December 2020 Jacksonville St. Augustine Natural Awakenings Magazine

E R F

E

HEALTHY

LIVING

HEALTHY

PLANET

SIMPLIFY

THE SEASON

GIVE THE GIFT

OF FESTIVE EDIBLES

THE HEALING POWER OF

SINGING

HOMETOWN BENEFITS OF

THE BUY LOCAL MOVEMENT

WRITING A NEW

WORLD STORY

THAT HEALS US AND THE PLANET

December 2020 | Jacksonville / St. Augustine | NAJax.com

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letter from publisher

HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

December has always been one of my favorite months. It’s the

season of peace, joy and love. If you are in short supply of these virtues, you’re not alone. At the end of this unprecedented year tensions are high, budgets are tight, relationships are tense and bandwidths are maxed out in many homes. However flawed life was pre-covid, most would gladly swap past and present. We are hobbling along through a seemingly endless pandemic. Forget any past goals of getting rich and skinny. The goal for this new decade must be inner peace, the new definition of happiness and success.

Our mental health needs to be one of our top priorities. When you feel mentally healthy, happiness and productivity automatically increase. Consider following these suggestions to gain inner peace and purpose in your life.

Get out of the house and explore the world, on foot or bicycle. There’s a big, beautiful world out there, and the weather is perfect most days.

Remind those close to you how much you love them. When you express feelings, you’re not only opening your heart, you’re opening your loved one’s heart as well.

Take off the pressure. If we’ve learned anything this year, it’s that we can still be productive at a slower pace. Speak kindly to yourself. You’re awesome, capable and worthy of abundance. Never forget that.

Explore your creativity. It’s one of the purest forms of being mindful and living in the moment.

Be philanthropic. The giver always receives the most in return. Volunteer and give of your skills.

Practice gratitude. The ultimate path to happiness and inner peace is paved with a grateful heart. Carve out short gratitude breaks each day and simply bask in the love vibration of gratitude.

Make time for people you care about. Make plans and keep them. Share meals, space, experiences. We are wired to be social. Enjoy the laughter of friends, it will always be the best medicine.

Relax and carve out time each day to shut down, even if just a few minutes. Close your eyes, take deep breaths and recharge your mental batteries.

Focus on breathing. There is so much going on in the external. Focus on your breath and release tension with each exhalation. Visualize a golden ball of light encircling you with love and protection.

From our family to yours, may your December be filled with peace, joy and love.

JACKSONVILLE / ST. AUGUSTINE EDITION

Publisher Rebecca Young Publisher@NAJax.com

Writer Erin Floresca

Editor Sara Gurgen

Calendar Editor Sara Peterson

Design & Production Melanie Rankin

Graphic Design Wendy Wilson

Distribution Dan Dickerson

CONTACT US Natural Awakenings Jacksonville / St. Augustine Office: 386-736-3838 Ads@NAJax.com P.O. Box 731466 Ormond Beach, FL 32173

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Natural Awakenings is a family of 50-plus healthy living magazines celebrating 26 years of providing the communities we serve with the tools and resources we all need to lead healthier lives on a healthy planet.

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Contents 10 THE NEW STORY FOR THE WORLD

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Re-Visioning the Script for a Healthier Society and Planet

14 PAY WHERE WE PLAY Boosting the Hometown Economy

16 THE GIFT OF YUM

Homemade Treats Spark Holiday Cheer

20 MIND-BODY FITNESS How Mindfulness Benefits Workouts

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22 REINVENT THE HOLIDAYS

More Meaning, Less Stuff

26 SING TO HEAL Using the Voice to Uplift Mind and Body

22 ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise in Natural Awakenings, please call 386-736-3838 or email Ads@NAJax.com.

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Email calendar events to: Editor@NAJax.com.

REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets. Natural Awakenings Publishing Corporation is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets, call 239-449-8309. For franchising opportunities, call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakenings.com.

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DEPARTMENTS 5 event briefs 6 health briefs 8 global briefs 9 eco tip 14 green living 16 conscious

eating 20 fit body 22 healthy kids 25 florida & fauna 26 healing ways 28 calendar 30 resource guide

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event briefs

Variety of Teacher Training Options Available at Yoga Den for 2021

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oga Den, with multiple studios in the Jacksonville area, has many 200and 300-hour teacher training courses available starting in January. Students may select either a weekend or a threeweek immersion course for the 200-hour program, which is a prerequisite for the 300-hour program.

Yoga Den offers flexible ways for trainees to obtain their 300-hour training certification. Their weekend modular training is a 12-month program, and is a convenient and flexible way to obtain an advanced certification and/ or to receive continuing education credits (CEUs), all of which will be recognized by the Yoga Alliance. This format allows time for optimal learning and retention. Trainees can complete it in one year, or take over the course of several years, as the modules repeat annually. Their Summer Immersion is a way to pick up a bundle of CEUs and to potentially make up modules that a trainee may have missed earlier in the year.

Their 300-hour curriculum builds on the foundational studies established in the 200-hour program and is designed to help the trainee get to the next step in his or her yoga teaching, practice and personal journey. Yoga Den’s 300-hour advanced training prepares trainees to teach principles and techniques of yoga that are more advanced, more detailed, and/or more subtle.

Yoga Den’s 300-hour staff is made up of certified RYT-500 instructors and highly trained professionals with extensive experience in their fields. Upon graduation, a trainee will receive his or her 300 certificate. Once this certificate is submitted to the Yoga Alliance, the trainee is eligible to apply for the 500-RYT certificate.

Early-bird discounts are available. Yoga Den is an approved institution for the My Career Advancement Account Scholarship.

Eligible spouses of service members on active duty and spouses married to members of the National Guard and reserves may be eligible for up to $4,000 tuition assistance.

For a complete schedule of teacher trainings, to register, or to apply for a scholarship, visit Yoga-Den.com. See ad, page 21.

C

hris Calvelli will host a Move and Soothe class, which is both energizing and restorative, at Mind, Body and Beyond Center, in Jacksonville, at 7 p.m. on December 8. The class will begin with a gentle flow yoga sequence. Participants will then be led through several different breathing techniques designed to calm the mind and improve the flow of energy in the physical body.

“Breathwork benefits us on physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels. When we use these breathing practices, we can heal our bodies, improve mental clarity, calm the nervous system, and increase the flow of energy, making us feel rejuvenated and energized. These practices can help us feel a lightness in our hearts and transform our lives by helping to clarify purpose and direction,� says Calvelli.

Group Past-Life Regression Meditation is being held at the center from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. on December 14. During this event, facilitator Irene Schrank will guide attendees on a meditative journey.

“It’s a fun and entertaining way to access information about your distant past,� affirms Schrank, a spiritual intuitive and reiki master. “You’ll be in a deeply relaxed but still conscious state while I guide you through questions about what you see and feel.

Images and sensations that appear are interpreted into a cohesive understanding of a past life that may help you overcome fears or difficulties in your present life.�

After the meditation, attendees will journal about their experiences and get a chance to share what they learned with the group.

Cost: Class and meditation event are each $25 per person (10person limit). Location: 14215 Spartina Ct., Ste. 300. To reserve your space, call 904-992-9930 or email Info@MBAndBCenter.com.

See ad, page 8.

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352-371-2833 December 2020

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health briefs

Retain Muscle Mass with Vitamin C

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“Bulking up” evokes images of bodybuilders and possible steroid use, but new research shows that older people that simply eat lots of vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables have greater skeletal muscle mass than those that don’t eat these foods. Researchers from the UK’s University of East Anglia collected data from more than 13,000 people between 42 and 82 years old and reported in The Journal of Nutrition that the highest amounts of vitamin C correlated with the greatest estimated skeletal muscle mass—an important finding, as people older than 50 typically lose half a percent of muscle fat each year, leading to frailty and a lower quality of life. Sixty percent of men in the study and 50 percent of women were not getting enough vitamin C from food or supplements. “We’re not talking about people needing megadoses.

Eating a citrus fruit such as an orange each day and having a vegetable side to a meal will be sufficient for most people,” says study co-author Richard Hayhoe.

Pile on the broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage. In a study of 684 older Australian women published in the British Journal of Nutrition, researchers found those that ate more than 45 grams of cruciferous vegetables a day—about one-quarter cup of steamed broccoli or one-half cup of raw cabbage—were 46 percent less likely to have calcium buildup in the aorta, the main vessel carrying blood from the heart into the body. Fatty calcium deposits in the aorta are a key marker of vascular disease linked to heart attacks and strokes. “One particular constituent found abundantly in cruciferous vegetables is vitamin K, which may be involved in inhibiting the calcification process that occurs in our blood vessels,” says lead author Lauren Blekkenhorst, of Edith Cowan University, in Perth.

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Eat Cruciferous Veggies for Cleaner Blood Vessels

For a Healthy Baby, Take a Multivitamin, Exercise and Ditch the Devices

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The simple step of taking a daily multivitamin during pregnancy can reduce the risk of autism in newborns by 38 percent, report Chinese researchers that analyzed nine studies of 231,163 children, of which 4,459 were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

Another study from Kings College, London, of 1,555 obese, pregnant women, concluded that when they improved their diet and exercised, their children three years later had an average resting pulse rate of five beats per minute lower than the other children, a better glycemic response and slightly less obesity. Israeli research, published in the online journal Sleep, involving 116 men ages 21 to 59, found those that used smartphones and tablets in the evening and after bedtime had lower sperm quality with reduced counts and motility. Watching TV, another light-emitting source, during the evening also correlated with lower sperm concentration.

For normal nighttime sleepers, taking a midday snooze for more than one hour may hurt cardiovascular health, reports a surprising new study from Guangzhou Medical University, in China. After analyzing 20 studies of 313,651 people, researchers found those people that napped longer than 60 minutes after sleeping more than six hours at night had a 30 percent greater risk of death from any cause and a 34 percent higher risk of heart disease. However, for people sleeping less than six hours at night, naps of 30 to 45 minutes “might improve heart health,” says study author Zhe Pan. Napping, long thought to be healthy, is under increasing scrutiny, with some research linking it to high blood pressure, diabetes and poor overall physical health. A 2019 Swiss study, published in Heart, of 3,500 people concluded that napping once or twice a week reduces heart disease risk by 48 percent, but benefits decline with more frequent naps, perhaps because ongoing sleepiness can point to underlying health disorders.

Practice Yoga to Improve Atrial Fibrillation Yoga postures and breathing may significantly reduce episodes of atrial fibrillation, suggests a new study—good news for the one in 11 Americans that suffer from its anxiety-producing palpitations, racing pulses, dizziness and shortness of breath. In the study, which was presented to the European Society of Cardiology, 538 patients underwent 12 weeks without yoga and then 16 weeks of attending 30-minute yoga classes every other day. During the yoga period, their fibrillation episodes were halved, dropping on average to eight as compared to 15 in the non-yoga period. Average blood pressure was 11/6 millimeters of mercury lower after yoga training. The patients also reported improved moods and energy. “Our study suggests that yoga has wide-ranging physical and mental health benefits for patients with atrial fibrillation, and could be added on top of usual therapies,” says study author Naresh Sen, M.D., of Sunil Memorial Superspecialty Hospital, in Jaipur, India. elly fairytale/Pexels.com

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Nap Less for Heart Health

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global briefs

Tainted Taps

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WellExplorer App Can Warn of Toxic Drinking Water

The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine has created WellExplorer, a new, interactive tool that allows residents and scientists to find out what toxins have been deposited in their drinking water as a result of hydraulic fracturing (fracking). Exposure to fracking fluid in drinking water has been shown to increase the risk of respiratory problems, premature births, congenital heart defects and other health problems.

Different fracking sites use a diverse mix of chemical ingredients, and individuals and researchers are often uninformed about the exact health consequences of living near a particular well. People can view the closest fracking sites in their state, learn which chemicals are used at those sites and view their levels of toxicity by entering their zip code.

WellExplorer can be obtained for free at WellExplorer.org or downloaded on Apple’s App store.

A recent study published in the journal Database found that operators of wells in Alabama use a disproportionately high number of chemicals that target estrogen pathways, as do those in Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania in impacting testosterone pathways. The information found through WellExplorer might be particularly relevant for those that use private water wells.

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eco tip

’TIS THE SEASON TO SAVE THE PLANET When the holiday classic Jingle Bells starts playing in department stores, Americans deck the landfills with extra trash. According to the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), garbage increases by 25 percent between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day— or about 1 million extra tons each week—including 38,000 miles of ribbon, $11 billion worth of packing material and 15 million discarded Christmas trees.

As this waste decomposes, dangerous greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide are emitted, adding to the climate crisis. This season, include Earth on the gift list by reducing holidayrelated waste.

To stop the uptick of mailed catalogs, call stores and request to be removed from mailing lists.

Reusable shopping bags are not just for groceries. Bring them to malls and boutiques to cut down on single-use store bags.

Wrapping paper, ribbons and bows are beautiful, but create waste. Consider eco-friendly alternatives like towels, tablecloths, scarves and even socks.

According to NEEF, an estimated 2.6 billion holiday cards are sold in the U.S. every year. That’s enough to fill a football field 10 stories high. Be kind to the planet by switching to e-cards or making personal phone calls.

At the holiday table, use cloth napkins and tablecloths instead of paper. They’re festive, elegant and best of all, washable and reusable.

Forgo plastic cutlery, paper plates and single-use plastic cups, too. An extra dishwasher load is better than bags full of trash, plastic being the

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Eco-Friendly Holiday Ideas

worst non-biodegradable culprit.

Social-distancing Americans are expected to flock to the internet for gifts. Consider saving the shipping boxes and packing materials for later use or donating them to a mailing center that would be happy to reuse them.

The most environmentally friendly gifts eliminate wrapping and shipping altogether. Here are some favorite low-waste ideas:

We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect. ~Aldo Leopold

n Charitable donations n Cooking, music, craft or other lessons n Passes to museums or amusement parks n Gift cards for restaurants or bookstores n Music downloads or spa treatments Most towns recycle Christmas trees and process them into mulch for use in parks. Contact a local waste management agency for details.

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A New Story for the World

Re-Visioning the Script for a Healthier Society and Planet

by Linda Sechrist

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he most familiar form of human activity and the most natural way to describe what happens in our lives is through telling stories. Toddlers listen to stories that have contained the same archetypal characters acting out similar plots for millennia. In literature, folktales and myths all over the world, stories serve the purpose of providing life instructions and answering humanity’s fundamental questions about the nature of existence, such as who we are, where we came from, the definition of our purpose and the nature of our reality.

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In the 1980s, author and cultural historian Thomas Berry declared that humanity needed a new story that is less destructive and dysfunctional. Berry filled lecture halls, telling attendees, “We are in trouble now because we don’t have a good story. The old story, the account of how the world came to be and how we fit into it, isn’t functioning properly. What once sustained us, shaped our emotional attitude, provided us with life purpose, energized action, consecrated suffering, integrated knowledge and guided education is no longer serving humanity.” As we are discovering globally through hard experience, the old stories of rugged individualism and conquering and dominating the natural world have run their course with grim results.

In the last four decades, fragments of a new story have been slowly emerging.

Because it isn’t deemed worthy of mainstream media, the public is left in the dark about new, life-instructing stories capable of altering human civilization in positive ways. Were these story fragments woven together in an anthology, chapters on climate, economy, religion, environment, science, politics, medicine, education, conscious evolution and community would constitute a useful account of ideas and concepts capable of bringing about a brighter future for humanity and the planet. These possibilities would surely capture readers’ imaginations.

New Climate Story

In Climate: A New Story, writer and activist Charles Eisenstein suggests that we need a new story that makes possible the

New Science Story

Evolution biologist Elisabet Sahtouris’ stories about science shine a light on the broader perspective of life and science gained from studying multiple worldviews.

A scholar of ancient sciences, Sahtouris reminds us that the original purpose of science was to find guidance for human affairs by studying nature. During a recent conversation with Ubiquity University founder Jim Garrison in the online Humanity Rising’s Global Solutions Summit, she says, “We have acted in opposition and made ecology subservient to our economy, using ecology as a set of resources for human economics. When we make our economy fit into nature’s economy, which we call ecology, we’ll have ecosophy, the ‘wisdom of the Earth itself ’ that occurs when a man knows how to listen with love.”

Sahtouris teaches corporations about ecosophy’s new view of a conscious universe and a living Earth in which we are co-creators. This, she believes, takes humans out of fatalistic victimhood so that we can become consciously active agents of our destiny. Lifting the fog of our

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more beautiful world our hearts know is achievable. The story, which he believes is attainable, calls for people, governments and organizations to embrace a partnership paradigm to protect, restore, regenerate and repair damages to our planet’s natural world, which we call the environment. Using indigenous wisdom, organizations such as the Pachamama Alliance and Bioneers are helping individuals worldwide to recognize that humanity is here to be in service to life. Creating the right conditions for revitalizing life is the opposite of our collective story that views the natural world only as a resource.

Eisenstein’s ideas for regenerative agriculture match those described in environmentalist Paul Hawken’s Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming. In October, Drawdown Georgia became the first state-centered effort to crowd-solve for climate change, with solutions tailored to Georgia’s unique natural, economic and social resources.

self-image as consumers of stuff gives humans the rights and responsibilities to live out our full co-creative humanity.

A Global Commons Sharing Solutions

Through the daily sharing of stories with keynote speakers and panel discussions, Garrison increases the momentum of the Humanity Rising movement, which includes Ubiquity University students, program participants and more than 400 organizations that come together as a “global commons” to take counsel and share what they are developing for their own networks.

Humanity Rising was launched to try to leverage the crisis of the coronavirus pandemic into an opportunity for human renewal and increase our resilience to future challenges. This new form of real-life competency education delivered in TED Talk-style presentations, moderated dialogues, working groups, blogs, ongoing conversations, group discussions and other interactions provides participants a wide scope of possibilities and activities for working together for global solutions.

Economics Story

If British economist Kate Raworth writes a follow-up to her bestselling book Donut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st Century Economist, she’ll certainly add a case study of her consulting work in Amsterdam, where her donut model is now embraced as the

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starting point for public policy decisions. Amsterdam is the world’s first city to make a commitment to Raworth’s concepts: “Out with the global attachment to economic growth and laws of supply and demand, and in with … what it means for countries, cities and people to thrive in balance with the planet,” as reported in The Guardian. The simple central premise of Raworth’s alternative to growth economics is that the goal of economic activity should be to meet the core needs of all within the means of the planet.

Interconnectedness

Author Robert Atkinson’s contribution to the new story is his understanding of the underlying unity in all religions and all humanity, expressed throughout his book The Story of Our Time: From Duality to Interconnectedness to Oneness. “Nature is an embodiment of the divine, and the whole Earth is sacred. Its vast resources are our common heritage entrusted to us,” he says.

“Humanity is one family. Having passed through the stage of childhood, humanity is now struggling to leave behind its adolescent ways while taking on new patterns of thought and action in approaching its maturity. Accepting the oneness of humanity as a biological fact, a social necessity and a spiritual reality will lead us further along our journey toward lasting peace.”

Atkinson believes global harmony is inevitable when we exercise our obligation to independently investigate reality and stop blindly and uncritically following various traditions, movements and opinions. He says, “I consider this as one of the main sources of world conflict.”

Undivided Wholeness

In a world engulfed by fragmentation, the film Infinite Potential: The Life & Ideas of David Bohm is a healing balm with the potential to overturn our ideas about the world and ourselves.

“The core work of David Bohm, considered one of the most significant theoretical physicists of the 20th century, is our essential interconnectedness and undivided wholeness from which we get a sense of our own interconnectivity,” says producer and director Paul Howard. “This realization makes it logical to start taking better care of ourselves, each other and planet Earth.”

Howard notes, “David was interested in the nature of thought and consciousness. Realizing that he wanted to develop full expression of his interests, he explored wider domains and investigated different worldviews with sages, philosophers and spiritual leaders such as the Dalai Lama, who called David his ‘science guru’. A lifelong concern with social and political change led him to develop the Bohm Dialogue, a form of communication aiming to break through our collective modes of habitual thought. He also spent time with indigenous people, searching for a new form of language in which to express his ideas in a more process-oriented way.”

Indigenous Wisdom

While the early church developed and grew in numbers by assimilating the wisdom of the world about it, including paganism, it neglected to assimilate the intuitive ways in that indigenous people knew the natural world, how it functioned and how intimately they were integrated with it.

Tribes around the globe have ancient extinction stories that foretold the crises we are collectively experiencing, as well as potential outcomes and possible solutions. In Sacred Instructions: Indigenous Wisdom for Living Spirit-Based Change, Sherri Mitchell (Weh’na Ha’mu Kwasset) tells the story of the Mohawk Seventh Generation Prophecy. “The Onkwehonwe, or real people, rise up and demand their wisdom and way of life be respected and that the natural way of the Earth and way of life be fully restored. Teachings on the indigenous way of life are being sought after, and all that remains is that we work together to restore the Earth to a state of balance and good health,” she says.

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Medicine and Community

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Thousands of people are gathering in online intentional communities associated with personal growth, healing and spiritual awakening. Jennifer Phelps, M.D., owner and director of Phelps MD Integrative Medicine, in Redding, Connecticut, practices mind-body medicine and is a faculty member of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine, in Washington, D.C. A trained facilitator of small groups, she has been teaching trauma and stress healing via Zoom calls during the pandemic.

Initially, Phelps was concerned about how the levels of intimacy, trust and vulnerability necessary for individuals to develop a sense of cohesiveness and bonding could be formed via computer screens. By using the center’s model of self-care, self-

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awareness and mutual support that has its roots in indigenous culture, she felt her concern dissipate as group members began to bond quickly. “Our guidelines call for no cross-talking and no interrupting. Confidentiality is sacred. I’m a facilitator and a participant, which most models don’t allow,” says Phelps. She speculates that the success of online bonding might be due to participants feeling safer in their homes with a little extra anonymity, noting, “Not being face-to-face seems to allow people to share more freely. These weird times are creating a commonality and a sense of community connection.”

Conscious Choice

Leah Lamb, a sacred storyteller in Topanga, California, defines her role as a seer far beyond the present moment. In Lamb’s online classes with her storytelling community, she loves sharing quotes by other storytellers such as Rebecca Solnit, “We think we tell stories; but stories often tell us … Too often stories saddle us, and they ride us and whip us onward and tell us what to do and we do it without questioning. The task of learning to be free is to learn to hear them; to question them, to pause and hear silence, to name them and then become a storyteller of your own story.”

“In our role of storyteller, we can’t be without understanding that we tell stories about how we are in the world as much as stories tell us how to be in world. Identify and notice your stories, then understand how they are running you, so you can consciously choose your place in them,” advises Lamb, who encourages her students to discover the genius of their own calling.

These are only some chapters in the new story that calls for each of us to be aware of the stories we live by, as well as those we tell ourselves and others. It also begs us to ask what is our role in the new story.

Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings.

Connect at LindaSechrist.com.

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JANUARY

green living

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Holistic Hospital Care Plus: Health & Wellness on a Budget

Image Courtesy of Josh Pridgen

Coming Next Month

PAY WHERE WE PLAY Boosting the Hometown Economy

by Sandra Yeyati

A To advertise or participate in our next issue, call

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Jacksonville / St. Augustine

message we hear throughout the year, but especially during the holidays, is, “Buy local.” The idea is to purchase from locally owned and operated businesses. Facing competition from big chains like Walmart or internet companies like Amazon, they need our support. But it’s not just a nice thing to do; consumers that buy local help build robust hometown economies with a long list of impressive benefits.

“About three dozen studies have found that two to four times more money stays in the economy for every dollar spent in a locally owned business rather than a nonlocal one,” says economist Michael Shuman, author of The Small-Mart Revolution, Put Your Money Where Your Life Is and The Local Economy Solution. “What’s more, the community enjoys a multiplier effect, generating two to four times more job opportunities, two to four times more income and two to four times greater tax collections. If your interest is in reducing poverty and raising social equality, locally owned businesses are your ticket to doing so.”

According to Shuman, cities that rely on just one or two large companies to drive their economies are far less self-reliant and less resilient than towns that support a diversified base of smaller, locally owned businesses. “The more you have control over your economy, the less likely you’re going to be hurt if one big company splits for Mexico,” he explains.

Cities that have many thriving local businesses enjoy other benefits, too. “We know from political science studies that they have higher rates of voting participation and vol-

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unteering,” Shuman says. “Sociology studies show lower crime and greater degrees of social organization and civil society.

Health studies reveal that local business communities replace a lot of unhealthy, imported food with healthier, fresher, lesspackaged food that lowers rates of diabetes and obesity. Unique local businesses attract tourists. And because they shorten the lines of distribution and supply, we know they bring down carbon footprint.”

Phoenix business leader Kimber Lanning, who opened a record store in 1987 and an art gallery in 1999, has witnessed firsthand the transformative power of local commerce. “Doing business with people we know heightens our connection to place, and when we care about place, we’re more likely to vote, volunteer and give charitably.”

In 2003, Lanning founded the nonprofit Local First Arizona (LFA) to help local businesses thrive and eventually eliminate city, state and federal subsidies that

multinational companies were receiving.

“Big chains move in, claiming they’re going to drive so much sales tax revenue that the city should pay them to be there,” she explains. “Cabela’s [the outfitter chain] got a $68 million subsidy from Glendale to open one retail location. These sweetheart deals extract money out of the community that could have been spent on parks, libraries and fire departments, but instead goes to shareholders living elsewhere.” Responding to political pressure by LFA and others, Arizona passed a law banning these subsidies five years ago—a major victory—leveling the playing field for smaller businesses, according to Lanning.

As the author of 13 destination guidebooks, Florida-based travel journalist Karen T. Bartlett helps people discover the often-hidden flavors and experiences unique to their own region, meeting neighbors and supporting the local economy along the way. “From kayak adventures and foodie tours to community theater productions and galleries featuring local artists, fun and meaningful ways to enjoy the distinctive offerings of home abound,” she says.

“Think local first,” Lanning says. “Spend your money with people you know in your community—from haircuts to oil changes.

Use a local pharmacy. Go to the farmers’ market and move your money to community banks and credit unions.”

“For people to get excited about the purchase of a five-dollar hammer and not pay attention to where they have their mortgage is utterly irrational. Rank [in] order your business expenditures, which starts with your home, then probably goes to your car and then health care, and think about ways of localizing those things, rather than every grocery item,” Shuman advises.

“Usually, you find cheaper, better-quality goods and services, or at the very least, comparable options,” he says, adding that even if a purchase is slightly more expensive or a bit less convenient, favoring the neighborhood vendor is always going to benefit the local economy.

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Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer.

Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.

December 2020

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conscious eating

The Gift of Yum Homemade Treats Spark Holiday Cheer

by April Thompson

G

ift-givers seeking memorable presents while avoiding holiday shopping stress need look no further than the kitchen. Edible homemade gifts make special, welcome treats, help slow down the shopping frenzy of the season and increase creativity in the kitchen. While 79 percent of recipients return some holiday gifts every year, food and handmade items rank in the top 10 treasured gifts, according to Survey Monkey research.

Mackenzie Burgess, a Fort Collins, Colorado, dietitian and recipe developer at Cheerful Choices, encourages holiday gift-givers to think beyond the Christmas cookie. One of her go-to holiday gifts, a lentil and brown rice dry soup mix, features colorful dry ingredients layered in a Mason jar and the recipe attached with a pretty ribbon. “This shelf-stable dry soup mix is the perfect, plant-based meal to make on a chilly night, and makes for a unique, affordable and thoughtful gift,” says Burgess, adding that the Mason jars can be repurposed.

For a sweet but healthy treat, Burgess offers freezer-friendly energy bites, which can be made in large quantities in advance and frozen or refrigerated, then popped into jars at gift time. These gluten-free, vegan treats can be made with common pantry items, including a base of oats, nut butter and a sweetener like honey or agave, as well as “fixings” such as shredded coconut, dried cranberries or goji berries, chopped nuts, or chia or flax seeds to boost the flavor and nutrition. Natural food coloring can also be added to foster a more festive look.

To give a gift a “wow” factor, blogger Shelley Fulton, in Hudson, Ohio, recommends making a themed basket that may include a mix of homemade and purchased items.

“You can take your signature spice rub or that homemade soup mix everyone raves about and expand into a gift basket with other products that support the theme, like barbecue tools for the spice rub or a kettle with cute soup bowls and a new ladle for the soup mix,” says Fulton, the creator of Two Healthy Kitchens. For the dog lovers on a holiday list, Fulton suggests making homemade sweet potato dog biscuits, which can be bundled in a dog bed with other canine comforts.

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Stephanie Hafferty, author of The Creative Kitchen: Seasonal Plant Based Recipes for Meals, Drinks, Garden and Self Care, suggests handcrafted items like infused vinegars, herb salts, herbal tea blends or spice mixes for foodies on the holiday gift list.

Infused concoctions can be easily made by steeping a light vinegar like champagne or cider with rosemary, thyme or other perennial herbs, along with a spiraled citrus peel, for two weeks before gifting. “Infused vinegars look so lovely and go with so many winter dishes. They also have the advantage of being antiviral and having the shelf life of a few years,” says Hafferty.

Herb-infused olive oils make another gorgeous foodie gift, but Hafferty warns of botulism risk if the herbs are not completely dried beforehand and fully submerged in the oil. “Make this one closer to the time you plan to give it and include instructions to use within a few weeks,” recommends the Somerset, England, author.

Unusual spice mixes are another favorite gift of Hafferty’s, which can encourage home cooks to get creative. “Ras el Hanout is a versatile Moroccan spice blend that elevates dishes to another dimension. You can upcycle an old tin and decorate it with images of Moroccan tiles and add a homemade booklet with recipe ideas,” she says.

For a hostess gift that will be eaten immediately, Fulton loves making fruit kabob bouquets, made festive by using red and green fruits like strawberries and kiwi cut into holiday-themed shapes like stars and bells. “This is a fun one to make with kiddos,” adds the blogger.

If concerned about preparing food items for someone due to COVID-19, Fulton suggests assembling a countertop herb garden or a handmade book of favorite recipes, with a promise to cook together soon.

The spirit that goes into holiday gift-making matters as much as the end product. Making thoughtful presents for loved ones is a great time to reflect upon our blessings, especially those that have blessed our lives this year.

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

Holiday Gift-Giving Recipes Lentil Brown Rice Soup

Christmas Cocoa Crunch Bark

yield: 6 servings

yield: 30 pieces

photo by Mackenzie Burgess, RDN

If presenting the soup mix as a gift, layer dry ingredients in a Mason jar and print recipe to attach to the jar.

Add dry soup ingredients and 8 cups of water to the same large stock pot (unless starting with this step). Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 40 minutes, covered with a lid.

Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Serve with crusty bread and parmesan cheese, if desired.

Optional: 1 medium yellow onion, diced 1 Tbsp canola oil 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, no salt added

photo by Stephanie Hafferty

Optional: Sauté onion in oil in a large stock pot over high heat for 3 minutes. Add can of diced tomatoes.

Ras el Hanout Spice Mix This is lovely sprinkled onto roasting vegetables or added to falafel mixes, soups, stews and tagines.

1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp ground nutmeg 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp fennel seeds

Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 4 months.

Recipe from Mackenzie Burgess, Cheerful Choices.

2 tsp cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick, ground 1 tsp smoked paprika or red pepper flakes 1 tsp black peppercorns 1 tsp cayenne (optional for spicier version) 5 star anise ½ tsp ground cloves Seeds from 10 cardamom pods 1 tsp dried rose petals

Toast raw quinoa over medium-high heat until slightly browned and nutty aroma.

In a small bowl, mix together cocoa powder and melted coconut oil. Stir in toasted quinoa, maple syrup and stevia.

Pour mixture onto a plate or sheet pan lined with parchment paper or wax paper.

Sprinkle pistachios, dried cranberries, candied oranges and salt over the melted chocolate mixture. Drizzle white chocolate over the top and use a toothpick to create swirl effect if desired.

Freeze for 1 hour. Break into pieces and enjoy. Store leftovers in freezer for up to 3 months.

Recipe from Mackenzie Burgess, Cheerful Choices.

Dry roast the cumin, coriander, peppercorns, fennel and star anise in a cast-iron skillet until lightly toasted. This takes a minute or two and smells gorgeous. Cool and mix with the other ingredients, grinding in a pestle and mortar or spice blender until the mixture resembles a fine powder.

Store in a glass-lidded container. This spicy mix is good for up to six months.

photo by Mackenzie Burgess, RDN

1 cup green or brown lentils ½ cup uncooked brown rice ½ cup green split peas 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning 1 Tbsp dried parsley 1 Tbsp garlic powder ½ tsp ground black pepper 2 large vegetable bouillon cubes (1 cube should be equivalent to 1 Tbsp of granulated bouillon) 8 cups water

½ cup 100% cocoa powder, unsweetened ½ cup coconut oil, melted 2 Tbsp raw quinoa 2 Tbsp maple syrup ¼ tsp stevia ¼ cup dried cranberries ¼ cup pistachios, roughly chopped 2 Tbsp candied orange, diced in small pieces ½ tsp pink Himalayan salt 2 Tbsp white chocolate, melted (optional)

December 2020

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yield: 12 large bites or 24 small bites

These energy bites are the perfect snack to grab and go. They’re completely customizable and take 5 minutes or less to make. It’s easy to create festive, colored bites for the holidays. Simply add one-quarter cup of oats into a bowl with 15-30 drops of food coloring and give it a stir. Then, simply roll your finished balls in the food-colored oats.

1 cup rolled oats or quick oats ½ cup add-ins (dried fruit, chocolate chips, shredded coconut, chia seeds, ground flaxseed, chopped nuts or a mixture) ½ cup nut or seed butter (peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, sun butter) 1 Tbsp liquid (plant-based milk, dairy milk, water, coconut oil) 2-3 Tbsp honey or maple syrup Add oats, add-ins, nut or seed butter, and liquid to a large bowl. Stir to combine.

Mixture should be slightly sticky, but still crumbly.

Add in honey or maple syrup, 1 tablespoon at a time, to reach desired sweetness. Stir until mixture starts to come together in a sticky ball. If the mixture is still too dry, add in 1-2 more tablespoons of liquid.

photo by Stephanie Hafferty

photo by Stephanie Hafferty

Energy Bites

Place bowl in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to chill, then roll mixture into balls using hands.

Store in the fridge until ready to eat or pack into a jar for a gift. Store any leftovers in fridge for up to 1 week or the freezer for up to 3 months.

Rosemary-Infused Vinegar This fragrant, versatile vinegar makes a delightful holiday gift that can be enjoyed for months. Rosemary vinegar is delicious in salad dressings, sprinkled on vegetables (it is especially good on Brussels sprouts, cabbage and other brassicas) or added to sauces and homemade mayonnaise. It is also an excellent natural cleaner.

Fresh sprigs rosemary Light vinegar (organic apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar) Clean bottles Labels Wash the bottles and lids until they sparkle and then dry them thoroughly. Shake the rosemary sprigs to dislodge any dirt or insects if taken from the garden, then rinse and air dry.

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Cut the rosemary so that it is two inches shorter than the bottle. This is so that all of the herb will be submerged in the vinegar.

Place two sprigs of rosemary into each bottle. Cover with vinegar until the bottle is almost full and replace the lid.

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Label creatively; a small sprig of dried rosemary tied to the outside of the bottle is a nice touch.

The vinegar will store for a long time in the refrigerator. When using in the kitchen, the level of vinegar will fall below the sprigs. When this happens, remove the rosemary—the vinegar will still taste of the herb. Use up any vinegar past its best as a bathroom cleaner.

Recipes courtesy of Stephanie Hafferty.

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fit body

The Portland-based co-author of The Nia Technique points to the fun factor. “I believe that when you stop exercising and start moving, anything you do can bring you enjoyment. Do things that leave you feeling successful and motivated to do them again.”

katerina jerabkova/Unsplash.com

Breath as a Compass

Mind-Body Fitness How Mindfulness Benefits Workouts

W

by Marlaina Donato

hen mindfulness approaches are applied to fitness training—which can be as simple as breathing consciously and tuning into subtle body sensations— the results can be fewer injuries, improved immunity, a lowered stress response, a brighter mood and a deeper commitment to staying fit. Being in the present moment can also spark enjoyment.

Research shows that mindfulness training can also significantly raise self-esteem, and women that cultivate meditative self-compassion experience a boost in acceptance of and satisfaction with their bodies.

“In nature, the bigger the eye of the storm, the more powerful the winds, suggesting that our workout potential and enjoyment is dependent not on how hard we push, but how calm and self-aware we can be,” says John Douillard, DC, author of Body, Mind, and Sport and the founder of LifeSpa, in Boulder, Colorado. “Slowing down and being aware of the body allows the mind to attend to muscles, which can increase blood supply, lymph drainage and replace a potentially damaging fight-or-flight response during a workout with a rejuvenating parasympathetic response.”

Tapping into Contentment Mindful fitness instructor Ellen Barrett, in Washington Depot, Connecticut, offers clients a full-body experience with a fusion of movement forms and weight training. “We think mindfulness is some sort of yoga thing, but everything can become mindful. Jumping jacks and biceps curls can be mindful. It’s not the movement, but the awareness behind the movement. Mindfulness is about being present.”

Adding in balance training, tai chi and Pilates, and swapping a bit less time on the treadmill for a few moments of meditation or visualizing positive results can go a long way, say fitness experts. Debbie Rosas, founder and co-creator of Nia—a body-mind conditioning program anchored in martial arts and modern dance—underscores the importance of listening to cues. “Notice any areas that feel tight, blocked, rigid and bound.

This wisdom through felt sense and awareness will immediately alert you to stop, adjust and slow down.”

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Practicing conscious breathing fortifies the positive impact of exercise and can prevent injuries like hernias that can arise when the breath is held during heavy lifting. “One of the most powerful tools for mindfulness during a workout is following your breath.

Mindfulness is the key, but it’s hard to be mindful when you’re breathing 26,000 times a day into the upper chest, activating a fight-or-flight response,” says Douillard.

Breathing through the nose instead of the mouth during exercise bolsters mindfulness, and as Douillard has demonstrated in studies, causes brain waves to shift from stressed beta waves to a meditative alpha state. “It takes longer to fully inhale and exhale during nose breathing, which creates a baseline of calm,” she says. “Don’t rush. Be aware of the body breathing and feel each muscle contracting and relaxing with each rep and stretch.”

Chicago-based fitness expert Stephanie Mansour, host of the PBS weekly Step it Up with Steph show, concurs. “Sync your breath with your movement. Mindfully transition from exercise to exercise.” Mansour also suggests working out next to a mirror to improve alignment and avoiding the distraction that can come with having a workout buddy. “Another trick to improve form is to put on headphones and zone out by listening to white noise so that you have no distraction,” she says.

Exercising with deep body-presence is something we do for ourselves. “If you’re really paying attention, you can steer yourself towards invigoration and away from irritation. The body is always providing feedback, but we’re often too ‘out of body’ to notice. Giving full attention to your body is a big gift of self-love,” says Barrett.

“Breathe. Move. Be free,” adds Mansour.

“This is your dedicated ‘me’ time and you can use it to feel good about yourself.”

Marlaina Donato is an author and composer. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

More Helpful Tips Body scan from Ellen Barrett:

Breathing tip from Stephanie Mansour:

Establish a body scan ritual before working out. Either sitting or standing, close your eyes and take a second or two to focus on each part of the body with your mind’s eye. Start with the feet and then move up to the ankles, legs, spine, etc.

Inhale on the easier movement and exhale on the more challenging movement. For example, inhale as you bend down into a squat and exhale as you press up to standing.

Pull your belly button in toward your spine in all workouts.

Engage your core whether you’re working your legs, arms, back or chest.

Nasal breathing from John Douillard: Establish a comfortable, slow, nasal breathing rhythm in the beginning of your workout and try to maintain that throughout your practice. Give it time. It will take about three weeks of nose breathing practice to begin to run at the same pace or lift the same weight as you did before as a fight-or-flight mouth breather.

To begin: Breathe deeply in and out through the nose with each rep on the weight machine and lengthen your nasal breathing during cardio [workouts]. As soon as your nasal breath rhythm begins to speed up or you have to open your mouth to breathe, slow down and reestablish a comfortable rhythm of nasal breathing again. Once the mindful calm has been reset, begin to increase your intensity, letting the nose breathing set the pace.

Workout advice from Debbie Rosas: Do some research if you are new to working out.

Go online and look for a teacher you feel aligned with in philosophy and workout approach.

Build slowly. Exercise teachers are trained to inspire you. Their inspiration can push you.

Always do less than what you see and build when your body says, “I am ready for more. Let’s move faster and in a larger range of motion.”

December 2020

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healthy kids

REINVENT THE HOLIDAYS

This pandemic season offers “a chance to reset expectations if festive gift-giving has become excessive in recent years,” says Beth Kempton, author of Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year: A Little Book of Festive Joy. “Perhaps most important is to have a conversation with children about buying less stuff and avoiding waste,” she adds.

“They may have their own ideas about how to reduce waste and relish the challenge of thinking about what they really want.”

More Meaning, Less Stuff

by Ronica O’Hara

dglimages/AdobeStock.com

Getting Creative

L

ike many parents, Alicia Hough, a corporate wellness expert in New York, used to go overboard plying her kids with gifts at Christmas. “I was always busy with work, which is why I thought that buying my children the latest or most trending toy in the market will make up for the time I’ve lost,” she recalls. “As kids, they indeed get excited with material gifts, but that joy is just temporary, and that’s what I realized throughout this pandemic. In the end, it’s the relationship with people you value that matters, and not these material things or celebrations.”

Hough, who considers the pandemic a turning point, is not alone. In this turbulent year, holiday celebrations will likely be smaller, quieter and less opulent for many families. Yet the crisis has also set the stage for families “to create a holiday that is more in keeping with their values, finding deeper connection and meaning with less rushing around and spending less money,” says Laura Markham, a clinical psychologist and author of Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids.

Besides passing up traveling and parties for cozy pajama times, many families are seriously rethinking their gift-giving habits. Although presents are a beloved part of Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa celebrations, many families have come to wonder how the shopping and spending has gotten so out of hand. According to Investopedia, in 2019, the average American spent $942 on holiday gifts, a figure that has steadily mounted in the last decade to total $1 trillion. An estimated $16 billion worth of those gifts are unappreciated and tossed aside, reports Moneyish.

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For Evan Porter, of Milton, Georgia, a parenting writer at DadFixesEverything.com, “Less clutter and fewer gifts are something we’ve been working toward anyway.” This year, he and his wife plan to drastically pare down their kids’ gifts, possibly using this formula: “Something to read, something to wear, something you want and something you need.” Instead of presents under a tree, Dawna Campbell, of Bigfork, Montana, founder of ThetaHeartHealing. com, will give her kids an unplugged (and coronavirus-compliant) nature retreat where they can investigate the natural environment, work with animals and journal about how to make the world a better place.

For parents that want to embrace creativity, low costs and sustainability this holiday season, Kempton suggests the following gift-giving ideas: n Build anticipation with a treasure hunt or by opening presents over a period of time. n Incorporate a sense of wonderment with a wooden magic set or a storybook written by either or both parents that stars the child. n Surprise the children by transforming a room in the house into a winter wonderland or turning the garden shed into Santa’s grotto. n Offer a parent’s time, skills and attention in the form of promissory notes or a small token that indicates a future shared experience, such as a jar of

homemade marshmallows tied with a label promising a family camping trip. n Give children items that they can use or eat that are handmade by the parents. n Invoke a sense of nostalgia that prompts family storytelling, such as a jigsaw that summons memories of putting together a puzzle with a grandfather 50 years ago. n Celebrate environmental stewardship by planting and growing a Christmas tree or Hanukkah bush.

Even gift wrapping can become a fun and eco-smart family game by challenging everyone to creatively repurpose everything from old maps and fabrics to magazines and paper bags, perhaps decorated with artwork and nature finds. If every American family wrapped just three presents in re-used materials, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields, estimates the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

However they are wrapped, gifts demonstrate in these unprecedented times that deep joy comes not from acquiring new stuff, but from caring for and giving to each other—especially our children. “In the end, the most precious gift parents can give their children this holiday is their attention, infused with a little bit of festive magic,” says Kempton.

I

Gentle Self-Care for Parents

t’s been a long, hard year for many parents, and working to make the holidays special for the children may add another layer of stress and anxiety. That’s why it’s key to acknowledge any sadness one is experiencing.

“Feelings of melancholy are a reality for many people over the holidays, and this year it is likely to affect more of us than usual, given how so many of us have lost someone or something this year,” says Beth Kempton, author of Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year: A Little Book of Festive Joy. “It is vital to acknowledge these feelings and accommodate them, whilst also making space for joy. This comes down to talking about it, letting people know what you need or asking what they need and being prepared for the emotions to rise to the surface in the middle of things.” She suggests “putting some slack in your schedule, taking extra care of your health, reaching out for support and giving yourself permission to do things differently this year.”

Ronica O’Hara, a Denver-based health writer, can be reached at OHaraRonica@gmail.com.

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Instilling the Giving Spirit in Kids

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Bridging the hug gap. With grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and family friends less likely to be sitting around the table this year, having kids open those presents when the loved ones are on the other side of the Zoom or FaceTime screen can help ease the pain of the time apart. Or children can put together a love package for them that includes drawings and notes to be opened on the other end of a livestream virtual gathering.

Care for the community. “So many families have been devastated by COVID-19 and fires this year. And many of us have become aware of the cost of institutional racism to families of color,” says psychologist Laura Markham, author of Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids. “Why not discuss and decide on a family gift to make the world a better place? You could decide how much you would normally have spent on presents and give

jonathan borba/AdobeStock.com

hildren love getting gifts, but they also love the feeling of giving them, and the holidays are an optimal time to encourage this natural human impulse. Giving helps build their empathy and compassion muscles, which in turn makes for happier, more fulfilled lives, studies show.

some portion of that away to help people who are struggling or support a cause that is important to you.”

Simple steps like giving neighbors homemade cookies or candies tied with ribbons can also do much to lift holiday spirits.

With her kids, Beth Kempton, author of Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year: A Little Book of Festive Joy, makes up a batch of mince pie to share. “We might be wearing masks, along with Santa hats, and leaving the holiday treats on doorsteps instead of going in our neighbors’ homes this year, but we can still share holiday cheer,” she says. Alexandra Fung, CEO of the parent networking site UpParent.com, says her family in Chicago will provide gift boxes for families in need through their church or a local nonprofit and may work together to make blankets for traumatized and ill children using patterns supplied by the nonprofit Project Linus.

We are the world. Another approach is to give children a small sum to donate, perhaps $10 or $20, and encourage them to find a cause they care about in town or by researching online—from putting money in a Salvation Army Christmas kettle to saving rainforest animals. Or encourage them to find a humanitarian or environmental project to focus on over the holidays. At UpParent.com, kids can find 11 ways to help others around the world without leaving the house, like turning old jeans into shoes to help Ugandan children fight parasites or helping to track animals in the wild. The National Environmental Education Foundation at NeefUSA.org lists dozens of at-home projects for kids, such as doing a home-energy audit, creating a compost pile and helping to identify wildlife caught on camera for a digital database.

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Katie Tripp

florida and fauna

Calamint is a beautiful and tasty native landscape plant.

More of North Florida’s Edible Plants

by Katie Tripp

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ast month’s article reviewed some of the fruits native to our region. The flowers, leaves and/or roots of many of our native plants can also be eaten, with some providing healthy doses of antioxidants. It’s important only to eat plant material from areas that are free of herbicide and pesticide treatments.

Peppergrass (Lepidium virginicum) has edible leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds, in addition to being a larval host for Checkered White and Cabbage White butterflies. Peppergrass is in the mustard family, being neither related to culinary pepper nor a true grass, and has a fragrance similar to horseradish when crushed. The upright peppergrass is several inches tall, resembling a bottle brush from a distance, and could mix in easily as part of a native landscape.

The vivid flowers and heart-shaped leaves of the common blue violet (Viola sororia) contain antioxidant vitamins A and C. The leaves can be eaten raw, sautéed or dried, and used as part of a tea mix. Flowers can be added into salads or dipped in sugar water and used to adorn pastries. Eat only small quantities to avoid nausea and enjoy the rest in your yard as a groundcover. The leaves and stems of spiderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis) resemble asparagus in their flavor, and the beautiful purple flowers, like those of the common violet, can be dipped in sugar syrup and used as an edible adornment.

Yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria) leaves are dried to make North America’s only native caffeinated tea. For decaffeinated tea, use the leaves of gallberry (Ilex glabra) or dahoon holly (Ilex cassine).

Georgia calamint (Calamintha georgiana) and wild pennyroyal (Piloblephis rigida) leaves can be dried and used to add mint flavor to tea mixes. When flowering, calamint and pennyroyal are very popular nectar sources for bees. The flowers of trailing porterweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis), too, can be used in tea, and are wildly popular with pollinators. Porterweed flowers possess a mild mushroom flavor and have long been used in commercial teas and to make beer (a bitter porter) in certain parts of the world. If wine is more to your liking, ferment the flowers of Spanish needles (Bidens alba), or eat them raw along with tender leaves that can also be sautéed. To incorporate lemon flavor to your beverage, use the roots, leaves and/or flowers of woodsorrel (Oxalis corniculata).

Young leaves and stems of dollarweed (Hydrocotyle spp.) (yes, THAT dollarweed) are edible, too. If you run out of oregano to season your kitchen creations, substitute the leaves or flowers of spotted bee balm (Monarda punctata) to mimic the flavor. As its name implies, bee balm is a magnet for nectaring bees, so don’t remove too many of the flowers. Meadow garlic or wild onion (Allium canadense) is another source of vitamins A and C, which can be obtained by consuming the flowers, leaves, bulbs and seeds.

It has grass-like leaves and a cluster of white-pink flowers atop a central stalk, making it an attractive garden wildflower. Florida betony (Stachys floridana) is a common wildflower whose roots are white and bulbous and have similar taste and texture to a very mild radish. They can be included fresh in salads or pickled.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn how many native edible flora there are in our region. Perhaps the only thing more exciting than learning to identify new plant species is being able to eat them, too! To find more edible natives, read Peggy Sias Lantz’s book, Florida’s Edible Wild Plants: A Guide to Collecting and Cooking, and visit EatTheWeeds.com.

Katie Tripp, Ph.D., is the owner of Natural Beauty Native Florida Landscapes, LLC. She created her business to educate Floridians about the importance of utilizing native plants and to help residents create wildlife habitat. Tripp is an active member of the Pawpaw chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society and a member of the Florida Association of Native Nurseries. Connect with her at 727-504-4740 or NaturalBeautyFlorida@gmail.com. See ad, below.

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December 2020

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healing ways

essica delp/Unsplash.com

There’s no right or wrong way to reap the benefits of music. A few years into her professional career, Press took a group lesson with a North Indian raga teacher and experienced a deep inner shift. “I was allowed to enjoy the feeling of singing that one note and my mind turned off. I felt the intonation itself in my body—in waves, shapes and colors. Intonation itself became a real living energy that felt essentially good, restorative and healing.”

Lea Longo, a Montreal-based meditation mindfulness coach and musician, concurs.

“Singing has been my way to relax, not only my mind, but my body, as well. It uses the breath, a vital tool for health. It’s my go-to place to feel better. I just sing when I need a boost, and it works for me.”

SING TO HEAL

Using the Voice to Uplift Mind and Body

by Marlaina Donato

A

ccording to growing research, singing along to a favorite musical or joining a local choir can be good for our health. From college students to patients with Parkinson’s disease, everyone can benefit, regardless of talent. Singing naturally fosters endorphins, amps up immunity levels and lowers the stress hormone cortisol.

A study by the UK University of East Anglia published in 2017 in The BMJ’s Medical Humanities shows that group singing—along with the positivity of social interaction— supports and improves mental health in people with depression and anxiety. Singing for the Brain, a program created by The Alzheimer’s Society, has been shown to improve memory, mood and the ability to socialize for people with dementia.

“I feel singing can be significant to mental well-being and healing from an injury or cancer, while in recovery from substance abuse, or to help cope with trauma. Additional benefits may include pain management,” says Tamera Anderson-Hanna, a licensed mental health counselor and the owner of Wellness, Therapy & Yoga, in Miami.

Breathing into Self-Expression “When we sing, we dive straight into a conscious bodily experience that brings us into immediate connection with our bodies. Singing, especially repetitive singing where we can start to regulate a breath cycle and elongate it, gets us deeply oxygenated,” says Daisy Press, a professional singer and vocal teacher in New York City.

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Resonance, Mantra and Humming “The voice can be considered a healing tool for the fact that it is directly related to resonance in the body,” explains Longo.

“We can think of our voice as a tuning fork to ‘tune’ ourselves and use it as a way to heal internally through the vibrations and sounds we produce.” Using sound is a subtle energy therapy that can help heal emotional or physical distress, he says.

Mantra, the recitation of specific words or traditionally sacred chants, is not a religion, but simply a method to quell mental chatter. “Mantras are vibrational tools that can be practiced by any faith or spiritual practice.”

In her work, Anderson-Hanna makes the mantra personal. “I often teach individuals how to create their own mantra and how to challenge their thinking using positive affirmations. The mantra I teach is most often a personal reflection of ‘I am’ statements they can aspire to, versus negative or defeating thoughts.”

Humming, another way to open the voice for healing, is the least intimidating for many people, but packs a powerful punch. “Out of all the many healing sounds I’ve worked with, I find that humming is the most effective because it is so inclusive—everyone can hum. Physiologically, humming reduces heart rate, respiration and blood pressure. Many different beneficial hormones and chemicals are

released, including endorphins, oxytocin, melatonin and nitric oxide,” says Jonathan Goldman, co-author of The Humming Effect and director of the Sound Healers Association, in Boulder, Colorado. “The importance of nitric oxide is coming more into light since it is a vasodilator and has anti-viral qualities.” In addition, humming stimulates the vagus nerve, which reduces

inflammation and enhances immunity.

Whether we sing children to sleep at night or learn to sing jazz, using our voices can be good medicine. Goldman reminds us, “There are so many different ways that sound can positively shift and change us.”

Marlaina Donato is a recording artist and author. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

Starting Off Singing

Humming and Singing Tips to Try From Tamera Anderson-Hanna, an Uplifting Playlist: “I encourage my clients if they need to boost their mood to create a happy and uplifting playlist to sing or listen to—the same advice I used for myself when healing from breast cancer and experiencing setbacks.”

From Jonathan Goldman, Conscious Humming: “Find a place where you will not be disturbed. Begin by taking some nice deep breaths in and out.

Choose a purpose or intention. Do you want to assist with a headache? Do you want to reduce your stress? Do you want

to send this sound to a specific part of your body?

Hum a tone on one note that is comfortable. Do this at least five times so that you can become aware of how the hum is resonating in your head or body, and then hum for five minutes, if possible.

Be in a place of silence for at least a minute or more after you have created the hum and be aware of what you experience. Note: Because the hum has so many powerful effects, people often become lightheaded (and very relaxed) when they practice conscious humming.”

From Lea Longo, Mantra Tips: “If you have never used or chanted a mantra before, I would recommend starting with the universal mantra Aum or Om. It is simple and easy to pronounce. Start with five minutes a day for 30 days and increase the time as you feel fit. As you get more comfortable with the sound of your voice, you will develop a practice and habit. The shower is a great place to start to overcome self-consciousness.”

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calendar of events Dearest Readers, while many events have been postponed, many others will proceed online. Please visit the location’s website or Facebook page for up-to-date information.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1 Twin Hearts Meditation – 6-7pm. Developed by Master Choa Kok Sui, this advanced meditation technique is aimed at achieving illumination of universal consciousness. This is a free service by instructor Falli Shah, to bring more positive awareness and harmony to the community. Bring a mask.

Seventh Wonder Holistic Spa, 4236 St. Johns Ave, Jacksonville. 904-381-8686. Register: SeventhWonder.com/events.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2 Spiritual Enrichment Classes – 7pm. Visit the website for class information. All classes are conducted via Zoom. Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Rd, St. Johns. 904-287-1505.

UnityInJax.com.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3 Mediumship Sessions – Dec 3-5. Connect with loved ones, receive insightful messages through Karen Whisperer. Mind Body & Beyond Center, 14215 Spartina Ct, Ste 300, Jacksonville. Individual and small group sessions. Info/register: 904-9929930 or Info@mbandbcenter.

Transcendental Meditation – 6:30pm. Introductory talk by video teleconference. The TM technique is a uniquely simple, natural, effortless procedure that is scientifically proven to reduce stress, maximize mental clarity and improve health. This video conference gives all the information needed to make an informed decision about learning the TM technique.

Register: 904-375-9517 or Jacksonville@TM.org.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5 Kundalini Yoga – 9-10am. Also 12/12, 12/19, 12/26. With Ashley Ireland. This session will include tuning in, warm ups, pranayama (breathing techniques), kriya (set of exercises), deep relaxation and meditation. All ages and stages. $15. Seventh Wonder Holistic Spa, 4236 St. Johns Ave, Jacksonville.

904-381-8686. Register: Seventh-Wonder.com.

Meditation: The Creative Pathway – 10am-1pm.

Host Steve Smith of Delphi University. Learn about making choices, using breathwork to create a harmonious and loving life experience. Open yourself to a deeper and more loving relationship with spirit. $125. Mind Body and Beyond Center, 14215 Spartina Ct, Ste 300, Jacksonville. Register: 904-992-9930 or Info@mbandbcenter.

Unity Church for Creative Living Sunday Service – 10:30am. Join on Facebook Live to travel the journey of spiritual unfoldment together. Or visit the YouTube Channel. Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Rd, St. Johns. 904-287-1505.

UnityInJax.com.

Healing Event – Noon-3pm. This healing event will provide a chance to meet the practitioners and experience different healing techniques. $15 love offering. Spiritual Uplifts, 2186 Park Ave, Orange Park. 904-292-4555. SpiritualUplifts.com.

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Jacksonville / St. Augustine

Individual Trans Channel – With Arthur Ford – Steve Smith of Delphi University offers trance channeling, blood cleanses, energy healing and spiritual counseling sessions. Individual Trance/$155; Blood Cleanse/$170. Mind Body and Beyond Center, 14215 Spartina Ct, Ste 300, Jacksonville.

Talking Stick Circle – 5pm. Join for a Native American gathering to share ancient teachings as channeled from our elders. Follow the tradition of cleansing and synchronize our souls through the sacred practice of drumming. Bring your instruments, family, friends; children welcome. Handmade gift exchange (bring two). Andrew Jackson Davis Bld, 1112 Stevens St, Cassadaga. Info: 386-503-4930.

Rev.Judi.Weaver@gmail.com.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6 Indian Cooking Class – 4-6pm. Join spa owner Falli Shah and her husband Sunny Shah for a vegan, Indian cooking class. This delicious event includes Pulao, Raita Sauce, Rotti, and Papadum, freshly prepared in front of you on an outdoor deck overlooking the garden. $45. Seventh Wonder Holistic Spa, 4236 St. Johns Ave, Jacksonville. Register: Seventh-Wonder.com/events.

Ornament Decorating – Decorate your own Christmas ornament for kids and adults. Come have fun and celebrate the holidays with spiritual uplifts.

Snacks provided. Kids/$5, adults/$10. Spiritual Uplifts, 2186 Park Ave, Orange Park. 904-292-4555.

SpiritualUplifts.com.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 7 Virtual Death Café of NE Florida – Community gathering hosted by Nada Frazier, Founder of The Sacred Servant. Join people from across the nation and talk about life/death. See Death Café of NE Florida’s Facebook page, Deathcafe.com, MeetUP, and TheSacredServant.com for more info. Register: Nada@TheSacredServant.com for Zoom meeting.

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 9 Spiritual Enrichment Classes – 7pm. Visit the website for class information. All classes are conducted via ZOOM. Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Rd, St. Johns. 904-287-1505.

UnityInJax.com.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10 Transcendental Meditation – Noon. Introductory talk by video teleconference. The TM technique is a uniquely simple, natural, effortless procedure that is scientifically proven to reduce stress, maximize mental clarity and improve health. This video conference gives all the information needed to make an informed decision about learning the TM technique.

Register: 904-375-9517 or Jacksonville@TM.org.

Persephone Healing Arts Center Open House – 5:30pm & 7:30pm. Must RSVP in advance to schedule your 20-minute individual slot with Dr. Pautz to tour the center due to the pandemic. Or schedule a Zoom Open House for a designated time slot. 485 6th Ave N, Jacksonville Bch. 904-246-3583.

NAJax.com

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12 Unity Church for Creative Living Sunday Service – 10:30am. Join on Facebook Live to travel the journey of spiritual unfoldment together. Or visit the YouTube Channel. Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Rd, St. Johns. 904-287-1505.

UnityInJax.com.

Transcendental Meditation – 1pm. Introductory talk by video teleconference. The TM technique is a uniquely simple, natural, effortless procedure that is scientifically proven to reduce stress, maximize mental clarity and improve health. This video conference gives all the information needed to make an informed decision about learning the TM technique.

Register: 904-375-9517 or Jacksonville@TM.org.

Jewelry Show – Dec 12-13. Sparkle and shine rare crystal gem jewelry. There will be gemstones, vintage-inspired, sterling silver, symbols, and more.

Spiritual Uplifts, 2186 Park Ave, Orange Park. 904292-4555. SpiritualUplifts.com.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13 Opening Your Spiritual Gifts – 9am. Explore the various types of spiritual gifts to get a better understanding of what you may be experiencing.

Then utilize specific practice techniques as a group and individuals to focus your energy and exercise your natural gifts and talents. This workshop will offer you a deeper discovery of yourself and allows for personal psychic development for your highest intent. $25. Holistic House of Holly Hill, 1126 Riverside Dr. Info: 386-503-4930. SpiritualServices. online. Rev.Judi.Weaver@gmail.com.

Pranayama and Meditation – 10-11am. With Elizabeth Henrichson. Pranayama is the conscious awareness of breath. Through guided breathing, increase the oxygen to your brain and all your internal organs which facilitates physical healing.

Class limited to eight people. Held outside if weather permits. Bring your own mat and accessories. $20.

Seventh Wonder Holistic Spa, 4236 St. Johns Ave, Jacksonville. Register: 904-381-8686 or SeventhWonder.com.

Yoga Nidra – 11:15am-12:15pm. With Elizabeth Henrichson. Sanskrit term meaning “sleep”, Yoga Nidra is a meditation practice that induces a state of deep, but conscious relaxation. The goal is to achieve a state of samadhi (intense concentration), enlightenment or bliss. Held outside if weather permits. Bring your own mat and accessories. $20.

Seventh Wonder Holistic Spa, 4236 St. Johns Ave, Jacksonville. 904-381-8686. Register: SeventhWonder.com.

Ignite the Spark: Full Moon Meditation and Sound Bath and Deep Stretch – 5pm. Cohosted

by Diana Manzano, Sound Energy Practitioner and Sarah Wilde. $35. Mind Body and Beyond Center, 14215 Spartina Ct, Ste 300, Jacksonville. Info/ register: 904-992-9930 or Info@mbandbcenter.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 14 Group Past Life Regression Meditation Event – 6:30pm. Join Host Irene Shank, spiritual intuitive, international healer, reiki master and instructor.

Mind Body and Beyond Center, 14215 Spartina Ct, Ste 300, Jacksonville. Info/register: 904-992-9930 or Info@mbandbcenter.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15

THURSDAY DECEMBER 24 Christmas Eve Candle Lighting Service – 7pm.

All are welcome to join us on Facebook Live.

Find the peace, calm and oneness you desire as we celebrate the light of Christ on Christmas Eve with the Unity Candle Lighting Service. Love Offering.

Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Rd, St Johns. 904-287-1505. UnityInJax.com.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 26 Unity Church for Creative Living Sunday Service – 10:30am. Join on Facebook Live to travel the journey of spiritual unfoldment together. Or visit the YouTube Channel. Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Rd, St. Johns. 904-287-1505. UnityInJax.com.

Twin Hearts Meditation – 6-7pm. Developed by Master Choa Kok Sui, this advanced meditation technique is aimed at achieving illumination of universal consciousness. This is a free service by instructor Falli Shah, to bring more positive awareness and harmony to the community. Bring a mask. Seventh Wonder Holistic Spa, 4236 St. Johns Ave, Jacksonville. 904381-8686. Register: Seventh-Wonder.com/events.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17 Persephone Healing Arts Center Open House – 5:30pm & 7:30pm. Must RSVP in advance to schedule your 20-minute individual slot with Dr. Pautz to tour the center due to the pandemic. Or schedule a Zoom open house for a designated time slot. 485 6th Ave N, Jacksonville Bch. 904-246-3583.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18 Three-Day Healing Retreat Part I: Release and Recharge – Dec 18-20. Take this workshop to pay attention to your deepest needs. Recharge mentally, physically, and spiritually. The focus is to provide a safe place to release blockages, karma debt, cordcutting and more. Limited seating; call for pricing.

Spiritual Uplifts, 2186 Park Ave, Orange Park.

904-292-4555. SpiritualUplifts.com.

Drum Circle – 6-8pm. With Julianne Battaglia. Get your groove and drum to the energy of the moon!

Share in the joy of expressing yourself through music and dance. This class contains instructions on different drumming styles that you will practice. There will be time to group jam at the end. There will be a few extra instruments to share. BYO percussion instrument encouraged. $15. In partnership with Cosmic Church of Truth. Register: Seventh-Wonder.com/events.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 19 Unity Church for Creative Living Sunday Service – 10:30am. Join on Facebook Live to travel the journey of spiritual unfoldment together. Or visit the YouTube Channel. Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Rd, St. Johns. 904-287-1505. UnityInJax.com.

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 23 Spiritual Enrichment Classes – 7pm. Visit the website for class information. All classes are conducted via Zoom. Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Rd, St. Johns. 904-287-1505. UnityInJax.com.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 2 Lemurian and Light Beings – 1:30-3:30pm. Rev. Judi Weaver will lead a Living Channeling with a focus on Lemurians and Light Beings for participants to receive group messages and ask questions. $30. Andrew Davis Jackson Bld, 1112 Stevens St, Cassadaga. Info: or 386-503-4930. Rev.Judi.

Weaver@gmail.com.

Talking Stick Circle – 5pm. Join for a Native American gathering to share ancient teachings as channeled from our Elders. Follow the tradition of cleansing and synchronize our souls through the sacred practice of drumming. Bring your instruments, family, friends; children welcome. Handmade gift exchange (bring two). Andrew Jackson Davis Bld, 1112 Stevens St, Cassadaga. Info: 386-503-4930.

Rev.Judi.Weaver@gmail.com.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 3 White Stone Ceremony – 10:30am, All are welcome. Join us on Facebook Live as we celebrate a New Year, a new you, and a new spiritual name that will support you on your ‘dreams come true’ journey.

Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Rd, St. Johns.904-287-1505. UnityInJax.com.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16 Spiritual Enrichment Classes – 7pm. Visit the website for class information. All classes are conducted via ZOOM. Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Rd, St. Johns. 904-287-1505.

UnityInJax.com.

plan ahead

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 30 Spiritual Enrichment Classes – 7pm. Visit the website for class information. All classes are conducted via ZOOM. Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Rd, St. Johns. 904-287-1505. UnityInJax.com.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31 New Year, New You – 9am. Join to identify what is transpiring, how it is affecting you, learn tips and tools to understand the messages along with techniques and guidance to integrate the energies, thereby offering you a deeper discovery of self. $25.

Holistic House of Holly Hill, 1126 Riverside Dr, Holly Hill. 386-503-4930. Info: SpiritualServices. online. Rev.Judi.Weaver@gmail.com.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31ST New Year’s Eve Burning Bowl Service – 7pm.

Join us on Facebook Live for a time of release and renewal. All are welcome. Love Offering. Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Road, St Johns. 904-287-1505. UnityInJax.com.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7 Transcendental Meditation – Noon. Introductory talk by video teleconference. The TM technique is a uniquely simple, natural, effortless procedure that is scientifically proven to reduce stress, maximize mental clarity and improve health. This video conference gives all the information needed to make an informed decision about learning the TM technique.

Register: 904-375-9517 or Jacksonville@TM.org

SATURDAY, JANUARY 9 Ask Your Angels – 9am. An angelic workshop opportunity to meet one of your many angels. Rev. Judi Weaver, an intuitive channel, will alter her state of consciousness to a higher vibration so each participant can receive an inspirational message of guidance and have an opportunity to ask a question of their angel, thereby expanding self-knowledge.

Individuals are encouraged to audio record their guidance messages. $35. Holistic House of Holly Hill, 1126 Riverside Dr. Info: 386-503-4930. Rev. Judi.Weaver@gmail.com.

Wishing you the happiest of holidays and a wonderful new year!

December 2020

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community resource guide

INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide email Ads@NAJax.com to request our media kit.

GROCERY

ACUPUNCTURE

NATIVE SUN

A WAY OF LIFE ACUPUNCTURE

1585 3rd St North, Jacksonville Beach 904-853-5497 NativeSunJax.com

4337 Pablo Oaks Ct, Bldg 200, Jacksonville • 904-373-8415 Dr Christine Yastrzemski, NCCAOM, AP AP2255 AP4076 NCCAOM Board Certified Acupuncture Physician specializing in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. We offer the highest quality of care while customizing treatments that best suit your needs.

See ad, page 11.

BE PAMPERED FOOT SPA

4130 Salisbury Rd #1020, Jacksonville Tuesdays in St. Augustine By appt: 904-768-0022 bepamperedfoot.com Foot detox, therapeutic pedicure, deep foot massage, Medi-pedicure, great for seniors, nail whitening and toenail restoration. Kathy Griggs, Certified Master Pedicurist FV0572994.

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

MIND BODY & BEYOND CENTER

Comprehensive. Integrative.

Transformative. Strategies for developing awareness and understanding. Harmonize the mind and the body and spirit will follow. Find greater intuitive and creative ability, have a fuller expression of love, enhance your sense of self-worth and bring spiritual qualities into your life. #MM35640 See ad, page 8.

HERBS LAURENCE LAYNE, LMT, HERBALIST Healing Waters Clinic & Herb Shop 26 Clark St, St. Augustine 904-826-1965 • HealingWatersClinic.com MA0010746 MM005595

JACKSONVILLE HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTER Dr Jon Repole, DC, CFMP 9957 Moorings Dr, Ste 403 Jacksonville (Mandarin) 904-268-6568 • DrRepole.com

Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner.

Find the cause of your health challenge. Our office will create a doctor supervised custom-tailored health program that will include the following: meal planning, supplemental prescriptions, detoxification guidance, food/lifestyle coaching, exercise prescriptions, accountability, on-line patient portal, and more. We utilize the most advanced diagnostics testing available to aid both our diagnoses and treatment.

See ad, page 18.

Jacksonville / St. Augustine

HEALING CENTER 14215 Spartina Ct, Ste 300 Jacksonville • 904-992-9930 MindBodyAndBeyondCenter.com

FOOT SPA

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J a x B e a c h ’s community organic grocer, local food and essential items. Order online for curbside p/u.

A holistic center specializing in pain relief and chronic health issues.

Certified in neuromuscular and deep tissue bodywork, myofascial therapy, craniosacral balancing, east-west herbalism. Offering attunement energy healing since 1978. See ad, page 15.

HOLISTIC WELLNESS SPA SEVENTH WONDER HOLISTIC SPA 4236 St John’s Ave, Jacksonville 904-381-8686 • Seventh-Wonder.com

A true sanctuary away from the stresses of the world since 2002.

Offering: Ayurveda consultation and services, natural alternatives to facelift, massages, facials, eyebrow threading/tinting, reiki, pranic healing, ear coning, sauna, and a Himalayan salt room.

NAJax.com

A. SCHAEFFER-PAUTZ, MD

Board Certified in Internal and Integrative Medicine Fellowship in Herbal Medicine Persephone Healing Arts Center 485 6th Ave N, Jacksonville Beach 904-246-3583 • DrPautz.com Medical practice emphasizing highest quality personalized care, integrating spiritual, emotional and physical.

P r a c t i c i n g naturopathy, homeopathy, anthroposophic medicine.

Monthly open house and lecture.

FIRST COAST INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

Megan Weigel, DNP 14215 Spartina Ct, Jacksonville 904-543-3510 FirstCoastIntegrativeMedicine.com A holistic, heart-centered and evidence-based approach to care for people living with neurological conditions and symptoms. Dr Weigel has nearly 20 years experience in neurology and neurological care. See ad, page 13.

MASSAGE CARING PALMS MASSAGE AND REIKI Brian Dean, LMT MM40693, MA36835 476 Osceola Ave, Jacksonville Beach 904-246-2206 • CaringPalms.com

Professional massage and energy work. Many styles of massage, Reiki, meditation, mediumship, massage & Reiki classes.

Continuing education for Florida LMTs. See ad, page 15.

MEDITATION TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION CENTERS

• Karen & Herb Bandy, Certified Teachers 904-375-9517 • Jacksonville@TM.org • Regine de Toledo & Richard Pinto, Certified Teachers 904-826-3838 • StAugustine@TM.org The TM technique is an effortless, non-religious, evidence-based practice for eliminating stress, increasing well-being and expanding consciousness.

Certified Teachers give individual instruction and ongoing support.

See ad, page 13.

MEDICAL MARIJUANA CARD CERTIFIED MEDICAL MARIJUANA DOCTORS 10695 Beach Blvd, Jacksonville 904-299-5300 2085 A1A S, St. Augustine 904-299-7373 CMMDR.com

Patients with a qualifying medical condition can become a Florida medical marijuana patient in two easy steps and gain access to Florida Medical Marijuana Dispensary discounts, deals and special savings.

License number OS8874. See ad, page 27.

MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING MIND BODY & BEYOND CENTER

NUTRITION/KINESIOLOGY HEALTH BY DESIGN

Dr Kristy A Harvell 2002 Southside Blvd, Jacksonville 904-363-3374 • HealthByDesignFL.com

METAPHYSICAL CENTER THE KARMA CASTLE

1437 N US Hwy 1, Ste C8, Ormond Beach TheKarmaCastle.com Psychic & Mediumship Development classes and workshops, Kundalini Yoga classes for all levels.

Mediumship Demonstrations, Group Meditations, and Spiritually oriented events. Private Psychic and Mediumship Readings with International Psychic & Medium, Carl Seaver. Healing Sessions and Meditation Instruction with Spiritual Healer, Shannon MacDonald.

Hours by appointment. See website to schedule appointments, and view the Calendar for events.

SPIRITUAL MENTOR/COACH/ END-OF-LIFE DOULA

Nada Frazier, End of Life Doula 904-402-7061 • TheSacredServant.com

Nutrition Response Testing™ gets to the underlying cause of your condition by testing for food sensitivities, heavy metals, and chemical toxins. A Clinical Nutrition Program will be designed for your individual needs. See ad, page 32.

Spiritual mentorship and coaching; Illuminating new perspectives on life and death. Non-medical, holistic certified end-of-life doula services. Support, planning, and guidance through times of transformative change.

PSYCHIC CHANNEL REV JUDI WEAVER

Heart 4 Souls Inc, Ormond Beach Rev.Judi.Weaver@gmail.com 386-503-4930 • Heart4Souls.com

Melissa Fenton, PhD, LMHC 14215 Spartina Ct, Ste 300 Jacksonville • 904-992-9930 MindBodyAndBeyondCenter.com

Dr. Fenton, licensed psychotherapist, offers traditional individual and family therapy to adults. Individual and couples, E M D R / E F T, m i n d f u l n e s s , meditation, loss/trauma, stress management, women’s health, sexuality. Tele-health sessions available. See ad, page 8.

SPIRITUAL MENTOR/COACH

energy distance.

Channeled spirit messages, crystal light healer, divine personal guidance, shamanic practitioner, spiritual counseling, guided meditations, home/property blessings, vision quest journeys.

For individuals or groups—in person, virtual/on-line, phone or

SPIRITUAL CENTERS UNITY CHURCH FOR CREATIVE LIVING IN ST JOHNS 2777 Race Track Rd, St Johns 904-287-1505 • UnityInJax.com

Unity offers positive, practical teachings that support spiritual evolution and abundant living. They take an extremely positive approach to life, emphasizing our Oneness in God and the goodness in people and all life. Join to travel the journey of spiritual unfoldment together. See ad, page 6.

YOGA YOGA DEN

Mandarin | Fleming Island | Southside | Avondale | World Golf Village | San Pablo | Bayard | Crossroads | Oakleaf Yoga-Den.com Founded in 2002, all Yoga Den teachers are graduates of YogaDen’s nationally accredited 200hour TT Program. Members may use their key tags at all locations with Passport Membership.

Hundreds of weekly classes. Our philosophy is No Judgement, and all levels will feel welcome. See ad, page 21.

MIND BODY & BEYOND CENTER

14215 Spartina Ct, Ste 300 Jacksonville • 904-992-9930 MindBodyandBeyondCenter.com Private or semi-private, tailored to your needs. Chair, Restorative, Yin n Yoga Nidra, Breathwork, Meditation, Sound Healing, Chakra Opening, Breathwork and or a combination. Call to schedule your individual or small group class. See ad, page 8.

What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other? ~George Eliot

METAPHYSICAL STORE SPIRITUAL UPLIFTS

2186 Park Ave, Ste 102, Orange Park 904-292-4555 SpiritualUplifts.com Metaphysical services, including life coaching, spiritual readings, energy work, crystal healings, biomat, aura photography, chakra and astrology reports and more. World-renowned speakers and demonstrations to further your spiritual journey. See ad, page 24.

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