HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET feel good live simply laugh more
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Tennessee Valley t www.healthsource.saladmaster.com www.healthsource.saladmaster.co (256) 412-4896
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publisher’sletter Greetings Natural Awakenings Readers. My name is Tom Maples, and I am the new publisher of Natural Awakenings for the Tennessee Valley. Why buy a magazine franchise? Why Natural Awakenings? I grew up in Huntsville and Decatur, and have recently returned to the Tennessee Valley from Atlanta, where I spent the last seventeen years. All I can say is that it feels wonderful to be home. There is nothing like that sense of being where you belong. The Tennessee Valley is a special place, and I feel very strongly that it is my place to be here and to help people succeed. Publishing Natural Awakenings is an ideal way to do that, both as a uniquely trusted source of information on natural healthy living, and as a vital community resource guide connecting the right services to the right people. I am right at home with the core ethos of Natural Awakenings in regard to taking charge of one’s own health, taking care of the earth, taking responsibility for one’s own spiritual evolution and thereby taking part in the slowly but steadily accelerating spiritual evolution of humanity. Since I moved back home to the Tennessee Valley, I have tapped into a vein of alternative, integrative healthcare consciousness that I had only been vaguely aware of before in much-more-metropolitan Atlanta. To me, these practitioners, and the innovative thinking that they personify, stand out like a bright jewel on the flag of Alabama. It is these very characteristics of open-mindedness, tolerance, selfreliance, curiosity, and commitment to humanity, health and healing for which Natural Awakenings is both caretaker and concierge in the Tennessee Valley. I can’t imagine a more rewarding role, for me, than to have a hand in growing and solidifying that enterprise.
What do you bring to the table? Why do you think you can help? My career field has been Advertising, on the creative side, as a copywriter and Associate Creative Director. I know what makes a good ad, and what goes in to making it. Regardless of the scope or scale of a single ad or campaign, or the size of its target audience, advertising is a focused fusion of message content and its delivery form, precisely calibrated to grab attention, communicate, and persuade. I know how to write a standalone ad or a full ad campaign for clients both large and small. I plan to bring what I can of the “Madison Avenue Mindset” to you, our readers, and you, our current and future advertisers. You deserve the best, most creative, most impactful, and most engaging advertising that you can get, the kind that is not often available at an affordable price in local and regional advertising. You deserve a voice, a platform. Natural Awakenings is the voice, the pulse, the standardbearer for the best stuff going on in the Valley. To help each one of you get out the good word, I am pleased that we will be offering listing options as low as $10 per month. Please feel free to drop me a line with any questions you may have. I look forward to serving you as editor and publisher of your Natural Awakenings magazine.
Tom Maples 404-395-9634 Tom@AlabamaAwakenings.com
coverart DANCE by Diane Whitehead To view portfolios of Diane Whitehead’s work, visit: www.ArtByDianeWhitehead.com www.TheRedstoneGallery.com
contact us Publisher/Editor Tom Maples Tom@AlabamaAwakenings.com Cell: (404) 395-9634 Fax: (256) 217-4274 New Business Development Advertising Sales Cindy Wilson Cindy@AlabamaAwakenings.com Cell: (256) 476-6537 Fax: (256) 217-4274 Design and Production Karen Ormstedt (256) 997-9165 Alabama Awakenings 14 Woodland Ave Trinity, Alabama 35673 © 2010 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved. Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing. Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. It is available in selected stores, health and education centers, healing centers, public libraries and wherever free publications are generally seen. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business. We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.
SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions are available by sending $15 (for 12 issues) to the above address. Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soybased ink.
September 2010
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contents 16
8 consciouseating
14 fitbody
15 e-commerce
directory
16 healthbriefs
22
18 who’swho 20 healthykids 22 healingways
26
25 inspiration
26 globalbriefs
FOUR-LEGGED AMONG US
by Gloria Agrelius
12 GOING DEEPER WITH
ASHIATSU ORIENTAL BAR THERAPY
by Sharon L. Bryant, LMT
14 TITANS OF YOGA
Email: publisher@nahuntsville.com
Newsbriefs due by the 12th of the month, 5pm CST. Limit 50-250 words. Content limited to special events and other announcements. No adver torials, please. Articles and ideas due by the 5th of the month, 5pm CST. Articles generally contain 250-850 words, with some exceptions. No advertorials, please. Email: publisher@nahuntsville.com
calendar submissions Calendars and Ongoing Calendars due by the 12th of the month, 5pm CST. Calendar - Limit 50 words; Ongoing Calendar - Limit 20 words. Up to three Ongoing Calendar entries per organization. Please follow format found in those sections. Email: calendar@nahuntsville.com
20
Lessons Distilled From a Lifetime of Disciplined Practices
20 FUN FALL
Editorial Submissions*
10 HONORING THE
35 wisewords
Display Ads due by the 12th of the month, 5pm CST. To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 404-395-9634 or email.
32
by Judith Fertig
by Johannes R. Fisslinger
how to advertise
Three Ways to Preserve Summer’s Goodness
28 naturalpet
advertising & submissions
8 SAVORING THE SUN
MIGRATIONS A Perfect Family Field Trip
by Martin Miron
22 CREATIVE EXPRESSION Instrument of Healing
by Mary Beth Maziarz
25 EARTH MUSIC
Soundscapes of America’s Quiet Places by Susie Ruth
35
28 STEP UP TO
GOOD GROOMING by Morieka V. Johnson
32 LIVING ART
Creativity Inspires Community
by Kirsten Broadfoot
* All submissions are subject to editing and will be printed at the publisher’s discretion. Article space often fills in advance. Deadline dates refer to the month prior to next publication and may change without notice due to holidays, shorter months, or printing schedules.
35 FEEL GOOD FILMS
www.nahuntsville.com
A Conversation with
Producer Stephen Simon by Ellen Mahoney
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newsbriefs The Yurt Garden Retreat September Workshops n Saturday Sept. 11th between 4pm and 5:30, a Butterfly workshop for all nature lovers will be held. Bring the kids and learn how to attract butterflies to your garden as well as play amongst them! Nets will be provided to catch and release. We'll also learn about their life cycles and which ones overwinter here. We'll be on the lookout for Monarchs as they stop off to feed before their migrate back to Mexico. Cost is $20.00 including a zinnia to take home to plant. Please e-mail to reserve your place. Saturday Sept. 25th from 10-11:30 Yoga and Fall Gardening. The first half of the class will teach yoga stretches to help prevent injuries while working in the garden. The second half will be devoted to learning how to grow an organic fall garden from conditioning the soil, water requirements, pest management, and what greens and other garden vegetables are best suited for our area. Cost is $20.00 a person, including seeding up a small flat of lettuces to plant at home. Please e-mail to reserve your place. See CRG page 39.
O
Animal Blessing Event at the Center for Spiritual Living in Huntsville
T
he Animal Blessing is a celebration of the love we have for our pets, and an opportunity to hold all animals around the world in consciousness and prayer. Our mission is simple: raise awareness about the interconnectedness we have with animals and everything in life. There will be a brief talk on proper care for pets and how we, as a community, can work together to bring down the number of homeless animals in our area. Adoptable pets will be on site. We invite you to bring your best behaved pet to the blessing. There will be an altar for pictures of pets that have passed and for pets that are not able to attend the blessing. Jodi Rutenberg, licensed practitioner and spiritual coach through the International Centers for Spiritual Living, will facilitate the annual Animal Blessing. Jodi volunteers at A New Leash on Life, an animal welfare and rescue organization in Huntsville, and provides foster care for animals in her home. Jodi is committed to a life in service to the well being of our four- legged friends and serves in the animal ministry at the Center. The annual Animal Blessing: September 26, 2010 @ 10:30 am, The Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Road, Huntsville, Al. 35802; Contact: Jodi Rutenberg@jodi_rutenberg@yahoo.com. See ad this page.
A Spiritual Community supporting the practice of knowing God in the heart of every person. ONGOING SERVICES AND CLASSES! New Thought Classes
Tuesdays, 6:30-9:00pm Wednesdays,10:00am-12:00pm
Revealing Services Sundays 9:45am
Celebration Services Sundays 10:30am
Meditation
Tuesdays & Wednesdays 6:00pm Sundays 8:30am
Satsang
Wednesdays 6:30pm
Rev. David Leonard Transforming Lives and Making the World a Better Place www.cslhuntsville.org
308 Lily Flagg Rd.
883-8596
September 2010
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• Pet Compounding Pharmacy • Massage Therapy • Healthy Eating & Weight Loss • Book Center New Releases & Favorites Terry Wingo, RPh
Ginny Isbell, Pharm D
Seminars and Workshops Date: Thursday, September 23, 2010 Time: 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Location: Madison Drugs Instructor: Terry Wingo, RPh Topic: Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Cost: $20 – General Admission $30 – C.E. (nurses & pharmacists).
??Ask the Pharmacist?? Terry, For the past 2 years I have been exhausted and nothing seems to help. Some days it’s hard for me to get out of bed. My doctor has diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia. Is there a cure for this?
The Pharmacist Says...
In our experience the symptoms of ďŹ bromyalgia are generally reversible when underR.S.V.P. @ (256) 837-1778 lying functional endocrine imbalances are corrected. Dietary and lifestyle changes Wellness Counseling along with nutritional support tailored to We perform intensive one-on-one individual needs strengthen our body’s healevaluations covering your health history ing processes, enabling our recovery. We’ll and current health problems. Take control of your life today, and schedule an appoint- discuss our approach in detail in our next ment with our trained and qualified staff. class- why not call to reserve a seat?
The Physician’s Resource $PNQPVOEJOH 1IBSNBDZ t /BUVSBM 1IBSNBDZ
1SPWJEFODF .BJO 4USFFU )VOUTWJMMF "MBCBNB JOGP!NBEJTPOESVHT DPN t XXX NBEJTPOESVHT DPN
256 . 837.1778
UA Ministries
O
n Sept 12, 2010, UA Ministries will begin an 11-week series titled “Learning to Love” geared toward creating and sustaining meaningful relationships with others. This series can and will benefit couples; however, loving relationships are not limited to only spouses or significant others. Anyone wanting to improve any relationship in his or her life will find this series useful and liberating. “Learning to Love” is not designed to be a band-aid approach to loving others; instead it is a dramatic life-changing experience. This series will be taught by Jadon Cascio, the founder of UA Ministries. Jadon’s background is in ministry and social work. Jadon has written and taught this series as a workshop in many churches across the United States. He has also been able to use and share this information with families in crisis, including, but not limited to, those who have been court appointed or mandated to attend due to domestic violence. Jadon is passionate about each person’s responsibility to participate in the healing of their own broken and incomplete relationships. He believes this is how the world is healed, one person at a time. So, we invite you to join us for “Learning to Love” at 10:30 am at the Radisson Hotel located at 8721 Madison Boulevard in Madison, AL beginning on Sept 12th. For more information you can visit our website at www.uaministries.com or you can call 256-653-3896. There is no charge, and you may attend as often as you are able. See ad page 24.
The Center for Spiritual Living
M
INDFULNESS MEDITATION. The Center for Spiritual Living in Huntsville presents this four-week class on Mindfulness Meditation, beginning Tuesday evening September 7, at 6:30–8:30 pm., explores mindfulness practices as taught by Jon Kabat Zin, author of the book Wherever You Go, There You Are. Each week individuals go deeper into meditation practices and discover the natural peacefulness that is already there. These techniques have been offered in corporations, hospitals and schools as they reduce stress and promote a balanced inner health. Susan Gilbert has studied with the author and offers this class on a donation basis. She is a yoga teacher in our community and a long time student/teacher of meditation. Classes will be held at the Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Rd, Huntsville, AL 35802. Contact Susan at 256-656-5704 or email her at gilb419@belllsouth.net. see ad page 5.
Food For Life
N
EWtritional Health Care Seminar. Roy Williams CHt, owner of NEWtritional Health Care in Killen, Alabama, sponsored a health seminar at Foods for Life in Huntsville on Thursday, August 19th at 7 pm. Roy discussed some of the top health issues that exist in our society, while explaining
how NEWtritional Health Care supplements were designed to supply our bodies with the raw materials, which in turn, heals itself. Many people who attended told how their health improved using NEWtritional Health Care products. Steve Krzyzewski C.E.D.S.A.T. performed free Electrodermal Stress Screenings for individuals who wanted to see which NEWtritional Health Care products matched for them. Electrodermal Stress Analysis is a product of a 50-year evolution in Biological-Energetic/biofeedback testing. To contact Steve Krzyzewski about Electrodermal Stress Analysis, call 256-679-1997. For more information on NEWtritional Health Care, visit www.myhealthykingdom.com/10003, or call 800-745-4408. See ad on page 11.
Jin Shin Jyutsu® of Huntsville
Aiding Healing through Body Harmony & Relaxation
SANDRA COPE
Certified Jin Shin Jyutsu® Practitioner (256) 534-1794 Office (256) 509-3540 Cell
Huntsville, Alabama
Nomadic Tapestry Bellydance - Drumming - Yoga 1219 B&C Jordan Lane, Huntsville 256-318-0169 For class schedules and pricing go to: www.nomadictapestry.com September 2010
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consciouseating
SAVORING THE SUN Three Ways to Preserve Summer’s Goodness by Judith Fertig
“B
eing a locavore is fabulous if you live somewhere like California,” says Audra Wolfe, a co-founder of Canvolution and an expert food preservationist. “But if you live in the Northeast, unless you learn food preservation, you could be eating local turnips and kale all winter,” she notes with a chuckle. The mounting desire to eat locally grown food, know what’s in our food and reduce our carbon footprint, as well as shrinking household budgets, are contributing to what The New York Times recently cited as a renaissance in home food preservation. “In a time of high food prices, job losses and food safety scares, home canning is booming,” agrees June Taylor, a Berkeley, California, food preservationist. According to Jarden Home Brands, makers of Kerr and Ball brands of glass canning jars, sales of canning equipment were up 30 percent in 2009. The simplest methods for “putting by” food are freezing, refrigerator canning or multi-step water bath canning. Pressure canning, dehydrating and fermenting require special equipment (pressure cookers, dehydrators and large crocks), as well as more advanced knowledge. For most of us, a large pot and some pint-size glass canning jars
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“The jars are like characters, with story lines that I remember.” ~ Eugenia Bone, author of Well-Preserved: Recipes and Techniques for Putting Up Small Batches of Seasonal Foods
with lids and metal sealing rings comprise the basic equipment we need to get started.
Freezing Freezing can be as easy as rinsing berries in very cold water, patting them dry, and then placing them on a baking sheet in the freezer until frozen solid. Such quick-frozen berries can then be placed in freezer storage containers and will keep for up to six months. Some foods, like vegetables, need to be blanched first—plunged into boiling water for a minute or two, then shocked in an ice water bath— then allowed to cool before being
placed in freezer storage containers. Cooked sauces, salsas and chutneys can simply cool before being frozen and will also taste best when eaten within six months.
Refrigerator Canning Because most vegetables have low acid content, which can invite bacteria growth, canning them also involves pickling—adding a vinegary brine to increase the acid level. Refrigerator-pickled cucumbers, Swiss chard stems, green tomatoes, beets and green beans will keep for up to six months if kept covered in pickling brine in the refrigerator.
Hot Water Bath Canning Traditional hot water bath canning creates a vacuum within the jar that works to preserve foods. Basically, the food is packed into clean, hot jars that are filled almost up to the top (the amount of headspace between the food and the
lid is indicated in the recipe). Then, the filled and sealed jars are processed in a hot water bath for a specified amount of time. When they’re removed from the bath, the lids will pop into place as they cool to complete each jar’s vacuum seal. Food canned this way can be stored on kitchen shelves for up to one year, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines. Today, with more cooks, gardeners and food lovers collectively committed to the revival of the lost art of putting by food, the movement is picking up steam. Canvolution aficionados say that almost half of U.S. canners are now younger than 40. —Judith Fertig is a freelance food writer in Overland Park, KS; for more information visit AlfrescoFoodAndLifestyle. blogspot.com.
Honeyed Applesauce Dark with spices, this applesauce is a frozen asset. Makes about 2 pint jars 8 cups (about 3 lbs) apples such as Lodi, Macintosh or Lady, cored, peeled and quartered 1 cup clover or other mild honey 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Knowledgeable Resources County extension agencies within each state’s department of agriculture provide free information on techniques for preserving food, together with recipes and recommended local ingredients. Helpful online sources also abound; here are some websites to get started. Audra Wolfe at DorisAndJillyCook.com Ball Canning at FreshPreserving.com Canning Across America at Canning AcrossAmerica.com Eugenia Bone at blogs.DenverPost.com/preserved Kerri Conan at DinersJournal.blogs. nytimes.com/tag/canning National Center for Food Preservation at uga.edu/nchfp U.S. Department of Agriculture at usda.gov (click on Food and Nutrition, then search Home Canning)
¼ tsp ground nutmeg ¼ tsp natural salt or to taste 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Spirit Nurturing
1. In a large saucepan, combine the apples with ½ cup of the honey; cover and bring to a simmer. Cook until the apples are tender, about 20 minutes. 2. For chunky applesauce, just mash the apples in the saucepan. For a smoother sauce, press the apples through a conical sieve or a food mill placed over a bowl. Add enough of the remaining honey to sweeten to taste. Stir in the spices, salt and lemon juice. Enjoy just-made or freeze in pint jars for up to six months.
Refrigerator Baby Dill Pickles Crisp and crunchy, these pickles depend on very fresh cucumbers. Makes 2 pint jars 1 cup water 1 cup distilled white vinegar 1 cup sugar 1½ tsp natural salt 1 lb pickling or baby cucumbers; trim ends and quarter lengthwise 8 cloves garlic, peeled 2 tsp black peppercorns 2 fresh dill seed heads with some of the stalk 1. Combine the water, vinegar, sugar and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve. Let cool to room temperature. 2. Pack the cucumber spears in the jars. Divide the garlic and peppercorns between the jars. Stuff a large dill seed head into the center of each jar. Pour the cooled liquid over the mixture, making sure everything is completely covered with liquid. Seal the jars and refrigerate for 24 hours before using. Keep refrigerated; flavors will continue to develop over time. —Source: Recipes courtesy of Judith Fertig
Art Exhibit And Book Signing Featuring the Watercolor Art and New Book
Unconditional Self-Love by Rita Loyd
Come and Experience the Nurturing Message of Unconditional Self-Love. Learn to incorporate unconditional self-love into every aspect of your life. Allow unconditional self-love to heal you, empower you and bring you peace. A Fundraising Event For HOPE Place Domestic Violence Shelter
In Recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October
September 30, 2010 5:00pm - 9:00pm 16 Main Art Gallery Located at 16 Main St., Downtown Madison, in the Historical Clay Brewer House. FREE ADMISSION Refreshments and light hor d’oeuvres served For more information call
16 Main Art Gallery
256.325.4253 View Rita’s artwork September 2010 at 9
www.NurturingArt.com
Honoring the Four-Legged Among Us By Gloria Agrelius
W
hether you’re a pet owner, or you simply love animals, the wake of the recent Gulf oil spill has many of us feeling we need to do something to make the world a safer place for all living creatures. The magnitude of the devastation can be overwhelming, and we find ourselves feeling powerless to make a change. The great Mahatma Gandhi said: “We must be the change we want to see in the world.” How can we become that change? We may not be able to protect all the animals in the world, but we can find ways to serve and protect the large number of homeless animals in our own backyard. It is estimated that some 9,000 cats and dogs are euthanized in our area every year. While there are many wonderful local rescue organizations such as A New Leash on Life, The Ark, and many others, the task is daunting and the pet population continues to grow. The Center for Spiritual Living in Huntsville has found a way to
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“be the change.” The Center is hosting an Animal Blessing event on Sunday, September 26, 2010, at 10:30 a.m. The sanctuary will be filled with dogs and there will be adoptable cats and dogs onsite. All the animals around the world will be held in consciousness and prayer as we honor our interconnectedness with all of life. The mission for the Center’s animal ministry is to pay tribute to animals and raise awareness about the plight of so many of our four-legged friends. Although local animal services do a wonderful job adopting out as many animals as they can, the sad truth is that animals that are too old, too young, or too sick often end up being euthanized. Sometimes when over-crowding is at its peak, there is simply no room at the inn. Such is the story of Magnolia and her pups. Magnolias’ puppies were only a few days old when they were brought to the animal shelter. In the midst of the chaos, Magnolia and the puppies were separated, and because the pups were so young
and had no one to care for them, they were put to sleep. Luckily, Magnolia made it out alive when a New Leash on Life pulled her from the shelter and found her a foster home. It’s apparent to all that Magnolia is still grieving and searching for her pups. It is obvious that animals have feelings and their hearts can be broken just like ours. Could her story awaken compassion in all of us? Stories like this one awaken the heart of humanity to the compassion of love and action. We can use our awareness and compassion as an opportunity to become creative and find new ways to educate and inform the public. As a community, we can put an end to the overpopulation of homeless animals.Â
How do we put compassion into action? Let us start with our youth. At the Center for Spiritual Living, our children learn about the responsibility for caring for our pets. They realize the importance of nutrition and water. They learn not to leave pets outside in extreme hot or cold weather conditions. The children learn how important it is to have pets neutered or spayed to help keep down overpopulation of domestic animals. The Center has an outreach ministry that supports A New Leash on Life. This wonderful organization has an amazing record for rescuing and adopting out pets to new forever homes. Every animal rescued is spayed or neutered. They provide medical assistance and foster care for abandoned, injured, or unwanted animals all over North Alabama. A New Leash on Life joins the Center for Spiritual Living in promoting humane animal treatment in our community and elsewhere. Many Alabamians are making their voices heard by joining AVRAL (Alabama Votes for Responsible Animal Legislation). AVRAL is a grassroots, non-partisan political action committee that works to influence legislation and supports the passage of policies favorable to the welfare of animals. Contact them at www.alabamavotesforanimals.org. Some people offer support by giving money to animal welfare organizations such as A New Leash on Life. Some will visit animals in shelters to give them love or take caged dogs out for a walk. Some will foster dogs and cats in their homes, while others may help stray cats and dogs make it to the shelters so they can find the assistance they need. Ultimately, the animals are innocent in all of this. They have done nothing wrong. It is up to us to help conditions improve so that useless deaths no longer occur. Each of us can find our own way to make a difference. However insignificant a gesture may appear to be, it will make a significant difference in the greater body of life. We ultimately change the world one heart at a time. The Animal Blessing will be held at the Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Rd. on Sunday, September 26 at 10:30 AM. All are invited. See ad page 5.
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all-natural supplement that safely helps regulate your metabolism to burn fat more efficiently, while balancing your BODY.
Order Now! Go to www.dietersdelite.com, or call 1-800-745-4408 and mention this ad. Satisfaction Guaranteed!
NEWtritional Health Care, LLC 1861 HWY 72, Killen, Alabama 35645 t www.dietersdelite.com Mon-Fri 9 AM to 5 PM, Sat 9 AM to 2 PM
September 2010
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Going Deeper With Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy By Sharon L. Bryant, LMT
O
ne of the most common complaints massage therapists hear from new clients is that they have never had a massage that was deep enough.
For many massage therapists, this singular and repeating complaint sends them on a career-long odyssey spending tens of thousands in continuing education, all the while searching for the perfect combination of techniques to relieve their clients’ pain and go deeper. While no one massage modality or technique is appropriate for every client, Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy
(AOBT) seems to fit the bill for many previously unsatisfied clients seeking deep tissue massage. New clients often schedule their appointment skeptical, nervous, and in pain, hoping this exotic-sounding Ashiatsu massage can help. Typically, all they know about AOBT is that it’s a deep-tissue massage, and a friend or family member had one and spoke highly of their experience. While AOBT is a deep tissue massage, it is also much more. The most notable difference between AOBT and many other massages is that it’s a barefoot massage modality. Disguised in the name of this modality is a literal translation: ashi (meaning foot) + atsu (meaning pressure) = ashiatsu or foot pressure. Thus AOBT-certified therapists use soft, clean feet and parallel bars mounted into the ceiling to perform a flowing, dance-like massage. The gentle appearance of a trained AOBT provider sweeping and gliding her feet over the back of a client is deceptive. This is a deep massage drawing on the large
Sharon L. Bryant, LMT, is a master AOBT provider in Decatur, Alabama. harvestmoonmassage.wordpress.com
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muscle groups of the therapist’s legs and leverage from their body weight. Many clients arrive for an AOBT session expecting the therapist to walk on them, and thus, give them a somewhat painful and unpleasant massage. The fact that they show up at all speaks to the nature of the pain they are experiencing. AOBT is not about walking on people, though. It’s about relieving pain. Because the foot is a larger instrument than the point of an elbow, the knuckles, or thumbs, the client experience of the deep work of AOBT is much more comfortable than the standard deep tissue massage. Accessing the deeper levels of muscle tissue, tendons, ligaments, and fascia with little to no pain sets the stage for healing. Most notably, AOBT, when performed properly, has been proven to relieve the pain of irritated spinal nerves. By utilizing the “push-pullpump” effect of the gliding moves along the paraspinal and lumbar muscles, it enables the intervertebral disc spaces to widen, allowing much sought-after relief for clients with back pain. Along with stimulating the lymphatic and circulatory systems, which help with metabolism and cellular detoxification, AOBT strokes also stimulate the parasympathetic branch of the nervous system. In lay terms, it’s a stress-buster. One AOBTcertified instructor, Jeni Spring of San Antonio, Texas, believes that one hour of AOBT packs three times the punch of a hands-on Swedish massage in terms of stress relief. AOBT has been successful at alleviating client pain not only from stress, but also
from scoliosis, bulging disks, and sciatica. Unfortunately, AOBT is not for everyone. The founder calls it, “the deepest most luxurious massage on the planet,” but is quick to say it can be harmful if performed improperly, or on clients who suffer from circulatory problems, take blood thinners, have had recent surgical procedures, or are pregnant or trying to become pregnant. AOBT can be, and oftentimes is, a career saver to those massage therapists who have spent their career delivering deep tissue massage by hand and now find themselves dealing with chronic back pain from bending over a massage table and repetitive use injuries to the hands and wrists. Ruthie Piper Hardee, the founder of AOBT, states, “This form of gravity-assisted barefoot effleurage was created to help any massage therapist who desires to specialize in deep tissue work without the
“Along with stimulating the lymphatic and circulatory systems, which help with metabolism and cellular detoxification, AOBT strokes also stimulate the parasympathetic branch of the nervous system. In lay terms, it’s a stress-buster.” tremendous strain on their hands and body.” AOBT also allows petite bodyworkers to deliver massage to large, athletic clients whose size would ordinarily result in a less-than-optimum experience for both the client and the therapist. With the bodyworker in less pain from delivering massage and utilizing the larger muscle groups to perform, he or she is usually able to deliver more hours of AOBT massage per day than using traditional hands-on techniques. This translates to good business for the therapist, but it also ensures that the last client of the day gets the same (and sometimes better) quality of massage as the first client of the day. This feature alone has the potential to eliminate the frustration many bodyworkers face when forced to choose between seeing fewer clients or risking personal injury. Drawing from the Eastern influences of Keralite, Shiatsu, and Thai massage, Ms. Hardee formally developed a curriculum and began teaching AOBT. Her training was the first overhead supported barefoot massage modality approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) and has also been approved by the American Massage Therapy Association. Extensive training is required to become a certified AOBT provider. Master certification requires more than 50 hours of training with an AOBT-certified instructor, and therapists must submit to written and performance examinations, ensuring the highest levels of skill and professionalism. Sharon L. Bryant, LMT, is a master AOBT provider in Decatur, Alabama. For more information, visit her online at harvestmoonmassage.wordpress.com or call 256-603-4596. For more information about Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy, Ruthie Piper Hardee, and local AOBT providers, visit www.deepfeet.com.
September 2010
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fitbody
TITANS OF YOGA LESSONS DISTILLED FROM A LIFETIME OF DISCIPLINED PRACTICE by Johannes R. Fisslinger
For the first time, organizers of National Yoga Month have collected in one place insights on health, happiness and enlightenment from contemporary practitioners who are deemed by their peers as world titans of yoga.
Enjoy the moment; don’t be inhibited by the past or future. You are in a timeless space, connected to the infinite. ~ Sharon Gannon, cocreator of Jiva Mukti Yoga Try this healing exercise: Sit up, put your hands in your lap, close your eyes and watch your breath. Take 30 seconds to enjoy this moment, right now, being present… and connecting with your inner smile. ~ Lilias Folan, called the “First Lady of Yoga” since her 1972 PBS series, Lilias! Yoga and You
Focus on the Breath
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he essence of yoga, no matter its style, is a journey of self-discovery and transformation. It becomes a way of life that embraces a system of physical science, while honoring the quest for mental and emotional stability and balance. Millions of U.S. practitioners of all ages enjoy the benefits of increased flexibility and muscle strength, better posture and alignment, and decreased stress. As their practice deepens, they also experience yoga’s larger gift: a body/mind attunement that nurtures mental clarity, emotional composure and a greater sense of overall well-being. The titans interviewed incorporate various techniques and approaches. Yet, they all agree upon the following handful of principles, designed to inspire, facilitate and heighten anyone’s yoga practice.
Be Present in the Moment Yoga… is about the power of now, being present in the moment. Anytime, [you can] take a few deep breaths and find a peaceful space within. ~ Beth Shaw, founder of YogaFit
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If you bring your attention to your breathing, you become present; develop this muscle of being present by focusing on the breath. ~ Bryan Kest, creator of Power Yoga Try this transformative exercise: If your mind becomes restless, relax your jaw and breathing, then become aware of the quality of your breath, using a soft inhale and exhale. Feel your belly move as breath enters and exits through the nostrils, like a guest. Choose to observe your breath and it will redirect the mind. ~ Lisa Walford, developer of YogaWorks teacher training program
Experience Health and Oneness with the Body Regular practice is key. Inevitably, if you do the postures enough, there’s magic to them. Even if you [begin with] no intention, yoga leads you to a state of union. Practicing yoga helps you remember that you’re already perfect, already free. ~ Sara Ivanhoe, creator of bestselling yoga DVDs
If you don’t feel good in your body—if you can’t move forward with ease and not dis-ease—how can you feel good about anything? Yoga… makes us feel good about the bodies we are in. ~ Beth Shaw Yoga strengthens our life force and makes us stronger from deep inside; it builds life energy, prana, chi. ~ Vinnie Marino, Vinyasa flow teacher who employs music styles ranging from trance to rock
Strengthen the Mind through Meditation The real power of yoga is in meditation, the qualities of the mind behind the action. Bring these meditative qualities into the physical practice, and it becomes meditation in motion. ~ Bryan Kest Learn to concentrate on your mantra, your sacred words that you recite over and over again. My favorite is, “Let go… just let it go…” ~ David Life, co-creator of Jiva Mukti yoga Practice pranayama [regulation of the breath] and meditation to improve concentration and the power of your mind. The mind creates emotions and thoughts; when the mind is healthy, the body and mind connect. Then you really find your soul essence, your consciousness. ~ Rajashree Choudhury, teacher of Bikram yoga
Experience Oneness with the Spirit For energy to be flowing, you have to be in tune and in balance not only with the nature around you, but [with] something that’s deeper inside you. This energy that’s in you, in me, in plants and animals, is the pure energy, the one life that connects us all. Who you are is an expression of consciousness, an expression of God. ~ Kim Eng, Qi Flow yoga teacher and partner of author Eckhart Tolle Yoga helps you [let go of] attachment to material things and empowers your soul. ~ Rajahshree Choudhury The essence of yoga is truth and love… willingness to embrace the God that is within, recognizing that we are all connected. ~ Seane Corn, internationally celebrated yoga teacher Johannes R. Fisslinger is the co-founder of National Yoga Month and founder of Yoga-Recess in Schools. Both initiatives are coordinated by the Yoga Health Foundation. For information about free local yoga classes and events in September and the new Titans of Yoga DVD, featuring 25 masters of yoga and meditation now available through yoga teachers and studios, visit YogaMonth.org.
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healthbriefs
Flaxseed a Natural Alternative to Cholesterol Drugs
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new study from Iowa State University’s Nutrition and Wellness Research Center may give men a way to combat high cholesterol without drugs—if they don’t mind sprinkling some flaxseed into their daily diet. In the study, researchers examined the effects of eating flaxseed lignans (natural plant chemicals found in flaxseed) on 90 people diagnosed with high cholesterol. The results showed that consuming at least 150 milligrams per day (about three tablespoons) decreased cholesterol in men by just under 10 percent over the three months of the study. They did not see similar results in women. Suzanne Hendrich, a professor of food science and human nutrition at the university who led the study, notes that the flaxseed tablets used in the research are not available in the United States, but sprinkling ground flaxseed on cereal and other foods can provide ample cholesterol-lowering flaxseed lignans. Ground flaxseed will oxidize over time, she says, possibly affecting its flavor as well as omega-3 content, so keep it fresh.
Clapping Hands Sharpens the Brain
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new study by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev reveals that hand-clapping songs boost the development of motor and cognitive skills in children ages 6 through 10. “We found that children in the first, second and third grades who sing these [kinds of] songs demonstrate skills absent in children who don’t take part in similar activities,” explains Dr. Idit Sulkin, of the university’s music science lab. “We also found that children who spontaneously perform hand-clapping songs in the yard during recess have neater handwriting, write better and make fewer spelling errors.” Sulkin engaged several elementary school classrooms in a program of either music appreciation or hand-clapping songs for 10 weeks. With the hand-clapping group, she found that “Within a very short period of time, the children who until then hadn’t taken part in such activities caught up in their cognitive abilities to those who did.” The children’s teachers believe that those who participate in such hand-clapping songs also exhibit better social integration.
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The Human Heart Renews Itself
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esearchers at Karolinska Institute, a leading medical university in Sweden, have demonstrated that contrary to conventional theory, heart cells are able to regenerate themselves. Examining the heart tissue of 50 people over the course of four years, the researchers found that new heart cells appeared to replace older ones at a rate of approximately 1 percent per year in people in their 20s, falling to 0.5 percent per year by age 75. Scientists now hope to find ways to stimulate this natural regeneration of heart cells as a way to avoid heart transplants and help people recover from heart attacks.
Grapes as Medicine
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diet rich in natural grapes—red, green and black—could slow a downhill progression from high blood pressure and insulin resistance to heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Scientists at the University of Michigan Health System believe that grapes’ naturally occurring an tioxidants, known as phytochemicals, help reduce risk factors related to cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome, often a Type 2 diabetes precursor.
When More Isn’t Better
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n recent years, multiple studies have touted the benefits of following a diet rich in antioxidant vitamins such as C and E. Now, new findings show that while antioxidant-rich foods are fine when eaten in large quantities, taking too many antioxidants in supplement form can put our health at risk. Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute report that many people take way too many vitamins, believing that if a little is good, a lot must be better— but that is not the case. “If you are taking 10 or 100 times the amount in a daily multivitamin, you may be predisposing your cells to developing cancer,” warns institute Director Dr. Eduardo Marbán, who led the study.
September 2010
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Tennessee Valley
InTheValley by Tom Maples
This month Natural Awakenings is proud to spotlight Charlie Maples and the business of Healthsource Systems
Saladmaster® Changes Lives
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eet my Dad, Charlie Maples. He was PhD. Dean of Students, UAH 1973-1981; Senior Dealer, Saladmaster, 19862010; owner of Healthsource Systems, Danville, Alabama; adjunct faculty, History Department, Calhoun Community College; builder; entrepreneur; father; and more. He built his own house, himself, with his own hands. In the woods. By a pond. That can be a very spiritual thing to do. Just read Walden, by Henry David Thoreau. I asked Dad what kind of experience he had in building houses. "None. But I just had this idea that I could do it, along with the inclination. And frankly, I had the time. I was at a transition point in my life, and I needed something to occupy my hands, but leave my mind free to think about what I ought to do in terms of an occupation for the second half of my life. The first half
was academia, university administration, students, and campus life. The second act would be different, a different calling, but what? That's what I thought about for the two years I built the house." Whatever he chose for a living, Dad wanted to help people. The notion that when we help others, we help ourselves, was a life lesson he taught his children early. The value of knowledge was another. Perhaps the most important one of all was the bold belief that we can do anything we choose to do, and succeed marvelously at it, by virtue of hard work and our own talents. Nothing else was required. Defining the toolkit for success in that way made it portable. We are never stuck in only one job or one career, despite our education or training, despite the investment of time we have made in it. Our education allows us to find new training – to adapt, to evolve, to transform.
All photogragphs © The National Trust for Historic Preservation
Our Spotlight on Exceptional Businesses In the Tennessee Valley
Dad chose sales as his new career. "I figured if I was going to sell, I needed a great product. That's what took the most time, looking for the right product to represent, the right opportunity. Then I found Saladmaster. I thought, wow, this is by far the healthiest, most nutritious, most convenient, and least expensive way to cook. This is a product that can really change lives. And it does. It did. Starting first with me." In 2006, the Saladmaster® Corporation celebrated its sixtieth anniversary as an American business. Established in 1946 to market the original Saladmaster food cutter invented by Harry Lemmons, the company now distributes a complete line of premium kitchen tools featuring Saladmaster titanium waterless cookware to a worldwide market. By using the waterless, low heat, fast cooking precision tools, owners enjoy at least twice the health-sustaining nutrients they would receive from ordinary cookware. Because of the superior engineering employed in the design and manufacturing of Saladmaster, it cooks up to four times faster than ordinary cookware. With this benefit, busy couples and overworked parents have time to enjoy preparing nutritious meals at home. For three generations, Saladmaster has been changing lives and helping families in the Tennessee
Valley save their health, their time, and their money. This has happened quietly, one family at a time, because of Saladmaster’s direct-to-customer marketing philosophy that began with its founder in 1946. Saladmaster is shown only in the privacy of a family’s kitchen. It has never been available in stores, or through the Internet. The classic method of marketing the Saladmaster is the traditional dinner demonstration to individuals or groups and through local healthy cooking seminars. As a result of this hands-on method of advertising, Saladmaster is not highly visible. Saladmaster distributors smile when the question is asked if Saladmaster is still in business. The answer is a resounding yes! Keith Peterson, President of Saladmaster, recently announced a “Best Year in Business” for the fourth year in a row! Since owners of Saladmaster may also qualify to sell the product on a part- or full-time basis, lives are positively changed by the opportunity Saladmaster offers to experience the American Dream of owning a business. My Dad accomplished his goal … Saladmaster changes lives. —Contact Charlie Maples of Healthsource Systems at 256-412-4896 and visit his website at www.healthsource.saladmaster.com. See ad page 2.
September 2010
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healthykids
FUN FALL MIGRATIONS A PERFECT FAMILY FIELD TRIP by Martin Miron
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his year, why not make the most of a long weekend by taking the family on a short trip designed to give kids a new, vibrant connection to nature? Everywhere across North America, birds, insects, animals and sea life are repeating their annual rituals of migration, a vital call of the wild that has been enriching life on Earth since long before humans appeared on the scene. This outing doesn’t have to mean sacrifice, either; you can still visit Aunt Stella or go waterskiing. Planning ahead makes it possible to include unforgettable memories of wildlife in action, as adventurous observations of the animals create family lore, educate and perhaps, bring life lessons.
Making Plans First, pick a destination. A little research may reveal that you live close to a place where butterflies congregate, birds flock or the antelope play. Start with likely local sources of information like a nature center or county extension service, or even parks and recreation staff, for news of animal activity close to home. The Internet is a great resource to tap into the big picture of animal migrations. Good places to look include the nonprofit World Wildlife Fund (WorldWildlife.org; enter “migration” in the Search Site box), the U.S. Fish
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At NationalZoo.si.edu kids can Search “Wanda” to help Wanda the wood thrush find her way home to her nesting site, and listen to songs from the bird of the day. and Wildlife Service (fws.gov; choose a region from the dropdown menu), and the kid-friendly Nature Rocks (Nature Rocks.org), where entering a local zip code pulls up all sorts of nearby resources. Plus, community and school librarians are sure to be helpful. Once you know where you are going and why, a strategy is in order. The best natural migration corridors are along mountain ridges, river valleys
and coastlines, yet it’s possible to see migrating animals just about anywhere.
Migration Highlights Every year, starting in October, a spectacular congregation of 25,000 monarch butterflies takes place in Pacific Grove, outside of San Francisco. The overwintering insects’ habits are so reliable that the city calls itself, “Butterfly Town, USA,” and levies a fine for bothering the bugs. Each fall in Ohio, huge flocks of southbound shorebirds put on a show in several areas along Lake Erie known for superior viewing. Observation points include the Magee Marsh State Wildlife Area and Ottawa Wildlife Refuge, both part of a national Regional Shorebird Reserve, as well the Kildeer Plains and Big Island wildlife areas further inland. Seasonal residents in Florida aren’t called “snowbirds” for nothing. This subtropical peninsula is either a destination or way station for hundreds of migrating species. Fish, too, perform their own annual odyssey. Down in the Florida Keys, sailfish, grouper, kingfish and cobia are around in the fall and winter, species that you won’t catch in the summertime. Bison, which once numbered in the millions and roamed the central and western plains from Colorado to
Texas before being hunted to near extinction, have recovered in managed herds in Yellowstone National Park and on private ranches. These splendid animals, along with elk, pronghorn antelope, mule deer and bighorn sheep, undergo an annual altitudinal migration among mountain foothills in the face of winter’s arrival. They do it not so much because of the temperature change, but the impending scarcity of food. Park rangers can tell you the best spots to observe this vanishing phenomenon. Look up over New York and Toronto to witness thousands of Canada geese making their seasonal pilgrimage in their signature, V-shaped formations marked by unmistakable honking. On their way from Hudson Bay to sunnier
climes, migrating geese can become an iconic symbol for young children, graphically pointing out the way that wild animals move about the Earth. Scores of them land for a pit stop in the Chesapeake Bay region and near Midwest lakes.
It’s possible to see migrating animals just about anywhere. As many as 25 migrating species of birds fly to Puerto Rico en route to their winter quarters further south. There, thousands of American coots and American wigeons, northern pintails, blue-winged teals and other waterfowl present delightful displays.
What to Bring Binoculars are a must for any wildlife trip, together with a field guide for identification, camera and journal.
Bring along art materials and kids can have fun creating a work of art or science fair project. Scouts can work on assignments for merit badges, too. Afterward, back at home, review what each child thinks was the best part of the experience and discuss where they might want to go next. You’ll discover that for nurturing a meaningful bond with Earth’s creatures, nothing can replace witnessing nature in the wild. Martin Miron is a freelance writer in Naples, FL. Connect at emem.creative@ gmail.com.
THE FALL LINEUP
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ere are some tips for enjoying the passing wildlife this season. Birds — Early morning often provides great views of birds just finished with all-night flights. As the sun starts to rise, some birds that find themselves out over ocean waters or above the Great Lakes will suddenly head for the nearest land. Hundreds of birds can come pouring inland at these times, among them thrushes, warblers, vireos and tanagers. During daylight hours, the skies can be filled with everything from white pelicans to bobolinks. Expect lots of shorebirds, cormorants, terns and gulls at the seaside and hawks, swifts, flickers, jays, swallows and robins overhead almost everywhere. Butterflies — Most people have heard about monarchs and their fall migrations to the mountains of southern Mexico, but lots of other butterflies travel in autumn. Some even head north.
Watch in the same places that bird migrants concentrate for American ladies, question marks, red admirals, and the more abundant monarchs—all moving southward. By contrast, cloudless sulphurs may be headed north in the fall, as their southern populations expand, and painted ladies and common buckeyes may be flying north or south. Dragonflies — Dragonfly watching is coming into its own on the North American nature scene. Several books have appeared to help folks tell these handsome creatures apart. A small number of dragonfly species migrate in substantial numbers during the fall. Look for the monster green darner in particular and the world’s most cosmopolitan dragonfly, the wandering glider. Others include
the black saddlebag and the Carolina saddlebag. Mammals — Mammal watching is not nearly as easy as bird or insect watching. It usually involves some trekking, and they’re not terribly cooperative subjects. Still, the rewards can be considerable. Among the migratory mammals worth watching are some species of bats (hoary, silver-haired and red), which can occasionally be seen flying south during daylight hours along shorelines or even over bodies of water. Marine mammals may be observed from boats or coastal promontories. The large baleen whales are evident in good numbers on their southward migration and delight watchers even from a distance. Source: National Wildlife Federation
September 2010
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healingways
CREATIVE EXPRESSION Instrument of Healing by Mary Beth Maziarz
We all feel drawn by enticing creative projects we’d like to try. Now we know why…
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ounting scientific evidence makes it clear that personal creative expression, once perceived as a luxury, sideline or hobby in our busy lives, is in fact a keystone of our most healthy and worthwhile activities. In infinitely varied and pleasurable forms, creative practices can move us beyond artful living to also serve as a vehicle for healing. When we appreciate others’ creativity, or better yet, actively bring creativity to bear in our own experiences, such participation shapes our sense of self and can render physical and emotional benefits. Studies published in Time and MuSICA (Music and Science Information Computer Archive), for example, have shown that music is a powerful ally. Listening and playing music not only helps us manage our moods and emotions, it also works to reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, repair and regenerate brain neurons, calm anxiety and regulate heart rate.
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Everyone Benefits Kids clearly benefit from the time they spend on creative pursuits. Beyond being great fun, arts education and creative activities help kids develop confidence and discipline, build mental acuity, increase problem-solving skills and shape more powerful futures. A study done by the University of California-Irvine, for example, proved that an important link exists between exposure to music and human intelligence, stating that, “Music trains the brain for higher forms of thinking.” A concurring report by the American Music Conference concluded that kids who play a musical instrument are 52 percent more likely to go on to college. Today, children who study the arts continue to outperform non-arts students on Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SAT) by an average of 59 points in verbal skills and 44 points in math skills, according to a College Board study compiled in 2001 by the Music Educators National Conference. As well as helping the young to mature, creative outlets help the mature stay young. “A lot of our brain is devoted to movement,” notes Kelly G. Lambert, a professor who chairs the psychology department at Randolph-Macon College, in Ashland, Virginia. “Thus, hobbies and activities that use our hands are engaging in more of our brain’s real estate.” Experts theorize that hands-on activities such as cooking, gardening, making jewelry, crocheting and sculpting may work to enhance mental clarity, because they activate additional parts of the brain. As we age, managing life’s challenges becomes especially important to overall health and well-being. A regular creative practice helps, according to Manhattan psychologist Dr. Joseph Cilona. “Creative activities can be highly beneficial in the management of stress,” he believes, “particularly the stressors associated with chronic life issues, such as coping with physical illness, a demanding job or troublesome relationships.” As a result, he says, “Individuals can experience a decrease in stress, anxiety and uncomfortable physical symptoms and improvement in symptoms of depression.”
Help for Families Art-based projects open a channel to express difficult feelings and insights. These can be especially helpful for individuals facing conflict or transition, for those recovering from substance abuse and for victims of abuse or trauma. Art therapy—a guided, clinical application of creative practices—is one of therapeutic medicine’s fastest growing fields. “Art therapy enables clients to express themselves non-verbally, allowing for subconscious wounds to be expressed via drawing, painting, making masks,
creative writing and meditation,” observes Candice Christiansen, a licensed professional counselor and clinical director at Journey Healing Centers addiction treatment facilities in Arizona and Utah. “Art therapy gives clients a way to explore their painful histories in a safe, more comfortable forum.” Rachel Brandoff, a licensed art therapist and co-founder of the Creative Arts Therapies Center in New York City remarks, “I’ve seen families be drawn together through their own creativity and develop abilities to overcome difficult and often dividing circumstances. Creativity can foster new
ways of thinking that allow individuals to find resourceful new ways of being in their world.”
Plus, it’s Fun
While any facet of creativity enhances daily experience, focused creative endeavor soothes our bodies, nurtures a rich sense of personal identity and advances the success of our children. When we commit to pursuing a form of art, attend community arts events, vote yes on public referendums for arts funding and support the arts with our time and donations, we keep creativity alive and kicking, making its wonderful works and wider benefits available to all. Happy creating! —Mary Beth Maziarz is an author and professional songwriter whose songs have appeared in 50 films and television shows. Her most recent book is, Kick-Ass Creativity – An Energy Makeover for Artists, Explorers, and Creative Professionals. Connect at mb@KickAssCreativity.com.
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inspiration
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EARTH MUSIC SOUNDSCAPES OF AMERICA’S QUIET PLACES by Susie Ruth
“S
brings us into contact with what is beilence is like scouring sand,” yond us, its beauty and mystery. says Gordon Hempton, an Hempton encourages us all to join award-winning acoustic ecolo- in the self-discovery of nature. He’s gist. “When you are quiet, the silence found, “All we have to do is listen.” blows against your mind and etches Sounds, more than sight, connect us, away everything soft and unimportant. he observes. In learning to listen to What is left is what is real: pure awarenature’s nuances, we also learn how ness and the very hardest questions.” to listen to one another. His favorite It’s not easy to find silence, which is time of day for listening to nature is facing extinction in the modern world. If 30 minutes before sunrise. When the a quiet place is one where you can listen atmosphere is still, “It is not unusual to for 15 minutes in daylight hours without hear many square miles at once.” hearing a human-created sound, there Astonishment and gratitude illumiare no quiet places left in Europe. There nate our being when light breezes play are none east of the Mississippi River and across leaves and set them in motion, perhaps 12 in the American West, includchirruping night insects wind down ing one square inch in the Hoh Rain and the birds’ dawn chorus begins. Forest at Olympic National Park, now When our moving a stone in a creek officially recognized as the quietest place bed alters the water music, it is we who in the United States (OneSquareInch. are moved. No one knows why natural org). In defending this exemplary spot of sounds speak so directly to the human silence, Hempton is effectively protecting spirit, but we all acknowledge, in silent the soundscape of about 1,000 square thanksgiving, that they do. miles of surrounding land. “Silence is Hempton defines silence the think tank Gordon Hempton, of Port not as noiselessness, but “the of the soul.” Angeles, WA, is an acoustic complete absence of all audible mechanical vibrations, ~ Gordon Hempton ecologist whose award-winning recordings of America’s leaving only the sounds of vanishing natural soundscapes support nature at her most natural. Silence is the his campaign to protect the silence presence of everything, undisturbed.” of our national parks (SoundTracker. Silence, he would concur, is not com). Over the past 25 years, he has the absence of sound, but a way of livcircled the globe three times in pursuit ing—an intention to make of one’s own of environmental sound portraits. Read ears, one’s own body, a sounding board One Square Inch of Silence: One Man’s that resonates with the vibrations of the Search for Natural Silence in a Noisy world. Silence creates an opening, an World and voice support at One absence of self, which allows the larger SquareInch.org/links. world to enter into our awareness. It
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globalbriefs News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all. The International Day of Peace is September 21.
Sound Play
Birds, Like Humans, Sing Just Because They Can Animal researchers like Gisela Kaplan, Ph.D., and Irene Pepperberg, Ph.D., have determined that birds not only sing to communicate daily needs, many engage in sound play, most often when they’re alone, but sometimes also when humans are present. Some species continually improvise their singing with new elements, phrases and sequences, reports Kaplan, a professor at the Research Centre for Neuroscience and Animal Behaviour at the University of New England, Australia. Nightingales and canaries are among the avian virtuosos, reinventing their repertoire in each successive season, while the brown thrasher may hold the record at close to 2,000 song types. Nightingales, she notes, organize their compositions according to rules of construction similar to the way humans use syntax. These birds even create distinctive phrases that identify them as individuals. Kaplan’s own recordings of Australian magpies reveal how the bird’s voice moves across four octaves, varies its phrasing between staccato and legato, and embellishes sequences with vibrato, trills or deep overtones. More, it will close a completed song with a signature phrase, in much the same way that a painter initials a finished canvas.
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Tennessee Valley
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Mental Videos
Park Art
Scientific interest in daydreaming was kicked off a decade ago, when Marcus Raichle, a neurologist and professor with Washington University in St. Louis, discovered that several parts of the brain become unusually active metabolically when the brain is thought to be idling. His findings further showed that daydreaming is the mind’s default mode... and that’s not a bad thing. Today, researchers know that daydream content pretty much maps onto people’s everyday goals, aspirations and apprehensions, rather than being exotic meanderings. For the average person, daydreaming typically represents a kind of mental rehearsal, maintaining the brain in a state of readiness to respond. As pioneering psychologist Jerome Singer pointed out, “You can engage in trial action without any consequences. Such fantasies may fulfill a psychic need.” In Psychology Today, author Josie Glausiusz reports that daydreaming seems to be an essential human activity. Daydreams help us generate our sense of self, hone social skills and serve as a font of creativity for those who pay attention to them, all of which make us feel vibrant, aware and engaged with life.
Hundreds of artist-in-residence programs at sites across the country also include those at 29 national parks. The National Park Service offers opportunities for qualifying two-dimensional visual artists, photographers, sculptors, performers, writers, composers and craft artists to live and work in the parks from several weeks to several months of the year.
Daydreams Have Everyday Benefits
Artist-in-Residence Programs Available Nationwide
Learn more at nps.gov/archive/volunteer/air.htm as well as MesArt.com/art/Resources:Artist-inResidency_Programs.
Natural Awakenings is spreading its wings
Entrance Exam
College Applicants Leverage their Creativity Tufts University, in Medford, Massachusetts, now invites prospective students to submit an optional, one-minute personal video to supplement their admissions application. The purpose is to discern the student’s creative side, which they may also display by way of an essay or by creating something using a single 8½-by-11-inch sheet of paper. —Find videos at YouTube.com, search Tufts Admissions Videos.
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et’s face it, a smelly A gentle doggie Snazzy-Pet Full Service Mobile Grooming, in Atlanta. pet can put a serious massage helps “People realize that it’s imdamper on cuddle time. Proper grooming can end bath time on portant to do the right thing for them.” help dogs not only look But how often should good, but feel better, as well. a soothing note. the family dog get a sudsy “Extreme matting can rubdown? That depends on the dog, cause a health risk to pets,” explains DeAndre Upton, a registered veterinary Upton says. “Dogs that stay in the house don’t need baths as frequently technician in Conyers, Georgia. “Dogs have a natural amount of yeast and as dogs that spend more time outside. Once a month is a good general rule of bacteria on their skin, and matting thumb; your nose will tell you when it’s causes moisture to be trapped under time to take action.” the coat, leading to hot spots and exHere are the professional tips cessive itching, which increases the risk Bryant follows to make bath time betof staph infections.” Perhaps that’s why pet owners today ter for everybody: Comfort is key: Create a comfortspend billions of dollars on grooming products, according to the American Pet able workspace. Place necessary items within reach, including shampoo, a rubProducts Association. “People just look ber brush for massaging the animal and at pets differently today; they a towel. “Bathing two big dogs back-toare members of the back can easily leave you with an achy family now,” remarks back,” Bryant observes. “I sit pets on a Michael Bryant, small, sturdy table in the shower so that owner of I can do much less bending.” He also suggests attaching a hose to the bathtub or shower faucet, making
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sure to monitor the water temperature. In warm months, bathing the dog outside means less mess and a shorter drying time. “I set the nozzle to mist and let the water fall onto the dog’s body,� he advises. “This helps his body more easily acclimate to the cooler water temperature.� Take your time: Some dogs just don’t like bath time, no matter how much you coax or cajole or crank up your temper. To handle fussy dogs, apply plenty of patience. It also helps to have a few of the animal’s favorite treats on hand. In working with bath-shy dogs, this professional groomer finds that gentle and slow is the way to go. Regardless of how messy the process gets, avoid getting excess water in the dog’s ear canal, because it can lead to ear infections. Bryant recommends drying the dog completely before cleaning its ears. Use an ear cleaner with a drying solution to remove wax or debris. Don’t neglect the paws: Keep nails trimmed regularly. Bryant notes that many pet owners are anxious about clipping a pet’s nails and fear accidentally cutting off too much. He suggests seeking professional advice. Ask your groomer or vet assistant for a five-minute lesson on the finer points of using pet nail clippers to deliver a clean cut. It can save a lot of anxiety. Longhaired dogs also need the hair trimmed between their paw pads. “Most people have hardwood or tile floors, and it can be difficult for a dog to get around on those hard surfaces if their hair is too long,� he cautions. Use a good shampoo, followed by a thorough rinse: A dog’s skin has a different pH level than ours, so avoid
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“In most cases, no other pet care professional will spend more one-on-one time with your pet than your groomer. Each time your pet is professionally groomed, he is actually examined from head to toe.� ~ Michael Bryant, professional dog groomer using human hair care products. Instead, Bryant suggests selecting shampoos that contain oatmeal or tea tree oil, which address a range of skin issues and have soothing properties, and follow with a good rinse. “Remember, the most important part of any doggie bath is to thoroughly rinse all shampoo from the dog’s body,� he says. Conditioner is not essential unless the pet has long hair or is prone to matting. Dogs with long hair also need a good combing while the fur is still damp; otherwise, they are ready for a thorough rubdown with a thick towel. Finally, a gentle doggie massage helps end bath time on a soothing note. It pays to hire pros: Getting your dog groomed can be a costly investment, but the price includes more than a fluff and cut. “Each time your pet is professionally groomed, he is actually examined from head to toe,� Bryant reports. “I have discovered teeth problems, joint problems, and hair and skin problems that many of my clients never would have noticed.� Morieka V. Johnson is a freelance writer who frequently writes about pet issues and shares her Atlanta home with Lulu, a precocious pooch. Her weekly advice column on reducing carbon footprints, one toe at a time, appears on MNN. com. Email Morieka@gmail.com.
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Living Art
creativity inspires community by Kirsten Broadfoot
“All creative people want to do the unexpected.” ~ Hedy Lamarr
When we say someone or something is creative, do we mean imaginative, innovative, inventive, artistic or fantastic? Creativity is about being inquisitive and open to new ideas as well as new ways of putting those ideas together. Individual artists, who are naturally inventive, are central to sustaining the creative spirit for society as a whole. However, a larger creativity comes alive through collective art making, where the creative impulse requires interaction between the artists and audience. Such animating experiences, which often take flight from the creation of familiar objects, bring people together in body, mind and spirit, and work to keep us connected.
Yielding to the Moment of Creation “Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.” ~ Pablo Picasso Communal creativity exists along a continuum between spontaneity and structure, and gives birth to myriad forms that are sometimes stunning in
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their simplicity. The most poignant of these remind us of just how very human we are. Take, for example, the fourth plinth (think pedestal) raised in 2009 in London’s Trafalgar Square by Antony Gormley. This piece of public performance art, entitled One and Other, encouraged anyone interested to ascend
and stay atop the empty plinth for an hour to get a different view of the world. For 100 days, contributing individuals could do whatever they liked for the assigned hour, but the most astounding revelation for all was the ways in which life came to life before their eyes (OneAnd Other.co.uk). Consider the inspired vision that prompted residents of Fort Collins, Colorado, to devise a traveling pop-up art gallery that transforms empty downtown storefronts into vibrant art spaces until tenants are found. Since 2009, The Art Lab has filled Old Town with art, innovation, music and smiling faces. Anyone can come and create in the space, display their arts and crafts or just sit, talk, brainstorm and share the good energy. This laid back, yet intimate, contribution to community life ranges from plays and exhibitions to communal paintings (ArtLabFortCollins.org). Tom Borrup, a creative community builder in Minneapolis, sees such everyday cultural expressions as crucial reservoirs of community spirit (CommunityAndCulture.com). He notes that festivals, recurring gatherings in parks, gardens or community centers and artistic activities of all stripes that gener-
ate and sustain group traditions build community and contribute to everyone’s quality of life.
Working with the Senses “Art has been the means of keeping alive the senses of purpose…” ~ John Dewey Artful togetherness is woven into the very fabric of community life through what often appears to be everyday utilitarian activities, such as group gardening, sewing, building, painting and cooking. In sharing time and space, we gain a sense of nurturing and realize ways to hold onto the distinction of a place. In the best scenarios, we honor cherished traditions and remain open to learning and reinvention by accepting and incorporating new ideas from unlikely places. … Putting our hands to work Visitors are likely to be surprised by the hive of activity they encounter in local sewing and knitting supply shops lately. Take the Yarn Shop and Fiber Place, in Bozeman, Montana, for example (BozemanYarnShop.com). The owners host monthly knit-alongs, spinning and weaving circles and knit-for-a-cause events. In New Jersey, a community of volunteers with the Blankie Depot has crafted some 147,000 blankets and other comforting goods for needful youngsters since 1999 (BlankieDepo.org). The Sewful Austin group in Texas, on the other hand, just gets people together to have fun and share ideas for sewing projects (Meetup.com/Sewful-Austin). Coffee shops, too, can get in on the act. Dogleg Coffeehouse, in Bandera, Texas, (DoglegCoffeehouse.com) is the site of a free monthly art class led by local artists. They’ve sparked a growing community of folks creating new life for repurposed and re-found items. Spontaneous expression is commonly found in open studios or houses, as groups of artists and others meet to paint, draw, sculpt or mold. Community art collectives like Rock Paper Scissors, in Oakland, California, are hot spots for activities ranging from art walks and
talks to writer readings. A volunteerrun organization, RPS fosters all forms of community arts, crafts and performances through collaborative sharing of ideas, skills and resources aimed to strengthen a sense of community (rpsCollective.org). Other artists, like Susan Wood, of SusieQ Art based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, move outside the studio to facilitate the co-creation of art in public spaces (SusieQArt.com). Her favorite sites include parks, science museums and natural health expos. Anyone within earshot can get a nocost creative charge by simply picking up a paintbrush to “add a dab.” To date, the largest ad hoc painting party was 115 people strong, all venturing beyond self-imposed boundaries. … Unleashing indwelling voices Beyond the creative command of our hands, it also feels good to unleash our bodies and expand the scope of our voices. The modern-day resurrection of drum circles, for instance, is giving new life to dance socials. Based upon one of humanity’s most ancient forms of gathering and sharing within and across communities, loosely structured drumming events around the world leave plenty of room for spontaneous jamming. Fans view the drum as an especially powerful instrument relating to
the human body, as it mimicks the beat of the human heart. Waleska Sallaberry relates that their Natural Awakenings’ Drumming Circle in Puerto Rico tops 600 participants a month. (Find existing drum circles by state or find out how to start one at DrumCircles.net/circlelist.html.) Another ancient and global form of community building resides in the power of words—whether sung or spoken. We have come to understand that stories sustain our values, myths and belief systems. The National Storytelling Network helps locate master storytellers in the community (StoryNet.org). We can also create a storytelling event of our own. Ask any informal gathering of new and old friends to each create their own six-word memoir in a round robin event and be amazed at what memories are instantly created. Enjoy checking out and sharing such six-word autobiographies at Smith Magazine (SmithMag.net). Finally, there are celebratory events at which all kinds of vibrant creative forms come together in one place. In Naples, Florida, Live Art meets in various places around town for on-the-spot performance music, painting, fire-spinning, poetry, dance and body
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painting. It’s a constantly evolving work in progress, sometimes scheduled and sometimes spontaneous, but always full of people having fun together. In New York, the Horse Trade Theater Group is well known for its independent talent and events, featuring open mic, improv, dance and other “drafts in development,” as they nourish the organic advancement of community (HorseTrade.info). The Windmill Market, in Fairhope, Alabama, offers yet another twist—bringing food, textiles, film, antiques and plants together. Part farmers’ market, part craft fair and part community garden, it’s all about nurturing the fiber of community (Windmill Market.org). Of course, the ultimate in structure and spontaneity may be the extraordinary Burning Man Project, an annual art event and temporary community based on self-expression and selfreliance in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada. This year’s theme is “Metropolis: The Life of Cities.” (For details of the August 30-September 6, event, visit BurningMan.com.)
Expanding and Amplifying Interconnections “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” ~ Albert Einstein While the Burning Man Project is significant for its magnitude and sheer eclecticism, it is temporary, its existence imprinted mainly in the memories
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of participants. But most creative communities exist like Russian dolls, nested inside other communities and networks of creative activity. These orchestrated intercommunity initiatives can transform a neighborhood’s or city’s well-being on multiple levels. Vehicles vary widely, but here are a few examples to get the creative juices flowing. One Book, One City local reading programs, like the ones in Chicago, Denver, Malibu, San Diego, Philadelphia and Seattle, engage a whole community in choosing a book to read over a period of time. Readers then come together to participate in a variety of related events. The idea was the 1998 brainchild of Nancy Pearl at the Washington Center for the Book at The Seattle Public Library. Many communities choose to feature a local author, and this decision is often socially transformative. At the other end of the spectrum, Flash Mobs entail large groups of volunteers who appear to spontaneously perform a clever act of theater in a public space for a brief period of time. Initially designed as a combined social experiment and form of performance art, the first flash mob occurred at Macy’s in New York City in 2003, organized by Bill Wasik, of Harper’s Magazine. Flash mobs have since appeared all over the country; some more structured than others, but always evoking the feeling that they are happening on the spur of the moment. Whether dramatic or musically inclined, they’re
always designed to make us become truly present in our environment; their brilliance is the connection they spark between the actions of the mob and the place we inhabit as an audience. (See YouTube.com, search Frozen Grand Central Station.) Public participation is the name of the global game with International Pillowfight Day, as communities come together with pillows to play. Part of the Urban Playground Movement, the idea is to reclaim public space for play, away from advertising and consumerism (PillowFightDay.com). Taking a cue from “A Day in the Life” photography projects, World Pinhole Photography Day (PinHoleDay. org) recruits everyday people to create a pinhole camera and take a picture of something in their local community. It happens on the same day, usually the last Sunday in April. Everyone then loads their images onto the collective website to beget a global gallery of images. Finally, the Global Mala Project demonstrates what can be accomplished with a worldwide, inter-community, consciousness-raising event (GlobalMala.org). Here, yoga studios from many nations gather local individuals to form a “mala around the Earth,” as they perform ritual practices based on the sacred cycle of 108, to raise funds and awareness for pressing global issues. This year, the mala will be held September 18-19. Tune in for an “Om” heard ‘round the world. Kirsten Broadfoot has lived and worked in New Zealand, Australia, the UK, Japan and the United States, granting her a profound appreciation of community life. She has created and coordinates two online communities, the Good Work Circle and COMMUNEcation, and has written numerous conference papers, academic articles and essays. Connect at Kirsti@sterena.com.
wisewords
FEEL GOOD FILMS A Conversation with Producer Stephen Simon by Ellen Mahoney
A
mong Stephen Simon’s many acclaimed films are the Academy Award-winning What Dreams May Come, Somewhere in Time, and the groundbreaking Conversations with God. He also co-founded The Spiritual Cinema Circle in 2004 with relationship experts Gay and Kathlyn Hendricks. As a subscription-based monthly DVD community, Spiritual Cinema Circle offers viewers a continuous array of upbeat and inspirational films that help us feel better about being human.
Why did you decide to produce spiritual films? I’ve always loved films like It’s a Wonderful Life, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, and 2001: A Space Odyssey, that have a spiritual content to them, even though Hollywood refers to them as fantasy films. My dad was a big comedy director in the 1930s and 40s, and I always knew spiritual movies were the kinds of films I wanted to make. When I was about 30 years old, I read this extraordinary book called Bid Time Return, by Richard Matheson, which I went on to produce as my first film, called Somewhere in Time. What Dreams May Come was also based on a Matheson novel. Later, when I read the Conversations with God books by Neale Donald Walsch and we became good friends, I just knew the story of his life would lend itself to film.
What is the difference between a spiritual and a religious film? Mainstream media uses the words spiritual and religious as synonymous terms, but they are not. A religious film would be like The Passion of the Christ or The Ten Commandments, whereas a spiritual film would be like Whale Rider or What Dreams May Come. I believe spirituality is a personal and private experience, where you have your own relationship with whatever you might call the Divine. You might call this God, but you also might call this spirit, life, the universe or nature. You can be a spiritual person but not be religious, yet I firmly believe that spiritual and religious people have much more in common than they differ.
Has mainstream America been receptive to this spiritual movement? I don’t believe in the word mainstream. To me, it means that entertainment has lost all of its individuality. When you try to attract everybody, you have to be concerned with not offending anybody, and that is not what art and filmmaking is about. Spiritual filmmaking is definitely a niche. We have subscribers in nearly
100 countries around the world and the primary demographic of our audience tends to be more adult. What we offer strongly appeals to individuals who are looking for this kind of transformative entertainment that both enlightens and allows them to feel better about themselves and the world.
Which filmmakers are producing films that are right for your audience? A filmmaker produces a spiritual movie because it’s in his heart and it comes from his soul. We have a number of filmmakers we’ve nurtured whom I think are wonderful. For example, we’ve distributed five films from Santa Fe-based Scott Cervine and four films from Geno Andrews, headquartered in Los Angeles.
What are your overriding goals and hopes for Spiritual Cinema Circle? When Spiritual Cinema Circle films help our community of viewers feel better about being human, that makes me happy. There is enough media that look at the dark, ugly, negative, violent, greedy sides of humanity, and there is no question that these dark elements seem to be part of human nature. But there’s little light shown on the beautiful side of our nature—the side that consciously evolves, forgives and loves. Spiritual films allow us to look at our humanity when we operate at our best. This is what we look for when qualifying films for the Spiritual Cinema Circle. The films we choose are dramatic and the characters experience difficult challenges, but at the end of the day, there is always transcendence, a powerful transformation and a pathway through whatever the darkness may be. Our hope is that viewers are pleased with our movies and feel better at the end of the film than they did at the start. Visit SpiritualCinemaCircle.com for a free trial. Ellen Mahoney teaches writing at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Email evm@infionline.net.
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ongoingevents SUNDAY Meditation: 8:30am, Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Road, 883-8596 A Course In Miracles Study Group: 9:15am. Shared reading and group discussions. Extra books available. Light of Christ Center, 4208 Holmes Avenue, 895-0255. www.lightofchristcenter.org Unity Church Service: 10:30am. Practical Christianity from a Transformative New Thought Metaphysical Perspective. Our Doors are Open with Love for ALL. 1328 Governors Dr. SE. Info: www. unitychurchonthemountain.com Celebration of Spirit: 11am. A different service each week including ritual, music, and a message in an open, loving environment. Light of Christ Center, 4208 Holmes Ave 895-0255 Kadampa Meditation Group: 3-4:30pm. Sunday book study class. Books-A-Million on University Drive, except for 3rd Sundays at Unity Church on the Mountain, 1328 Governors Dr. SE Power Yoga: 3:15-4:15pm. Marcy White. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500-A Pratt Ave. 653-9255 or 533-7975, www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com Yoga for Pregnancy and Birth: 4:30-5:45pm. Marcy White. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500-A Pratt Ave. 653-9255 or 533-7975, www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com Basic Belly Dance for Teens: 6-7pm. For ages 13 to18. Beg. American Tribal Style Belly Dance: 7:308:30pm. Nomadic Tapestry, 1219 B&C Jordan Lane. Class info: www.nomadictapestry.com Al-Anon: For those who have a loved one faced with a drinking problem. 885-0323. www.aahuntsvilleal.org
MONDAY
Slow Flow Yoga: 8-9:30am. Laughing Lotus Yoga, 303 Second Ave. Decatur. www.yogaatlaughinglotus.com Beginner Springs and Pulleys: 11:30am. Use resistance training to deepen the sense of your “core” and develop longer and leaner muscles. Body Language Pilates, 305 Jefferson St., Ste. C, 704-5080 or bodylanguagepilates.com. Energy Lunch Lift: 12pm. Group Resonance Healing. The Center for Directional Healing, 3322 South Memorial Parkway, Suite 532. Donations accepted. 882-0360 Woman Supporting Woman’s Dreams and Goals: 1-3pm and 6:30-8:30pm. Madison. Love donations accepted. Dixie: 325-7486. Dream.goals.life@ gmail.com Intermediate Mat class: 5pm. Work at a faster pace incorporating exercises that will challenge your strength, flexibility and coordination. Body Language Pilates, 305 Jefferson St., Ste. C, 7045080 or bodylanguagepilates.com. Kundalini Meditative Yoga at the Dreammaker Shop: 5-6pm. $40/month. Focus on amplifying energies in the chakras through spinal alignment and meditation. For any age or skill level. Location: 4004 Triana Blvd. Pre-register: call Jessica: 529-8117 or email redclayyoga@gmail.com. Intro to Yoga: 5:30-6:30pm Laughing Lotus Yoga, 303 Second Ave. Decatur. www.yogaatlaughinglotus.com Basic Bellydance: 5:30-6:30pm. Monday-Thursday. Intro to basic bellydance technique. Nomadic Tapestry, 1219 B&C Jordan Lane. Class info: www. nomadictapestry.com Affinity Circle: 6pm. A safe space where individuals can open up and reveal what they are experiencing in life. Confidentiality is assured. Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Rd, 883-8596
Spring City Cycling Club: Times and schedules at www.springcity.org
Wake Up Now Classes: 6:30pm. Exploring the impact of awakening within our lives & living consciously. Love offering only. Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Road, 883-8596
Reduce Stress with EFT: Private phone sessions. Information: www.tapintohealing.com. To schedule, call Self Healing Awareness with EFT, 774-3392.
Level I Yoga: 6:30-8pm. All Levels. Tom Musgrove. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500-A Pratt Ave. 533-7975, www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com
Yoga with Mitzi: 1:00pm. YOGA FUNDAMENTALS — all levels welcome! Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Rd. More info: http://MitziConnell.com or 256.361.YOGA Yoga with Mitzi: 6:00pm. CANDLELIGHT YOGA — all levels welcome! Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Rd. More info: http://MitziConnell.com or 256.361.YOGA
NEWtritional Health Care Conference Call: 7pm. Listen to Roy Williams,Owner of NHC, talk on the weekly health topic. Ask him questions on how NHC products can help you reach your optimum health. Call 1-760-569-6000 and enter PIN number 411810 #. To hear previous week call: dial 1-760-569-6099 and enter PIN number 411810 #, visit www.myhealthykingdom.com/10003 (Invitation # 10003)
Level 1 Pilates: 7-8am. All Levels. Michelle Camper. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500-A Pratt Ave. 533-7975, www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com
Al-Anon: For those who have a loved one faced with a drinking problem. 885-0323, www.aahuntsvilleal.org
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TUESDAY Spring City Cycling Club: Times and schedules at www.springcity.org Reduce Stress with EFT: Private phone sessions. Information: www.tapintohealing.com. To schedule, call Self Healing Awareness with EFT, 774-3392. Sierra Club Hikes: Visit www.alabama.sierraclub.org/na.html for Tuesday night ‘hikes’ around Huntsville. Pilates: 9-10am. PILATES: 9am to 10am. Michelle Camper. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500A Pratt Ave, 533-7975, www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com Power Yoga: 9:10-10:10am Laughing Lotus Yoga, 303 Second Ave. Decatur. www.yogaatlaughinglotus.com Level I Yoga: 10:15-11:30am. Tatum Crigger. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500-A Pratt Ave., 5337975. www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com Restorative Yoga: 4:00-5:00pm Laughing Lotus Yoga, 303 Second Ave. Decatur. www.yogaatlaughinglotus.com Power Yoga: 5:30-6:45pm Laughing Lotus Yoga, 303 Second Ave. Decatur. www.yogaatlaughinglotus.com Beginner/Intermediate mat class: 6:15pm. This class adds more exercises from the series and will challenge your mind/body connections. Body Language Pilates, 305 Jefferson St., Ste. C, 704-5080 or bodylanguagepilates.com Prosperity Plus Classes: 6:30pm. Created by Mary Morrisey, this dynamic class will expand the consciousness of participants of teaching and applying spiritual principles that apply to abundance. Love offering only. Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Road, 883-8596 Beginning Belly Dance Technique: 6:45-7:45pm Intermediate with Zills: 8- 9pm. Nomadic Tapestry 1219 B&C Jordan Lane. www.nomadictapestry.com Yoga with Mitzi: 6:45pm. CANDLELIGHT YOGA – all levels welcome! The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500 Pratt Ave. More info: http://MitziConnell.com or 256.361.YOGA Metaphysics 201: 7pm. 10 weeks, $100 course fee. The Consciousness Chart, Rev. Will Hoffpauir instructs in clearance work & transmuting human qualities into Divine qualities. Light of Christ Center, 4208 Holmes Ave. (256) 895-0255 Al-Anon: For those who have a loved one faced with a drinking problem. 885-0323, www.aahuntsvilleal.org
WEDNESDAY Spring City Cycling Club: Times and schedules: www.springcity.org
Reduce Stress with EFT: Private phone sessions. Information: www.tapintohealing.com. To schedule, call Self Healing Awareness with EFT, 774-3392.
your spine and overall posture. Body Language Pilates, 305 Jefferson St., Ste. C, 704-5080 or bodylanguagepilates.com
Level 1 Pilates: 7-8am. All Levels. Michelle Camper. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500-A Pratt Ave. 533-7975, www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com
Pilates: 9am to 10am. Michelle Camper. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500a Pratt Ave, 533-7975, www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com
Align and Define Yoga: 8-9:30am Laughing Lotus Yoga, 303 Second Ave. Decatur. www. yogaatlaughinglotus.com
Power Yoga: 9:10-10:10am Laughing Lotus Yoga, 303 Second Ave. Decatur. www.yogaatlaughinglotus.com
Level I Yoga: 9:15-10:30am. Erin Kennedy. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500A.East Pratt Ave. www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com Science of Mind Classes: 10am-12pm. Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Road, 883-8596 Prenatal Yoga: 5:30-6:30pm Laughing Lotus Yoga, 303 Second Ave. Decatur. www.yogaatlaughinglotus.com Tia Chi with Jeff Simpson: 5:30pm. Unity Church on the Mountain, 1328 Governors Dr. 1/2 mile up the Mountain from California on the Right Yoga with Mitzi: 1:00pm.YOGAFUNDAMENTALS — all levels welcome! Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Rd. More info: http://MitziConnell. com or 256.361.YOGA Yoga with Mitzi: 6:00pm. YOGA FLOW! All levels welcome! Chiropractic Wellness Depot, 8210 Stephanie Drive, Huntsville. More info: http:// MitziConnell.com or 256.361.YOGA
Level I Yoga: 10:15-11:30am . Tatum Crigger. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500-A Pratt Ave., 5337975. www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com TBE Nooner Toastmasters: 11:45am-12:45pm. TBE building #1, Sparkman Drive/Lakeshore Dr. Practice public presentation and meeting etiquette. Nancy Wade, nwade@LJStyle.com or 797-0700. Kundalini Meditative Yoga at the Dreammaker Shop: 5-6pm. $40/month. Focus on amplifying energies in the chakras through spinal alignment and meditation. For any age or skill level. Location: 4004 Triana Blvd. Pre-register: call Jessica: 529-8117 or email redclayyoga@gmail.com. BellyKids: 5:30-6:30pm. Shahala Liz, Nomadic Tapestry, 1219 B&C Jordan Lane. All class info: www.nomadictapestry.com Mixed Flow Yoga: 5:30-6:45 Laughing Lotus Yoga, 303 Second Ave. Decatur. www.yogaatlaughinglotus.com
Meditation: 6pm. Center for Conscious Living, 308 Lily Flagg Rd, 883-8596
PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays): 6pm. 2nd Thurs., Huntsville Public Library. Parents, friends, and gay community members welcome. Bring snack. 881-0939.
Power Yoga: 6-7pm. Marcy White. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500-A Pratt Ave. 533-7975 www. yogacenterofhuntsville.com
Level I Yoga: 6:45-8:15pm. Tom Musgrove. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500-A Pratt Ave. 5337975, www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com
Evenings with Gangaji: 6:30pm. Satsang with a video of Gangaji. Center for Conscious Living, 308 Lily Flagg Rd, 883-8596
Al-Anon: For those who have a loved one faced with a drinking problem. 885-0323, www. aahuntsvilleal.org
Dream Workshop: 7pm. Learn to recall and interpret your dreams. Light of Christ Center. 4208 Holmes Ave. 895-0255. www.lightofchristcenter. org for more information.
FRIDAY
Al-Anon: For those who have a loved one faced with a drinking problem. 885-0323, www. aahuntsvilleal.org
THURSDAY The Search: The Gurdjieff Work in Huntsville. Discussion groups, crafts, meditation. 205-3200013. www.thegurdjiefffoundationofalabama.org
Spring City Cycling Club: Times and schedules: www.springcity.org Yoga with Mitzi: 1:00pm. YOGAFUNDAMENTALS — all levels welcome! Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Rd. More info: http://MitziConnell. com or 256.361.YOGA Level 1 Pilates: 7-8am. All Levels. Michelle Camper. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500-A Pratt Ave. 533-7975, www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com
session. Body Language Pilates, 305 Jefferson St., Ste. C, 704-5080 or bodylanguagepilates.com. Public Clearance Session: 7pm. 3rd Friday each month. Learn effective healing through reception and application of Divine energies. Light of Christ Center, 4208 Holmes Ave. 895-0255 Parapsychology Group: 7pm. 4th Fridays meets at Unity Church, 1328 Governor’s Dr. SE. Information: contact Joyce Sons, 852-8994
SATURDAY Renewable Energy (RE) & Off-Grid Living: Take steps to live the dream! Learn RE Basics. Benefit from a decade of experience. See an off-grid home in action! Reduce your carbon footprint. Monthly 1st & 3rd Saturdays. 10am4pm. $75/class. Giles County, TN. (931) 565.4006 or pharos@ardmore.net to register. Feel Good Tapping Party: Be the host of a group tapping session. Information: www. tapintohealing.com. To schedule, call Self Healing Awareness with EFT, 774-3392. Spring City Cycling Club: Times and schedules: www.springcity.org Yoga with Mitzi: 9:00am. POWER YOGA – all levels welcome! Maverick Training Center, 9009C So. Memorial Pkwy. More info: http:// MitziConnell.com or 256.361.YOGA Sierra Club: Check out alabama.sierraclub.org/ na.html for weekend hike, canoe, backpacking and other activities. Level I Yoga: 9-10:15am. Tom Musgrove. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500-A Pratt Ave. 5337975, www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com Intermediate Mat class: 10am. This group session works at a faster pace incorporating exercises that will challenge your strength, flexibility and coordination. Body Language Pilates, 305 Jefferson St., Ste. C, 704-5080 or bodylanguagepilates.com. Level I Yoga: 11:30-12:45pm Bobbie Brooks. The Yoga Center of Huntsville. 500-A Pratt Avenue. 533-7975. www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com. Al-Anon: For those who have a loved one faced with a drinking problem.885-0323, www. aahuntsvilleal.org
Spring City Cycling Club: Times and schedules: www.springcity.org
Slow Flow Yoga: 8-9:30am Laughing Lotus Yo g a , 3 0 3 S e c o n d Av e . D e c a t u r. w w w. yogaatlaughinglotus.com
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Reduce Stress with EFT: Private phone sessions. Information: www.tapintohealing.com. To schedule, call Self Healing Awareness with EFT, 774-3392.
Power Yoga: 9:10-10:10am Laughing Lotus Yo g a , 3 0 3 S e c o n d Av e . D e c a t u r. w w w. yogaatlaughinglotus.com
BUSINESS OpportunitY
Piliates: 9am. A fusion of Pilates and Hanna Somatic work teaching you to access and strengthen your deepest connections bringing balance to
Springs and Pulleys: 11am. Enjoy the lengthening benefits of the Cadillac with the balance and strength building of the Reformer in this full-body flowing
CURRENTLY PUBLISHING NATURAL AWAKENINGS MAGAZINES – For sale in Boulder CO, Southwest VA, and Ventura, CA. Call for details 239-530-1377.
September 2010
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Community resourceguide
Center For
InnerWellness BECKY WATERS
Personal Success Catalyst
Coaching/Counseling Hypnotherapy EFT
7910 S. Memorial Pkwy, Suite F-2 Huntsville, AL 35802 256-489-9806 phone 256-489-2873 fax 866-488-9806 toll free
256.348.5236
www.CenterforInnerWellness.com live.
I-ACT Certified colon Hydro Therapists. Do you know that 80% of your immune system is in your colon? Bathe your body from the inside to improve health. Colon irrigation aids in soothing and toning the colon, which makes elimination more effective.
emotional freedom techniques Self-Healing Awareness with EFT
“Let’s work together to find what works for you.” McMinn Clinic
James E. McMinn M.D. Introduces...
Life Center
at McMinn Clinic now offering: t Stress Relief Seminars t Neurofeedback t Yoga, Pre-Pilates, Tai Chi t Meditation Classes t Massage t Acupuncture
205-868-1313
Homewood Plaza
3125 Independence Dr., Suite 108 Homewood, Alabama 35209
www.McMinnClinic.com 38
Tennessee Valley
FENG SHUI FENG SHUI by Trudi Gardner Trudi Gardner, MS 256-772-6999 tygard2000@aol.com
An interior design philosophy that reduces stress in your life. Bring positive energy into your home and office to increase Serenity, Balance and Prosperity.
The Center for Optimal Well Being is dedicated to improving your health with colon hydro-therapy and body empowerment services. Sessions are conducted in clean, comfortable and relaxing private suites with soft lighting and aromatic fragrances. Our staff is clinically trained and certified by the International Association for Colon Therapists.
1489 Slaughter Road, Madison 256-837-3448
Call for Free 20-Minute Consultation
love.
Center for Optimal Well Being
Jarvis Natural Health Clinic
Breathwork
breathe.
Colon Hydrotherapy
Judith Pflum, EFT-ADV Practitioner 256-774-3392 www.tapintohealing.com
Tap into healing. Specializing i n w o m e n ’s e m o t i o n a l / physical issues: anxieties, fears, relationships, stress, weight. Painless, drug-free, easy-tolearn technique. Individual, group, or phone sessions.
ENERGY HEALING Center For Directional Healing Susan Spalding, Director 256-882-0360 www.directionalhealing.com
Free the energy within you! Take your health and your life to a new level with Directional Healing. Clears, cleanses, balances, rejuvenates through resonance healing.
Family Medicine Progressive Family Medicine
Chad Gilliam, M.M.S. PA-C 1230 Slaughter Road, Suite C, Madison, AL 256-722-0555.
Progressive Family Medicine provides medical care for patients of all ages and uniquely blends Natural and Prescription medicines together to help speed the patient’s recovery. Progressive Family Medicine is the patient’s clinic of choice when they would like to understand how natural medicines work along with prescription drugs.
Hypnotherapy Wanda Adam CCHt - Reiki Master Light of Christ Center 4208 Holmes Ave. NW, Huntsville, AL. 205-274-0012 and 205-370-0016 www.trinityhealingarts.org
Trinity Healing Arts. Providing private, professional healing sessions including Hypnotherapy, Reiki, and EFT. Specializing in pain management, stress management, relaxation, weight loss, smoking cessation, and self-image improvement. Classes available. Now, you can develop the tools you need to move confidently forward. CHANGE YOUR MIND – CHANGE YOUR LIFE!
IN-HOME MASSAGE Cloud Nine
Evening and Weekend Appointments 256-337-6989
Finally, someone who makes housecalls! Swedish, Ortho and Deep Tissue massage in the privacy of your own home. Gift Certificates also available for any occasion.
Jin Shin Jyutsu® Jin Shin Jyutsu of Huntsville Sandra Cope Huntsville 256-534-1794, 256-509-3540
Certified Jin Shin Jyutsu Practitioner. An easy, effective way of restoring health and well-being by balancing the body’s energy pathways to enhance the body’s natural healing abilities.
MASSAGE Center for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork 1634 Slaughter Rd., Madison 256-430-9756
Our vision is to provide professional massage services in a comfortable clinical environment to Madison and the surrounding area. Student massages available for 1/2 the regular rate. Lic. E1311.
MASSAGE The Yurt Garden Retreat
Lynn Leach, LMT#1307 256-776-0553 www.yurtgarden.com
Licensed Massage Therapy, Healing Touch and Spiritual Coaching, 20 years experience. Lic. #1307
Spiritual Life Coaching Your Soul Journey Coaching
Becky Waters, Soul Journey Coach, Intuitive Composer / Musician 256-348-5236 becky@beckywaters.com www.YourSoulJourneyCoaching.com www.YourSoulMusic.com
Let go of fear, eliminate worry, become stress-free, gain confidence and much more. Call for a 20-minutes to a Miracle Quick Start Session to begin your journey to wholeness.
Massage School Madison School of Massage Therapy, LLC
1634 Slaughter Rd, Suite C Madison, AL 35758 256-430-9756 www.madisonschoolofmassagetherapy.com
Our training will change your life forever in a new career as a Professional. Student massages available for 1/2 the regular rate. AL Board of Massage School Lic# S-117 AL State Board of Ed. School Lic# 1200I
Naturopathic Doctor Alternative Medicine Associates Dr. Deb Gilliam, N.M.D. 1230 Slaughter Road, Madison, 256-722-0555
Dr. Gilliam treats a variety of health problems with chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, heart disease, hormone replacement and thyroid issues being at the forefront. Dr. Gilliam sees patients from around the world due to the reputation she has earned by treating hard to treat medical conditions. Dr. Gilliam works to find the cause of medical conditions and does not simply treat the patients’ symptoms.
Music Therapy Healing Sounds Music Therapy Stephanie Bolton, MA, MT-BC 256-655-0648 www.imageryandmusic.com
Huntsville, AL- based music therapy practice focused on improving personal health and wellness using guided imagery and music techniques. Currently providing workshops and individual consultations.
PILATES Body Language, Inc.
305 Jefferson St., Ste. C 256-704-5080 sybil@bodylanguagepilates.com www.bodylanguagepilates.com
Our goal is to teach individuals how to take control of their health and well-being through the Pilates method, creating a wholesome person of sound mind, body, and spirit. Private, semi-private and group training on the equipment is available along with group mat classes.
Yoga Center of Huntsville 500-A East Pratt Ave. 256-533-7975 www.Yogacenterofhuntsville.com
Our focus is on core stability, neutral alignment and patterned breathing. It restores the natural curves of the spine, relieves tension and enhances self-confidence. We feature certified instruction in group and individual training.
Shaman Healer Katy Glenn Willis
256-426-0232 katyglennwillis@yahoo.com KatyShamanHealer.blogspot.com
Spiritualy Assisted Intuitive Readings, Energetic Healing and Balancing for People and Pets, World Culture Shamanic Training, Spirit Midwife: Assistance for individual and caregivers during Death & Dying Process. Forty years of training and experience.
STRUCTURAL INTEGRATION Jaci Hogue
256-656-4108 jaci@alabamarolfmethod.com www.alabamarolfmethod.com
A complete system of body education that balances the physical body, improves posture, and helps resolve chronic pain. Created by Dr. Ida P. Rolf in the 1950s, Structural Integration has been scientifically validated and has withstood the test of time, as millions of people have enjoyed the remarkable benefits.
Susan K. Jeffreys
Advanced Practitioner Lic.#249 Dr. Ida P. ROLF method 2336A Whitesburg Drive Serving Huntsville since 1995 256-512-2094 www.rolfguild.org
“When the body gets working appropriately, then the force of gravity can flow through. Then spontaneously, the body heals itself.” Ida P. Rolf
YOGA Yoga Center of Huntsville 500-A East Pratt Ave. 256-533-7975 www.Yogacenterofhuntsville.com
We teach yoga postures and principles designed to bring strength, flexibility, openness, and awareness into the body. Classic yoga postures, modifications are introduced to give the student many options in developing a personal practice.
calendar Friday, September 10 Gen Kelsang Mondrub, resident American monk at the Kadampa Meditation Center in Atlanta, will give a free talk on the book "8 Steps to Happiness" at 6 p.m. on Sept. 10 at Books A Million at University and Memorial Parkway. A question-and-answer session will follow the talk. For more information, call (256) 466-1990 or email Alabama@meditationforeveryone.org.
Monday, September 13 Activating And Utilizing Your Psychic Power: Sept. 13th, Monday, 7 pm, 10 weeks, $100. course fee. Techniques for grounding, clearing and cleansing the chakras to develop divine attributes of love, compassion, forgiveness, etc., and awakening your inner hearing, sensing, and vision will be given. Instructor: Rev. Faye WaiteGlasgow, Light of Christ Center, 4208 Holmes Ave. (256) 881-2658.
Thursday, September 16 Health Seminar: NEWtritional Health Care 7:00 pm CST Listen to Roy Williams, CHt, speak about the benefits of NEWtritional Health Care products and ask him questions on how NHC products can help you reach your optimum health. FREE Electrodermal Stress Analysis testing for NHC products will also be offered. Foods for Life, 1407-C Memorial Parkway NW, 35801, 1-800-7454408, e-mail Roy roysdesk@myhealthykingdom. com , or visit www.myhealthykingdom.com/10003 (Invitation # 10003) Planes, Rays, & Flames Study Group. Introduces the seven planes of the Cosmic Physical Plane (Physical, Emotional, Mental, Intuitional, Spiritual, Monadic, and Divine) and how human beings fit into the scheme of things. Also includes the Seven Rays & Flames, their qualities, and how they can be used as healing tools. Love offerings accepted. 7pm Thursdays beginning September 16, for 7 weeks. Light of Christ Center, 4208 Holmes Ave, Huntsville, AL 35816, (256) 895-0255
Tuesday, September 21 Astrology 101. Introduces the basic of Astrological charts, interpretations, and forecasting. Course fee: $120 7pm Tuesdays beginning September 21, for 12 weeks. Light of Christ Center, 4208 Holmes Ave, Huntsville, AL 35816, (256) 895-0255
Wednesday, September 22 Autumn Equinox Service. 7pm Wednesday, September 22. Celebrating the Sacred Gate of Autumn, and anchoring the balance of Libra. Love offerings accepted. Light of Christ Center, 4208 Holmes Ave, Huntsville, AL 35816, (256) 895-0255
Sunday, September 26 The annual Animal Blessing service. September 26, 2010 @ 10:30 am, The Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Road, Huntsville, AL 35802; Contact: Jodi Rutenberg, jodi_rutenberg@ yahoo.com
September 2010
39
Alternative Medicine Associates &
Progressive Family Medicine . . .Progress Towards Wellness and Prevention
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