MIND BODY SPIRIT
Renew, Recharge ,Rejuvenate 2
tryst | a meeting for lovers ology | the knowledge or science of a subject
B
elieve there’s more to the intimacy that you have been experiencing? Want to add spice to your relationship? Whether it’s about finding ways to make yourself feel sexy in amazingly soft pajamas, or beautiful lingerie, or something more spicy, like a couples toy, Trystology, an intimacy boutique in Downtown Ventura, has what you’re looking for. Set in a beautiful location on Main Street in Downtown, you Love are swept up with the Sexual Empowerment beautiful surroundings, Openness Passionate Play and the lovely lingerie Fun Acceptance Consent Respectful on display. Everything Women’s Empowerment Healthful Peace is approachable and Body Safe Inclusivity Sensuality comfortable. The owner, Choice Compassion Dignity Playful Roylin Downs, a Sexual “Owning your orgasm” Harmony Awakening Coach and Integrity Know Thyself Education the “Madam of Sex Toys” Intentional Living Individuality decided to open this Play Honesty Support Heard unique shop to provide Permission a safe space for women, couples and individuals of all genders to ask questions, and get answers, about things that they were curious about. At Trystology, they discuss how we focus on our mental health, our spiritual health, our emotional health and our nutritional health, but we rarely if ever discuss our sexual health. If we were able to bring our sexual health into alignment with all our other focuses, we would truly be whole and healthy! And why not?! As a solutionsbased boutique, Trystology works to find solutions for whatever your scenario is. Whether it’s a lovely massage oil candle, or an all natural lubricant, a pair of soft PJ Salvage pajamas, a Kimono, or a Bracli Lace and Pearl thong set, Trystology is where you go to find products to make you feel special, and to enhance the relationship with your partner, or for
yourself. Because of the personal nature of the subject matter, Roylin offers private appointments for individuals or couples who have questions. Trystology offers group classes and girls night out parties at their Ventura location, and a pop-up location in Ojai, starting in February. Learn more about Roylin at roylin.trystology.com, and then give her a call for a private appointment at 888-801-8952 @trystology
Now scheduling private parties and private consultations in Ojai starting Jan 25th. Friday pm through Sunday. Look for Trystology Pop-Up Shop Saturday’s and Sunday’s through February
588 E. Main Street, Ventura CA
www.trystology.com | 888-801-8952 2
Biofeedback, Neurofeedback and Hypnosis by
Dr. John R.Galaska Balance your nervous system to‌ Openly relate to others Perform to the maximum of your ability Be a more compassionate person Disengage from the residue of the past
Dr.John R. Galaska 805.705. 5175 BeCalmofOjai.com
3
Enhance your life experience.
Shangri-La W Care Center
e started SLCC back in 2009 under Proposition 215 and had amassed over 700 members by 2015. In 2015-2016, AB266 allowed the use of cannabis for medicinal reasons and then proposition 64 became law allowing for the recreational use by people over 21, the pathway to a fully legal market. It has long been held that for over 13,000 years cannabis has been used by humans to benefit their health. I have followed research conducted in Europe, and it has shown that cannabis is a non-addictive option to handle one’s own health conditions. One of the main benefits of the use of cannabis is the lack of side effects, unlike western medication. Cannabis is available in so many different forms, from the smokeable flowers, vaping cartridges, cookies, gummies, mints, tinctures, etc. There are so many options available it becomes a challenge for people to select the right cannabis medicine for their individual health conditions. Cannabis has been illegal for 70 years around the globe. Because of that, there is a lack of studies of medicinal cannabis, and it can be challenging to find the right fit. In my case, I take three different cannabis products daily to meet my three separate health conditions. In the past, I was quite concerned about the long-term use of western medicine, and its side effects. Now that’s not the case. We here at Shangri-La Care Centers Inc., pride ourselves in providing the best coaching and products. We are all about service work and helping others. Our mantra is “Members Helping Members”. We invite you to visit and experience the difference. We offer great prices, products and education, with new clients receiving a 10% discount. By Cofounder Jeff Kroll, President of Shangri La Care Centers.
COME FIND YOUR
SHANGRI-LA CARE CENTER
RECREATIONAL & MEDICAL DISPENSARY 408 Bryant Circle, Ste. G, Ojai
Monday-Saturday
10am-7pm
805.640.6464
Sunday
12pm-7pm
State permit C10-0000474-Lic
Visit us online at SLCC.info and on Instagram 4
@shangrila_care_center
Deborah King Amazing Energy Healing Techniques You Already Have Access to Today
T
hrough countless generations before us, our ancestors developed energy healing techniques that drew upon the power of the universe to repair the body and nurture the spirit. But how can we employ these thousands of years of personal experience to impact our own modern daily lives? It’s easier than you might think.
level. Specific, practical techniques can help you access, clear, and build energy – on purpose. Learning these methods is like being handed a secret “how-to” guide for being a thriving, happy human. Meditation. Of all energy healing techniques, the simplest is the intentional calming of the mind – allowing you to invite powerful currents to flow through you.
Whether you realize it or not, you already are a practitioner of energy healing, the art of harnessing the unseen power of the universe. Any time you feel a positive shift as a result of engaging with life, you are practicing a form of energy healing. Sound complicated? It’s not. If you are considering a life devoted to healing others, you’ll be happy to know that you have already started your training, in both big and small ways.
Clearing Chakras. The human body has 7 specific regions which are tuned to unique forms of energy. Learning to clear blockages in these channels and cultivate flow is at the heart of energy healing. Cultivating Intuition. Opening your mind to the power of the unseen begins by intentionally entering an expanded state of consciousness. Then, you’ll receive wisdom that will inform and positively affect all parts of your life.
Learn to Forge A Direct Connection To Divine Energy In Everyday Life Every time you connect with the world around you, you are participating in a form of energy work. Everything in the universe – including our own bodies – is made up of constantly moving, invisible energy. It is the “fuel” that powers all life. Whenever life inspires you, you are tapping into that energy, and promoting wellness, insight, and joy – just like a great healer or life coach would. That’s the essence of the best energy healing techniques, like the ones listed here:
Master Modern Energy Healing Techniques at the Deborah King Center Healing mind, body, and spirit with the power of energy medicine is time-tested and practiced all over the world. Even people unfamiliar with spiritual healing engage in energy work without realizing it, simply by engaging fully with the world around them. Imagine the powerful healing all of those people could achieve if they received a comprehensive training in the concepts, traditions, and techniques of energy work!
Nature. A simple walk in the park can ignite a powerful connection to energy, which can start to align all aspects of your life.
Renowned spiritual leader and New York Times best-selling author Deborah King has created a powerful institution of learning for the field of energy healing. You can access her training and over three decades of knowledge through online videos, writings, and in-person workshops. Gain the powerful knowledge to transform your life and the lives of others!
The arts. Taking time to connect with music, books, and movies can lead to transcendent states that are powerful portals of energy. Profound Life Experiences. Significant and high-intensity events – both positive and uncomfortable – can connect us to tremendous currents of energy, quickly. Make It Intentional with Practical Energy Healing Techniques Once you’ve tuned into the ways that you naturally connect with energy every day, it’s time to take your training to the next
We are all already energetic beings. Take that innate understanding to a new level by joining us at the Deborah King Center.
Deborahking.com/ojaiChakra 5
working with a client (Curtis) who was around 50 years old and wanted to get stronger, gain muscle and feel the vitality of his youth. The trainer was a former body builder and pushed him hard, which Curtis loved … until the day he pushed him so hard on leg press that it blurred his vision and he had a slight detachment of his retina.
LIVIN. Guide Personal Training and Corrective Exercise Classes
The health club was primed for a lawsuit and the manager thought I could possibly remedy the situation because of my genial demeanor and therapeutic approach to exercise. They offered him sessions with me as compensation. Curtis was understandably apprehensive, so it took a few sessions to earn his trust, but once he experienced how we methodically worked towards his goals, and he really started feeling a difference, he was all in. The crazy thing is we eventually got him to lift more weight on the leg press than when he previously hurt himself. Not by “No Pain, No Gain” but through developing a capacity for it, using breathing techniques, neuromuscular awareness, optimal body mechanics, synergistic joint stabilization, proper range of motion for load, and adapting to how the exercise feels in the moment.
W
hy do some people get to enjoy Running, Surfing, Sports, CrossFit, Dance and Yoga, while others seem to continually get injured?
The Lesson: Corrective exercises will help make the activities you love more enjoyable and injury free.
Let me explain with a story that really helped me see why the How, is the most important component of all exercise and movement.
LIVIN.GUIDE www.livin.guide heath@livin.guide 805.321.0617
I was a personal trainer in Colorado before I came to California over 10 years ago. The manager of the Health Club came to me and asked if I would help with a really difficult situation. Another trainer had been
Personal training with
HEATH PERRY
Group classes available at Sacred Space Studio & Ojai Yoga Shala
“Heath is an amazing trainer! I had issues with my hip and low back and they are so much better after working with him. Plus he’s got a really positive and encouraging atitude - I highly recommend him!” Liesel Rigsby
In home or in the studio • Pain-free Movement • Posture • Balance • Functional Strength • Optimal Flexibility
NEW YEAR SPECIAL Personal Training Starting at $190/month Includes workout plans and nutrition guidance
805.321.0617
heath@livin.guide
www.livin.guide 6
Be Calm of Ojai You could say my techniques hover between the mind and body to lift your spirit. Hypnotic suggestion attempts to seed your unconscious with positive scripts that work beneath awareness in the same way. Dr. John uses electroencephalography (EEG) to enhance hypnosis to see that a trance-like state of relaxation has been achieved. Suggestions are offered that have been discussed ahead of time in the hope that they will influence your behavior in the direction you choose.
I
f you find yourself being angry, short or ill tempered with friends or significant others you may be unwittingly responding to some past injustice that has nothing to do with your present circumstances. While the exact occurrence may be difficult or impossible to ferret out, one need not be held prisoner to inappropriate responses that wreak havoc in our closest relationships. Biofeedback can Improve your ability to quiet these internal storms without spending lots of time examining the past.
These three techniques, biofeedback, neurofeedback, and hypnotic suggestion are often used in tandem by Dr. John to achieve client goals. What clients say about Dr. John: (Many more testimonials on BeCalmofOjai.com.)
You may have devoted years to honing your golf swing, or any other skill-intensive pursuit in sports, or the performing arts, but when it comes to the critical moment in the clutch you choke. Biofeedback can calm your mind allowing your body to express your preparation and training. If you can nail it in practice but fall short when it counts biofeedback can help.
“Dr John has the soul of a healer and the mind of a scientist. His compassion and wisdom are apparent in the level of work that he does, bringing progressive thinking into alignment with deep, intuitive understanding.” “Dr. Galaska is an extremely gifted hypnotherapist. His innate ability to hone in on your issues is astounding and his gentle, insightful but scientific approach is revelatory and welcome. His sincerity and desire to help is so inspiring and infectious that I find myself thinking about him and our session.”
Have you ever been down in the pit of depression where everything looks black and there isn’t a glimmer of happiness anywhere? Sometimes an imbalance in brain waves can make one avoid participating in life, sometimes even becoming uninterested in getting out of bed. Neurofeedback has the potential to rebalance your brain without medication and its side effects. Neurofeedback allows your brain to change itself by letting your brain know exactly when the targeted brain waves have increased in amplitude, effectively re-training your brain.
“I have been working with John R. Galaska now for about 3 months over the telephone. He has been a breath of fresh air in the murky world of mental health care.” Dr. John is a college professor and enjoys presenting stress reduction seminars. Consider Dr. John if your organization would like some cutting-edge performance enhancing and stress-reducing ideas presented in a lively, audience engaging manner.
Seeing a familiar face without recalling a name is a common experience. After trying hard to retrieve the name you let it go, only to have the name fed to your consciousness hours later. You experienced the tip-ofthe-tongue phenomenon which is an example of a process working beneath awareness in your sub-conscious.
Dr. John R. Galaska 805.705.5175 BeCalmofOjai.com 7
as they recover. The ROSA Knee System brings the most advanced joint replacement technology to OVCH, the only hospital in the tricounties offering this system.
Ojai Valley Community Hospital
“Our expertise with the ROSA system is expected to attract knee surgery patients throughout the county and region to our hospital,” Lashkari said. “As technology evolves, patients want the most advanced treatment, and OVCH is the only place in the region to get it.”
Announces Enhanced Surgical Services: Brings in the New ROSA Total Knee Replacement System
OVCH’s surgery program includes general surgery with Dr. Lisa Babashoff, minimally invasive OB/GYN surgery with Dr. Kayvahn P. Steck-Bayat, podiatry surgery with Dr. James Beaty, and robotic knee replacement surgery with Drs. Thomas Golden, Petros Frousiakis, Jason Hofer and Stephan Sweet.
O
jai Valley Community Hospital (OVCH) is giving surgery patients better access to medical services closer to home, including introducing the cutting-edge ROSA Total Knee Replacement System, a new robotically assisted surgical system.
OVCH is a 25-bed acute care hospital with four beds for intensive care patients and 21 medical/surgical “swing” beds that also can serve patients needing skilled nursing care. Even more skilled nursing care beds are coming to OVCH next year when the hospital’s new Continuing Care Center opens featuring 75 beds.
“Over the years, Community Memorial Health System, OVCH and the Ojai Valley Community Hospital Foundation have been dedicated to upgrading the Ojai hospital,” said Haady Lashkari, OVCH’s chief administrative officer. Offering advanced surgical services at OVCH gives local family and friends access to patients, allowing them to better support loved ones
“We have many patients who need skilled care and use these swing beds. This, in combination with the ROSA system, greatly serves the needs of the Ojai Valley community and the active older Southern California population,” Lashkari said.
Ojai Valley Community Hospital 1306 Maricopa Hwy., Ojai www.cmhshealth.org/rosa
THE ONLY KNEE REPLACEMENT BUILT JUST FOR YOU Now Available Right Here in the Ojai Valley
Robotic Intelligence
Industry-Leading Implants and Materials
2D X-ray to 3D Bone Modeling
Predictive Outcomes
Personalized Surgical Procedures
Discover ROSA Robotic Technology Now Available EXCLUSIVELY at Ojai Valley Community Hospital ROSA® Knee robotic technology allows your surgeon to tailor a knee replacement to your unique joint anatomy. As the surgeon restructures your knee, the ROSA robot uses 3D bone modeling and real-time data to guide the process. This helps eliminate many of the problems associated with traditional knee replacements, eases your recovery and gets you back to your life faster!
1306 Maricopa Hwy., Ojai cmhshealth.org/rosa
8
The Best Cure is to promote wellbeing
T
he best way to maintain good health is to support an active and engaged lifestyle. Our Wellness Center is the Hub of programs that focus on promoting health and well-being. Supported by state-of the-art fitness equipment and a therapeutic pool, our programs are designed to enhance whole person wellness by addressing social, emotional, intellectual, physical, spiritual, and vocational needs. From strolls through the adjacent nature preserve to the latest information on Alzheimer’s disease to intergenerational activities with local schools, we seek to keep our residents healthy and connected to the Ojai community. Additionally, we believe that
a nutritious diet is at the heart of healthy living. Three balanced meals are prepared daily and served family style in each home’s dining room. We strive to enhance resident health and wellness by using locally grown, fresh ingredients. Studies show that an overwhelming majority of assisted living residents are healthier and more socially and mentally engaged than many of their non-resident peers. A lifestyle oriented toward well-being can translate to a longer, happier life. Call today to schedule a visit to experience how living well at the Artesian of Ojai can enhance your lifestyle. Call today to schedule a tour. Find out about our move-in incentives.
The Artesian of Ojai 203 E. El Roblar Drive, Ojai RCFE Pending #197609506 805.798.9305 Theartesianseniorliving.com 9
Food Harmonics
dehydrating, baking, chopping and stirring. Nuts and seeds are soaking. Raw pizza crusts are being rolled out on the back counter. Oranges, lemons and ginger are being squeezed into the Kefir water. As you walk through to the outdoor patio, you might feel inclined to ask a question or two about what we are doing. And please do, we are happy to share our enthusiasm for #Food Bliss. Three senior staff members (who have cooked and served since the doors opened three years ago) were recently asked to share their in-house recommendations for MOST delicious and nourishing. STAFF LOVES: 1. Raw Vegan Pizza 2. Salad Bowl with Bison, 3. Super Jing Adrenal Latte 4. New and Nourishing: Egg Drop Bone Broth Soup with Mushrooms, Green Onions and Kelp Noodles.
H
ealth, kindness, joy and well-being are most important to us at Food Harmonics. We love what we do and we love what we create, and more than anything we love sharing it with YOU, our community.
Coming Soon: A new BRUNCH haven on our intimate cozy patio! Our innovative brunch menu promises to be a nutrient-packed, mood-enhancing FEAST to start your day; organic, gluten-free and oh-so delicious. Hope to see you on the patio soon .... Love, the Food Harmonics team.
Take a stroll down the Arcade and slip through the welcoming doors of FOOD HARMONICS. You are greeted by smiling beautiful humans and the tantalizing aromas of freshly baked gluten-free sourdough bread, bubbling organic chai spices and a pan of sweet potato chocolate brownies. As you move further into the space, making your way past the kitchen, you may actually begin to wonder if you have entered into someone’s intimate home. The creation of wholesome, nutritionally-dense scratch food and drink is on open display here. You will find us fermenting, sprouting, pickling,
Food Harmonics 254 E Ojai Avenue 805.798.9253 FoodHarmonicsOjai.com 10
Compassionate Eating
fun in the kitchen at a cooking class, or creating special custom meals for personal clients. Our main focus and goal is to empower and inspire people to make positive diet and lifestyle choices. One of the ways we can do this is by reducing the bodies “toxic load”. This is one of the keys to wellness which is why I use all organic ingredients, healthy cookware and healing herbs and spices. Eliminating chemical exposure from plastic packaging and conventionally grown produce is also extremely helpful. We can also go beyond the plate by using re-usable bags for bulk and produce when shopping, using cloth napkins at the table, refilling dish soap and using bamboo utensils instead of single use plastic. Even making little changes like getting a cup for “here” at a coffee shop or bringing your own to-go mug can help our planet. Compassionate Eating has been featured in Connect to Well-being Magazine, the Ventura Breeze, The Ventura County Star, Edible Magazine and The Ojai Valley Guide. I offer classes with a wide range of themes at the Ojai Culinary School at the Lavender Inn which include gluten-free baking, cancer prevention and healing, raw foods, nondairy cheese making, soup and sauces, vegan tamales, tapas, diabetes prevention, holiday cooking classes, vegan sushi and ethnic fusion.
M
y business Compassionate Eating has been dedicated to educating the community and creating delicious, pure, high vibration plant-based cuisine for mind, body, spirit and planet since 2009. I’ve come to believe that by including more locally grown, organic foods into our diets we can take charge of our own health, prevent disease and help shape a greener future for generations to come.
“I truly believe in the healing power of food and that together we can make a difference with every bite we take.” -Bianca Rose, owner/head chef
Compassionate Eating 226 W. Ojai Ave, Suite 101-274, Ojai, CA 93023 805-701-9858 | compassionate.eating@mail.com
It is so rewarding to be of nourishing service to the Ojai Valley, whether it is supporting people in the healing process during retreats, having
11
Health, Healing & Wellbeing Ojai Digestive Health ~ Jacalyn Booth. Colon hydrotherapy is a gentle cleansing of your large intestine (colon). Purified and temperature regulated water gently flows into your colon helping to loosen and stimulate your own body’s peristalsis, to release fecal matter, gas, bile ���waste. ���� � �����often � � ��do ���colon ���� � ����� � ���to ��help ����with ����constipation, � and People hydrotherapy detoxing, to�feel �������gas, � � �IBS, ���Candida, ���� �� � ���cleaner �����and ���lighter, � �� � �and ���often ����use it as part of their journey to better health. Jacalyn Booth has been a Colon ���� ��� � ���� � ��������� � ������ ���������� � ���� Hydrotherapist for over 16 years, is I-ACT Certified, and strives to ����� � �environment �������� � � ��� � � � � �nurturing �� � ���and ����healing. ��� provide an of�ease, calm, www.ojaidigestivehealth.com ����� � ���������� � ��������� ����������������������805-901-3000
������ ��� �� � ���������� � ������������� ���� � ��������
Ojai Lymphatic Therapy ~ Alicia Soto. Offering customized lymphatic and �������� ����treatments ���� ����in � �the � � �Ojai ���Valley ��� for ��10 ��years. ����Owner-operator ���� myofascial release Alicia Morris Soto is a Certified Massage Therapist and Ayurvedic Health Counselor. ������ � �She ��complements ��� � ����� � �her ��treatments � � �����with ����an � �offering �����of� dietary and lifestyle consultation to optimize results. Lymphatic massage gives a gentle ��powerful ����� � �boost ����to ��any � ��� ����system ��� ���task, ����whether � ���� � ��seasonal �� flus, but immune it�be environmental or �������� � �exposure, �������pre�� ��or��post-operation, ���� ���� ����swelling ������ � ��edema, �� ���cleanses � and detoxes, hormonal balancing, digestive health, and more. “My passion is � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � for prevention and educating clients who are curious about making positive changes ��������� 805-814-1123 ������in�their ��� �lives.” ��� ��www.OjaiLymph.com ������� �
������������������ ������������
Ojai Thermography Center ~ Dawn Belden. Thermography’s role in ���� � ������ ��� �� � ��������� � ������� breast cancer and other breast disorders is to help in the early detection and �������of��abnormal ���� ��physiology �� � ����� ���the � � �������� ���of risk factors for monitoring and establishment the or�existence ��development ��������� � �����of ��disease.Thermography � � ������ ��������can ���detect �� ��early � signs of disease in the body such as, periodontal, heart, thyroid, colon other organ � ���health �� ��issues. �� � ��Thermal ������imaging ���� ���scans �� ��performed ������� ��with �� �experience �������� and and expertise allow identify health ����potential ������ � �� issues �������can �� � ����you ���to �� � �� � �and � ��understand ��� � today rather than years from now when it is more difficult to treat. Once these ����� � ����� ���� � ������� ���� � ���� ����� ��� ����� areas of concern are identified, then preventative and proactive protocols can ��implemented. ����������www.TheThermographyCenter.com � � ����������������������805-560-7602 ������ be
��� � ���� � ������ � � � ��� � ���� � ���� • ���� � ����� � ����� � ����� � � Ojai Digestive Health Ojai Lymphatic Therapy Center Ojai Thermography Center 115 Pirie Road, Suite B 12
Ojai Greens
We offer an open floor plan with items on display, iPad stations for more information, and team members to help answer all of your questions or address any concerns. This layout allows for the customer to experience, browse and shop at their own leisure. We also have plenty of parking and are ADA accessible. All of our listed prices include state cannabis excise and sales tax so there are no surprises when you check out. Our philosophy is simple “What you see is what you pay”! With all the different taxes we made it simple by including them in an all-inclusive price to enhance your consumer experience. We also take the utmost pride in building lasting relationships with our customers, city officials, law enforcement and, most importantly, our neighbors. We offer the highest-quality products on the market at the lowest prices in the county. All of our products have undergone and passed rigorous testing by state-licensed laboratories.
O
jai Greens is a fully licensed, family owned and operated Cannabis Dispensary nestled in the peaceful city of Ojai located at 410 Bryant Circle, Unit B. Our roots in the community and county date back five generations.
We strongly believe in the healing powers of cannabis and the recreational benefits it has to offer. If you think cannabis can help you in any way come on in, we are here to help.
At Ojai Greens we strive to make all our customers feel at home. Whether you are a regular or visiting for the first time we take the time to educate and inform rather than push sales to meet quotas. Everyone uses cannabis for their own unique reasons and we believe in education to help you make informed decisions when purchasing what’s best for you.
Ojai Greens 410 Bryant Circle, Unit B, Ojai, CA 93023 805.646.4420 www.OjaiGreens.com 13
The Cradle & the Crown A Return to the Heart of Love: A mytho-poetic and alchemical path to wholeness
I
With Dr. Raïna Manuel-Paris
magine moving through the world, grounded, like a wellrooted oak tree, in the Cradle of boundless Childhood Joy and Crowned by Inner Authority.
and by-pass structures of beliefs set up by the brain to protect itself from past hurts. My matrilineal ancestry is a tripod made up of North African, Native American and the Dominican Republic. In other words, I come from a long line of Brujas.
From a very young age, we are taught to leave ourselves behind and abandon our joy and our truth, in the recesses of our minds, or in our bodies. We leave the heart of love, the foundation of our well-being and our sense of self, in order to fit in. We abandon ourselves to “get love” from our family and be acceptable to our peers. We leave ourselves to “go with the flow” instead of connecting with our own flow — the flow of life itself.
From all this exploration and study over the last 25 years, I have devised The Cradle and the Crown process. The Cradle and the Crown is an alchemical technology which invokes our own imagination and experience, as well as the incredible neuro-plasticity of the brain, to establish new pathways into the heart of joy and inner authority. I often work with people to build the resilience necessary to tolerate the experience of joy and well-being.
We treat ourselves as if we are objects or things to be worked on, instead of human beings. We are in what philosopher and psychologist Martin Buber called an I-It relationship with ourselves and with life, instead of seeing ourselves and our lives as ensouled, in an I-Thou relationship. We see ourselves at a distance. We are full of judgments, some of which seem very logical, but are lacking in basic kindness and care.
Yes, joy is something you need to build tolerance for, like building strength into a muscle you barely knew existed. How many years do we spend cultivating misery, and self-defeating patterns of all kinds, from addiction to negative emotions and substitute needs? We need time to dismantle these views and reacquaint ourselves with our innate joy. The Cradle and the Crown process, assisted by the Alchemy of the Tarot, provides all the tools necessary to re-engage with life in freedom and joy.
Instead of having a spiritual experience of ourselves in the world, we have an adversarial relationship with ourselves, our feelings, minds and bodies. We then project that attitude onto the world. Sometimes it’s even conscious; we are aware of it. Most of the time, it lives under the surface, in the unconscious, and we dream of authoritarian regimes, policemen, and nasty mothers-in-law. Or we dream of losing our keys, our passport, our dog, our child.
In service of a handmade and mythical life, Raïna.
The Cradle & the Crown rainamparis @gmail.com www.rainamparis.com
We forget who we are; we pretend. We pursue and obsess about things that are substitutes for what we long for at the deepest level: creativity and connection, relatedness, affiliation in the best sense of the word. What we desire most is a sense of belonging to what is both the vulnerable closeness of a heartbeat, and a beautiful vastness that can hold all of our emotions, from grief and loss, to the exhilaration of participating in this miraculous experiment called life on planet Earth. My own adventure into coming home to the heart of love has brought me to a sense of belonging and well-being in my own body and my own life. This journey has taken me from the depths of the unconscious, and the study of dreams, to the mythic landscape of the stories common to our humanity which I taught for 17 years, and into the world of shamanism and plant medicine. It was bound to end up in Ojai. In the process I also renewed my kinship with an ancestral knowledge of the tarot and various oracle tools, which help me delve straight into soul 14
THE CRADLE AND THE CROWN
“To come to a deeper understanding of the Self, and our connection to the Mystery, and Magic of this Life, one must embrace the relationship between ourselves and the world around us; one must have the awareness that we are part of the Natural World, not separate from it.�
www.rainamparis.com 15
HEAL THRIVE GROW With Deborah’s complimentary Chakra Wisdom Chart, you can determine the state of your chakras, then clear, balance and charge them. The chakras are powerful energy fields in your body that hold the key to your physical, emotional and spiritual health. Deborah’s beautiful, full-color chart will help you decode the secrets of the seven chakras. Learn to identify and repair blocked or damaged chakras so you can experience health, happiness and the light of higher consciousness.
SAVE THE DA2T0E 20
Dec. 10-13, n Ojai Valley In Retreat
CHAKRA WISDOM C
E
DOWNLOAD YOUR CHART NOW AT:
deborahking.com/OjaiChakra
H
A
A
A
R
T
T
E
2. SEXUAL F
I
B Y
T
PHYSIC AL
H
R
PROBL EMS
WHAT
• Eating disord ers/malnou rishment • Adrenal insufficienc y • Problems with feet, legs, or coccyx • Rectal or colon canc er • Spinal proble ms • Immune-rel ated disord ers • Osteoporos is or other bone disord ers
1. ROOT W
R
R
Reconnect
• Sexual dysfun ction, impot or promiscuity ence, frigidi ty, • In wome n: fibroids, endometrio inflammato sis, pelvic ry disease, menstrual ovarian cysts dysfunction, or cancer • In men: prosta te problems or prostate • Inflammato cancer ry bowel disea Crohn's disea se, se, diverticulitis ulcerative colitis, • Appendicit is • Chronic low back pain or sciatica • Bladder or urinary proble ms • Problems with the panc reas, includ and hypog ing diabetes lycemia • Digestive difficulties, such as gastri or duodenal c ulcers • Liver proble ms, hepatitis, liver including cirrhosis, cancer • Hiatal hernia
XUS
• Gallstones • Hemorrhoid
• Problems
s, varicose veins with the splee n
CAN
DO
to the earth
W H Y
walking baref by oot on grass or on a sandy beach. Walk through a park, go hiking the wilderness, in or sit with your back again a tree to get st grounded.
Cultivate a habit of self-nu rture and self-care by immersing yourself in water on a regular basis. Or play music that duplicates the sound of the ocea n—a good way to calm your body and environmen t. Or clear and charg e this chakra by walking in the moonlight.
E
3. SOLAR PLE
YOU
your body
Spend time in the sun in early morni or before sunse ng t. (Don't get too warm you tend to if be angry or short-temp Physical move ered.) ment awak ens and recha your body, rges especially first thing in the morning. Try Tai Chi, yoga, or Pilates (outsid if possible), e, and garde ning.
DEBORAHK
ING.COM
I T
W O R K S
Presence— being here now—is essen health. Many tial for of us "split" from our bodie when we were s very young . Disassociati made sense on when it was the only way could surviv we e. We want to break this of leaving pattern our bodies when we are frightened or distracted because, in reality, we can only protect ourse lves if we stay.
Water can help heal the shame associated with the sexua l chakra. You can imagi your guilt and ne all shame dissolv ing in the bath water (with sea salt & baking soda) washed away and being as you say: "I speak the and reclai truth m my true nature. I am pure. I am clean." Wate r is healing.
Slowing down and beco ming acqu with who you ainted are and what you really key to 3rd feel is chakra health . Being in the supports an sun increase in energy, vitality connection , and to self. When we are fit healthy, we and feel able to take action intentions . Our are clearly focused. We can claim our power and stand in it, with no need to take powe r from some one else.