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Healing Sounds and Vibrations Resonance: Ancient Practice Being Rediscovered
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Kids Thrive to Rhythms of Head and Heart
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Plant-Based Choices Provide Midday Boost
September 2016 | New Haven-Middlesex | NaturalNewHaven.com natural awakenings
September 2016
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Now Accepting Applications for 2016-17. Call 860-764-9070 Today! West Granby, CT • www.tiosn.com 2
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September 2016
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letterfrompublisher “Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.” ~Victor Hugo Ah ... The Yin energy of autumn is finally here—Bring it on! We could all use some relief from the intense energy of summer, which has been a metaphor for the heated expressions of anger and fear during these past few months, between with the random acts of terror and escalating toxic rhetoric surrounding the presidential race. Whatever we focus on, we internalize energetically—and recently, doubt, fear and harsh judgment have had a ripple effect throughout our community—It is no wonder that so many of us have been feeling on edge! While fear creates an environment of separation and keeps us in our heads, music—the universal language—returns us to our heart center, where we feel loved and loving. Music connects us to our true Self and to each other. When we transform our own energy, we see the world rightly—and this, I belief, can transform our planet. Our September edition is themed Healing Music, which is very timely indeed. Music, simply put, is vibration, which opens up our heart, and can inspire, energize, empower, soothe, heal and literally transform. Every soul on this planet, whether human or beast, child or adult, benefits (on a cellular and spiritual level) from the repetition of healing sounds, ranging from conventional music to the ancient sounds and vibrations of Tibetan and quartz crystal singing bowls, gongs, drums and didgeridoos. Our editorial will share details about all of these variations of healing sound, otherwise known as—music. If you have never been to a sound healing concert, I highly recommend that treat yourself to this powerful experience. I have been to many sound healing concerts and I always feel cleansed physically, emotionally and spiritually for up to several days afterward. My take-home message to all of you this month is—Be kind to your Self and to others. Start by taking a break from the news and tune into sounds and vibrations that make your heart sing.
contact us Publisher Art Director Gail Heard 203-988-1808 Gail@naturalnewhaven.com Managing Local Editor Ariana Rawls Fine Managing National Editor S. Alison Chabonais Design and Production Gail Heard Printer TN Printing Franchise Sales 239-530-1317 To contact Natural Awakenings New Haven/Middlesex Counties: Natural Awakenings PO Box 525 North Branford, CT 06471 Phone: 203-988-1808 Gail@NaturalNewHaven.com NaturalNewHaven.com © 2016 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved. Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing.
Happy Autumn Equinox and National Yoga Month!
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 for a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business. We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.
SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions are available for $30 ( for 12 issues ). Please call 203-988-1808 with credit card information. Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soy-based ink.
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contents 6 newsbriefs 13 healthbriefs 14 globalbriefs 15 eventspotlight 16 healingways 13 18 fitbody 21 wisewords 24 healthykids 28 consciouseating 32 naturalpet 14 34 calendar 42 classifieds 44 resourceguide
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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.
16 HEALING SOUNDS
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AND VIBRATIONS
Resonance: Ancient Practice Being Rediscovered by (AurĂŠlia) Jennifer Zulli
18 THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF YOGA AND MUSIC
Powerful Separately A Transcendent Duo by Gloria Owens
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21 INSIDE THE CHANT
WITH KRISHNA DAS Kirtan Music Transports Listeners to a Deeper Place by Robin Fillmore
advertising & submissions HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 203-988-1808 or email Gail@NaturalNewHaven.com. Deadline for ads: the 10th of the month. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to Gail@NaturalNewHaven.com Deadline for editorial: the 1st of the month. CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Submit calendar events online at NaturalNewHaven.com. To revise or discontinue a calendar listing email Calendar@NaturalNewHaven.com. Deadline for calendar: the 10th of the month. REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets! Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets call 239-449-8309. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.
22 MUSIC AS MEDICINE Music Soothes, Energizes and Heals Us
by Kathleen Barnes
24 RAISING A MUSIC LOVER Kids Thrive to Rhythms of Head and Heart by Randy Kambic
26 RELAX AND UNWIND Restorative Yoga Poses Foster Healing
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by Meredith Montgomery
28 VEGAN LUNCHBOX Plant-Based Choices Provide Midday Boost by Judith Fertig
32 MUSIC TO THEIR EARS Companion Animals Soothed By Differrent Sounds by Nicole Miale
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September 2016
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newsbriefs Consider Yoga Teacher Training
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resh Yoga has an eclectic range of training offerings in the coming year. Beginning in October, Fresh Yoga 200-Hour Teacher Training with Heidi Sormaz and Melissa Hall will be offered. The goal of this training is to lay the foundation and get you comfortable in front of a room, knowing how to incorporate your own spirituality, safe basic sequencing for today’s Heidi Sormaz assisting yoga student student, and to teach you to be a dynamic interesting leader. This training will be held across nine weekends. Fresh Yoga 300/500-hour Teacher Training will take place in January 2017 with Heidi Sormaz, Cat Allen, Lillee Chandra and Josh Summers. This training is for 200-hour teachers looking to become 500-hour teachers. Goals are to learn more advanced poses, more advanced sequencing, and how to fit your spirituality and 21st century knowledge concerning anatomy and trauma into the system of yoga that you are showing up with. This training will be held across 10 extended weekends. Other trainings in 2017 include 108 Monkeys 200-Hour Service Yoga Teacher Training with Peg Oliveira, Yin Yoga Teacher Training: Level 1 Foundations Immersion with Josh Summers, and Yoga Tune-Up Integrated Embodied Anatomy Training with Lillee Chandra. For more information on these and future trainings, visit FreshYoga.com or call 203-776-9642. Location: 319 Peck St., New Haven, CT. See back cover ad.
Logging Yoga Time to Fight Childhood Cancer
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he Yoga for Childhood Cancer is being offered throughout the month of September. Do Yoga in honor of Childhood Cancer Month. The goal is to log 15,780 sessions for each kid with cancer by doing yoga anywhere and log a session to show support. Childhood Cancer Kids’ mission is to raise money for organizations committed to childhood cancer research, advocacy, and support. They provide yoga care packages, events, videos, books, audio CDs, yoga mats, and yoga teacher training to benefit children with cancer. Some of the organizations that Childhood Cancer Kids supports include Jimmy Fund, Make-a Wish, Toy Closet Program
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at Yale Pediatric Oncology, Wigs for Kids, Sunshine Kids, Hole in Wall Gang Camp and Icing Smiles. Visit ChildhoodCancerKids.org/Get-Involved.html to log your yoga sessions or visit LifeFullYoga.com for event information. Host an event or do the Childhood Cancer Awareness Ribbon Pose and share at #childhoodcancer and #awarenessribbonpose.
Step by Step Wrap Up Celebration Announce Speaker
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orld-renowned speaker Dr. Dorothy Martin-Neville, Ph.D., has been announced as the motivation/inspirational guest speaker at the Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Health & Wellness Council’s Step by Step Campaign Wrap Up Celebration on November 9. The event, hosted by the Milford Hospital, takes place from 5:30-7 p.m. ‘Dr. Dorothy’ (AskDrDorothy. com/Meet-Dr-Dorothy/) had Dr. Dorothy Martin-Neville a humble and challenging childhood. During her career growth, she has been a Catholic nun, pursued a career in social work, worked as an airline stewardess, and is the mother of two and a divorcee. She became a licensed therapist and ordained minister, founding a nationally-recognized energy medicine school. As an author, international speaker, and mentor, and through personally helping thousands of patients to live their dreams, ‘Dr. Dorothy’ shares her message with the world that we dream for a reason and that our dreams are meant to come true. The Step by Step six-week, self-walking Campaign Kick-Off is September 17 at 8:30 a.m. at the Walnut Beach Rotary Pavilion in Milford, Connecticut. Registrations for individuals and team participants is still open. Visit MilfordChamber.com for details and registration or call 203-878-0681. See ad on page 11.
Naturopathic Doctor’s Office Opens In Branford
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asmine Manning, ND, is now accepting new patients at the new Naturopathic Family Health LLC practice, located at 250 West Main Street in Branford, Connecticut. Specializing in figuring out the root cause of health problems, naturopathic doctors like Manning treat their patients using natural therapies instead of medication. Through diet changes and education, targeted nutritional supplements, herbal medicine and homeopathy, patient’s symptoms are greatly reduced or disappear altogether. Dr. Manning treats patients of all ages and conditions. She frequently sees patients for insomnia, cardiovascular
health, anxiety, digestive disorders, thyroid conditions, prenatal preparation and pregnancy support. You can also schedule a free 15-minute consultation in person or over the phone. “When you give the body what it needs, it heals itself. It’s my job to figure out what it is that each body needs,” says Manning “Witnessing a person heal and be able to enjoy their life again is such an amazing thing, I love my job!” For more information about Manning, her rates and her approach, visit DrJasmineManning.com, follow on Facebook @DrJasmineManning, email DrJasmineManning@gmail.com or call 203-315-6246.
New Hospice Volunteering Opportunities Available
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he Connecticut Hospice, Inc. is growing its volunteer force in four communities. They are now accepting volunteer applications ahead of orientation and training sessions this fall. The additional volunteer positions available to fill are at the hospice hospital in Branford and in any one of the organization’s home-care service areas of Branford, Wallingford, Shelton and Norwalk. The well-trained volunteers can provide companionship, spiritual care, music, art, massage therapy, Reiki, pet therapy, transportation and bereavement services. For more information on volunteering with The Connecticut Hospice, contact Joan Cullen at JCullen@Hospice.com or 203-315-7510.
New Haven Chapter Holistic Chamber of Commerce
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he New Haven Chapter Holistic Chamber of Commerce business education topic this month is Manage Energy, Not Time presented by Sharon See, certified holistic health and nutrition counselor. The informational session will be held during their monthly business meeting on September 8 at 6:30 p.m. at The Graduate Institute in Bethany, Connecticut. Learn strategies for creating an energetic flow to your day so you can master your energy and get more done in less time. Sharon has more than 25 years experience helping clients lose weight, have more energy and live healthier lives. The meeting is free to chamber members and interested first-time guests. The regular fee is $15. To register, visit Meetup.com/ HCC-New-Haven. The Holistic Chamber of Commerce is an expanding organization representing holistic professionals, practitioners and businesses. It is a welcoming community of like-minded individuals with the goal of helping to heal the world and the inhabitants that live within it by empowering members to build their business through business education, networking and community events. For more information, visit NewHavenHolistic.org or contact New Haven Chapter President Rosa Chyan at 203-228-1777 or NewHaven@HolisticChamberofCommerce.com. Location: The Graduate Institute, 171 Amity Rd., Bethany, CT. See ad on page 31.
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September 2016
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Hammonassett Festival Comes to Guilford
wildlife shows, demos and exhibits, storytelling and children’s activities. Watch the New England Atlatl Championship and try your hand at this ancient spear-throwing skill. Enjoy a variety of food, including authentic Native American cuisine. The Festival is presented by Friends of Hammonasset, a non-profit organization, and is sponsored in part by the Madison Foundation and the Madison Jaycees. Admission is $5 for adults with children under 12 entering for free. Free on-site parking is available. No pets or alcohol allowed at the Fairgrounds, including in the parking lots.
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here will be two days of celebration, education and entertainment when the Hammonassett Festival comes to the Guilford Fairgrounds October 1 and 2. Co-created by Dale Carson (Abenaki) and Don Rankin in 2005, the Festival’s theme is Celebrating Nature and Native America. It honors Native American culture and tradition, and celebrates the natural world. This event is moving to Guilford this year because of planned construction in Hammonasset Beach State Park. It will take place at the Fairgrounds from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Each day begins with a Native American blessing and smudging ceremony, led by Allan Saunders (Mohegan). There will be multiple performances by our featured performers, Erin Meeches (Schaghticoke) and the Native Nations Dance Troupe, and “Celtic Indian” Arvel Bird (Paiute). The troupe of Native Performers, who travel nationally and come together for specific performances, will gather in the dance circle, dressed in traditional regalia and accompanied by live singing and drumming of a Native drum group. They will share their dances and interpretations that will educate and entertain. Arvel Bird’s “Celtic Indian” brand reflects his mixedblood American Indian and Celtic heritage with violin, fiddle, Native flutes and Irish whistles. An array of vendors, exhibitors and educators, including Native American artists and craftspeople, will be on hand with beadwork and wampum jewelry, pottery, woodcarvings and gourd art, paintings, baskets and more. There will be live
For more information, visit Hammonasset.org or on Facebook at HammonasettFestival. Pre-registration is required for exhibitors and vendors through HammonassettFestival@gmail.com. Location: Guilford Fairgrounds, 111 Lovers Lane, Guilford, CT.
Take Part in New Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training
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osted by Raven’s Wing Yoga~The Nest, a Kundalini yoga teacher training course will be given by Ravi Singh and Ana Brett in Branford, Connecticut. Kundalini yoga is a powerful tool for self-growth and for dealing with stress and uncertainty. It incorporates movement, dynamic breathing techniques, meditation and the chanting of mantras. The 200-hour Kundalini yoga teacher certification is accredited by the Yoga Alliance. The training will take place
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October 21-23, November 18-20 and December 16-18 in 2016, followed by several weekends in 2017, including January 27-29, February 24-26 and March 24-26. Each weekend, the training will take place 2-7 p.m. on Fridays, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. on Saturdays and 6 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sundays. Sessions will be 75 percent experiential and 25 percent discussion. In the training, you will cultivate a teaching style and repertoire which will accommodate students in fitness mode, self healing mode, and spiritual growth mode. Finding out more about the cornerstones of yoga philosophy, learning special applications for a wide range of health concerns and life issues and understanding physical and metaphysical anatomy are several of the training’s components. Attendees will receive a 350-page training manual as part of the course. For more information and to register, visit RavensWingYoga.com. Location: 1008 Main St., Branford, CT.
Are You Experiencing Dizziness or Vertigo?
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ree 10-minute vertigo screenings will be held at Physical Therapy Services of Guilford, located in Branford, Connecticut. They will be offered on September 13 and 22 from 1-3 p.m., and September 28 from 4-5 p.m. Dizziness is a fairly common symptom that many people experience in their lifetimes. The source of one’s dizziness can be difficult to identify. Possible sources include issues with the balance centers, neck or cranium. Physical Therapy Services of Guilford’s experienced staff can help determine the likely cause of your vertigo during the screenings.
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in Fairfield, CT
2 IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
TO ASK WHEN SEEKING A PHYSICAL THERAPIST 1. Will my PT work ONLY with me during my treatment? ABSOLUTELY! At Physical Therapy Services of Guilford, we are one of the few remaining practices that spend 40 minutes, one-on-one, with YOU and ONLY YOU.
2. Will I ONLY be doing exercises during my treatment? No. Your physical therapist will be using hands-on techniques to relieve your pain and will provide you with exercises to do at home.
Physical Therapy Services of Guilford • 500 East Main Street • Branford
203-315 7727
•
PhysicalTherapyGuilford.com
Call 203-315-7727 to schedule the free screening. Location: Physical Therapy Services of Guilford, 500 East Main St., Ste. 310, Branford, CT. See ad on right.
natural awakenings
September 2016
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Power of Parents Workshop Focuses on Underage Drinking
M
others Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Connecticut and Connecticut Experiential Learning Center will be holding Power of Parents Workshop September 21 to provide parents with tips, tools and techniques for having conversations with their teens about the dangers of underage drinking. The 6:30-7:30 p.m. event will take place at Connecticut Experiential Learning Center, located at 28 School Street, Branford, Connecticut. A new MADD and Nationwide survey shows that about one-third of parents believe the ages in which to start talking with their children about alcohol are 14-18, when they are in high school. Because research shows children start weigh-
ing the pros and cons of underage drinking as early as age 8, as second and third graders in elementary school, MADD urges parents to start talking much earlier and to keep talking as those perceptions about alcohol continue to form and change through age 21. About 4,700 people die each year as a result of underage drinking, more than all other illegal drugs combined. Previous research shows that parents are the number one influence on their children’s decisions about alcohol, so MADD and Nationwide encourage parents to start ongoing conversations with their children about the dangers of underage drinking, using the Power of Parents handbook as their guide. Parents can get the free handbook at MADD.org/PowerofParents. Connecticut Experiential Learning Center is located on 28 School Street in Branford, CT. 203-433-4658. CTExperiential.org. For more information on Power of Parents Workshop, visit Facebook.com/CTExperiential.org. See ad on page 20.
Advanced Allergy Therapeutics
Deepen the Breath, Relax the Body
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he Art of Relaxation: Essential Breathwork & Yoga Nidra, led by yoga teachers, Christine Ucich and Michele Antisdel, will be held at the One World Wellness & Yoga studio on September 18 from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Ucich is trained in Taoist yoga, breathwork and meditation. Her program on essential breathwork covers the characteristics of natural breathing, the identification of any breath-holding patterns related to stress, and a focus on “breath perception” to develop one’s body-mind connection. A certified Yoga Nidra guide through the Jennifer Reis Divine Yoga Nidra Training Program, and a 200-hour certified yoga instructor, Michele Antisdel offers a program on Yoga Nidra, focusing on deep relaxation, body sensing, energy revitalization and a guided journey through the five koshas.
Both breathwork and yoga nidra have been shown to have a profound impact on health, including lowering blood pressure, strengthening the immune system and soothing the nervous system. These simple practices are accessible to most individuals of any age or physical capability. The workshop is $45 with early registration by September 13. Pre-registration is requested. For more information about the workshop, visit OneWorld-Wellness.com > events or call the studio at 203-998-5688.
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203-738-0020 35 Boston Street, Guilford
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Homeopathy: Is It For You?
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professional certified classical homeopath will be available to answer your questions and provide some guidance. On September 24 from noon-1:30 p.m., a discussion will be hosted by the newly opened Nature’s Way in Wallingford, Connecticut. Meet others who have been studying and using homeopathy and learn how this natural, non-toxic medicine helps you treat common illnesses and acute illnesses at home. A professional certified classical homeopath will be available at the free event to answer your questions and provide some guidance. Nature’s Way first opened in Stratford, Connecticut, in 1974. Since then, it has been serving the local community
Step by Step
to a
6-Week
Healthier Milford
Walking Campaign
Fostering a Healthier Community (For A Student Scholarship and Health & Wellness Programs) Title Sponsor:
Presented By:
Gold Sponsor: Silver Sponsor:
Print Media Sponsor:
as a grocer and supporter of local knowledge and expertise. The CT Alliance to Advance Homeopathy is the sponsor of this event. For more information about classical homeopathy study groups meeting in Milford and Hamden, contact ConnecticutHomeopathy@gmail.com. Location: Nature’s Way, 994 N Colony Rd., Wallingford, CT. For more information, visit NaturesWayWallingford.com or call 203-793-7499.
Goodie Bag Sponsor: American Medical Response Pedometer Sponsor: The Milford Bank Refreshment Sponsor: Costco HWC Member Sponsors: Clinical Resource Consultants, Dr. Victoria Rothenhausen, Milford Health & Rehabilitation Center, PrisCo Consulting LLC, Boys & Girls Village.
6th Annual Step by Step
Campaign
Mark your calendars! Kick Off: Saturday Sept. 17th 8:30 a.m. Walnut Beach Pavilion
Wrap Up Celebration: Wednesday Nov. 9th 5:30 – 7 p.m. hosted by The Milford Hospital Featuring inspirational guest speaker Dr. Dorothy Martin-Neville, PhD. DCEP
Salt Therapy and Wellness Center
Getting to the Core of Natural Recovery 787 Main Street South • Woodbury 203.586.1172 • www.NaturalSaltHealing.com
Registration for individuals or corporate teams go to
www.milfordct.com or call Priscilla Lynn at (203) natural awakenings
530-0103
September 2016
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2016
editorial calendar
departments
themes
healthbriefs
JANUARY detoxification
globalbriefs
plus: dance power
FEBRUARY connections
ecotips greenliving healingways healthykids consciouseating
plus: seasonal affective disorder
MARCH green planning and planting plus: healing chronic pain/illness
APRIL everyday sustainability plus: seasonal allergies
MAY women’s wellness
wisewords
plus: hormone health
fitbody
JUNE men’s health
inspiration
plus: fitness
JULY food integrity
naturalpet
plus: natural beauty
AUGUST empowering youth plus: creativity
SEPTEMBER healing music plus: yoga
OCTOBER community game changers plus: chiropractic
NOVEMBER mental wellness plus: beautyy DECEMBER uplifting humanity plus: holiday themes
Grand Opening for Woodbury Sanctuaries
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alt of the Earth Healing Sanctuary and Inspirit Healing Studio are joining forces to create a welcoming place for people to heal, learn and grow at a historic location on Main Street in Woodbury. The grand opening is the weekend of September 9-11. Members of the public are welcome to visit and meet the many practitioners, experience demos, and soak in the healing energy of the space. Salt of the Earth Healing Sanctuary, founded by Salt of the Earth Therapeutic Spa owner Sue Martovich, provides a feast for the senses, from the healing serenity of meditation and journey dance/movement classes, to facials from Celebrated Face aesthetician Ali Chellis, massages, sound healing and crystal light therapy, to a retail area packed with arts, music, photography, handmade jewelry, salt lamps and more. The centerpiece of the sanctuary is Athena Hall, an expansive space that hosts yoga, meditation, lectures, literary and interactive programs and more. The community-building space is named for the Greek goddess of reason, intelligence, the arts and literature—who was also gifted with great spiritual and physical beauty— Athena Hall is intended to be a community-building space for sharing of all kinds of wisdom and experience. Inspirit Healing Studios provides gifts and talents shared by a variety of spiritually-based healers. The tribe is led by local spiritual medium, healer and author Jeanne Street and offers many healing workshops and modalities for those seeking healing and balance. These will include Inspirit yoga and meditation for children and adults, a spiritual herbal class, intuitive art and dreamcatcher classes, medicinal food classes and more. The sanctuaries’ many experienced practitioners will be available at various points during the opening weekend. These gifted experts include, (but are not limited to): • Ali Chellis of Celebrated Face, an aesthetician and former trainer at the original Golden Door Resort in California • Meditation teacher and sound healer Cynthia Quintanal, known to many in the area for the sound healing project • Crystal Cymbology with her husband Rick, both music/ sound therapy directors at the Sanctuary • Paulo Fernandes, owner of New Life Retreats, an IIN-certified health coach, specialist in nutritional microscopy and a certified pH Miracle Center coach • Licensed massage therapist and aesthetician Kelly Bravo • Byron Eddy, who offers the Dellagrotte Core Movement Integration method—which synthesizes Feldenkrais, myofascial work and yoga/martial arts study—and holds sound healing events using the didgeridoo For more information, visit the Facebook pages for Salt of the Earth Healing Sanctuary and Inspirit Studios. Location: 346 Main St, Woodbury. See ad on page 3.
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healthbriefs
Vegan Diet Benefits Kids’ Heart Health
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esearch from the Cleveland Clinic has found that a plant-based diet could be more effective than even the American Heart Association’s recommended five-food-groups diet for reducing childhood heart disease. The research, led by Cleveland Clinic pediatrician Michael Macknin, tested 28 obese children between the ages of 9 and 18 that had high cholesterol levels. For four weeks, 14 of the children ate the American Heart Association diet, while the other half ate a vegan, plant-based diet. Children on the plant-based diet were found to have significantly lower weight, systolic blood pressure and total cholesterol numbers, and improved mid-arm circumference, body mass index and level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. They also had lower levels of insulin and two heart disease markers, myeloperoxidase and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein—all indicating improvements in their cardiovascular health. By comparison, children on the American Heart Association diet saw significantly lower weight, waist circumference, mid-arm circumference and myeloperoxidase levels, indicating enhanced immunity, but did not exhibit the other improvements. “As the number of obese children with [unhealthy] high cholesterol continues to grow, we need to have effective lifestyle modifications to help them reverse their risk factors for heart disease,” says Macknin. “Cardiovascular disease begins in childhood. If we can see such significant improvements in a four-week study, imagine the potential for improving long-term health into adulthood if a whole population of children began to eat these diets regularly.”
Black Raspberries Bolster Heart Health
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esearch from Korea University Anam Hospital, in Seoul, South Korea, has found that black raspberries significantly decrease artery stiffness and increase heart-healthy endothelial progenitor cells (EPC), which assist in repairing damaged blood vessels. The study tested 51 patients that met at least three criteria for metabolic syndrome, including waist circumference measurements, high triglycerides, low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and/or symptoms of glucose intolerance. The subjects were split into two groups; one received 750 milligrams per day of black raspberry extract for 12 weeks, while the other group received a placebo. The researchers assessed the radial artery augmentation index, a measure for blood vessel wall stiffness, and values for this measurement decreased by 5 percent in the black raspberry group. The placebo group’s levels increased by 3 percent. In addition, EPC counts increased in the black raspberry group by 19 microliters, versus a drop of 28 microliters in the placebo group. Black raspberries contain a number of heart-healthy compounds, including phenolic acids, resveratrol, flavonoids and tannins.
October Chiropractic Issue To advertise or participate in our next issue, call
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September 2016
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globalbriefs Susane Grasso REIKI MASTER
Relaxation Therapy Chakra Balancing Aura Readings
News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all.
Lying Labels
New Term Disguises High-Fructose Corn Syrup The Corn Refiners Association (CRA) has resorted to creating a new label for high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) by calling it “fructose syrup” or just “fructose” because numerous scientific studies have linked it to obesity, Type 2 diabetes and autism. HFCS is a highly processed chemical sweetener used in many processed foods, including breads, cookies, candy, condiments and soft drinks. It extends the shelf life of products and is often cheaper than sugar, the primary reasons manufacturers use it. Standard HFCS contains from 42 to 55 percent fructose. The new term is being used when foods contain HFCS-90, which has “just” 90 percent fructose. Identifying HFCS-90 as an ingredient bizarrely gives food makers a green light to use statements such as “Contains no high-fructose corn syrup” or “No HFCS” on the product label, thus misleading buyers. Bart Hoebel, a psychology professor at Princeton University, reports, “When rats are drinking high-fructose corn syrup at levels well below those in soda pop, they’re becoming obese; every single one, across the board. Even when rats are fed a high-fat diet, you don’t see this; they don’t all gain extra weight.” Source: NaturalNews.com
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One good thing about music; when it hits you, you feel no pain.
~ Bob Marley
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Kinesthetic Kids New Desks Aid Learning via Movement
Educators at Charleston County schools, in South Carolina, know that more movement and exercise makes kids better learners, even as the amount of time devoted to physical education (PE) and recess has been declining sharply in the U.S. “If you ask anyone in education if they prefer PE or class instruction, they say instruction every time,” says David Spurlock, coordinator of health, wellness and physical education for the Charleston County school district. “Yet, what we’re trying to show is that more movement equals better grades, behavior and bodies.” Charles Pinckney Elementary School, in Charleston, employs Active Brains, a program that uses 15 stations through which students rotate during the class. Each station has a unique exercise component such as a mini-basketball hoop or an exercise bike, and is focused on a different academic task such as spelling or math flashcards. This is the first classroom in the U.S. equipped with only kinesthetic desks. The program has been in operation for three years and has a waiting list of students excited to try the new approach.
photo courtesy of Moving-Minds.com
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eventspotlight
Whitney-Audubon Arts & Retail District Presents Fall Free for All — A Taste of the Arts
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rom September 19 through 25, adults and children interested in taking music, dance, drama or visual arts classes can try them out at both Neighborhood Music School (NMS) and Creative Arts Workshop (CAW), located on Audubon Street in New Haven. There’s no need to register. There are also special discounts available at participating merchants located on Audubon Street and nearby Whitney Avenue. These include Bridal Trousseau, Crepes Choupette, Clark’s Family Restaurant, Gilden’s Jewelers, Good Nature, Katahdin Furniture, Katalina’s Bakery, Kennedy & Perkins, Knit New Haven, Moe’s, Phil’s Hair & Spa, Phone ‘N Computer, Sew Crafty and Silk Road Art Gallery. Fall Free For All will feature an afternoon of performances on September 24 from noon-4 p.m. on Leeney Plaza, located in the middle of Audubon Street. These will feature music by NMS student groups such as the Premier Jazz Ensemble, Suzuki Strings and West African Drumming with Tatchol Camara. The stage will be shared by Educational Center for the Arts (ECA) student groups, showcasing their music and dance talents, and works by the ECA visual arts students will be on display as well. Inside at NMS, people can participate in classes such as dance or early childhood; there will vouchers for free introductory music lessons. At NMS’ Instrument Discovery Zone, kids can try playing real instruments, also from noon to 4 p.m. Adults who love jazz will want
to be at NMS’ 4 p.m. Spotlight event, featuring Bill Evans: Times Remembered, a documentary film screening about the legendary jazz pianist, followed by a Q&A session. CAW’s Open Enrollment offers free classes throughout Fall Free For All, and their Bi-Annual Faculty Show will be on view, with an opening reception September 24 from 2-4 p.m. with the featured artists. Exhibited works include oil, acrylic, watercolor, collage, metals, fiber, photography, pottery, printmaking, sculpture and more, all by CAW’s faculty of professional artists. CAW invites adults who want to try out their artistic skills and unwind to attend the Create + Sip happy hour/drawing class from 4-6 p.m. with instructor Judie Cavanaugh. No experience necessary for the free class. Call 203-562-4927 to register. Visit the websites of Fall Free for All partners for the most current information. These include The Arts Council of Greater New Haven (NewHavenArts.org), Neighborhood Music School (NeighborhoodMusicSchool.org), Creative Arts Workshop (CreativeArtsWorkshop.org), ACES Educational Center for the Arts (ACES.org/Schools-Programs/MagnetSchools/Educational-Center-for-the-Arts) and Town Green Special Services District (InfoNewHaven.org). Partners also include Yale University Properties. natural awakenings
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healingways
Healing Sounds and Vibrations Resonance: Ancient Practice Being Rediscovered
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by (Aurélia) Jennifer Zulli
hat do the brilliant minds of Greek mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras, Baroque composer J.S Bach, and Swiss psychiatrist and psychologist Carl Jung have in common? They share deep understanding that music and sound connect humans to the earth and beyond. Sound healing and sound and music therapy are growing increasingly popular these days as an alternative way to deal with a range of dis-eases from chronic pain to ADHD to depression and more. Sound and music is currently being welcomed as a tool to assist healing in hospitals, schools, nurseries, birthing centers, rehabilitation facilities and retirement communities around the U.S. and Europe. Tibetan and quartz crystal singing bowls, tuning forks, gongs, didgeridoos, drums, rattles and other instruments are being utilized to help patients and clients go beyond relaxation and into a place where the body and mind are receptive to balance and, ultimately, healing. “When properly mobilized, sound can specifically entrain the human organism toward the greater harmony and homeostasis that it requires to remain vibrant and to regenerate after injury or illness. The properties of sound medicine—entrainment, harmony and homeostasis— represent the rational and spiritual foundation for a new movement in the healing arts and sciences,” according to Mitchell Gaynor, M.D., the late integrative oncologist who was passionate about using sound to help heal his patients with cancer. This might be a new movement in the Western world but music and sound used as a tool for healing is deeply rooted in ancient cultures and civilizations. Schools of ancient Egypt and Greece considered healing and sound a highly
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developed sacred science. The flute and lyre were used to treat illnesses such as gout and sciatica. When illness set in, Native American shamans used their own voice in healing rituals by singing to themselves to facilitate healing. Creating light through vocal harmonics was utilized by Mayan shamans. Hindu Ayurvedic medicine and traditional Kundalini yogic practices have used the breath-chant combination to balance the energetic centers and cleanse the subtle energy body for thousands of years. In early Christianity, Gregorian chants used certain melodic and harmonic structure that helped prepare for accessing a heightened state of divine awareness and power. The common denominator in all of the ancient healing wisdoms is the knowledge and understanding that humans are beings of vibration. Everything vibrates; it is vibration that we see, hear, feel and experience on our earth journeys. When our bodies are ill, when we have chronic pain, depression and anxiety set in, it is our bodies’ way of telling us we are not in vibrational harmony. Is dis-ease a physical manifestation of stored pain, trauma, emotional blockages, or deep conditioned thoughts and beliefs that need to be brought to the surface, attended to and released? How does sound and music help to attain whole being healing? When body and mind are given the proper tools for energetic release and vibrational alignment, the body can then heal from the inside out instead of a pharmaceutical drug masking a symptom of the “root” cause.
Singing Bowls and Gongs
Use of Tibetan singing bowls can bring brainwaves from alpha to theta, which creates a deep state of relaxation, harmony and balance. Because of the multiple harmonics,
the sound can have the effect of bringing both hemispheres of the brain into synchronization. Sound can be the medium that transports a person to an elevated state of consciousness. Through journey inner clarity, peace and the healing knowledge can be attained. When the body is allowed to be in a non-resistant mode, “ease” not “dis- ease” can begin. Gongs have been used for more than 4,000 years; attending a gong bath is a powerful method for reducing stress and breaking up emotional blockages. The gong creates a profoundly relaxing ocean of sound that activates the parasympathetic nervous system to balance the over-amped, over-taxed sympathetic nervous system. “The sounds from the gong travel from the outer ear throughout the body via the vagus nerve, impacting brain waves, respiratory rates and heart rates. Sound enters the healing equation from several directions. It may alter cellular functions through energetic effects. It may entrain biological systems to function more homeostatically. It may calm the mind and therefore the body. Or it may have emotional effects, which influence neurotransmitters and neuropeptides, which, in turn, help to regulate the immune system— the healer within,” says gong master and Kundalini yoga teacher, Don Contreaux, who is in his 46th year of gong healing and teaching.
Your Own Voice
Whether you sing to yourself, chant sacred chants or tone your chakras, the ultimate sound healer can be your voice. Its resonance is as unique as your fingerprint and extraordinarily powerful while raising your vibration. It is said that while chanting, the tongue connects with meridian points on the roof of the mouth. These points are connected to areas in the brain that can result in chemical changes that bring about a more balanced psyche; strengthen the immune system; and promote mental, physical and emotional health. One of the interesting things about mantra chanting is that it works even when the chanter does not understand why. Sound healing, when practiced by caring, supportive and educated practitioners with the highest intentions, can be tools for profound healing. In the end, these sacred instruments can allow each of us to tap into the ancient wisdom within our bodies, and connect to our intuitive knowledge and higher self. They can bring us back into alignment while raising our individual and collective vibration. When emotional, spiritual and physical bodies are in accord with each other, illness fades, pain disappears, and the divine path shines bright. (Aurélia) Jennifer Zulli, MA, is an award-winning new age recording artist, composer, singer, and sound and energy healer. She is the founder and director of SOUND (A Center for Arts & Mindfulness) in Newtown. Connect with her at JenniferZulli.com or SoundCenterArts.com.
reikiprofile Reiki With Eileen Anderson Eileen Anderson, RN, CCRN, Reiki Practitioner 370 Boston Post Road, Orange, CT 203-314-5401 eilande@comcast.net ReikiwithEileenAnderson.com Practice Summary Wellness services offered: I provide Reiki which is a vibrational healing practice using light hand placements on the head, torso, back and extremities.
What first drew you to this profession? I have always been interested in a holistic approach to health care. I had the opportunity to become a Reiki Practitioner by taking a course offered by one of my co-workers who was a Reiki Master and teacher. Her goal was to establish a restful environment within the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit where we cared for patients. I have since then been offering Reiki Treatments to patients, staff, and visitors within the hospital. I give Reiki Treatments to clients, who are in good health and plan to remain that way. Credentials/Certifications: Critical Care Nurse RN 2006 Reiki 1st and 2nd degree May 2000 What should a client expect from working with you and/or your program? There is no preparation or reason to believe in anything. The client will experience and enjoy a Reiki treatment in a calm, relaxing environment. During a treatment a client could feel warmth, coolness, or tingling. Most people feel very relaxed and fall asleep. Are you planning any practice/service enhancements or changes? I will continue to host a monthly Reiki clinic in New Haven where I will give complimentary ten-minute treatments. The clinic is held the first Sunday of every month at Edge of the Woods, located on 379 Whalley Avenue in New Haven from 2pm to 5pm. What do you most want Natural Awakenings’ readers to know about you and your work? My work as a Critical Care Nurse at Yale New Haven Hospital has inspired me to take a holistic approach to health care. My goal with patients is to help restore balance physically and emotionally while promoting rest and relaxation. natural awakenings
September 2016
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fitbody
The Transformative POWER of Yoga and Music
Powerful Separately ... A Transcendent Duo by Gloria Owens
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here is no doubt that yoga and music can shift our mood. We love music that compels us to dance, sing, cry, create, workout, connect, relax or sleep. We’re hooked on downloads, playlists, concerts and customized radio services which will queue up tunes that meet our specific preferences. We are literally “touched” by music as sound enters our bodies and vibrates the eardrum, creating a unique personal, visceral and emotional experience. Yoga also works on the physical, energetic and emotional layers of our being, and invites us to notice where we are being enlivened, opened, soothed and moved. It is an ancient science of the body, mind and spirit that aims to peel away layers of stress, illusion and egoic attachments so that we can experience our true expansive nature.
The Brain Game
So what is it that’s actually happening when we immerse ourselves in our favorite piece of music or find ourselves in sweet bliss during the relaxation at the end of a yoga class? The answer lies in the magic and mystery of the nervous system and the brain, and the myriad of ways the brain 18
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can rewire itself through experience. It’s the brain’s neuroplasticity—its ability to create new neuropathways—which helps humans to grow and change. As we change our thoughts and our “vibe” in positive ways, we entrain our brains to a new level of “normal”, thus subtly and consistently changing our lives for the better. As energy beings that are actually vibrating atoms, we literally “resonate” in different ways with different music or movements. Mindful movement practices like yoga, tai chi and qigong can be effective at attuning us to the energy body, and our physical, emotional and psychological landscapes. By doing so, we can deepen our capacity to navigate life with more awareness and skill. Although the focus in yoga is on postures, alignment and transitions, the true science of yoga is much more than a fitness practice. It’s one of the most time-tested tools for transformation, helping us find places of resistance, fear, pain, patterns, judgment or illusion. “Research into the neurobiology of different types of exercise seems to demonstrate that yoga has an advantage over other types of aerobic activity, especially for emotional
stability and well-being,” cites Rachel Grazioplene in her Psychology Today article, “This is Your Brain on Yoga.” This may be because of physiological responses in our bodies when we do yoga that signal our brains to release calming chemicals. These natural chemicals include endorphins which have a positive effect on our mood and pleasure responses. Coupled with the reduction of cortisol levels, the positive effects of a yoga class can last for hours.
Busy World, Busy Mind
In an overwhelming, anxious and busy world, slow and mindful styles of yoga—such as gentle, yin, restorative and yoga nidra—are particularly helpful for shifting out of our sympathetic nervous systems and supporting the parasympathetic nervous system response. The latter is where our bodies naturally reduce pain, improve creativity and memory, and heal. When we are in the fight-or-flight response, our bodies takes blood flow away from the brain and into the periphery of the body, flooding the bloodstream with sugar, increasing the heart rate, blood pressure and respiration rate in order to prepare one for defense or flight. In this “on guard” state, our learning ability, as well as other mental functions like problem solving and reasoning, is completely blocked. Both music and meditative yoga have the power to support healthier sleep patterns by calming the nervous system, and slowing down the heartbeat and brainwave frequencies. In his New York Times article, “Relax, You’ll Be More Productive”, Tony Schwartz suggests that our adrenaline and coffee-fueled, workaholic lifestyle is actually not the best way to be creative and productive. “More and more of us find ourselves unable to juggle overwhelming demands and maintain a seemingly unsustainable pace. Paradoxically, the best way to get more done may be to spend more time doing less,” he states. Schwartz cites a growing body of multidisciplinary research showing that “strategic renewal”—including daytime workouts, short afternoon naps, longer sleep hours, daydreaming and meditation—boosts productivity, job performance and, of course, health. Taking a yoga break, dancing in our office or spending a few minutes consciously breathing would constitute the “strategic renewal” he cites.
Energy, Emotion and Devotion
And what of the more energetic, upbeat and active implications of yoga and music? The devotional repetition of sounds—such as with Kirtan yogic chanting or Kundalini Yoga—purposefully disarms our rational, intellectual brains, inviting us instead to surrender into the vast and mysterious ocean of emotion, feelings, vibrations and energy. In this way, sound creates the pathway to navigate through the layers of our physical, mental and emotional selves and leads us back to a sense of truth, bliss and oneness. This is not only the realm of ancient and new age practices. The modern day versions of the “Kirtan effect” show up in experiences like the joyous uprising of a gospel choir or the resounding call-and-response refrain at a rock concert. Our hearts swell. We connect. We sing with abandon. We sway, jump or praise with arms wide open. Interestingly, Kirtan and uplifting sacred music has grown in popularity in the past few years. Just look at the blossoming attention for artists like Krishna Das, Deva Premal and Snatam Kaur and the thrill of large high-energy communal gatherings like the Omega Institute’s Ecstatic Chant Festival, Bhakti Fest and Sat Nam Fest. Kirtan also speaks to the fact that we are indeed social and tribal beings, and that creating sound together in community is healing and necessary for us on multiple levels. Chris Coogan (CooganMusic.com), the director the Good News Gospel Choir based in Westport, sees himself as a catalyst that uses the medium of music to bring people together. “There is something basic and deeply human about coming together and singing. Harmonizing our voices becomes a metaphor for coming together as a community,” he explains. “Chanting can transform emotions into devotion, putting aside the mind to open the heart and gain access to a profound and yet very natural state of inner bliss,” says Miriam Zernis, the yogic leader of the Connecticut-based Kirtan ensemble, Sita’s Light (SitasLight.com). Certainly, it’s this promise of inner peace and bliss that compels many people to try yoga to begin with—along with the physical benefits of less tension and pain, and more agility and general relaxation. Some classical and traditional yoga practices are done without music to keep the focus on
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I am a mystIc . . . Relationship with the Divine within Courageous open heart Willing to find peace within Open to service and love Honoring masculine and feminine Christ Consciousness The Center of Light Spiritual classes and teaching Sacraments and initiation Meditation and healing www.centersoflight.org/newhaven 860-952-9781
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the body, breath and mind without distraction. Other styles, including those taught by many modern teachers, utilize music to set the tone and cadence of a class. There are also conscious dance practices like Kripalu YogaDance and Journey Dance that use music specifically to engage our energy and emotions in certain ways. The soundtrack in these types of mindful movement classes becomes a key element in evoking specific feelings, allowing us to process them through movement, rather than with the mind. Tools like music and yoga, when used with compassionate awareness, can be vehicles to help us touch undiscovered territory within ourselves.
Rhythm, Resonance and Love
“There’s always been a link between music, spirituality, and healing for me,” says Connecticut-based conscious music singer-songwriter Frannie Faith (FrannieFaith.com), whose recent album “Peaceful Places,” is a combination of guided meditations, yoga nidra and chant. “Singing is my way of healing myself and others by connecting people to their hearts. With open hearts, we are free to be in our natural state of oneness with one another, nature, and our planet, tapping into inner peace, beauty and joy,” Faith says. She notes that we don’t need to be a “singer” to receive the uplifting, prayerful and joyful energy that comes from singing. Undoubtedly, transformational music comes in many forms. For some it might be jazz, for others classical, and for others soul, rap, blues or the trance-inducing beats of electronic dance music. Employing rhythm and spoken word in his albums, videos and live events, world-class drummer and percussionist, John de Kadt (JohndeKadt.com) skillfully harnesses the power of sound to awaken the senses and expand consciousness through soundscapes, drum poetry and rhythmic scat. Healing on a cellular level is often beyond description in experiences with Grammy-nominated recording artist, sound healer and teacher, Ashana (SoundofAshana.com). She weaves together angelic vocals and the celestial sound of crystal singing bowls. “Music and sound have the capacity to transport us, lift us to a place where you remember that you are loved so that you ultimately remember you are love,” she says. Indeed, all of these clues point to what yogis call nada yoga, or the yoga of sound. Nada yoga is an extensive science of how sound affects the body and mind. It aims to harmonize the physical, energetic and spiritual channels as a path to self-realization. Neuroscientists are only just beginning to unravel the mystery of what yogis have known for centuries. Gloria Owens is a co-owner of the Bethel-based YogaSpace studio. A graphic designer, visionary artist, spiritual guide and joyful mover and shaker, Owens is also a Kripalu Yoga teacher who has been leading classes and workshops for more than two decades. Connect at yogaspace-ct.com.
wisewords
Little by little, all of our awakening practices work to transform our life. They 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
Kirtan Music Transports Listeners to a Deeper Place
Why do many consider a kirtan event a transcendent experience far beyond the music?
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
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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 sold-out 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.
What does kirtan mean to you? 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.
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 this time? 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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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 22
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Healing, Goldman is convinced of the 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
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simply listening to soothing music results in significantly lower levels of the stress 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
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 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.
No Talent Needed
Experts agree that people without musical talent are able to experience the same benefits as virtuosos, based on their de-
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.
gree 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.
natural awakenings
September 2016
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(203) 736-1053 AnsoniaNatureCenter.org
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New Haven / Middlesex
healthykids
Raising a Music Lover Kids Thrive to Rhythms of Head and Heart by Randy Kambic
A
resounding chorus of research shows that the traditional three R’s of essential early education should also encompass an M for music. Playing instruments prior to and during school years can put children on a tuneful path to lifelong benefits.
Helpful Resources
A 2015 study by the National Association for Music Education (nafme.org) shows that youngsters harboring an early appreciation for music tend to have larger vocabularies and more advanced reading skills than their peers. The research also revealed that schools with music programs have an estimated 90.2 percent graduation rate and 93.9 percent attendance rate compared to others averaging 72.9 and 84.9 percent, respectively. A recent study by the Children’s Music Workshop (ChildrensMusic Workshop.com), which provides instructional programming for more than 25 Los Angeles-area public and private schools, cites a host of additional benefits. These highlight music education’s role in developing the part of the brain that processes language; improving
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spatial intelligence; thinking creatively; gaining empathy for people of other cultures; encouraging self-expression and teamwork through playing as a group; and achieving higher grades both in high school and on standardized tests. Higher institutes of learning are equally involved. Boston’s Berklee College of Music (Berklee.edu) offers majors in making it as a music professional, performance music and music therapy, plus postgraduate degrees. Its annual five-week summer performance program in “Beantown” furthers the skills of 1,000 U.S. and international children 12 years old and up. In addition to musical skills, “We see improvement in young people’s confidence and persona,” says Oisin McAuley, director of summer programs. “It’s a truly formative experience.” In addition, The Berklee City Music online program serves high schools nationwide, assisted by alumni in some cities. It also awards scholarships for participation in the summer performance activities in Boston. The nonprofit Young Americans (YoungAmericans.org) organization, launched in 1992, operates its own college of performing arts in Corona, California, that fosters artistic, intellectual
and personal growth for those working toward becoming performers or arts educators. Its International Music Outreach Tours have brought workshops to K through 12th grade students in nearly all 50 American states and 15 countries in Europe and Asia.
Starting Out
“Don’t force children to play music. It’s better when they want to do it on their own. Having instruments around the house can make it easier,” suggests Dayna Martin, a life coach and author of Radical Unschooling: A Revolution Has Begun, near North Conway, New Hampshire. Learning music can also decrease math phobia, similar to the way in which children that love to cook and follow recipes learn math, she points out, because math and music are undeniably interconnected. As part of a self-taught passion for medieval history, her 17-year-old son Devin is building a replica of a Vikingera log house on the family’s property and has made several stringed instruments steeped in the historical period using mathematical principles. “When children apply math to further their interest in music, it makes more sense to them than when it’s some problems in a workbook, and they pick it up more readily, which instills a lifelong appreciation of mathematics as an essential tool,” she observes. Jamie Blumenthal, a boardcertified music therapist and owner of Family Music Therapy Connection:
North Bay Music Therapy Services (NorthBayMusicTherapy.com), in Santa Rosa, California, works predominantly with special needs children. “Autistic children love music, and playing wind instruments like flutes and whistles helps work the muscles around the mouth, assisting with speech development,” she says. Singing, keyboards and percussion instruments are other tools she uses. “Many parents want their child to become accustomed to social settings. Because their child loves music, they’ll often seek a group music forum,” notes Blumenthal. Family Music Time (FamilyMusic Time.com), in Fort Myers, Florida, is one of 2,500 affiliated centers nationwide and in 40 countries that follows music CDs provided by Princeton, New Jersey-based Music Together (MusicTogether.com). Drumming and singing sessions with parents and children up to 5 years old help them gain a music appetite and early group music-making experience, according to Director LouAnne Dunfee. At her studio, local professional musicians also conduct private lessons in piano, guitar and trumpet for children ages 6 and up. Children playing instruments can mean much more than just music to our ears.
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Randy Kambic is a freelance writer and editor based in Estero, FL, and regular contributor to Natural Awakenings.
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Relax and Unwind
New Haven / Middlesex
n classical yoga, teachers often sequence instruction toward reaching a pinnacle pose such as an inversion or arm balance. In restorative yoga, the peak pose is savasana—in which the practitioner fully relaxes while resting flat on their back. Leeann Carey, author of Restorative Yoga Therapy: The Yapana Way to Self-Care and Well-Being, explains, “This passive asana practice turns down the branch of the nervous system that keeps us in fight-or-flight mode and turns up the system allowing us to rest and digest. It feels like a massage for the nervous system and encourages self-inquiry, reflection and change, rather than perfection.” The physical, mental and spiritual benefits are similar to those of active yoga, but because poses are held longer and supported by props such as bolsters, blankets, belts and blocks, “There’s no stress on the tissue and joints. Each pose gifts us with longerlasting benefits, including more time for the mind to unwind,” advises Carey. “Restorative yoga allows both muscles and the brain to recover from fatigue, so we are stronger, sharper and better able to act in the world afterward,” explains Roger Cole, Ph.D., a certified Iyengar yoga teacher in Del Mar, California, and a research scientist studying
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the physiology of relaxation, sleep and biological rhythms. He attests that it also serves as preparation for pranayama (mindful yoga breathing) and meditation, which require a clear, well-rested, focused mind. Perfect for beginners and used by longtime practitioners to complement other yoga styles, restorative poses are designed to accurately realign and reshape the body. They also can be therapeutically tailored to support natural healing for issues related to tension, premenstrual syndrome, weak immune functioning, back pain, pregnancy and recovery for athletes. “Poses for healing may require targeted gentle stretching, but prop use will coax the body into desired positions without requiring muscular effort,” says Cole. An early student of B.K.S. Iyengar and familiar with props, San Francisco resident and co-founder of Yoga Journal magazine Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D., found herself leading her first class comprised entirely of supported poses during a power blackout at a 1980 workshop. “I didn’t want people walking around in the dark, so I improvised a restorative class and everyone loved it,” she recalls. She revisited the idea several years later when she personally
felt the need for physical, emotional and spiritual restoration. For a year, 90 percent of her practice was supported poses, and the switch helped her so much that it inspired her first book, Relax and Renew: Restful Yoga for Stressful Times. She’s since written more books and trained teachers in restorative yoga around the world. As in classical yoga, a restorative sequence should be balanced with asanas (positions) from all pose classifications—backbends, twists, inversions and forward bends. It takes time for the body to comfortably settle deeply into a pose—as long as 15 minutes— therefore, a 90-minute restorative class may include only a handful of asanas. Lasater says, “Most people don’t need more of anything from the culture in which we live. They need much more to learn to be still and at ease.” In today’s yoga world, which seems to emphasize power and action, “Restorative yoga has become imperative to balance activity and ambition with stillness and being,” she continues. Lasater notes that while many classes are reducing savasana to as little as three minutes, students need 20 minutes. Carey clarifies that because this approach focuses on opening and letting go, rather than striving for the biggest stretch, “Sensation-seeking yogis may need to shift their perspective. The biggest challenge is often quieting the mind while the body is still. When a student is uncomfortable because the mind is screaming, it helps to compare it to having tight hamstrings in an active class. We’re not chasing relaxation; just breathe, feel and watch,” she says. “Eventually, everything will let go.” “The more our mind rebels against relaxing, the more we need it,” observes Lasater. Students often turn to yoga as a strategy for feeling whole, and she suggests that one of the best ways to find clarity within is to listen in stillness, one savasana at a time. “It’s a gift to ourself, our family and the world,” she adds. “When we feel rested, we’re more compassionate and ready to serve the greater good.” Meredith Montgomery, a registered yoga teacher, publishes Natural Awakenings of Gulf Coast Alabama/Mississippi (HealthyLivingHealthyPlanet.com).
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September 2016
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VEGAN LUNCHBOX Plant-Based Choices Provide Midday Boost by Judith Fertig
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New Haven / Middlesex
e all have good intentions to eat more fruits and vegetables, and it’s easier if we start with just one plant-based meal a day— lunch. Natural Awakenings has enlisted the help of vegan lunchbox experts to help us all enjoy easy-to-make and colorful feasts good for home, office, school and on the road. “Vegan food offers so much variety, especially at lunch,” says Johanna Sophia, of Pine Plains, New York, who recently hosted the online series The Raw Lunchbox Summit. “A vegan lunch gives an extra boost in the middle of the day for more brain power, clarity and energy.” She and her two children operate Johanna’s Raw Foods, which makes vegan fast food such as veggie burger bites and carrot crackers, available at health food stores. Laura Theodore, the vegan chef and recording artist who presents The Jazzy Vegetarian PBS television program, lives and works in the New York City area. After a childhood dominated by bologna sandwiches for lunch, she
gradually changed to vegan dishes. “I began to notice a difference when I ate mostly plants,” she says. “I could do more and think better.” Theodore favors colorful and delicious vegan foods that travel well in a lunchbox with a cold pack, so she can take them to rehearsals or wherever else she goes. She creates her zucchini fettuccine with a vegetable slicer and loves to end a meal with something naturally sweet, like her maple-raisindate truffles. Such experimenting in the kitchen led to her newest cookbook, Vegan-Ease: An Easy Guide to Enjoying a Plant-Based Diet. Brandi Rollins, Ph.D., a researcher at Penn State, in State College, Pennsylvania, found that switching her lunch habits to plant-based dishes made her feel better. The author of Raw Foods on a Budget determined that one of her favorites is a quick raw vegan pizza. She first marinates ingredients for 20 minutes: three medium mushrooms, thinly sliced, with oneand-a-half tablespoons of balsamic
Natural Awakenings recommends using organic and non-GMO (genetically modified) ingredients whenever possible. NaturalNewHaven.com
Judith Fertig writes award-winning cookbooks and foodie fiction from Overland Park, KS. Connect at JudithFertig.com.
VEGAN ONCE A DAY Pack a Plant-Based Lunch
more chili powder to taste for a festive presentation. Recipe by Laura Theodore, Vegan-Ease: An Easy Guide to Enjoying a PlantBased Diet Photo by David Kaplan
Lots of Garlic Hummus
photo by Warren Jefferson
vinegar, one tablespoon of olive oil, one minced clove of garlic and a big pinch of Italian herb seasoning. Then she spreads half of a mashed avocado on a four-by-four-inch flax cracker and tops it with the marinated mushrooms, plus chopped tomato, peppers or other favorite options. Rollins advises, “You can pack all of the components individually, and then assemble the pizza at work.” Health Foods Chef Catherine Blake, in Maui, Hawaii, studied with renowned plant-based nutritional scientist T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. She urges her culinary students to ask, “What can I do to sparkle a little bit more tomorrow?” The author of Healthy Recipes for Friends, answers the question in her online presentation, Cooking for Brain Power, at Tinyurl.com/ChefBlakeBrainPower. Blake’s favorite brain-power luncheon booster is a wrap with antioxidant-rich fillings, accompanied by homemade almond milk, sunflower seeds or walnuts for vitamin E and some favorite blue berries or purple grapes. She makes fresh almond milk by grinding raw almonds in a nut grinder, and then adding them plus an equal amount of filtered water to a high-speed blender. After processing and straining out the solids, the resulting nut milk is perfect for smoothies. Changing our diets one meal at a time gives us an opportunity to see if we can feel the difference, as our vegan lunchbox experts have, while we ramp up our taste for healthier eating.
Yields: 4 servings Accented with the tangy taste of fresh lemon juice and a bit of heat from the chili powder, this is an easy, readymade sandwich spread for a lunchbox. 1 cup chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp filtered or spring water, plus more as needed 5 cloves garlic, chopped 2 Tbsp sesame tahini 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice ½ tsp chili powder, plus more for garnish ¼ tsp sea salt
Zucchini Fettuccine with Fresh Tomato Salsa Yields: 4 servings This raw side dish is low in calories, a breeze to prepare and cool fare on a hot summer day. The zucchini strips look and taste a lot like fresh pasta.
Place all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Add a bit more water if needed to achieve desired consistency.
2 medium zucchini 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped 10 to 14 leaves fresh basil, minced 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 /8 to ¼ tsp sea salt Freshly ground pepper to taste
Transfer the hummus to a decorated bowl and sprinkle the top with a pinch
Shave the zucchini lengthwise with a vegetable peeler to make the “noodles”.
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Put them in a large bowl and add the tomatoes, basil, oil and garlic. Toss gently until thoroughly combined.
Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, truffles will keep up to three days.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Recipe by Laura Theodore, Vegan-Ease: An Easy Guide to Enjoying a PlantBased Diet
Recipe by Laura Theodore, The Jazzy Vegetarian
Perfect Purple Smoothie
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New Haven / Middlesex
Maple-Raisin-Date Truffles Yields: 10 to 12 truffles These truffles make an inviting healthy dessert or snack to satisfy a sweet tooth. They’ll impress guests at any dinner party. 9 large Medjool dates, pitted 1 /8 cup raisins ¼ cup raw shredded unsweetened dried coconut 1 Tbsp maple syrup 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Homemade almond milk is the base and cayenne powder gives it a spicy punch that intensifies the rest of the flavors. Drink one serving for lunch and chill the other for a fast and easy mid-afternoon reviver. 12 oz acai juice 6 oz almond milk 1 Tbsp soy creamer 1 cup fresh or frozen wild blueberries 1 frozen banana ½ cup fresh or frozen raspberries 1 Tbsp whole ground flaxseed meal (blueberry variety if available; try Trader Joe’s) 1 cup coconut water ice cubes 1 Tbsp macro greens or other vegan, non-GMO greens powder ½ tsp apple cider vinegar 1 to 3 dashes cayenne powder Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Store in two insulated cups and keep chilled until ready to serve.
Line a small baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper. Place the dates, raisins, coconut and maple syrup in a high-performance blender and process to the consistency of soft dough. Transfer the date mixture to a medium-sized bowl. Using a cookie scoop, spoon out a heaping tablespoon of the date mixture and roll it into a ball. Continue until all the dough is in balls. Put the cocoa powder in a small bowl. Roll the truffles in the cocoa until coated and place on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate 1 hour.
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Photo by Stephen Blancett
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Photo by David Kaplan
Yields: 2 servings
natural awakenings
September 2016
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naturalpet
Music To Their Ears
Companion Animals Soothed by Different Sounds by Nicole Miale
F
or decades, many well-meaning pet owners have turned on radios, televisions and other devices to provide background noise when an animal was to be left alone for long periods of time. The usual motivating factor was concern for the animal and the belief that voices, music and other auditory input would be soothing or comforting to the pets when their humans couldn’t be with them. Ground-breaking research into animal responses to sound has shown this to be an area where humans imposed their own needs onto animals; what is soothing or comforting to us is not the same for our furred and feathered friends. That same research is offering alternatives, designed to appeal to and meet the distinct auditory needs of various species. 32
New Haven / Middlesex
“We are learning how complex animals truly are,” explains Janet Marlow, sound behaviorist, internationally known composer and founder of Washington Depot-based Pet Acoustics Inc. Because animals’ hearing is so acute, it is their most important sense and has the most profound effect on a pet’s life experience, Marlow says. She was awakened to this connection when her cat Osborn was dying in the ICU of the veterinary hospital; she went every day to sing to him. “The experience of being with Osborn changed the direction of my life passion toward the understanding of how animals hear and why music has such a profound effect,” she says.
Sound as a Stress Trigger
Dogs, cats and horses hear frequency ranges both much higher and much
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lower than humans are capable of hearing. This is not news; it has been known for some time. What is new, however, is the understanding about how the sounds they hear impact the animals. Humans have aural perspective, meaning we hear in a 360-degree circle—the height and depth of all the sounds. We aurally perceive the rustling of leaves in the trees, a breeze rushing past your ears, birds chirping nearby and, in contrast, the quiet of stillness. We are able to identify sounds as they occur and our reactions to these sounds are appropriate based on how we identify the sound source in the perspective of our environment. In contrast, dog, cat and horse hearing is much more acute but lacking the same kind of spatial localization as humans, known as psychoacoustic jux-
taposition. This causes animals to react to the sound source without being able to analyze what it is—this phenomenon also occurs in people who suffer from post-traumatic stress. As our pets live in non-nature environments for the most part, their instinctive reactions to extreme sounds often manifests as behavioral responses such as stress, anxiety or aggression. A dog, cat or horse will hear shots or jarring sounds at loud unexpected volumes at a greater intensity than humans. Sound is a profound stress trigger for animals. Anyone who has witnessed a terrified dog during a fireworks show or thunderstorm has observed this reaction. Since they lack any context for the loud, threatening noise they are hearing, they seek to flee or fight, depending on the animal and situation. “All animals are seeking balance,” Marlow explains. “Tone, frequency and vibration are the auditory triggers an animal uses to know if their environment is safe or not. We can listen to high energy music and think it’s great, but it’s probably not having the same effect on the animals in your house.” Marlow, a life-long musician raised by parents who were also world-class musicians, describes music as the core of her being and understanding of life. The research and resulting years of work that led to formation of her company, Pet Acoustics, were born of the deep passion she has for both music and animals. Since 2003, she has been observing and clinically testing the results of music in easy-to-use products to calm dogs, cats and horses. Understanding that sound was a trigger for intense stress in animals was a revelation to Marlow; she committed
to determining what qualities in music would guarantee positive, calming results for each species. She gathered university studies and research about animals, worked with various organizations to develop and execute clinical trials, and obtained vet approvals for her work along the way. Marlow continues to develop sonic-modifying products and music where the frequency and decibel levels achieve the best desired effect in the particular animal. She has learned that dogs and cats respond positively to long-sustained tones and non-jarring volumes for states of rest, eliminating high frequency content. Horses, in contrast, prefer an alto range and shorter, melodic phrases with rhythmic patterns (reminiscent of their own hoofbeats). She never inserts percussion or the human voice in her compositions, relying instead on instruments such as guitar, harp, violin and flute, among others. In 2014, after years of research and testing, Pet Acoustics released a series of products called Pet Tunes, which are Bluetooth speakers pre-loaded with special frequency modified music for dogs, cats, horses and birds. The speakers are helping pet owners, veterinarians, groomers, shelters and kennels make a positive difference in pets’ lives. A newer product is a calming collar that has speakers built directly into a collar for ease of use and immediacy during thunderstorms, fireworks and noise phobias. The product results are repeatable and calm pets within five minutes of listening, Marlow says. Dale Krier of Creature Comforts mobile veterinary service in Sherman has this to say about Pet Acoustics: “Pet Tunes has changed how I practice
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veterinary medicine. I incorporate the music in every aspect of what I do. I try music first and drugs second to help deal with pets’ anxiety issues.” Being able to bring science-based music to animals was, and still is, a new field. Marlow continues to work to raise awareness through workshops, books and television appearances while closer to home, she recently donated 200 units to Ridgefield Operation for Animal Rescue to ease the stress of the shelter animals. She envisions a world where the understanding of easing the stress of animals and reducing behavioral issues can be natural and highly effective through development of the correct sonic environment. “The more we understand about our pets, the more we can know ourselves,” Marlow says. “Follow the trail of the animal into the human heart and you will find a better world.” Janet Marlow is available for workshops and private sessions on pet stress behavior. Connect with her at JanetMarlow@PetAcoustics.com or visit PetAcoustics.com. Pet Tunes and the new Ultra Calmer Canine Stress Relief Sonic Collar are available online at Amazon.com. For more information, call 860-459-8000. Nicole Miale is publisher and executive editor of Natural Awakenings Fairfield County.
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September 2016
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calendarofevents THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
Yoga and Fitness – 6:30pm. Instructor Pamela Mellitz will lead her students through stretching and toning, balance and awareness. She’ll also demonstrate the importance of just breathing correctly for better physical and mental health in these full 90minute sessions. Fee: $7 per class. Ansonia Nature Ctr, 10 Deerfield Rd, Ansonia. Call Pam: 203-888-4124.
Free Reiki Clinic w/Eileen Anderson: Critical Care Nurse, Reiki Practitioner – 2pm-5pm. Relax/ Revive and Heal with a 10 minute chair treatment. Edge of the Woods, 379 Whalley Ave, New Haven. ReikiwithEileenAnderson.com.
Donatella’s Online Video Meditation with the New Moon in Virgo! – 7pm-8:15pm EST. Sound Healing and Energy Alignment with Donatella Moltisanti under the Magic of the New Moon! In the Meditation you will be guided with the power of the sound to heal and to tune into the energies that are ready to be transformed and releasing all that doesn’t serve you anymore. Contact Information: https://donatellamoltisanti-newmoon.com.
Guided Meditation – 6:30pm. Please join me as we reach that quiet place that resides within. If you are new or a seasoned meditator this circle is for you. $10. Healing Room, 70 Wall St, Madison. Please call for your space in the circle. 203-245-5137.
New Haven Community Circle Dance – 7:30pm9:30pm. Move in the footsteps of our ancestors as we enjoy traditional dances from many cultures, as well as contemporary pieces choreographed in the spirit of ancient folk dance. All dances are taught and no experience is necessary. Suggested donation $8. Location: Friends Meetinghouse, 225 East Grand Ave, New Haven. 203-467-1069.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 Nature’s Child: Incredible Insects – 10am. Join naturalist Amie to discover the critters who live in our park’s beautiful yellow flowers. You’ll be amazed to find how many tiny creatures live on our goldenrod. Tuition: $7 per child ($5.00 for family-level FANCI members and Ansonia residents). Pre-register for this class for preschoolers and their adults. Ansonia Nature Ctr, 10 Deerfield Rd, Ansonia. Preregister: 203-736-1053. Fundraiser: Club Comedy Night – 5pm-7pm. Hosted by the Friends of the Ansonia Nature Center, Inc, to support the building of a new playground. Tickets can be purchased at the Ansonia Nature Center for $25 each. Doors open at 5pm. Pre-show dinner. Raffle tickets available 5pm–6:45 pm with proceeds going to the playground fund. Comedy show begins 7pm. For ages 21 and over only. Club Comedy, 585 South Main Street, Naugatuck.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7
Let’s Fight Hunger in the Valley – 6:30pm. Do you know that there are adults and children, who go to bed hungry each night? Come join us for a presentation on how Master’s Table is helping fight hunger. Seymour Public Library, 46 Church St, Seymour. Young Living Essential Oils – 6:30pm-8pm. Help align your mind, body, spirit. Learn to take control of your health with therapeutic grade oils. Free class. 36 Cheshire Rd, Wallingford. 203-265-2927. Return2love3@ gmail.com.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 Mindful Meditation Series (5) – 6:30pm-8:30pm. (Sept 8 & 29; Oct 6). Remove stress and replace it with inner peace. Come and learn many kinds of mindful meditation techniques with like minded people. $97(series). 36 Cheshire Rd, Wallingford. 203-265-2927 or Return2love3@gmail.com. Free Health Talk at Thyme and Season: Get Your Head On Straight with Cranial-Sacral Adjustment with Dr. James Sensenig – 7pm. Fall Series of free health talks continues every Thursday at 7pm. No reservation. Coupon to all. 3040 Whitney Ave, Hamden. ThymeAndSeasonNaturalMarket.com.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 Free Breakfast Provided by Assumption Church Breakfast Club & Masters Table Community Meals – 9am-10:30am. Join us for a hot breakfast or a cup of coffee. All are welcome! Assumption Church Hall, 61 N Cliff St, Ansonia. For more information call 203-732-7792.
Leather Tassel Necklace – 11am. Learn to make this extremely popular necklace style. Channel your inner flapper or flowerchild endless possibilities. Learn techniques to make a claspless necklace and your own tassels. KanduBeads, 116 Elm St, Cheshire. Free with min $15 Purchase. 203-439-8689. KanduBeads.com.
Reiki I Certification w/RMT, Holistic Coach Diane Esposito – 9am-3pm or two 1/2-Days/ Eves. Provides empowering foundation for selfhealing, support for personal challenges/goals/ relationships and treating others. $150 Pre-Class Consult/Registration. Wallingford. 203-913-3869. PersonalHarmonyandHealth.com.
FREE Reiki Clinic with Anita Jones, RMT – 12pm-3pm. Enjoy a 10 minute session of Reiki and learn about healing energy. Thyme and Season, 3040 Whitney Ave, Hamden. Info: 203-415-4791. TranquilHealingReiki.com.
Jewelry Making Wire Wrapped Rings – 11am. Learn to make professional looking rings with jewelry wire and beads. KanduBeads, 116 Elm St, Cheshire Free with min $15 Purchase. 203-439-8689, KanduBeads.com.
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New Haven / Middlesex
NaturalNewHaven.com
Back to Basics: Soap Making 101 – 1pm. Twohour class providing basic skills needed to make wonderful soaps! Will learn basic safety and traditional techniques required for this time-honored craft. Soap samples and recipes provided. Bring small container for your take-home samples. Fee $10 per person. Ansonia Nature Ctr, 10 Deerfield Rd, Ansonia. Preregister: 203-736-1053.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 Pet Loss Grief Support Group – 1pm. Losing a beloved animal can be tragic and a very emotional time for humans. Susan Wilson has created this support group for those who have lost an animal or have one in the process of moving on. Free. Ansonia Nature Ctr, 10 Deerfield Rd, Ansonia. Register/ information: 203-736-1053. Themed Guided Hike: Goldenrod Jungle – 1pm. For all nature enthusiasts! Enjoy a walk through the park’s fields and vast Goldenrod Jungle. You’ll be amazed at the diversity of insects, spiders, and birds that depend on this unique habitat for survival. Free guided hikes every Sunday at 1 pm. Ansonia Nature Ctr, 10 Deerfield Rd, Ansonia. 203-736-1053. Usui Holy Fire Reiki I with Anita Jones, RMT – 1pm-6pm. Learn about Reiki energy, its history and how to use it for yourself and others. Attunement given. Certificate and manual included. $125. Hamden. Info/registration: 203-415-4791. TranquilHealingReiki.com.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 Group Past Life Regression – 6:30pm-8:30pm. Discover reasons for current fears, recurring dreams or personality tendencies. Attendees explore past lives, learn reasons for repeat patterns or why they were born to a certain family. $20. Wallingford. Call Gayle: 203-265-2927, Return2love3@gmail.com.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 A n g e l sp e a k e ™ C l a s s w / R MT, H o lis t ic Coach Diane Esposito – 6:30pm-8:30pm. Ask empowering questions, awaken intuitive senses, receive signs/loving messages/guidance from angels, guides, loved ones. $33/class. ($25 Returning Students bring Manuals.) Wallingford. Register: 203-913-3869. PersonalHarmonyandHealth.com. Developing Your Intuition 5 Wed Series w/ Gayle Franceschetti – 6:30pm-8:30pm. (Sept 13, 20 & 27). Tap into your innate ability of “knowing.” Through meditation, sharing and experiential exercises begin to master techniques of accessing your creativity & intuition. $97. Wallingford. 203-265-2927, Return2love3@gmail.com.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 Monthly Pure Life Talk – 6:30pm. Katie Beecher, MS, LPC, International Medical Intuitive, Licensed Counselor and Medium will be discussing how medical intuition can enhance your life. By listening to your body and connecting to your inner voice and guides, you can have optimum physical, emotional and spiritual health. $11. Call to Register. Pure Alchemy Juice Bar Café, 236 N Colony Rd., Wallingford. 203-265-5000. PureAlchemyJuice.com.
Opening the Door To Spirit – 6:30pm. Workshop led by Sharon Massoth. Sharon will lead a guided meditation to help you connect with your guides followed by a channelled message from your Angel guides. $45. Healing Room, 70 Wall St, Madison. Space limited. Don’t miss this! 203-245-5137.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 Silver Soldering & Prong Setting Class – 8pm. KanduBeads’ own D. Jaffe will teach you to solder sterling silver to create a simple prong for a sea glass pendant. KanduBeads, 116 Elm St, Cheshire. $50 plus materials. Advanced Registration required: 203-439-8689, KanduBeads.com. Full Moon Meditation w/Gayle Franceschetti – 6:30pm-8:30pm. Align w/new energies of full moon. Opportunities for allowing spiritual energies to reach human hearts and minds. Tap into this vast pool of energy. $20. 36 Cheshire Rd, Wallingford 203-265-2927. Return2love3@gmail.com. Return2Love.com. Free Health Talk at Thyme and Season: EFT Tapping, Emotional Freedom Technique w/ Therese Baumgart – 7pm. Fall Series of free health talks continues every Thursday at 7pm. No reservation; coupon to all. 3040 Whitney Ave, Hamden. ThymeAndSeasonNaturalMarket.com.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 Full Moon Harvest Hike – 7pm. The northeastern native people referred to the full September moon as the “corn is edible” moon. Join our rangers to hike the Nature Center trails as the big moon rises. Enjoy some marshmallows over the campfire to conclude our program. Each child must be accompanied by an adult. Number of participants is limited. Fee $1 per person. Ansonia Nature Ctr, 10 Deerfield Rd, Ansonia. Preregister: 203-736-1053.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 Reiki II Cert. w/RMT, Holistic Coach Diane Esposito – 9am-3pm or two 1/2-Days/ Eves. Receive empowering keys to mentalemotional clarity, balance; support for empathic challenges/relationship healing. $175 Pre-Class Consult/Reg. Wallingford. 203-913-3869. PersonalHarmonyandHealth.com. Playground Family Fun Day – 10am. Let’s get our community together and celebrate by restoring the grounds around our new playground. The original playground was built by the community in 1991. It is time to continue the legacy for another 25 years and ensure the playground’s longevity for future generations. Ansonia Nature Ctr, 10 Deerfield Rd, Ansonia. 203-736-1053. Recovery Yoga Retreat – 10am-1pm. Come discover the powerful union of yoga and recovery. The truth is we are all recovering from something whether it be drugs, alcohol, sex, food, shame, whatever! Practice will be followed by An open discussion meeting. $20. The Nest, 1008 Main St, Branford. 203-488-9642. Jewelry Making: Waterfall Earrings – 11am. Learn to make beaded earrings with jewelry wire and beads and crystals. Let your creativity flow. KanduBeads, 116 Elm St, Cheshire. Free with min $15 Purchase. 203-439-8689, KanduBeads.com.
FREE Reiki Clinic w/ Anita Jones, RMT – 12pm-3pm. Enjoy a 10-minute session of Reiki and learn about healing energy. Thyme and Season, 3040 Whitney Ave, Hamden. Info: 203-415-4791. TranquilHealingReiki.com.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 Murray Lender 6th Annual 5K Bagel Run – 8:45am. Plus 2-mile Family Fit Walk and free Kids’ Obstacle Course! Music, inflatable slide for kids, photos with Benny the Bagel, and more! Complimentary post race massages available and fully stocked snack table. Awards presentation: 10:30am. Starting line at JCC Campus, 360 Amity Rd, Woodbridge. Registration/sponsor: contact Susan Donovan: 203-387-2522 X265, susand@jccnh.org, or visit jccnh.org/bagel-run. Usui Holy Fire Reiki II with Anita Jones, RMT – 1pm-6pm. Increase your Reiki knowledge and energy. Learn the basic Reiki symbols and distant healing. Attunement given. Certificate and manual included. $150. Hamden. Info/registration: 203-415-4791. TranquilHealingReiki.com. Northern Connecticut Vegetarian Society Vegan Potluck – 4pm. Vegan Harvest Cooking Demo by Mary Lawrence, Executive Director of Ahimsa Health & Harmony and owner of Well on Wheels. Bring a healthy vegan dish, serving utensils, a list of ingredients, recipe and your place setting. $9 donation requested. Suffield Senior Center, 145 Bridge St, Suffield. Info/reservations, contact Harry: 860-623-8082 or veggyharry@aol.com. Master’s Table Community Meal & Concert By Sister Funk – 4:30pm-6pm. Connecticut Pediatric dentistry representative to be at dinner to discuss children’s oral health care needs. Free. Donations graciously accepted. Assumption Church Hall, 61 N. Cliff St, Ansonia. More info: 203-732-7792 or MastersTableMeals.org.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 Young Living Essential Oils – 6:30pm-8pm. Help align your mind, body, spirit. Learn to take control of your health with therapeutic grade oils. Free class. 36 Cheshire Rd, Wallingford. 203-265-2927 or Return2love3@gmail.com.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 Personal Renewal Group for Women – 7pm-9pm. Meets 3rd Tues of the Month. Topics such as Managing Energy, Self-Care, Balanced Living, Saying No, Unleashing Your Creativity. Held in Milford. Contact Laura at Pure Possibilities 203-804-3129. PurePossibilitiesllc.com.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 MADD’s Power of Parents Workshop – 6:30pm–7:30pm. MADD’s Power of Parents ® research-based program and materials are provided to parents, equipping them with the tools necessary to prevent underage drinking. Free. 28 School St, Branford. RSVP: 203-433-4658, mandm@CTExperiential.org. Mindful Healing Meditation & EFT w/ RMT/ Holistic Coach Diane Esposito – 6:30pm-8:30pm. (Engage in [+] Energy insights and create lasting, healthy transformations. $25. Wallingford. Register: 203-913-3869 or PersonalHarmonyandHealth.com.
markyourcalendar New Age & Crafts Expo Come Experience a Day of Spiritual & Creative Enlightenment
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 6, 2016 10am - 4pm Crowne Plaza
1284 Strongtown Road Southbury, CT
Intuitive Readings & Healings Handcrafted & Spiritual Gifts 2 Rooms of Dynamic Speakers & Meditations and much more! $6 Admission Children 12 and under FREE
203-733-6560 cryours87@yahoo.com
markyourcalendar MELTING STRESS YOGA Vinyasa with
Kelly Mackenzie, MFT and
Yoga Instructor
WEDNESDAYS 7PM Bring your mat, water, and towel and... End your day right!
All levels welcome. Drop in: $10 $50 for 6 classes
Reflections of Chester Health and Wellness Center 19 North Main Street Chester, CT
860-526-4212 Ask for Pamela
Info: ReflectionsofChester.com
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September 2016
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A Circle of Women – 7pm-9pm. Join in sacred space to discover and strengthen your authentic self. Celebrate Autumn Equinox and meet Fall animal ally. Healing the world one woman at a time. $25. Central Wallingford. Call Susan to explore further/ reserve space: 203-645-1230.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 Silver Bezel Setting Class – 5:30pm-8:30pm. KanduBeads’ owner D. Jaffe will teach you to make and solder your own sterling silver bezel setting for a cabochon. KanduBeads, 116 Elm St, Cheshire. $65 plus materials. Advanced Registration required. 203-439-8689, KanduBeads.com. Fall Equinox w/Gayle Franceschetti – 6:30pm8:30pm. Tap into autumn’s new energies-facilitate purifying one’s life, planting new seeds and endeavors, develop new values and make new decisions and goals. $20. 36 Cheshire Rd, Wallingford. 203-265-2927, Return2love3@gmail.com, Return2love.com. Free Health Talk at Thyme and Season: Get Help With Hypnosis with Lisa Zaccheo, Board Certified Hypnotist – 7pm. Fall Series of free health talks continues every Thursday at 7pm. No reservation; coupon to all. 3040 WhitneyAve, Hamden. ThymeAndSeasonNaturalMarket.com. Tao Yoga Beginner Class Series – 7pm-8:30pm. Gentle yoga postures with meditation and healing breathwork. Take time to slow down and relax.All levels welcome! $40 for 5 classes. One World Wellness & Yoga, 967 N High St, East Haven. OneWorld-Wellness.com.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 Autumnal Equinox Drumming Circle – 7pm. Join our drumming circle with Ranger Dawn. For adults and children 12 years and older. Welcome and celebrate our most colorful season! Free. Bring a canned food item for our local homeless shelter. Gather at Pavilion #2. Ansonia Nature Ctr, 10 Deerfield Rd, Ansonia. Preregister: 203-736-1053.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 Birds on the Move – 9am. Come for birding with Ranger Jessica for this fun, informative program. She will concentrate on the end-of-summer journeys taken by our “flying friends” to faraway places each year. Find out who’s going and who’s staying put! Free. Ansonia Nature Ctr, 10 Deerfield Rd, Ansonia. Preregister: 203-736-1053. Reiki III ART Cert. w/RMT Holistic Coach Diane Esposito – 9am-3pm or two 1/2-Days or Eves. Promote/Deepen personal & client lasting, healthy transformations Advanced Techniques w/ Crystal/Stone healing and manifesting grids. $200. Wallingford. Pre-Class Consult/Reg. 203-913-3869. PersonalHarmonyandHealth.com. Reiki I – 9:30am-1pm. Reiki is the science and art of activating, directing and applying natural, universal life energy, to promote energy balancing, healing and wholeness. Includes certificate and materials. $125. 36 Wallingford. 203-265-2927, or Return2love3@gmail.com. Guided Meditation Circle – 10am. Open to the peace within and rest in the quiet with this relaxing meditation. All are welcome. $10. Healing Room, 70 Wall St, Madison. Please join us! 203-245-5137.
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New Haven / Middlesex
Jewelry Making – 11am. Beaded Macrame Bracelet. Learn the ancient art of knotting with beads to make these amazingly intricate looking bracelets using cord and beads. KanduBeads, 116 Elm St, Cheshire Free with min $15 Purchase. Advance Registration recommended Beginners welcome. 203-439-8689, KanduBeads.com. Honoring Balance: Yin Yoga Autumn Equinox Practice w/ Liza Dousson & John de Kadt – 4:30pm-5:45pm. With Yin’s slow approach we’ll be able to reflect upon this transition outside and in from late summer to the clarity of autumn. $25/$40 with storytelling event! Raven’s Wing Yoga, Branford. RavensWingYoga.com. At the Hop: Fundraiser to Benefit Master’s Table Community Meals – 6pm. Featuring Premier Oldies Band: “Flashback” and “The King” (Elvis impersonator, David Devonshuk). Bring your own beverages and snacks. $20. Church of Assumption Hall, 61 N. Cliff St, Ansonia. More info/purchase tickets call: 203-929-0452 or 203-735-0422 or visit: https://www.eventbrite. com/e/at-the-hop-an-evening-of-50s-and-60smusic-tickets-26693591250?ref=ebtnebtckt. The Magic of Sacred Story with John deKadt – 7:30pm-9pm. Come join us for a mesmerizing evening of wisdom stories and drumming with world traveling percussionist, poet and storyteller John de Kadt. $25 (combine with yoga class for $40). Raven’s Wing Yoga, 19 South Main, Branford. RavensWingYoga.com.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 Falling Still: A Women’s Retreat – 9am-4pm. Step out of your life for a day to a tranquil place where you can pause, breathe and connect. Leave inspired and revitalized. Lead by Laura Jarvis of Pure Possibilities LLC at White Gate Farm, East Lyme. For more information, contact Laura at 203-804-3129 or laura@purepossibilitiesllc.com. Usui Holy Fire Advanced Reiki Training with Anita Jones, RMT – 1pm-6pm. Become a Reiki Master Practitioner. Deepen your Reiki knowledge. Learn meditations and techniques for enhancing Reiki energy. Attunement given. Certificate and manual included. $250. Hamden. Info/registration: 203-415-4791. TranquilHealingReiki.com.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 M A D D ’s P o w e r o f Yo u t h C l a s s r o o m Presentation – 10am-11am. For ages 10 through 14. One of three key programs in MADD’s underage drinking prevention initiative. Join us! Free. 28 School St, Branford. RSVP: 203-433-4658, mandm@CTExperiential.org. Crystal Toning – 6:30pm-8:30pm. Experience a unique method of healing by combining the energies of crystals with toning, creating an individualized healing experience in a group setting on many levels Wallingford. $20. Contact Gayle: 203-265-2927, email Return2love3@gmail.com.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 Free Health Talk at Thyme and Season: Essential Oils with Kate Fiedler of Young Living – 7pm. Fall Series of free health talks continues every Thursday at 7pm. No reservation; coupon to all. 3040 Whitney Ave, Hamden. ThymeAndSeasonNaturalMarket.com.
NaturalNewHaven.com
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 Clear Direction in Your Life Workshop – 7pm8:30pm. Have a clear idea how the deepest part of you wants to set you on the course to your desires. This can enlighten your life. Remove blocks. Manifesting your desires takes clear focus. Learn to focus clearly. With Christie, a clear intuitive; and her Spirit Guide, Great Bear. 6 people limit. $25. At Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Society. 297 Boston Post Rd, Madison. For information or to sign up: 203-481-8827.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1 Hammonassett Festival – 10am-5pm. Celebrating Nature, Native America culture and tradition. Vendors, exhibitors and educators. Native American artists and craftspeople, beadwork, wampum jewelry, pottery, woodcarvings, gourd art, paintings, baskets. Live wildlife shows, demos/ exhibits, storytelling, children’s activities. New England Atlatl Championship (ancient spear-throwing). Variety of food, including authentic Native American cuisine. Guilford Fairgrounds, 111 Lovers Lane, Guilford. Adults, $5. Children under 12, free. Visit FriendsofHammonasset.org.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2 Hammonassett Festival – 10am-5pm. Celebrating Nature, Native America culture and tradition. Vendors, exhibitors and educators. Native American artists and craftspeople, beadwork, wampum jewelry, pottery, woodcarvings, gourd art, paintings, baskets. Live wildlife shows, demos/ exhibits, storytelling, children’s activities. New England Atlatl Championship (ancient spear-throwing). Variety of food, including authentic Native American cuisine. Guilford Fairgrounds, 111 Lovers Lane, Guilford. Adults, $5. Children under 12, free. Visit FriendsofHammonasset.org.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4 Thai Massage & Yin Yoga Workshop – 6:30pm9pm. Relieve chronic muscle tension, headaches, neck or back pain with deep stretching. Thai massage is done fully clothed with a partner—bring a friend or be paired with someone. $25. One World Wellness & Yoga, 967 N High St, East Haven. OneWorld-Wellness.com.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6 F re e We i g h t L o s s t a l k a t T h y m e a n d Season by Registered Dietitian Maureen Wasik – 7pm. Learn what’s going on in your body; Learn what you can do to manage your diet. Take-home materials provided. No reservation; coupon to a l l . F r e e . 3 0 4 0 W h i t n e y Av e , H a m d e n . ThymeAndSeasonNaturalMarket.com.
ongoingevents sunday EFT Emotional Freedom Technique w/RMTHolistic Coach Diane Esposito – By appt. 7 Days/ week. Phone/In-Person. Relax, refresh w/take-home techniques and insights to “release stress/pain,” heal and expand free-spiritedness. Wallingford. Register/Complimentary Pre-Session questions: 203-913-3869. PersonalHarmonyandHealth.com. Sunday Service – 9:30am-11am. Uplifting, inspiring and deepening in consciousness. Includes singing, prayer, and a sermon relevant to the process of spiritual development. Includes a powerful and transformative Communion Service. Each Service begins with a half-hour of silent meditation. Center of Light, 844 Grand Ave in New Haven. CentersofLight.org/newhaven. Mystical Market – 11am-4pm. (The 3rd Sunday of every month). Vendors, artisans, holistic practitioners, and like-minded folk. Free admission, vendors fees vary. The Ruby Tree, Sherman Village Shopping Center, 670 Main St South, Woodbury. 203-586-1655, Christina@therubytreect.com, TheRubyTreeCT.com.
wednesday
Qigong for Health – 7pm-8pm. Learn a practice that invigorates the internal energy, relieves stress, tones and stretches the muscles and connects the mind and body. $15/class. Tranquil Mountain Internal Arts. Location: Shoreline Center for Wholistic Health, 35 Boston St, Guilford. Info: 860-301-6433. tmiarts.com.
tuesday Yoga with Marlene – 9:30am & 6:30pm. Yoga classes for all ages and problems in a serene atmosphere with emphasis on stress-management. 1221 Village Walk. Guilford. Info: 203-453-5360. Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement Class – 12pm-1pm. Learn to move efficiently and effortlessly with everyday functional movement patterns. All levels welcome. $13 drop in or class cards. Holistic Therapies Classroom, 15 South Elm St, Wallingford. Contact Carol Meade: 203-415-8666. info@massage2movement.com. Want to Play Ball? – 12:30pm-2:30pm. (Sept 13, 20 & 27). Ages 9-14. Location: Meet at 28 School St, Branford and walk to local park. Free. Register: 203-433-4658 or mandm@CTExperiential.org.
Queer Dharma – 7:30pm-9pm. A forum for all Dharma traditions and the experience and concerns of LGBTQI individuals and their friends. ALL are welcome! Meetings include meditation instruction, practice, readings and discussion. Free. 85 Willow St, Bldg B, New Haven. NewHaven.Shambhala.org.
Healthy-Steps, The Lebed Method w/Susan Sandel – 3:45pm-4:45pm. (no class Sept 6). Gentle therapeutic exercise/mvmnt prog. Helpful for breast cancer survivors/chronic health conditions. Free. Sponsored by Middlesex Hospital Cancer Center of Integrative Medicine. Location: Madison House, 34 Wildwood Ave, Madison. Details: 203-457-1656.
monday
Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement Class – 6pm-7pm. Learn to free your shoulders and pelvis effortlessly. All levels welcome. 5 Week Series $50 or $13 drop in. Holistic Therapies Classroom, 15 South Elm St, Wallingford. Call Carol 203-415-8666. info@massage2movement.com.
Find out about CT Experiential Learning Center (CELC) Middle School of Branford – Monday Admissions Tours. See us in action! CELC combines engaging academics with real-world learning for 5th - 8th graders—fall in love with middle school! RSVP: mandm@CTExperiential.org, CTExperiential.org. Pilates/Barre Community Class – 8am. This class is a mix between pilates moves to strengthen core muscles and the Barre technique to sculpt and lean our arms and legs. Discount price of $10.00 cash/ check or $12.00 credit card. Kneading Hands Yoga & Massage, 760 Main St S, Unit F, Southbury. 203-267-4417. KneadingHands.net. Yoga with Marlene – 10:30am & 7:15pm. Yoga classes for all ages and problems in a serene atmosphere with emphasis on stress-management. 1221 Village Walk. Guilford. Info: 203-453-5360. Iyengar Yoga – 6pm-7:15pm. Align and yourself as you deepen your understanding of yoga. Individual attention given. Expert instruction. Yoga in Middletown, 438 Main St, Middletown. 860-347-YOGA (9642). YogaInMiddletown.com.
Free weekly Tuesday Meditation classes – 6pm7pm. (those who would like instruction can come at 5:45pm). Open to all and fully accessible. Instruction provided for beginners. No reservations necessary. Walk-ins welcome. Program offered in cooperation with New Haven Insight and the New Haven Zen Center. New Haven Free Public Library. 133 Elm St, New Haven. 203-946-8138. Free Reiki Sessions: The Universal Reiki Plan – 7:30pm-8:30pm. (& 8:30pm-9:30pm Thurs). Reiki teachers Jeannette and Jim of ReikiOvertones and students offer free Reiki sessions. Appt. only. Love offering appreciated. 95 Harris St, Fairfield. Details: Jim and Jeannette 203-254-3958. info@ReikiOvertones.com. Qigong for Health – 7:45pm-8:45pm. Learn a practice that invigorates the internal energy, relieves stress, tones and stretches the muscles and connects the mind and body. $15/class. Tranquil Mountain Internal Arts, Location: MECA, 28 Washington St, North Haven. Info: 860-301-6433. tmiarts.com.
Emei Wujigong Qigong Group Practice – 12pm-1pm. Experience a qigong form for rebalancing and strengthening body, mind and spirit. For all abilities and levels of health. Schedule Available online. 1st class free (reg. $5). Holistic Therapies Classroom, 15 South Elm St, Wallingford. Info: EmeiQigongChan.com. Palm Readings – 3pm-5pm. (Walk-Ins Welcome) and Happy Hour Specials. Mingle with Imani-Get your nutrition questions answered. Pure Alchemy Juice Bar Café, 236 N Colony Rd, Wallingford. 203-265-5000. PureAlchemyJuice.com. Stony Creek Yoga for Stress Relief – 5:45pm7pm. Classes led by Gina Macdonald MA, LPC. Sessions include breathing techniques, yoga poses and relaxation techniques. Emphasis on movement, flow and release of tension.. Beginning yoga experience recommended along wit loose clothing and a yoga mat. Newcomers please arrive early. $10/session. Willoughby Wallace Library. 146 Thimble Island Rd, Stony Creek. Contact Gina: 203-710-6665. Weekly Centering Prayer Group – 6pm–7pm. Free. Mercy by the Sea Retreat and Conference Center 167 Neck Rd, Madison. For more information, call 203-245-0401. Intermediate/Advanced Yoga w/ Iyengar Teacher Training Graduate – 6pm-7:30pm. Refine and renew your practice with sophisticated sequences and expert instruction. Yoga in Middletown, 438 Main St, Middletown. 860-347-YOGA (9642). YogaInMiddletown.com. The Caring Network: Free Support Group for Adults who have Lost a Loved One – 6pm8pm. (Sept 7 & 21). Bridges, 949 Bridgeport Avenue, Milford. For information or brochure: Cody-White Funeral Home, 203-874-0268 or Cynthia Dodd, M. Div, 203-878-6365 X344. Yoga with Marlene – 6:30pm. Yoga classes for all ages and problems in a serene atmosphere with emphasis on stress-management. 1221 Village Walk. Guilford. Info: 203-453-5360. Meditation In the World @ Guest House Retreat – 7pm-8pm. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced meditator, join us every week as we are led in the practice of focusing our awareness. Helping you find calm within everyday demands and stress. Free. 318 West Main St, Chester. 860-322-5770.
thursday Be uplifted by Unconditionally Loving Spirit – Release what holds you back. Learn from Loving Spirit about who you are on a deeper level. Be supported and encouraged to grow. Christie, a clear intuitive, and her Spirit Guide, Great Bear Can make this happen for you. Location: Health Options, 133 State St, Guilford. For information or an appointment, call: 203-481-8827.
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Youth Yoga in Milford CT – Kids will have fun gaining flexibility, strength, balance and focus. Yoga not only helps manage stress, but teaches self-care, empowerment and builds confidence. NO experience necessary. Contact Laura at Pure Possibilities: 203-804-3129. PurePossibilitiesllc.com. Ropes Yoga w/ Iyengar Teacher Training Graduate – 11:30am-12:30pm. Experience yoga in new and liberating ways with the use of wall ropes. All levels welcome. Expert instruction. Individual attention. Yoga in Middletown, 438 Main St, Middletown. 860-347-YOGA (9642). YogaInMiddletown.com. Branford Alps Farmers Market – 4pm-7pm. (through October 27). Non-profit market - doubling SNAP (food Stamp) dollars and donating $500/week in market tokens to the Branford Food Pantry to purchase fresh food for our neighbors in need. Our farmers also accept WIC and Senior Farm Market Nutrition Program vouchers. 17 Alps Rd, Branford. Information: 203-494-0227 or visit AlpsFarmersMkt.org. The Milford Chamber’s ‘Health & Wellness Council’ – 8:30am-9:30am. (2nd Thurs. monthly). Group is comprised of businesses in the health and wellness industry. 5 Broad St, Milford. 2 0 3 - 8 7 8 - 0 6 8 1 . p r i s c o @ p r i s c o p r. c o m , Milfordct.com. Yoga with Marlene – 10am & 6:30pm.Yoga classes for all ages and problems in a serene atmosphere with emphasis on stress-management. 1221 Village Walk. Guilford. Info: 203-453-5360.
reduced rate. Yoga Up the Stairs, 87 Whitfield St, Guilford. Contact Michele: 203-444-5007 or clearlightyoga@gmail.com. YogaUptheStairs.com.
saturday
Emei Wujigong Qigong Group Practice – 6:30pm-7:30pm. (Every Thurs. except the 1st Thurs. of month). Experience a qigong form for rebalancing and strengthening body, mind and spirit. For all abilities and levels of health. Schedule Available online. 1st class free (reg. $5). Holistic Therapies Classroom, 15 South Elm St, Wallingford. Info: EmeiQigongChan.com.
Akashic Record or Angelic Reading w/RMT, Diane Esposito – By Appt. 7 Days/week. Phone/ In-Person. Ask empowering questions, awaken to signs, receive loving messages/guidance from masters, teachers, loved ones, angels/guides. Develop spiritual senses. Wallingford. Register: 203-913-3869. PersonalHarmonyandHealth.com.
Qigong Group Healing & Silent Meditation – 6:30pm-8pm. (1st Thurs. of the month). All levels of health addressed. No experience necessary. Fee: donation. Holistic Therapies Classroom, 15 South Elm St, Wallingford. Contact Pat for more information if this is 1st attendance: 203-500-6492.
Simple Moves – 9am-10am. (5 Week series. Begins 9/10). We will be exploring ways to balance the pelvis in relation to moving our shoulders. $50/5wks. Holistic Therapies Classroom, Wallingford. Contact Carol Meade 203-415-8666. info@massage2movement.com.
friday
Fundamentals of Alignment Yoga w/ Iyengar Teacher Training Graduate – 11am-12pm. Learn how to practice yoga safely as you learn about the most useful poses. Expert instruction since 1991. Yoga in Middletown, 438 Main St, Middletown. 860-347-YOGA (9642). YogaInMiddletown.com.
Yoga with Marlene – 9:30am. Yoga classes for all ages and problems in a serene atmosphere with emphasis on stress-management. 1221 Village Walk. Guilford. Info: 203-453-5360. Intuitive Readings w/Susane Grasso – 11am-3pm. Usui and Karuna Reiki Master and Clairvoyant Susane sees auras/mirrors of soul/emotions and physical being. Now also a certified Doreen Virtue Angel Reader. $1/min. Enchanted, 1250 Boston Post Rd, Guilford. 203-453-4000. EnchantedGuilfordct.com.
ReikiShare: The Universal Reiki Plan – 11am-1:30pm. Pre-register to share Reiki and join in a FREE workshop to make it a Reiki day! The 3rd Sat. of every month. Free (“love offering”). Bloodroot Rest. 85 Ferris St, Bridgeport. Reservation only. Jim or Jeannette: 203-254-3958. info@ReikiOvertones.com.
Yin Yoga/Guided Meditation – 6pm-7:15pm. Long, deep stretching held for 3-5 minutes. $18/drop in; 10 & 5 class cards available at a
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How will the program work once it launches? Natural Awakenings Network (NAN) card holders purchase an annual card to visit local practitioners/businesses (Providers) who offfer a discount on products/services involving personal and/or planetary health.
What’s in it for you as a provider? 1st year of participation is FREE! Just $88/year after 1st year once program is launched. Enhanced visibility with FREE marketing opportunities Expansion of your customer base
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MEET OUR NAN PROVIDERS in New Haven and Middlesex Counties
NaturalAwakeningsNetwork.com
Calling All Holistic and Green Businesses! Interested in becoming a NAN Provider? Information: 203-988-1808 Gail@naturalnewhaven.com AMSTON A PLACE OF HEALING
Kelly Ann Matuskiewicz 203-747-8444 KellyAnnCory.com
BETHANY
EAST HADDAM
HAMDEN continued
860-873-8760 CTFFE.com
DENNY CHIROPRACTIC & ACUPUNCTURE
CT FARM FRESH EXPRESS, LLC
EAST HAVEN
ATLAS CHIROPRACTIC
203-393-9545 SMCooper.com
Adam Church, D.C. 203-466-1111 Dr.Church.com
BRANFORD
EMPOWER MASSAGE
S.M. Cooper Photographic Artist
NATURAL FAMILY HEALTH Jasmine Manning, N.D. 203-315-6246 NaturalFamilyHealth.net
CHESHIRE
Christopher Chialastri, LMT#005812 Home Visits for Massage Therapy 203-430-3163 EmpowerMassage.abmp.com
ESSEX
DOROTHY MARTIN-NEVILLE, PhD
Kim Nagle 203-565-6495 SerenityHealingPlace.com
Psychotherapy-Adults in Transition Emotional & Spiritual Aspects in Health Care 860-461-7569 DrDorothyct.com
DURHAM
GUILFORD
SERENITY HEALING PLACE
CASHMAN NUTRITION
Natalie Cashman 860-398-4621 CashmanNutrition.com
DURHAM NATUROPATHIC HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTER Jason Belejack, N.D. 203-824-7428 DurhamNaturopathichealth.com
DANCING WITH ANGELS LIFE COACHING Diana R. Carr 860-349-9542 DianaCarr.wordpress.com
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New Haven / Middlesex
EVERLASTINGS ORGANIC SALON & SPA
203-458-1298 EverlastingsSalon.com
MASSAGE SAVVY
203-453-8667 MassageSavvyCT.com
HAMDEN
COLOR ESSENCE
Joan S. Gilbert 828-551-0420 JoanSusan.star@gmail.com
NaturalNewHaven.com
Eileen Denny, D.C. 203-407-8468 DennyWellness.com
JUNE CAN CHANNEL
June Can, Reiki Master Practitioner International Channel & Medium 203-230-1197 http://junecanchannel.blogspot.com
LISA LAUGHLIN, N.D
475-227-2773 NaturopathicWellnessLLC.com
TAKE SHAPE FOR LIFE
Marni Esposito 203-430-1009 YouCanLiveHealthyNow.tsfl.com
THE TAX GUY
Thomas Fortuna 203-684-3512 TheTaxGuy.us
TRANQUIL HEALING REIKI, LLC Anita Jones, RMT 203-415-4791 TranquilHealingReiki.com
MADISON
COASTAL CHIROPRACTIC AND WELLNESS Keith Mirante, D.C. 203-245-8217 DrMirante.com
ROI MARKETING OF NEW ENGLAND Bob Kademian 866-306-9799 Bob@BizCoachBob.com
TINA KADISH
MIDDLEFIELD
Life and Health Mentor 203-610-7477 LifeisIdeal.com
860-349-7039 SolutionsByHypnosis.com
NEW HAVEN
MARY ELLEN MONEYMAKER HYPNOTIST
MIDDLETOWN
CONNECTICUT YOGA CENTER
860-986-2017 CTYogaCenter.com
YOGA IN MIDDLETOWN 860-347-YOGA (9642) YogainMiddletown.com
MILFORD
CHIROPRACTIC & WELLNESS CENTER OF MILFORD Elizabeth Rumley, D.C. 203-713-8600 CWCofMilford.com
HEALTHY FOODS PLUS Natural/Organic Foods/Gluten-Free Vitamins/Supplements/Beauty Aids 203-882-9011
IMPRESSIONS SERVICES Raymond Daneault 800-217-1963 ImpressionsClean.com
JOANN DUNSING HYPNOSIS Joann Dunsing 203-907-7710 JoannDunsing.com
LYNN LYONS
Wt. Release/Loss/HypnoBirthing 203-415-8567 LynnALyons.com
MY HEALTH 1ST URGENT CARE
203-693-3676 MyHealth1stUrgentCare.com
MARCY DOLAN, N.D.
Milford, CT 475-282-4112 DoctorDolan@hotmail.com
PATTY SCHEIN
Holistic Counseling 203-878-3140 PattyScheinLMFT.com
PRISCO CONSULTING Priscilla Lynn 203-530-0103 PriscoPR.com
WATERBURY
MILFORD continued
CHASE PARKWAY PODIATRIC GROUP, LLC Sports Medicine Dr. Joel Segalman, M.D. 203-270-6724 DrSegalman.com
WEB-BASED BUSINESSES
GREEN & GLOBAL MEDIA, LLC KellyAnn Carpenter 203-533-9823 GreenandGlobalMedia.com
THE SERENE SPOT Anaika Ocasio 203-400-1293 TheSereneSpot.com
LGN CONSULTING Lisa Nastu 203-301-4109 LGNConsulting.com
NORTH HAVEN
ADVANCED PHYSICAL MEDICINE CHIROPRACTIC AND WELLNESS CENTER Candice Pollack, D.C. 203-691-5581 Apmct.com
LIFETIME HEALTH
Venice Walters 203-507-0889 YORHealth.com/LifetimeHealth1
LIVER MEDIC
800-387-2278 LiverMedic.com
INNER HARMONY HOLISTIC WELLNESS
Karen Obier, Reflexologist 203-645-2188 InnerHarmonyHolisticWellness.abmp.com
STEAMATIC OF CT Vincent Farricielli 203-985-8000 SteamaticCT.com
SUCCESS MARKETING, LLC Michael Guerin 888-542-2936 BestWebPresence.com
ZAHAVAH RAW BEAUTY
Aadil Al-Alim & Faith Bredwood 203-389-0089 Zahavah.co
ORANGE
ADVANCED SPINE & SPORT
WEST HAVEN
David Durso, D.C. 203-553-9300 AdvancedSpineAndSport.com
RUBINO CHIROPRACTIC CENTER Robert Rubino, D.C. 203-933-9404 RubinoBackCare.com
PORTLAND
STAIRWAY 2 HEAVEN Holistic Center
WOODBRIDGE
TRUMBULL
Katey Hauser, D.C. 203-387-5015
860-770-2126 Stairway2Heaven.net
THRIVE CHIROPRACTIC AND WELLNESS
SERENITY BODY WELLNESS
WOODBURY
Rosa Cervoni, LMT #003111 Reflexologist/Reiki Practitioner 203-929-1002 SerenityBodyWellness.com
ALISON BIRKS, MS, RH (AHG), CNS
New Morning Market 203-263-4868 NewMorn.com
WALLINGFORD L.O.V.E.
Lghtworker of Vibrational Energy LLC Gayle Franceschetti 203-265-2927 Return2Love.net
PERSONAL HARMONY AND HEALTH, LLC
Diane Esposito, RMT/Holistic Coach 203-913-3869 PersonalHarmonyAndHealth.com
natural awakenings
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classifieds ALS SUPPORT THE ALS ASSOCIATION CONNECTICUT CHAPTER – Leading the fight to treat and cure ALS through research & advocacy while empowering people w/Lou Gehrig’s Disease and their families to live fuller lives w/compassionate care & support. 4 Oxford Road, Unit D4. Milford. 203-874-5050. WebCT.alsa.org.
APPLY NOW FOR 2016-17 ACADEMIC YEAR AT CELC APPLY NOW FOR 2016-17 ACADEMIC YEAR AT CT EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CENTER (CELC) MIDDLE SCHOOL – For 5th–8th grade students. Register for upcoming Fall Events: workshops for parents, CELC Saturdays for 8–9 year olds, new World Language program for ages 7–14. CTExperiential.org.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BHcare – A state-licensed, non-profit behavioral health care provider serving Lower Naugatuck Valley, Greater New Haven and Shoreline communities. It provides comprehensive behavioral health, prevention and domestic violence services to improve the lives & health of individuals, families and communities. 203-736-2601. bhcare.org.
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY CAREER OPPORTUNITY IN PRESTIGIOUS SALON – For as little as $65 per week, you can own your own business, make your own hours, keep 100% of your sales in an established state of the art salon & spa. Fear no more of opening your own salon due to the costly start-up expenses. Do not wait to move on this opportunity. Call 203-980-3163. 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 NaturalAwakeningsmag.com/mymagazine.
ENCHANTED ONLINE SHOPPING ENCHANTED NOW OFFERING SHOPPING ONLINE – Call ahead and pick up is also available. Free Gift Wrapping.We have a large selection of Crystals, Geodes,Selenite, Rose Quartz, Salt Lamps, Healing Wands, Handcrafted Jewelry and Paintings. Josephine Wall Greeting Cards. Enchanted 1250 Boston Post Rd, Guilford (Strawberry Hill). 203-453-4000. EnchantedGuilfordct.com.
HELP WANTED W E L L N E S S PRACTITIONERS A N D MASSAGE THERAPISTS – Opportunity to work in the shoreline’s most prestigious wellness center and spa. Make your own hours, be your own boss and keep 100% of your sales without the costly start up expenses. For as little as $65 per week, this opportunity will not last long. Call 203-980-3163.
HYPNOSIS/ LIFE COACHING HYPNOSIS THERAPY CENTER – Providing the help you need to Relax & Resolve: stress, anger, anxiety, emotional issues, bad habits or the past. Life Coaching for personal & professional development. Psychic Readings for insights or Music Therapy to re-balance the mind & body. Madison. 203-245-6927.
LYME DISEASE AMERICAN LYME DISEASE FOUNDATION – Dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment, of Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections. Lyme, CT. Info: aldf.com. CT LYME RIDERS, INC. – Founded in 2007 by motorcyclists Sandy Brule & Tony Gargano. A 501(c)(3) non profit public charity aiming to bring awareness to the public about Lyme Disease. Events and info. 860-537-0255, CTLymeRiders.com.
SPREAD YOUR WINGS ADD A REJUVENATION STUDIO to your EXISTING beauty, fitness, or health/wellness business. – Bring in new customers, gain revenue from several sources, and your customers will love it! For more information, call: 864-569-8631.
YOGA IN A YURT YOGA IN A YURT: OPPORTUNITY FOR A YOGA INSTRUCTOR – And other Spiritual Practitioners to lead Yoga and sessions in an amazing YURT in Woodbridge. Great opportunity to start a practice. Amazing Space. Call Richard at 203-687-7225.
TAKE YOUR VISION TO A BROADER AUDIENCE
O C T
Join us! How does your product, service or project support our local or global community?
Be a part of our October Community Game Changers Issue
To advertise or participate in our next issue, call 203-988-1808 42
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communityresourceguide ALLERGIES
APPLIED KINESIOLOGY
ADVANCED ALLERGY RELIEF OF CT Anne Mitchell, ND North Haven and West Hartford Offices 203-239-3400 aarct.com
Do you have asthma, hay fever, sinusitis, excema or other allergy symptoms? Are you careful about what you eat because of food allergies or intolerances? At Advanced Allergy Relief, we offer a safe, rapid elimination of allergic reactions. No medication, No Needles, Child friendly, Effective.
SHORELINE NATURAL HEALTH CARE, LLC
Specializing in Advanced Allergy Therapeutics Betty Brainerd, ND Guilford, CT 203-738-0020 DrBrainerd.com Are you suffering from allergies or sensitivites? Would you like to live life without medications or the need to avoid certain plants, foods animals, etc.? Our Advanced Allergy Therapeutics is a safe and effective solution for the elimination of symptoms in all ages (no needles!). See ad on page 10.
ALTERNATIVE HEALING ARTS PERSONALHARMONYANDHEALTH.COM Wallingford, CT 203-913-3869
Improve your quality of life w/ empowering guidance & support. Move to the Heart of Healing w/ Diane Esposito, RMT/Holistic Coach/author of Play, Heal, Love! The Art of Creating Healthy Relationships. Be inspired; create habits & boundaries that heal w/in-person or phone Readings, Reiki, Reflexology, EFT, Angelspeake, Meditation. See ad on page 10.
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New Haven / Middlesex
KC CHIROPRACTIC & WELLNESS Kevin Healy, DC 17 Woodland Road, Madison, CT 203-245-9317 KevinHealy@sbcglobal.net DrHealMe.com
Applied Kinesiology is a neurological evaluation to find and treat dysfunction. Different because it addresses causes instead of chasing pains, Dr. Healy tests if a therapy alleviates dysfunction, finding immediate answers as to which provides the most improvement. Chiropractic, craniosacral, myofascial and acupressure are among the therapies Dr. Healy uses. Generally, no single cure exists as disease and dysfunction typically involve multiple areas of the body. The goal of any therapy—physical, chemical, or emotional—is to improve function; a combination of therapies typically yields the best results. See ad on page 8.
EDUCATION CONNECTICUT EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CENTER (CELC) MIDDLE SCHOOL
28 School Street, Branford, CT 06405 203-433-4658 mandm@CTExperiential.org http://CTEXperiential.org CT Experiential Learning Center (CELC) Middle School provides experientially-based education with a personalized approach to learning, designed to empower young people to thrive. Our students come from a variety of towns throughout Connecticut, from families looking for a program that engages and deepens learning, where their children can flourish during these important and impactful 5th - 8th grade years. See ad on page 20.
NaturalNewHaven.com
HEMORRHOID TREATMENT A LIFE CENTER
2 Broadway, North Haven, CT 203-239-3400 info@thelifecenterofct.com TheLifeCenterofct.com
GOT HEMORRHOIDS? Now there is an easy non-surgical treatment that eliminates bleeding, pain, and swelling of hemorrhoids. It is quick, painless, and effective. There is no need to suffer any longer. Covered by most insurances. Call The Life Center for RELIEF. See ad on inside front cover.
HOLISTIC DENTIST MARK A. BREINER, DDS, FIAOMT
501 Kings Highway East, Suite 108 Fairfield, CT 203-371-0300 WholeBodyDentistry.com Dr. Mark A. Breiner is a pioneer and recognized authority in the field of holistic dentistry. With over 30 years of experience, he is a sought after speaker and lecturer. His popular consumer book, Whole-Body Dentistry, has been sold worldwide. See ad on page 9.
HOLISTIC THERAPIST LOLLY BE HEALING, LLC
900 Grand Ave, New Haven, CT 203-680-0227 LollyBe.com Holistic Healing integrating psychotherapy, yoga and spirituality. I am trained in clinical social work specializing in PTSD recovery and Relationships. I offer trauma informed yoga to increase awareness of the mind, body and soul connection. I use indigenous healing modalities, a conscious and mindful approach, and sound healing. Bilingual in Spanish. Online services available.
MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING ANNAHAVEN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, LLC
Anna Martin, BSW, MSW, LCSW 410 State St, North Haven, CT 30 Hazel Terrace, Woodbridge, CT 377 Main St, West Haven, CT 203-606-2071 CounselingWithAnnaMartin.com
YOU deserve to be happy. AHBHS helps with depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, Obesity, agarophobia, domestic violence, ADD, ADHD and anger management. Phone,internet,skype and office sessions. Evening and weekend hours are available. Most insurance accepted, including Medicaid, Medicare and Husky.
ORGANIC HAIR SALON ORGANIC HAIR SALON
Everlastings, by Arlene Bouley The Carriage House At The Gate House West 2614 Boston Post Rd, Guilford, CT 203-458-1298 EverlastingsSalon.com
SALT OF THE EARTH THERAPEUTIC SPA
787 Main St, S Woodbury, CT 203-586-1172 NaturalSaltHealing.com
Everlastings is a full-service hair salon & spa whose passion and mission is to provide healthier, more natural organic alternatives to salon services. All products are chemical-free. You will leave feeling fulfilled, refreshed and cared for. See ad on page 8.
PAIN MANAGEMENT THE LIFE CENTER
NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIANS WHOLE-BODY MEDICINE, LLC
Adam Breiner, ND, Director Elena Sokolova, MD, ND David Brady, ND, CCN, DACBN 501 Kings Highway East, Suite 108 Fairfield, CT 203-371-8258 WholeBodyMed.com Using state-of-the-art science combined with centuries-old healing modalities, our caring naturopathic doctors correct underlying imbalances and address issues which may interfere with the body’s abilityto heal itself. Treatment protocols or therapies include: Abdominal Manual Therapy, Acupuncture, Allergy Desensitization, Chinese Medicine, Colonics and other Detoxification Protocols, Electro-Dermal Screening, Energy Medicine, FDA-cleared Phototherapy, Functional Medicine, Herbal Medicine, Homeopathy, Hormonal Balancing, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Metabolic Typing, Nutritional Assessment, Real-Time EEG Neurofeedback, and other therapies. See ad on page 9.
SALT HEALING THERAPY WELLNESS CENTER
Dr. Robert E. Lee Naturopathic Physician Offices in North Haven and West Hartford 203-239-3400 TheLifeCenterofCT.com Getting to the root of your pain. Whether it’s structural, inflammatory, or related to injury, there are options that can significantly improve or eliminate your pain naturally. Here at The Life Center, we identify the pattern and employ a number of therapies such as Gua sha, Massage therapy, Bowen, Acupuncture, Homeopathy, Cranial Sacral Therapy, Botanical Medicine, Emotional, Mind-Body Medicine, Egoscue exercises, Laser therapy, nutritional supplements, and dietary changes to manage pain. We are not interested in covering pain up but fixing it and to helping you to understand it. In this way, you will have some say over the way you feel and be empowered to be pain free. See ad on inside front cover.
Combining an array of natural therapies that have been used since ancient times with today’s technology, Salt of the Earth Spa provides a sanctuary for deep transformations, healing and grounding for Mind, Body and Spirit. See ads on pages 3 and 11.
WEIGHT LOSS A LIFE CENTER
Dr. Jenna Henderson 2 Broadway, North Haven, CT 1007 Farmington Ave, Suite 7A, West Hartford, CT 203-239-3400 info@thelifecenterofCT.com TheLifeCenterofct.com Medically supervised weight loss program. Get off the dieting merry-go-round and F I N A L LY a c h i e v e y o u r ideal weight. We offer a whole foods diet, individualized nutrition, emotional eating support, meal planning and weight loss coaching. COVERED BY MOST INSURANCES. See ad on inside front cover.
REIKI REIKI WITH EILEEN ANDERSON
Critical Care Nurse, Reiki Practitioner 370 Boston Post Road Orange, CT 203-314-5401 eilande@comcast.net ReikiwithEileenAnderson.com Healing practices offered by light touch with documented health benefits. RELAX/REVIVE in a restful environment while restoring balance both physically and emotionally to the body. Offering one-hour and half-hour table sessions, 20-minute chair sessions to clients of all ages.
natural awakenings
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Publish Your Own Natural Awakenings Magazine
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visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com/mymagazine or call 239-530-1377 New Haven / Middlesex NaturalNewHaven.com
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September 2016
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TRY YOGA. FRESH YOGA.
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Sept 18th
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