Natural Awakenings February 2017

H E A L T H Y

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L I V I N G

H E A L T H Y

P L A N E T

feel good • live simply • laugh more

Heart-to-Heart with a Horse

Their Gentle Empathy Helps Us Heal

SACRED PASSAGE

Conscious Dying as a Transformative Healing Journey

LOVE Lessons

How to Make a Marriage Last

February 2017

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Experience a Meal with Friends & Saladmaster Saladmaster offers the world’s finest premium cookware that is the healthiest and most convenient way to cook your favorite foods. The advanced design and construction of Saladmaster’s titanium cookware allows vapor seal cooking at a low to medium heat to preserve the nutrition in food, and without using added grease 31 or even water.

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Ø Saladmaster is personal. 9WI ǻVWX TIVWSR [LIRIZIV Ø Saladmaster is fun. Balance an upbeat tone with three couples in attendance. Other premium hosting gifts are available professionalism and sophistication. possible. Incorporate words like “we,” “us,” “you,” for smaller dinner shows. Hosting requires very little on your part, but the "who" and “our” to communicate a connection rewards make you glad you did.

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Each dinner show takes about two hours, and we will bring all the food

to lightheartedly share information about cooking, and clean up after. There are several dates available this month, so book Ø Saladmaster changes life. Keep this in mind in healthy living, nutrition, business, etc. to everyone it your cooking show today. Call Charles Maples atshare 256-412-4896 to pick communications, and those experiences in can, without being a know-it-all. your date. an inspirational way.

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letterfrompublisher By choosing your thoughts, and by selecting which emotional currents you will release and which you will reinforce, you determine the quality of your Light.

You determine the effects that you will have upon others, and the nature of the experiences of your life.

contact us

~ Gary Zukav, The Seat of the Soul What lies ahead is an Age of Light. Metaphysically, the Universe is at the furthest point of expansion of the outbreath of the Source, where everything has reached its maximum separation from everything else. We are now entering the phase of the inbreath of the Source, where everything will begin to move back toward reabsorption into Oneness. From here on, we will see ever-increasing frequencies of higher dimensional energy and an increasing connectivity of all living things.

We have always been connected to each other even at the furthest point of separation. We are all part of the same Light. What marked the separation phase is that we lost sight of this truth. To “awaken” is to remember. From this stage onward everything that is alive is going to try to connect with you. The trick will be to listen. The more you try to listen, stretching out your antenna and opening up your perception, the more you will attune your perceptive powers. You will sharpen your discernment. You will strengthen your intuition. You will deepen your empathy. You will brighten your Light.

What all of this means is that things are going to start getting better. More and more people are waking up and questioning why things are the way they are.

Many people are realizing that they have had enough of negativity. It was sort of fun for a while. If our job as incarnated spirits was to experience everything— both positive and negative—so that everything could be understood and then harmonized back into the One, we did our jobs well in regard to the negative. We certainly explored it thoroughly enough, and now understand everything there is to know about negativity.

We learned that it gets really old after a while.

Many of us have already begun to feel the deep sense of peace in our hearts.

If you have, then you may ask: how can I wake up more people? It is difficult to do directly. Minds are like flowers, and they open when they are ready. What you can do is be present and be who you are. Embody peace and others will feel it. Embody non-judgment and you will see real healing around you. Embody kindness and you will really get their attention. Elevate your energy and you will uplift the world.

This can be done simply by cultivating positive thoughts to create positive emotions. Videos of human auras show a direct effect of our thoughts on our energy fields and the energy fields of others. See our article this month on Aura Imaging at the Dream Maker. I am excited about what they are doing, and I think many others will be, too.

Editor@Natvalley.com 256-808-8044 Publisher/Editor Advertising Sales Tom Maples Co-Publisher Cindy Wilson Design and Production Melanie Rankin Natural Awakenings in the Tennessee Valley 14 Woodland Ave Trinity, AL 35673 Fax: 256-217-4274 Natvalley.com Facebook.com/natvalley © 2017 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved.

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Natural Awakenings is your guide to a healthier, more balanced life. In each issue readers find cutting-edge information on natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green living, creative expression and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle.

10 SOLUTIONS 4 THYROID/ HORMONE SUPPORT AT CHASE CLUB REDUCE

by Susan Clark

12 AURA IMAGING AT THE DREAM MAKER

by Tom Maples

15 IN THE O-ZONE

Oxygen Therapy Heals a Host of Ills

by Valerie Burke

16 SACRED PASSAGE

Conscious Dying as a Transformative Healing Journey

by Linda Sechrist

20 FIT FOR LIFE

How to Stay Healthy, Flexible and Strong

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Easy-Grow Microgreens Are Big on Nutrition

23 KISSED BY KINDNESS

by Emily Esfahani Smith

24 HEART-TO-HEART WITH A HORSE

Their Gentle Empathy Helps Us Heal

by Sandra Murphy

26 SUSTAINABLY

STYLISH HOME

Relax into Nurturing Furnishings

by April Thompson

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Listen to Your Own Voice Through Hypnosis

newsbriefs Spiritual Discussion on Life After Death

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n Saturday, February 25, 11am-12pm, the Huntsville ECK Center will host a free spiritual discussion on life after death at its Five Points location (900 Wellman Avenue, #3).

This discussion will be based on the book Spiritual Wisdom on Life After Death by Harold Klemp, spiritual leader of ECKANKAR. The public is invited and free copies of the book will be provided to attendees.

“Death is a doorway, a transition into the inner worlds,” writes Harold Klemp. “Births and deaths mark the journey of Soul. The translation or movement from one stage of experience to another is but a further step on Soul’s journey home to God.” Soul exists because God loves It. This discussion will explore the eternal nature of you—Soul. Attendees will have the opportunity to gain new perspectives on: seeing heaven before they die; meeting with departed loved ones; near-death experiences; help from spiritual guides; do animals go to heaven; and dealing with grief. Simple spiritual exercises will be presented that will allow participants to explore the secrets of life after death for themselves.

Do you know someone struggling with the loss of a loved one—family member, pet, or friend? Or with their own mortality? This discussion of Spiritual Wisdom on Life after Death offers answers to the eternal questions about what’s beyond this life.

For more information, visit Eck-Alabama.org or call 256-5341751. See ad, page 9.

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ollow Yourself Hypnosis is established by Dr Chui Sien Chan, a Certified Hypnotist trained by the National Guild of Hypnotists Inc. Dr Chan was a research scientist in molecular genetics and has authored numerous scientific publications since 1992. She has also been teaching the life sciences for over 16 years.

Dr Chan was first touched by hypnosis in a profound way when she was struggling with a life-threatening illness in 2006.

Today, she enjoys helping people Dr. Chui Sien Chan of all ages achieve positive transformation in academic and athletic performance, weight management, love and relationships, self-assertion and self-confidence, stress management, sleeping aid, and the releasing of unwanted habits. Her philosophy is to help clients tap into their powerful subconscious mind and to “listen to their own voice.”

“Hypnosis is not just for people with ‘problems.’ One can use hypnosis to prepare for an unnerving event, such as public speaking, stage performances, exams, sports, first dates, job interviews etc,” says Dr. Chan.

Each one-hour session at Follow Yourself Hypnosis typically involves a few minutes of focused conversation, a 40-min hypnosis session, and a few minutes of a self-help training session.

Disclaimer: Hypnotism is not meant to replace medical treatment or therapy. Dr Chan is not a healthcare provider.

Dr. Chan will be teaching a 5-hour experiential workshop on “Manifesting True and Everlasting Love through SelfHypnosis” on Sat, March 11. The cost is $95. Go to Follow YourselfandBe.com for more details. See listing, page 31.

“I was the last person I thought that would benefit from this...

Ten sessions later I am telling everyone about rolfing.” ~S.H., Birmingham

Advanced Rolf Practitioner Susan K. Jeffreys Consultations Available

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Call (256) 508-3351 Today Susan K. Jeffreys, AL Lic #249 525 Fountain Row • Huntsville, AL 35801

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February 2017

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healthbriefs

Reflexology and Imagery Relieve Preoperative Anxiety nticipating surgery can be stressful, and many patients suffer from preoperative anxiety, which can cause serious health complications such as hypertension, rapid pulse and sugar metabolism changes. Israeli researchers from the University of Haifa have found that complementary medicine, combined with standard use of anti-anxiety drugs prior to entering the operating room, can significantly reduce preoperative anxiety levels and improve outcomes.

Researchers divided 360 preoperative patients ages 17 and up into three groups: those receiving standard care for preoperative anxiety; those receiving standard care along with complementary therapy, featuring acupuncture, reflexology, individual guided imagery or a combination of the latter two; and those receiving standard care combined with generic guided imagery via a recording.

Anxiety levels were measured preoperatively before and after the intervention on a scale of one to 10, with scores of four or more constituting intermediate or higher-level anxiety.

The study found that complementary therapy in combination with standard care produced a 60 percent reduction in anxiety, with the mean score dropping from 5.54 to 2.32. Combining standard care with reflexology and guided imagery provided the best relief, reducing anxiety by an average of 4.22 points.

Patients receiving only standard care experienced a slight rise in their average anxiety level.

Photographee.eu/Shutterstock.com

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ALOE VERA JUICE ALLAYS DIABETES

Fenugreek Eases Menopause

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randomized, double-blind study from the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Science and Research, in Bangalore, India, has found that an extract of fenugreek husk (FHE) called FenuSMART can provide relief from common symptoms of menopause, including night sweats, insomnia, headaches, hot flashes and mood swings.

Researchers studied 88 menopausal women between the ages of 45 and 58. Half were given one gram of FHE per day for 90 days while the other half received a placebo. The study measured the impact the supplement had on the subjects’ menopausal symptoms through weekly telephone sessions.

At the study’s end, approximately 32 percent of the women in the FHE group reported no hot flashes, while the placebo subjects saw the frequency of theirs reduced from three to five per day to one or two. Additionally, the subjects that took FHE experienced a 57 percent reduction in night sweats, a 68 percent abatement of mood swings, a 75 percent drop in insomnia and 58 percent fewer headaches.

study from the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, in Beijing, reports that Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) can be an effective treatment for patients with postpartum depression. Traditional Chinese Medicine advocates herbal treatments based on underlying issues.

Researchers analyzed data from 47 clinical trials encompassing 3,795 participants between the ages of 18 and 43 suffering from postpartum depression. The study pooled results into three categories: CHM versus placebo, CHM versus routine treatments (antidepressants) and CHM plus routine treatments versus only routine treatments.

The study found that using Chinese herbs combined with antidepressants is the most effective approach, noting that CHM is a safe, effective alternative for patients unable or unwilling to take antidepressants.

esearchers from the David Grant Medical Center, at Travis Air Force Base, in Fairfield, California, have found that oral doses of aloe vera can reduce fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), which indicates the average glucose level over the previous three months, in patients with Type 2 diabetes.

Data from nine clinical studies that included 89 diabetes patients were analyzed. Findings suggest that patients with a fasting blood glucose level of more than 200 milligrams per deciliter experienced the greatest benefits from the aloe vera.

marilyn barbone/Shutterstock.com

CHINESE HERBS LESSEN POSTPARTUM BLUES

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globalbriefs

Free Fuel

Hydrogen Conversion From Water Making Gains

A recent study from the University of Western Australia has found that plants regularly react to and emit sounds through a series of clicks produced by their roots, and that such inter-flora communication may be essential to their survival. Evolutionary biologist Monica Gagliano, who made the discovery, listened to the roots of young corn plants and found that they regularly produced sounds in the range of 220Hz, a frequency audible to the human ear.

Plants have been shown to influence each other in many ways through nanomechanical oscillations on a molecular scale. Gagliano remarks, “Scientists also know that plants use volatile chemicals to communicate with each other.”

Another biological research team under the direction of Professor Olaf Kruse, Ph.D., scientific director of the Center for Biotechnology at Germany’s Bielefeld University, has shown that green algae not only engages in photosynthesis, but also has an alternative source of energy: It can draw it from other plants (Nature Communications).

Gagliano comments, “Considering that entire forests are all interconnected by networks of fungi, maybe plants are using fungi the way we use the Internet.”

Repurposed Pallets Texas Company Turns Wood Waste into Furniture

Source: PalletSmart360.com 8

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Watch the Birdie Selfies Promote Animal Cruelty and Death

Zachary Crockett, of Pricenomics. com, has found that since 2014, 49 people were killed in attempts to take pictures of themselves with wild creatures. Although there are no statistics on how many animals have been harmed due to selfies, wildlife organizations such as Care for the Wild International are appealing to the public to stop using animals as props.

Visitors to China’s Yunnan Wild Animal Park lured captive peacocks from their enclosure and grabbed them by their tails. The birds died as a result. Another group of people at a beach in Argentina was filmed mobbing a baby Franciscana dolphin, an endangered species, while taking pictures, resulting in its death likely through shock and severe dehydration from being removed from the water for too long.

Due to the high demand by tourists to take pictures with wild animals, special photographic settings are popping up in Mexico, Europe and Morocco. However, the Association for British Travel Agents stated that no legitimate sanctuary would allow animals to be used as photo props.

Soru Epotok/Shutterstock.com

Plants Communicate with Sound

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leungchopan/Shutterstock.com

Veggie Tales

Nearly 2 billion wooden pallets are currently in circulation in the U.S., consuming around 50 percent of the country’s annual hardwood harvest and representing more than 90 percent of the world’s shipping waste.

PalletSmart, in Fort Worth, Texas, has been making furniture, home decor and custom projects out of repurposed pallets and other reclaimed material since 2012.

Company co-founder John Zaskoda says, “As with any business, we are looking to grow, but want to be smart about it. For now, we are staying put, taking custom residential and commercial orders and producing top-notch furniture.” He sees the endeavor as proof that with hard work and consistency it’s possible to make trash into treasure.

Scientists at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, in Stockholm, report that they have finally unlocked a major barrier to exploiting a renewable energy source through extracting pure hydrogen from water. Because the best-performing catalysts for electrochemical oxidation, or “water splitting”, are expensive precious metals, the research team led by KTH Professor Licheng Sun developed molecular catalysts for water oxidation with an efficiency approaching that of natural photosynthesis comprising common, abundant elements, all of which could help change the economics of large-scale hydrogen fuel production.

Meanwhile, Daniel Nocera, a professor of energy at Harvard University, and Pamela Silver, a professor of biochemistry and systems biology at Harvard Medical School, have co-created a system that uses solar energy to split water molecules and hydrogen-eating bacteria to produce liquid fuels. Their paper, whose lead authors include post-doctoral fellow Chong Liu and graduate student Brendan Colón, was recently published in Science.

“This is a true artificial photosynthesis system,” says Nocera. “Previously, people were using artificial photosynthesis for water-splitting, but this is a true A-to-Z system, and we’ve greatly exceeded the efficiency of photosynthesis in nature.”

Sashkin/Shutterstock.com

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

ecotip Laundry List Following ecofriendly laundry tips can save on energy, water usage and utility bills, making it good for both the planet and the bank account. The laundry results, too, may be better for some loads.

RealSimple.com advises that 90 percent of the energy consumed while running a wash load is used to heat the water, so the average household can eliminate as much as 350 pounds of carbon emissions and save about $40 annually by turning the knob to cold. It also notes that some protein-heavy stains, like perspiration and blood, can become more set into the fabric when washed in hot water, which can also shrink synthetic fibers.

For sweat stains, DIYNatural.com suggests combining two tablespoons of cream of tartar, a few drops of lemon essential oil and water to make a paste. Mix and spread it on the stain, and then rub it in and let dry.

Another pre-laundry option is to pour or spray a 3 percent solution of hydrogen peroxide onto the stain and then soak for about 30 minutes.

Mildly soiled laundry doesn’t necessarily need hot water for adequate cleaning, reports the Mother Nature Network. It advises pre-soaking heavily soiled laundry in cold water for about an hour, adding four tablespoons of baking soda to loosen dirt and grime.

“Responding quickly to stains always helps,” says Steve Boorstein, a Boulder, Colorado, clothing-care expert on his ClothingDoctor.com website. “For washable clothing, flush the stained area with cool water to remove any solid matter. Never rub the stain in order to avoid driving it deeper into the fabric.”

Conserve more energy as well as water by always

assembling a full load of laundry. Appliance performance can also make an eco-difference. Energy Star estimates that water savings of between 40 and 75 percent can be achieved with front-loading machines instead of top-loaders. Line drying wins over a clothes dryer in terms of freshness, energy use and kindness to the environment.

Start with biodegradable and phosphate-free detergents made from plant- and vegetable-based ingredients.

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Discover a Sound that Can Help You HU—The Most Beautiful Prayer eckankarblog.org/hu-app HearHu.org natural awakenings

February 2017

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therapyspotlight

Solutions 4 Thyroid/ Hormone Support at Chase Club Reduce

by Susan Clark

C

hase Club Reduce is located in the office of one of Huntsville’s most beloved Chiropractors, Dr. Brian Clark. Dr. Clark and his staff have experienced tremendous success, both personally and within the practice of Chase Chiropractic Center, offering total body wellness with the help of Solutions 4 Programs and products.

One of our most popular supplements is the Thyroid/ Adrenal Support. Does this sound familiar? You wake up tired, you’re tired throughout the day and then suddenly you get a burst of energy late in the evening and you don’t get restful sleep.

There seems to be a link between low thyroid production and low adrenal production. When you are under stress of any kind, the hypothalamus releases a chemical that goes to the pituitary gland which signals your adrenal glands to produce and release a series of stress hormones, one of which is cortisol. Unfortunately, chronic stress puts your adrenals in overdrive, saturating your body with cortisol until your adrenals cannot keep up with the demand.

The result is adrenal fatigue which has many negative effects on your thyroid.

Adrenal fatigue can leave you feeling run down and yet you still have trouble sleeping. You probably have food cravings, especially sugar and salt cravings. It doesn’t have to be extreme to affect you. While it is a known fact that the adrenal glands produce adrenalin, but as part of the endocrine system, they also produce hormones that affect the body’s metabolic processes including the thyroid.

Stress hormones affect the enzymes that convert T4 to T3. Free T3 is the active form of the hormone while Reverse T3 is the inactive form of the hormone. When your stress levels are high you convert more active T3 into your less active Reverse T3. This imbalance slows down all of your metabolic processes eventually causing hypothyroid symptoms. Also released in the stress response are inflammatory immune cells called cytokines, which make thyroid receptor hormones less effective. Even

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if you are already taking thyroid medication and your thyroid levels appear normal, you can still be suffering from underactive thyroid symptoms.

People with depleted endocrine systems often report frequent urination. This in turn means adrenal sufferers lose the ability to balance minerals like sodium, potassium and magnesium, which leads to food cravings to replace minerals lost due to frequent urination.

In the later stages of adrenal fatigue your adrenals become so depleted that you feel overwhelmed, like you can’t take on one more thing. You may feel irritable and have a general lack of enthusiasm. When the adrenals and therefore the thyroid doesn’t function properly, you may experience forgetfulness, fatigue and you may be depressed. You may feel cold a lot of the time. Your skin and hair may be dry and you may experience constipation and food cravings.

What can help with thyroid/adrenal fatigue? Improving your diet will give your body better nutrition for continued healing. We have programs that are nothing short of miraculous. High stress makes it nearly impossible to lose weight too. Chronic stress raises cortisol levels, increasing the rate at which your body stores fat. It also makes you hungry, raises your blood sugar and increases the storage of fat around the stomach and liver. Try to reduce stress where you can which we know is easier said than done. Try to identify some of your stress triggers and slowly make changes where you can. This is a lifetime process for all of us.

Ideally, the thyroid and adrenal glands work together to supply hormones and deliver them where they need to be throughout the body. If you take synthetic hormones for hypothyroidism and still experience fatigue and weight gain, then our Thyroid/Adrenal supplements can help in this regard. If you don’t take thyroid medicine, this is an excellent way to help you support your natural production of thyroid hormones.

Our Solutions 4 supplements have qualities that set them apart from the rest. All

plants are organically and responsibly grown. Solutions 4 supervises the growing conditions, drying methods and production processes for every single ingredient, every time. Lab tests determine whether each herb has retained its medicinally active components. Before any ingredient is used in a product, it has to pass these rigorous tests three times (a standard known as triple redundancy). These tests guarantee that the naturally potent constituents never vary from batch to batch, and that the active ingredients retain their potency throughout the products shelf life.

All herbs used in Solutions 4 supplements are packaged in special vegetable-based capsules maximizing digestibility. Unlike cheaply made tablets, Solutions 4 supplements contain absolutely no binders or fillers. They release their active ingredients within minutes. Solutions 4 products are the best of the best! Quality is measured at every step so you get 100% organic and potent goodness in every formulation.

Here’s the best way to support your thyroid health! Give us a call today.

Chase Club Reduce is located in Chase Chiropractic Center is located at 5175 B Moores Mill Rd in Huntsville. Call 256-859-0440 to schedule a consultation. Please Like their page at Facebook. com/ChaseClubReduce. See ad on this page.

The most worthwhile thing is to try to put happiness into the lives of others.

~Robert Baden-Powell

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February 2017

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body. According to the report that went along with this picture, I am 42% in my body here, 34% in my mind, and 24% in spirit.

The picture was taken at the Dream Maker by Ron Gray on his new WinAura Aura Imaging™ system, which is the latest technology in aura photography. The system uses special hand and finger biofeedback sensors with computerized software and a video camera in order to capture a visual electronic interpretation of auras in the form of still photos and also videos that show how auras change from moment to moment.

The images are beautiful to look at and thought provoking in the implications of what they reveal. The still photos are sharp, clear and detailed, and they are printed out on photo print paper, which looks terrific. The videos are especially interesting because they show that the aura is constantly changing and dynamic as well as highly responsive to contact with other people and with objects such as crystals. Intentionally thinking of certain thoughts that create specific emotions can rapidly change the aura color.

Aura photography is deeply informative about what is going on with a person. The aura is also called the biofield, describing the radiant energy that surrounds the human body. It is directly linked to our emotions, thoughts and feelings as well as our energy levels and

AURA IMAGING at the

DREAM MAKER

By Tom Maples

M

y name is Tom, and this is my Aura. It’s the glowing cloud of colored light surrounding me in this picture.

My aura here is predominantly red with

a little orange mixed in. The colors have specific meanings, and there are different colors and many color combinations.

The orange in my aura signifies creativity. The red could mean that I’m angry or stressed, though I am not angry at all in this picture. I am feeling somewhat stressed here but not overly so. The red could also mean that I am feeling enthusiastic, passionate, and ambitious about wanting to do some good work, which is all true. Red can signify “vitality, courage, earthiness, and a sense of adventure,” among several other things. It can also mean that a person is in pain or discomfort, which keeps their awareness in their

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the quality of our energies at any given moment. The aura colors reflect a person’s physical, emotional, mental and spiritual state. The colors are dynamic and fluid, but there is often one color or color combination that is called the resonant color, or color sign, that may show up consistently when a person is in a balanced state. This color may be a general representation of one’s dominant personality traits.

All aura colors have meanings.

In general, and broadly speaking, the colors that lie on the red/orange/yellow end of the spectrum are more linked to the physical body and its concerns, including physical survival and getting things done, while the colors that lie on the blue/purple/violet end of the spectrum are associated with spirituality and the higher emotions such as inner peace and kindness toward others.

These colors correspond to the colors of the seven chakras, or major energy centers, that contain the life force energy that powers the human body. The seven chakras run along the spine upward from root chakra, associated with the color red, to the crown of the head, associated with the color violet (or white).

The actual colors of each chakra can vary somewhat from person to person.

The color white is not technically on the spectrum as it contains all colors within it, but white in auras signifies the highest frequency of spiritual energy.

Here I will confess something to you. I was a little taken aback about all the red in my aura, which was characterized on the report as “Intense Red.” I consider myself to be a spiritual person, or at least I aspire to be, and I was expecting to see some “spiritual” colors in my aura. Nope. Not on this day at least.

In this picture I am pure red.

The WinAura literature makes the point to say that there are no bad colors. It says “all colors are good. Your energy is an extension of you, and you are beautiful!” I know that this is true.

More significant than the color would be if my aura had been cloudy or dim, as the clarity and brightness of an aura are significant indicators of aura health.

The red is just an expression of how I was feeling on this day, and my body was doing a lot of complaining.

It wasn’t just me, either. Here is

the aura photograph of Kaylee Pelfrey, who was in the Dream Maker that day and volunteered to have her aura picture taken for this article. She was shopping in the store with her mother, Kimberly Miller, who was visiting from Tennessee. As you can see, Kaylee’s aura appears predominantly red, too, and bigger and brighter than mine.

She said right away that while she was in good spirits, she was also in lot of physical pain. This confirmed for me that red in auras can correspond to physical discomfort, where the body is demanding attention.

There is actually a lot of orange in Kaylee’s aura that was seen on the computer monitor and in her photo print that may not be visible on the page here. The WinAura report indicated her resonant color was a blend, Orange/Red, which signifies creativity, originality and independence, charisma, confidence and personal power.

But she is also in pain here, which may be generating much of the red coloring. Her WinAura report said that 79% of her energy is focused in her body, compared to 12% in her mind and 9% in spirit. Clearly, her body is monopolizing her awareness.

What happened next was pure magic. As soon as Kimberly stepped into Kaylee’s energy field, Kaylee’s aura immediately changed from bright red to the cooler temperature colors on the higher end of the spectrum. We were watching it in full motion video, so we saw the dynamic change happen in real time.

Kaylee’s aura changed, losing every bit of its red color, even before Kimberly put on the finger sensors needed for the computer imaging software to “see” her own aura. When Kimberly did get officially linked into the system, their blended auras together looked like this:

All of that bright red is gone, and we saw it vanish in an instant. Kaylee said that she felt better immediately, and all of her pain disappeared. Kimberly’s presence raised Kaylee’s energy to higher frequency and vibration, which took her out of physical pain.

The colors in Kimberly and Kaylee’s blended aura are Blue White, Light Blue, White, Aquamarine, and Lavender. These are the colors of spirituality, peace, tranquility, balance, harmony, and healing. Their blended resonant color, or color sign, is Light Blue, which is a powerful healing color. The Win Aura report describes Light Blue as meaning “a beautiful healing time is coming for you and those around you.”

The report showed that whereas Kaylee had been focused 79% in her body and only 12% in mind and 9% in spirit, her mother’s presence instantly changed her focus to 67% spirit, 21% mind, and only 12% body. Kimberly essentially flipped Kaylee’s focus from body to spirit, elevating her right out of her pain. All with a simple touch.

How is this possible? Let’s take a look at Kimberly’s aura by herself.

The colors here are Lavender, Turquoise, Light Violet, Violet, Blue White, Green, and Ultraviolet. These are the colors of magic and spirituality, psychic abilities and rarified healing energies.

A person with these aura colors can

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nurture and balance the energies of others simply with their personal presence. Kimberly’s color sign is Blue White, which is associated with healing. The report tells Kimberly: “You will be able to act as a clear conduit for spiritual healing energy to flow through you to heal yourself and others.”

In is picture, Kimberly is 52% in spirit, 25% in mind, and 23% in body.

Kimberly and Kaylee are mother and daughter and very close to each other, which could account for some degree of the change that we saw in Kaylee’s aura. “She’s my other half,” says Kaylee of her mom. “I always feel better when I’m around her.” But a person with Kimberly’s high spiritual energy and aura colors will most likely have the same kind of effect on almost anyone that she graces with her presence.

“What a wonderful tool to help people see how we balance each other when we are together,” says Kimberly. “This will provide people with visual proof and the confirmation that we are beings of energy and spirit and that we can use our energy to help and heal each other.”

Indeed, the aura videos show that auras often change color dramatically when one person touches the energy field of another person, no matter what their predominant aura color types are. The videos also show that a person can change their own aura color by changing their thoughts and feelings. One thing Ron does is to tell people to think of an intensely happy memory or location in order to generate a happy, positive emotion, which often immediately changes the aura color on the video. The sequence here is important because it shows that emotion follows thought—we choose the thought first, which then creates the emotion.. Therefore, since we can change our thoughts, we can change our emotions. This is crucial to understand, because as the aura videos show, our emotions have a direct impact on others.

Seeing the dramatic, positive change that our positive emotions can have on our own auras and on the auras of others is an eye-opening experience that communicates intuitively.

This is probably the central reason that Ron wanted to bring the Aura Imaging system to the Dream Maker.

“I wanted to show people how our thoughts and our energy directly affect the reality around us, including other people. We have a responsibility to others, and to the world, to cultivate positive thoughts and feelings in order to uplift everyone and everything around us. We are all conscious creators, and we are so much more powerful than we know,” he says.

Aura Imaging is now available Tuesday-Saturday, 11am-5pm, at the Dream Maker, 4004 Triana Blvd SW, Huntsville. 256-883-8446.

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Pricing and packages: A 4x6 by glossy photograph is $25.

This includes general aura information explaining the colors.

The photo and a more detailed report are priced at $35.

This detailed report includes a 7 Chakra chart and report, a Body, Mind, and Spirit chart and report, and a chart showing Balance. Videos showing how the Aura changes due to the influence of loved ones, meditation, crystals, or various other things are available. These videos (on CD) are priced at $35.

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In the O-Zone Oxygen Therapy Heals a Host of Ills

A

s safe and trusted as hyperbaric (high pressure) oxygen therapy, ozone therapy also harnesses the healing power of oxygen. Since the 1950s, its popularity has increased around the world.

Today, more than 45,000 physicians in 50 countries administer ozone therapy to address ailments ranging from endodontic infections and herniated disk pain to arterial plaque and Lyme disease.

According to the American Academy of Ozonotherapy, the widespread medical use of ozone began in Germany and has since spread across Europe as an alternative treatment for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The academy notes that allopathic physicians caution against ozone therapy largely due to misinformation and a lack of understanding regarding its efficacy, side effects, expense and safety, even though published international studies as well as U.S. clinical trials have shown it can be used instead of more expensive and dangerous methods such as surgery or pharmaceuticals.

Therapeutic ozone has a sound safety record and no toxic effects have been observed from proper clinical use (Journal of the American Medical Association). Occasional reported side effects are slight

weakness, dizziness or drowsiness for short periods of time during or after treatment. Rare allergic skin reactions like nettle rash are possible with local applications, although occurrences are mild and quick to resolve.

Ozone is an oxidant.

Ozone therapy, like exercise, creates health benefits by delivering measured doses of oxidative stress that activate the body’s internal antioxidant systems. The primary natural enzyme in ozone therapy is superoxide dismutase, which stimulates another enzyme called telomerase that keeps DNA young by maintaining the telomere at the end of each DNA strand.

A study from Cuba’s University of Havana of herniated disc patients found that ozone therapy provided both oxidative protection and pain relief. Such properties make medical ozone therapy a safe and effective treatment for many infections.

It’s been shown to be particularly effective for sinus and endodontic infections (Iranian Endodonics Journal), osteonecrosis of the jaw, ear infections, hepatitis (Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine), cystitis, HIV, intestinal and blood infections and Lyme disease. Staff of the Sophia Health Institute, in Woodinville, Washington, report remarkably fast results treating such chronic complex infections by

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by Valerie Burke

following intensive intravenous (IV) ozone protocols, with individualized systemic support.

Ozonotherapy is a prime treatment for infections, especially viral. Leading experts in oxidative therapy Dr. Robert Rowen, who practices in Santa Rosa, California, and Dr. Howard Robins, director of The Healing Center, in New York City, had good success administering treatment during the Ebola crisis in Sierra Leone. In addition to many patients helped, “It’s been reported that ozone therapy rapidly cured five patients with Ebola during the outbreak,” says Rowen.

Ozone therapy is now used to relieve arthritis, neuropathy, degenerative joint and disk disease, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. A pilot study led by the Universidad de Granada, Spain, saw improvement in the physical and depressive symptoms of fibromyalgia.

“Ozone is also effective in treating osteoarthritic knees and, via injection, arthritic hips,” says Rowen. Other individuals describe their experiences of overcoming various diseases using ozone therapy at YouTube.com/user/ RobertRowenMD/videos.

One of the most impressive evidence-based applications is relief from the pain of herniated disks, particularly lumbar. More than one meta-analysis deemed ozone treatment an effective and extremely safe procedure, with pain and functional outcomes equal to or better than surgery and far lower complication rates (less than 0.1 percent), along with significantly shorter recovery times (Pain Physician; American Journal of Neuroradiology).

According to the Journal of Natural Science, Biology and Medicine, oxygen/ ozone therapy used in dentistry offers three fundamental forms of applications to treat oral tissue—ozonated water, ozonated olive oil and oxygen/ozone gas. Ozonated water and olive oil have proved to be an ideal delivery system.

Non-toxic and simple to generate, ozone therapy is coming of age as a viable option for both the treatment and prevention of illnesses.

Valerie Burke is a freelance health writer in Olympia, Washington, versed in integrative medicine with a master’s degree in nursing science.

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February 2017

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PASSAGE Conscious Dying as a Transformative Healing Journey

by Linda Sechrist

W

hen properly viewed, the thresholds of all of life’s transitional moments can be both emotionally and spiritually rewarding.

Whether it involves marriage or birth, job loss or illness, gleaning insight from the experience can yield fresh perspective on how to live life more fully today, if we remain mindful and lovingly attentive through the process.

Like birth, death is a transition we can wisely prepare for. In recent years, compassionate individuals and grassroots movements have emerged to help us conduct ourselves, heal and grow from losing a loved one or face our own passing. An increasing number of initiatives support a new model in palliative care that treats death not as a failure, but an expected aspect of 16

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the human experience. Each in its own way advocates for a grace-filled passage supported by dignified, caring and compassionate practices.

Profound Shift

The Conscious Dying Institute, in Boulder, Colorado, aims to restore death and dying to its natural place in the sacred circle of life. Its end-of-life literacy curriculum and certificate training programs are helping to create a new, wisdombased culture of healing teachers and end-of-life doulas that serve among the frontline caregivers and companions providing the comfort people want and need most. Founded by Tarron Estes, a healing artist, poet, Caritas coach and transformational learning educator, the institute is grounded in love, spiritual

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SACRED

openness, compassion and a universal field of consciousness.

“Training is open to nurses, physicians, clinicians, caregivers, family members, healthcare teams and anyone else interested in exploring what it means to die consciously,” says Estes.

It attends to the provider’s inner awakening and helps them strengthen their ability to give spiritual, emotional, physical and practical care to anyone, helping to relieve pain, regardless of diagnosis.

“Rather than curative care, it’s all about seeking to increase precious, meaningful moments, a sense of spiritual sanctity, beauty, interconnectedness and appreciation of life for the families and patients they serve. An end-of-life doula at bedside assures that families and loved ones can focus on what is most important,” explains Estes, who believes that our true nature lives within us as an unblemished jewel.

Helping individuals become comfortable talking about death is the work of Dr. Karen Wyatt, of Dillon, Colorado, founder of the End of Life University, an online interview series with end-of-life care experts. She provides a trustworthy loving environment in monthly death cafés. The author of What Really Matters: 7 Lessons for Living from the Stories of Dying expands the conversation through related articles and podcasts at eolUniversity.com.

Death cafés benefit from Wyatt’s experience as a hospice doctor. “There is never an agenda. Of the 10 to 12 people that generally join in, one is always a new caller, recently awakened to the idea of conscious dying or their own mortality. They’re seeking information and someone to talk to because family and friends aren’t interested.

Some already embracing their mortality wish to explore their thoughts with others. Some callers join just to listen,” advises Wyatt.

Because death in the West has become a commercialized, medical event with funeral home packages the norm, Wyatt recommends the National Home Funeral Alliance to those interested in a deeper understanding of options and resources for a gentler model. The nonprofit, grassroots movement and its members, such as Sacred Crossings, in Los Angeles, seek to restore the lost

Exploring the Mystery

For more than 40 years, philosopher, psychologist and physician Raymond Moody’s life work has been acknowledging the mysteries and validating the unexplainable events at the end of life. His seminal bestseller Life After Life appeared in 1975. Lisa Smartt’s mentorship by Moody led them to co-found FinalWordsProject.org. She’s also authored Words at the Threshold, a study of the nonsensical, metaphorical and paradoxical language and visions of the dying.

Moody and Smartt agree that by better understanding the unique

Sarit Wuttisan/Shutterstock.com

art and healing ritual of a home funeral by preserving the rights of families to provide home after-death care.

Supporting and educating interested families is the mission of Sacred Crossings founder Rev. Olivia Rosemarie Bareham. The certified death midwife and home funeral guide draws from her experiences as an auxiliary nurse and hospice volunteer to assist families with end-of-life planning, death midwifery and arrangements for an at-home vigil and funeral, as well as cremation and burial choices.

“We also offer sacred singing to help ease a loved one’s transition. Music by a bedside soloist or choir before, during and after death can be deeply relaxing and comforting, and even provide pain relief,” advises Bareham.

As many as 80 percent of us say we want to die at home. ~CNN language patterns related to end of life we can share more deeply and build bridges with our beloveds throughout the dying process. “When we do so, we offer greater support to the dying and ameliorate our own experience of loss as they cross the threshold,” remarks Smartt. Like William Peters, founder of the Shared Crossings Project, in Santa Barbara, California, they caution that compassionate etiquette during events at death is important.

“Assume that levels of awareness exist in the dying so that our energy and presence are felt and our voices heard,” advises Moody. “Respect your

words and actions, regardless of the person’s state of consciousness. Be a compassionate listener and validate their vision. Don’t pretend to intellectualize or explain anything.”

Dianne Gray, president and executive director of the Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Foundation, also owns Hospice and Healthcare Communications. “The dying often wish to leave here surrounded by peace and harmony. They choose to let go of contentiousness and often wish family members would do the same, which is facilitated by mapping out Advance Directives according to the final wishes of the patient,” says Gray.

Questions she frequently addresses in public talks and Death Over Dinner party conversations include: the necessity of finishing unfinished business; bringing closure to unresolved relationship issues; finding words to express our compassion; soothing the sense of impending loss; and managing to take only love with us to the other side, yet leave enough of it behind to help loved ones through their grieving process. She cautions that no matter how well we plan for death, things don’t always go as planned.

“Sometimes no matter how many advance care conversations have taken place, discord can dismantle the best laid plans. It requires the tough work of compassionate communications. Friends and families need to remember that this is the patient’s end-of-life experience, not theirs. It is possible to find peace in

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~William Rosa the midst of conflict, understanding that the one leaving overwhelmingly wishes for a peaceful passing, including peace within the family.”

The Death Over Dinner initiative, founded by Michael Hebb in 2013, has been hosted by groups in more than 20 countries to help people engage in conversations on “how we want to die”—the most vital and costly discussion Americans aren’t having (DeathOverDinner.org/stories).

Practical Plans

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and its 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy program offer a free downloadable national Guide to Financial Decisions: Implementing an End-of-Life Plan at Tinyurl.com/EssentialPlanNeeds.

It includes basic descriptions of issues that arise as we age beyond retirement and details the critical documents needed for the individual, dependents, property, assets, estate planning, wills and trusts. It also addresses issues related to advance, treatment and do-notresuscitate directives, insurance, types of funerals and costs, and Social Security, Medicare and veterans’ benefits. Guidelines suggest consulting with a certified public accountant or personal financial planning specialist.

The latest innovation is the blessing of a living funeral, a celebration of life while the honoree is present to hear the eulogies, praises and farewells before they depart.

AgingWithDignity.org provides a downloadable Five Wishes document, a popular advance directive, or living will 18

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Writing Our Legacy

by Linda Sechrist

I

n their books Caring for the Dying and Having the Last Say, authors Henry FerskoWeiss and Alan Gelb, respectively, advocate reviewing our life and writing a short narrative to explore its value as we approach our final act of Earth’s play.

Processing experiences from the past and what they mean at this juncture presents us an opportunity to achieve greater clarity and integrate them in a positive way in our life story. According to Fersko-Weiss, it has the power to reduce depression, increase life satisfaction, promote acceptance of self and enhance integrity of spirit, no matter what phase of life we are in.

The harvesting of life experiences should reflect our true humanity—flaws and all—and what we’ve learned through mistakes and failures, as well as triumphs. Conveying a compelling mythic family story, values we’ve lived by and our embrace of meaningful relationships will help the people we know understand that, for all its difficulties and complexities, life is worth living.

Our narrative, whether recorded as an essay or scripted video, becomes an act of praise for the gift of the life we’ve led, imperfect as it may have been. It can also serve as a potential keepsake that passes along life lessons and values from one generation to another.

Gelb suggests that summing up what’s most important to us in 500 to 1,000 words can be an experience to savor and enjoy at a reflective time in life, an opportunity to capture our legacy and even serve as our own eulogy.

When we want a loved one no longer here to feel near to us and hear them one last time, it’s a way for them to literally have the last say, he adds.

that covers personal, spiritual, medical and legal aspects. It’s easy to use and can serve as a family guide to prompt conversations about personal care preferences in the event of serious illness.

New York Times journalist Mark Leibovich wrote about how Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy chose to spend his final weeks in pursuit of a “good ending.” As death approached, Kennedy told friends that he wanted to take stock of his life and enjoy the gift of his remaining days with the people he loved most. As a result, he continued enjoying his morning ritual of reading newspapers while drinking coffee, playing with his dogs, watching James Bond movies with his wife and holding family dinners and sing-alongs near nightly. He reveled in his bedside view of Nantucket Sound, sailed when he could and ate

lots of his favorite ice cream. His mantra was, “Every day is a gift.”

“As our time winds down, we all seek comfort in simple pleasures—companionship, everyday routines, the taste of good food, the warmth of sunlight on our faces,” remarks Boston’s Dr. Atul Gawande in Being Mortal. “If we strive in our final months for independence, companionship, mindful attention, dignity, wisdom, joy, love and freedom from pain, we have the power to make those days less miserable, confusing and frightening.”

In these many ways, we can manage to gently embrace and tenderly navigate life’s final transition with grace and love.

Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings. Connect at ItsAllAboutWe.com.

Have a nice day Photo/Shutterstock.com

We rediscover that in order to die well, we must live well. Dying gracefully is the result of a mindful, day-to-day journey—a culmination of informed choices, honest discussions and deference to the hallowed fragility of nature’s life-death cycles.

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FIT FOR LIFE How to Stay Healthy, Flexible and Strong

by Aimee Hughes

W

“

hen thinking about the best forms of exercise as we enter midlife and beyond, we should first clarify some myths and preconceptions,” says Michael Spitzer, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, biochemist, fitness expert and author of Fitness at 40, 50, 60 and Beyond. “In our society, there’s a mindset that once we pass our 40th year, it’s all downhill from there.

Our metabolism slows and we gain weight, lose mobility and flexibility, deal with more aches and pains, experience shortness of breath and the list goes on.”

According to Spitzer, this all can happen, but it’s more of a self-fulfilling prophecy than destiny. “Research with older people at both rehabilitation and nursing centers tells us that the human body wasn’t designed to begin a major decline in function until age 70, barring major illness or accidents along the way. Most of individual decline is due to lifestyle choices, not nature’s plan.”

Spitzer teaches his clients that weight training is essential for every age group. “After age 30, most people lose between 0.5 to 1 percent of lean muscle fiber per year, which directly affects the basal metabolic rate. Much like a car engine, the more lean muscle mass

we have, the more energy our ‘engine’ uses, even when idling. If not prevented, by age 50, for example, we may have lost as much as 20 percent of the lean muscle fiber we had when we were 30.”

He also recommends regular cardiovascular exercise. “Do a good round of cardio inside your target heart rate zone for 30 minutes at least three times a week. It’s vital for lung and heart health, the primary benefit of cardio exercise as opposed to just burning calories.”

“For those in their 40s, I recommend high-intensity interval training such as burst training, along with a mind-body practice like power yoga or budokon,” says Nelson Pahl, of Northfield, Minnesota, managing editor of Longevity Times. “Vinyasa yoga, tai chi and cycling are ideal during our 50s, while hatha yoga, tai chi, or qigong and hiking work well in our 60s.”

“Most of my clients are 70 and up,” notes Gwyneth Jones, an active aging specialist at the Carriage Club, in Kansas City, Missouri, who also trains physical therapists, rehabilitation specialists and movement educators. “They enjoy mixing up their daily exercise routines and look forward

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Creating Positive Change Through Hypnotherapy, Breathwork & EFT/Matrix Reimprinting

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to the support and encouragement of their classmates. Discussions include lighthearted wordplay and questions about anatomy and physiology.”

Pahl urges everyone at every age, “Consume only whole foods, always.”

He rarely drinks alcohol and begins every day with yoga and qigong.

“Also, be sure to stay well hydrated,” adds Jones. “This will keep your joints healthy, skin clear and moist, digestion more efficient and detoxification of organ systems more effective. Add fresh lemon if you like.”

Physical fitness is only one aspect of aging gracefully. Spiritual growth lifts and lightens any mental and emotional load, while supporting physical well-being.

Spitzer also recommends, “Reading, learning to play a musical instrument, crafting activities, computer strategy games or doing other

activities that require concentration or new problem-solving skills; all help the mind stay tuned up and sharp.” It’s always healthy to break out of normal routines and comfort zones, venture into new worlds, volunteer and do what makes our heart soar.

Jones advises, “Choose activities that feel good, refreshing, include people you enjoy, and are done in pleasant environments. Don’t forget to revel in sunshine or a good book on a rainy day.

Listen to music, play music, sing and dance every day.”

Maturity brings benefits we can embrace with delight when we bring loving attention and happy novelty to life.

Aimee Hughes, a freelance writer in Kansas City, MO, is a doctor of naturopathy and consultant for the Yandara Yoga Institute. Connect at ChezAimee@gmail.com.

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Lynn Anderson Owner, LMT 1307 YurtGarden.com 256-424-2221

When you need more than a Pedicure Providing nail and callus care to those with • Diabetes/Pre-Diabetes • Circulatory Problems • Visual Impairments • Arthritis • Parkinson’s Disease • Dementia • Strokes • Hip/Knee Replacement • Diminished Strength • Thick/Long Nails Call Today for Your Appointment!

pecialized Nail Care 1900 Flint Rd., SE Decatur, AL 35601 256-476-6537

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consciouseating

1-Hour Mystery School 11:00am Sundays

Affirmations, Music, Mystery Message, Fellowship, An Open Communion Table

Intro to Qabalah Class

by Charles Blakely Tuesdays Feb 7 - April 11 at 6:30pm - 8:30pm Past Lives Workshop Thursdays Feb 2 - Feb 23 at 6:30pm - 8:30pm

Public Clearance

7:00pm, Friday February 17th

Looking Ahead: Spring Equinox Celebration Sunday March 19th at 11:00am Other Classes in 2017 Introduction to Metaphysics Wednesdays at 7:00pm March 8 - May 10th Other Classes to be Scheduled Our labyrinth is always open for your meditative walks.

Dance & Sing in the Light 4208 Holmes Ave. NW Huntsville, Alabama 256-895-0255 www.lightofchristcenter.org

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INDOOR KITCHEN GARDENING

Easy-Grow Microgreens Are Big on Nutrition

by Barbara Pleasant

F

ast, fun to grow and packed with flavor and nutrition, tender young microgreens can go from seed to table in as little as a week. Close cousins to edible sprouts, microgreens are grown in potting soil or seed-starting mixes instead of plain water. They customarily grow beyond the sprout stage until they have produced a true leaf or two. After that, harvesting is a simple matter of snipping off fresh greens.

“You don’t need a green thumb to grow microgreens, only patience and persistence,” says Mark Mathew Braunstein, in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, author of Microgreen Garden. Even first-timers can expect good results. For example, the thin shoots grown from popcorn taste like a more vibrant form of sweet corn, and pea shoots work well in wraps, salads and virtually any Asian dish.

Like high-fiber wheatgrass, “Microgreens are great for juicing, either by themselves or mixed with other veggies,” says Rita Galchus (aka Sprout Lady Rita), proprietor of The Sprout House, in Lake Katrine, New York, which sells organic seeds for microgreens and sprouts. “You can add a handful of microgreens to a smoothie to

ramp up the nutrition without changing its taste or texture,” she notes.

Good Picks

The seeds of dozens of plants from alfalfa to wheat can be grown as microgreens. If seeking to maximize nutrition, put red cabbage and cilantro on the planting list. Scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Quality Laboratory, in Beltsville, Maryland, tested the nutritional properties of 25 microgreens; red cabbage, cilantro, garnet amaranth and green daikon radish had the highest concentrations of vitamin C, carotenoids, and vitamins K and E, respectively. Microgreens generally provide three times as much nutrition per weight as the same food eaten in its mature state.

“People underestimate the intense flavor of microgreens and might try planting mustard greens or radish varieties even if they don’t like spicy flavors,” say Elizabeth Millard, an organic farmer in Northfield, Minnesota, and author of Indoor Kitchen Gardening.

For beginners, large seeds that sprout quickly such as sunflowers, buckwheat and snow peas are good choices because

akepong srichaichana/Shutterstock.com

A Course In Miracles Study Group 9:15am Sundays

inspiration

KISSED BY KINDNESS

by Emily Esfahani Smith

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they produce big, robust sprouts with mild flavor.

Many people also grow microgreens for their pets. “Cats tend to prefer mild, sweet-tasting microgreens such as red clover, alfalfa and flax seed,” advises Galchus. “They also love grasses grown from hard wheat, whole barley and rye. Cats cannot digest the grass, but use it to bring up indigestible matter that might be lodged in their stomachs.”

Clean Greens

Microgreens grow so fast that there’s little time for them to run into trouble.

Commercial growers use large trays, but home gardeners can also use pretty coffee mugs or tofu boxes rescued from the recycling bin. Drainage holes in the container bottoms work well when growing beets or other slow-sprouting seeds, but are less important for fastgrowing sunflowers or wheat.

Work only with organic seeds.

Seeds sold for sprouting or bulk grains from a local health food store cost much less than the larger, robust seeds produced for gardening. Soak seeds in water overnight to jump-start germination. Place an inch or so of potting soil or seed-starting mix in the container, and then scatter the plump seeds on top. “A common beginner’s error is to sow seeds too thickly,” says Braunstein.

Sown seeds should not touch each other, with most spaced about onequarter-inch apart. Spritz with water and cover with a plate or plastic wrap.

At the first signs of sprouting, water and move the pot to a sunny spot near a bright window or within two inches of a bright grow light. Dribble in small amounts of water to maintain moisture over the next few days. To harvest, cut in bunches about one-half inch above the soil line. Microgreens store well in the refrigerator for a couple of days, but are best eaten fresh.

For both beginners and experienced gardeners, growing microgreens provides a close-up look at seed germination, one of nature’s miracles.

Award-winning garden writer Barbara Pleasant’s new book Homegrown Pantry: A Gardener’s Guide to Selecting the Best Varieties & Planting the Perfect Amounts for What You Want to Eat Year Round, will be out next month from Storey Publishing.

P

sychologist Ty Tashiro reports in The Science of Happily Ever After that only three in 10 couples remain in healthy, happy marriages.

Psychologist John Gottman, in New York City, has studied couples for four decades seeking to understand successful relationships. He and his psychologist wife, Julie, founded The Gottman Institute that helps couples build and maintain loving, healthy relationships based on scientific studies.

Using data from his Love Lab at the University of Washington, John separated thousands of couples into two groups: masters (still happy after six years) and disasters (separated or chronically unhappy in their marriages).

One of Gottman’s studies watched 130 newlywed vacationing couples and found that partners regularly made bids for connection, requesting responses from their mate. Choices to “turn toward” or “turn away” revealed the level of engagement and respect in the relationship. Couples that divorced within six years had shown “turn toward” bids a third of the time while couples still together responded to their partner’s emotional need nine times out of 10.

An integral element is the spirit couples bring to the relationship: kindness and generosity or contempt, criticism and hostility.

“There’s a key habit of mind that the masters have,” Gottman explains. “They are scanning the social environment for things they can appreciate and express thanks for. Disasters are scanning for partners’ mistakes.”

People focused on criticizing miss 50 percent of positive things their

partners are doing and see negativity when it’s absent. Deliberately ignoring their partner or responding minimally to opportunities for small moments of emotional connection devalues and kills a relationship.

Kindness, conversely, glues couples together, making each partner feel cared for, understood, validated and loved. In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers found that the more someone receives or witnesses kindness, the more they will be kind themselves, creating upward spirals of love and generosity.

Practicing kindness during a fight is vital. Letting contempt and aggression spiral out of control during a conflict can inflict irrevocable damage.

“Kindness doesn’t mean that we don’t express anger,” Julie explains, “But it informs how we choose to express it.

You can either throw spears or explain why you’re hurt and angry, which is the kinder path.”

Kindness can also solidify the backbone of a relationship by being generous about our partner’s intention and avoiding misinterpreting what’s motivating their behavior. “Even if it’s executed poorly, appreciate the intent,” Tashiro advises.

Clearly, if we want to have a stable, healthy relationship, exercise kindness early and often and let a spirit of generosity guide happy years together.

Emily Esfahani Smith is the author of The Power of Meaning: Crafting a Life That Matters. Connect at EmilyEsfahaniSmith. com or on Twitter @emesfahanismith.

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back to us. If we’re nervous, the horse will be more skittish.”

“We’ve had executives arrive with cell phones firmly in hand and leave holding soggy tissues instead,” comments Wendorf. “For them, it was unexpectedly emotional.”

For addicts caught up in a debilitating cycle, “Equine therapy gets the brain firing in a new direction,” says Constance Scharff, Ph.D., director of addiction research at Cliffside Malibu, in California. “Patients may say they’re fine when they’re not, but you can’t lie to a horse. They have boundaries; if you’re angry, a horse won’t tolerate your behavior and will walk away.”

Scharff notes, “Equine therapy is complementary to psychotherapy medicine, and one tool we use in approaching addiction. Depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can be the underlying issue, so we can address it, to understand why the person became an addict.”

Wendorf relates the story of an 18-year-old client facing body image issues. “Five horses approached her and touched her with their noses on her arms and legs. Where they touched was where she had been cutting herself to try to relieve her emotional pain.”

“People feel a powerful connection when they let down their defenses and a horse responds,” says Sheryl Jordan, equestrian director at Salamander Resort & Spa, in Middleburg, Virginia. “Our

Osetrik/Shutterstock.com

naturalpet

HEART-TO-HEART WITH A HORSE

Their Gentle Empathy Helps Us Heal

by Sandra Murphy

P

hysical therapists have long used horses to help patients improve balance or strengthen core muscles.

Now they’re helping to teach empathy.

Given a horse’s significant size, sometimes distracting surroundings and the need for safety, humans need to learn the animal’s non-verbal cues, and to regulate their own. Close interaction without

riding is proving to be helpful for those dealing with addictions, trauma and grief, and for employees to improve their communication and teamwork skills.

Kelly Wendorf and Scott Strachan, co-founders of Equus, in Santa Fe, work with both individuals and organizations. Strachan emphasizes, “This isn’t magic. Horses reflect our feelings

Auriculotherapy (Ear Acupuncture) PAIN CONTROL n Migraine & Headache n General Pain/Discomfort

Reviving Health, Emotions & Quality of Life Dr. Christina L. Berry, Ed.D., ACI, ADS 204 Lowe Ave, Ste 7, Huntsville, AL ALHolisticHealth.com Info@ALHolisticHealth.com

Call for your appointment today

256-801-9162

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STRESS MANAGEMENT n PTSD n Day to Day HEALTH & WELLNESS n Weight loss n Addiction

Lifestyle Coaching n n n n

Diet & Supplement recommendations Natural Detoxification Overall Mental Improvement Spiritual Journey Counseling

Horses help bring back memories for clients with dementia. ~Hearts & Horses, Loveland, Colorado, nonprofit therapeutic riding facility

COLON HYDROTHERAPY

Cleanse.... Hydrate... Rejuvenate....

DETOX YOUR BODY FROM THE INSIDE OUT Equi-Spective life lessons program brings self-awareness and the power to better control emotions. During the session, they may Colonics • Bio Cleanse • Infrared Sauna hug, pet and cry on the horse, but they leave the corral smiling.”

The program teamed up with the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) serving bereaved military families. Kelly Griffith, a surviving sister of U.S. Marine Corps Major Samuel Griffith, points to the power of equine therapy in a video at Tinyurl.com/Equi-SpectiveVideo.

Susan Wight, a former professional steeplechase rider and ambassador for TAPS in Leesburg, Virginia, says, “My husband was my riding coach. When he passed away, I was numb when facing decisions, but at the session, it felt like one of the horses was the one to choose. The initial flood of emotions and memories from being around horses again wasn’t pretty, but empathy is a specific language, and I’m grateful for the opwww.hope4lifeal.com portunity. Horses are a huge part of my life.”

At Ranch Hand Rescue Counseling Center & Animal Sanctuary, in South Argyle, Texas, founder Bob Williams con10300 Bailey Cove Road, Ste 7A siders animal therapy a ministry.

Huntsville, AL 35803 “We rescue abused and neglected farm animals, including horses that come into play when patients are not responding MAD2562708731-A to usual therapies,” he says. “It’s important for damaged people to learn to live in the light, and our partnering with the special needs animals helps put them on the emotional path to health.”

The rescue’s mission is to provide hope, healing and a sense of security for children and adults that have suffered severe trauma such as abuse, domestic violence and witnessing violent death (Tinyurl.com/RanchHandRescueVideo).

Riding Beyond’s four-session program, in Ashland, Oregon, is free to women recovering from the rigors of breast Alternative Medicine Associates cancer treatment. Expenses are covered by donations from ...Treating Causes Not Symptoms the community. German research published in the journal Psycho-Oncology reported that 82 percent of participating Natural HealthSales Care Rep.: Mike Underwood I Approve This Copy.

Cust. Sign.: X breast cancer patients studied displayed symptoms of PTSD Please note - quality and size may vary slightly between proof and actual directory following diagnosis.

IBS • Reflux Anxiety “They often don’t want to touch or be touched, and have Fibromyalgia Depression trouble with friendships and intimate relationships; issues Skin Allergies Candidiasis that can cripple a woman’s life,” says Trish Broersma, founding director and a certified therapeutic riding professional Hormone Imbalance Chronic Fatigue at Riding Beyond (Tinyurl.com/RidingBeyondVideo). “The Restless Leg Syndrome Adrenal Fatigue medical team that saved their lives doesn’t treat these issues.”

Nutritional Assessment Thyroid Problems The first client, unfamiliar with horses, met Mystic, who touched her on the site of the former tumor. She says, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities “Even weeks later, when I brought her image to mind when Call for your appointment Today! stressed, sad or even happy, it brought feelings of contentment, peace and well-being.”

Debra V. Gilliam N.M.D. Horses have been serving humans in many ways for Naturopathic Physician centuries. Equine therapy shows they have even more to give 1230 Slaughter Road, Ste E if we are open to receive.

256-270-8731

Connect with freelance writer Sandra Murphy at StLouisFreelanceWriter@mindspring.com.

Madison, AL

256-325-0955 natural awakenings

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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

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

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Sustainably Stylish Home Relax into Nurturing Furnishings

by April Thompson

W

e all relish a cozy nest, whether that means lightfilled views, the embrace of form-fitting sofas and chairs or plush rugs that snuggle bare feet. A beautiful, comfortable home that reflects our personal style and embodies our values can be achieved by learning the origin of furnishings and investing in sustainably made pieces that will stand the test of time, say experts.

“Furnishing a home ethically doesn’t mean sacrificing comfort or style,” says JD Doliner, a business consultant in Charlotte, North Carolina. Doliner’s home is graced with 18th- and 19th-century antiques, organic cotton mattresses, comfy custom-made chairs from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified wood and handmade wool rugs certified childlabor-free by GoodWeave. “They give me peace of mind as a humanitarian and environmentalist,” she says.

Signs of Progress

Debbie Hindman, marketing director for Associates III Interior Design, in Denver, is working with increasingly knowledgeable clients like Doliner asking for sustainably sourced products. Manufacturers, in turn, are upping transparency about product origins, realizing it can provide a competitive edge, she notes.

“We look at the story behind a product and make sure that it aligns with both our company’s and clients’ values,” says Hindman, a co-author of Sustainable Residential Interiors. “We ask questions like, ‘Are workers paid a fair wage? Was the product made with local materials? What is the story behind the company’s founding?’”

The Sustainable Furnishings Council (SFC) coalition of manufacturers, retailers and designers partners with businesses and informs consumers to increase environmentally responsible choices in the marketplace. Its 400 members commit to sustainability and transparency in their business practices and submit an annual action plan showing such efforts. Headquartered in Edenton, North Carolina, the council strives to minimize industry carbon emissions and remove unsustainable materials and harmful chemical ingredients from residential and commercial furnishings.

“The residential furnishings industry frequently takes raw materials from one continent, processes and manufactures on another to be consumed on yet another, leaving a huge environmental footprint,” says Susan Inglis, the council’s executive director. As the third largest consumer of wood, these manufacturers bear significant responsibility for preserv-

melis/Shutterstock.com

greenliving

ing the world’s forest ecosystems and fighting deforestation, reports Inglis.

Savvy Shoppers

To make informed decisions, furniture shoppers need to ask how, where, from what and by whom a potential purchase is made. Lisa Beres, a healthy home expert and former interior designer in Newport Coast, California, and author of Just Green It! advises not taking product claims at face value. Ask if the product has earned a certification like the Global Organic Textile Standard for fabrics or GreenGuard, which verifies low levels of chemical emissions.

Not all natural products are sustainably produced; cotton, for example, is one of the most heavily sprayed crops. Look for certified organic cotton as a responsible textile choice. Beres also suggests renewable fiber sources like bamboo or hemp. “Natural latex is a sound alternative to foam fillers, offering good support and dust mite resistance,” says Beres.

Specific animal-based products like down feathers used in bedding can provoke allergies and be produced inhumanely, Beres cautions. Products certified to the Responsible Down Standard, which protects the wellbeing and welfare of geese tapped for their manufacture, offer a humane choice for fluffy down comforters.

Look for well-crafted furniture made from locally sourced, reclaimed

or FSC-certified wood instead of particleboard, which usually contains formaldehyde and may be made from unsustainably harvested wood.

Sustainable furnishings are both better for the planet and can make a home distinctive. Natural pieces like a countertop made from reclaimed, rough-hewn wood provide a unique beauty that mass-manufactured pieces can’t match and also showcase the material’s natural form and feeling.

Her firm promotes durable, timeless pieces over trendy furnishings that a client might discard in a few years.

When it’s time to retire a piece of furniture, find a new home for it, whether by donating to a charity or reselling through a consignment store.

While cutting corners on home furnishing choices can be tempting, especially when shopping on a budget, remember that today’s quality pieces may become tomorrow’s cherished heirlooms.

“Some will spend money on the latest gadget, but hesitate to invest in a great piece of furniture or a quality mattress they’ll spend much of their life sitting or sleeping on,” says Beres. “It’s not a splurge; you’re investing in your health and protecting Earth’s precious resources. It all comes full circle.”

Comprehensive Chiropractic Care Aromatherapy Nutritional Consulting Community Educational Events

Connect with freelance writer April Thompson, of Washington, D.C., at AprilWrites.com.

Toxic Furnishings Alert

T

oday’s mass-produced furniture may contain hidden chemicals such as formaldehyde-based adhesives, flame retardants and other volatile organic compounds (VOC) linked to serious health issues. Researchers from the Natural Resources Defense Council found 45 toxic chemicals in indoor dust, 10 of which were present in at least 90 percent of households sampled. “These chemicals enter the air as materials in the furnishings break down,” explains healthy home expert Lisa Beres. “Because we spend an average of 90 percent of our lives indoors, the exposure to harmful chemicals is troubling.”

Beres advises shoppers to be wary of synthetic fabrics, which not only consume nonrenewable resources like petroleum, but may also contain toxic dyes, heavy metals or chemicals like Teflon. Foam and other fillings in mattresses, sofas and chairs are often a hidden source of off-gassing VOCs.

The Sustainable Furnishing Council’s seal of approval and member list at SustainableFurnishings.org are a good place to start to find companies committed to offering healthier alternatives that include transparency and responsibility in their manufacturing practices.

Holistic Health Coaching (Free initial consultation)

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calendarofevents

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3 Hike Hays – 9-10am and 12-1pm. Guided hike on the first Friday of each month. Morning hike begins at 9am. Afternoon hike begins at Noon. Meet in the Flint River Parking Area. Paved and natural paths both available. Free. Hays Nature Preserve, 7161 U.S. Hwy 431 S, Owens Cross Roads. 256532-5326.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4 Sprouting Basics: Seed Germination – 10am12pm. Learn how you can sprout your own garden seeds this winter. The basics include what soil to choose, containers available, and of course where to purchase the best seeds for our location. Members $15, Non-members $20. Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave. 256-837-4344.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5 Native Tree Identification – 12:30-2pm, Sundays, 1/29 to 3/5. Six-week series (attend any or all classes) covering at least 70 species of trees native to northern Alabama mountains. Most classes will be Garden walks. Garden admission charged.

Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave. 256-837-4344.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7 Shape Up The Y Weigh – 5:45-6:45pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1/31 to 3/23. An eight-week weight loss program taught by a registered dietitian and personal trainer, consisting of nutrition classes and boot camp exercise style classes each week.

Members $100; Non Y Members $150. Southeast Family YMCA, 1000 Weatherly Rd SE, Huntsville.

256-883-9622.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10 Once Upon a Winter’s Night – 6pm. A family friendly after hours event celebrating fairytales

through puppet shows, games, dancing, crafts, music, and more. Free. Madison Public Library, 30 Plaza Blvd, Madison. 256-461-0046.

ECKANKAR on TV: Acres of Diamonds – 7:308pm. Hear inspiring stories and insights from Harold Klemp, spiritual leader and acclaimed author of more than seventy books on ECKANKAR. Learn how to become a polished gem of God. Free. WOW (Knology) Cable Channel 11 (Huntsville-Madison).

256-534-1751. Eck-Alabama.org.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11 Underground Railroad: Journey to Freedom – 11am and 1pm. Experience the Underground Railroad following the clues from one “safe” house to next in our simulation. Hear music from this era and stories of how brave people used the Railroad to escape slavery. $8-$10. Burritt on the Mountain, 3101 Burritt Dr, Huntsville. 256-536-2882.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17 The Great Backyard Bird Count – Feb 17-20.

Participants are asked to count birds for as little as 15 minutes (or as long as they wish) on one or more days of the four-day event and report their sightings online to create a snapshot of global bird populations. Birdcount.org.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19 Third Sunday at the Yurt Garden –10am-12pm.

Explore simple exercises using breath work and Tai Chi to help you destress and feel more centered. A Potluck follows so bring a dish to share. You can walk the sand labyrinth as well. Donations appreciated. 256-424-2221.

Free Admission Day at Burritt on the Mountain – 12-4pm. In an effort to give back to the community and celebrate Dr. Burritt’s birthday, we invite you to join us for our Free Day at Burritt on the Mountain, 3101 Burritt Dr, Huntsville. 256-536-2882.

Unity Church on the Mountain 1328 Governors Dr. SE, Huntsville, AL 35801

What’s Happening at Unity

Reverend Carol Landry “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Ongoing Classes

Weave a Round Basket – 9am. Learn how to handle basket reed, how to start a round basket, and how to shape a basket. Bring a sack lunch.

Registration required: 256-461-0046 or e-mail Teresa at tallison@hmcpl.org. $8. Madison Public Library, 30 Plaza Blvd, Madison.

The Paranormal Study Center Monthly Lecture – 6:30pm. Etheric Science Researcher Bob Tidwell presents “The Mandela Effect and the Nature of Our Reality,” discussing the phenomenon of people shared memories from parallel realties that intertwine with our own. $10. Unity Church on The Mountain, 1328 Governors Dr, Huntsville.

ParapsychologyStudyGroup.com.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25 Spring Into Summer Activities Fair – 10am–1pm.

Learn about educational offerings from local arts and cultural organizations, including info on spring break and summer camps, workshops and classes in the fields of art, music, dance, theater, science, history and more. Free. U.S. Space & Rocket Center, 1 Tranquility Base, Huntsville. 256-519-2787.

Spiritual Discussion on Life After Death – 11am12pm. Discussion based on the book Spiritual Wisdom on Life After Death by Harold Klemp, spiritual leader of ECKANKAR. The public is invited and free copies of the book will be provided. Free. Huntsville ECK Center, 900 Wellman Ave #3 in Five Points, Huntsville. 256-534-1751.

Eck-Alabama.org Winter Escapes Foreign Film Series – 2pm.

Escape the winter doldrums with our foreign films series. For adults and teens. Free. Huntsville Main Library, Second Floor Meeting Room, 915 Monroe St. 256-532-5940.

Annual Black History Month Celebration– 3pm.

This year’s program focuses on promoting better literacy and education for our youth. Hands-on youth learning activities begin at 3pm, and at 5pm the festivities will commence, featuring music, art, dance, and fashion performances. Free. Huntsville Main Library, 915 Monroe St. 256-532-5940.

Weddings A t

Unity ChUrCh on the MoUntAin

Sunday 9:30-10:30am

Sunday, February 5

Sunday Book Discussion (Adults) Lower Classroom

Rev. Carol Landry

A Course in Miracles The ACIM class will be meeting at the church on the 1st & 3rd Saturdays of each month from 11:30am-1:30pm

Sunday 11am Children’s Sunday School (ages 4-10) Upstairs

The perfect place for couples planning an elegantly simple ceremony.

For more information go to:

Contact Us 256-536-2271 UnityOnTheMountain.org UnityChurchontheMountain@gmail.com

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Sunday Discussion Class – 9:30am Sunday Worship – 11am Meditative Silence begins at 10:55am

UnityChurchWeddings.com or email us at

UnityChurchWeddings@gmail.com Non-traditional, interfaith unions and commitment ceremonies are always welcome!

ongoingevents

friday

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sunday

Public Clearance Session – 7pm. Third Friday each month. Learn effective healing through reception and application of Divine energies. Light of Christ Center, 4208 Holmes Ave, Huntsville.

256-895-0255.

A Course in Miracles Study Group – 9:15am.

Shared reading and group discussions. Extra books available. Light of Christ Center, 4208 Holmes Ave, Huntsville. 256-895-0255. LightOfChristCenter.org.

saturday

Revealing Service – 9:45am. Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Rd, Huntsville. 256-8838596. CSL-Huntsville.org.

A Course in Miracles – 11:30am-1:30pm. 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month, beginning 1/21. Unity Church on the Mountain, 1328 Governors Dr SE.

Celebration Service – 10:30am. Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Rd, Huntsville. 256-8838596. CSL-Huntsville.org.

Artist Market – 12-4pm. Local artists and others are invited to set up a booth and sell their wares to the public. There will be art, jewelry, vintage clothing, records and more for sale. Admission free. Flying Monkey Arts Center at Lowe Mill, 2211 Seminole Dr, Huntsville.

Unity Church on the Mountain – Worship Service 11am. Adult Book Discussion 9:30-10:30am. Children’s Sunday School 11am (ages 4-10). Unity is a positive path for spiritual living. All are welcome!

1328 Governors Dr SE, Huntsville. UnityOnThe Mountain.org.

1-Hour Mystery School – 11am. A different service each week including ritual, music, and a message in an open, loving environment. Light of Christ Center, 4208 Holmes Ave, Huntsville. 256-895-0255.

LightOfChristCenter.org.

monday Aging Gracefully Yoga – 10-11am Mondays and Fridays. In this yoga class for seniors, students will learn postures to strengthen and stretch muscles, protect joints, and promote balance. Yoga props will be used to make the postures accessible. Chris Irrgang RYT-200, Restoring Bodies Fitness Studio, 6996 Wall Triana Highway, Madison. 256-6534776. Yoga.AimlessWanderers.net.

Laughter Yoga – 11:30am-12pm every third Monday. Laughter Yoga utilizes laughter as an exercise in a group. Benefits include increased oxygen levels, relaxation, increased blood circulation, and a joyous feeling. Led by Tristan Riabo, certified Laughter Yoga Teacher. Free. Huntsville Main Library, 915 Monroe St. Tristan.Riabo@gmail.com.

Acupuncture Happy Hour – 4-6pm. A 30-minute ear acupuncture treatment that will de-stress, detox, relax and re-energize you. No appointment necessary. $35. Alabama Holistic Health, 204 Lowe Ave SE, Ste 3, Huntsville. 256-801-9162. ALHolistic Health.com.

Introduction to Practical Philosophy – 6:308:30pm, Mondays, 1/9-3/13. Connect with the happiness, wisdom, and awareness that are already within. Increase peace and awareness in daily life through group discussion and mindfulness practices. First class free, continuing students $75 ($45 Students/Seniors). Unity on the Mountain, 1328 Governors Dr SE, Huntsville. 256-883-8446.

AlabamaPhilosophy

tuesday Yoga for 50+ – 9-10:15am Tuesdays and 9:1510:30am Wednesdays. In this class, seniors will learn postures to strengthen and stretch muscles, protect joints, and promote balance. Yoga props will be used to make the postures accessible to everyone.

Chris Irrgang RYT-200, YogaFire Studio, 970 Balch Rd (inside Empire Fitness Center), Madison. 256653-4776 Yoga.AimlessWanderers.net.

Meditation – 6pm. Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Rd, Huntsville. 256-883-8596. CSLHuntsville.org.

Military Stress Acupuncture Clinic – 6:30-8pm.

For active duty and veterans with Military Stress, PTSS, PTSD. Acupuncturists and massage therapists available to relieve stress or pain. Donation only.

Alabama Holistic Health, 204 Lowe Ave, SE, Ste 3, Huntsville. 256-801-9162. ALHolisticHealth.com.

Community HU Song – 1:30-2pm. Join others in singing HU, an ancient love song to God that can help and uplift you in countless ways. Held each Saturday. Huntsville ECK Center, 900 Wellman Ave NE #3 (near Five Points). 256-534-1751. EckAlabama.org.

Crystal Light Bed Sessions – 1-4pm. A 20-minute crystal light bed session that to relax, de-stress, balance and re-energize your energy system. $20.

Dream Maker, 4004 Triana Blvd, Huntsville. 256883-8446. Facebook.com/DreamMakerHuntsville.

GOT EVENTS? GET NOTICED! Advertise in our calendar.

classifieds Fee for classifieds is $1 per word per month.

To place listing, email content to Editor@ Natvalley.com. Deadline is the 10th of the month.

ENERGY WORK SUPPORT GROUP

wednesday Yoga for 50+ – 12-1:pm. In this class, seniors will learn postures to strengthen and stretch muscles, protect joints, and promote balance. Yoga props will be used to make the postures accessible to everyone. Chris Irrgang RYT-200, The Yoga Center, 500 Pratt Avenue NE, Huntsville. 256-653-4776 Yoga.

AimlessWanderers.net.

Satsang – 6:30pm. Through group discussion and inquiry, we reveal the innate wisdom of the one presence living life as each one of us. Meditation 6pm.

Led by Rev. David Leonard. Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Rd, Huntsville. 256-8838596. CSL-Huntsville.org.

LOOKING FOR PRACTITIONERS of Dr. Ray’s Radiance Technique for monthly group.

Call 256-534-6091 and leave message.

FOR SALE BURIAL PLOTS FOR SALE: Maple Hill Cemetery, Huntsville. One for $2,500; both for $4,000.

Call Ron at 954-593-4279 or email Otterdad@ hotmail.com.

HEALTH COOKWARE SALADMASTER sales and service. 256-412-4896.

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communityresourceguide Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in our community. Email Editor@Natvalley.com to request our media kit.

ACUPUNCTURE

CHIROPRACTOR

ALABAMA HOLISTIC HEALTH, LLC

DR. JAMIE BUNIS, DC

A holistic approach to health and wellness, specializing in pain management, weight loss, natural detoxification, and mental health improvement. Auriculotherapy/ Ear acupuncture. Massage therapy. Reflexology. Lifestyle consulting. Diet and supplement recommendations. Hydro-colon cleanse. Ionic detox.

See ad, page 24.

Comprehensive chiropractic and wellness services. Applied Nutritional Analysis Testing (ANA) and nutritional counseling.

Standard Process® high-grade nutritional supplements.

Aromatherapy. Essential oils.

Detoxification. Multiple styles of massage, including Qi-ssage. Free educational classes on many healing modalities. Located behind Whole Foods. See ad, page 27.

Dr. Christina L. Berry, Ed.D., ACI, ADS 204 Lowe Ave, Suite 7, Huntsville Info@ALHolisticHealth.com 256-801-9162

THE NEELEY CENTER FOR HEALTH

600 Saint Clair Avenue SW, Bldg 5 Suite 11 Huntsville, AL 35801 256-716-4048 Hours: T-F, 9am-5pm, Sat 8am-12pm House calls by Appointment Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, Chinese Herbology, Pastoral Counseling, Beam Ray Therapy, Rapid Eye Technology, Emotion Code Technique, Nutritional Supplementation, Detoxification, BioMat.

CABIN RENTAL AT THE YURT GARDEN THE YURT GARDEN

Lynn Anderson, Owner, LMT #1307 256-424-2221 YurtGarden.com Facebook.com/YurtGarden Enjoy our cozy cabin and hot tub perfect for two.

Walk the grounds and enjoy the peace. Massage packages available with cabin rental. See ad, page 21.

Dr. Jamie’s Wellness Center 917 Merchant’s Walk, Ste A, Huntsville 256-434-7977 DrJamiesWellnessCenter.com

COLON HYDROTHERAPY HOPE FOR LIFE COLONICS

Tina Pencola Owner/Certified Colon Hydrotherapist 10300 Bailey Cove Rd, Suite-7A Huntsville, AL 35803 256-270-8731 • 256-684-0020 Hope4LifeAL.com Tina.HopeForLife@outlook.com Our goal is to live long and live strong. Young or old, male or female, healthy or sick, will benefit from an internal cleansing. Mention this ad and get $10 off your first colonic session. See ad, page 25.

JARVIS NATURAL HEALTH CLINIC 1489 Slaughter Road, Madison 256-837-3448

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.

ESSENTIAL OILS CINDY WILSON

Young Living Independent Distributor 256-476-6537 Cindy@AlabamaAwakenings.com Want to know why everyone is talking about essential oils?

Learn more about essential oils, their uses and how to safely use them. Classes held monthly or schedule your class with friends and family. For more information call or email.

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FAMILY MEDICINE MADISON FAMILY CARE

Chad Gilliam, M.M.S. PA-C 1230 Slaughter Road, Suite C, Madison, AL 256-722-0555 MadisonFamilyCare.com Madison Family Care provides medical care for patients of all ages and uniquely blends Natural and Prescription medicines together to help speed the patient’s recovery. Madison Family Care is the patient’s clinic of choice when they would like to understand how natural medicines work along with prescription drugs. See ad, page 32.

FENG SHUI FENG SHUI BY TRUDI GARDNER Trudi Gardner, M.S. 256-772-6999 Tygard2000@aol.com

An interior design philosophy that invites serenity and reduces stress. Feng Shui design concepts brings positive energy into your home and office to encourage Prosperity, Well Being, Harmony, and Balance.

FOOT CARE SPECIALIZED NAIL CARE

1900 Flint Rd SE Decatur, AL 35601 256-476-6537 Cindy@SpecializedNailCare.com Nail care for those that need more than just a pedicure.

Physicians order required for care. Care includes footbath, trimming nails, thinning of thick nails, and removal of calluses and corns. For more information call or email. See ad, page 21.

HAIR SALON CJ HAIR AND ART STUDIO

CJ Denison 105E Church St Madison, AL 35758 • 256-603-9018 Specializing in N AT U R A L Hairstyles.

Cuts with Texture and Movement. Specializing in Fine Hair, Razor cuts, Men's Hair Pieces with A NATURAL Look. Specializing in Hair Color OFF the Scalp. Hair Painting. A Safer way to Color or HiLight Your Hair to Help in Decreasing the Exposure to the Scalp. HEALTHY HAIR is HAPPY HAIR. Also Original Art Work and Private Art lessons available. Call Today for YOUR Appointment.

HEALTH & FITNESS HEAD-TO-TOE TRAINING 8006 Madison Pike, Ste 5 Madison, AL • 256-772-2006 HeadToToe@knology.net Head-To-Toe.com

A Mind/Body Training Center specializing in Core Training, Corrective and Therapeutic.

Offering all facets of training: group and personal. Pilates (both matwork and apparatus), Thai/yoga massage, Flowmotion, PilatEASE, CoreABS and more! Membership packages available.

HOLISTIC EMOTIONAL HEALTHCARE RELIEF THRU EPT, LLC

Kim Dillon, Practitioner/Emotional Therapist 7734 Madison Blvd, Ste 114, Huntsville, AL (corner of Madison Blvd & Slaughter Rd) 256-759-0496 • ReliefThruEPT@gmail.com EPTworksHuntsville.com Emotional therapy with 20 years of clinical success, Emotional Polarity Technique (EPT) gets to the hidden issues quicker than talk therapy to bring relief from stress, traumas, hidden blocks, or chronic physical problems, and reach the life you desire. Free 15-minute EPT consultation.

HYPNOTHERAPY CENTER FOR INNER WELLNESS

Becky Waters Certified Hypnotherapist, EFT Practitioner and Professional Breathworker 3322 S. Memorial Pkwy, Ste 617 Huntsville, AL • 256-348-5236 Empowering you to live to your highest potential. Relieve stress and anxiety, release negativity, pain management, pre/post medical procedure, fears/phobias, weight loss, smoking cessation, and more. See ad, page 20.

FOLLOW YOURSELF HYPNOSIS

Chui Sien Chan, Ph.D., Certified Hypnotist 607 McCullough Ave NE, Huntsville 256-508-5584 FollowYourselfandBe.com Preparing for an unnerving event?

Wanting more success in academic performance, athletics, career, love and relationships, and the release of unwanted habits? Tap into your subconscious mind through hypnosis. Book a session now!

MASSAGE THERAPY RON GRAY, LMT #36

The Dream Maker 4004 Triana Blvd SW, Huntsville 256-883-8446 Over 24 years experience providing an original mix of massage therapy modalities including Polarity Therapy, Craniosacral Therapy, Energy Balancing, Neuromuscular, Deep Tissue, Myofascial Therapy, Reiki, and Lymphatic Drainage.

Works in harmony with the body’s inner wisdom, gently guiding your session with integrity, intuition and skill. See ad, page 12.

J. L. JONES, LMT, AL #3610

Chi of Life Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, LLC 614 Madison St, Ste #4, Huntsville 256-812-1284 • BodyWorkByJL@gmail.com ChiOfLife.MassageTherapy.com Assisting your well-being and recovery from discomfort and injury using a variety of Swedish, deep-tissue and neuro-muscular techniques. Energy-based work including Reiki and Reflexology.

All services performed in a caring, secure environment. Limited outcall available.

NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE ASSOCIATES Dr. Deb Gilliam, N.M.D. 1230 Slaughter Rd, Ste E, Madison, AL 256-325-0955

Dr. Deb treats a variety of health problems using natural means.

She looks for why people have symptoms and treats the root cause of those symptoms. Dr. Deb is highly regarded in the integrative and natural approach to wellness. Every patent is unique, and she individualizes treatment for their optimal wellness. See ad, page 25.

NUTRITION COUNSELING & HEALTHY COOKING HEAD 2 TOE CHANGE, LLC

Dana Sims, BS, MA, Plant-Based Nutrition, Certified Wholistic Rejuvenist (CWR) 204 Lowe Ave, Suite 3, Huntsville 256-323-1265 • Head2ToeChange.net Healthy Shopping/Label Reading.

Learn Foods to Avoid Pain/ Inflammation; Chemical Cuisine: Do You REALLY Know What You’re Eating? by Dr. Gloria Gilbere. Individualized meal plans prepared for people who have a specific diagnosis and require strict dietary needs.

PAIN RELIEF & NON-SURGICAL FACELIFT CYMATIC THERAPY & DERMACYCLING

614 Madison St, Ste #2, Huntsville 256-656-1606 CymaticsByLil.com Cymatic Therapy uses sound and bioresonance frequencies to harmonize the body and relieve most kinds of pain. Dermacycling is a non-surgical facelift procedure that provides beauty treatments using microcurrent. Both therapies are highly effective, safe, and completely non-invasive. See ads, page 9.

STRUCTURAL INTEGRATION JACI HOGUE

256-656-4108 JaciHogue@gmail.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 525 Fountain Row 256-508-3351 • RolfGuild.org Serving Huntsville since 1995

Think with your whole body. ~Taisen Deshimaru

natural awakenings

“When the body gets working appropriately, then the force of gravity can flow through. Then spontaneously, the body heals itself.” —Ida P. Rolf. See ad, page 5.

February 2017

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FAMILY CARE AND WELLNESS CENTER

Chad Gilliam, M.M.S., PA-C • Dr. Gary Adams, MD 256-722-0555 • MadisonFamilyCare.com

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