OMTIMES MAGAZINE MAY / ISSUE A 2018
CONTENTS 01
John Pavlovitz Exclusive Interview: A Bigger Table. Building Messy, Authentic, and Hopeful Spiritual Community
02 03
"How to Design a Neighborhood for Happiness "
04 05 06
How to apply the 5 Principles of Reiki
Using Abalone to Calm Emotions
How to Tell People You Are a Vegan Haunted Lost Places;Visual Essay
07 08 09 10
How to Build a Special Altar Why Do We Have Déjà vu Practice the 7 attitudes that Bring Happiness Feng Shui and the Garden
The origin of the word "Haunted" is most likely lost to history. The term comes from the Middle English word dating back to 1275-1325; From the Old Norse heimta to lead home, derivative of heim homewards
Learn with the Best
I S S U E
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THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
ADVENTURE
Dan Maston goes on an epic adventure
MONSTER TRUCKS ...and where to take them
ROADTRIPS OF THE YEAR Check out our list of some of the best trips you will take in your life
Looking to connect with the Conscious Community? Let OMTimes point the way!
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May A 2018
Cover Story 24
John Pavlovitz - A Bigger Table
Health & Wellness 40 44
How to Apply the 5 Principles of Reiki Using Abalone to Calm Emotions
Spirituality 48
When Not to Be Present in the Moment
OM Living 56 62 68 72 76 80
Mantras for Depression, Anxiety, and Protection Feng Shui and the Garden A Really Strict Teacher Ratatouille Remy Style How to Design a Neighborhood for Happiness The Ultimate Wealth Mantra You Haven’t Heard Of
Relationships 88 94
Who Marries An Extreme Narcissist ? 10 Essential Facts About True Love
Metaphysics
100 How to Build a Special Altar at Home 106 Haunted - A Visual Essay 112 Why Do We Have Déjà vu
Personal Growth
118 Practice the 7 Attitudes that Bring Happiness
World Vision
124 How to Tell People You Are a Vegan
Books
130 A Bigger Table
JOHN PAVLOVITZ Â Interview by Sylvia Henderson
19
FOOD NOTES | SEPTEMBER 2020
A Bigger TableBuilding Messy, Authentic and Hopeful Spiritual Community
Today our interviewee is a pastor, a writer and an activist from Wake Forest, North Carolina. In the past four years, his blog, Stuff That Needs to be Said, has reached a diverse, worldwide audience. His name is John Pavlovitz, and he is a 20-year veteran in the trenches of local church ministry. John is committed to equality, diversity, and justice, both inside and outside of faithbased communities. In his book A Bigger Table: Building Messy, Authentic and Hopeful Spiritual Community, John Pavlovitz says courage and kindness are evident as he fearlessly speaks directly into the heart of heated issues that Christian communities have publicly and privately wrestled with for decades regarding LGBTQ inclusion, gender equality, racial tensions and global concerns.
John's is a voice that is unique. A voice that cries out to the Christian community to put an end to exclusion, bigotry, divisiveness, and fear. A voice that longs to see churches emulate unconditional love and demonstrate wholehearted acceptance of everyone with compassion and radical hospitality, total authenticity, messy diversity and create agenda-free spiritual communities that leaves no one left out. John Pavlovitz: Thank you so much. It's a thrill to get the invitation. Sylvia Henderson: For those who are not familiar with you and aren't sure what your mission is and, can you tell us about yourself and your spiritual journey?
OMTIMES | MAY 2018
John Pavlovitz: I grew up in Upstate New York. I was raised Catholic, and so a Roman Catholic Italian family. So, I tell people I was raised on gluten and guilt, and I grew up in Upstate New York. And slowly, as I got a little older, approached college years, I kind of drifted from that faith. I wasn't really connecting it to kind of everyday life and wasn't see it, the church being what I thought the church was supposed to be.
OMTIMESÂ | Â MAY 2018
And really, through the process of moving to Philadelphia and being exposed to a great deal of diversity, being exposed to poverty, my heart began to change, and I started to really embrace sort of that bigger table idea of living. And 10 years later, I was sort of pulled back into organized religion, started volunteering for a church and found myself after that becoming a pastor, which was a completely unexpected path for me.
OMTIMES | MAY 2018
OMTIMES | MAY 2018
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OMTIMES | MAY 2018
I S S U E
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THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
ADVENTURE
Dan Maston goes on an epic adventure
MONSTER TRUCKS ...and where to take them
ROADTRIPS OF THE YEAR
Shakti World
Powerful Jewelry
Check out our list of some of the best trips you will take in your life
Health & Wellness Innovative new approaches to Healing as well as holistic methods for dealing with health issues and personal growth
Reiki:
The 5 Principles Attunements
How to apply the 5 Principles of Reiki Mikao Usui, the founder of Reiki, was an admirer of the literary works of Emperor Meiji. While in the process of developing his Reiki system, Usui summarized some of the emperor’s works into a set of ethical principles, which later became known as the Five Reiki Precepts from the Buddhist teachings (against killing, thievery,
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sexual misconduct, lying, and intemperance). It is common for many Reiki teachers and practitioners to abide by these five precepts, or principles. 1. Just for today – I will not be angry Anger is the feeling we experience when events in our world are not going according to our plans. Anger is one
of the most common and destructive delusions affecting our minds. Because it is based on an exaggeration, anger is an expression of our belief system and how we defend it. It’s as if we have an inner idea of how things, events, and people should be for us. When we get angry and either feel frustrated or try to change them, we tend to give away our power! Many of us remain a victim to our tempers all of our lives. In essence, anger is the feeling we get when we want to control the world around us. According to Japanese and Chinese traditions, anger is most prevalent in the Spring. It is considered the emotion of Spring. Although we can and do experience anger at any time or season, it is Spring when we are most easily angered. This is believed to be due to the changes of light and dark and the balance between them. It is very important to identify the actual cause of whatever unhappiness we feel. If we are forever blaming our difficulties on others, this is a sure sign that there are still many problems and faults within our own mind.
If we were truly peaceful inside and had our mind under control, difficult people or circumstances would not be able to disturb this peace, and so we would feel no compulsion to blame anyone or regard them as our enemy. To someone who has subdued his or her mind and eradicated the last trace of anger, all beings are friends. Attunement Meditation: Walking 2. Just for today – I will not worry Worry can only serve you well if you worry and recognize that a plan of action is needed, in a stressful situation and then you act on it. Sympathy and nurturing are traits that make up our personality, but excessive worry becomes a state of restlessness and agitation, producing mental uneasiness, foreshadowing, anxiety, and painful uncertainty. The “what if” syndrome is a constant pattern that is played out in the mind of someone who worries too much. The emotional aspect of earth can carry a deep sense of emptiness. This tends to make worry or Omtimes.com
overthinking even worse. This downward spiral creates a destructive behavior that makes the earth personality seek out constant reassurance and a sense of neediness. Worry is a destroyer of the soul. Left unchecked, worry lends itself to hysteria. Every system in your body is affected by worry. It affects the respiratory system and aggravates asthma. Since the lungs are related to the skin, it affects the skin by causing rash, itching or hives. It affects the circulatory system raising blood pressure, increasing blood clotting and your risk of heart attack and stroke. Muscle tension can lend itself to headaches, back, and body aches. Of course, the related organ, the spleen, and stomach will increase stomach acid, affects your intestines and can lead to stomach pain, constipation, diarrhea, gas or heartburn. Since much of the immune system is apart of the digestive tract, there is growing evidence that suggests chronic worry can compromise your immune system, making you more vulnerable to dis-ease. Learn the techniques to stop the worry. Attunement Meditation: Instant Calming Omtimes.com
3. Just for today – I will be humbled with gratitude Gratitude is the thanks you give yourself and others. It is the recognition that you are constantly grateful for every small blessing you receive each day. The gift of sight, a meal on your plate, a productive workday, your relationship. The possibilities are endless… and so should your gratitude be. Happiness is an expression of gratitude. Research has found that a great deal of unhappiness stems from negative and ungrateful thoughts. Happiness is not just a life lived by accumulating moments of pleasure. Happiness is a rhythm, an order, a balance. We choose to be happy and truly grateful.Remember: Energy follows thought. Program thoughts of gratitude and your energy will reflect it! Attunement Meditation: Letting Go 4. Just for today – I will be and do my work, honestly Being honest with yourself in all that you do and think is very important for you as a person. To Thy Own Self-be true. You cannot
fool yourself. You have to live your life and see that person looking back at in the mirror. When we are honest with ourselves, it can change our life and the lives of the people around us. When I give a Reiki treatment, I ask honestly for Reiki to be given for that person’s highest good. It makes me feel so happy when someone comes back after their Reiki and say they feel better and calmer and feel more in control of their lives and what happens in it. I had looked back on my own life and faced the times when I was being dishonest with something or someone and realized I was only hurting myself. At the end of the day, I have to live with the person I see in the mirror every day. I will act with professional responsibility and integrity in my dealings with clients, employers, employees, and the community in general. By this I mean: Understand the code of honesty and professional ethics. Attunement Meditation: Connecting 5. Just for today – I will be kind and compassionate Compassion is a virtue, one in which the emotional capacities of
empathy and sympathy (for the suffering of others) are regarded as a part of love itself, and a cornerstone of greater social interconnection and humanism – a foundation to the highest principles in philosophy, society, and humility. There is an aspect of compassion, which regards a quantitative dimension, such that individual’s compassion is often given a property of “depth,” “vigor,” or “passion.” More vigorous than empathy, the feeling commonly gives rise to an active desire to alleviate another’s suffering. It is often, though not inevitably, the key component in what manifests in the social context as altruism. In ethical terms, the various expressions down the ages of the so-called Golden Rule embodied by implication of the principle of compassion: Do to others what you would have them do to you. Attumenent Meditation: Compassionate State Andrew Pacholyk, MS L.Ac http://www.peacefulmind.com/ apply-the-5-principles-of-reiki/ “Living life, consciously.” Therapies for healing mind, body, spirit Omtimes.com
Using Abalone to Calm Emotions
Properties: Although not a crystal, abalone shell has been used for centuries in jewelry and carvings. Nicknamed the sea ears, the Abalone’s flattened, oval shape with the iridescent interior was used by the Native Northwest American Indians as a natural vessel for cleansing, offerings, and prayers. Embracing the colors of the ocean, the shell displays iridescent colors in its blues, greens, purples, and yellows. This unique shell embodies all the aspects of the Omtimes.com
water element including love, beauty, gentleness, caring, comfort, peacefulness, delight and solace It is soft to the touch from repeated tumbling in the sand and water. Abalone is useful for handling and calming emotional situations and is very soothing to the mind/ body. When working through any emotional situation, have abalone nearby as it is believed to be beneficial and promotes cooperation. Abalone is associated with all the Chakra en-
ergies. In particular, it seems to work the best on the Solar Plexus Chakra, stimulating that gut feeling. Abalone is especially good for the Heart Chakra, as it gently clears the heart of fear, sorrow, and negative emotions. Abalone allows your intuitive resources to stimulate psychic development and intuition through the Third Eye Chakra. Folk Remedies: Abalone has been used for arthritis and other joint disorders, muscle problems, the heart, and digestion. Feng Shui: Use in the Center area for grounding, balance, good health, spirituality and a sense of peace. Crystal Cleansing: Abalone can be cleansed and discharged of negative energy every month by running it under warm water or placing it in a bowl of water and adding a teaspoon of sea salt. Charge abalone by the light of the sun and/or full moon for 2448 hours. History: Abalone is small to very large edible sea snails. The shell of abalones has a convex, rounded to oval shape, and the shell may be highly arched or very
flattened. The shell is ear shaped and characterized by several open respiratory pores in a row near the shell’s outer edge. The last one is aeriform such that the shell resembles an “ear.” Common names for abalones also include ear-shells, sea-ears, and Venus’s-ears. For thousands of years, the abalone existed with its natural marine predators. Native Americans harvested abalone from the intertidal zone. Asians harvested abalone in California during the 1800s and early 1900s. Shells are part of a living ecosystem, made up from calcium carbonate and grow in the ocean. Many types of shell have been used instead of gemstones for centuries. Abalone shell has been used for centuries in jewelry and carvings. In the Apache tradition, a disc of abalone shell is worn on the forehead of Apache girls, on the morning of their initiation into womanhood. Native Northwest American Indians as a natural vessel for cleansing, offerings, and prayers. Andrew Pacholyk, MS. L.Ac http://www.peacefulmind.com/ crystals Therapies for healing mind, body, spirit Omtimes.com
Simply Spiritual To perceive reality from a different perspective is to open oneself to the wonders and unlimited wealth of creation. Simply Spiritual offers the opportunity to visit new places, new methods, and different ways to perceive the vast human knowledge of our Universe.
When Not to Be Present in the Moment by Carl Greer, PhD, PsyD Learning to be present in the moment is an admirable goal. When we are fully focused on what is happening in the present moment, feel gratitude for all we have right now and make better
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decisions. However, there are times when you should aspire not to present in the moment. Letting your mind wander to the past and future can help you to achieve your goals and experience self-understanding, selfacceptance, and self-love. It’s true that reminiscing about the past, thinking of the good old days when you were younger and more fit, accomplished, admired, or respected might make you melancholy, especially if you have regrets. Maybe listening to the music of your past gives you bittersweet pleasure as you think about the joy you had and the pleasures that may never come again. But what if you could recapture aspects of the self you were when those songs were popular, when you felt the possibilities for your life were boundless? Imagine yourself as you are today, standing next to the self you once were, sharing each others’ energy,
emotions, and wisdom. Imagine you could bring with you the excitement yet keep your wisdom, gained through experience. What if you could regain much of what you lost or left behind? If your mind wanders to the future, do you tell yourself you shouldn’t daydream, that you should be realistic? Maybe you should not be so quick to stop your mind from pondering the possibilities of what might be. Or perhaps you think about what lies ahead and become anxious. Do you worry about what you might lose or how you ight suffer, or do you see opportunities for joy, growth, and new experiences? Do you every just let yourself daydream about a future that would bring excitement and joy to an arid life that you are currently living? Do you believe that a much better future is possible for you? Memories can be sustaining and remind us that we have
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not lost our ability to engage the world with a sense of enthusiasm, ready to create something new for ourselves. Daydreams can help us bring into being what otherwise might not have materialized. In the present moment, we can forget all the positive insights and ideas that can arise when we let our minds wander to the past and future. In my quest to become better at counseling people and helping them write better stories for their lives, I have studied with many shamans. I’ve learned that shamans will often track the future of the person who has come to them seeking healing. They do not look for the most likely trajectory but for a preferred one. Knowing what could be, however unlikely it might seem to the rational mind, the shaman brings back helpful energies from the
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future so the seeker’s energy field can be altered. This healing experience can set the person on a new course. What if you could change the course of your life? What would you want to experience? A shaman might also travel to the past to seek lost soul parts, split off from a person’s energy field. By letting yourself remember who you once were, you might reclaim lost optimism and forgotten courage that can serve you today and into the future. You could act as your own shaman and use rituals and techniques for healing that bring to you today the best of the past and the gifts of possibility that lie in your future. One of the benefits of reminiscing and daydreaming is that you can recognize that you want to change your life for the better even though you have
much to be thankful for today. Your ability to release what is not working for you, bring in what you desire, and change the path you are on may be much greater than you think. So let yourself dream of reclaiming what you lost and bringing into your life what you never had. Then commit to letting go of the old story of your life that is no longer serving you. Learn how to change your story and change your life through using techniques for healing that allow you to work with the past and future as shamans do—for example, you might use journeying, dialoguing, ritual, or ceremony. The choice to do healing work can help you retain all that you are grateful for right now in this moment yet experience even greater happiness, health, and
abundance. So don’t be too hard on yourself if you find your mind wandering to the past as a feeling of nostalgia arises—or wandering to the future as you daydream about achieving what you desire. Be present in the moment when you can. But use your nostalgic reminiscing and your daydreaming as inspiration. Commit to working with the past and the future through daydreaming, envisioning, and remembering instead of always focusing on today, and don’t be too hard on yourself if in the present you find your mind wanders. Carl Greer, PhD, PsyD, is a practicing clinical psychologist, Jungian analyst and shamanic practitioner. He teaches at the C.G. Jung Institute of Chicago and is on staff at the Replogle Center for Counseling and Well-Being. Learn more at CarlGreer.com.
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OM Living For those living a more Conscious Lifestyle
Feng Shui and the Garden by Kartar Diamond
The branch of Feng Shui which concerns itself with the natural landscape is often called “Form School” or “Landscape School.”
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Reasons for paying attention to a garden or a home’s exteriors: 1. To make sure that the house is adequately protected from harsher elements (like wind and rain) 2. To enhance the energies of a house 3. To shore up or help maintain the good energies which flow around a structure 4. To create an extension of the house and its functions. Reason #1 When you have a house that is perched at the very top if a hill, it can be vulnerable to high force winds. What is needed is an armchair like landscape where there can be walls, hedges, and/or trees to protect the house from having too much wind whip around it. As well, if you had a house at the very bottom of a hill, it could be vulnerable
to flooding so the landscape would need to help divert or shield the house from an onslaught of excessive water drainage. There always needs to be a balance. For instance, a house that has too many trees and casts a chronic shadow on the house could make the house very dark, and the occupants will get depressed. At the same time, a house without any vegetation around it will feel desolate, and there could even be a circumstance of too much sun beating down on it. So, Feng Shui for the landscape is critical in creating the balance of yin and yang aspects. Reason #2 Enhancing the energies inside a house by doing something on the outside is confirmation that the two spaces work together. They influence each other. If you had a pool
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outside the house but aligned very closely with an interior area that should not have any water, there could be problems as a result of that. There are four major house types. Two of those house types should have water in the front, and two of those four house types should technically have water in the back. In Feng Shui theory, water features are not placed randomly because they may look or feel nice, but for a very specific and targeted effect. Reason #3 Most properties have a defined shape to the lot itself. In a residential setting, the lot may be outlined by fences or walls, sometimes a change in the land level. If there is a gaping hole in the perimeter of the property or none at all, the end result is that the occupants will have difficulties saving money. So a major goal
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in the Feng Shui gardening techniques is to make sure this does not happen. It matters less which plants or trees are used, just so long as they are creating a less permeable border to the property. Reason #4 Sometimes the garden is most useful as an extension of the living space and to provide tranquil, meditative views. If a room is relatively small but can provide large windows or glass doors leading to a garden, it gives the occupant the experience of being outside when they really are not, and it makes the room inside feel bigger. In keeping with the concept that “your home should be your castle,� having a beautiful, lush, healthy garden can also be a wonderful retreat from the stresses of life. This in and of itself is good Feng Shui.
Feng Shui Garden Myths 1. That each corner of your garden represents a life station (such as wealth or marriage). This notion was created in the 1970’s and is an extension of the New Age Feng Shui.
plants will drain the land of it good “chi” or life force energy. (A drought-resistant landscape is fine, however). 2. A diseased tree or one that buckles foundation or strangles plumbing should be removed.
2. That your garden furniture must be a certain element (such as wood or metal) depending on where you position it.
3. A pool should not be too close to the house. A distance of at least 10-15 feet is preferred.
3. That certain colored flowers are needed in certain directions. (This is another example of people misinterpreting Five Element Theory).
4. Curving, meandering paths in a garden are better than straight passageways because the chi (air currents) can develop more healthful effects when they curl and wind.
4. A tree that is aligned with a front door should be removed. This is only necessary if the tree is very close to the door and blocking light and access to the door. General Feng Shui Garden Truths
Feng Shui Solutions ® since 1992 From the Landscape and Exteriors Series http://fengshuisolutions.net
1. A dead or dying lawn or
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A Really Strict Teacher by Kaya & Christiane Muller
A mother of 6 children shared with us the experience and signs she receives with her children – a family that is learning to live in angelic conscience every second of their life. Omtimes.com
Here is one of their life experiences: “One evening, after the children had gone to bed, I heard someone crying. I went up to the room the crying was coming from, and there I found my daughter Clara awake and in tears.
The evening is a good time to share deeply about life with my eldest child, my 9-yearold daughter; it’s when she leaves her sometimes overintense emissivity aside and becomes receptive and listens attentively to symbolic stories and teachings. Hence parts of her unconscious resurface, and they are magnificent tools to help her grow up well.
That evening, it was an incident that had occurred in her computer class during the day that had resurfaced and was upsetting her. She explained to me that she had made a mistake: instead of entering the school address, she had entered her home address, which had blocked her computer and she hadn’t been able to connect to the school network. She told me she hadn’t dared tell the teacher because he was really strict. Together we simply took the time to analyze the resonance there was what had happened to help her understand why she was crying so much.
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Like in a dream, we can analyze situations that we encounter in our daily life, and we can understand them in depth via symbolic language and work with Traditional Angel Study. Thus the teacher represents part of her that teaches her, but not in a positive way since she is so afraid of him that she can’t admit her learning mistakes. I was able to tell my daughter Clara that she had a part within her that was too demanding, that really lacked gentleness, so it wasn’t nice and gentle with her, and, like in a dream, that’s why she had attracted a teacher that was too strict. It was as though she’d hit herself over the head because she’d made a mistake and it hurt; it hurt so much that it was making her cry now. She looked at me and said, “What I like about you, Mom, is that what seems unimportant to others is always important to you. You understand that what I feel in my heart and energy can
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be really intense for me.” And she added, “It’s true, you know; lots of people would say, ‘It’s nothing, Clara! You just made a mistake; your teacher won’t do anything to you. Hey, come on! It’ll pass! It’s nothing!’ But you always listen to me, and you really explain to me what’s happening to me. It really helps me to understand that it comes from the memories that I need to work on because I know I can. I have attracted that teacher because I am strict also with myself. If I have put the home address instead of the school address… maybe it is because you are my best teacher!”
We ended by explaining that what happens to us, what we live and experience is always
the materialization of our own conscience, that life is like a dream, that we attract what we are, and that always serves to awaken blocks of memories within us. It’s true that the computer mistake wasn’t very serious at all but the memories that it had awakened in her were very strong and upsetting. If we don’t deal with them, sooner or later, they will create difficulties in our life, and when we grow up and become an adult, these difficulties always become even greater. So how do we deal with them? How can we cleanse and transcend them? I advised Clara to invoke Angel 9 Haziel, to tell her inner teacher over and over again to be nice and gentle with her, and to do this as soon as she feels her strict inner teacher manifest with herself or with her brothers and sisters and friends. For more info on Kaya & Christiane Muller: UCM Teaching and Research Center, www.ucm.ca
BOOKS AVAILABLE: The Book of Angels, The Hidden Secrets by Kaya & Christiane Muller The Book of Angels, The Divine Couple by Kaya & Christiane Muller The Dictionary, The Source Code, Dreams–Signs–Symbols by Kaya Becoming an Angel, The Path to Enlightenment, Autobiography by Kaya Angelica Yoga, Introduction by Kaya & Christiane Muller The Spiritual Diary of a NineYear-Old Child by Kasara In the Land of Blue Skies by Kaya & Christiane Muller; illustrated by Gabriell Also: The 72 Angel Cards (with explanatory booklet) by Kaya & Christiane Muller
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Ratatouille Remy
Style
Ratatouille is famous Provençal Vegetarian French dish that intrigued many of us when it was portrayed in a Disney movie with the same name. The movie is the story of Remy is an idealistic and ambitious young rat, gifted with highly developed senses of taste and smell.
Ratatouille Ingredients BY FABLUNCH
Roasted Pepper Sauce (Double the recipe if desired)
• 2 bell peppers (1 red and 1 yellow) • 2 medium tomatoes • 1 onion • 1 tbsp grapeseed oil • salt and pepper Vegetables • 2 medium zucchinis • 2 small eggplants • 3-4 medium tomatoes Herbal Seasoning • 2-3 tbsp grapeseed oil • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced • •
¼ ¼
cup fresh dill, chopped cup fresh parsley, chopped
• salt and pepper
Directions Roasted Pepper Sauce 1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
Place whole
peppers on a baking tray and roast for 40-45 minutes until they become soft.
2.
Place roasted peppers in a bowl. Cover and
let cool for about an hour.
3.
Meanwhile, peel the tomatoes and roughly
chop them with the onion.
4.
After an hour, peel and core the peppers
with your hands. Cut into small pieces.
5.
Heat oil in a large pot. Then, add onion and
cook for 4-5 minutes over medium heat until it becomes translucent.
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6. Add cut peppers and cook for 2-3 Assembling the Ratatouille
minutes.
7. Add tomatoes to the pot and
1. To assemble the Ratatouille,
season the sauce with salt and pepper. Continue cooking for 5-7
preheat the oven to 180C/350F and
minutes until the sauce thickens up.
8. Place the sauce in a blender and blend until smooth.
them to create a pattern. Add as many slices as needed to fill the gap in the middle.
1. Thoroughly wash and dry the vegetables. Using a sharp knife or a mandolin slicer, cut zucchinis,
2. Pour the herbal seasoning over the vegetables and cover the casserole
eggplants and tomatoes into circles
½ inch thick.
dish with a lid or a piece of parchment paper. Bake for about an
Herbal Seasoning 1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.
Place sliced vegetables along the outer edge of the dish alternating
Vegetables
that are
pour the sauce into the casserole.
hour.
3. To serve, add roasted vegetables to each plate with a generous amount of the sauce. Sprinkle fresh herbs on top if desired.
http://blog.fablunch.com/disney-inspired-ratatouille/ Fablunch |
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THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
ADVENTURE
Dan Maston goes on an epic adventure
MONSTER TRUCKS ...and where to take them
ROADTRIPS OF THE YEAR Check out our list of some of the best trips you will take in your life
How to Design a Neighborhood for Happiness By Jay Walljasper
Biology is destiny, declared Sigmund Freud. But if Freud were around today, he might say “design is destiny”— especially after taking a
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stroll through most American cities. The way we design our communities plays a huge role in how we experience our lives. Neighborhoods built without sidewalks, for instance, mean that people walk less and therefore experience fewer spontaneous encounters, which is what instills a spirit of community to a place. That’s a chief cause of the social isolation so rampant in the modern world that contributes to depression, distrust and other maladies. You don’t have to be a therapist to realize all this creates lasting psychological effects. It thwarts the connections between people that encourage us to congregate, cooperate and work for the common good. We retreat into ever more privatized existences. Of course, this is no startling revelation. Over the past 40
years, the shrinking sense of community across America has been widely discussed, and many proposals outlined about how to bring us back together. One of the notable solutions being put into practice to combat this problem is New Urbanism, an architectural movement to build new communities (and revitalize existing ones) by maximizing opportunities for social exchange: public plazas, front porches, corner stores, coffee shops, neighborhood schools, narrow streets and, yes, sidewalks. This line of thinking has transformed many communities, including my own World War I-era neighborhood in Minneapolis, which thankfully has sidewalks but was once bereft of the inviting public places that animate a community. Now I marvel at all the choices I have to
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mingle with the neighbors over a cappuccino, Pabst Blue Ribbon, juevos rancheros, artwork at a gallery opening or head of lettuce at the farmer’s market. But while New Urbanism is making strides at the level of the neighborhood, we still spend most of our time at home, which today means seeing no one other than our nuclear family. How could we widen that circle just a bit? Not a ‘60s commune (“pass the brown rice, comrade, and don’t forget your shift cleaning the toilet”), but good neighbors with whom we share more than a property line. That’s an idea Seattle-area architect Ross Chapin has explored for many years, and now showcases in an inspiring and beautiful new book: Pocket Neighborhoods: Creating a Small-Scale Community in a Large-Scale World.
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He believes that groupings of four to twelve households make an ideal community “where meaningful ‘neighborly’ relationships are fostered.” But even here, design shapes our destiny. Chapin explains that strong connections between neighbors develop most fully and organically when everyone shares some “common ground.” That can be a semi-private square, as in the pocket neighborhoods Chapin designed in the Seattle area. In the book’s bright photographs, they look like grassy patches of paradise, where kids scamper, flowers bloom, and neighbors stop to chat. But Chapin points out these commons can take many different forms: An apartment building in Cambridge with a shared backyard, a group of
neighbors in Oakland who tore down their backyard fences to create a commons; a block in Baltimore that turned their alley into a public commons, or the residential pedestrian streets found in Manhattan Beach, California, and all around Europe. The benefits of living in a pocket neighborhood go farther than you might imagine. I lived in one while in graduate school, a rundown 1886 rowhouse with its own courtyard near the University of Minnesota campus. At no other time in my life have I become such close friends with my neighbors. We shared impromptu afternoon conversations at the picnic table and parties that went into the early hours of the morning under Italian lights we strung from the trees. When the property was sold to an ambitious young man who jacked up the rents to
raise capital for the eventual demolition of the building to make way for an ugly new one, we organized a rent strike. And we won, which would never have happened if we had not already forged strong bonds with each other. Because the judged ruled that the landlord could not raise our rents until he fixed up the building, he abandoned plans to knock it down. It still stands today, and I remain friends with some of the old gang that partied in the courtyard.
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This piece is from Jay Walljasper’s book All That We Share: A Field Guide to the Commons, which chronicles the emerging movement to save what belongs to everyone. A not to be missed related read is Jay’s earlier article, “Can We Design Cities for Happiness?”
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The Ultimate Wealth Mantra You Haven’t Heard Of By Dr. Baskaran Pillai Pillai Center Founder
There once was an emperor of ancient India named Kausika. He was an unstoppable force who was able to conquer or submit every ruler on earth. He was extremely righteous, and equally as compassionate. He wanted everyone in his kingdom to experience wealth as he did.
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OMTimes Magazine May A 2018 Edition
However, despite his best efforts, he was unable to give his citizens the wealth he desired. One day while traveling with his army, he came across a great yogi named Vashishta. Kausika watched in amazement as Vashishta created enough food to feed his entire army through a magical cow named Kamadhenu. Kamadhenu was said to have been gifted to Vashistha from the God Shiva, and able to fulfill any desire instantaneously. Thinking he finally discovered a solution to make all of his citizen’s as wealthy, Kausika offered Vashishta all kinds of riches to secure Kamadhenu. Vashishta refused. Kausika decided to take the cow by force. He ordered his army to capture it. They were all put down by the spiritual power of Vashista and Kamadhenu. It was at this time Kausika had an epiphany: Spiritual power was much greater than temporal power. He decided to turn to spirituality to make his dream a reality, and became a yogi. But Kausika wasn’t an ordinary yogi. The might which enabled him to be emperor of the entire world translated into unmatched spiritual tenacity and prowess. It is said that this great being meditated and did penance for 1,500 years to discover how to make all of his citizen’s wealthy. All of this is documented in sacred oracle texts known as “Nadis.” So, what did solution did he receive? omtimes.com
OMTimes Magazine May A 2018 Edition
A sound, or mantra, called “Brzee”. In honor of his incredible feat, he became known as Vishvamitra, which means “Friend of the World,” and is recognized as one of the greatest yogis who has ever lived. He also discovered the famous Gayatri mantra for the Sun. The mantra Brzee cannot be found in any ancient texts or scriptures. It was given to Dr. Pillai by Vishvamitra himself through an oracle reading. Dr. Pillai added Shreem to it to increase its potency. The ultimate mantra for wealth, Shreem Brzee, was born. Since Shreem Brzee has been released, ordinary people have been able to acquire mansions, cars, land, and all kinds of money-related wealth. But what makes Shreem Brzee special is that it’s not limited to just money. It includes all forms of wealth like the wealth of health, relationships, even spiritual enlightenment. But, there is a catch.
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You have to receive the mantra through Dr. Pillai, as ordained by Vishvamitra. Vishvamitra chose Dr. Pillai to be the one to share them with the world, and as a result, Dr. Pillai has something akin to a divine copyright of the mantra. But, it doesn’t cost you anything to receive it. His educational company Pillai Center offers the mantra, a short meditation, and an online program on how to use them for free. If you’re struggling to experience the wealth you want, try Shreem Brzee. It’s worked for thousands of people. It can work for you too.
Click HERE to download the mantra Shreem Brzee from the Pillai Institute. Dr. Pillai will be hosting a Free Wealth Workshop on May 6th and 13th. You are invited to attend, get details here. > >
OMTimes Magazine May A 2018 Edition
Conscious Dating Makes all The Difference
"Real Spiritual Love " ASCENDIGHEARTS.COM
Relationships The interconnectiveness among all human beings and, consequently, the relationships among us are the focus of this section. The dynamics of the web of connections we make is one of the most prominent aspects of human existence: how we interlace with each other’s existence in a meaningful way.
Who Marries An Extreme Narcissist? By Marcia Sirota, MD.
Recently, it was Family Day, and I got to thinking about all the different types of families there are singleparent families, blended families, LGBTQ families, mixed-race families, multi-faith families. The family that I’m most interested in these days is that of the extreme narcissist. I’ll follow this post with one about the children of extreme narcissists. Right now, I want to focus on their spouse.
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What makes a person marry an extreme narcissist? What makes this person stay with the narcissist, perhaps for years? How does the spouse feel in such a marriage? What personality traits might be shared by the spouses of extreme narcissists?
Deep down, the extreme narcissist feels inadequate and insecure. As a result, they’re tremendously touchy and easily insulted. They need to surround themselves with fawning acolytes who are constantly building them up.
An extreme narcissist is a person characterized by a complete lack of empathy for other people. They feel superior to others and see people as either enabling them to get what they want or preventing them from getting what they want.
The extreme narcissist needs to be admired and adored. They can’t tolerate being questioned or challenged. Their spouse, therefore, must always coddle them and must never, ever make them feel bad about themselves in any way.
The extreme narcissist is incapable of love. They can pretend, but it’s never real. They use people, but they don’t care about them. The extreme narcissist might enjoy what another person does for them, but they’re unable to value this person or form a meaningful attachment to them.
The extreme narcissist who has wealth or power will seek out a spouse who makes them look good to others; someone who’ll boost their fragile ego. They want a spouse who’ll give them a strategic advantage in their social or business dealings. They’ll marry someone who’s attractive, wealthy or wellconnected. Better yet, all of the above.
To the extreme narcissist, everyone is expendable. People are interchangeable, depending on the narcissist’s needs at the moment. To be in a personal relationship with an extreme narcissist is to never be loved for oneself.
The extreme narcissist tends to go through spouses like they go through any of their other possessions. They’ll get what they need from their spouse and then trade them in for a Omtimes.com
new model, in the same way as people go for an upgrade on a vehicle. The spouse of the extreme narcissist shouldn’t expect to stick around for long, even if they’re willing to put up with the narcissist’s selfish or hurtful behavior. The extreme narcissist might be superficially charming to people outside their family, but at home, they let their true, nasty colors show. They desire recognition and praise, so they’ll make an effort to butter up those people who’ll speak highly of them in public and bolster their reputation. At home, they have no need to be pleased with their spouse. The prey has been caught; the trophy acquired. The spouse of the extreme narcissist should expect neglect at best; abuse at worst. There are two types of people who’ll marry an extreme narcissist: a people-pleaser or another narcissist. One narcissist will marry another, perhaps even more extreme narcissist, to establish a mutually-exploitative and mutually beneficial relationship. Omtimes.com
Both narcissists understand that there’s no love to be found in this arrangement - which is more like a business transaction than a meaningful, intimate connection. Both people are using the other to facilitate their own goals. One narcissist will choose to become the spouse of a more extreme narcissist to have a wealthy lifestyle or more popularity. They desire social status, influence, fame. They’ll use the money and connections of their spouse to build their own brand. Examples of two narcissists together can be found in the coupling of a popular musician with a social media personality, or the marriage of a powerful head of state with a former model. Problems can arise when one of the narcissists in the marriage is more extreme than the other and more exploitative. The other narcissist might become indignant and push back. Trouble will certainly ensue. These marriages may last if both spouses are achieving their goals and neither one is feeling put upon, but sometimes, the clash of egos can result in a
cataclysmic break-up. When two narcissists are angry at each-other, prepare to duck as the missiles are fired back and forth. To paraphrase an old quote, Hell hath no fury like a narcissist scorned. On the flip side of the coin, the other type of person who’ll marry an extreme narcissist is a peoplepleaser. This is someone who’s looking for their spouse for love and validation. They believe that by being “nice,” they’ll finally be appreciated and can feel better about themselves. Sadly, the people-pleaser is attracted to people-users, like extreme narcissists. The extreme narcissist, in turn, is attracted to the pleaser, believing that this person is more likely to give them what they want, whenever they want it. In this dynamic, the extreme narcissist exploits the pleaser until they’ve used them up. The narcissist then moves on to their next conquest. Often, the pleaser gets burnt out, has a mental or physical breakdown or finally gets angry at being so horribly exploited and sues for divorce.
These marriages rarely end well for the pleaser, who may never fully recover from their time with the extreme narcissist. The narcissist, however, being far more crafty and unscrupulous, as well as emotionally impervious, will most often escape unscathed. When two narcissists marry, they deserve each other, and all bets are off, but it’s sad to see the tender-hearted people-pleaser being so blatantly exploited. If you recognize in yourself any people-pleasing tendencies, be very careful about whom you’re attracted to. The last thing you want is to find yourself on the family day next year being unhappily married to an extreme narcissist who’s incapable of loving you or seeing you for the beautiful and valuable person that you are. My new book, Be Kind, Not Nice: How to Stop People-Pleasing, Build Your Confidence and Discover Your Authentic Self is now available on Amazon.com Sign up here for my free monthly wellness newsletter. Omtimes.com
10 essential facts about true love By Ascending hearts
True love still is the definitive goal of many people. The desire of true love is reinforced by our culture, which has long taught us that
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the love of another person is the only thing that can save us, make us whole and able to enjoy real happiness.
partners of our dreams, we must first work on ourselves to become the model of what we want to attract.
Encouraged by this passionate belief, we set high standards and many ideas of how true love is in our vision.
2. Set healthy limits
However, not everything is simple. If we want to find real and true love, we must be ready to accept some essential truths about love and the search for it.
Below are 10 essential truths about the quest for real love:
It is essential to set boundaries, but wise and healthy boundaries. For example, your partner wanting to spend time with your friends is not a reason for discussions and crises. We all have, or should have, lives beyond our relationships. Recognize your partner’s needs and accept them, and make sure he/she does the same.
1. To find the right person, you first need to be the right person
3. Without healthy communication, there is no real love.
We need to be the kind of person we want to have in our lives. It is unfair and wrong to want a committed partner if you run away from all responsibilities in your life, for instance. To achieve the
Silence has no place in mature and healthy relationships. It is through communication that we organize our relationships, communicate our needs, desires, and mutual goals.
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The practice of healthy Communication should be a beneficial outlet for both partners.
personal goals and dreams always present. Do not give up on your wishes and hopes for a relationship.
If you have some feeling or thought that needs to be shared, it is essential that you seek your partner and be honest with him/her. Do not run away and do not expect him/her to magically understand that something is wrong with you without communicating correctly.
5. Be aware of your relationships
4. The goals and desires of life exist in both; the relationship and the private life It is vital that the partners are willing to create an experience together by constructing things that are positive for both. This shared life teaches us about coexistence and respect for others. But as necessary as married life is keeping your
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You are not required to relate to a person you do not identify with or do not think it helps you become a better version of yourself. So if you feel that some people in your life do not share the same values ​​or worldviews as you, you can go another way by choosing among people who will be willingly contributing to your happiness. 6. You are not a victim of your situation When we see ourselves as victims of our circumstances, we limit our choices of success, because of our selfpity clouds the vision of opportunities available to us. You are not a victim. On
the contrary, you have all the power to transform your own life and make it happier and more enriching. 7. Have goals Find out what you want to do with your life and what the purpose of your existence is. Spend time with yourself every day and work on self-knowledge to clearly understand which way to go. Find out who you really are. You may be surprised at the things you will discover about yourself. 8. True loves should not hurt us. There is nothing to justify abuse or toxic attitudes in a relationship. Love should not go hand in hand with pain or maltreatment; because no one wants to hurt someone who truly loves. If they make you suffer and mask their behavior
as a form of affection, do not accept it. True love will bring healing, not hurting. 9.True love accepts us as we really are People who love us should receive and accept us just the way we are. If there is a person in your life who at every moment tries to fit you into the mold of what they consider to be right, then this person is not right for you. We all have the birthright to be precise as we are. 10. True love is an action we do for ourselves. When we do not have a healthy sense of selflove, we cannot truly love the other person. Be your priority, because each one is busy with one’s life to devote himself entirely to you. Fight for yourself and face your challenges with strength and confidence.
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Metaphysics
How to Build a Special Altar at Home By Shakti World
In a period where people of various religions and beliefs are more comfortable in expressing their connection with the divine forces, having an altar at home had become increasingly common, and
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even those who consider themselves without religion embrace their spiritual side. According to different belief systems, there may be a more suitable place to build your altar, but the important thing is to keep in mind the meaning it should have for the house and all its residents. The altar should be the greatest connection to the spiritual world, where angels, spirits of light and deities will transmit and deposit their energies to emanate and envelop the home. MAKE YOUR OWN ALTAR IN YOUR HOUSE The altar can be made up using many different spiritual symbols; some more present as candles, bells, incense, water, flowers, images of saints and gods, single texts and books; everything that can symbolize your spiritual connection with the divine realms and make beautiful and intimate this special place of the house. The Feng Shui term used for
such a special refuge is the “Guá” or the Guá of spirituality, of knowledge or of wisdom, referring to the place of the house destined to the studies, the search of the wisdom and spirituality. The place should be reserved for distractions and noise. Some elements usually present as plants are not there for nothing. According to scholars, the energy of this Gua should have the activation linked to the earth and the colors as blue, purple and lilac. To make your own altar at home, you will not need so many elements, nor to be very specific in your preparations. The altar may be displayed on a shelf, or on a special table, or even on a reserved part of a shelf. Adorn the space with towels and items that refer to your spirituality. IMAGES: PHOTOS AND SMALL SCULPTURES The images of saints and gods, master’s and gurus will tell a lot about the branch of
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the religion or belief system followed by the owner of the altar. It is not uncommon to see altars at home with images of distinct beliefs, however eclectic, this is no problem since the most important thing is to have faith and respect for what is there in the display. These images are usually photos or small sculptures, always positioned in front of those who believe in their powers. NATURAL ELEMENTS: AR | TERRA | FIRE | WATER The presence of natural elements such as water, fire, earth, and air are somewhat necessary on altars, especially among the many beliefs and spirituality of people who practice their faith outside of traditional religions. There are many ways of representing these elements, the air element can be represented by a small bell. The earth, by crystals that decorate the altar; the fire, by candles that act as well-known channels of energies; and
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water, in general, is presented in its purest form, offered in a chalice or any other suitable container. PLANTS AND FLOWERS In addition to activating good energies, plants and flowers are linked to the earth and often to their own energies and may have very specific functions at the altar. Their colors also often influence energetic and ritual connections, as well as being a widely used symbol of the offering of beauty and reverence. INCENSES Incenses are also very common symbols of air offering and way of channeling energies. Some aromatic herbs such as myrrh and frankincense are widely used by Indians and Tibetans in aiding meditation and contact with deities. BOOKS Books are representations of knowledge and wisdom and
may be present on the altar with a single copy or even if prepared in the middle of a full shelf of them. They bring positive messages, prayers, mantras, and teachings of the doctrines followed by the household. THE USE OF INCENSE FOR ENERGY CLEANING Incense is a great ally of those who love energizing their home and their environments. Whether at work or anywhere else you frequent. In addition to being very old and widely used, incense is a much soughtafter alternative to energy purification. Here’s how to use incense for energy cleansing.
possible to identify what risks it presents and therefore the use of incense serves to shield the spaces of bad energies and impurities that want to move us away from the goodness and inner peace. Incense is used by various peoples, and as in the ancient tradition, even in the Old Testament, incense was used as a form of sacrifice pleasing to God, giving off a very good, calming and positive smell. Incense is a way of harmonizing an environment and also of purifying an entire house by attracting whatever is positive for all who reside. BEST INCENTIVES FOR ENERGY CLEANING
INCENSE FOR ENERGY CLEANING
HOW TO TURN A INCENSE?
The energies that surround us often influence our unconscious. People who are more sensitive, usually understand a little more about how the action of incense can be positive in several cases. When faced with the energy of an environment, it is
Before lighting the incense, it is necessary to understand its importance and the good it conveys. Understand that incense is a powerful influencer in everything in its surroundings and can also act internally, in other words, influencing emotions, feelings,
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and sensations. Incense will be a driver for you to relax and understand its effects. Once you understand what incense means, you will be ready to understand its action in the environment. Try to be comfortable with what is being presented to you in the environment, if necessary, and if it is convenient, songs with mantras are always welcome to help energize and harmonize the place. The incenses should be of the best quality, the better the quality, the greater it’s effect. Light the incense and silence your thoughts, let the scent invade the whole environment and pay attention to this action and the way the incense surrounds everything around you. Know that this is the power of influence that he has and therefore, will always be a great ally in this quest for calm and energizing. Do not think of anything, just imagine yourself happy and imagine good things, doing
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this exercise, you cleanse your own soul and attract everything that is positive for you, causing a cleansing in your emotions and thoughts. Try to meditate during this process of aromatization and energization, think of everything and nothing at the same time. If you observe your thoughts, see how important it is to stop for a moment to contemplate what is around you and also within you. WHAT IS THE BEST PLACE TO PLACE A INCENSE AT HOME? One of the most interesting places to put an incense is in the center of the house so that the energy it transmits can draft through all corners and surroundings, but if there is a need for extra spiritual attention in some place, put it there. Shakti world is a Sophisticated Boutique of Empowerment artefacts and jewelry Visit our section of spiritual apparel http://shakti.world
Haunted A VISUAL ESSAY
WE SUFFER PRIMARILY NOT FROM OUR VICES OR OUR WEAKNESSES, BUT FROM OUR ILLUSIONS. WE ARE HAUNTED, NOT BY REALITY, BUT BY THOSE IMAGES WE HAVE PUT IN THEIR PLACE. Â DANIEL J. BOORSTIN
HAUNTED VISUAL ESSAY
I've got quite a vivid imagination and I'm easily overwhelmed by sensations and things that are beautiful or scary. I don't think I've ever seen a ghost - I think I'm probably haunted by my own ghosts than real ones. Florence Welch
I find myself thinking more about the past as I get older. maybe because there's just more of it to think about. At the same time, I'm less haunted by it than I was as a younger person. I guess that's probably the ideal: to reach a point where you have access to all of your memories, but you don't feel victimized by them. JENNIFER EGANL
OMTIMES | VISUAL ESSAY
“TO LIVE IS TO BE HAUNTED.” ― Philip K. Dick, Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said
“She herself is a haunted house. She does not possess herself; her ancestors sometimes come and peer out of the windows of her eyes and that is very frightening. She has the mysterious solitude of ambiguous states; she hovers in a no-man’s land between life and death, sleeping and waking.” ― Angela Carter, The Lady of the House of Love
OMTIMES | VISUAL ESSAY
“GRACE, WHO HAUNTED MY THOUGHTS WHEN I COULDN’T DREAM”
― MAGGIE STIEFVATER, LINGER
“There are many ways to be haunted, not all of them supernatural. From photo albums to love letters, the memory of bad choices, broken promises, lost loves and shattered dreams can often linger far longer than the glow of satisfaction from our greatest accomplishments. Indeed, the most frightening ways to be haunted may be in the many ways we haunt ourselves.”― Tonya Hurley, Lovesick
OMTIMES | VISUAL ESSAY
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Why Do We Have Déjà vu? By Humanity Healing
Déjà vu is a French expression, which means “already seen, “It is commonly used to indicate a phenomenon that happens in the brain. The term was used for the first time by Emile Boirac, a researcher of psychological phenomena.
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It is a word also used in the manuals of neurology, psychology, and biology, assuming several meanings. However, there are different dubious theories, such as those of past lives, supernatural appearances, and common sense, that appear to mystify the phenomenon. So Déjà vu is when we feel something for the first time, and we have the sensation of having already seen or experienced that sensation before, or rather, it is a replay of some scene or moment, but that never happened. Déjà vu arises when a specific memory, for some unknown reason, goes to memory in the long run, without passing through the memory in the short term. Some scientists believe that this phenomenon is triggered by a neurochemical action in the brain, which is not connected to any past experience. Freud’s explanations help us understand Déjà vu, he states: “All phenomena within the psyche are determined, that
is, as long as we investigate, we will find the cause of associations. External phenomena, on the other hand, are a mixture of other causes and accidents. In other words, what happens outside of us will not necessarily mean anything. “ These assumptions confirm the explanation that Déjà vu manifests itself in a psychological reaction to the transmission of ideas that we have been in those places before, that we have already seen those people, but not knowing for sure where, how and when we live in such a situation. Freud sums up: “In succinct terms, Déjà vu’s feeling corresponds to the memory of an unconscious fantasy.” Thus, psychoanalysis understands that Déjà Vu is that content which is felt by consciousness, which is an unconscious content that, at another moment, passed through knowledge in a dream or in daily fantasy. Because of repression, content is no longer available to knowledge, except when it happens.
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Déjà vu occurs in about 60% of the world population, as a vision of the future, since the phenomenon occurs only in exact moments, and never in previous situations, that lasts from 10 to 30 seconds and soon submerge. One example is the 23-yearold British man who has experienced episodes of déjà vu for eight years, a frequency that has intrigued scientists. The researchers doubt that the problem has been triggered by excessive anxiety. The young man had to avoid watching television, listening to the radio and reading newspapers, because he always had the feeling of having lived those stories before. At last Déjà vu is an experience based on the various types of memory, such as direct memory, a short memory that lasts a few hours and mind of the near future, lasting for months or even years, thus giving the sensation that the fact already occurred earlier. To understand the functioning of déjà-vu, researchers
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at the University of St. Andrews in Great Britain decided to proceed with a groundbreaking experiment in trying to “provoke” this sensation of replay in the laboratory. After all, in a typical situation, there is no way to predict when the Déjà vu sensation will occur, which made it difficult for scientists to analyze the brain reactions involved in the process To the surprise of the researchers, the brain mapping of the participants showed that déjà-vu sensation activated the frontal areas of the brain, which are areas involved in the decision-making process. Initially, they anticipated that regions associated with memory, such as the hippocampus, would be activated with the Deja vu. But that did not happen. This means that the phenomenon is not a replay, but the brain showing that the “memory check” system is working well and that you are unlikely to forget something or confuse past events.
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THE GAME CHANGERS A New Brand of visionaries, innovators and leaders that changed how we look and Participate in the world.
Personal Growth & Development We grow as individuals as we face challenges and overcome life’s obstacles. This section is dedicated to helping you chart your course.
Practice the 7 attitudes that Bring Happiness By Cathedral of the soul
Happiness is not only the result of a great project or a long-term achievement. From meditating to organizing your bed for bedtime, there are many things that can facilitate your everyday happiness. Omtimes.com
According to the book “The Myths of Happiness�, by the Professor Sonja Lyubomirsky, from the University of California, one of the most common misunderstandings on the Happiness subject is to link it to
the arrival of some life event such as a marriage, children, or a new job. Looking for long-term satisfaction relaying on a dependence on an external factor, however, is not something healthy, according to her studies. But How about starting to be happy now? The first thing one has to do is ask ‘what makes me happy?’. Is it to dance? Is it going out to have coffee with friends? The self-inquiry must be constant. People who do not question themselves frequently do not know what’s important to them. It is common to observe the behavior of others, but we forget that it is necessary to observe ourselves, to know ourselves better as we grow and change. Happiness is not anything that is sought after but is something within each one of us. Simple things such as saying thank you, for example, is one of the small everyday attitudes that improves the quality of interpersonal relationships – and the possibility of daily
satisfaction. According to research published in May 2012, in the “Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,” a simple ‘thank you’ between couples can make the spouse feel appreciated by their partner, thereby making their commitment stronger and their relationship more pleasurable. The long-lasting effect of gratitude goes further. It not only improves the quality of life but also affects society and positively influencing all kind of relationships. When showing gentleness and gratitude, we receive kindness in exchange, awakening good will and managing to reach people more deeply. Express yourself To exteriorize what you feel is also a necessary measure to be maximize happiness. “Tell people what you feel: if you love, tell them, if you are grateful, let them know. Use words of generosity, of kindness, with gentleness. It is true that sometimes we may not be on our best of days. When this happens, it does not mean that you can discharge Omtimes.com
your anguish over everyone. But you do not have to swallow either. It is important to smile when you feel like it; but when it’s not, it’s equally important to tell the person next to you that you’re not well, but to let them know how you appreciate having them there with you. Being generous promotes happiness The act of giving also weighs on the balance of joy and happiness. According to a 2008 study by the American magazine Science, “spending money on others can have a greater positive impact on happiness than spending it on yourself. Participants who were chosen to spend their money on others experienced a greater sense of gratitude than those selected to spend on themselves. “Gifting someone can bring you a comforting sense of serenity.” Gifting without expecting something in return is even more rewarding. In giving or receiving something, there is an unconscious pressure to give back to the same measure. Not creating expectations, in addition to getting rid of this Omtimes.com
feeling of obligation, makes us sincerer with ourselves and with other people. The important thing is to show how much the person you are gifting, has added to your life, and how grateful you are. Meditating at least a minute a day is also one of the ways to be happy every day. According to a study conducted in May 2012 by researcher Todd Kashdan from George Mason University in Virginia; It was found that those participants in the research had greater daily contact with spirituality presented higher self-esteem, positive thinking and an optimistic outlook in life. Meditation is a path that brings the possibility of the human being to know himself. There is no way to declare yourself fully happy without knowing yourself. Every human being can meditate, one only needs to learn. Ideally, each one should look for an instructor for clear directions but reading about it is also a way to develop the practice. Having little time available is
no excuse. There are several techniques. Just look for a place where you will not be interrupted, close your eyes to detach yourself from external stimuli, watch your own breathing and slowly follow only the act of breathing, leaving everything else out. Reserve more leisure time: The relationship between working less, enjoying leisure time, and being happy is a trend that has long been perceived. At a time when social importance is heavy according to its efficiency and results, leisure is relegated to those considered ‘lazy’. “There was previously a capacity for nonchalance and amusement that was somehow inhibited by the cult of efficiency. Modern man thinks that everything must be done for the sake of something else, and never for his own good, “wrote Bertrand Russell, back in 1932, in his book” The Praise to Idleness. “ Reading is a gateway to shared experiences about happiness During research for her book, “The Happiness Project,” blogger
Gretchen Rubin claims that one of the things she realized was that making your bed in the morning was a secret to happiness. Making the bed makes everything cleaner, tidier. You can find your shoes; your room looks like a quiet place. For many people, order on the outside contributes to the calm on the inside. If you decide to make a change, you stick to it. Making the bed in the morning is one of the first things you do in the day, and that helps make the day feel more efficient, productive and disciplined. “ Expand your cultural Universe A simple visit to an art museum also helps count points for happiness. According to a study published in May 2011 in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, men who practice cultural activities, such as visiting museums and galleries, are more satisfied and healthier than those who do not. Books also fit: many tips and techniques for better living, culture information and pleasurable literature are shared on the pages of books. Omtimes.com
World Vision
When you look at the view of Earth from space, you are immediately in awe of what you do see: the incredible beauty of Creation. It is not until you look closer that you realize what you do not see. You do not see lines partitioning countries. You do not see separation between races. You do not see division between religions. You do not see the walls people build to isolate themselves from each other. There is only One Planet. There is only One Humanity. This section is dedicated to introducing thoughts and ideas to foster a greater understanding of Humanity’s interdependence.
How to Tell People You Are a Vegan By Olivia Ryan
How hard is it to be a vegan in a non-vegan environment? I mean, it’s easy when we have our online tribe, right? We give each other tips and hints, and constant support
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that makes us confident that we made the right choice. In non-vegan surroundings, however, it’s hard being the different one. N For me, for instance, no one in my family is a vegan. When we get together for lunch, they can’t stop telling me I have to start eating something. My aunts are the worst. The most common comment that I get is this one: “It’s no wonder why you’re dizzy all the time.” The truth is, my blood work was just fine for five years now. These people are convinced that others are not healthy just because they are not eating the way they want them to eat. When we get together for lunch with my colleagues from Aussie Writings, the
same situation occurs. These are some of the most common questions I get: “So you’ll have just a salad?” “How can you drink that green thing?” “Why won’t you have a piece of my birthday cake?” Saying that I’m a vegan is not a problem for me. However, I often found myself saying: “Sorry, I’m vegan.” Wait, what am I sorry for? I’m not sorry for being vegan. Why should I even apologize for it? This brings us to a major point: we should stop apologizing for being vegan! Be proud of that choice, and there’s nothing wrong with that. First of All, Understand Where Their Comments Are
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Coming From One of the major reasons for going vegan is non-violence. It’s one of the yamas of Yoga, and it means being kind, compassionate, and nonhurtful to yourself and those around you. The principle is mainly focused on people, but it also encompasses our entire environment. By becoming Vegan, we stop being part of the violence towards animals. Somewhere along the way, however, some of us forget the importance of being kind and compassionate towards people. We judge them for their choices. We judge them for hurting animals, and we don’t understand them. Most vegans have been guilty of this attitude somewhere along their journey, whether we like to admit it or not. From my own point of view, these people don’t
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comment our choices because they want to make us feel uncomfortable. When you say you are vegan, they usually start questioning their own lifestyle. They try to convince themselves they could never do that because it’s not the right way to live, so the only way to defend that attitude is by attacking the vegan in some way. Just understand them. When you stop being afraid of the comments you’re about to get, you’ll stop apologizing for your personal decisions. Don’t Complain About Not Having Options At family gatherings and restaurants, the vegan usually has to eat a sad salad while everyone has an “exclusive” meal. There are not many options for you. That makes other people uncomfortable. If you’re at someone’s house, the host will feel like they
are not welcoming you well. You want to make them feel better, so this situation leads you to that horrible sentence: “I’m sorry, I’m vegan.”
vegan food everywhere. Instead of expecting people to appreciate your choices, just try to do that favor for them.
You should not show in any way that you’d like to be elsewhere. Yes; there are great vegan restaurants and creative dishes everyone could prepare at home, but do not mention them. Just say that you’re enjoying your salad very much, and it’s what you usually eat anyway.
Trust me on this one: there’s no point in getting into discussions. If someone is interested in your diet, you may talk about it, and maybe you’ll inspire them to try. If you’re dealing with aunts like mine, just ignore the comments. If you keep arguing, they will lead you to apologize because you’ll just want to calm things down.
Don’t Try to Make Them Feel Guilty Saying you’re sorry you’re vegan is an extreme. Trying to make people feel guilty during a meal is another extreme. They are your friends and family, and you should just try to enjoy the time together. I know it’s hard seeing dead animals all over the place. But we cannot expect to see all-
So in the end, we should just keep being who we are and accept other people for who they are. Sure; we’d like them to change. Sometimes we just have to focus on our own contributions towards a kinder world, and we should definitely stop apologizing for them!
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Books
A Bigger Table
Building Messy, Authentic, and Hopeful Spiritual Community
No one likes to eat alone; to approach a table filled with people, only to be told that despite the open chairs there isn't room for you. The rejection stings. It leaves a mark. Yet this is exactly what the church has been saying to far too many people for far too long: "You're not welcome here. Find someplace else to sit." This is antithetical to what we see in the life and ministry of Jesus, where diversity is a given and where the inherent value of all people is placed front and center. How can we who claim faith in Christ expand the table and embody the community Jesus envisioned? How can we extend unconditional welcome and acceptance in a world increasingly marked by bigotry, fear, and exclusion? Pastor John Pavlovitz invites readers to join him on the journey to find—or build—a church that is big enough for everyone. He holds a mirror up to the modern church and speaks clearly into the heart of the issues the Christian community has been earnestly wrestling with: LGBT inclusion, gender equality, racial tensions, global concerns, and theological shifts. A Bigger Table: Building God's Messy, Authentic, Hopeful Community asks if organized Christianity, which has become ever more politicized in focus and narrow in scope, can find a new way of faithfully continuing the work Jesus began two thousand years ago, where everyone gets a seat.
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MAGAZINE
May A 2018 Contributors Writers
Andrew Pacholyk MS L.Ac Ascending Hearts Carl Greer, PhD, PsyD Cathedral of the Soul Dr. Baskaran Pillai Fablunch Humanity Healing Jason Galant Jay Walljasper Kartar Diamond Kaya & Christiane Muller Marcia Sirota, MD Olivia Ryan Shakti World Sylvia Henderson
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