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How Men Can Pursue Spiritual Growth June | NaturalAwakeningsMag.com June2013 2013 | | Location-Edition Central New York Edition | AwakeningsCNY.com natural awakenings
June 2013
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contents
5 newsbriefs
7 healthbriefs 9 ecotip 10 globalbriefs
Natural Awakenings is your guide to a healthier, more balanced life. In each issue readers find cutting-edge information on natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green living, creative expression and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle.
1 1 How to Find Inspiration Everywhere
7 1 1 featuredinterview An Interview with Reverend William C. Redfield 12 healthykids 9 12 DAD & DAUGHTER 14 healingways DATES Making the Most of 18 community Cherished Time Together by E. Craig Heim
spotlight
by Clint Kelly
20 wisewords
13 REFLEXOLOGY
10 22 fitbody
25 calendar 28 resourceguide
advertising & submissions how to advertise To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 315-696-0162 or email Craig@AwakeningsCNY.com. Deadline for ads: the 10th of the month. Editorial submissions Email articles, news items and ideas to: Craig@AwakeningsCNY.com. Deadline for editorial: feature articles are due by the 5th of the month, news briefs and health briefs are due by the 10th. calendar submissions Submit Calendar Events online at AwakeningsCNY.com within the advertising section. Deadline for calendar: the 10th of the month. regional markets Advertise your products or services in multiple markets! Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets call 239-449-8309. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.
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Fingertip Healing by Hallie Sawyers
14 COLORING OUR WORLD How Hues Can Help and Heal by Judith Fertig
16 LIFE LIFT
Being Happy from the Inside Out by Judith Fertig
18 Team Believe
Moving Forward to Give Back by Linda Sechrist
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20 REFRAMING PERSONAL PRIORITIES
Craig Hamilton Explores the Gender Gap in Spiritual Growth by Kim Childs
22 WALK THIS WAY
Step Up to Barefoot Benefits by Randy Kambic
23 TRAVELING
VOLUNTEERS Doing Good During Time Away
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by Avery Mack
24 DOG SPORTS
People & Pets Play Well Together
by Sandra Murphy
AwakeningsCNY.com natural awakenings
June 2013
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letterfrompublisher Come to the Edge by Christopher Logue Come to the edge. We might fall. Come to the edge. It’s too high! COME TO THE EDGE! And they came, and we pushed, and they flew.
contact us Publisher E. Craig Heim Marketing Director Renee McCaffrey Editorial Barb Amrhein Linda Sechrist Design & Production Stephen Blancett Helene Leininger C. Michele Rose Multi-Market Advertising 239-449-8309 Webmaster Morgan Carlson Franchise Sales John Voell 239-530-1377
Natural Awakenings of Central New York P.O. Box 712, Tully, NY 13159 Phone: 315-696-0162 Fax: 877-752-5195 Craig@AwakeningsCNY.com AwakeningsCNY.com ©2013 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved. Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing. Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. It is available in selected stores, health and education centers, healing centers, public libraries and wherever free publications are generally seen. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business. We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.
SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscribe online to receive FREE monthly digital magazine at AwakeningsCNY.com. Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soybased ink.
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ow often we stay on the same road, not because it is the best route to our destination, but because it feels familiar and safe. How often we stubbornly plant ourselves in the benign and bland until fearful circumstances push us off a ledge and we find the courage to fly… Think what would be possible if the inspired and exceptional had been our itinerary all along. Today the key to unlocking boundless human capacity is in our hands as never before, courtesy of these extraordinary times. Billions of people now have access to an unimaginable wealth of information and resources unavailable to previous generations and formerly hidden secrets shared with only a select few. Today we wear our connection to the Internet like a high-tech prosthesis, helping us understand what remained intractable mysteries in earlier eras. We can exchange ideas, replete with expert commentary and communal discussion, through an unlimited web of social connections. What promise does this all hold for future generations? More, what responsibility do we all bear now to sustain a quality of life both benefited and threatened by this maelstrom of impersonal electronics, self-isolating entertainments and environmental degradations? Millions are seeking the deeper meaning for us as individuals and as a collective civilization. Many times a day we each have the opportunity to choose a fork in the road directed to a higher and better way of being, one usually unique to us and fulfilled by listening to our innermost reaches. Such a process begins with a simple… yes. Why wait for life to push us off a cliff to make this finally satisfying turn? Our June edition examines the elements of an inspired, happy and rewarding life. We engage these questions in our interview this month with Reverend Bill Redfield. Judith Fertig provides surprising answers to the question, what are the secrets to a happy life. Clint Kelly writes about dad and daughter dates and how to make the most of this cherished time together. Last month, I had the privilege of conversing with renowned visionary Panache Desai at a Natural Awakenings publishers’ forum in Naples, Florida. I count him an enlightened thinker also skilled in helping us address such questions. I’ll close with a quote by pioneering mountain climber W.H. Murray, inspired by Goethe: “Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness… [but] the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.” Let us now say… YES!
E. Craig Heim, Publisher AwakeningsCNY.com
newsbriefs Green Jobs — Green New York Nonprofit Expands to Oswego by Lee Walker n recent months, the local chapter of the Public Policy and Education Fund (PPEF), a statewide nonprofit under contract with New York State Energy Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) to help New York residents—homeowners and renters—save money on their energy bill, introduced the Green Jobs – Green New York program to the Oswego City Council. PPEF is responsible for raising awareness about home efficiency incentives and assisting homeowners through the process. “This Green Jobs – Green New York program has been very successful in Syracuse. Now we want Oswego residents to know that nearly everyone is eligible for a free energy assessment by an energy auditor, who determines where the home is losing energy and the resident is losing money. The assessment also includes recommendations for what can be done to fix the energy loss,” says PPEF Outreach Associate, David Alicea, who notes that the Green Jobs – Green Energy program has also been successful in its commitment to workforce development in areas such as training programs and helping minorities and underrepresented groups to start businesses or connect with established contractors. “Over our two-year commitment we have fulfilled most of the goals for workforce development and we are now focused on making homeowners and renters aware of free energy assessments as well as their eligibility for a 50 percent grant and low-interest loan at a guaranteed 3 to 4 percent interest rate to finance any home efficiency work,” advises Alicea. For example, a grant
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and loan will cover items such as an energy efficient HVAC system, water heater, ductwork repair or replacement, and major appliances such as a stove, refrigerator, washer and dryer. Grant monies are paid directly to the state rather than the individual. “PPEF will work with the Oswego Community Development Office and the City Alderman to make residents aware of this program,” advises Alicea. PPEF is currently working in Central New York, including in Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, and Oswego counties. Interested residents can call 315-4352480. For more information about PPEF and the Green Jobs – Green New York program, contact David Alicea or Patrice Chang at 315-435-2480. Oswego City Alderman Michael Todd is also available to speak at 315-529-2520 Green Jobs – Green New York: 2013 E Genesee Street, Syracuse, 315-4352480. Email pchang@ppefny.org or dalicea@ppefny.org
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newsbriefs Celebration of Historic Two Row Wampum Treaty by Lena Duby
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embers of the Onondaga Nation and Neighbors of Onondaga Nation are coordinating a statewide renewal of the Two Row Wampum Treaty in celebration of its 400th anniversary. Upcoming Emily Bishop of Neighbors of the Onondaga opportunities to Nation (NOON) and participants in the hear Onondaga Two Row Wampum Renewal Campaign speakers throughprepare to practice paddling. out New York State include an evening with Onondaga Faithkeeper Oren Lyons on June 5, a Cayuga Nation Picnic on June 8, the Dream Freedom Revival, featuring the Syracuse Community Choir, on June 14, and a presentation/fundraiser day with Tom Porter on June 15. With the approaching July 28 launch of the symbolic enactment of the treaty signed between the Haudenosaunee and Dutch settlers in 1613, word is spreading quickly about the campaign. Many committee members have been spending the spring months preparing paddlers and supporters for a 13-day journey down the Hudson River. Hickory Edwards, paddling and safety coordinator for the Onondaga Canoe and Kayak Club (OCKC), will host practice paddles throughout the Syracuse area until the end of June. Applicants are encouraged to participate in any training/safety courses available prior to the trip. On July 2, there will be a Two Row Wampum Festival at Willow Bay Park, on Onondaga Lake, to support paddlers traveling from Onondaga Nation to Albany. Haudenosaunee leaders will speak about the Two Row Treaty and its link to protecting the Earth. They will also speak about the responsibility of nonnative people to work to uphold the treaties and collaborate with the Haudenosaunee on environmental protection. Visitors are welcome to join these gatherings to speak to the Two Row team and ask questions. The goal is to educate and inspire. For an event schedule or to sign up for paddling practice, visit HonorTheTwoRow.org. To prepare for long-distance paddling and open water safety with OCKC, email Hickory Edwards at OnondagaCanoeAndKayakClub1613@gmail.com. See calendar of events.
News to share?
Email details to: Publisher@AwakeningsCNY.com Submittal deadline is the 10th of the month. 6
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healthbriefs
PSA Testing Controversy
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en face a new dilemma at their annual physical this year—should they be screened for prostate cancer? Last year, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended against routine screening for this form of cancer, regardless of age. Some doctors claim this will cause treatable prostate cancer cases to be missed. The level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a protein produced by the prostate gland, can be measured with a simple blood test. Until the USPSTF issued its recommendation, doctors routinely used the test to screen men 50 and older. The task force, however, concluded there is at least moderate certainty that the potential harms of PSA testing outweigh the benefits; many benign conditions, particularly prostate infections and enlargement, can elevate PSA readings higher than normal, prompting more aggressive testing. Before deciding on the test, it helps for men to explore this issue with their doctor. Some physicians take a “wait and see” approach and retest several times over a few months before making a recommendation; others suggest an immediate biopsy if PSA levels are high. While a blood test is a benign procedure, a prostate biopsy is not. A high PSA reading coupled with an overly aggressive doctor can cause anxiety and result in additional—and possibly unneeded—medical treatment. Source: James Occhiogrosso, ProstateHealthNaturally.com
Garlic May Help Alleviate Cystic Fibrosis
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he American Society for Microbiology reports that by age 18, about 80 percent of patients with cystic fibrosis are chronically infected with the bacterium pseudomonas aeruginosa, which promotes an inflammatory response that destroys lung tissue. The infection frequently leads to serious related health issues. According to collaborative research led by Tim Holm Jakobsen, Ph.D., and Michael Givskov, Ph.D., of the University of Copenhagen, in Denmark, garlic, which acts as a powerful natural antibiotic, could help. The onion-related herb contains ajoene, the major component of a multitude of sulfur-containing compounds, which is produced when garlic is crushed. Ajoene inhibits the expression of 11 key genes controlled by cell-tocell communication and is regarded as crucial to the ability of the bacterium to cause disease.
Sports and Music: A Winning Combination
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istening to our favorite music, whatever the genre, can increase both our enjoyment of and performance levels in competitive sports participation. Keele University researchers, presenting these findings at the 2012 British Psychological Society annual conference, noted that playing selected tunes reduces perceived exertion levels, plus increases one’s sense of being “in the zone”. The greatest effects were found with music used during structured training sessions. Previous studies showing that motivational music in general boosts performance did not include exploring the effects of listening to one’s favorite music.
Breaks from Email Boost Focus and Performance
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“vacation” from email might be a simple prescription for improving work performance, suggests a new study by the University of California, Irvine (UCI) and U.S. Army researchers. “We found that when you remove email from workers’ lives, they multitask less and experience less stress,” says UCI Informatics Professor Gloria Mark, who co-authored the study. Participants reported feeling better able to do their jobs and stay on task, and they were happier to interact with others in person. Also, getting up and walking to someone else’s desk instead of emailing provided physical exercise. natural awakenings
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healthbriefs
Fruits and Veggies Can Help Us Kick Butts
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he first long-term study on the relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and smoking cessation offers good news: Eating more healthy produce can help smokers quit the habit and remain tobaccofree longer. Researchers from New York’s University of Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions surveyed 1,000 smokers ages 25 and over from around the country. In a 14-month follow-up, they were asked if they had abstained from tobacco use during the previous month. Those that consumed the most produce were three times more likely to have been tobacco-free for at least 30 days than those that ate the least amount of produce. Smokers with greater fruit and vegetable consumption also smoked fewer cigarettes per day, waited longer to smoke their first one and scored lower on a common test of nicotine dependence. The findings, published online in the Nicotine and Tobacco Research journal, remained consistent even when adjusted for age, gender, race, ethnicity, education and household income.
Flavonoids Protect Men Against Parkinson’s
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indings published in the journal Neurology add to a growing body of evidence that regular consumption of flavonoids, found in berries, teas, apples and red wines, can positively affect human health. According to new research on 130,000 men and women undertaken by Harvard University, in Boston, and the UK’s University of East Anglia, men that regularly consumed the most flavonoid-rich foods were 40 percent less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than those that ate the least. No similar protective link was found for women. It is the first human study to show that flavonoids can help protect neurons against diseases of the brain.
Sugary Drinks Linked to Heart Disease
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ne risk factor for heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States, may be sugary drinks. Analysis of data collected on 42,883 men in the “Health Professionals FollowUp Study,” published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, linked a daily 12-ounce serving of a sugar-sweetened drink to a 19 percent increase in the relative risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Sugar-sweetened beverages were associated with higher levels of unhealthy triglycerides and C-reactive protein (a byproduct of inflammation), and lower levels of high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, the “good” cholesterol. Senior study author Frank B. Hu, Ph.D., a physician and professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, in Boston, cautions that diet sodas are not a good alternative. “Some studies have found a relationship between diet soda and metabolic disease,” he notes.
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ecotip Clean Ride
DIY Versus Commercial Carwash We all want our new, energy-efficient vehicles to look their best, and ecoconscious drivers want to extend their green lifestyle to include cleaning their car. Washing can provide some exercise and saves money, but the International Carwash Association reports that automatic car washes use on average fewer than 45 gallons of water per car, compared with 80 or more at home. Commercial facilities also drain wastewater into sewer systems to be treated or reused, while soapy do-it-yourself water can directly enter waterways via storm drains unless it’s in an area that filters into a local aquifer.
Don’t Worry, Be Healthy
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he adage, “Don’t worry, be happy,” captures the essence of the first-ever metastudy of the relationship between happiness and heart health. Based on a comprehensive review involving 200-plus studies, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health, in Boston, concluded that a positive outlook on life could help protect the heart from cardiovascular disease. Julia Boehm, Ph.D., and Laura Kubzansky, Ph.D., discovered that certain psychological traits—optimism, positive emotions and a sense of meaning—both offer measurable protection against heart attacks and strokes and slow the progression of cardiovascular disease. The pair found that the most optimistic individuals had approximately 50 percent less chance of experiencing an initial cardiovascular event compared with their less upbeat peers. “The absence of the negative is not the same thing as the presence of the positive,” notes Boehm. “Psychology has been trying to fix what’s wrong with people, but there’s also an increasing interest in what people might be doing right.”
Here are some helpful tips. Conserve water. For DIY folks, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends using a bucket instead of a hose for washing a section at a time, and then quickly rinsing using a pistol-grip hose nozzle, and also washing the car on gravel or a lawn, so wastewater doesn’t flow off pavement or sidewalks and down a storm drain. Be sure to use phosphate-free, non-toxic biodegradable soaps and waxes. Check under the car. Grime, dirt and salt may have accumulated in crevices of the undercarriage, especially in colder regions, so spray underneath, too. Be observant. A fender-bender, stray pebbles or the impact of another car door may have chipped exterior paint. According to the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, corrosion, acid rain, storm damage and harsh sunlight can also mar body paint and expose metal surfaces. Treat these blemishes with a stop-rust spray and touch-up paint before they spread. Sources: epa.gov, ASE.com, CarWash.org, ehow.com
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globalbriefs News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all.
Eco-House
Green Homes Can be a Bargain
One of the most innovative, energy-efficient houses in the United States has been built in the District of Columbia’s working-class Deanwood neighborhood, which has struggled with foreclosures. The Empowerhouse, a residence that produces all of its own energy, consumes 90 percent less energy for heating and cooling than a conventional dwelling. Empowerhouse was designed using “passive house” technologies as part of the Solar Decathlon design competition, held on the National Mall in 2011. It’s the work of students at The New School, in New York City, and Stevens Institute of Technology, in Hoboken, New Jersey, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity and the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development. Each duplicable unit costs a locally affordable $250,000. Bringing the community into the design process for both the house and landscape is the basis for collaboration on additional projects in the neighborhood, including a new community learning garden. The designers remark that it all plays a part in creating social sustainability, an aspect often left out of development programs. Source: Parsit.Parsons.edu
Moon Fuel
Two New Sources of Sustainable Energy A new compound of lead telluride— a semiconductor first used in the Apollo moon landings to provide astronauts with a renewable, thermoelectric power source—can transform the heat emitted from car tailpipes and the chimneys of power stations and factories into a power source. According to the scientists engineering the innovation at Northwestern University, in Evanston, Illinois, as much as 15 to 20 percent of the heat currently being lost could be recovered as electricity. Another team of researchers at Utah State University, in Logan, has created a yeast biodiesel fuel that can be made using the watery waste from the mass production of cheese. One cheese plant’s daily byproduct of up to 1 million gallons of liquid cheese waste can produce 66,000 gallons of fuel.
Hot Stuff
New Technology Increases Solar Efficiency There is huge potential in solar power, but our current methods of capturing the sun’s energy are limited as widely used silicon solar cells approach their theoretical limit of 33.7 percent efficiency. Now a Princeton University research team has applied nanotechnology principles to incorporate a design that significantly increases their efficacy. Led by Stephen Chou, the team has made two dramatic improvements: reducing reflectivity and more effectively capturing the light that isn’t reflected. The new solar cell is much thinner and less reflective, capturing many more light waves via a minute mesh and bouncing off only about 4 percent of direct sunlight. The new design is capable of capturing a large amount of sunlight even when it’s cloudy, producing an 81 percent increase in efficiency even under indirect lighting conditions. Source: OpticsInfoBase.org
Tech Trash
Recycle All Electronic Products With the average American household owning 24 electronic devices, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) estimates we are annually producing nearly 3 million tons of e-waste. Tube-type TVs and computer monitors contain lead, while cell phones harbor toxic mercury, cadmium, arsenic and brominated flame retardants, all of which can leach from landfills into groundwater. Alternatives include selling old phones or trading them in at a store, and buying a new phone only when necessary. For $10, Staples will recycle any brand of computer monitor, desktop and laptop computer, fax machine, printer or scanner. Dell products are accepted at no charge. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency offers information about local e-waste recycling and regulations regarding handling of electronic equipment at Tinyurl.com/EPAeWasteTips. For a global perspective, see the United Nations Environment Programme 2010 update at Tinyurl.com/UNeWasteReport. 10
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featuredinterview
How to Find Inspiration Everywhere An Interview with Reverend William C. Redfield
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everend William C. Redfield has been the rector of Fayetteville’s Trinity Episcopal Church for more than 18 years. The leader of Trinity’s Wisdom House, he is also the convener of InterFaith Works Round Table of Faith Leaders.
by E. Craig Heim attitude of appreciation and gratitude.
Do you think that a meditation practice helps us achieve inspiration? A practice of silence and meditation doesn’t really help us to achieve anything. With these spiritual practices, there is no ladder that we have to In today’s stressful world, with its climb. Meditation helps us to clear out some of many tragic events, where do you find the debris that keeps us from seeing clearly. As inspiration? we let go of our attachment to our daily drama, a My spiritual practice helps me to keep my whole new world presents itself to us. eyes and heart open to what is right in front of This is what the various faith traditions me, so that I am touched deeply and inspired call freedom. It is only when we can extrievery day by the caring and kindness that I cate ourselves from the flywheel of approval Reverend William C. Redfield and its accompanying addiction to selfsee from amazing, ordinary people around me, who are living out extraordinary lives. promotion, self-protection and self-enhance A spiritual practice, such as regular meditation, is essential ment that the deepest meaning of life exposes itself to us. It in an ongoing effort to clear out the cataracts of our heart and is only then that we are able to be more fully grounded in create a spaciousness within ourselves where we can receive our own being and begin to sense that there is a kindness the gifts of life. This is a little like preparing the inner soil of ourthat dwells deep down in the fabric of life. The texture of selves so that it can receive and nurture the seeds of blessing. this kindness—when we are free enough to be open to it— will surprisingly be found in the places we least expect. Where do you seek renewal? When we are able to come into the present, where I seek renewal from two places. The first is in the visible we can feel the touch of this kindness, smell its fragrance beauty and grandeur of nature—the gentleness of a spring and taste its flavor in things, we will be able to locate this day and the power of a summer thunderstorm. Sometimes kindness everywhere—even in things that might outwardly just stepping out into my backyard to look up at the night sky appear harsh and negative. Inspiration, then, is everywhere— helps me to return things to their rightful perspective. the work is to free ourselves in order to touch it. The second is in the invisible from which the visible is born. Here I think of the power of love, the gift of conTrinity Episcopal Church is located at 106 Chapel Street, in sciousness and the miracle of life itself. Personally, I find Fayetteville. For more information, call 315-637-9872 or that to live here at the intersection of the visible and the visit TrinityFayetteville.org. invisible, I need to make silence an ongoing practice in my life. A period of daily quiet seems to help to center E. Craig Heim is the publisher of Natural Awakenings Central and orient me. I also try to engender within myself an New York.
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healthykids
Dad & Daughter Dates Making the Most of Cherished Time Together
by Clint Kelly he ancient Greek playwright Euripides, renowned for his Greek tragedies portraying strong female characters, was likely a decent dad. He wrote, “To a father growing old, nothing is dearer than a daughter.” Entrepreneur and life coach Greg Wright, of Austin, Texas, updates the concept of this precious relationship in Daddy Dates: Four Daughters, One Clueless Dad, and His Quest to Win Their Hearts. He says that before the age of 30, God gave him a lovely wife; four girls, or “beginner ladies”; and a succinct mission statement: “Don’t mess up.” Possessing an overwhelming compassion and protective instinct for each of his children, Wright decided early on “to teach them the right way to date and to treasure their specialness as much as I do.” One of his chief assignments was respectfully modeling good dating habits for his daughters, a talent that doesn’t necessarily come naturally to dads. They may understand how significant a fathering relationship is to her self-worth in becoming a dauntless and independent adult, but may be uncertain how to make a proper investment spiritually and emotionally. Healthcare marketing executive David Kinard, of Seattle, Washington, invests heavily in both his son and daughter. Having grown up in a separated family with no fatherly role model, he has focused on spending time with both kids, and knows it’s especially important for a girl. “I wanted my daughter to know that I loved her for who she was and not for anything she said or did, and that she didn’t need to give her body away to find love.” He felt the best way to convey these truths was to provide dedicated time together. Wednesdays were without fail their date nights, beginning at age 4; dates are less frequent now that his daughter is 16, but even when the relationship feels at odds, dates have consistently brought them together.
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“She always got to choose where we went to dinner,” Kinard recalls. “We’d sit for a long time, eat our favorite foods and play a silly card game.” They talked about anything, nothing, everything. “She glows when she talks about past dates,” he continues. “I have earned the ability to talk with her about the more sensitive subjects in her life such as boys, sex, friends and family.” Seattle Pacific University Alumni Director Ken Cornell believes that bonding through dating his two girls, ages 14 and 17, is a true privilege. He says the same is true of his wife of 27 years. “It is so important to get away from the routine, to focus on each other,” Cornell remarks. “It’s amazing what is said when we give space for a relationship to deepen.” His younger daughter believes, “It’s confidence building; it makes me stronger to be with someone who believes and has hope in me.” Dressing up on occasion, holding the door open and allowing her to order for herself show respect and make her feel treasured. Later, if she doesn’t get that same level of respect on a first date with a boy, she will be less likely to schedule a second. Cornell often worries that he doesn’t model enough of the love and honor his girls deserve. He finds grace in prayer. “I ask God regularly for wisdom and forgiveness to help me steward my relationship with my daughters and wife.” The writer’s own family of six, including two daughters, has a long history of carving out precious time for refreshing fun. It naturally evolved from movies and petting zoos when they were young to canoeing and college campus events as they grew up. “My boyfriends knew that if we were going to last, they had to impress my dad,” remembers our youngest daughter Amy, today a wife and esthetician living in Medina, Ohio. “It was important to know that my dad cared enough to engage in my life. When college life was chaotic, it was comforting to have a dad close to my heart. Our dates through the years allowed us to share stories, secrets and sorrows, and to laugh.” Clint Kelly’s books include Dare to Raise Exceptional Children.
Ideal Dates 101 Some of these activities may bring out the twinkle in any daughter’s eyes. Join an ethnic cooking class. Then watch a DVD set in the corresponding country or region. Be a Sport. Suggest doubles tennis or ride a bicycle built for two. Volunteer at a local charity. Help others and then stop at the ice cream parlor on the way home. Make a home drive-in. Decorate cardboard boxes together so they look like favorite cars. Then sit in them to watch fun movies like Toy Story or Up… and pass the heirloom popcorn. Paint some pottery. Many ceramics stores offer lessons. Make individual or joint artistic creations that can become home decorations and visual memories. Shop at the dollar store. Secretly spend one dollar on each other, and then unveil the gifts over a frozen yogurt treat. Gotcha! Arrange with her school for her to leave school early for a surprise lunch date.
Reflexology: Fingertip Healing
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by Hallie Sawyers
eflexology is an ancient, hands-on healing technique known and used around the world to promote health. The practice is based on the principle that there are specific areas on the feet and hands that correspond to the organs, glands, skeletal system and other parts of the body. Records of reflexology can be found worldwide throughout a variety of indigenous cultures, including China and Egypt. As early as 4,000 B.C., a Chinese physician, Wang Wei, used it in combination with acupuncture to relieve symptoms, and in 2,330 B.C., an ancient Egyptian pictograph from a sacred site known as The Physician’s Tomb shows practitioners working with the hands and feet of receivers. In Western culture, reflexology was born out of Zone Analgesia, discovered by Dr. William Fitzgerald (1872-1929). In his research on oral pain relief, Fitzgerald found that teeth could be desensitized for dental operations by applying clothespins to the tips of the fingers. From this research, he went on to discover 10 longitudinal reflex zones that traverse the body from head to toe. Dr. Shelby Riley expanded upon the Zone Theory by further defining the concept and discovering additional horizontal zones across the hands and feet. Riley’s work caught the interest of a physical therapist, Eunice Ingham (1889-1974). Using Riley’s theory in her treatment of patients, she documented dynamic relationships between hand and foot reflex areas, as well as specific parts of the entire body. She discovered that applying alternating pressure to these reflex areas stimulated a healing response in the corresponding body locations. From this research, Ingham created the copyrighted maps upon which
all modern reflexology practice is now based. Although professional reflexology requires training and certification, there are many self-care techniques with which anyone can experiment. For example, a few minutes of massaging the thumbs or big toes, aspects of the hands and feet that relate specifically to the head, can provide relief from a headache. With this form of easy self-care, any tender spots on the hands or feet can be massaged with a comfortable level of pressure. Gently increase and decrease the depth of contact for a minute or so before moving on to another spot and repeating the process. By simply working with thumbs or big toes in this way, a headache will likely abate or completely disappear. This very distinct, energy-based relationship between the head, hands and feet is not the only one of its kind. These connections abound in reflexology, making it possible to reduce or completely relieve symptoms throughout the body. From ancient civilizations to modern practice, reflexology has emerged as a time-honored method of preventative health care. Though it may sound complicated, once the basics of theory, technique and safety are mastered, this therapeutic discipline is both straightforward and profoundly effective. It is also possible to seek training or treatment from qualified professionals. Hallie Sawyers, a licensed massage therapist certified in therapeutic massage and bodywork since 1996, is an instructor for Finger Lakes School of Massage, in Ithaca. She has been teaching reflexology since 2003. For more information, email Hallie@SoulSong. com or visit SoulSong.com.
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healingways
COLORING OUR WORLD
How Hues Can Help and Heal by Judith Fertig
From relaxing in a hot tub amidst sparkling blue lights to sleeping soundly surrounded by soft-green walls, we continuously experience the subtle influence of colors in our surroundings.
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hile humans have long appreciated nature’s chromatic displays, it wasn’t until 1666 that Sir Isaac Newton proved that white light from the sun refracted through
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a prism separates into the individual bandwidths we perceive as hues. A growing body of research by physicians, environmentalists, psychologists and alternative medicine specialists is
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now exploring how color—as light and pigment—can affect people physically, mentally and emotionally. According to Pakistani research physicists Samina T. Yousuf Azeemi and S. Mohsin Raza, working from the University of Balochistan, “Colors generate electrical impulses and magnetic currents or fields of energy that are prime activators of the biochemical and hormonal processes in the human body.” Different colors cause different reactions, from stimulating cells to suppressing the production of melatonin. Published in the journal EvidenceBased Complementary Alternative Medicine, Azeemi and Raza’s photobiology research, applied as chromotherapy, supports premises of ancient Chinese, Egyptian and ayurvedic healing traditions in which color is intrinsic to healing: for example, red increases circulation; yellow stimulates nerves; orange increases energy; and blue and green soothe everything from skin irritations to anxiety. Blue light can reset our biological clocks. Although electric light attempts to mimic natural sunlight, the body does not sense it that way, according to findings published in Environmental Health Perspectives. During the day, artificial light with more blue wavelengths may help improve the performance of students and employees working indoors; at night, a reduction of the blue portion in artificial lighting provided for shift workers could protect against sleep disturbances. The irony, notes Science Writer David C. Holzman, of Lexington, Massachusetts, is that applications of blue light are now used to cure some of the very things it can cause—sleeplessness and depression. Sonya Nutter, a Kansas City mother of three elementary schoolchildren, can attest to the soothing effect of blue light when soaking in her Kohler chromotherapy tub in the dark: “It’s even better than lavender scent for calming,” she says. “Color clearly has aesthetic value, but it can also
carry specific meaning and information,” says Andrew J. Elliot, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Rochester, in New York. He and a team of researchers concluded that, “Seeing red is not good before [taking] a test measuring performance” (Journal of Experimental Psychology: General). In contrast, they found that seeing green enhances creative performance. Photodynamic therapy, a recently developed, non-invasive cancer treatment, involves injections of a light-sensitive solution, followed by shining laseremitted blue light on internal tumors or light-emitting diodes (LED) on surface tumors. A National Cancer Institute fact sheet explains how such light kills cancer cells and shrinks tumors. Based on the success of NASA experiments and research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, red LED lights are also helping cancer patients deal with sore mouths associated with chemotherapy and radiation used for bone marrow and stem cell transplants. Treating diabetic ulcers is another application, ac-
Colors, like features, follow the changes of the emotions. ~ Pablo Picasso cording to a 2012 study in the Journal of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes of South Africa. Red light sessions at many medical spas help rejuvenate aging skin by stimulating collagen production. Color as pigment can convey subtle cues to influence our perceptions, attitudes and behavior. In a study conducted at England’s Oxford University and Spain’s Polytechnic University of Valencia, for example, participants believed that hot chocolate tasted better in orange mugs than any other color, with white scoring lowest. “Color associations are so strong and embedded so deeply that people are predisposed to certain reactions” when they see a color, explains Elliot, a learned association that is often culturally based. Because color can engender individual emotional response, it plays
a major role in one’s preferences in surroundings, including wall colors, furnishings and appliances. Pantone, a leading provider of color systems to businesses worldwide, annually recommends a specific color that it feels best connects with the current zeitgeist, or prevailing spirit and mood, so that manufacturers of paints, kitchenware and fabric will produce the look people will want to have around them. In 2011 Pantone picked a vibrant pink. Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, explained that “In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits, a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going.” Now sensing greater optimism, their 2013 color choice is a vivid emerald, described as “lively, radiant and lush… a color of elegance and beauty that enhances our sense of well-being, balance and harmony.” Judith Fertig blogs at AlfrescoFood AndLifestyle.blogspot.com.
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LIFE LIFT Being Happy from the Inside Out by Judith Fertig
An age-old question rides a new wave of bestseller lists, university research and governmental soul-searching. The answers to “What are the secrets of a happy life?” might surprise us.
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appiness is the only true measure of personal success,” advises Geoffrey James, of Hollis, New Hampshire, author of How to Say It: Business to Business Selling. His work confirms that the rollercoaster world of business does not always promote a sense of well-being. James believes, “The big enemy of happiness is worry, which comes from focusing on events that are outside your control.” For him, something as simple as a good night’s sleep contributes to personal happiness. Each of us has certain things that help make us feel positive, and they often come in small moments, advises Ed Diener, Ph.D., a psychology professor at the University of Illinois and author of Happiness: Unlocking the Mysteries of Psychological Wealth. Based on 25 years of research into the subject, he’s a recognized expert in what he calls “subjective well-being.” In a recent six-part BBC series on happiness, Diener told viewers, “It may sound silly, but we ask people, ‘How happy are you, on a scale of one to 10?’ The interesting thing is that it produces real answers that are valid—not 16
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perfect, but valid—and they predict all sorts of real things in their lives.”
Getting to Happy
The moment-to-moment path to happiness follows a trail blazed by paradox. A recent University of Missouri College of Business study by Marsha Richins, Ph.D., suggests that happiness is in the wanting, not the getting. As noted Positive Psychologist Martin Seligman, Ph.D., remarks, “Focusing solely on happiness as a foundation of a good life,” won’t get you there. Gretchen Rubin, the New York City-based author of The Happiness Project and Happier at Home, further finds that, “Happiness doesn’t always make you feel happy.” Trying each day to be emotionally centered, affable, kind, conscientious, generous, patient, principled, accomplished, spiritual and true to yourself—the kind of person that should be happy and that makes other people happy—can be tough. Widespread economic and associated financial challenges have made many question whether money can buy happiness, a common core assumption
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of the “happiness starts on the outside” approach. Apparently, money can sometimes buy feelings of well-being, but only to a certain degree, according to researchers Angus Deaton and Daniel Kahneman, at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public & International Affairs. In 2010, they surveyed 450,000 randomly chosen residents across the country via daily questionnaires. The study revealed that, “Low income exacerbates the emotional pain associated with such misfortunes as divorce, ill health and being alone.” Yet they also discovered that, “High income buys life satisfaction, but not happiness,” and there is no further progress in happiness beyond an annual income of $75,000 (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences). On the other side of the world, in the tiny Himalayan country of Bhutan, where 70 percent of its 717,000 citizens are subsistence farmers and an annual income of $75,000 would be considered a fortune, people say they are generally happy, partly due to the nation’s “happiness starts on the inside” philosophy. Since 1971, Bhutan has been operating based on a gross domestic happiness (GDH) value system. Bhutanese Prime Minister Jigmi Y. Thinley explains that the country has focused on growing both materially and spiritually, and citizen well-being has taken precedence over economic growth. For decades, this was deemed an oddity by many in the West, although now it appears prescient. “It’s easy to mine the land and fish the seas and get rich,” says Thakur Singh Powdyel, Bhutan’s minister of education. “Yet we believe you cannot have a prosperous nation in the long run that does not conserve its natural environment or take care of the well-being of its people, which is being borne out by what is happening to the outside world.” The country measures its success in maintaining GDH by conducting regular surveys of the population. The reigning official definition of happiness involves peace, contentment and living in harmony with all creation. Seligman, author of Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-Being, has become a believer in GDH. “How can you measure well-being in a person, a family, a country or globally?” he queries. Research by
Seligman and his colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, points to four basic elements: positive emotion, relationships, meaning in life and accomplishment, or PERMA. Seligman says there are proven ways to improve each element. For positive emotion, writing down three “blessings”, or things that went well that day, can increase our feelings of gratitude and well-being. For relationships, actively listening and being present for a loved one and having that attention returned can strengthen those bonds. Increasing meaning in our lives, says Seligman, can be a challenge for Westerners. “We have threadbare spiritual and relationship furniture. We have too much ‘I’ and not enough ‘we,’” he says. But getting involved in something that increases the “we” factor will help make us happier.
Nurturing Signature Strengths
Self-surveys at AuthenticHappiness. com can help us identify our strengths and realize what we’re especially good at—and we increase our feelings of accomplishment by doing more of them. “You can even figure out how to do the task you like least by using your signature strength,” Seligman advises. He shares an example of a grocery store cashier that disliked bagging groceries, but was exceptional at social interaction. She made herself happier by chatting with her customers while she packed their selections. Lara Blair, a portrait photographer in Camas, Washington, believes in celebrating strengths. “If making things is what you love, give it the space in your brain, home and life that it deserves.” Blair’s seminars and retreats help people tap ways to increase feelings of creativity, accomplishment and meaning. “If you nurture it and believe that growing this beautiful thing is worth the effort, the rewards will be more than you ever dreamed,” she says. When, as a happily married lawyer with children, Rubin thought her life was missing something vital, she used her love for reading and writing to explore that wistful, “What if?” She started researching subjective happiness via Marcus Aurelius, Samuel Johnson, Benjamin Franklin and St. Thérèse de Lisieux, whom Rubin refers to as her
If I become happy and it makes you happy, it is like tipping the first domino so the next one falls and that happiness spreads. ~ James Fowler, economic behaviorist, University of California-San Diego “spiritual master.” She decided to testdrive her findings at Happiness-Project. com and began blogging about new ways of thinking and behaving that were bringing her and her readers greater selfrealization and contentment. “A great place to start is with your own body,” she counsels. “Are you getting enough sleep? Are you getting good food to eat? When you take care of those very basic things, you feel energized, and then you can start moving to address other issues.”
Sustaining Happiness
Once we’ve upped our happiness quotient, it can still be difficult to stay at that level, says Kennon Sheldon, professor of psychological sciences at the University of Missouri, in Columbia. In a recent study conducted with research-
ers at the University of California-Riverside, Sheldon and his colleagues found that by both recognizing that the desire for “more” and “better” in our lives won’t stop and also appreciating what we have, we’ll stay happy. It’s equally vital to continually keep things fresh, with positive new experiences at home, work, play and exercise, as well as in relationships. In other words, sustained happiness takes a little work. “Just before going to bed,” suggests James, “write down at least one wonderful thing that happened that day. It may be anything from making a child laugh to a big sale. Whatever it is, be grateful for the present day, because it will never come again.” The benefits of individual wellbeing radiate to those around us, notes Seligman. “When individuals are flourishing, they are more productive at work, physically healthier and at peace.” He believes that as we find ways to increase positive emotion, relationships, meaning in life and individual accomplishment, it’s possible for life on Earth to flourish. Judith Fertig is a regular contributor to Natural Awakenings.
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communityspotlight
Team Believe
Moving Forward to Give Back by Linda Sechrist
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eam Believe, a group of running and walking enthusiasts with charitable hearts, began as a grassroots effort. Co-founded for the purpose of making a difference in the lives of children and their families in the Central New York community, Dave Bartell, director of regional advancement, Mid-Atlantic for Syracuse University, and Brendan Jackson, a running coach at Fleet Feet, in Syracuse, asked 36 friends to join in a team effort that included lacing up their running shoes and fundraising or donating a $75 registration fee to run in the 2009 10-mile Dunn Mountain Goat Run. In exchange for their donations, members received a comprehensive seven-week team-training program, designed and led by Jackson, who is a world-class running coach. The concept proved successful as a training and fundraising program and the race was off to raise and donate money to local organizations. Among those charities which have benefited are Syracuse’s Crouse Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Casey’s Place and Enable as well as David’s Refuge, in Manlius and From the Ground Up Therapeutic Horsemanship, in Cazenovia in addition to the William Johnson Memorial Fund, in Baldwinsville. “Since 2009, we’ve consistently attracted more runners and walkers that are interested in being part of something very positive in their community. We call it the best money that you can raise and never have to use. Team Believe members are healthy unlike the premature infants and children with disabilities and severe medical issues that we help with our donations. We’re all optimistic that we won’t be needing
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to use the services of the organizations and facilities that we donate to,” says Bartell. This year’s 189 runners donated more than $20,000 to small charities. “Brendan and I look around for small charities in the community who need ‘game changing’ donations in the range of $3,000 to $4,000. Last year one of the five that we found was David’s Refuge, which is a weekend retreat for parents who are dealing with terminally ill or disabled children,” advises Bartell, who is particularly proud of the fund Team Believe started at Crouse Hospital. The fund covers the cost of parking vouchers for parents that are visiting their babies in the neonatal intensive care unit. By word of mouth, Facebook and a website, Team Believe has grown in numbers and in the diversity of its members, who invite friends and family members. Children now participate in the Mountain Goat 3K Race. “This year members’ ages ranged from 4 to 65. We had a mother and her children as well as grandparents,” says Bartell, who notes that Team Believe members, that are all committed to good health, raise funds by running in other local races. “We’re all about being the change we want to see in our community. We love to raise money and be able to put a face on our donations, which might be benefiting our neighbor, someone we pass in the grocery aisle, see at the hardware store or talk to at a PTA meeting. In essence, we move forward to give back.” TeamBelieveCNY.org, TeamBelieveCNY@gmail.com.
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June 2013
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wisewords
Reframing Personal Priorities Craig Hamilton Explores the Gender Gap in Spiritual Growth by Kim Childs
What might it take to shift this phenomenon?
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raig Hamilton is a writer, radio host and workshop leader devoted to helping people evolve their consciousness for the greater good. The former managing editor of What is Enlightenment? magazine, Hamilton went on to found Integral Enlightenment, an online education program for those on a contemporary spiritual path. Since then, thousands of people have participated in his courses and workshops, and the vast majority have been women. Natural Awakenings asked Hamilton for his insights on this trend.
What’s behind the gender imbalance in personal growth and enlightenment circles? Two years ago, I hosted a summit called The Way of the Evolutionary
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if men do such things, they risk losing value among women. Traditionally, women have wanted to be with men that are more economically successful than they are. If a man decides he wants to be an artist or a spiritual practitioner or follow what we might label a higher calling, he’s stepping out of traditionally validated activities for men. So the reason that more men aren’t putting more time into their personal growth could be that they’re not being valued for that.
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Man that included a discussion about why more men aren’t drawn to participate in these kinds of things. One of the main points made was that, while many Americans have focused on creating equality for women in the last 50 years, there hasn’t been a comparable men’s liberation movement. I know that some would say, “Why do we need that? Men are already the ones with the most power, freedom and privilege.” Yet it became clear during our discussion that men do not have freedom when it comes to choosing among valued social roles. For example, a woman can feel valued whether she pursues a professional career or something else that we might call a path of the heart, such as following artistic passions, working for a nonprofit or serving as a teacher. But
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If women want men to join them on paths of personal and spiritual growth, they might need to start in analyzing the part of themselves that says, “I want a man who makes more money than me, is successful and able to be the family provider.” Many women want their men to be conscious, sensitive, reflective and capable of profound intimacy, plus be a good provider. I’ve heard from some men that feel seriously pained about this. A few said that they always wanted to be, for example, a musician or a teacher, but they couldn’t see themselves being sufficiently successful at it, or their family discouraged it.
Is pursuing personal growth at odds with being a breadwinner? I teach a spiritual path that anyone can pursue in the midst of their busy life. It involves turning everything into a spiritual practice. It means observing your own motivations and distortions and experiencing a different relationship to life that’s no longer rooted in patterns of the past and the ego. I believe this work appeals to men because, while there is a meditative and interior dimension to it, the bigger part is calling people to step up in life and remove the obstacles inside themselves that keep them from playing their biggest game. Spiritual life isn’t about getting beyond this world; it’s about the evolution of our world through conscious participation. That’s something men and women alike can become inspired by and put their energy behind.
How can men be most effective in a changing world? In order to be truly effective, each person needs to do the necessary inner work. It’s not enough to focus on trying to do and accomplish and acquire without clarifying what’s getting in the way of your full self-expression and creative engagement. It’s easy to think about life in terms of our history, identity, desires and concerns, but that’s just a small part of who we are. At our deepest level, we are this unfolding evolutionary process that’s been going on for more than 13 billion years. Now we have the ability to participate in the greatest adventure of all, that of conscious evolution, growing into a future aligned with our highest ideals, visions and aspirations. While that is mobilizing generations of women, I am finding that it also speaks to the highest aspirations of men. Connect with Craig Hamilton at IntegralEnlightenment.com. Kim Childs is a writer and creativity coach in Boston. Visit KimChilds.com.
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The human foot is a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art.
fitbody
~ Leonardo da Vinci
WStep ALK T HIS W AY Up to Barefoot Benefits by Randy Kambic
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arefoot walking conjures images of children playing in open fields and families strolling on a beach, yet it can also embrace many other settings as part of a health and fitness routine and lifestyle of optimum wellness. As Michael Sandler and Jessica Lee attest in their new book, Barefoot Walking, “It’s not just physical; it’s soothing on an emotional and spiritual level.” In adults, many muscles in our feet may have weakened and atrophied due to disuse from wearing shoes, which substitute the support and mobility that our bodies’ lower parts were created to provide. Years of wearing tight-fitting shoes or high heels can also hamper bone density and proper alignment of each foot’s 28 bones; produce aches and pains in knees, back and neck; and constrict circulation to legs and feet, a condition compounded by desk jobs. Here are some tips in preparing to go shoeless: Work out feet. Prevention.com advises working to individually wiggle each toe; touch and rub each in its entirety; and flex and move both feet in as many different ways as possible. This will help them better absorb and distribute weight. Then, suggest Sandler and Lee, try “grabbing” exercises for toes, picking up round objects ranging in size from golf balls to baseballs. Also practice arch lifts, calf raises and ankle rolls.
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Check it out. Walk around a room and note if the weight upon landing moves from the heel to the big toe right away; if so, try shifting bodyweight while walking so that the pressure proceeds from the heel to the little toe and then across to the big toe. This maximizes functioning of the entire foot and keeps the arch from collapsing inward. This subtle change helps support knees, the pelvic floor and even abdominal muscles. Fields, dirt trails and beaches are ideal sites to start walking barefoot. Repeated skin-to-ground contact also coincides with grounding, or earthing, a therapy that connects a being with Earth’s electrical field. The concept is that this allows negatively charged free electrons to enter and eliminate free radicals, the positively charged particles that may cause diseases and inflammation. When we’re in shoes, “We’re separated [from the Earth] by an inch of rubber, which is a fantastic resistor to electricity,” the co-authors point out. Because barefoot walking stimulates foot nerve endings, it’s also a form of self-reflexology, helping to lower blood pressure and anxiety while bolstering the immune system. For all these reasons, enthusiasts conjecture that it’s wise to follow in the natural footsteps of healers past and present that have chosen to walk this way. Sandler provides special tips on getting started for some specific groups:
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Children: “They haven’t had their feet weakened by wearing shoes for many years, so let them develop their own style.” Pregnant women: Start with a tiger walk technique (land with the heel barely off the ground, focusing on grabbing traction with the toes) for as much stability and fullest contact with the ground as possible. Seniors: Use a walk and roll technique (lift the forefoot up before gently landing heel first) to keep weight directly beneath the body’s center of gravity. “Some seniors are fearful of going barefoot; concerned their feet are soft and sensitive. But they find that it actually helps them regain balance, coordination and body-brain connections.” A key to expanding onto terrains like gravel and pavement while avoiding injury is to build up stronger plantar skin on the bottom of the feet, because it is “600 percent stronger than skin elsewhere and can grow even thicker, up to half an inch, but only if you use it,” according to Sandler and Lee. “Going about barefoot stimulates additional skin growth (layering) and pushes the moisture out of the skin (strengthening), which together, thicken the soles of your feet.” Other basic tips to avoid injury include: go slow, build foot strength, focus on form, learn to rest, inspect feet daily for potential nicks or scratches and see a physician if in doubt about anything. “Once you’re aware of your surroundings and have toughened up your feet, you’ll avoid most sharp objects and be relatively shielded from the rest,” advise Sandler and Lee, who see the activity as a big step toward greater overall health awareness. “You’ll learn more about your body… what’s right and what’s not, what’s working and what can be improved.” Randy Kambic, in Estero, FL, is a freelance writer and editor who regularly contributes to Natural Awakenings.
greenliving
Traveling Volunteers Doing Good During Time Away by Avery Mack en Budd, former executive director of AARP and current editor-in-chief of Currents magazine, says, “I was approaching 40 when my dad died suddenly, and at the funeral, I heard people say how he’d changed their lives. So in midlife, I decided to change mine.”
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Disaster Relief Budd, who lives with his wife in Burke, Virginia, says, “Not everyone can join the Peace Corps, but they might share a week or two of vacation time.” Nine months after Hurricane Katrina, Rebuilding Together was looking for unskilled labor to help in New Orleans. So he helped prep homes for incoming electricians, plumbers and carpenters, and then painted. He was hooked, and has subsequently volunteered in China, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Kenya and the West Bank. His award-winning book, The Voluntourist, details his experiences. Megan Wieder, a high school senior in Titusville, Pennsylvania, mulched trails and painted park equipment and homes during her week in New Orleans as a volunteer for People to People, which hosts future leaders for such projects. “I learned I can help others,” she says. This October, the Sierra Club’s New Jersey Seashore Service will assist the Natural Resource Education Foundation of New Jersey with its forest, marsh and meadowlands conservation efforts. The project will simultaneously allow participants to observe the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy along the shoreline, as well as in nearby communities.
Infrastructure Improvements The Sierra Club’s August trip to Mt. Rainier, in Washington, will train volunteers to work with the National Park Service in repairing hiking trails and building restraining walls at an elevation of 6,600 feet. Stunning views grace the two-mile hike from the Sunrise Visitor Center. Volunteer organizer DiDi Toaspern observes, “We are doing work that wouldn’t get done otherwise due to budget restraints. Even removing invasive plants helps to protect native species and nesting areas.”
Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI) will bring volunteers to Yosemite National Park in northern California this September to assist park rangers in contouring trails to shed water and cut or move vegetation that blocks trails or impedes streams. This fall, volunteers in New York City’s Bronx borough will also help the city parks department clear an overgrown 60-acre area surrounding the gardens of the Bartow-Pell Mansion, built in 1836, a museum for 19th-century furnishings and decorative arts since 1946. Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park, in Canandaigua, New York, features nine separate gardens— stylized as secret, Italian, Japanese, rose, blue and white, pansy, moonlight, old-fashioned and rock gardens. Each May, volunteers learn to plant decorative designs that can involve up to 8,000 plants, and others maintain the gardens throughout the summer.
Animal Conservation After a tasty vegan breakfast, volunteers in New York’s Finger Lakes region care for 500 rescued farm animals like Marge, a playful pig, at the 175-acre Watkins Glen Farm Sanctuary. Similar shelters bless Orland and Los Angeles, California. When Archosaurs Attacked and Reptiles Ruled Texas is the catchy name for the city of Arlington’s archeology education site (estimated at 95 million years old) where volunteer teams unearth fish, shark, ray, turtle and dinosaur fossils. “Last year, a new crocodilian species was found there,” says Rob Stringer of Earthwatch UK. In two-week stints, volunteers chart locations, clear areas, dig drainage trenches and prepare fossils for identification. There’s something for everyone in the emotional, spiritual and physical challenge of voluntouring. “Upon arrival, one’s first thought is, ‘What have I let myself in for?’ but upon returning home, you step back and see the value,” advises Budd. “Volunteers don’t change the world so much as they change the way people see each other through shared experiences.” Avery Mack is a freelance writer in St. Louis, MO. Connect at AveryMack@mindspring.com.
Voluntour Tips Do research. Don’t overlook small organizations. Review testimonials from volunteers and communities served. Ask questions to see if the project is a match for personal skills. How long has the organization been operating? Is advance work required, such as an essay on interests and expectations? What’s the cost, what does it cover and is it tax-deductible? (If an organization is more interested in a credit card number than in-person contribution, go elsewhere.) Give feedback. It’s the best way for a program to improve. Expect good customer service. Spread the word. Get the most out of the experience, and then tell friends about it. Proceeds from Ken Budd’s book, The Voluntourist, are donated to international children’s and wildlife organizations. Find tips and links to resources at TheVoluntouristBook.com. natural awakenings
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naturalpet
DOG SPORTS People & Pets Play Well Together by Sandra Murphy
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ith most exercise programs, while his person works out, a dog stays home alone, counting squirrels outside the window and wishing Animal Planet wasn’t a rerun. How about bringing some of that exercise home so the pet gets fit, too? John E. Mayer, Ph.D., a Chicago clinical psychologist and author of Family Fit, maintains that, “Fitness works best as a group event, including the family dog. They love to participate in many things, so be creative. Try swimming, touch football, jumping rope, rollerblading, tag or hide-and-seek.” Diane Tegethoff Meadows and Susan Riches, Ph.D., each accepted a challenge to exercise with their dogs 30 minutes a day for 30 days. “I walk my three Scotties every morning anyway, so adding minutes was easy,” says Meadows, a retired senior paralegal in Bulverde, Texas. “One of them is in charge of choosing the route, and we seldom go the same way two days in a row.” Riches, a retired Fort Lewis College professor and archaeologist, in Durango, Colorado, doesn’t let inclement weather interfere. “Inside, we play fetch up and down the stairs,” she says. “I hide treats for tracking games of ‘find it.’” The dogs also like to jump through hoops. “The Scottie and Westie go at it for 30 minutes; the Maltese stops after 15.” Jeff Lutton, a Dogtopia dog daycare/boarding franchisee in Alexandria, Virginia, conducts a popular running club. “On Sunday mornings we have about 15 people that run with their dogs. My golden retriever used to run six miles, but since she’s 9 now, we’ve cut back to three.” “Treibball [TRY-ball] is herding without sheep, soccer without feet,” explains Dianna L. Stearns, president of the American Treibball Association, based in Northglenn, Colorado. “All you need is Pilates balls, a target stick for pointing, a signal clicker and treats. It’s a fun, problem-solving game for all involved.” The idea is for the dog to direct rubber balls into a goal with its nose, shoulder and/or paws—eventually, as many as eight balls in 10 minutes. Treibball can be played in group classes or competitions or at home using a kiddie soccer goal. Another exercise option is to turn the backyard into an
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obstacle course for the dog, kids and adults. Use a clicker to signal the next move. Four or five hula hoops spaced a bit apart provide a pattern for a sit/stay game as the dog moves into each one on command. A thin wooden dowel across two boxes and anchored to a stick-on photo hook on either end provides a hurdle. A child’s oversized plastic golf club hits a tennis or plastic ball just far enough for the dog to retrieve. For a doggie triathlon, add more elements, such as yard races between dogs and children on their tricycles or scooters down a straight path, with everyone cooling off in a hardplastic swimming pool as part of the event. For dogs that are older or have mobility issues, some stretching before or even after exercise is suggested. “Doga [dog yoga] has become a daily ritual with my 11-year-old golden retriever since the onset of arthritis in her hips and back. Besides keeping her joints limber, it’s good one-onone time for us,” says latchkey dog expert Eileen Proctor, in Castle Rock, Colorado. “Whenever she wants to stretch, she will come up and gently paw me,” relates Proctor. “Her favorite is the upward dog pose. Before practicing doga, this dear one had trouble getting to her feet, and then was lame for a minute. Now she is able to get up and move about immediately.” When exercising with pets, always keep plenty of water handy, start slow and watch out for how the weather or workout affects the participants. Scientists have changed from saying it takes 21 days to form a new habit to admitting it may take up to three times that long. That might be true for people, but try explaining it to the dog standing at the back door on day two— he’s ready to do it again. Sandra Murphy is a regular contributor to Natural Awakenings.
Dog Running Tips by Jeff Lutton 4 Start slow 4 Run warm-up laps 4 Always carry water 4 Take breaks 4 Keep nails trimmed n Avoid running on hot pavement with longhaired or thickcoated dogs. n Shorten mileage for pups under 2 years, as well as older dogs. n Avoid concrete surfaces, which are rough on paw pads. n Stay away from winter road salt; it can cut and further damage paws. n Watch for hip or knee problems; if a dog lags behind, it’s time to stop. Jeff Lutton, of Dogtopia, conducts a running club for people and their pets in Alexandria, VA.
calendarofevents NOTE: All calendar events must be received by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Review guidelines and submit entries online at AwakeningsCNY.com (within advertising section).
SATURDAY, JUNE 1
FRIDAY, JUNE 7
The 4th Annual Caz Natural Healing and Wellness Fair – 10am-4pm. Learn about natural healing and wellness modalities and meet the providers. Wellness is not limited to our physical well-being. Wellness is a sense of balance through all areas of your life. This includes physical, mental, emotional and energetic health, financial wellness, animal companion wellness, etc. American Legion, 26 Chenango St, Cazenovia. Info, Rosemary: 315-6636725. CazHealing.webs.com.
SUNDAY, JUNE 2 Art Inspiration – 12-4:30pm. The Sterling Nature Center’s Inspiration: Festival of Nature and the Arts will be featuring music, art exhibits, poetry and hands-on-activities. The BBQ beef dinner will be back. Come for some good entertainment, exhibits, food and fun for everyone. Free. 15380 Jenzvold Rd, Sterling. Info: 315-947-6143 or CayugaNet.org/SterlingPark.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5 The Postpartum Doula – 7-8:30pm. Learn about postpartum doula care and what to expect after the baby arrives, including breastfeeding and baby-friendly bottle feeding; getting enough sleep; babywearing; relationships and family dynamics; postpartum depression; and the role of a postpartum
ebrates 150 Years – 6:30pm. The second oldest JCC in North America honors its rich heritage in the community with a celebratory event and annual meeting. The evening will consist of a fabulous meal, an open bar and informative and entertaining surprises. Traditions at the Links, 5900 N Burdick St, E Syracuse. Info: Nancy Kasow 315-445-2360 or NKasow@Jccsyr.org.
Taste of Syracuse – 11am-11pm. AmeriCU Credit Union stages a day of festival activities and fantastic food, presented by Tops Friendly Markets. Stroll the streets of historic Clinton Square while enjoying $1 samples from the area’s best restaurants. Three stages of continuous live music have something for everyone. Free. 2 S Clinton Sq, Syracuse. 315-4719597. TasteOfSyracuse.com. doula in helping the family get off to a good start. Stephanie Haskins, a trained Birth and Postpartum Doula and Lactation Educator, will answer questions and offer class participation exercises. Free. GreenStar Co-Op Market, 701 W Buffalo St, Ithaca. Register: 607-273-9392.
THURSDAY, JUNE 6 Artist Reception: Raising the Dead: The Art and Science of John Gurche – 5:30pm. Be the first to peruse the Museum of the Earth’s newest temporary exhibition exploring the intersection of art and science through the works of world-renowned Paleo-artist and PRI’s artist-in-residence, John Gurche. Free; suggested donation, $10. 1259 Trumansburg Rd, Ithaca. 607-273-6623. Jewish Community Center of Syracuse Cel-
SATURDAY, JUNE 8 Family Day: Raising the Dead: The Art and Science of John Gurche – 10am-1pm. Bring the whole family to see the Museum of the Earth’s summer exhibition exploring the intersection of art and science through the works of world-renowned Paleo-artist and PRI’s artist-in-residence, John Gurche. Enjoy a variety of activities with great take aways. Included with Museum admission: $8/adult, $5/senior/student, $3/youth. 1259 Trumansburg Rd, Ithaca. 607-273-6623. Lime Hollow 20th Anniversary – 10:30am-12pm. The Lime Hollow Center for Environment & Culture invites you to an Open House as they reflect on past memories, detail current projects and talk about the future. Refreshments will be served. 338 McLean Rd, Cortland. RSVP by June 1: 607-662-4632 or Info@LimeHollow.org.
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Vegan Style – 7-8:30pm. Priscilla Timberlake, whole foods cook, educator, co-author of The Great Life Cookbook and mother of four, will show you how to create a sensational supper party. Experience a gluten-free, tasteful meal, which will include a soup, followed by a main platter and finishing off with a luscious seasonal dessert. Recipes and generous samples of food provided. $8/members, $10/nonmembers. GreenStar Co-Op Market, 701 W Buffalo St, Ithaca. Register: 607-273-9392.
Taste of Syracuse – 11am-11pm. AmeriCU Credit Union stages a day of festival activities and fantastic food, presented by Tops Friendly Markets. Stroll the streets of historic Clinton Square while enjoying $1 samples from the area’s best restaurants. Three stages of continuous live music have something for everyone. Free. 2 S Clinton Sq, Syracuse. 315-4719597. TasteOfSyracuse.com. Duck Race to End Racism – 12-4pm. CommunityWide Dialogue, a program of InterFaith Works of CNY, presents the 11th annual Duck Race. A festival for the entire family with entertainment, activities and duck races galore. Free. The Syracuse Inner Harbor. Info: 315-449-3552 x 119 or Cwd1@InterFaithWorksCNY.org.
FRIDAY, JUNE 21
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12 All about Joint Health – 7-8:15pm. Learn about cutting-edge nutritional, supplemental, chiropractic and exercise strategies that holistically promote the health of the knees, shoulders and spine. Dr. Joline, a family chiropractor, will be sharing information about how you can heal your joints and have the active lifestyle you love. Free. GreenStar Co-Op Market, 701 W Buffalo St, Ithaca. Register: 607-273-9392.
FRIDAY, JUNE 14 Dance-O-Rama – 5:30-7:30pm. Kids will enjoy the dance music and DJ with bubble machine; parents will have the chance to catch up with other parents, enjoy a drink and some food. 500 S Franklin St, Syracuse. Info@Most.org. RSVP: Facebook.com/ SyracuseMOST.
SATURDAY, JUNE 15 Butterfly Garden Opening – 9am-5pm. Come greet the butterflies as they make the Cayuga Nature Center Butterfly Garden their home for the summer. Learn all about these delicately beautiful creatures and what they eat and where they live. $3/adults, $2/ seniors/students, $1/children. Cayuga Nature Center, 1420 Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca. 607-273-6260. TACNY Junior Cafe Scientifique – 9:30-11am. Chris Campbell, MS, renewables manager, O’Brien & Gere Companies and Sara Martin, P.E., project associate, O’Brien & Gere Companies and a member of the TACNY Board of Directors. Campbell and Martin will give a presentation entitled: Back to the Future: From Waste to Power. Presentation shows how to utilize waste products to create energy. Includes light breakfast and free admission to the MOST Museum’s interactive exhibits. All ages welcome but geared toward middle school and older.
Free. 500 S Franklin St, Syracuse. Reservations: JrCafe@Tacny.org. Guided Family Nature Hike: Wetland Wonder – 10am. Join Senior Naturalist Peter Harrity and investigate Lime Hollow’s amazing wetlands. Morning is the perfect time to observe songbirds, frogs, dragonflies and other wildlife. Hike will explore Gracie Pond, the beaver swamp, and time permitting, Chicago Bog. Will supply binoculars and exploration supplies but bring snacks, bug spray and water bottles. Typical hike duration – 1.5 hrs. Free. 338 McLean Rd, Cortland. 607-662-4632. Rookery Life – 1pm. Come out for a peek at the great blue herons sharing the rookery with their mates and feeding the fast growing young. Naturalist Jim D’Angelo will lead a walk about Great Blue Herons and the rookery at the Sterling Nature Center. A brief indoor discussion will be held first before a trip out to the rookery. Free. 15380 Jenzvold Rd, Sterling. 315-947-6143.
SUNDAY, JUNE 16 Father’s Day Run 5K – 9am. A beautiful but challenging race course that offers a variety of terrains. It begins at the Nature Center, turns out onto McLean Rd to Gracie Rd, loops back to the Lehigh Valley Trail and winds through the natural paths of Lime Hollow. Proceeds benefit Lime Hollow Nature Center and Cortland YMCA. $18/adults, $13/youth in advance. $22/adults, $17/youths day of. Lime Hollow Nature Center, 338 McLean Rd, Cortland. Register: CortlandYMCA.org.
TUESDAY, JUNE 18 Preparing a Summer Dinner Party: Whole Foods
We Still On? Call ahead to confirm that the event details haven’t changed and tell them you saw it in Natural Awakenings of Central New York.
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Summer Solstice Walk – 7pm. Start your summer off on the right foot by taking a guided hike along the trails of the Sterling Nature Center in search of symbols for the changing seasons. What flora and fauna usher in summertime? Come enjoy an evening hike on the longest day of the year. 15380 Jenzvold Rd, Sterling. 315-947-6143.
SATURDAY, JUNE 22 World Refugee Day – 10am. A parade beginning at the Northside will go to the Hanover Square Jamboree. Former refugees from countries all over the world, who call Syracuse their home, gather together in traditional dress, with their home country flags to walk, sing, drum and dance. Info: InterFaithWorksCNY.org/Blog/News-Events.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26 Introduction to Peruvian Shamanism/Healing Energy Work from the Andes – 7-8:15pm. Learn how you can connect to spirit and be guided on your journey, discover your destiny and release your inner true self. Susan Norton, MS, HLB certified professional shamanic healer, will talk about Shamanism and Healing Energy Work, including sacred ancient rites of Munayki, soul retrieval, fire ceremonies and connecting to your power animal. Free. GreenStar Co-Op Market, 701 W Buffalo St, Ithaca. Register: 607-273-9392.
FRIDAY, JUNE 28 Jamesville BalloonFest – June 28-30. 4-11pm, Fri; 11am-11pm, Sat; 11am-9pm, Sun. Kickoff summer with non-stop musical entertainment with Lou Gramm (June 28); Starship (June 29); Eddie Money (June 30) as well as top local music groups. Also features over two dozen special-shape and hot air balloons, arts & crafts fair, amusement rides, food and beverages. Balloons take flight weather permitting and add to the excitement. $10/day. Jamesville Beach Park, 4110 Westshore Manor Rd, Jamesville. Info: 315-703-9620. SyracuseBalloonFest.com.
You can’t change the direction of the wind, but you can adjust your sails to always reach your destination. ~Jimmy Dean
ongoingevents NOTE: All calendar events must be received by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Review guidelines and submit entries online at AwakeningsCNY.com (within advertising section).
Meditation – 12-1pm. The Zen Center of Syracuse and the Syracuse University Student Buddhist Association provide instruction, discussion and 30 mins of meditation. Hendricks Chapel Syracuse University, Syracuse. Info: Bshoultz@Syr.edu.
sunday Guided Bird Walk – 7:30-9am. Come for guided beginner bird walks in Sapsucker Woods. Walks take place weather permitting. Bring binoculars and meet outside the observatory. There are some binoculars available to borrow. Dress for the weather. Free. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd, Ithaca. 800-843-2473. Chanting, Zazen – 9am-12pm. Dokusan offered 2nd and 4th Sun. Teisho offered on first, third and fifth Sun. 266 W Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse. 315492-9773. ZenCenterOfSyracuse.org. Discovery Sundays – 1pm. 2nd Sun. Come for a family-friendly program on a nature-themed topic. Cayuga Nature Center, 1420 Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca. 607-273-6260.
monday Short Chanting Service, Zazen – 7-7:45am. 266 W Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse. 315-492-9773. ZenCenterOfSyracuse.org. A Journey through Time – 11:30am. Public tours of the Museum of the Earth’s permanent exhibition gallery. Explore the past and the changes that have happened in the Earth’s history. Included with admission, $8/adult, $5/senior/student, $3/youth. 1259 Trumansburg Rd, Ithaca. 607-273-6623. Meditation – 12-1pm. The Zen Center of Syracuse and the Syracuse University Student Buddhist Association provide instruction, discussion and 30 mins of meditation. Hendricks Chapel Syracuse University, Syracuse. Info: Bshoultz@Syr.edu.
tuesday Zazen – 8:30-9:30am. Dokusan offered 2nd & 4th Tues. 266 W Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse. 315-4929773. ZenCenterOfSyracuse.org. Meditation – 12-1pm. The Zen Center of Syracuse and the Syracuse University Student Buddhist Association provide instruction, discussion and 30 mins of meditation. Hendricks Chapel Syracuse University, Syracuse. Info: Bshoultz@Syr.edu. T.O.P.S. – 5:15pm. Meet at the Ithaca YMCA for Taking Pounds off Sensibly, a support group for those looking to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle. 50 Graham Rd W, Ithaca. 607-257-0101.
wednesday Chanting Service, Zazen – 6-7:45am. 266 W Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse. 315-492-9773. ZenCenterOfSyracuse.org. Meditation – 5:30-6:30pm. The Zen Center of Syracuse and the Syracuse University Student Buddhist
gallery. Explore the past and the changes that have happened in the Earth’s history. Included with admission, $8/adult, $5/senior/student, $3/youth. 1259 Trumansburg Rd, Ithaca. 607-273-6623.
Night Hikes – 7pm. 1st Fri. Hike the wooded trails under the big sky of the back fields or around the ponds. Find out who is awake and stirring under the moonlight. No need to bring a flashlight, will be surprised how much you see without one. Cayuga Nature Center, 1420 Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca. Availability info: 607-273-6260. Association provide instruction, discussion and 30 mins of meditation. Hendricks Chapel Syracuse University, Syracuse. Info: Bshoultz@Syr.edu.
thursday Short Chanting Service, Zazen – 7-7:45am. 266 W Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse. 315-492-9773. ZenCenterOfSyracuse.org. Farmers’ Market – 7am-2pm. Support local farmers who bring their fresh, in-season vegetables every week. 2100 Park St, Syracuse. 315-422-8647. Cnyrma.com. Meditation – 11:15am-12:15pm. The Zen Center of Syracuse and the Syracuse University Student Buddhist Association provide instruction, discussion and 30 mins of meditation. Hendricks Chapel Syracuse University, Syracuse. Info: Bshoultz@Syr.edu. Short Chanting Service, Zazen – 6-8pm. Dokusan offered 2nd & 4th Thurs. Teisho offered on first, third and fifth weeks of each month. 266 W Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse. 315-492-9773. ZenCenterOfSyracuse.org.
friday A Journey through Time – 11:30am. Public tours of the Museum of the Earth’s permanent exhibition
saturday Farmers’ Market – 7am-2pm. Support local farmers who bring their fresh, in-season vegetables every week. 2100 Park St, Syracuse. 315-422-8647. Cnyrma.com. Guided Bird Walk – 7:30-9am. Come for guided beginner bird walks in Sapsucker Woods. Walks take place weather permitting. Bring binoculars and meet outside the observatory. There are some binoculars available to borrow. Dress for the weather. Free. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd, Ithaca. 800-843-2473. Tibetan Service – 10-11am. Meditation centered on the Heart Sutra. Newcomers should arrive at 9:45am for instruction. 266 W Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse. 315-492-9773. ZenCenterOfSyracuse.org. A Journey through Time – 11am. Public tours of the Museum of the Earth’s permanent exhibition gallery. Explore the past and the changes that have happened in the Earth’s history. Included with admission, $8/adult, $5/senior/student, $3/youth. 1259 Trumansburg Rd, Ithaca. 607-273-6623. Animal Feeding – 12pm. Check out the variety of animals. The Nature Center’s staff of animal specialists feed snakes, turtles, birds, fish, and mammals, and will be available to answer your questions. $3/ adults, $2/seniors/students, $1/children. Cayuga Nature Center, 1420 Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca. 607-273-6260.
Make your community a little GREENER…
Support our advertisers. For every $100 spent in locally owned business, $68 returns to the community. source: the350project.net
natural awakenings
June 2013
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communityresourceguide Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide, email Craig@AwakeningsCNY.com to request our media kit. ACUPUNCTURE
RHONDA SHUTE, LMT
ABIGAIL RICHARDSON, MS, L.Ac, Dipl, OM
55 Port Watson St, Cortland • 607-753-1228 AbigailRichardsonl.AC@gmail.com InvigorationsWellness.com SouthsideAcupuncture-Ithaca.com Offering acupuncture, Tui Na, and Chinese Herbal Medicine services in Cortland at Invigorations Wellness Center and in Ithaca at Southside Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine.
BODYWORK & THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE DOT EDWARDS, LMT
888 E Brighton Ave, Syracuse 315-857-3144 Sedona82563@aol.com ParkerChiro.com Rhonda graduated from Onondaga School of Therapeutic Massage and is certified in Myofascial Release (John F. Barnes approach), Thai Massage and pre-natal/postpartum massage (MotherMassage Technique). Additionally, Rhonda works with local sports teams in collaboration with Dr. Parker offering Sports Massage, Myofascial Release Therapy, Swedish Massage, Thai Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Trigger Point Therapy, Reiki and PreNatal Massage. See ad, inside front cover.
CHIROPRACTOR DR. DONNA COTY, DC
55 Port Watson St, Cortland 607-753-1228 DRosieEdwards@yahoo.com InvigorationsWellness.com
2471 Rte 11, LaFayette 315-677-0107
Comprehensive bodywork includes massage therapy, Reiki, integrated energy therapy and vortexhealing (Divine Energy Healing). Massage can improve circulation, lessen inflammation and swelling, increase range of motion and strengthen the immune system, plus can help relieve mental and physical fatigue.
JANET HANNA, LMT, NCBTMB 55 Port Watson St, Cortland 607-753-1228 InvigorationsWellness.com
NYS licensed and nationally certified with 20 years of experience as a massage practitioner. Integrative approach to bodywork sessions will assist clients in achieving pain relief and greater mobility. Attaining and maintaining balance (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual) can bring about the highest form of healing. Offering a nurturing and supportive atmosphere that gently encourages clients to find the balance they already possess within.
A holistic professional, providing compassionate and caring chiropractic treatments for the entire family with treatments addressing headaches, neck and shoulder pain, overuse injuries, and low back and sciatic pain. A heated hydrotherapy massage table is available after your adjustment to relax and reduce stress. Office hours include every other Saturday and evenings. See ad, page 20.
DR. BARRETT PARKER, DC, CCSP 888 E Brighton Ave, Syracuse 315-498-6888 ParkerChiro.com
Dr. Parker is the Syracuse University Athletics sports chiropractor and the Syracuse C h i e f s B a s e b a l l Te a m Chiropractor. Parker Chiropractic is a family practice specializing in spine, sports and other musculoskeletal conditions including: disc herniations, joint dysfunction, traumatic injury, chronic pain syndromes, tension and migraine headaches, soft tissue injuries, such as sprain/strain injury, nerve entrapments, scar tissue formation and repetitive strain disorders. See ad, inside front cover.
T
he only normal people are the ones you don’t know very well. ~Alfred Adler
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COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL CLEANING PRODUCTS GREENING ONONDAGA DISTRIBUTORS Ralph Sardo, Director 7007 S Salina St, Nedrow 315-378-0313 GreeningOnondaga.com
Help keep the Earth clean with environmentally friendly cleaning products. These commercial and industrial cleaning products and solutions are effective and cost competitive. We distribute Ecologic Solutions plant-based products, ensuring safety for the human body and Mother Earth. Committed towards sustainability in all facets of operations. See ad, inside front cover.
COMMUNITY CENTERS JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER (JCC) OF SYRACUSE 5655 Thompson Rd, DeWitt 315-445-2360 Jccsyr.org
Providing high-quality programs and services to both Jewish and non-Jewish individuals and families in Central New York including childcare for infants though Pre-K, Summer Camp for infants through teens, SPOT Teen Center, Adult and Senior Programming, and one of the largest Kosher hot meal programs for senior citizens. See ads, pages 8 and 10.
CREDIT UNION EMPOWER FEDERAL CREDIT UNION 515 Erie Blvd W, Syracuse 315-477-2200 EmpowerFCU.com
Empower Federal C r e d i t Union is a full-service financial institution that provides savings, loan and transaction services to its members. Simply by maintaining a minimum balance in an Empower Share Savings Account, one has a share in the credit union with all its benefits and privileges. As a “member-owner”, one is able to vote and maintain a lifetime membership despite job changes, relocation or retirement. A member’s immediate family is also eligible to join. See ad, page 5.
FINANCIAL PLANNING SIDELLO ASSOCIATES
Michael A. Sidello, President 110 Highbridge St, Ste 3, Fayetteville 315-637-3535 • SidelloAssociates.com Over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. Offering a holistic approach to financial planning including investment, insurance and employee benefits’ services. S e c u r i t i e s o ff e r e d th r o u g h Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. See ad, page 14.
GARDEN CENTER CHUCK HAFNER’S FARMERS MARKET & GARDEN CENTER 7265 Buckley Rd, N Syracuse 315-458-2231 • ChuckHafner.com
Providing customers with a pleasant and rewarding shopping experience while maintaining superior levels of quality, selection and service. Delivering fresh and quality produce, plants and gardening equipment for over 75 years. Hafner’s nursery features 7 acres of walkways filled with nursery stock and variety.
GREEN BUILDING GREEN HOMES WINDOWS & DOORS
3903 Lafayette Rd, Ste 9, Jamesville 315-420-6142 • GreenHomesWindows.com In need of an upgrade or a simple solution to those drafty windows? Green Homes Windows & Doors makes either possible by providing quality renovation and home improvement services that will make your home feel like new again. Whether doing it yourself, or having the new windows and doors installed professionally, Green Homes Windows & Doors have the supplies and the services to get the job done right. See ad, page 11.
MOLDKILLINGPAINT.COM Create a healthier home air environment by using a paint that eliminates mold, viruses and bacteria, without biocides, and keeps working for years. Caliwel contains no VOCs, is EPA approved and both preventive and remedial, and can even be used inside HVAC systems.
GREEN JOBS PUBLIC POLICY AND EDUCATION FUND – CENTRAL NEW YORK 2013 E Genesee St, Syracuse 315-435-2480
A not-for-profit research and public education foundation to address critical social, economic, racial and environmental issues facing low- and moderateincome New York State residents. Areas of work include health care, education, after-school programs, voter participation, economic development and consumer issues. Many tools, including grassroots organizing, research and policy development, public education on a wide range of policy issues and community outreach, are used in its work.
HEALTH & FITNESS YMCA OF GREATER SYRACUSE 340 Montgomery St, Syracuse 315-474-6851 • Ycny.org
Strengthening the community by empowering the young, the YMCA is devoted to nurturing the potential of kids, promoting healthy living and fostering social responsibility. With a diverse organization of men, women and children with a shared commitment, the Y hopes to achieve their goals—one person, one family, one team at a time. If you are hoping to bring out your potential, they are there to help you on your way. See ad, page 6.
AUBURN YMCA
27 William St, Auburn 315-253-5304 AuburnYmca.org
CORTLAND COUNTY FAMILY YMCA 22 Tompkins St, Cortland 607-756-2893 CortlandYmca.org
EAST AREA FAMILY YMCA
200 Towne Dr, Fayetteville 315-637-2025 YmcaOfGreaterSyracuse.org/EastArea
MANLIUS YMCA
140 W Seneca St, Manlius 315-692-4777 Ycny.org/Manlius See ad, page 6.
NORTH AREA FAMILY YMCA 4775 Wetzel Rd, Liverpool 315-451-2562 Ycny.org/NorthArea
ONEIDA FAMILY YMCA 701 Seneca St, Oneida 315-363-7788 YmcaTriValley.org
OSWEGO YMCA
249 W 1st St, Oswego 315-343-1981 OswegoYmca.org
SKANEATELES YMCA & COMMUNITY CENTER
97 State St, Skaneateles 315-685-2266 AuburnYmca.org/Skaneateles
SOUTHWEST YMCA
4585 W Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse 315-498-2699 Ycny.org/Southwest See ad, page 6.
YMCA ARMORY
265 W 1st St, Oswego 315-342-6082 OswegoYmca.org
YMCA OF ITHACA & TOMPKINS COUNTY 50 Graham Rd W, Ithaca 607-257-0101 IthacaYmca.com
HEALTH FOOD STORE GREENSTAR NATURAL FOOD MARKET 701 W Buffalo St, Ithaca 607-273-9392 GreenStar.coop
Focused on healthy foods, local producers and independently owned companies, GreenStar is a company that values its members as they influence what is carried and how business is done. Special requests, purchases, feedback and product guidelines are shaped by the needs of shoppers. See ad, page 19.
GREENSTAR OASIS COOPERATIVE MARKET 215 N Cayuga St, Ithaca 607-273-8213 • GreenStar.coop
The Oasis is a cozy market located in the Dewitt Mall, offering groceries, vitamins and hot meals. Physical store improvements, thoughtful offerings and great customer service are reasons GreenStar Oasis is thriving in a competitive market. See ad, page 19.
HOME WATER PURIFICATION SHUTE’S WATER SYSTEMS 5684 US Rte 20, LaFayette 315-677-5552 ShutesWaterSystems.com
Enjoy great-tasting, healthy water anytime with Shute’s home water purification systems. Family-owned and operated, providing quality water systems in Central New York for over 50 years. Shute’s offers water softeners, salt-free softeners, chemical-free removal of iron, sulphur & bacteria, water purification and water storage systems at competitive prices. Free water analysis. See ad, page 17.
HOSPITAL & HEALTH CENTER CROUSE HOSPITAL
736 Irving Ave, Syracuse 315-470-7582 • Crouse.org A private, not-for-profit hospital, Crouse Hospital is Central New York’s largest provider of maternity care services. Two surgery centers near the main hospital complex provide one of the longestrunning and largest ambulatory surgery programs in the U.S. Other specialties include cardiac care, surgical services, orthopedics, stroke care, oncology and the region’s only hospital-based chemical dependency treatment services. The hospital also operates the Crouse College of Nursing, providing critical nursing education to more than 280 students annually. See ad, page 15.
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ST. JOSEPH’S HOSPITAL & HEALTH CENTER In addition to providing general medical and surgical care, St. Joseph’s offers several specialty services, including hemodialysis, maternity services, a separate birth center, emergency care, intensive care, wound care, dental services, suicide prevention and certified home health care. Satellite facilities include two ambulatory surgery centers, family and maternal child/clinics, a dental clinic, psychiatric services center, The Wellness Place, Regional Dialysis neighborhood dialysis centers and a cardiopulmonary rehabilitation center. See ad, page 21.
NATURAL DENTISTRY MCGRATH DENTAL CARING
Michael B. McGrath, DDS Velasko Professional Park, Syracuse 315-478-5719 • McGrathDental.com A different form of dentistry is at McGrath Dental Caring with a team that listens to concerns in order to best fit the care and treatment plans to the individual. Non-metal, mercury-free dentistry is offered in a relaxed and safe environment. Reactivity testing is available to assist patients when selecting dental materials. See ad, page 6.
315-430-0020 NaturalSkincareNavigator.com
513 New York 281, Tully 315-696-8600 RoyalFiberglassPoolsOfNY.com
Royal Fiberglass Pools of New York is a family-run business that has been installing pools for over 30 years. Fiberglass pools provide better value than vinyl because of their low maintenance and longlasting benefits. The company has a wide variety of hot tubs, stoves and fireplaces. Royal Fiberglass Pools of New York is focused on a seamless process, from your initial consultation to your first swimming experience in your new pool or spa. See ad, back cover.
PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS LERNER CENTER
426 Eggers Hall, Syracuse 315-443-4526 LernerCenter.Syr.edu The Lerner Center applies the best practices of social marketing and science to create public health programs that are motivating and sustainable. The Center is a laboratory for the development of strategies that can be replicated in community and national prevention programs. Partnerships with citizens, students, researchers and public health professionals identify needs, develop programming and deploy collaborative initiatives. See ad, page 9.
RESTAURANTS
NONPROFIT
MOOSEWOOD RESTAURANT
INTERFAITH WORKS
215 N Cayuga St, Ithaca 607-273-9610 MoosewoodCooks.com
3049 E Genesee St, Syracuse 315-449-3552 InterfaithWorksCNY.org/Blog InterFaith Works of Central New York, through education, service and dialogue, affirms the dignity of each person and every faith community and works to create relationships and understanding among us.
WOMEN TRANSCENDING BOUNDARIES 305 Carlton Dr, Syracuse 315-446-1694 • WTB.org
An egalitarian community of women from many faith and cultural traditions. Nurturing mutual respect and understanding through programs, events and social interaction by sharing information about diverse beliefs, customs and practices. By working together to address common concerns in this post-9/11 world, the intent is to share personal and collective experiences with the wider community, to educate, and to serve.
NUTRITION SHERIE VIENCEK, DC, CBNS 4613 N St, Jamesville 315-469-4439
Dr. Viencek is a chiropractor, certified nutrition specialist and educator in women’s health, hormonal balance and detoxification for over 20 years, providing objective tests for functional imbalances. Integrative treatment options will increase vitality and general health long before the onset of disease.
Central New York
NATURAL SKINCARE NAVIGATOR
ROYAL FIBERGLASS POOLS
301 Prospect Ave, Syracuse 315-448-5111 • Sjhsyr.org
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SKIN CARE TREATMENTS
POOLS & SPAS
Known for their vegetarian dishes and cookbooks, Moosewood Restaurant had its roots in local produce and continues to provide fresh, healthy and quality meals. Built from a genuine love of cooking and spurred on by adventurous taste buds, the menu changes every day to cover a vast assortment of ethnic recipes. The diversity of menus has evolved to include vegan and gluten-free options.
SCHOOL OF MASSAGE FINGER LAKES SCHOOL OF MASSAGE 1251 Trumansburg Rd, Ithaca 607-272-9024 • Flsm.com
Offering full- and part-time massage therapy training for students wishing to transform their lives and of those they touch through traditional and innovative therapies. Programs are designed to give hands-on training, technical skills and practical clinic experience needed to pursue a rewarding career helping others. See ad, page 19.
T
AwakeningsCNY.com
DPL red light therapy is NASA technology that creates a healing environment in the body. Effective in firming skin, healing acne and other skin issues. Also, DPL therapy systems have proved to be effective in pain management.
SHARYN MADISON, MS, SCT 55 Port Watson St, Cortland 607-753-1228 InvigorationsWellness.com
Services include Reiki Energy Treatments/Classes and Skin Care Treatments such as Relaxation Facials, Gentleman’s Facials, Teen Facials, and Treatment Facials for skin issues such as rosacea, acne and aging skin. Treatment techniques include High Frequency, Desincrustation, Microdermabrasion, Para Medical Peels, Full Body Salt Glows and Hair Removal (waxing). Each appointment includes skin assessment, product consultation and a home care program.
SPIRITUAL DIALOGUE WISDOM HOUSE
115 Chapel St, Fayetteville 315-632-4041 TrinityFayetteville.org Discussions that are passionate and gentle, heartfelt and humorous, dancing from lips to ears to soul. The Wisdom of this dialogue draws on ancient contemplative texts and practices from the world’s spiritual traditions. Wisdom House extends hospitality and welcome to seekers of all faith traditions and for those who believe they have none. Wisdom House is designed to be a place where we might honor one another through respectful dialogue and fruitful inquiry. See ad, page 7.
WELLNESS CENTERS INVIGORATIONS WELLNESS CENTER 55 Port Watson St, Cortland 607-753-1228 InvigorationsWellness.com
A mini-vacation is awaiting. Invigorations brings massage and skin care therapy together with other modalities within one wellness center in a nurturing and relaxing environment. Providing a full range of treatments including Sauna and Steam Therapy, energy therapies, acupuncture, Shiatsu, Thai, Swedish, medical, integrative massage, A.I.S. (Active Isolated Stretching), sports massage, deep tissue massage, yoga and counseling.
he greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it. ~Molière
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