of what is known yet unfulfilling or leap into the new before the time is right. Here are some Feng Shui cures that will help smooth the road to transformation. In Feng Shui, doors and windows are the portals that attract new energy and opportunities into our lives. Remove all items that are stored behind your doors, including organization systems that hang behind the door. You want to make sure that your doors open as fully as possible to attract the best possible opportunities into your life. Also, keep the front and back doors to your home and the entrances to the interior rooms in your home clean, bright, inviting and attractive. The windows of your home should be kept sparkling clean so that you can clearly see and evaluate which opportunities are best for you. If you have many sharp corners in your home, balance this with soft, curved furniture and decorative items. Sharp corners attract aggressive and confronting energies, while rounded shapes help to attract harmony. You might place a bowl of stone / crystal spheres in the west of your home to attract blessed opportunities. The west is the direction of good fortune this year and the earth element (stones and crystals) strengthen this direction.
Transcendental cures are very powerful because they involve one’s creative energy as an essential part of the cure. The ‘Lucky House of Mystery’ is a transcendental cure that attracts blessings into one’s life. Begin with writing a wish on a white sheet of paper. Roll the paper into a scroll and tie it with a red ribbon. Create a three dimensional model size house with an opening for the door and at least one window opening. You can make your home as simple or as elaborate as you choose. Decorate the inner and outer surfaces of the home with images that you are attracted to - through drawing, painting, coloring, collage or any creative medium that appeals to you.
Heart String © Carol Breen
by Skye MacLachlan Feng Shui Consultant
Now blow three times on your wish scroll and place it in your Lucky House of Mystery. Place your Lucky House of Mystery in the west area of your home (though never in a bathroom). Lastly, call upon your heavenly and earthly helpers to make your wish come true.
To really amp up the energy of your Lucky House of Mystery, leave a small bit of food and or flower offering inside the door to your lucky home each day. Remember to remove the previous day’s offerings before placing the new food / flower. The Lucky House of Mystery will act like a bridge between your current circumstances (which no longer feel enlivening) and the new possibilities that await you. Remember that in the Year of the Dragon, anything is possible; so use some Feng Shui cures and let the magic begin! Skye has specialized in Feng Shui for the home and business for over 30 years. She teaches Feng Shui, Tarot and Dreamwork at the Northern Star College of Mystical Studies in Edmonton, www.northernstarcollege.com or 780-447-3667.
Our internal energy also has a profound impact on the opportunities that we attract. Gossip, anger and focusing on the negative qualities of others, will attract more disharmony into our lives. It’s important to develop an attitude of understanding and tolerance toward ourselves and others.
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Esoteric Explorations
The near enemy by Catherine Potter Astrologer and Hypnotherapist I was reading a fiction book recently and, as is often the case, there was this little jewel of wisdom waiting to be found. One of the characters, a retired therapist/current bookstore owner, is speaking to the main character in the book, a homicide detective.
The three mentioned are pity which masquerades as compassion, attachment which masquerades as love, and indifference which masquerades as equanimity. If you aren’t familiar with the concept here is a brief description. Compassion involves empathy for another, while pity is feeling superior, as in “oh, poor so and so.” Love wants what is best for another while attachment is clingy, dependent and often destroys. Equanimity is the ability to be in a situation, digest it by dealing with the emotions involved, accept it, and then
detail of Favorite Dress Favorite Hat © Chris Riley — www.rileyart.com
She speaks to him of a psychological concept called ‘the near enemy’ - the idea being that there are two emotions
that look the same but are opposite. One is a healthy emotional expression, the other is a twisted version.
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move on keeping and/or regaining your balance and indifference on the surface can look calm and balanced but underneath can be empty or disconnected. I was familiar with the above concepts but what caught my attention was the phrase ‘the near enemy’ which I hadn’t heard before. ‘The near enemy’ alludes to something within a person, however I think it also nicely holds the place of seeing what is clear or confused within us by looking at what our significant relationships mirror back. If we have not developed a strong self observer, without the benefit of external counsel, it can sometimes be hard to see what we are expressing in a healthy way or what within us has become kinked or disconnected. Our relationships can act as clear mirrors reflecting back where we are, what we place value on and healthy or unhealthy self value. By observing who we surround ourselves with, how we treat others, what we love about the people in our lives and what we dislike, we will get an accurate reflection of ourselves. What is or isn’t accepted, resolved and developed within finds its way into our relationships. My original idea for this article was to write about the upcoming Venus retrograde period (May 15th - June 27th) which is an ideal time for looking at one’s values, self value and relationships… in essence a relationship and self value house cleaning period. While waiting for inspiration to strike on how I wanted to write this article (some might call this procrastinating), I started to read a murder mystery book. So thank you to Louise Penny and her mystery novel The Cruellest Month (Headline Publishing Group, 2007) and the fascinating phrase ‘the near enemy’. An Astrologer since 1986, Catherine is also a Hypnotherapist and Meditation Instructor. She brings her unique counselling and teaching style to The Northern Star College of Mystical Studies. Call 780-447-3667, www.northernstarcollege.com and www.catherinepotter.ca
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My victory over breast cancer by Simone Martin Over 17 years ago, a few months before my 50th birthday, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. One evening while reading in bed, I felt a hard lump on the right upper side of my right breast. Fear ripped through me as I checked and rechecked my breast. Intuitively, I knew that this was not a cyst. Ten months earlier, I had gone to see my family physician regarding a soft lump in that area. After undergoing a physical examination and a mammogram, I was told that the lump was nothing to worry about; “it is just a cyst” my doctor had said reassuringly.
I slumped back in my chair in disbelief. This couldn’t be, I thought! I followed a healthy diet, exercised regularly and stayed away from toxic chemicals. I did not fit the profile of women likely to get cancer. Seemingly oblivious to my shock and dismay, he proceeded to describe my two treatment options. I could either have a mastectomy followed by chemotherapy treatments or a segmental resection where a large portion of the breast is removed followed by radiation and chemotherapy treatments. He advised me that if I chose not to have radiation, he would perform a mastectomy. He was adamant about the need for chemotherapy treatments regardless of the procedure I chose. He stressed that since the cancer had metastasized, a recurrence within the next two years or sooner was a
Tyanne © Denise Lefebvre — www.deniselefebvre.com
Unfortunately, a cancerous tumor was growing beneath the cyst and by the time the malignancy was identified, it had metastasized to my lymph nodes. When I met with my surgeon, he palpitated different areas of my body and checked the lymph nodes in the axilla area. Underneath my right arm, was a swollen lymph node about the size of a marble.
He asked me to come to his office once I was dressed. Nervously, I sat on the edge of a chair in front of him. “What is your prognosis,” I asked, afraid to hear the answer. He hesitated for a moment, then said that he needed to do a biopsy to determine the aggressiveness of the tumor. But since the cancer had metastasized, I had a 30% chance of surviving five years.
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strong possibility. He stated that regardless of the type of surgery performed, lymph nodes would be removed from the right axilla. As he detailed the treatment options to me, my head began to spin - too much was coming at me at once. Feeling sheer panic, I found myself unable to speak. He waited for a moment, then asked if I had any questions. Struggling to hold back the tears, I asked almost inaudibly: “Which one should I choose… I want to live… I will do whatever is necessary!” In a matter-of-fact tone, he stated that my chance of survival was the same with either treatment. Within a week after my first visit, I had to inform my surgeon of my decision on the treatment option. With a great deal of trepidation, I told him that I had chosen the segmental resection surgery, followed with radiation and chemotherapy. Although I had made a choice, I was not convinced that it was the most appropriate one for me. Over the next four or five days, I frantically read as many books as I could - weighing the pros and cons on alternative healing modalities, mastectomy, radiation and chemotherapy treatments. Some people had survived after having chemotherapy and others had not. I was desperately looking for some reassurance that I had made the right decision. But trying to sort out the wheat from the chaff was an onerous task which required time - a resource I did not have. Feeling overwhelmed, I prayed … and then prayed some more. I spoke to God as a friend, sensing for the first time in my life an inner connection with the Divine Source. As I reached out trying to understand why this had happened, it suddenly occurred to me that although I had cared for my body physically, I had failed to give myself the most basic and essential need - to love myself completely. It was as if I had awakened from some unconscious state. For the first time in my life, I realized how critical I had been of myself and how I had allowed others to do the same. As I wrapped my arms around me, I closed my eyes and visualized each part of my body being lavished with love. In the weeks that followed, two other incidents occurred which helped me on my journey and contributed to my belief that I would survive. During my initial visit with my surgeon, when he told me that I had a 30% per cent chance of surviving five years, I felt as though a heavy load of bricks had been laid on my shoulders. One evening, about four days later, after reaching a decision on the type of treatment I would choose, I had a dream. In the dream, I saw the load of bricks that had weighed so heavily on my shoulders, being physically removed brick-by-brick. When I woke up that morning, I found myself filled with an immense sense of relief and with an inexplicable strength and determination to fight this insidious form that had invaded my body - and to win! Two days after the surgery, I began feeling uneasy about the treatment I had chosen. As I gently ran my hand over my bandaged chest and right arm, the thought of bombarding my body with toxic chemicals and destructive rays became abhorrent to me. “I cannot do that,” I said to myself. Later that afternoon while resting in bed, I was ILoveMosaicMagazine.com
overcome with a sense of inner peace. Along with it came knowledge from deep within that I would survive without having radiation and chemotherapy treatments. I knew then that I would heal naturally! Understanding the importance of nourishing all the components of my being, the physical, emotional and spiritual, I integrated the following healing modalities. Under the guidance of my naturopathic doctor, I took heavy doses of beta-carotene and ascorbate Vitamin C. Over a period of six months following the surgery, I also underwent several intravenous treatments of Vitamin-C. Both of these vitamins help to rid the body of free-radicals and strengthen the immune system. Although, I had eaten a healthy diet for many years prior to my diagnosis, I needed to eliminate all foods that could have an estrogenic effect. My doctor recommended that I eliminate all red meat and soy products. I was encouraged to eat primarily fish, especially salmon, and to increase my intake of cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli and brussel sprouts. In addition, I was to include plenty of orange and yellow-colored vegetables which have a high level of beta-carotene and Vitamin A. Two other important nutrients which I incorporated in my daily diet were Omega-3 fatty acids (such as flax seed oil) and 1000 IU’s of Vitamin D3. Visualization, yoga and meditation were also part of my healing program. Initially, I used visualization to attack and destroy the cancerous cells, but later I decided upon a different vision. I visualized myself resting on a bed of fragrant magnolia flowers and above me was a white light radiating its healing energy through every cell in my body. Once my body had healed from the surgery, I joined a yoga class. Yoga taught me to relax and let go of the past. It was also an effective way to achieve flexibility while at the same time consciously breathing healing energy in every stretch. Meditation, like yoga helped me to concentrate on the moment and to train my mind to enjoy the here and now. In addition, as I moved away from the past and focused my thoughts on today, as that is all I had, I began to identify and eliminate feelings of anger and resentments which I had harbored over the years. I understood then the importance of positive thoughts and how these negative emotions may have contributed to some extent to the eventual weakening of my immune system. My road to recovery was a spiritual, emotional and physical journey. I came to the realization that in order to heal completely and to maintain long lasting health, I needed to love myself completely. I am convinced that love and forgiveness along with a healthy lifestyle strengthen the immune system and nourish the mind, body and spirit. Read more about Simone’s story in her book, My Victory Over Breast Cancer & My Guide Within, (Expresso Books, University of Alberta Bookstores, 2011). She can be contacted at 780-434-7890 or by email: simonemartin8@gmail.com Note: This information is for educational purposes only. It is intended to supplement your current health program, not to replace the care of a licensed medical doctor.
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Artist’s Gallery
Painting is like a metaphor for life by Heather Brewster
Maintaining Calm Within Chaos © Heather Brewster
The adventure and curiosity it conjures up, propels me into the studio and helps jump start my creative process. It may start off very innocent, mixing a little bit of this and a little bit of that, but at some point I realize that my painting is helping to process (or you might say ‘explore’) things that are happening in my personal life. I have come to realize that the whole process of painting is perhaps like a metaphor for life. You start with a blank canvas - a reminder to dream and trust that anything is possible. The next step is courage and a commitment to lay down the foundation. Once you are ‘in’ and getting comfortable with the materials, you start to enjoy yourself. You even begin to love it. The romance begins and you add some great music and many late nights. It is so intoxicating that sometimes you forget to eat.
Dreamcatcher © Heather Brewster
Exploring new colors, new mediums or unconventional materials is what makes me the happiest in the studio.
Then without notice, something goes terribly wrong. “Why did that happen?” you ask yourself. Or perhaps it is more subtle, a feeling like something is not quite right. Maybe it looks a little ‘off’? Perhaps you can’t really put your finger on it, but it looks ugly. The ugly phase provides a reminder for ‘acceptance’ and to have faith that it will all work out. Even when things are at their worst, it can all change in an instant. That is when the ‘magic’ happens. Lady Gaga might describe it as “being on the edge of a glorious moment” (which is how she described her Grandfather on the eve of his passing). At this point it is important to have patience and let things unfold as they will. When you are ready the masterpiece will reveal itself.
Namaste © Heather Brewster
Geisha Girl Series - Geraldine © Heather Brewster
For more information on Heather and her art, please visit her website at www.heatherbrewster.com
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Mosaic’s Marketplace ANGELS CONNECTING WITH THE ANGELS - Spend the day in the loving energy of the angels. You will have the opportunity to connect with and receive messages from the angels using various techniques. You will also practice receiving and giving messages to others. For upcoming dates contact Maureen Bracke, Angel Therapy Practitioner® trained and certified by Dr. Doreen Virtue, 780-479-5011, angelreadermaureen@yahoo.com, www.guidancefromtheangels MESSAGES FROM YOUR ANGELS - Learn how to channel your Angels and Spirit Guides for yourself and open your heart to bring in the Angels’ loving energy and light. For more information on upcoming courses, please contact Carmen Braga (trained and Certified by Charles Virtue as an Angel Therapy Practitioner). 780-994-3000 or www.originalintent.ca or carmenbraga@originalintent.ca
release old negative patterns, get motivated and step boldly and joyfully into your future. Contact Maureen Bracke, Certified Soul Coach, at 780-479-5011, www.wisdomfromthesoul.com EDUCATION REGISTERED YOGA TEACHER TRAINING in Fort McMurray. Join us for one weekend/month and explore the deeper meaning of yoga. SOYA RYT200hr, RYT300hr Upgrade and RYT500hr extended programs beginning this September. Deadline for registration is August 1st. Please call 780-747-3857 for more information or visit our website for all the details at www.anandacenter.ca FENG SHUI BTB FENG SHUI CONSULTANT - Helping you to create space for personal transformation. In person and distance consulting services. www.whitelotusinteriors.ca
ART AFFORDABLE, ECLECTIC, UNIQUE ARTWORK for home or office. Rent or purchase from a large range of batik, canvas or styrofoam paintings. Contact Monika Dery at monika@onceinabluemoon.ca or www.onceinabluemoon.ca
FENG SHUI PRACTITIONER CERTIFICATION, Dowsing and workshops. Online and classroom options. Our BTB Feng Shui training goes far beyond the basics, ensuring a strong foundation on which to build your successful practice. 403-278-7475, www.fengshuiclasses.ca
ASTROLOGY
FINANCIAL EDUCATION
SAMANTHA KANE-KENNEDY is a Professional Astrologer with over 40 years experience. Her caring in-depth consultations instil a deep sense of peace, turn complexity into simplicity and make the impossible possible by understanding that unique mystery … the tapestry of your soul! www.sam-star.com, samstar@telus.net, 250-382-8443.
LATE START WEALTH - Better late than never. A website dedicated to financial education, especially for boomers not ready to retire. www.LateStartWealth.ca or follow us on Twitter @LateStartWealth or FB: www.facebook.com/LateStartWealth
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES WORK FROM HOME - We provide the community to bring work at home Moms together. An incredible support group of women just like you, all with a vested interest in personal, family, environmental and financial wellness. Experience the teamwork and coaching from successful women who are already living their dreams. NO Risk, NO Inventory, NO Selling. Contact Karen Urusky at k-sky@telus.net or visit http://www.k-sky.momsearningmore.com CHANNELING LIKE KRYON AND SETH, The Council educate and inspire. Any question, any topic - they will guide you. www.WorkWithTheAngels.com COACHING INTUITIVE LIFE COACHING PROGRAM - Are you ready to take the next step? Are you ready to be happy? I invite you to begin your journey now and say goodbye to your past and enter into a new beginning, one filled with love, hope, confidence and strength. For more information, please contact Carmen Braga, Certified Intuitive Life Coach at 780-994-3000 or carmenbraga@originalintent.ca — www.originalintent.ca SOUL COACHING PROGRAM - This six week program, including the 28 Day Program to Discover your Authentic Self, will take you on a spiritual journey to find meaning and sacredness in your everyday life. You will take an honest look at yourself, face fear,
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HEALING & HEALTH IT WORKS! Global is the only all natural, gluten free, whole food based company offering home body wraps, facial wraps and chin & neck wraps. For a list of products and ingredients, please visit my webpage at: www.debanhorn.itworks.net and follow me on Facebook for a $5 coupon: www.facebook.com/bodywrapitworks. Save your money; there’s no need for surgery. I have the ultimate product for you. Contact me now and let’s get you wrapping and losing inches! LOOKING for BALANCE in FORT McMURRAY? Always accepting new clients, the ananda center for balance offers professionally registered yoga, laughter yoga, reiki and massage therapy services. For more information please check out: www.anandacenter.ca or call Heather at 780-747-3857. NATURAL VISION - No Glasses, No Surgery. Just clear natural vision. Improve your vision and/or wean from glasses altogether. Learn how. Canadian School for Self-Healing, 780-757-2774, www.csshealing.com
major archetypes (life themes) which are currently around you. During Reiki, scenes from past lifetimes often come forward as well as visions and messages for each client. Please call A Sense of Serenity for appointments at 780-439-3131. MEDITATION INOWT Meditation for Self-Healing - Explore the meaning of physical symptoms, dissolve anxiety, gain self-awareness, activate your intuition and dreams. Play. Canadian School for Self-Healing: www.csshealing.com, 780-757-CSSH (2774). OFFICE ASSISTANT OFFICE & COORDINATION ASSISTANCE - Do you need casual help with office work, bookkeeping, record keeping or workshop planning, coordination, content preparation, front or back end assistance? Familiar with holistic field. Contact Val at 780-435-7762 or ofscoordassist@gmail.com REFLEXOLOGY
TAP INTO YOUR NATURAL HEALING ability using Reiki and Bodytalk. Clarity Consultaions with the Osho Zen Tarot and Spirit Talks Intuitive Counsel also available. Practicing at The Bodhi Tree in PEACE RIVER by appointment only or by distance. For booking sessions or information please call Marie Laventure: 780-625-7202 or see www.blubwell.com
WANT TO MAKE MONEY while helping others? Learn Foot Reflexology from the experts. Call Jack today 1-866-944-2576. Universal College of Reflexology, The Reflexology Specialists since 1991. http://www.iReflexology.com, Jack@JackMarriott.com
HYPNOTHERAPY
MESSAGES FROM YOUR ANGELS - Learn how to receive messages from the Angelic Realm yourself. For ongoing course information, please contact Carmen Braga at 780-994-3000, www.originalintent.ca
HAVE ALL THE SUCCESS YOU want accessing the power of your subconscious mind. Using guided hypnosis, hypnotherapy gets to the heart of what may be preventing you from reaching your true goals. Solid results with Paul Compassi, MH, C.Hyp with over 25 years of intuitive counseling in Edmonton. Call 780-447-1691. Email: paulchypno@gmail.com or web: hypnopaul.ca
RETREATS & WORKSHOPS
SPRING WORKSHOPS, MEDITATION, soul connections, past lives, messages from nature. Facilitator: Lesley Francis, Intuitive Guide/ Astrologer. Email lesley_francis@hotmail.com or call 780-435-4375 for more information.
INTUITIVE GUIDANCE CHRISTINE MARSH - Reiki, Quantum Touch and Reconnective Energy Healing, Intuitive Angel reader Christine is able to see the spiritual team around each individual including: primary spirit guide, Guardian angels, totem animals and
Christine Marsh Intuitive Guidance
SURVIVORS OF LIFE - Learn how to free yourself, release the past and make room for living a much greater life in the present. For ongoing course information, please contact Carmen Braga at 780-994-3000, www.originalintent.ca
Mosaic’s Calendar of Events MAY 24, 25, 26, 27 MAY 8 - 10 Book Your Private Energy Coaching session with Loretta Mohl. As the creator of Focused Intention Technique, I can support you in tapping into your unlimited potential. Please visit us at Edmonton Body Soul Expo, May 4-6 www.FocusedIntentionTechnique.com, 780-910-5052.
MAY 12 & 13 Energy Healing Can Be FUN! As the creator of Focused Intention Technique, I can teach you how to tap into your unlimited potential.www.FocusedIntentionTechnique.com, 780-910-5052.
Tell them you saw it in Mosaic! ILoveMosaicMagazine.com
Signature Cell Healing Level I & II certified workshop in Edmonton, AB (can be taken separately). Signature Cell Healing is a powerful pathway to optimum health. It is a non-invasive touch healing experience, which focuses energy on the “Signature Cell” or God cell, which lies within the pineal gland. This all-important cell holds the memory of our perfect original life blueprint. The reawakening of this Signature Cell allows for a return to optimum health and balance in all four bodies: spiritual, mental, emotional and physical. Discover how to integrate basic SCH techniques into your own and your client’s daily life. The Signature Cell Healing modality is totally inclusive and complements any other healing technique. For more information about tuition fee and registration please visit my website www.wholistichealth.ca and click on “Article” or the link http://www.wholistichealth.ca/articles/articles.htm. Marianne Goetsch, 780-479-0620, ewg@telusplanet.net Summer 2012 — Mosaic Magazine
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MAY 26 - 27 The WORK @ Work - What’s holding YOU back? A weekend in The Work of Byron Katie focused on professional work and leadership. Edmonton. Contact Mary at mary@bridgeworksconsulting.ca for details.
JUNE 3 For The Well of It - Sunday, June 3 (11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.) Massage Therapy, Bowen Therapy, Cranial Sacral Therapy, Acupuncture, etc; $20.00 for 1/2 hour. Wellness vendors with information and refreshments. Live relaxing music. All proceeds to Change for Children. At Solis Wellness Clinic & Birth Source Inc., 5016 / 5024 - 106 Avenue. Call 780-488-1552 to book.
JUNE 6 Mosaic’s Delicious Book Club Dinner - Join us at Vicky’s Bistro, 401 Festival Lane, Sherwood Park at 6:00 p.m. We’ll be talking about: King Peggy (Doubleday 2012). Email us at mosaicmagazine@shaw.ca by JUNE 5th if you can come. To keep informed about other upcoming book club dinners, go to www.MosaicMagazine.ca and sign up for our monthly ezine/newsletter.
JUNE 9 - 10 & JULY 21 - 22 Nonviolent Communication - Practical tools for creating connection with ourselves and others through listening and expressing ourselves with compassion. Anne Walton and Roger Sorrow, certified CNVC trainers. http://chooseconnection.com
JUNE 15 - 18 Quantum Light Weaving with Kenji Kumara, www.quantumlightweaving.com Learn how to embody and extend the power of grace to transform yourself and others through a quantum wave. Three day intensive training in Edmonton. Free Quantum Wave sessions. Contact Alice: keewatin2@gmail.com
JUNE 22 - 24 Wise Woman Solstice Celebration - Shamanic retreat set in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. Connect with what is sacred to you, release what weighs you down and celebrate the ancient spirit of the Wise Woman within. Contact Sarah Salter-Kelly:
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780-314-9150, www.medicinespiritcenter.com to register. Early bird price until May 15, includes room and board.
JUNE 24 Peace Meditation and Labyrinth Walk sponsored by the NLP AMORC in the foyer of City Hall, 1 Sir Winston Churchill Square, Edmonton, from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Free event. Contact enolan@shaw.ca or 780-473-9251.
JULY 5 Mosaic Magazine Deadline - Be in our next issue of Mosaic Magazine, out from August 1 - October 31. Email mosaicmagazine@shaw.ca for more information or check out our great website at www.MosaicMagazine.ca
JULY 27 - 29 Medicine Wheel Teachings (South Direction) - This Shamanic training combines the teachings of the Inca Medicine Wheel and the Celtic Wheel of Life. You will release the stories of your past that limit who you are by transforming them into tools of power, understanding and compassion. Illuminate your potential, beginning a path of purpose and conscious co-creation. Contact Sarah Salter-Kelly for more information: 780-314-9150, spiritmedicine@hotmail.com or www.medicinespiritcenter.com to register. Sheiling Mountain Lodge, Nordegg Alberta.
OCTOBER 5 - 7 & OCTOBER 26 - 28 IIPA Iridology Certification Course - Iridology uncovers the Root Cause of health issues to promote wholistic wellness. Enjoy a meaningful career. Learn a lifelong assessment tool, with deep insight. Become a Certified Iridologist. Jackie Latimer: 780-482-7978, www.cellularhealthinc.com
MONTHLY THE EDMONTON ASTROLOGICAL SOCIETY meets on the 2nd Friday of every month (except July and August) at 7:30 p.m. Check our website for updates and location information: www.astrologyedmonton.com WOMEN’S DRUMMING & GODDESS CHANTING CIRCLE Every first Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., Edmonton. Self-care circle for adult women. Debra: 780-483-7310.
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(Italian) With heart and soul
It’s all good, even the tough parts Looking back, I’ve often wondered… was that psychic just plain-old-wrong (what she said did not come true), or did she just read what was in my energy field (I’ve heard that it’s possible for them to read your fears as reality), or, did what she say cause me to alter my future (by getting help from others which ultimately changed me deep inside)? I don’t know… possibly a little of each.
by Connie Brisson Turns out… it’s all good. A few years ago I went for a reading with a psychic that was here for a few days from the States. A newer friend told me this psychic was wonderful and I went on that recommendation, despite the fact that I didn’t feel I resonated with her (after reading something she wrote).
Who can tell if today brings ‘good or bad’ things? In two days, two months, two years, it can all look differently if we have a different perspective. Maybe there is no such thing as something just being ‘good or bad’.
I went to the reading, and even though I already intuitively felt some of the information didn’t sound/feel right, I ended up asking her a few questions at the end, regarding things I was extremely vulnerable and fearful about. Well, low and behold, if I didn’t get all the answers that I did not want to hear.
In tarot, the third card in the major arcana is the High Priestess. With the High Priestess, nothing is wrong or right, good or bad. We go through all experiences specifically for the sake of learning and personal growth. From that perspective, all is ‘good’, because we are in the classroom of evolution, not perfection.
Actually, that’s putting it too mildly. I heard all the answers from her that I could not bear to hear. I left that reading in a total state of shock and hopelessness. What she told me devastated me so much at the time, that I was emotionally kamikaze. For a while, certainly for weeks, I tumbled between despair and anger. Then I remembered Catherine Potter saying that we now live in a time where we have many knowledgeable and helpful resources available to help us - books, courses, counsellors, therapists, practitioners, etc. We never have to face anything alone. So I booked a session with her and, at the end, she offered me the name of someone else who ended up changing my life. At the beginning though, I couldn’t have said that. I was just struggling, trying to get through each session and openly deal with the issues that were really at the core of my drama. But with each session came the wonderful AHA’s, which led to other inner discoveries and adventures and now, almost five years later, I’m not the same woman. I’m different - thank God and (ironically) thanks to that psychic. What appeared to be one of the most negative things in my life, has turned out to be one of the things that has changed my life in the most profound ways. It could have been awful, and it was for a time, but then with the help of others and some hard work on my part, it became a gem in my crown. Along the way I became free, letting go of old demons and fears that had haunted me for so long.
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detail of Girls in the Garden © Heather Brewster — www.heatherbrewster.com
So, looking back, my first big lesson was to listen to my gut feelings and not someone else’s opinion.
There is a Taoist story of an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbours came to visit. “Such bad luck,” they said sympathetically. “Maybe,” the farmer replied. The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. “How wonderful,” the neighbours exclaimed. “Maybe,” replied the old man. The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbours again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune. “Maybe,” answered the farmer. The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son’s leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbours congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out. “Maybe,” said the farmer.
Judging anything (as entirely positive or negative) limits the potential of it. However, if you believe that everything that happens to you is ultimately for your ‘higher good’, that nothing is either right or wrong necessarily, then you’ll be automatically open to seeing the gifts and learning from the issue at hand. If everything is for our learning, then each moment and situation is perfect, even when it’s imperfect.
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