Living a Purposeful Life

Lani Gonzales, founder of Ad Astra Awakening, helps people who want and need more than traditional therapy. Offering a guided ayahuasca program, hypnotherapy, and intuitive energy healing, Ad Astra Awakening addresses root causes.

Using her light as a beacon to help others find theirs, Gonzales was inspired to speak for those who could not speak for themselves, becoming a lawyer at 23, yet she fought a silent battle with depression, anxiety and chronic PTSD. She spent 10-plus years in counseling and poring over selfhelp books, but finally found true healing and unshakable inner peace by exploring the subconscious mind. Through sacred shamanic ayahuasca ceremonies and hypnotherapy, Gonzales healed the root cause of her emotional, mental, physical and spiritual ills.

Untethered from the trauma that once controlled her, she learned to live a life of purpose. Gonzales shares this healing journey in her book Rebirth of a Sage. Having trained with gurus, shamans and healers from around the world to cultivate her gifts as intuitive healer, and as a certified clinical and quantum healing hypnotherapist, Gonzales offers leading-edge therapies for seekers on the path.

Location: 233 3rd St. N, Ste. 202, St. Petersburg. For more information, call 727-210-5422, email Lani@AdAstraAwakening.com and/or visit AdAstraAwakening.com. See ad page 14.

Awakening Conference at First Unity Spiritual Campus April 20-23

First Unity Spiritual Campus leader Reverend Jon Scott and wife Kerri Bell Scott will be hosting their first annual Awakening Conference, Rising Into Consciousness, from April 20 to 23, at First Unity Spiritual Campus, in St. Petersburg. Attendees will have the opportunity to experience a life-changing shift through a variety of empowering activities designed to raise consciousness.

An exciting lineup of world-renowned speakers includes Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith, Dr. Carlton Pearson, Reverend Maggie Alderman, and others who have collectively changed the lives of millions. Attendees can also expect to witness empowering and inspiring international musical performances by First Unity’s Spiritual Voices and other special guests, led by Minister of Performing Arts Wanda Nero Butler.

Nutritious meals along with healthy beverages and snacks will be available, and the consciously curated Awakening Marketplace will feature a diverse selection of beautiful artisan creations as well as wonderful tools for life transformation.

Live-streamed, open to adults of all backgrounds, this conference is for those interested in exploring their spiritual journey while communing with other souls on their path.

Location: 460 46th Ave. N, St. Petersburg. Early-bird and VIP tickets available for a limited time. For more information and to purchase, visit FirstUnity.org/Awakening. See ad page 8.

Human-Grade Dog Foods Lead to Less Poop

Although human-grade foods for pets are commercially available, little research has been done on their health impacts. A 2021 study published in the Journal of Animal Science compared the fecal output of 12 dogs that ate one of three types of dog food: fresh, human-grade or extruded (kibble). The researchers found that the dogs that were fed fresh and human-grade food excreted about half as much as those that were fed classic, processed dog food. The human-grade foods were also found to be extremely digestible, and the dogs that ate them had to eat less food to maintain the same weight. There were many differences in fecal microbiota among the three diets, and the scientists stated that this was likely because of differences in ingredient source, nutrient concentrations and processing methods.

A new study conducted by researchers at Brown University has identified certain supplements that may be beneficial for heart health. The meta-analysis published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology reviewed more than 884 studies on 27 types of micronutrient supplements among 883,627 participants and found strong evidence that omega-3 fatty acid, folic acid and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) are micronutrients that reduce cardiovascular risk. Omega-3 fatty acid was found to decrease mortality from cardiovascular disease; folic acid lowered stroke risk; and CoQ10 decreased all-cause mortality. Omega-6 fatty acid, L-arginine, L-citrulline, melatonin, magnesium, vitamin D, zinc, alpha-lipoic acid, catechin, flavanol, curcumin, genistein and quercetin also showed evidence of reducing cardiovascular risk.