2016-10 Natural Awakenings of Greater Hartford

H E A L T H Y

L I V I N G

H E A L T H Y

feel good • live simply • laugh more

MUSIC AS MEDICINE

It Soothes, Energizes & Heals Us

P L A N E T

FREE

Beyond an Aligned Spine

Chiropractic Helps Heal a Host of Ills

Sacred Walking

Labyrinths Open Our Heart and Mind

THROAT SOOTHERS Natural Remedies that Work

October 2016 | Greater Hartford natural Countyawakenings Edition | www.NAHRT.com 1 October 2016

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Find Your Balance Discover the Benefits Yoga Brings to Life

NEW STUDENT INTRO

Unlimited Yoga & Belly Dance Classes For 30 Days

Sign Up Today Call 860-693-9642

YogaCenterCollinsville.com/balance

Located in historic, downtown Collinsville across from LaSalle Market

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Yoga differs from many forms of exercise in that it uniquely blends mind and body for lifelong wellness. Yoga as a regular part of your life offers many physical benefits including increased flexibility and balance, improved strength and relief from joint pain. Yoga also incorporates techniques that provide increased mental focus, stress relief, lowered blood pressure and a deeper self-awareness.

10 Front Street, Collinsville, CT 06019

www.NAHRT.com

A Collinsville establishment for more than 13 years, the Yoga Center of Collinsville provides classes for both beginner and advanced students. Our beginner classes offer a supportive environment for new students to learn about yoga. All classes offer intimate class sizes taught by certified yoga teachers in our beautiful historic location with ample parking.

860-693-YOGA (9642)

info@YogaCenterCollinsville.com

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October 2016

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letterfrompublisher

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contact us Publisher Shawn Cole Publisher@NAHRT.com Managing Editor Debbie Marconi Editor@NAHRT.com Editorial and Design Alison Chabonais Gina Croteau Stephen Gray Blancet Steve Hagewood Erica Mills Julie Peterson Linda Sechrist Kathy Zygmont Advertising and Marketing 860-507-6392 Ads@NAHRT.com Customer Service Hotlines Phone: 860-507-6392 Fax: 860-357-6034 Website: www.NAHRT.com

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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.

had a solid meditation practice going and was talking with a friend about it. My friend said, “You just have to try gong meditation—it’ll be unlike anything you’ve experienced so far.” Initially I was thinking, “Nah, not for me.” I didn’t think it could make a difference in my practice. Frankly, I didn’t know what to expect. I wasn’t sure if it would be a distraction or an aid. My friend persisted and my curiosity was piqued. In the end, instead of just attending an event, I decided to host a gong meditation at the yoga studio I own.

On the day of the event, I got all the attendees settled in and took my place, lying on my double-plied yoga mat with a big bolster under my knees, covered with a blanket and an eye pillow gently helping my eyes closed.

The musicians who performed that event were the wonderful team from The Conduit Center in East Hartford. As they began the music, I remember my mind was active, working to anticipate what would happen next. What would the music be like? Would I fall asleep? I wondered whether the other students were going to like it and so on. After a few minutes in, I began the deep breathing that I use during my normal meditation and put the questions aside. As is normal when one tries to still one’s mind, new and repeating thoughts continued to enter. With each one, I politely asked it to move on out of my consciousness—“there’ll be time to work with you later” I always tell these uninvited but totally natural thoughts. And besides, the pulsating vibrations of the big planetary gongs were building and had started to pull my attention somewhere inside. I could feel the vibrations rippling through me.

After that, I don’t remember much until the music ended and Owen James of The Conduit began to gently bring us back to the room. I came “back” surprised, because it felt like we’d just started the music 15 minutes or so ago and I was wondering why they ended so quickly. It was supposed to be a 1-hour event. Well, I then learned it had in fact been an hour, and despite the slight confusion of timelapse, I remember feeling so relaxed. I hadn’t been asleep because I remembered the music, the sound of the musicians changing instruments and walking through the room and even a few of my own twitches along the way. It’s just that I went so far inward that outside time lost it’s meaning for that short while, allowing me to be deeply present with Self for longer than I had ever experienced in my other meditations.

If you’re already convinced or becoming curious about deep relaxation and turning deeply inward, check out a local sound event. If you’re still uncertain, learn more about how sound facilitates healing and relaxation in our feature article, Music is Medicine. There’s also a list of local sound healing and sound meditation events on page 16 and 17. If you’re still uncertain, I encourage you to give in to the new experience at least once and explore. As I learned, you never know where you may go.

Meditatively yours,

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.

Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soybased ink.

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contents 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.

9 6 newsbriefs 9 healthbriefs 10 globalbriefs 12 EAT REAL FOOD 1 1 actionalert See and Feel the Benefits 12 consciouseating 10 19 healingways 14 MUSIC AS MEDICINE

Music Soothes, Energizes 20 healthykids and Heals Us 22 fitbody 23 wisewords 18 PROPER NUTRITION

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by Patty Midwood

by Kathleen Barnes

24 greenliving 11 26 inspiration 26 calendar 29 classifieds 30 resourceguide

advertising & submissions HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings please contact our sales team: Ads@NAHRT.com or 860-507-6392 Our Fax is 860-357-6034 Due dates for ads: the 12th of the month prior to publication

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FOR ALLERGY RELIEF

by Patty Midwood

19 CHIROPRACTIC TO THE RESCUE

It Helps IBD, ADHD, PMS and Other Conditions

by Edward Group

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20 SORE THROAT SOOTHERS

Natural Remedies Help Kids Heal

by Kathleen Barnes

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS

22 WALKING MEDITATION

Submit articles, news items and ideas to Editor@NAHRT.com or call 860-986-6073 Due dates for editorial: the 5th of the month prior to publication

by Gina McGalliard

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Submit ALL Calendar Events on our website at www.NAHRT.com.

Due dates for the calendar: the 10th of the month prior to publication.

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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The Calming and Centering Effects of Labyrinths

23 INSIDE THE CHANT

WITH KRISHNA DAS Kirtan Music Transports Listeners to a Deeper Place

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by Robin Fillmore

24 PLANET-FRIENDLY AND PROFITABLE The Rise of Ecopreneurs

by Avery Mack

natural awakenings

October 2016

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newsbriefs

Teens and Tweens Learn Yoga and Job Opportunity Outlook Good for Massage Relaxation Skills Therapy Students

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Linda Tria, graduate of Asnuntuck Community College’s Certified Massage Therapy Program

eekday massage therapy classes start at Asnuntuck Community College on November 8. Join the Open House event on October 18 to learn more about this program toward a promising career.

As the demographics of the U.S. change, opportunities for massage therapists continue to evolve. The American Massage Therapy Association® (AMTA) eighth annual summary research on the state of the massage therapy profession indicates that trends of recent years are continuing. A detailed report focused on the meaning of the research for massage therapy schools and their students was released and discussed recently at the AMTA Massage Schools Summit in Tampa, Florida.

Based on four surveys conducted for AMTA in recent months, and data from government agencies, the research shows the following: • The primary reason most consumers sought their last massage continues to be for medical, health and wellness benefits – now 54% of consumers, up from 43%.

• As massage therapists enter the market, their opportunities for employment choice continue to grow with the increase in franchise, spa, health club, hospital and clinic positions.

• Massage therapists continue to see an increase in opportunities within health care environments as integration of massage therapy into patient care advances.

• Between 2013 and 2014, the estimated number of massage therapists grew by 5 percent to 335,887.

For more information, call 860-307-0403. See ad on page 11.

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oga Center of Collinsville announces a new schedule for GirlYoga, a program designed for teens and tweens that teaches girls essential skills for a healthy life. Yoga teacher Terry Wolfisch Cole leads the program.

In these classes, students move and unwind together while exploring skills and techniques to address and meet the unique needs of today’s young women.

Sessions will incorporate yoga poses and constructive relaxation and can also include activities and information around topics such as identifying, acknowledging and dealing with personal, social and academic stress.

These new sessions will be held in the newly renovated Yoga Center of Collinsville (YCC) on two dates.

The first is an afterschool session on Thursday, November 3, at 4:30. It will include instruction on breath work for stress reduction. The second is a two-hour candlelight session with aromatherapy and an extended fullbody guided meditation to be held on Friday, December 2, at 7 p.m.

“I am so pleased to be bringing this program back to YCC,” Terry Wolfisch Cole said. “The new space is handsdown the loveliest place I’ve ever practiced or taught in. It’s beautiful and well-equipped and I know that the girls are going to love it!”

Yoga Center of Collinsville is located at 10 Front Street in Collinsville (Canton).

For more information or to register, visit YogaCenterCollinsville.com/girls or call 860-693-9642. See ad on page 2.

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Ahimsa Yoga and Music Festival

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ake yoga classes from world class teachers, listen to great sacred music and shop for unique and inspiring merchandise. Now in its fourth year, The Ahimsa Yoga & Music Festival, held from November 4 through 6, has a dynamic new locale at Hunter Mountain ski resort, in the Catskill mountains. The festival has expanded its programming of yoga, meditation and sacred music to a full weekend this year. The festival—a collaboration with Radio Woodstock Live Events (a division of Radio Woodstock, in Woodstock, New York) offers inclusive packages for on-site lodging, locally sourced gourmet meals, music, yoga classes and workshops for all levels.

With 70 curated workshops and classes taught by more than 40 experienced and popular teachers, headline teachers include Faith Hunter, Alanna Kaivalya, Charles Matkin, Sara DiVello and Mary Dana Abbott; kirtan and sacred music recording artists Jai Uttal, Donna De Lory, Gaura Vani, will be featured throughout the weekend, as well. Ahimsa’s real spirit is in incorporating as much live music to each workshop and class as possible.

From spacious studio, one, two, and three-bedroom suites to sumptuous executive and penthouse suites, accommodations offer these great amenities: full kitchen, fireplace, daily housekeeping, concierge services, valet parking and bell service. Ahimsa also features 10 different music performances and the enormously popular Vendor Village, where participants may learn and shop for new yoga and health-related products and services.

Weekend, one-day and music only passes are available. For registration and the full teacher and music line-up, visit AhimsaYogaFestival.com. See ad on page 17.

New Center for Holistic Healing in West Hartford

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nnouncing the opening of Zen: Body + Mind Holistic Healing in West Hartford—a wellness center offering holistic healing services including reiki, acupressure, one-on-one therapeutic and prenatal yoga sessions, myofascial release and craniosacral therapy. In addition, monthly small group gatherings are offered for meditation, community reiki and healing and gentle and prenatal yoga.

Cyndi Roberts Lexi Jacobson

Owners Lexi Jacobson (reiki and acupressure) and Cyndi Roberts (one-on-one therapeutic, restorative, gentle and prenatal yoga) believe in building relationships and making meaningful connections with clients.

“The services offered encourage the natural healing ability of the body,” states Jacobsen. “When the body, mind and spirit unite, vitality, health and well-being are restored. With each session, you’ll reduce stress, relieve pain, balance emotions and facilitate personal healing and spiritual growth.”

“The space we’ve created is peaceful, soothing and intimate—you’ll never get lost in a large group. At Zen, you’ll be met wherever you are on your path to wellness—and supported with personalized attention to your needs,” adds Roberts.

The first event at Zen is a Crystal Bowl Sound Healing Meditation on Sunday, October 16, at 1 p.m. Participants will increase their level of wellness as the healing energy of pure quartz crystal singing bowls lulls them into a state of deep relaxation. It is said that as the powerful sound frequencies emit from the bowls, they penetrate the body’s physical layers for healing at the cellular level. They can also rid the body of negativity, stagnation, tension and stress. Participants are invited to enjoy the event and may sit or lie down comfortably as the singing bowls are played.

Zen: Body + Mind Holistic Healing, 91 S Main St, West Hartford. Visit zenwh.com or email Info@ZenWH.com to learn more, book your session today or attend the sound healing meditation. See ad on page 8.

Free Seminars

Whether advancing your career as a therapist/healer or working on personal self-improvement, we have a program to suit your needs. Join us for a free seminar to learn more about HFI and all we have to offer.

Wednesday Evenings 6 –7:30 pm

Where: Hartford Family Institute 17 South Highland Street West Hartford, CT 06119

Call to reserve your free seat: (860) 236-6009 www.hartfordfamilyinstitute.com/calendar/wednesdayevenings/ natural awakenings

October 2016

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newsbriefs New Yoga Teacher Training in Simsbury

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he fifth annual 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training begins at Journey of Yoga in January. The training, which is New Yoga Teachers approved by Yoga Alliance, will be offered by Maggie Knoedler Durbas, E-RYT 500, assisted by Robin Kirsche, E-RYT 200. This one-year course of in-depth study is available to dedicated students who want to become certified to teach yoga. There is also a 100-hour track available for students who simply want to deepen their practice.

Informational sessions will be offered at Journey of Yoga on Wednesday, October 19, at 7:30pm, Saturday, November 5, at 11:45am, and Saturday, December 3, at 10:30am.

Journey of Yoga, 730 Hopmeadow St, Simsbury. Registration for these sessions is available at http://bit.ly/281tPmL. Students may request a YTT application by calling the studio at 860-680-1482 or emailing maggie@journeyofyoga. com. See ad on page 25.

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Grand Opening of Re-Imagined Yoga and Wellness Center

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oga Center of Collinsville (YCC) announces the grand opening of its remodeled space on Saturday, October 22. Take advantage of one-hour yoga, meditation and belly dance classes for $5 each. (No charge for monthly unlimited members.)

A Peek Inside the Newly

“Reactions to the new space Re-Imagined Yoga Center of have been phenomenal,” states Collinsville. owner, Shawn Cole. “The space has 1800s pine floors, large windows, views of Sweetheart Mountain and blissful décor.”

The weekly group class schedule at YCC includes daily yoga, meditation on Thursdays and belly dance on Saturdays.

Several more yoga and meditation times will be added soon, as well as weekly barre classes.

There is a new student special: 30 days of unlimited group classes for $50. Other offerings at the studio include workshops on wellness and a private treatment room for reflexology, private yoga, Thai Yoga massage and therapeutic massage (new massage clients get a discount on their first session). A 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training begins in 2017.

When asked what makes YCC different, Cole says, “Our students tell me a visit to YCC is not just about the yoga class, it’s about coming to Collinsville, this historic village nestled in a river valley. Many of our students take a walk along the river trail, have coffee or a meal or visit local shops.”

Yoga Center of Collinsville, 10 Front St, Collinsville (Canton), just 30 minutes west of Hartford. For more information, call 860-6939642 or visit YogaCenterCollinsville.com. See ad on page 2.

healthbriefs Medical Errors Cause

250,000 Deaths a Year

Vitamin D3 Boosts Gut Health

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esearch from Austria’s University of Graz has found that high-dose vitamin D significantly alters the gut’s microbiome for the better. The researchers tested 16 healthy people for eight weeks, giving them a dose of 980 international units (IU) per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight. At this rate, a 150-pound person would take more than 66,000 IU per week.

The scientists took samples from the stomach, small intestines, colon and stool before and after the testing period. They also tested for bacteria species using gene sequencing and measured T-cell counts. Afterward, the subjects showed reductions in diseaseproducing bacteria and increased diversity among their gut probiotics.

The research also discovered that the high-dose vitamin D3 supplementation increased immunity in the gut.

“Vitamin D3 modulates the gut microbiome of the upper gastrointestinal tract, which might explain its positive influence on gastrointestinal diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease or bacterial infections,” the researchers explain.

new study from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine reports that preventable medical errors are killing far more people than previously thought. The research estimates that a quarter-million Americans die every year as a result of medical errors, constituting the third-leading cause of death in the U.S. This is a substantial increase from the 98,000 deaths from medical errors reported in a 1999 study from the Institute of Medicine, now the National Academy of Medicine.

Lead researcher and Professor of Surgery at Johns Hopkins Dr. Martin Makary clarifies that medical errors include mistakes by doctors, along with systemic problems related to communication breakdowns when patients are passed between departments. “It boils down to people dying from the care that they receive, rather than the disease for which they are seeking care,” he observes.

One of the problems highlighted is a lack of public reporting. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not require hospital-error reporting in deaths, which makes it difficult to accumulate related statistics. “The CDC should update reporting requirements for vital statistics so that physicians report whether there was any error that led to a preventable death,” says Makary. “We all know how common it is and how infrequently it’s openly discussed.”

Dr. Frederick van Pelt, with the healthcare consultancy Chartis Group, says that severe injuries resulting from medical errors are also often overlooked. “Some estimates would put this number at 40 times the death rate.” He indicates that this gets buried in the milieu of expected suffering and pain that care providers are daily exposed to following any surgical procedure. welcomia/Shutterstock.com

decade3d - anatomy online/Shutterstock.com

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Medicare Accepted

natural awakenings

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globalbriefs petrmalinak/Shutterstock.com

News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all.

Green Crisis

One in Five Plant Species May Face Extinction

Cherries/Shutterstock.com

A new report from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in the UK, has issued the first comprehensive assessment of plant life, the inaugural State of the World’s Plants, and found that one in five plants may be at risk of extinction due to invasive species, disease and changing landscapes.

Researchers also have determined that just 30,000 plant species have a documented use out of hundreds of thousands of known species. These are only the vascular plants that have specialized tissue for sucking up water through their systems.

Over the years, different people and agencies have identified the same plant at both different times and locations, so they may have accumulated multiple names. The Kew researchers determined that each plant in the International Plant Names Index had, on average, 2.7 different species names. By cutting out the duplicates from more than a million different names, the Kew report was able to pare down the known species to 391,000.

In the Arctic, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a doomsday bank buried in the side of a mountain, contains more than 800,000 samples representing 5,100 different crops and their relatives.

Source: Wired

Cause and Effect

Activists Will ‘Sue’ Monsanto in Mock Trial Monsanto, the U.S.-based, multinational producer of agricultural products infamous for its controversial Roundup herbicide, will be “sued” for crimes against humanity in the independent International Criminal Court, in The Hague, Netherlands, on World Food Day, October 16.

Plaintiffs include the Organic Consumers Association, International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements, Navdanya, Regeneration International, and Millions Against Monsanto, along with dozens of global food, farming and environmental justice groups.

The court, developed in 2011, will use the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to assess damages for Monsanto’s acts against humans and the environment.

The court will also attempt to reform international criminal law to include crimes against the environment, or ecocide, as a prosecutable criminal offense. It has determined that prosecuting ecocide as a criminal offense is the only way to guarantee the rights of humans to a healthy environment and the right of nature to be protected.

Source: NaturalSociety.com

We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves. ~Dalai Lama 10

Hartford County Edition

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actionalert

Massage Therapy Program

Constructive Campaigning

Meditate the Vote Supports Political Sanity

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Register Now! Classes Begin 11/8 100% Job Placement Payment Plans Available SNAP and WIOA Approved* Most Affordable Training in The State!

The Meditate the Vote – the Real Conversation segment is the brainchild of the globally broadcast America Meditating radio show (BlogTalkRadio. com/AmericaMeditating), which features prominent thought leaders sharing methods for personal development.

In the midst of the 2016 election campaign, they ask people to step up the quality of citizen debate using Meditate the Vote questions to stimulate more intelligent and inclusive discussions via a variety of social media, including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other outlets leading up to national election day on November 8.

Meditate the Vote does not endorse any candidate or political party. It’s a movement to socially engage all ages in a higher-quality and more cohesive way of working together. The Internet will be used to spread the word, with participants making videos in which they say, “I meditate the vote,” and why they do so, sharing feedback from their conversations.

A Pause for Peace app is available to access communications, meditations, videos and the America Meditating radio show. The program is also available on Blog Talk Radio, iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Aha Radio and the PlayerFM app.

Take action at AmericaMeditating.org/ events.meditatethevote.

OPEN HOUSE 10/18 *Restrictions apply

Contact the Office of Workforce Development & Continuing Education 860-307-0403 • 170 Elm Street, Enfield, CT www.Asnuntuck.edu

Men can starve from a lack of self-realization as much as they can from a lack of bread. ~Richard Wright

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consciouseating

Eat Real Food

See and Feel the Benefits

by Patty Midwood

If You Are Reading This, So Are Your Potential Customers.

Contact us today for special ad rates.

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Hartford County Edition

M

ost people probably already know that most of the food surrounding us every day is bad for health. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is not healthy. The food industry is the master of marketing, using brightly colored packages and buzzwords such as “vitamin fortified,” “low carb” or “no trans-fat” to entice people to buy “health foods.” This is an illusion meant to distract buyers from turning over the box and reading the fine print. It would be good if more people would examine those brightly colored boxes of food and ask themselves “Do I really want to fill my body with processed food-like substances scientifically designed to never rot?”

Perhaps, after examination, the answer would be “No!”

The following benefits are things that many people really want. In some

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cases, they are things that people have trying to achieve for years. Good news, real food can help!

Improved Appearance - The real “fountain of youth” lies in eating real food that nourishes every cell of the body, including skin cells to reflect a youthful glow. Wrinkled skin, dull hair, brittle nails and that “muffin top” are all related to eating processed food.

More Energy - It is all too common a belief that feeling sleepy in the later afternoon is an accepted part of living.

Most people reach for some caffeine or sugar to artificially boost their energy to get through the day. That’s not how the body was designed. Real Food = Real Energy! Fueling the body with clean, wholesome food gives natural, longlasting energy all day.

Positive Mood – Many people feel like their mood bounces up and down

day to day, perhaps even minute to minute. There is an inseparable connection between mood and food. Just as the internal organs need nutrients in order to function properly, the brain also needs proper, clean fuel to aid in regulating mood. Real food provides a steady flow of nutrients to maintain good health, and a good mood.

Better Sleep - Imagine waking up each morning feeling refreshed, invigorated and ready to start the day.

How much better would those days be? A restorative good night’s rest is an uncommon feat for most people and diet is likely to blame. When the body isn’t receiving proper quality foods it triggers the production of adrenaline and cortisol. These two hormones that have been shown to cause sleeplessness. Avoid this by eating a wide variety of real food.

Balanced Hormones - Toxic chemicals and added hormones found in processed foods and meat can wreak havoc on hormones. Severe mood swings, bouts of anger, acne, fatigue, lack of libido, weight gain and anemia are all sings of hormonal imbalances.

These issues, caused by imbalance, can occur as a direct result of a poor diet.

With a real food diet that eliminates chemicals and added hormones, the body has a chance to restore hormone balance naturally.

How Can All This Be Done?

Start by shopping for simple, whole, unprocessed and nourishing foods.

When grocery shopping, stick to the outside isles of the store and choose a variety of fresh colorful foods. Be sure to read all the labels. Seek out the help of holistic counselors or other nutrition professions to make sense of the jargon and to make the best decisions. People at any age can make these lifestyle changes toward better overall health.

Patty Midwood is a holistic health counselor and general manager at Alternative Health, a holistic health center with three locations in West Hartford, Southwick, MA and East Hampton, MA. For more information, call 860-218-2838 or visit AlternativeHealthSpas.info. See ad on page 2.

A community is

like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm. ~Henrik Ibsen

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October 2016

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Music as Medicine Music Soothes, Energizes and Heals Us

by Kathleen Barnes

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s primeval drumbeats echo across an African savannah, the rhythms circle the globe, picked up by the chants and rattles of shamans gracing Amazonian jungles and Siberian tundra. They’re repeated in Gregorian chants filling medieval cathedrals and “om” meditations sounding in Himalayan caves and yoga classes everywhere.

They gently echo in the repeated tones of mothers’ lullabies, happy hummings as we go about our day and the melodies of Mozart.

Music is the soundtrack of our lives, whether we’re aware of it or not.

It exists within, uniting and guiding us, and has helped heal body and spirit since the dawn of humanity. National Aeronautics and Space Administration scientists recently discovered that the universe itself has a song.

Pioneering Practitioners

From the soothing tones of a harp to the jarring screeches of a construction site, the stress-reducing or stress-producing properties of sound are familiar to us all.

“Stress is an underlying cause of the vast majority of all illnesses, and sound and music are effective in relieving stress and bringing stillness,” says Jonathan Goldman, an internationally recognized pioneer in harmonics and sound healing and director of the Sound Healers Association in Boulder, Colorado.

Through researching his many books, including The 7 Secrets of Sound Healing, Goldman is convinced of the 14

Hartford County Edition

profound effect sound has on the human organism. “The simple chanting of the sound ‘om,’ or ‘aum,’ in addition to instilling calmness and relaxation, causes the release of melatonin and nitric oxide. It relaxes blood vessels, releases soothing endorphins, reduces the heart rate and slows breathing,” he explains.

“Sound can change our immune function,” wrote the late Dr. Mitchell Gaynor, former director of medical oncology at New York’s Weill-Cornell Medical College for Complementary and Integrative Medicine in his book The Healing Power of Sound. “After either chanting or listening to certain forms of music, your Interleukin-1 level, an index of your immune system, goes up between 12-anda-half and 15 percent. Further, about 20 minutes after listening to meditative-type music, the immunoglobulin levels in the blood are significantly increased. Even the heart rate and blood pressure are lowered. There’s no part of your body not affected. Its effects even show up on a cellular and sub-cellular level.”

Practical Applications

Consider some of music’s scientifically validated health benefits:

Stress: Singing, whether carrying a tune or not, is a powerful way to combat stress, according to many studies. A recent joint study by German and British researchers published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience confirms that simply listening to soothing music results in significantly lower levels of the stress

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hormone cortisol. The more intense the experience is in singing or playing an instrument, the greater the stress reduction. A collaborative study by several Swedish universities showed that group singing caused participants’ heart rates to synchronize, producing relaxation effects similar to that achieved through group meditation.

Cancer: Gaynor used music to treat even advanced cancer patients for decades, considering it a “disease of disharmony.” He advocated re-harmonizing the body with sound vibrations that affect virtually every cell, especially enhancing immune function and potentially preventing cancer from spreading. Gaynor primarily used crystal bowls to produce deep relaxation and harmonize dysrhythmic cells in patients, but also confirmed the healing effects of certain vibratory tones of drumming and Tibetan metal gongs.

Several studies confirm that listening to any kind of soothing music relieves anxiety in cancer patients; a large study from Philadelphia’s Drexel University confirms that it also relieves pain, lowers blood pressure, improves breathing and minimizes nausea associated with chemotherapy.

Depression: Drumming can better counter depression than the prescription drug Prozac, according to a recent study by England’s Royal College of Music. Those that participated in a weekly drumming group experienced significantly reduced symptoms compared to a control group.

Substance Abuse: University of California, Los Angeles, scientists found that drumming was especially helpful for a group of Native Americans struggling with such issues.

Smartphone Addiction: Korean research found that music therapy is helpful in overcoming this condition.

Immune Dysfunction: The same British study of drumming’s antidepressant effects saw similar improvement in immune function, plus an anti-inflammatory response that continued for at least three months after the study period.

Neuroendocrine Disorders: Researchers at Pennsylvania’s Meadville Medical Center Mind-Body Wellness

Group found that drumming effectively helped drummers (skilled and unskilled) suffering from neuroendocrine disorders such as pituitary tumors and intestinal issues caused by disconnections between the endocrine gland and nervous systems. They further confirmed that group drumming reduced stress chemicals such as cortisol in the drummers.

Muscle Tension Dysphonia: Even tuneless humming sounds like “umhum” can have a measurable therapeutic effect on individuals that have lost their voices due to overuse.

Pain: When a group of British citizens suffering from chronic pain joined a choir, a Lancaster University study found they were better able to manage their condition for improved quality of life.

Just listening to harp music for 20 minutes decreased anxiety, lowered blood pressure and relieved pain in a group of U.S. heart surgery patients with short-term pain participating in a University of Central Florida study in Orlando.

Alzheimer’s Disease: In addition to reducing the agitation and anxiety frequently accompanying Alzheimer’s disease, researchers at Florida’s University of Miami School of Medicine found that a group of patients that participated in music therapy for four weeks experienced increased levels of the calming brain chemical melatonin.

How It Works

“Humming or singing causes longer exhalations than normal, helping to naturally eliminate toxins and acidity,” says Dr. Madan Kataria, of Mumbai, India, who has spawned 5,000 laughter clubs worldwide.

“We started experimenting with the vowel sounds and humming sound.

An early unpublished humming study I did in Denmark showed that people that hummed anything for just 10 minutes were able to reduce their systolic blood pressure by 10 to 15 points, their diastolic by four to five points and their pulse rate by 10 beats per minute.” Kataria found that people with breathing problems like asthma and emphysema experienced especially positive effects because it strengthened belly muscles used in breathing.

Kataria is also a fan of kirtan—Hindu devotional call-and-response chants often accompanied by ecstatic dancing.

“Kirtan takes away self-consciousness or

nervousness and anxiety,” he says.

Dr. Eben Alexander, who recorded his near-death experience in Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon’s Journey into the Afterlife, says the “indescribable” cosmic music he experienced has helped him come to understand the effects of specific sound frequencies on the brain. He now provides audio tools to help bring the brain to a higher state and help it match that higher and more conscious state. In his medical practice in Charlottesville, Virginia, he often employs music from a patient’s past to help them emerge from a brain injury or coma and even “reconnect pathways in a damaged brain.”

Alexander explains that binaural beats and other sound effects combine to create “brain entrainment” and also in theory, “monotonize” it to free awareness and access realms other than the physical. “It’s magical what the right type of music can do to the brain stem to free up our consciousness,” he observes.

Nature’s Healing Sounds The calming sounds of rushing water and gentle breezes are well known; science is now confirming the therapeutic effects of singing birds. Belgian researchers confirmed that bird song helps drown out the stressful effects of traffic noise, and Korean scientists found it makes people feel less crowded. A study published in the American Journal of Physiology showed that it can even help regulate participants’ circadian rhythms, contributing to restful sleep and overall wellness.

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October 2016

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In Nigeria, we say that rhythm is the soul of life, because the whole universe revolves around rhythm; when we get out of rhythm, that’s when we get into trouble. ~Babatunde Olatunji, drummer and social activist No Talent Needed

Experts agree that people without musical talent are able to experience the same benefits as virtuosos, based on their degree of engagement with music. Anyone can hum, and most research confirms that benefits are enhanced in creating music rather than merely listening to it.

Group singing has become increasingly popular, especially following the hit TV show Glee. Time magazine reported in 2013 that 32.5 million American adults sang in choirs, up about 30 percent from a decade earlier.

The choice of musical genre matters. Recent data from Montreal’s McGill University shows that types of music tend to have specific effects; for example, blues slows heart rate and calms an anxious person, rock and punk can boost energy, and reggae can help control anger.

Spirit Moves

The spiritual aspects of virtually all types of music cannot be underestimated, says Michael Hove, Ph.D., a

cognitive neuroscientist affiliated with Harvard Medical School and Fitchburg State University, in Massachusetts.

His research has primarily focused on drumming to induce altered states of consciousness that shamans from diverse cultures use to bring about physical and emotional healing. What Hove calls a “boring and super-predictable” drumbeat of 240 beats a minute induced a deep trance state within minutes in most subjects, and brain scans confirmed that it enabled them to focus intensely and block out distracting sounds within eight minutes.

This aligns with Alexander’s view that, “The sound of music is absolutely crucial in launching us into transcendental awareness. For the true, deep seeker, sound and vibration and the memory of music can serve as a powerful engine to help direct us in the spiritual realms.”

Kathleen Barnes has authored numerous natural health books, including her latest, Our Toxic World: A Survivor’s Guide. Connect at KathleenBarnes.com.

Gong

Meditation

(( find quiet • in sound ))

localevents GONG MEDITATION CONCERTS

Wednesday, October 12, 7-8:30pm Friday, October 28, 7-8:30pm Thursday, November 3, 7-8:30pm An evening of relaxed sonic bliss.

The soothing orchestration envelops a room where deep meditative states neutralize the tumultuous setting of everyday life. $25 / advance; $28 / at door The Conduit Center 1227 Burnside Ave. #1, East Hartford Register: 860-888-4314 TheConduitCenter.com/events-list

KUNDALINI YOGA AND GONGS

Sunday, October 16, 12:30-2:30pm $35 West Hartford Yoga 23 Brook St, West Hartford Register: 860-953-9642 WestHartfordYoga.com

CRYSTAL BOWL SOUND HEALING MEDITATION

Sunday, October 16, 1-2:30pm Break away from the busyness of life.

Experience deep relaxation and healing at a cellular level with the sound of pure quartz crystal singing bowls. $20

SAVE $10 on LIVE CONCERTS in OCT. at The Conduit Center when you mention this Natural Awakenings Ad Not accepted towards Thai Gong Meditation Concerts

Zen Body+Mind Holistic 91 S. Main St, West Hartford Info@ZenWH.com

FULL MOON GONG MEDITATION EXPERIENCE

Sunday, October 16, 5:30-7pm Enjoy relaxation to the full moon and the soothing vibrations of planetary gongs, ancient Himalayan singing bowls to guide you into a relaxed state for healing and rejuvenation. $30 Yoga Center of Collinsville 10 Front St, Collinsville

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www.ConduitCT.com 860-888-4314 East Hartford/Manchester

Register: 860-693-9642 YogaCenterCollinsville.com/workshop

localevents DREAM SEED: A SHAMANIC SOUND JOURNEY Monday, October 17, 7-9pm

Shamanic chanting, mantras, overtone singing, Native American songs, didgeridoos, crystal singing bowls, gongs, and other overtone-emitting instruments create an environment for deep relaxation and inward investigation. $25 / advance; $30 / at door The Conduit Center 1227 Burnside Ave. #1, East Hartford Register: 860-888-4314 TheConduitCenter.com/events-list

THAI MASSAGE GONG MEDITATION

Tuesday, October 18, 7-8:30pm Lie back, breathe, and let go of their stress and worries. A blissful combination of gongs and thai massage will relieve energetic stagnation and pain, and invite deep relaxation. $30 / advance; $35 / at door The Conduit Center 1227 Burnside Ave. #1, East Hartford Register: 860-888-4314 TheConduitCenter.com/events-list

Natural Physicians, Ready to Listen

GENTLE YOGA & SOUND Friday, October 21, 7-9pm

A blissful and revitalizing yoga experience.

The blend of supported poses, gentle yoga, guided meditation and hands-on-healing will ease your body and mind into a deep state of relaxation $35 Samadhi Yoga Studio 283 E. Center St, Manchester

AHIMSA YOGA & MUSIC FESTIVAL November 4-6 A full weekend of kirtan and sacred music and yoga. Enjoy 70 curated workshops and classes and 10 different music performances.

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natural awakenings

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Proper Nutrition for Allergy Relief

by Patty Midwood

A

n allergy is the inappropriate response by the body’s immune system to a substance that is not normally harmful. The immune system is the highly complex defense mechanism that helps combat infection. It does this by identifying “foreign bodies” and mobilizing the body’s white blood cells to fight them. In some people, the immune system wrongly identifies a nontoxic substance as an invader, and the white blood cells overreact and do more damage to the body than the invader.

Thus, the allergic response becomes a disease in itself. Common responses are asthma, eczema and hay fever.

The substances that cause allergies

are called allergens. Almost any substance can cause an allergy to someone somewhere in the world, but the most common are grass, pollen, dust, animal hair, insect bites and stings, just to name a few.

No one knows why some people are allergic to certain substances.

However, allergies do run in families. It is also believed that babies who are not breast fed are more likely to develop allergies. There may be an emotional cause to the problem as well; stress and anger, especially when the immune system is suppressed, are frequently contributing factors.

Scientists have been puzzled for

years over the apparent increase in allergies throughout industrialized nations. Many are slowly coming to the conclusion that the increase in allergies is due to the increasing levels of pollution throughout the world. Air pollution primes the immune system for any allergic reaction. Pollutants, primarily tobacco smoke, nitrogen dioxide, ozone and sulfur dioxide, rev up the body’s immunoglobulin E levels so that when an allergen hits the airways or digestive tract, the immune system is so sensitive that it explodes into an allergic reaction.

Almost everyone is allergic to some foods, chemicals or contact with a substance. Avoidance is always the best preventive measure, but is not always practical. Antihistamines do reduce the body’s response to the sensitizing substance, but they treat only the symptoms and have undesirable side effects in many people. Cortisone and similar synthetics will control allergic responses and can be life-saving, but the dangers associated with their use are so great that they should be reserved for the rare and debilitating allergies and some autoimmune diseases.

Because so many victims of allergies improve with proper nutrition, the assumption is that we are helping the adrenal glands make their own cortisone. As proof, if vitamins C, B6 and calcium are given to a victim of allergies prior to his exposure to the offending substance, he will not have an allergic response. We assume we have helped his adrenals (and other organs) produce enough cortisol (and other hormones) to interfere with the allergic reaction. Assuming that most allergies manifest because the exhausted adrenals are not producing cortisol, one should change nutritionally and consume the foods that would compensate.

Patty Midwood is a holistic health counselor and general manager at Alternative Health, a holistic health center with three locations in West Hartford, Southwick, MA and East Hampton, MA. For more information, call 860-218-2838 or visit AlternativeHealthSpas.info. See ad on page 2.

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healingways

Chiropractic to the Rescue

It Helps IBD, ADHD, PMS and Other Conditions

by Edward Group

C

hiropractic care corrects spinal alignment abnormalities as a means of treating a wide range of health problems. Addressing skeletal and muscular disorders and relieving pain are just the beginning. Research studies reported in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics and the journal of healing science Explore have found chiropractic beneficial in treating connective tissue abnormalities, infant lactose intolerance and even autism.

More than $13 billion is spent annually on chiropractic health services, making it the largest alternative health practice in the U.S. Science supports its usefulness in addressing a wide range of conditions.

Bell’s Palsy. Recovery varies among patients as chiropractors create patient-centric treatment programs designed to improve facial motion and hearing, relieve pain and address other nerve-related issues (Archives of Internal Medicine; Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics).

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). A Canadian survey of chiropractors has reported success in using spinal manipulation to relieve IBD, colitis and other bowel disorders (Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology).

Cancer. The Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine publishes numerous studies of therapies supporting cancer patients suffering the side effects of conventional treatment. The American Journal of Clinical Oncology reports that chiropractic care rates as one of the leading alternative medical treatments for pain management, among other related benefits. Chiropractic offers economical and effec-

tive strategies that may help quality of life, as discussed in Seminars in Oncology Nursing.

High Blood Pressure. While many relevant studies can’t yet generalize results, the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics documents success by chiropractors treating hypertension without the downside of medical drugs that can include the risk of stroke (University of Alabama at Birmingham).

Chronic Sinusitis. Patients with nasal and sinus passages that don’t drain properly due to physical or nerve-related causes may find relief through chiropractic care. A study cited in the same journal showed that patients experienced relief of all related symptoms after a single adjustment.

Arthritis. A study published in a journal from the the University of Virginia School of Medicine Center for the Study of Complementary and Alternative Therapies notes that arthritis patients obtaining chiropractic care enjoyed better health and quality of life than those that did not.

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). In clinical studies, combining manual spinal adjustment with soft tissue therapy has been found to relieve PMS discomfort. In one study, two groups of women were tested, switching off in receiving chiropractic adjustments or a placebo alternative. Each time, the group receiving chiropractic adjustments reported the greatest improvements (Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics).

More than $13 billion is spent annually on chiropractic health services, making it the largest alternative health practice in the U.S.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). A study published in Explore suggests that chiropractic care combined with other holistic elements such as appropriate nutrition may provide a more gentle, yet effective approach than conventional psychotropic drugs. It employed chiropractic treatment for boys 9 to 13 years old diagnosed with ADHD. Spinal manipulation with nutritional supplementation was reported to improve hyperactivity, inattentiveness, impulsiveness and behavioral, social and emotional difficulties.

Headaches. Based on recent studies, spinal manipulation has proven effective against migraines and headaches originating from the neck. Manual therapy of the spine, along with neck exercises, promotes improvement in patients with neckrelated headaches. Side effects are rare and minor (Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics).

Dr. Edward Group is CEO and co-founder of the Global Healing Center, in Houston, TX (GlobalHealingCenter.com).

He is a doctor of chiropractic trained in naturopathy, herbals and clinical nutrition; author of The Green Body Cleanse; and a diplomate of the American Board of Functional Medicine. natural awakenings

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SORE THROAT SOOTHERS

Natural Remedies Help Kids Heal

by Kathleen Barnes

T

he household is settling for the night when the 5-year-old cries out, “My throat hurts!”

“There’s no need to panic,” says Dr. Tieraona Low Dog, in Pecos, New Mexico, an integrative physician and chief medical officer of Weil Lifestyle. “It’s pretty easy to figure out if it’s strep throat, which requires antibiotics, or something you can treat at home.”

Only 10 to 20 percent of sore throats in children are caused by Streptococcus bacteria which, if not properly treated, can lead to heart damage. The first question to ask is, “What are the symptoms?” If these include sudden onset of a severe and worsening sore throat without any complaints of scratchiness; a fever of 101 degrees Fahrenheit or more; headache or stomach pain; and the lack of a stuffy nose, cough or sign of a cold—a trip to the pediatrician is essential and a course of antibiotics is necessary, says Low Dog.

The vast majority of youngsters’ sore throats, which may accompany a common cold, are caused by viruses and will heal on their own in about a week. Many natural remedies will help children feel better and relieve the pain; some cost so little they are nearly free.

Salt water gargle: “A glass of warm water with half a teaspoon of sea salt swirled into it is an old-school remedy that works well for kids at least 5 years old,” says Erika Krumbeck, a naturopathic doctor and licensed primary care physician practicing pediatrics in Missoula, Montana. She notes that a salt water gargle can also moderate the symptoms of strep until the child can see a doctor.

The Mayo Clinic Book of Home Remedies confirms that the salt water draws excess fluid from inflamed throat tissues.

It also loosens mucus and removes other irritants, including bacteria, allergens and fungi. Just make sure children don’t swallow the salt water, counsels Krumbeck.

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healthykids

Warm compresses: A warm water compress using a wet hand towel applied for 10 or 15 minutes every hour loosens mucus and is soothing. “It’s amazing how effective these familiar practices are,” says Krumbeck. “Grandma knew what she was doing.”

Lemon juice and honey: “Honey is sweet, so kids love it,” says certified nutritionist Kimberly Snyder, of New York and Los Angeles. This traditional recipe works because the honey has antibacterial properties and the lemon juice is packed with immune-boosting antioxidants.

Snyder cautions that babies younger than 12 months old should never be given honey because their immune systems cannot handle the bacterial spores sometimes present in the sweet treat.

Elderberry: The tiny purple berries of the Sambucus nigra L. plant shortens the duration of colds and flu often suffered by air travelers, according to research that includes a large Australian study. Elderberry syrup appeals to kids because it tastes delicious. Low Dog recommends keeping a bottle on hand at all times because it’s hard to know when a child will complain of a scratchy throat. “This yummy syrup is good for all ages. It’s so safe. I love it,” says Low Dog, adding, “Plus, you can always use it on whole-grain pancakes.”

Sage and Echinacea: Drinking sage tea and gargling with echinacea are old-time remedies for sore throats that now have scientific backing, says Snyder. Go for a twofer and add a little echinacea to the tea, she suggests.

A Swiss study showed that an echinacea/sage spray soothed sore throat symptoms just as well as a chlorhexidine/ lidocaine spray, which can have side effects that include more swelling and even allergic reactions; the suggested spray should not be used with children under 12.

Pairing up a dose of safe and gentle, time-tested sore throat recipes with a big hug will go far toward relieving most little ones’ suffering.

Kathleen Barnes has authored numerous natural health books, including Food Is Medicine: 101 Prescriptions from the Garden. Connect at KathleenBarnes.com.

UNSAFE DRUGS Acetaminophen, a popular ingredient in over-the-counter children’s cold medicines like Tylenol, has been linked to twice the risk of developing asthma. Immediate side effects can include rapid heart rate and convulsions.

Ephedrine, pseudophedrine and phenylephrine are popular ingredients in children’s cold medications even though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says they’re not effective.

Side effects include the possibility of unsupervised children overdosing on the sugary concoctions and can even prove fatal. In 2008, the FDA warned parents not to use any such cold medications for children under 4.

Antibiotics are not effective against the viruses that cause most colds and flu. Antibiotics kill bacteria like those associated with strep throat, not viruses. Using antibiotics for a cold can actually lead to future antibiotic resistance.

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fitbody

else,” says Anne Bull, of Veriditas, a Petaluma, California, nonprofit that supports new labyrinth designs to suit the spiritual needs of hospitals, schools and retreat centers.

The group also sponsors a worldwide directory at LabyrinthLocator.com.

WALKING MEDITATION

The Calming and Centering Effects of Labyrinths

by Gina McGalliard

While many of us like to meditate, some can’t sit still. Walking a labyrinth provides an enticing alternative.

A

n archetypal labyrinth gently leads us in a circular path inward toward a center and then back out again. Found in ancient cultures from African, Celtic and Greek to Native American, they became especially popular fixtures in Medieval European churches; one of the most renowned is in France’s Chartres Cathedral.

Depictions of labyrinths have been included in paintings, pottery, tapestries and in Hopi baskets as a sacred symbol of Mother Earth. Several American tribes saw the pattern as a medicine wheel. Celts may have regarded it as a never-ending knot or circle. While some of the oldest known labyrinths decorate cave walls in Spain, today they grace diverse locations ranging from spas and wellness centers to parks, gardens, university campuses and even prisons.

“Labyrinths can be outdoors or indoors. Permanent labyrinths may be made of stones, rocks, bricks or inlaid stones.

Temporary labyrinths can be painted on grass or made with all sorts of things for a particular purpose or appropriate to a specific cause,” explains Diane Rudebock, Ed.D., resource vice president and research chair of the Labyrinth Society, in Trumansburg, New York.

“Walking a labyrinth is useful for those that sometimes have a hard time being outwardly still and drawing themselves inward. You must move your body, and because you’re focused on the path while you’re walking it, it’s easier to drop wholly into the journey and let go of all

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Individual Approaches

A labyrinth walk typically involves three stages. The first is for releasing extraneous thoughts on the way to the center. Upon arriving in the stillness of that point, the participant opens heart and mind to receive whatever message or wisdom is intended for them. The return path is the integration phase, to make a fresh insight our own.

Participants should approach their walk in different ways: One may have a specific question or intention in mind; another may be open to whatever occurs during their meditation; yet another may repeat a meditative mantra. One might even choose to bypass the path entirely in order to sit contemplatively at its center. Unlike a maze, it’s impossible to lose our way with the circular path serving as a simple and reliable guide.

Although scientific research on labyrinth meditation has been limited to participant questionnaires, future studies may incorporate the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging technology to measure brain activity and record what individuals experience. Labyrinths located in settings like hospitals and prisons lend themselves to such research, says Rudebock.

As a Veriditas-certified labyrinth facilitator, she conducts workshops and observes, “Walks are unique to each individual and may not produce uniform or replicable results.”

At its core, the experience is about listening to our truest self, away from the cacophony of modern life. “I believe that the world needs places where our souls can be quiet,” remarks Jean Richardson, director of the Kirkridge Retreat and Study Center, in Bangor, Pennsylvania, which includes a seven-circuit labyrinth. “Retreat centers and labyrinths are places where we can listen to our inner heart, feel our inner calling and tap into our own divine nature. I think deep listening is not always valued in a world where we are rewarded for being busy and keeping our schedules full.”

Nearby Opportunities

Today, labyrinths—indoor, outdoor, natural, urban, secular and religious—are found in or near many communities.

Following the lead of California’s Golden Door Spa, in Escondido, which pioneered the use of a labyrinth in a spa setting, many spas now incorporate them in their wellness or mindfulness programs.

Labyrinthine invitations to a mindfulness practice are open to everyone. “A labyrinth can bridge all beliefs, faiths, religions and walks of life,” says Bull. “You can walk a labyrinth no matter what you believe. Benefits come in walking it with an open mind and open heart.”

Gina McGalliard is a freelance writer in San Diego, CA. Connect at GinaMcGalliard.com.

wisewords

move us from being externally oriented and reactive to being established within and quietly responsive. We come to have a wider view that life can effectively contain and envelop the different facets of ourselves and the world.

Inside the Chant with Krishna Das

Why do many consider a kirtan event a transcendent experience far beyond the music?

Kirtan Music Transports Listeners to a Deeper Place

by Robin Fillmore

How would you introduce your music?

Across the country and around the world, yoga practitioners are chanting the names of God in tongues including Sanskrit, Hindi, Punjabi and English. They’re taking kirtan music out of the temples and the yoga studios and into dance halls, universities, cathedrals and other unexpected places.

In the last decade, India’s traditional call-and-response form of chanting has been reinvented by modern devotional artists blending traditional kirtan with modern genres such as rock, rhythm and blues, hip-hop and electronica—breathing new life and devotion into yoga’s sacred chants.

Photo by Payal Kumar

I

nfluential spiritual leader Ram Dass has described Krishna Das (Jeffrey Kagel) as an example of someone whose “heartsongs” open channels to God. The Grammy-nominated kirtan artist, long considered yoga’s rock star, consistently plays to soldout crowds worldwide.

The Long Island native’s journey has gone from being a member of a popular rock band to going to India, where as a student of spiritual leader Neem Karoli Baba, the trajectory of his life and music shifted and expanded.

His 1996 debut album, One Track Heart, focused on updated chants from the ancient tradition of bhakti yoga, followed in 1998 by Pilgrim Heart, with a guest appearance by Sting. Since then, a steady stream of 14 albums and DVDs produced on his own label have provided the soundtrack for yoga classes everywhere; the soothing rhythmic chants performed in a deep, rich timbre complements instruction in the spiritual element of the exercise.

Das’ specialty, kirtan, updates an ancient tradition of devotional chanting as meditation accompanied by instruments.

A kirtan concert invites audience members to join in the experience through chanting, clapping and dancing and is characterized as a journey into the self that also connects us with each other.

There are two things: the music and where the music is carrying us. In this case, it’s the names of God, of divinity, that are real and inside us. We can call this higher sense anything we like and aim in that direction according to how we identify with it.

If we want peace in the world, then every individual needs to find peace within. We can’t create peace or happiness with anger and selfishness in our heart and mind. We can release ourselves from a limiting storyline, whatever it is, and touch a deeper place for a while. Then, when we return to our day, we are standing on slightly different ground because we have trained ourselves to let go a little bit. It’s a gradual process that takes time and effort, but it’s a joyful practice.

Do you see a shift in thinking echoing that of the 1960s that positions us to do better What does kirtan mean to you? this time?

For me, kirtan is all about the music.

The more ways I practice sustainable health, balance, love and music and immerse myself in a spiritual life, the more I realize that all issues distill down to simple facts. Everyone wants to be loved and happy, and to avoid suffering and being judged.

Looking at our lives, we start to see how we hurt ourselves and others and how what happens to us in daily life can be difficult to deal with. We recognize that we must find deep inner strength so we don’t get destroyed by the waves that come and try to toss us around.

Little by little, all of our awakening practices work to transform our life. They

In the 1960s, everyone thought they were going to change the external world, but they forgot they have to change themselves, too, and little work was done inside. Today, while most people keep trying to first rearrange the outside world, more are now doing the necessary inside work, as well.

The key is to understand what’s truly possible. If we don’t understand how we can be happy and at peace in the middle of a burning fire, we won’t recognize the tools available to create that kind of light for ourselves and others.

Robin Fillmore is the publisher of the Natural Awakenings of Washington, D.C, edition.

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Planet-Friendly and Profitable The Rise of Ecopreneurs

by Avery Mack

W

hether it’s a sideline or full time, flourishing small businesses stimulate the economy. The U.S. Small Business Association found that between 2009 and 2013, companies with fewer than 500 employees accounted for 60 percent of net new jobs. Technology allows new commercial ventures to be launched from home, yielding huge savings in startup costs. Owners have found ways to fulfill needs by leveraging their past job experiences and personal interests.

House and Garden

When the economy faltered in 2008,

Dave Marciniak, owner and lead designer at Revolutionary Gardens, in Culpeper, Virginia, offered eco-friendly services. “I focus on a few key points and design to make the outdoors a place where people want to be,” he says.

Even for urbanites, fresh garden herbs are available thanks to ecopreneurs like Andy Avramenko, who created TrendyThing, in New York City.

“The edible plants our bike messengers distribute come from local farmers,” he explains. Basil, parsley, dill, lettuce and other herbs and greens are available for all five boroughs; potted plants arrive

A smile is the light in your window that tells others that there is a caring, sharing person inside. ~Denis Waitley

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fresh weekly via subscription.

In addition to cleaning homes, Debbie Sardone, owner of Speed Cleaning, in Lewisville, Texas, saw an opportunity to manufacture her own green cleaning products. They’re part of a full-line online catalog.

Ryan Riley and his wife, Ashley Spitz, of Los Angeles, own and operate Biz Bagz, dog waste bags made in America from bio-based resins and recycled plastics. He notes the genesis of their idea: “Landfills are anaerobic, so biodegradable bags don’t get the oxygen required to break down. Compostable bags are available, but few places provide composting services. We offer a cleaner alternative.”

Another pet-inspired idea was spawned when Kevin Li, of Manhattan, New York, left his puppy home alone for the first time. He invented an app-operated remote control ball with a camera called PlayDate (Tinyurl.com/ RemoteBallApp).

Personal Care

People- and planet-friendly personal care products address other ongoing customer needs. Nitya Gulati, founder of Sugarloom Cosmetics, in Ashburn, Virginia, specializes in Americanmade, vegan, cruelty- and toxin-free nail polish. She advises, “Look for ‘five-free’ on the label, which means no formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate, toluene and allergens camphor and formaldehyde resin. Watch out for guanine, made from fish scales, found in glittery polishes. Oleic acid, a thickener, is animal fat. Vibrant reds may contain carmine, made from boiled, crushed beetles.” She warns that products tested by a third party can obscure animal testing during product development.

Amelia Swaggert and Elizabeth Ripps, co-founders of California Scrub Company, in Los Angeles, upcycle coffee grounds into a natural facial scrub. They’ve eliminated plastic at every step of production from sourcing to packaging. They’re also helping to keep the world’s oceans from becoming plastic soup by supporting the Beat the Microbead campaign.

(BeatTheMicrobead.org/en).

Maintaining a professional look while living green can be a challenge.

OneSavvyMother.com found a stylish, eco-friendly, lightweight and durable tote bag designed by Natalie Therése.

The vegan cork tote is made in Boxford, Massachusetts. Shavings from the bark of the cork oak tree grown in Portugal are transformed into ultrathin sheets to produce cork fabric; the certified organic cotton lining is produced in Korea and China in certified Global Organic Textile Standard and fair trade facilities.

Out and About Mya Zeronis saw a need for healthy food and stepped out of her comfort zone to fulfill it through her extra VEGANza Pgh restaurant and its catering arm, Lean Chef en Route, recognized by Sustainable Pittsburgh.

“We source locally, compost produce scraps, serve meat- and dairy-free menu options, practice food waste management with root-to-stem preparation and maintain energy conservation,” she says. Customers are encouraged to bike to the restaurant; there’s even a bicycle air pump and flat tire repair kit on the premises if emergencies arise.

Shared bikes are a welcome addition at colleges for budget-minded and time-strapped students. Rented by the hour or day, they’re a convenient, healthy and non-polluting way to get around campus. New York University at Buffalo students can remotely locate, rent and unlock GPS-enabled bikes.

At Williams College, in Williamstown, Massachusetts, the Purple Bike Coalition provides free use of bikes and a staffed repair station; a cargo bike helps transport larger objects.

Entrepreneurs are creative by nature; seeing a need and asking, “What if?” Eco-friendly, green-minded entrepreneurs take ideas a step farther, working to ensure the health of consumers and the planet. They succeed as they serve and inspire us all.

Connect with the freelance writer via AveryMack@mindspring.com.

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inspiration

The Secret of Sublime Living Savoring Perfect Present Moments

by Carl Greer

calendar ofevents NOTE: All Calendar events must be received by the 10th of the month prior to publication and adhere to our guidelines. Submit ALL entries at www.NAHRT.com

markyourcalendar WEEKLY TAI CHI CLASSES

CHEN STYLE WITH STAN BAKER

TUESDAYS

5-6:30pm 645 Farmington Ave, Hartford

FRIDAYS

L

ife has many sublime pleasures: watching the sun rise over the horizon and observing the changing colors of the clouds; laughing with a best friend; or simply feeling the grass, dirt or sand under bare feet. The Japanese have a term, mono no aware, for that sublime moment of perfection just before it fades. Sometimes it translates as sensitivity or awareness of impermanent things. It could, for instance, refer to the beauty of cherry blossoms in full bloom; the cherry trees will blossom again next year, but we do not always have a chance to see them again.

Everyday distractions can cause us to forget to slow down to enjoy moments.

The secret to sublime living is to pay close attention to the sweet pleasures of life, no matter how small, and savor them before they pass. There is no way to know which weather-perfect day will be the last before the season shifts. Enjoying such a fleeting, sublime moment may mean discarding the day’s plans, but the delights of life do not always come around again.

How easy it is to let the mind wander and forget to focus on the pleasure of an experience and the joys that life offers. We’re in danger of missing out on sublime living when we constantly prioritize what “has to be done” instead of that which is most

26

Hartford County Edition

valued. Soon, it may seem as if the stories of our lives are being written by someone else.

We forget our power to be our own storyteller and to mindfully engage in how we spend every hour. Dissatisfying tales can be replaced when we live according to a new story we write each day, called, “My life is an extraordinary adventure,” or “I relish being with my children,” or “I express love through sharing my music,” or “I am being true to myself, and that enables me to help others heal.”

The more we focus on what brings us happiness, revitalization, purpose or meaning, the easier it will be to upgrade priorities and discard any plot lines and events that seem scripted by someone else. We can then make a new commitment to writing and living a more satisfying story for ourselves.

We can pause to contemplate our power to be the storyteller and to always remain fully present and conscious of the sublime moments.

Carl Greer, Ph.D., Psy.D., is a practicing clinical psychologist, Jungian analyst and shamanic practitioner. He teaches at the C.G. Jung Institute of Chicago and is on staff at the Replogle Center for Counseling and Well-Being. Connect at CarlGreer.com.

www.NAHRT.com

5-6:30pm 45 So. Main St #90, West Hartford $15 860-836-1068 AcupunctureStanBaker.com

markyourcalendar IMPROVE YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM AND AVOID DISEASE FIRST THURSDAY Each Month 6-7:30pm Learn what causes poor health and how to change your lifestyle and avoid illnesses from the common cold to life threatening disease.

Free Alternative Health, Inc 625 New Park Ave, West Hartford Register: 413-569-1155

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8 The Cancer Killers Class-The Cause is the Cure – 12pm. Learn the nature of major illnesses and why preventative solutions are the same for most illnesses. Leave with our 30-day Wellness Challenge to take back your health. Free. TFC Health Foods, 230 Farmington Ave, Farmington. RSVP: 860-269-3228.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20

markyourcalendar CHAKRADANCE AWAKENING WITH ANNE STAMATAKIS

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8 4:30-6pm

Discover a deeper connection to your true authentic self. A fun, healing dance practice and moving meditation to music resonating with the chakras. $23 Sacred Rivers Yoga Center 28 Main St, E Hartford/Glastonbury line.

Pre-register: 860-808-8264 or 860-657-9545

markyourcalendar

markyourcalendar ORGANIC SPA GRAND RE-OPENING SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15 4-7pm

Join us at our renovated space for an afternoon of fun, pampering and education! Enjoy refreshments, appetizers and samples of various spa services.

Free

AUTUMN RETREAT TO HIMALAYAN INSTITUTE OCTOBER 21-23

GROWTH GROUP

EVERY OTHER THURSDAY BEGINNING OCTOBER 13

markyourcalendar

WITH DR. DORI GATTER

Ongoing Therapy Sessions $80 - group limited to 6 people Hartford Family Institute 17 South Highland St., West Hartford

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14 Community Drum Circle Mary Ertel, Facilitator – 6:30-8:30pm. Djembe drums and other hand instruments will be provided. Donations accepted.

Yoga Born 1735 Ellington Rd. South Windsor.

860-432-5678.

markyourcalendar 5 ANIMAL FROLICS QIGONG PART 2 – THE BEAR

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14 1-4pm

Strengthen bones, harmonize spleen and stomach with this 1800-year old exercise. $45.

Spirit Matters at Ravenwood 199 W Center St, Manchester, Register by 10/12: 860-742-5892

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16 Full Moon Walk – 7:30pm. Trail Wood is beautiful by moonlight. Pull yourself away from the demands of the day, slow down for a bit on our trails and listen for the denizens of the night. Free CAS members, $5 non-members. Grassland Bird Conservation Center, 218 Day Rd, Pomfret Center. 860-928-4948.

Finding Purpose Through Service – 7-8:30pm.

Looking for greater meaning or purpose? The fastest way to satisfaction is to serve. Author Robin Clare will explain how to activate your purpose. Sponsor: Alliance for Holistic Living. FREE - non-perishable food item encouraged. The Conduit Center, 1227 Burnside Ave, Ste #1, East Hartford. 860-871-5467.

markyourcalendar

A Touch of Bliss 88 Park Rd (2nd Fl), West Hartford 860-712-7313 ATouchOfBlissOrganicSpa.com

10am-12pm

Green Cleaning Workshop for Moms – 6:308:30pm. 6:30-7pm: meeting/discussion, 7:15-8:30: workshop. Calling all holistic moms. Join the Holistic Moms Network for a workshop on How to Make Green Cleaning Products for your Home. Bring an empty spray bottle. Non-members 1st meeting free, $30 annual membership. Simsbury Public Library.

For more info: hmnhartfordct@gmail.com.

CRYSTAL BOWL SOUND HEALING MEDITATION SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16

Enjoy yoga classes, learn to meditate and how to manifest your desires, eat delicious, healthy vegetarian meals, hike the beautiful trails and perhaps get a massage. $449 per person

1-2:30pm

Break away from the busyness of life.

Experience deep relaxation and healing at a cellular level with the sound of pure quartz crystal singing bowls.

Zen Body+Mind Holistic 91 S. Main St, West Hartford

Journey of Yoga 730 Hopmeadow St, Simsbury 860-680-1482 JourneyOfYoga.com

markyourcalendar

Info@ZenWH.com

THE FIVE ESSENTIAL KEYS TO HAVING IT ALL IN LIFE RETREAT OCTOBER 22

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18 Stirring Up Some Healthy Snacks with Terry Walters, Clean Food Expert! – 6:30-8pm. Join us for a demonstration with the best selling author of ‘Clean Food’, as she shares her passion for making quick, delicious and nutritious snacks. $15. Integrative Wellness & Physical Therapy, 34 Jerome Ave, Ste 305, Bloomfield. Register in advance: 860-519-1916.

markyourcalendar OPEN HOUSE MASSAGE THERAPY PROGRAM TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18

9am-5pm

Kristen Werblow, Life Coach, and Dr. Ayelet Connell, Natural Health Expert. Find clarity and balance and develop an action plan to achieve success in your career and life. $249 Guest House Retreat & Conference Center Chester Register: SuperHappyYou.com

4-6pm

Weekday Massage Therapy classes start on November 18. WOIA and SNAP scholarship available (restrictions apply).

Asnuntuck Community College 170 Elm Street, Enfield 860-307-0403 www.Asnuntuck.edu

natural awakenings

October 2016

27

ongoingevents

calendar ofevents markyourcalendar YOGA CENTER GRAND OPENING NEWLY REMODELED AND REIMAGINED SPACE

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22 8am-2pm

Explore the new studio space and enjoy a special schedule to sample a variety of yoga, belly dance and barre classes and teachers.

10-minute samples of Thai yoga massage. $5/Class (free for monthly members) Yoga Center of Collinsville 10 Front St, Collinsville Registration Required: 860-693-YOGA (9642) YogaCenterCollinsville.com

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25 Chair Yoga 6-Week Series – 4:45-5:45pm. Accessible for all bodies. We will use the chair to modify the poses while maintaining all the benefits of yoga. $13.17 per class with preregistration. Vital Life Center, 100 W Main St, Plainville, 860-479-0466.

Essential Oils 101 Workshop – 6pm. Learn how pure essential oils can greatly enhance your physical and emotional health - naturally, cost-effectively, and without dangerous side effects. Free. TFC Health Foods, 230 Farmington Ave, Farmington.

RSVP: Christine at 917-488-5788.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26 Intro to Meditation: Foundations of Practice 6-Week Series – 7:30-8:45pm. New to meditation?

This series will provide accessible techniques to help foster equanimity and objectivity that allows for internal wisdom, happiness and peace. $13.17 per class with preregistration Vital Life Center, 100 W Main St, Plainville, 860-479-0466.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28 Flow and Glow – 7:30am-9pm. Explore a different dimension of vinyasa yoga at this playful workshop.

Surround yourself with black light and energizing music. Encouraged to wear white or neon colored clothing. $30. Journey of Yoga, 730 Hopmeadow St, Simsbury. 860-680-1482.

Laughter Yoga – 6:15-7pm. breathing exercises and simulated laughing leads you to genuinely feel good led by Christine Olmstead. Donations accepted. Yoga Born 1735 Ellington Rd. South Windsor. 860-432-5678.

28

Hartford County Edition

sunday Astrology with Pat Peabody – Afternoons by appointment. See website for details. $35. Center for Progressive Therapies, 192 Hartford Rd, Manchester. 860-989-1238.

Restorative Yoga - All Levels – 9:30-10:45am.

A luxurious class with passive postures done over props for a meditative practice allowing you to surrender layers of deeply held tension. Perfect for beginner and advanced yogis. $50 for 30 days, unlimited classes new students. Yoga Center of Collinsville, 10 Front St, Collinsville. 860-693-9642.

Create Financial Freedom with Healthy Products – 4-5pm. Learn how to build a business and create financial freedom for you by distributing natural Aloe Vera nutritional supplements to help others be healthy. Free. Bristol (call for address). RSVP: 860-372-8171.

Qigong - All Levels – 5:30-6:30pm. Deep breathing and flowing movements derived from ancient Chinese healing exercises for increased balance, flexibility, muscle and bone strength, immune function, decreased pain and stiffness. $17 drop-in. Yoga Center of Collinsville, 10 Front St, Collinsville.

860-693-9642.

monday Sanctuary Power Flow – 9-10am. Our signature, power vinyasa (flow) class in a heated room. Baptiste influenced, it’s strong and challenging, a meditation in motion. No pre-registration required. $18 drop-in. 163 Albany Tpke, Ste 400, Canton. SanctuaryPowerYoga.com.

Complete Strength Class – 9:30-10:30am. Total Strength classes are the #1 priority to burn calories and build lean muscle to boost your metabolism for the long-term. $20. YES Fitness, 292 Spielman Hwy, Burlington. 860-673-4293.

Kundalini Yoga – 9:30-11am. Free. Windham Recovery Community Center, 713 Main St, Willimantic. 860-423-7088 or 860-423-9843 for more info.

Sanctuary Open Flow – 9:30-10:30am. Our signature, power vinyasa (flow) class in a heated room. Baptiste influenced, it’s strong and challenging, a meditation in motion. No pre-registration required. $18 drop-in. Sanctuary Power Yoga, 23 Franklin St, Torrington. SanctuaryPowerYoga.com.

Open Play! For Ages 10 Months to 5 Years – 10-11:15am. Join open play in our creative arts studio. Non-instructional play will include gross motor equipment like tunnels and balance beams, dress up and art projects. Donation of canned good. Imagine Studio, 97 South St, West Hartford.

ImagineStudioCT.com.

Gentle + Restorative Yoga – 10:30-11:45am. Gently held postures for joint health and nurturing. Great for any experience level. $50 for 30 days, unlimited

www.NAHRT.com

classes/new students. Yoga Center of Collinsville, 10 Front St, Collinsville. 860-693-9642.

Yoga for Girls – 4:30-5:30pm. Girls build a strong sense of self-confidence and self-awareness, in an environment of openness and non-judgment, learn the basics of yoga, and meditation techniques. $20 drop in or class pass/membership. Journey of Yoga, 730 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury. 860-680-1482.

Meditate Through the Madness – 6pm. Hosted by Torin Lee. Learn to manage the stress of life through mediation. $10. Oneida Holistic Health Center, 16 West Rd, Marlborough. To register: 860-467-6518.

Tong Ren Healing Class – 7-8pm. Dr. Ming Wu leads this class focusing on internally healing the body’s energy system by using the collective unconscious. Wu Healing Center, 45 S Main St, West Hartford. To register: 860-606-0578.

Vinyasa Yoga For Everyone – 7-8:15pm. Classic yoga postures in flowing sequence linked by breath.

Learn breathing techniques that keep you invigorated and calm in your daily life. $50 for 30 days, unlimited classes/new students. Yoga Center of Collinsville, 10 Front St, Collinsville. 860-693-9642.

tuesday Chair Massage – Treat yourself to a relaxing break.

You decide how long. $1/minute. Oneida Holistic Health Center, 16 West Rd, Marlborough. Walk-ins welcome or call for an appointment: 860-467-6518.

Morning Flow Yoga – 6-7am. Touches on all the essentials of the core standing, balancing, and seated postures. Build strength, heat and focus moving through sun salutations linked with breath and clarity. Some yoga experience recommended. $50 for 30 days, unlimited classes/new students. Yoga Center of Collinsville, 10 Front St, Collinsville.

860-693-9642.

Yoga for Healthy Backs – 10:30-11:30am. All levels are welcome in this therapeutic, gentle class that balances strength and flexibility in the lower and upper back, as well as the neck. Learn how to prevent injury and ease discomfort with yoga. $20 drop-in. Journey of Yoga, 730 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury. 860-680-1482.

Tai Chi for Kids (Ages 6-12) – 4-4:45pm. Learning the Chinese art of Tai Chi is a great way for children to relax, have fun and strengthen body and mind.

Wu Healing Center, 45 S Main St, West Hartford.

To register: 860-606-0578.

Time Saver Supper Recipe Demo at ShopRite of West Hartford – 4-6pm. Tasty, extremely quick and nutritious meal on the table in a hurry. Sample one of our many awesome fresh meal kit box recipes with the dietitian. ShopRite of West Hartford, 46 Kane St. Register: 860-233-1713.

Consortium of Unicorns – 6-7pm. This unique empowerment group will support you while you focus on reconnecting with yourself. Learn what true self worth, self-love looks and feels like. $20. The

Beyond Center, 281 Hartford Tpke, Ste 5G, Vernon.

860-899-4700.

Tai Chi with Dr. Ming Wu – 6-7pm. Learn from a Tai Chi master who has studied the art of Tai Chi for more than 40 years. Wu Healing Center, 45 S Main St, West Hartford. To register: 860-606-0578.

Turbo Kick Boxing with Mary – 7:15-8:15pm.

Extreme aerobic workout is fun and will get you in shape. Great music. Tuesdays are for beginners and Thursdays are advanced classes. $5. Center for Progressive Therapies, 192 Hartford Rd, Manchester. 860-883-9664.

Meditation as a Way of Living with Tom Dest – 7:30-8:45pm. Promoting access to intention from deep inside and heart to heart communication - soft live music. Contemplation on our eternal nature and keys to peace. $15. Center for Progressive Therapies, 192 Hartford Rd, Manchester. 413-822-8486.

wednesday Coffee with Coach – 7am. Early morning session facilitated by Torin Lee, Life Coach. Learn ways to handle stress, navigate change and make each day count. $10. Oneida Holistic Health Center, 16 West Rd, Marlborough. To register: 860-467-6518.

Gentle Yoga – 10:30-11:45am. Gently held postures for joint health and nurturing. $50 for 30 days, unlimited classes/new students. Yoga Center of Collinsville, 10 Front St, Collinsville. 860-693-9642.

Metabolic ZT – 4:30-5:30pm. Our version of a cardio workout. Monitored by individual heart rate, burn calories, get your metabolism revving, and give you the cardiovascular benefits you are looking for. $20. YES Fitness, 292 Spielman Hwy, Burlington.

860-673-4293.

Sanctuary Foundations Flow – 7-8pm. A slower, gentler flow that still incorporates many of the poses from our signature power class. No pre-registration required. $18 drop-in. 23 Franklin St, Torrington.

SanctuaryPowerYoga.com.

Free Community Yoga – 7:30-8:30pm. Experience the JOY of yoga and the satisfaction of giving. This class is taught by JOY Yoga Teacher Trainees with supervision of their teacher and is appropriate for all levels. $10 suggested donation to benefit local non-profit Simsbury ABC House. Journey of Yoga, 730 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury. 860-680-1482.

thursday

Bump Day – 10am-6pm. 60-minute prenatal massage or reflexology by Colleen Dumas, LMT and certified in prenatal care. Refreshments, raffle. $40. Oneida Holistic Health Center, 16 West Rd, Marlborough. For an appointment: 860-467-6518.

Belly Dance Classes with Elisheva – 6-7pm. Learn the ancient art of belly dance in this beginner class.

All levels and abilities warmly welcomed. $17.

Spotlight Dance, Art & Wellness, 45 S Main St, Unionville. Register: 860-967-9424.

Blended Style Yoga Classes – 6-7:15pm. Our many styles meet you where you are. Gentle sound allows tuning and awakening improving life and self. Also every weekday. See our website. $5 or $8. Center for Progressive Therapies, 192 Hartford Rd, Manchester. 860-649-9600.

Tai Chi & Meditation – 6-7pm. Instruction is focused on empowering Chi and enhancing health and healing of the mind, body and spirit. Wu Healing Center, 45 S Main St, West Hartford. To register: 860-606-0578.

Sound Bath Session – 6:30-8:30pm. 3rd Thursday of the month. Enjoy a monthly group sound bath with Karen Fox, Sister of Sound. Let singing bowls, bells, drums, chimes bathe you in angelic healing vibrations. $20 advance, $25 at door. Oneida Holistic Health Center, 16 West Rd, Marlborough.

860-467-6518.

Vinyasa Yoga For Everyone – 7-8:15pm. Classic yoga postures in flowing sequence linked by breath.

Learn breathing techniques that keep you invigorated and calm in your daily life. $50 for 30 days, unlimited classes/new students. Yoga Center of Collinsville, 10 Front St, Collinsville. 860-693-9642.

Align and Refine – 7:45-8:45pm. Moderately challenging class with props and modifications.

Emphasis on alignment to improve comfort and skill at all levels while reducing and healing injuries. $20 drop-in. Journey of Yoga, 730 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury. 860-680-1482.

friday

Chair Massage – Treat yourself to a relaxing break.

You decide how long. $1 per minute. Oneida Holistic Health Center, 16 West Rd, Marlborough. Walk-ins welcome or call for an appointment: 860-467-6518.

saturday

Complete Strength Class – 5:30-6:30am. Total Strength classes are the #1 priority to burn calories and build lean muscle to boost your metabolism for the long-term. $20. YES Fitness, 292 Spielman Hwy, Burlington. 860-673-4293.

Harvest Market & CSA at ShopRite of West Hartford! – 7am-12pm. Support your CT farmers and save some money by becoming a member of our CSA. Pick up your produce baskets anytime during the week. ShopRite of West Hartford, 46 Kane St. Register: 860-233-1713.

Move and Groove - Conscious Conditioning with Sandy Byrne – 8:45-10am. Fusing the expertise of conditioning athletes with yogic consciousness, this fun, energetic class will jump-start your metabolism and get your body feeling strong and supple. $16 drop-in, class cards available. River Rock Yoga, 274 Silas Deane Hwy, Wethersfield. 860-757-3339.

Morning Express Vinyasa Yoga – 7:45-8:45am.

Touches on all the essentials of the core standing, balancing, and seated postures. Build strength, heat and focus moving through sun salutations linked with breath and clarity. $50 for 30 days unlimited classes (new students). Yoga Center of Collinsville, 10 Front St, Collinsville. 860-693-9642.

Tai Chi and Qi Gong – 8-9am. Dr. Ming Wu is a Tai Chi and Qi Gong Master who has dedicated his life to teaching others how to live healing and healthy lives. Wu Healing Center, 45 S Main St, West Hartford. To register: 860-606-0578.

Sanctuary Power Flow – 9-10am. Our signature, power vinyasa (flow) class in a heated room. Baptiste influenced, it’s strong and challenging, a meditation in motion. No pre-registration required. $18 drop-in. 163 Albany Tpke, Ste 400, Canton. SanctuaryPowerYoga.com.

Cat Adoption Open House – 10am-4pm. Protectors of Animals. 144 Main St, East Hartford.

POAinc.org.

Natural Weight Loss Seminar – 10am-12pm.

Learn how tasty and vitamin-packed Aloe Vera drinks and supplements help you to lose and manage weight for a healthy, active life. Free. Bristol (call for address). RSVP: 860-372-8171.

Belly Dance – 10:45am-12pm. Connect spirit and body through a sensual movement workout. Fusing yoga-based warm ups, belly dance techniques, and a cool-down meditation. Beginners and drop-ins welcome. $50 for 30 days, unlimited classes/new students. Yoga Center of Collinsville, 10 Front St, Collinsville. 860-693-9642.

Core Focused Yoga – 11-11:45am. Explore how your back and front bodies support each other to create length and strength. Will help relieve low back discomfort. $20. Yoga Born, 1735 Ellington Rd, South Windsor. 860-432-5678.

classifieds BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY START A CAREER YOU CAN BE PASSIONATE ABOUT – Publish your own Natural Awakenings magazine. Home based business complete with comprehensive training and support system. New franchises are available or purchase a magazine that is currently publishing. Call 239-530-1377 or visit www.naturalawakeningsmag.com/mymagazine.

FOR RENT PART-TIME TREATMENT & CLASS ROOM IN NEW HOLISTIC CENTER – 91 S. Main St., West Hartford at Zen: Body+Mind Holistic Healing. Visit www.ZenWH.com to learn more. Email Info@ZenWH.com for information.

natural awakenings

October 2016

29

communityresourceguide Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in our community. Create your Community Resource Guide Listing online at www.NAHRT.com.

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Hartford County Edition

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NICOLE DEROSSA with our in-store Registered Dietitians

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ShopRite’s registered dietitian is your resource to answer nutrition questions, provide menu ideas and tips to help your family live healthier. Call today for help. See ad on page 13.

Log onto shoprite.com and click on the Health and Wellness section, where you can view a calendar of health events that are happening in your local area.

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YOGA

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YOGA CENTER OF COLLINSVILLE 10 Front St., Collinsville, 06019 860-693-YOGA (9642) Info@YogaCenterCollinsville.com YogaCenterCollinsville.com

Experience yoga in the vibrant surroundings of historic Collinsville. Morning / evening classes available: Beginners, Gentle, Mixed, Advanced, Yogalates, Belly Dance and yoga for Kids. Drop-ins welcome! New student special: $40 for one month of unlimited yoga classes. See ad on page 2.

YOGA – STAND UP PADDLE YOGA CENTER OF COLLINSVILLE 10 Front St., Collinsville, 06019 860-693-YOGA (9642) YogaCenterCollinsville.com/sup

Enjoy the unique experience of SUP Yoga! Bring yoga and nature together on a safe, floating yoga mat. Weekly classes all summer. See schedule online.

See ad on page 2.

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