Pl autumn 2016 issuu

Positive Birth Empowering Women to Take Charge

Marianne Williamson

The Age of Miracles is Still at Hand Tantra

Welcoming Desire with Tantric Breathing Positively Practical

Notes from a Yurt Maker

AUTUMN 2016 priceless

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Beginning here now…

This is just the beginning...

“Mind is a flexible mirror, adjust it, to see a better world.” ~ Amit Ray

MINDITIS. It’s not some new condition, it’s something we all have, it’s kinda contagious.

It’s also called overthinking and some it you can ruin the buzz.

“If you smile when no oneinelse ispast; around, really it.” ~ Andy will Roon “Nothing has happened the itofhappened inmean the Now. Nothing ev I heard a snippet of a TED talk recently on neuroscience and the guy was talking happen inthoughts the future; it will happen inthe thebrain Now.” ~ Eckhart Tolle about how negative can hardwire easier into because we play them IT’S me Inthe our research this around BRAIN. in our heads a lotgot more.

Hethinking. explained how brain works, the moreissue, airtimeI discovered you giveTHE something the better chance it has of becoming a neural pathway.

So if about whenPRESENT you smileMOMENT. your brainAll releases endorphins: dopamine andit.serot the spiritual teachers talk It’s something positive happens, give it loads of airtime, get that stuff hardwired in, no and this happens your smile is real or fake. in mentioned in our whether magazine all the time.

Thich NhatENDORPHINS Hanh loves it, an matter how small, think about it repeatedly for the fun of it. Get it in there. make you feel SMILE chemicals.

Feel What better,isand th spoke about it good. repeatedly onand his recent visit to Dublin. so spe Let this our autumn issue help change yourrelease brain. Keep reading, readers, Positivity works. to another about it? SMILE that releases chemicals, and on it goes. NICE SEQU

SO smile yourabout way through newyou issue keep smiling 2012 “What the past?our What areand going to do in theinto future?

THANKS to Patrick Bridgeman being a brilliant editor so fag my mind.

“Isn’t that juicier?

Come on,for man.

Think, imagine, worry, welcome Actually, to our new editorI’m Katie Roche. excited.”

Mind, grand.

Thanks for thinking of me thoug Happiness of the our lovely reader.my KEEP This summer I’m season restingto inYOU, the NOW, navigating lifeSMILI from paul congdon, Publisher centred, balanced, spacious, aware, free of thought. In the present, a different energy flow is available to us - clearer. Try it this Summer.

NOW. What? Next. paul congdon, Publisher

paul congdon, Publisher

Contentment

Contentment Contentment 4

autumn vibes things we like this autumn

6

Positively newsworthy true tales that show life’s goodness

10

spirituality & The city our readers on their place to recharge

12

astrology power and the opportunity for growth

14

Dee Wallace change begins with you

16

amanda collins the impact of symbols in the home

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Meditation gratitude and contentment Winterpraise, Vibes Eat, drink and be aware

caoimhe harrison honouring your highest self Positively Newsworthy Going green and taking strides ina May Gaskin spiritual midwifery in the 21st century Spirituality and the City Tales of love Positive supplement doterra’s essential work

answering the of Out desire CNM Get fit forcall winter 412 26 Tantra Summer Vibes and about and in store.

Publisher pc Media paul@positivelife.ie editorial Gavin ryan editor@positivelife.ie Design simon O’connor simon@postivelife.ie ad Design caroline Hanan caroline.hanan@gmail.com advertising paul congdon paul@positivelife.ie 0861579518

Publisher PC Media

Thanks to our advertisers, we paul@positivelife.ie Publisher PC Media can give Positive Life magazine to you for FREE. If you’re talking to Bridgema Editorial Patrick paul@positivelife.ie them, let them know wePatrick sent youBridgema Katie Roche Editorial their way.

katie@positivelife.ie editor@positivelife.ie 28 Marianne Williamson the age of miracles is still at hand Astrology What do the planets say?

614 Positively Newsworthy Running, feasting and camping.

Design Simon O’Connor please use the information 32

Positively Practical yurt making: a life under canvas

16 The Powers of Raw in love with juicing 10 Spirituality and theFood CityFallTurning Points.

34 Davie Philip rekindled wisdom from latin america 19 36 cnM Positive Home Secrets ofby a feng shuiSmith. goddess acupuncture for & wellbeing 12 Astrology Ahealth New Dawn Andrew

provided in this publication as a simon@postivelife.ie recommendation only to better Ad Design Caroline Hanan mental and physical health. We caroline.hanan@gmail.com strongly advise you to consult your doctorAdvertising regarding health Paul Congdon 38 hans Wieland growing lettuce all year round Hidden gems old favourites.concerns that you may have. The Dance with the and universe paul@positivelife.ie views expressed by contributors 40 summer recipes delicious and warming miso soup do not necessarily Monk Cheongwol comes to Ireland.and advisors0861579518 The best performance of your life 43 short & sweet good goods come in small packages represent the views of the publication’s staff.

Know that you are.

pHOTO: DAViD KeNNA

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Rude Health Preview The Law of Attraction Positive Personality Dee Wallace Confi Ireland 2012 Be where it’s happening elva carridence love, loss and learning Identity Who arePack you, really?

Positive Business ireland’s own Natural healthwe’re expomoving Positive Power your suitcase, Positive Parenting help yourtravells kids transition backRica. to school Reborn Szvath to Costa Reshape Julia Your Brain Reading this will change your life Breathing SpaceEarly Making Monday mornings magic.

Positive Beauty to bed, early to rise...

Thanks to our advertisers, w give Positive printed, published, packagedLife andmagazine distributed in ireland. for FREE. If you’re talking to positivelife.ie let them know we sent you Please use the information

autumn vibes

“No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace as I have seen in one autumnal face” John Donne

dream yoga

simply delicious Coconut Jam – The New Taste The texture is a bit like firm Nutella, but the flavour is something else entirely.

It tastes caramelly/fudgy to start off with and then the coconut flavour comes through, slightly toasted and just incredible. It really is not like anything else I have ever tasted. coconut-merchant.com

Raising the Bar A really tasty bar stuffed with organic ingredients, the Active Green bar is a pretty fantastic snack when you’re on

the go. They’re raw, gluten-free and have 16g of protein in each 75g bar. For those with a sweet tooth, they have a chocolatecovered one too. A chocolate bar that is good for you. Now that’s progress. organicfoodbar.com

Stay Healthy – Order In Piply is an on-demand dinner service bringing delicious and nutritious, chef crafted meals to your door. Freshly prepared every day, a qualified dietician is involved in the menu planning so every meal is both tasty and health conscious.

Take out has never been so appealing. piply.ie

be good to yourself Test Your Sunshine Levels Among other things, vitamin D helps to absorb calcium and promote bone growth.

For at least half the year, Irish people don’t get much vitamin D from the sun.

Nutricentric offer a vitamin D test, which you can use to assess your levels and ensure your body has everything it needs for optimum function all year round. nutricentric.com

The Book of Hope Founder of Yoga for Hope, Mella Murphy, has launched her book Love at Last to raise funds for the Hope Foundation’s incredible work with street children in Calcutta. The book features a series of uplifting and inspirational quotes. Yoga is about more than just stretching. Mella’s work with the Hope Foundation shows the true meaning of yoga – compassion and love. hopeshop.ie

Mother Care Minding Mum is a simple yet revolutionary concept – mums need to focus on themselves as well as their children. A new book on taking care of yourself allowing you to give more. A great gift for any new mother. alisoncanavan.com

The yoga sonatas The dazzling Kitty Maguire teaches Yin Yoga which helps quieten the mind while releasing stress and tension in your body. At the same time the sublime Anna Marcossi treats you to some amazing cello playing helping you to really let go and find stillness. It’s yoga and cello – yocella. facebook.com/yocella

Unlocking energy Medicine With Crystal Light Therapy, the vibration from the crystal resonates with its corresponding chakra in the body and ‘tunes’ the imbalanced chakra to its normal frequency, balancing the body’s energy. florsylvester.com

5 breath of stillNess, iNch hideaway

lifelong learning sing your soul 7-9 Oct, Bantry, Co. Cork.

Anne Marie Hynes guides you to voicing the sounds from deep within. She calls it your soul voice. Her workshops are transformative and healing beyond words. Anne Marie will be leading a workshop at the Bantry Yoga Festival. bantryyogafestival.com

re-nature 13-16 Oct, Galway.

Crann Og Eco Farm has worked together with nature to create an organic paradise in which people of all ages can unplug, slow down and reconnect naturally. Their re-nature retreats are technology free and combine yoga with nature therapy. A perfect antidote to urban living. ecostayireland.com

Waking Up To your Dreams

Breath of stillness retreat

28-30 Oct, Cloughjordan Ecovillage.

Becoming consciously aware in your dreams sparks insight, adventure and personal transformation. U.S.-based Lucid Dreaming teacher and author Robert Waggoner is coming to Cloughjordan Ecovillage to give a weekend workshop.

There’s magic in dreaming still.

Leave the fast paced world behind and unwind at the beautiful Inch Hideaway.

Snuggle up in a cosy Yurt at their EcoSustainable Camping in East Cork (10 minute walk to Inch beach) & enjoy a full weekend of Qi Gong, Shiatsu and CranioSacral treatments that will reconnect, nourish and integrate your body, mind & soul. For dates, see their website.

facebook.com/Dreamyogaireland

cob the Builder 5 & 6 Nov, Sligo Feile Butler is an architect. Colin Ritchie is a carpenter. Together they designed and built their own beautiful cob house in Sligo. In their Weekend Design Course, held in the house they built, learn from them how you can do this too. Their warmth and expertise and infectious enthusiasm will make this a course that might just change your life. mudandwood.com

Teal swan

13 Oct, Crowne Plaza, Santry.

This year’s All Ireland Annual Midwifery Conference will feature speakers such as Jean Calvert, Susan Bewley and Prof Agnes Higgins. There is sure to be some interesting discussions.

13 Nov 2016, Dublin.

Integration and wholeness is the path of spiritual progression. Our divinity and humanity must merge to become one. By bravely exposing both their humanity and divinity to the world, and teaching the world how to integrate the two by virtue of example, people must begin to unite the humanity and divinity within themselves.

inmoprofessional.ie

tealswan.com

The Birth of the nation

yurtecocamping.ie

positively newsworthy good news from around the globe

6 1 Everest: A friendship.

When Irishman, Brendan Kavanagh, decided to climb Everest as a way of developing strength of spirit, he had no idea of the friendship he would develop with his sherpa which would lead to not only a rich and rewarding connection, but also business success for both of them.

Everest is called Sagarmatha in Nepal. It means goddess of the sky. While people from as young as 13 to the venerable age of 80 have summited this wonder of nature, it is not for the faint hearted. Everest has claimed the lives of almost 300 climbers since 1924.

Sherpas are a people living mainly in Western Nepal having migrated there from Tibet several hundred years ago.

Sherpa is also used as a surname. First names are often chosen from the day of the week they were born. Brendan’s sherpa was called Mingma (which literally means Tuesday).

As they climbed together, they forged a bond. Brendan realised that Mingma was only receiving a minuscule amount of

the fee paid to the agency. They discussed this and other things as they made the climb, all the while their friendship grew.

At 5,900 metres above the world, together they watched the sun rise on the summit of the great Goddess.

Brendan urged Mingma to set up his own Sherpa business so as not to be exploited again. Mingma did and Brendan sent customers his way. When Brendan started a fledgling media business, Olive Media, and was looking to set up an office in Asia, he remembered his old friend. Mingma opened the door to Brendan to get started in Nepal. In return, Brendan made him the CEO of the Nepal office, which now employs over 150 skilled Nepalese workers in a country where work is badly needed. The highly skilled and dedicated Nepalese team has given Brendan’s company the competitive edge leading to business success.

It shows that with partnership, respect, trust in one another (and a little help from the sky goddess), truly wonderful things can come to pass.

2 Guerrilla love Poems When Lauren de Pino was working on a fi lm set in Philadelphia, she noticed a poem pasted to a wall on her way to work. It had a real homemade look, but it captured her attention. It read: Someday she’ll sit in the cool light of the moon and know peace” and it was signed Slam-o.

As the days passed she noticed more of these beautiful little poems and she felt a strange connection to the mysterious guerrilla poet. One day, she noticed a tall man in a grey hoodie putting up a poem. She was too late to catch him, but the poem remained. It read: “He knows what is inside her heart, it is just like his” and was again signed Slam-o.

On the set, she noticed that Alan, the cameraman, was wearing the same hoodie. Was this a coincidence? She probed him and he was coy but he seemed to know a lot about the poems. Before

she could get him to confess, the director called him away.

Alan returned to L.A. and Lauren began placing her own poems around the city and posting them online. She signed them ‘your Italian hope’. Alan responded with cryptic messages of his own. This went on until one day Slam-o posted “Eventually he realised that it really does take two to tango” on a volcano in Hawaii. It was an invitation to begin a relationship. She moved to L.A. to be with him where, although their only connection was through short poems posted randomly to newspaper stands, bicycles, bus stops or wherever, they found that they are truly soul mates and their love has flourished. follow their adventure at #iamslamo or #youritalianhope.

3 Prison love Watching TV shows might give you the impression that prisoners are tough, ruthless individuals. But here’s a true story that shows that while some people may be put in boxes, they mightn’t necessarily belong there.

Inmates from a holding cell of the District Courts Building in Parker County, Texas noticed the guard collapse in front of them. At fi rst they thought he was just kidding around with them, but when they realised he was in trouble, they began yelling for help. When none came, they broke out of their holding room and went to his aid.

Discovering that the guard had no

pulse, they shouted loudly and banged on the doors to attract attention from outside. Officers thought there was a riot and went down nervously to investigate.

“He had keys,” Sgt. Ryan Speegle said. “Had a gun. It could have been an extremely bad situation.”

When the deputies realised what was happening, they started CPR just in time. Capt. Mark Arnett said the prisoners likely saved the officer’s life.

“I watched him die twice,” one inmate said. “It never crossed my mind not to help whether he’s got a gun or a badge. If he falls down, I’m gonna help him.”

positively newsworthy the little things

Brought to you by Niall Mac Giolla Rua.

1 The chocolate strawberry The waitress had an Eastern European accent, “you seem to have a sadness in you,” she said in a kind tone. She had an extraordinary level of emotional awareness.

“Yes. It’s just a bit of sadness. It’s okay.” I replied. Her eyes showed a very natural empathy as I spoke, sincere and effortlessly reassuring. “Thank you for noticing.” I added, “I see you have a kind heart.”

After a moment she straightened her back and pointed her index finger up in a Poirot-like ah-ha! stance, “I know what you need!” She turned around purposefully and reappeared a moment later with a chocolate strawberry (one of the most delicious I’ve ever had)! “On me,” she smiled.

This little gesture of kindness from a stranger had the effect of bursting open my floodgates. Tears came streaming and an old sadness I thought I had forgotten came gushing up to the surface. I had to leave. I cried for about 40 minutes.

The waitress’s timing was perfect. I was reminded

8

once again that that most perfect love, the impersonal love, is always there and always healing. It’s often most apparent amongst strangers. Being impersonal, it’s not for any individual alone, and it comes from no one alone. After this emotional catharsis I felt amazing. Luminous.

My phone rang, I hit the receiver button, and my mouth spontaneously proclaimed the most joyful “Yay!” to my friend on the other end of the line. She said it was the most uplifting answer to a phone call she’d ever had. She felt it.

Luminous. Being impersonal, that love is not for any individual alone.

2 loyalty and Kindness In a city centre coffee shop at lunchtime, an elderly lady arrived at the counter where I waited. I stepped to the side, gesturing her to go fi rst. She rooted through her handbag for a couple of minutes with a frustrated expression on her face. Finally she looked up inquisitively. “Did I leave a loyalty card here yesterday?” she asked the server, “It only had two stamps on it, but…well…I

really enjoy saving up those stamps for my free coffee,” she smiled sheepishly.

The Chinese woman on the other side of the counter had a huge personality, full of smiles and friendly chat for each customer. “Oh yes! It’s right here,” she replied with exaggerated surprise. There was an old till between the Chinese woman and the customer, which blocked the latter’s view of the Chinese woman’s hands. But from my viewpoint I saw her quietly stamp a fresh card she’d just pulled out from underneath. As she did, she noticed that I saw her, and playfully engaged me in a hilarious conspiratorial wink and smile, before returning her full attention to her customer. “And look!

Here’s another few stamps for you,” she announced as she stamped the loyalty card a few more times.

“Oh thank you! I was so annoyed with myself for having lost it. Thank you so much!”

For a moment I fi lled up with love and admiration for that Chinese woman.

It was only by chance that I witnessed her otherwise hidden kindness. As I drank my coffee, I wondered how many other small acts of kindness go undocumented every day.

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spirituality & the city A place to be

Niamh Elliott

Nicola Byrne

When I want to recharge from the hustle and bustle of life and be, I walk in the Dublin mountains. It relaxes me in a way nothing else can because I feel completely encompassed

by God and Mother Earth. Walking amongst the trees makes me walk taller, with a sense of purpose. Nature helps me to breathe deeper into my soul and connect with my heart on an intimate level. This invigorates me and yet calms me. It heals my body and clears my constant thoughts of yesterdays and tomorrows. I feel safe and protected and grounded. The beautiful songs of the birds and whisperings of the wind take me back to me. The perfume of the flowers, trees and soil fill my body with love. The dancing trees, playful birds and busy insects assure me that I am part of it all and I like to be ‘part of’.

After a major burn-out last year, I decided to move from Dublin to Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands. I had been taking holidays three to four times a year to warm places to de-stress, so I figured, why not just move to one?

The island is full of nature; volcanoes and beaches. One of my favourite beaches is Cotillo, and I love to get into the sea there, whether it is just to splash around or to buggy board.

The sight of the big turquoise blue waves rolling in towards me is like a meditation. The feel of the waves breaking against my body is like a cleanse, and riding the waves on my buggy board fills me with joy and laughter.

These feelings usually stay with me all day and when I close my eyes to go to sleep. After a day at Cotillo, I can still see those waves.

Doug Ross I go to a remote cottage in Leitrim. The moment that I step out of the car I feel any tension flow out through the soles of my feet. I take a deep breath, stop and listen for a moment to the near silence. The energy from the forest on both sides of the house is palpable. I’ve been going here for sixteen years through all four seasons.

There is no television reception and the phone and internet connections are poor.

I go most often with my wife, sometimes with friends and occasionally alone.

I spend some time getting reacquainted with “the stranger who was your self” (Derek Walcott’s Love After Love). I’ve become very fond of the wetlands, the lake at the bottom of the hill and the forest teaming with birds. I slow down. I get a chance to move from too much doing to just being.

Kai helmich To recharge means to me to bring back harmony into my life, to balance giving and receiving, to equally embrace my masculine and feminine aspects, to give myself permission to ask for what I want.

Doing things, but also just to be myself - whatever that means at any moment of time! My sanctuary to recharge here in Ireland has become the Harvest Moon Centre, Dublin 2 which is oozing with heart energy as you step down into a world of the feminine - long lost in today’s society. I not only work from there (doing) but also allow myself to surrender into being. Melt into nothingness in a flotation tank and then enjoy to be taken care of by receiving some healing bodywork. Thereafter I feel recharged, grounded and back in my body again, ready for some more serving. They say “You can’t quench other people’s thirst from a dry well” - I agree!

Paul o’connell This year, at least once a week, I visit St. Enda’s Park in Rathfarnham where the Patrick Pearse museum and school are located. Mostly I go for a run, have a cup of coffee in the café and read some of Pearse’s writings. Sometimes I wander around the museum where I find inspiration or say a prayer in the little chapel. Patrick Pearse was one of the most enlightened people in Irish history in my opinion and he helps me combat my natural tendencies towards laziness and self-indulgence. He taught his pupils to appreciate nature, art, theatre, languages, science, horticulture and sport. Most of all, despite his very strong political views, he never displayed personal hatred, animosity or resentment towards those he disagreed with.

I leave feeling energised to try to ‘be the change I want to see’. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

11 Joanna riddell Cloughland Strand, Bere Island is my bolthole after a busy day in either one of my busy practices in Castletownbere & Glengarriff.

I moved to the Island in 2007 from London. Cloughland Strand holds special memories, as a child my sister and I spent practically every day of our holidays there. It’s just a short walk from my house, but by the time I’ve reached the strand, every care in the world has disappeared, and I can just sit on this large rock in the centre of the beach, listening to the waves falling over the pebbles.

The sheltered cove that Cloughland sits in is perfect for swimming, and there is nothing better and more refreshing than swimming in the Atlantic after a long day. Even in the height of a winter storm, I still visit Cloughland to see waves crashing on the shore and enjoy all the spectacular power of the sea.

positi v e a strology

Power

Walking the darkness into light.

by Andrew Smith

12

It’s been pretty tough of late. There has been so much positive potential within the new seeds that you have planted and yet it hangs there, just at the back of your awareness, sapping the hope from you, just as the ‘genuine’ helper who professes open generosity, yet cuts off your hand in their hungry eagerness to take your money before they reveal further secrets to help you become more abundant.

It’s been all about the lies – whether it is the doctrinal believer who regularly attends ‘worship’ to give homage to divinity and scripture, yet has a handgun in the glove compartment having conveniently forgotten that thoroughly humane principle that killing under any circumstances is not spiritual, or the politician who will tell you anything just to get elected, yet has no intention of implementing their mandate… The list is endless. And it is so, so transparent these days, almost to the point of farcicalness.

Yet you continue to accept those lies and the disconnect between rhetoric and reality. Why? Because of the lies that you tell yourself.

In the end, the external reality that surrounds you is merely a reflection of the internal reality that only you know exists.

Our consensus reality is also a sum of the individual parts and its disease only reflects the disease that exists within.

Yes, it is tough to be an outsider. Yes, it is tough to live simply, honestly, creatively and soulfully when the world you live in offers you a patronising placation of encouragement yet is terrified of what your actualisation of your potential really means for it – death.

And why should the world support you when you threaten its very existence – hence the draconian authoritarianism and stark rise in fascism that abounds.

Whilst there are those who cyclically pronounce that The System is dying, The System can only exist because of you.

Imagine what it would look like if you

Highlights of AUTUMN’S Cosmic Activity

“Handled delicately, this time offers serious growth concerning the issue of empowerment and of using the power of your soul to grow”

lived your dream and ignored the fearmongering and doubting Thomases who are only envious at your having the ‘balls’ to stand up and be you; imagine what our system would be like if we truly lived in accordance with what our spiritual values suggest is ‘right’ to live by – those common sense values – and imagine how healthy you would be if you truly believed that you are valuable and worth it?

This is what the darkness has all been about – you. Clearing and healing those darkened voices that have been timeless and ageless. Not banishing them and imprisoning them, but openly acknowledging them, naming them and embracing them. And not just on a three day detox. Daily. Living with them.

Walking with them. And in those peak intense moments spotting how the sweet seduction of numbness will not work and has never worked.

Two paths lie ahead. To your right a downward sloping avenue descending into a darkened cave. A place where the shadow of your soul roams freely, tempting you to use your power without awareness and consequence of your actions and where the darkness of your mind is projected onto the blackness and

the primal fears of your soul haunt you.

To your left, a steep, craggy and difficult upward climb, requiring maturity, dexterity and awareness so that you can consciously channel your energy and efforts into a superhuman drive to reach the heights, where awaits a magnificent panorama. Both will take you about nine months to traverse and the experiences of which will last in your life for another three years and both will help you deal with your sense of what power means.

Which you will choose is what you are about to discover.

During this winter the issue of your sense of personal empowerment is brought to the forefront of your awareness in a dynamic manner.

Work will be required to either battle forces within you that are hell bent in subjugating your will and further enslaving you to a path of dark ignorance and drama or will eventually, through hard labour, support your climb to funnel the elementalness of your being in overcoming the vicissitudes of life as you use the raw energy and determination of your soul to overcome the encouragement of The System to neglect your power or to use it to put people in their place. Neither

Sept 1st Virgoan Solar Eclipse Sept 16th Piscean Lunar Eclipse Sept 18th Living the Dream? as Saturn squares Neptune Sept 22nd Freed Mind as Mercury turns direct Oct 1st Libran New Moon Oct 23rd What do I believe? as Jupiter quincunxes Neptune Oct 30th Scorpion New Moon Nov 24th Test of Power as Jupiter squares Pluto Nov 30th Sagittarian New Moon

path is easy as you feel a massive surge of energy that liberates those issues that lie deep within your soul and the intense images that flood your awareness provoke really powerful emotional responses that can serve to test your convictions, ethics, morality and to liberate you from, or enslave you to, your karma.

How you handle your soul-shadow and the collective-shadow is what this nine month transit is about.

Handled delicately, this time offers serious growth concerning the issue of empowerment and of using the power of your soul to grow, overcoming jealousy, manipulation, control and a host of other emotions whose purpose is to bind and trap you to the patterns and scripts that underlie the personal interaction. As you confront the emotions that freely coarse through your veins, you are being called upon to find a path to overcome their destructive possibilities and to raise the level to which you deal with those emotions. Therefore you can expect to deal with themes of bullying, deception, propaganda, petty one-upmanship, being sent to Coventry and the abuse of power.

How you deal with them is another matter, but deal with them you will because within you are wings to enable you to fly as opposed to crawl and those wings can be unfurled, as the power that exists within you seeks to find an outlet within you and within your world.

Andrew’s private practice is in Blackrock, South Dublin. Email him on dastroc@gmail.com for further information on consultations, workshops or classes. Join him on Facebook for daily updates.

positi v e at tr action

walking

the less confidence you experience in the When I go into creation process. And then the pattern of an audition, I limited creation begins again. have to have I mean, I couldn’t walk into the confidence Mr. Speilberg’s office without any within me that I confidence and book E.T. You can’t even can deliver a good have successful love making without read. I have to have confidence. And yet, we ask the Universe confidence in my to deliver to us when we aren’t confident healing that I can in the trust withinto ourselves make a difference be the Change You want See. to create it, or to handle the creation when we do. So, in someone’s life by the information that

by Dee Wallace the Universe, being the very wise director comes through. I have to have confidence before I even sit down to write this article. it is, must experience your confidence to manifest your desire.

The one common principle in all these So, how does one create confidence? adventures: I have learned to trust my channel. Always and without question.

That is, of course, quite the opposite of what we have been taught. The definition of confidence is: full trust. And yet, our society has educated us in the belief that we can never trust our own judgment, and God forbid we really trust anyone outside of ourselves; and it is actually impossible to trust ALL energy. Quite a conundrum, don’t you agree? If creation takes confidence, and confidence is trust, and we are taught we can’t trust, then we can never be the confident vibration that creates. Ergo, the more you go into your mental mind to reason, figure and stay safe,

meet in harmony, and create the child, a.k.a. the creation. The divine idea/ instinct/guidance must be taken out into the world with power by the masculine to successfully create. When that happens, confidence is truly in place.

So, ask yourself: do I have a lot of great, inspired ideas that I never do anything with? If the answer is yes, know that you need to balance the masculine so you have more power to deliver your ideas to the world. Or do you push and work and strive doing ANYthing, just to try and create, without a lot of success? Stop and take time to nurture your feminine.

Allow your channel to open and receive divine guidance, and then use the power that in place to radiate thatabout out. Then beliefisand perception we hold money. the is automatically in place, and It iscreation tied to happy or unhappy experiences confidence is reinforced. that have created brain synapses that Confidence is not something support the belief/perception.

And the you get. Confidence is the vibration of of belief/perception creates the experience knowing that you Be the freedom. There are are. children inknowing third-world of the Creative Force that is you, and than villages that experience more freedom confidence no-brainer.

Literally.They the child in is anaexpensive pre-school.

the talk ‘I mean, I couldn’t walk into Mr. Speilberg’s office without any confidence and book E.T.’

L_summer_12_d1.indd 19

We will decide our future with our choices, our focus, and our love. Love. There is that word again. The experience of love, and the choice to hold everyone and the world in it, will change the course of history. Love will change the course of history.

We must ask ourselves in each moment of now: How can I love more?

Who can I love more? How can I love myself more? Where can I see love in this world more?

Which politician is more aligned with love? How can I bring love and loving thoughts into my body more? How can I hold love for all energy, even that alien to me?

If we choose to continue to ask these questions, we must receive the answers.

And those answers are what create the experiences and focus that will create the present...and the history...of 2016.

You want predictions? The highest prediction is this: you are the master of your fate. You are the highest answer. How can you best serve the call?

14

“The highest prediction is this: you are the master of your fate. You are the highest answer.”

Well, it is a state of mind: a perception, if you will, that creates a three dimensional experience.

For example, some people with a lot of money feel free. They know they are secure, taken care of, supported in the world because money represents that to them. Some people without money feel the same, because they have a faith to support them, less need for as much, or no experience of having a lot in the first place.

Then there are those on both sides that live in an experience of lack. The freedom doesn’t come from the money, but from the

know the joy and freedom of a simpler life.

Dee Wallace workedare as an author, teacher, Thesehas synapses genetic. dancer andthe actress film, television and However, newindefinition for genetic the forwe over 30 all years (E.T.,to Cujo, The is “astage belief have agreed share.”

Howling).

Her book, Bright Light, tells that For example, someone says “high blood tale and shares spiritual lessons she has pressure runs the in the family,” and we learned a lifethat. in acting. agree tofrom believe That belief must be

19

www.iamdeewallace.com created in our reality, and thus takes our freedom of good health from us.

These synapses are also created through life experiences, usually before 7 years old. For example, if a child witnesses his parents struggling to make ends meet, that experience has been modelled for him. He might easily create the belief: 05/06/2012 “I have to struggle to live,” or “I have to struggle to survive.” Even if he finds a way out of the poverty, struggle very likely will be attached in some way to his creation of life success. Why do we think so many successful men and women are having heart failure and disease of some kind? Stress is just another word for struggle. It is a perception formed from a belief. The freedom comes from the conscious realisation of this false, limiting perspective. Once changed, the same amount of work can become fun and easy and replace laborious struggle.

Let’s focus our thoughts...let’s spread the love...it’s time to walk the talk beautiful people!

Blessings, Dee. Dee Wallace has worked as an author, teacher, dancer and actress in film, television and the stage for over 30 years (E.T., Cujo. The Howling). Her book, Bright Light, tells that tale and shares the spiritual lessons she has learned from a life of acting. iamdeewallace.com

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positive home

16 raise the

vibration In Your Body And Your Home.

by Amanda Collins

The conscious use of words and symbols can help you raise the energy vibration of your home and your body.

Let’s start with your home. The front door invites good positive energy flow into your home. What does your doormat say? “Welcome?” This will clearly let the universe know you want to invite positive experiences into your life and home.

We consist of 70% water, which Dr Masaru Emoto has shown is a blueprint for consciousness. Depending on our intentions and emotions we can change the structure of water. His scientific experiments showed that glasses of water react differently to words such as hate and war compared to those such as love and peace. Hateful words lead to ugly frozen crystal formations; water exposed to words of love formed into beautiful symmetrical crystals.

Similarly, positive words and images around our home impact our physical and

“Take a moment and look at the accessories, statues, artwork, any words or images around the house and notice the messages they are giving out.” energetic bodies. Artworks have the same power. Images of peace and kindness raise the vibration in the home and therefore, in our personal energy fields. This is true even of refrigerator magnets.

Often I visit homes and see statues of soldiers with spears on galloping horses or statues with missing heads; this usually represents a disconnect between body, mind and spirit. In one home, a multitude of clocks in every room were not running.

That client’s main complaint was feeling stuck. The walls of another client’s home were covered in masks; she eventually shared that she is hiding from life. Images and messages tattooed and on the body also impact the energy field on a cellular level.

Take a moment and look at the accessories, statues, artwork, any words or images around the house and notice the messages they are giving out.

Items we have in our home create and support our reality. The home is an expression of internal healing, so keep only what you love and what inspires you.

This is also true of the language we use with ourselves and others. Support yourself by avoiding expressions of victimhood. Use words of empowerment.

If you find yourself always saying things like “It’s just my luck” or “This is killing me” or “I will never be good enough” or “Life is hard,” these may become your reality. When you match your vibrational frequency with that which you fear, you most definitely do not support yourself in living a fulfilled and joyful life.

Instead of telling ourselves lies about not being good enough, we should come from a place of self- love, speaking mindfully and kindly. To raise your vibrational energy and attract what you want in your life, use words such as: I choose this I am I can I have I am grateful for . . . .

Words that we use to speak unkindly about others have the same impact as if we say these things about ourselves.

Whether it is the language of the artwork on your wall, the language of your thoughts, or the language of your speaking, use words with the high vibration that assists in the evolution of your Soul and supports you on this earthly journey. www.InternationalFengShuiSchool.com www.AmandaCollins.com

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positi v e meditation

the power of

praise Ignite Your Inner Light.

by Sandy Newbigging

With the days becoming darker and nights closing in, it is an ideal time to nurture your inner light. One way to do this is to play with praise. By praise, I don’t mean anything religious. Rather, a very natural way of being that is experienced by being present and rising above judgement and criticism.

Praise creates gratitude and gratitude leads to love. It is a choice that you can make at any moment, irrespective of what’s happening, and possesses the power to immediately make you feel good.

Let me prove it to you now.

Wherever you happen to be as you read

these words, find something that you do not like. (I know it’s not a very positive thing for me to ask you to do, but bear with me, we are going somewhere!)

Then, once you’ve found it, actively think negative thoughts about it for a few moments.

You might notice a stain on the carpet, a pile of dirty clothes that need to be washed, or hear music that you don’t like coming from your neighbour’s place.

Find something now and think negative thoughts about it for a few moments. As you do, notice what happens within your body and emotions.

Do you notice a heaviness or constriction in your body, or any downward-spiralling negative emotional experiences?

Now, with the exact same thing you were just being negative about, I want you to find something praiseworthy. I appreciate that you may have to really stretch your imagination and be creative, but nevertheless, for a few moments, I want you to actively think positive and

“It became my purpose to remind as many people as possible that peace is possible, not later, but now.”

19 praiseful comments about it in your mind.

For example, you could now choose to be appreciative of having a carpet that keeps your house warm, clothes to wear and fully functioning ears that are able to hear sounds.

Again, as you do, notice what happens within your body and emotions.

If you genuinely do rise above the previous negative opinions by focusing on what you can praise, you will find that a change occurs within your psyche. The feedback I receive when asking people to do this includes that they feel lighter, more upbeat or open and expansive.

Now here’s the point. Miraculously, the thing you were originally criticising did not have to change for your inner experience to improve – your experience

changed and improved simply through the power of praise.

This simple praise game illustrates a liberating possibility when it comes to enjoying freedom from problems and lightening up your life. It proves that your emotional experience of life is ultimately your choosing.

By “experience of life”, I don’t mean the external events occurring because they can often be outside your direct control. However, your inner experience of life can always be an uplifting one if you choose to make it a priority to praise.

Happiness comes from you being okay irrespective of what’s happening. If you have to manage and control your life so that it looks exactly how you think it should, then you are going to limit your

opportunities to be happy.

External forces will govern your emotions and your mood will go up and down like a yoyo. However, with the power of praise you enter into a state of joyful existence, flowing from one moment to the next, effortlessly enjoying the journey.

By cultivating an attitude of praise, gratitude and love, you don’t have to wait for your life circumstances to improve before you can experience your heart’s greatest desire. You can love life and be happier now!

Join Sandy’s Calm Clan www.calmclan.com if you are interested in meditation, selfempowerment and living fully.

honour your

divinity Nurture the self within.

by Caoimhe Harrison

What if this very moment was sent to you as an invitation to begin now in some small way to honour yourself? How could you begin to do that?

We give of ourselves so much each day in so many ways. We give to our family, our loved ones, we give to our work, we give to our commitments. We give to others.

When is it time to give to ourselves? Our life is made up of different relationships.

When we nurture our relationships they flourish. When we neglect them they suffer. This is also true of our relationship with our Self. If I keep going around giving of myself time after time and emptying my cup, when do I take the time to fill mine?

How can I give if my cup is empty? I am here to invite you to begin filling your cup now, this very second. You might wonder

“The Self that has been with us since the very beginning and will carry on with us right through until our last breath.”

how this can be done.

It could be something as simple as pausing, stopping what you are doing and taking three deep relaxed breaths.

Sit with your Self for a minute without any distractions. Acknowledge yourself right here in this moment. Acknowledge all that you are, all that you have come through and all that you do. Even if you are struggling you are still here and you have still gotten yourself to this day.

Could you even give some gratitude to yourself in this moment? It could be for some big achievement or even the smallest one. Maybe it’s that you got yourself out of bed this morning, some days that, in and of itself, can be a big achievement. Maybe it’s that you’re still reading this considering the possibility

of giving to yourself more.

So what are we really doing here?

What is it that we are looking to honour?

We are honouring the Self. The Self that has been with us since the very beginning and will carry on with us right through until our last breath. The Self that is the exact same now as it was when we were young. The Self that doesn’t change no matter what age we are, what weight we are, where we live, what we do. The Self that is ageless, changeless, formless. The Self that knows when we are awake, the Self that knows we have slept. The Self that reports our dreams back to us in the morning. The Self that knows that we are sad, the Self that knows that we are happy.

This is the One who you are honouring now. This is the One you are giving back to in this moment. This is the One who doesn’t fall prey to our neurotic tendencies or fear-based thinking. This is the One who gives us strength and moments of pure clarity. This is the One who is waiting for us to turn to it so that it can reveal itself to us even more. Consider honouring this presence within you and watch how it showers its grace upon you more and more in everyday moments.

This is your Divinity. Honour it. caoimheharrison.ie

20

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bringing it all

back home Spiritual Midwifery and the Positive Birth Conference.

by Gavin Ryan

22 I was lucky enough to speak to world-famous midwife, Ina May Gaskin, author of the seminal publication, Spiritual Midwifery and the founder and director of The Farm Midwifery Centre in Tennessee, one of the first midwife-led birthing centres in the U.S. For anyone hoping to have a natural birth and wondering how best to proceed, Spiritual Midwifery is one of the most important and inspirational texts on the subject yet written.

What brought you into midwifery?

I would say it was the birth of my first child. When I was about half way into my pregnancy my friend told me that I had to go see an obstetrician, so I went. The obstetrician said I’d already gained too much weight and he put me on a very strict diet. He didn’t want me to gain any more than 12 lbs. Imagine that! Normal weight gain would be 35-40lbs. That was hard. I didn’t like it much.

I thought I better tell him that I didn’t want anaesthesia.

Sure, when having wisdom teeth out, I wanted anaesthesia, but not for having a baby.

He said, “Oh no, you’re going to need anaesthesia because you’re going to have a forceps delivery.” “That’s crazy,” I thought.

I’d never heard of that anywhere in my family. I just thought that was nuts. So I thought, “I’ll just be real quiet and they’ll not do that.” That was a bad mistake.

I wasn’t given my baby for a couple of days. I was kind of a mess. Not physically, but psychologically, because it was quite a long separation. I wasn’t used to being treated that way and then having to pay for it.

I was isolated at the time and didn’t have anyone to talk to, but when I moved to California, I met many women who had that same experience. And then I began to hear of some people who for their second birth, decided to just stay home and find somebody who was maybe a labour delivery nurse who would pretend to be a midwife. Word of homebirth started spreading and I decided that I wanted to do that for my second child, and not only that, I wanted to be a midwife.

You appear in the video called Orgasmic Birth. Tell us about that.

That sometimes happens. When the lights are low and you have an atmosphere of privacy. When a woman feels warm and secure and not hurried. When she’s with people who respect her.

That’s key. If orgasm happens, rejoice, but don’t have it as an expectation.

Some women are going to be put off by any kind of sexuality having any place at all in labour. Well, you don’t have to. But if a kiss would help, or a caress or squeezing the breasts, which actually helps stimulate oxytocin, why not? I’m all about being practical.

“If you’re worried about the traffic, it helps to know that most babies born in cars do just great.”

You’re coming to Dublin in October as part of this Positive Birth Conference. What message are you going to present when you come to speak in Dublin?

Who you want to attend you at the birth is your business. If you decide to go to the hospital, that’s your business. If you decide to give birth at home, that’s your business too. And you live with what goes with that. People have to take responsibility to inform themselves and understand what it is. If you go to the hospital early in labour, that’s not always a good idea. If you’re worried about the traffic, it helps to know that most babies born in cars do just great. They’re saying now in the U.S. that you shouldn’t be even admitted until you’re at least 6cm. Most people ever born were born at home. Homebirth is normal.

Do you have some plans for when you’re in Ireland other than the conference?

I’m really quite interested in the Síle na Gigs. I saw some last time I was over and there are a few more I’d love to see. They’re birthgiving figures. That’s to show women that things get big. The Síle

na Gigs where the opening is so large even an adult head could fit through, I’m convinced, is a reassuring sight to a woman who has got a big baby to push out. That’s Ireland’s gift. Why don’t we have pictures of them in the maternity hospitals? It’s an idea.

Ina May Gaskin is the only midwife ever to have a birthing technique named after her (the Gaskin Manoeuvre) and in 2011 was awarded a Right Livelihood Award (often called the Alternative Nobel Prize) in Stockholm. She will be speaking at the Positive Birth Conference taking place on October 1st in Dublin. positivebirthconference.com

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Midwife led care for you and your baby Find us under www.midwife-nanni.com or www.mymidwife.ie • Long time experienced midwives that offer: • HSE approved homebirth • Antenatal care and classes • Breastfeeding support and advice • Postnatal care • Acupuncture for everything around pregnancy and childbirth • And aroma oils and teas for you and your baby on www.mothernature.ie Visit our pages or contact us to find out more

positive supplemeNt

24 the essence of

goodwill esseNtial oils that heal the world.

by Yahaira L. Reyes

Founded in 2008, doTerra was built on the mission of sharing therapeutic-grade essential oils with the world. Having seen for themselves the incredible benefits that can be had from using these precious resources, a group of health-care and business professionals set out to make this mission a reality. They formed a company and named it doTerra, a Latin derivative meaning “Gift of the Earth.”

Each oil provides the living essence of its source botanical, gently distilled from plants that are nurtured and carefully harvested throughout the world.

They form a beautiful palette of botanical energies.

Meet dAvid Stirling I spoke to David Stirling, one of the founders and the chief executive officer of doTerra Essential Oils. A humanitarian and a family man, David has been an entrepreneur all his life. When he was around seven or eight years old he started his own little business greasing trikes and wagons. He hasn’t looked back.

David’s background was mainly in technology. He worked in engineering and mechanics. For him learning about essential oils was a full-on experience.

Because he wasn’t brought up within the holistic world, he was introduced in adulthood to essential oils. A curious

mind, he wanted to learn how to use them, how they worked and experience the results. He was quickly impressed. Years later, a suggestion to create an essential oils company started the path and eight years later, doTerra is now a renowned company in the US and worldwide. As I spoke to David, I quickly realised how passionate he was, not only about the doTerra essential oils, but also the good works that doTerra are involved in. heAling hAndS Healing Hands is the humanitarian organisation developed by doTerra working in different developing countries bringing work, education and

“a humanitarian and a family man, David has been an entrepreneur all his life.”

assistance to those who need it. Healing Hands seeks to bring healing and hope to the world, for lives free of disease and poverty, and to empower impoverished communities with the tools needed to become self-reliant. doTerra provides for all overhead and administrative costs of the Healing Hands Foundation, ensuring that 100% of all donations go directly to those receiving aid.

Projects include the mentoring of orphans in Bulgaria, well-drilling in Haiti, an earthquake relief fund for Nepal and school building in Somaliland.

It is clear that doTerra aren’t just sourcing their raw materials from these communities, but are also having a positive impact in the areas in which they do business. cO-iMpAct SOUrcing: chAnging the WOrld thrOUgh eSSentiAl OilS When the company began to grow and they realised they needed to expand their global supply, Co-Impact Sourcing was introduced. Working directly with the workers and producers of the oils in developing countries, doTerra cuts out the middle-man which allows them to create a cooperative benefitting producers and end-users alike.

A MAn With A MiSSiOn David says he is a free spirit who is always interested in many things, but when I asked if he would ever leave doTerra, he had never even considered it. He knows that he and all of those working with doTerra are very dedicated to their mission. They are just getting started, he claimed, and there’s plenty more to do. doterra.com irish contact Zuzana sladeckova: zuzanaostrava@yahoo.com

Doterra Ireland E.

tom.doterra@gmail.com

M.

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Positive tantr a

This series of Tantra Moments are techniques you can practice here and now. Simple, beautiful moments of Tantra designed to open you to the extraordinary depths of the Tantric practice. Through the practice, you’ll soon experience a natural way of being that is sensual and blissful. No partner is needed. No special abilities required. Only you, just as you are.

meeting

desire open up to the force within.

by Dawn Cartwright Desire is solid proof that life is brazenly optimistic. Proof that life believes in you, your ability to expand far beyond wherever you are right now. It’s that exhilarating feeling that fills the body whenever we are ignited – by pleasure, by love, new people, new ideas, new projects, old people, old ideas, old projects. Desire is the spark of something that has never yet been – reaching out to become.

Meeting desire = meeting the future. It’s the you that you’re destined to be who’s keeping you up nights and

“Desire is the spark of something that has never yet been - reaching out to become.” making you crazy – not the object of your desire. It’s your future self emerging in those moments of passion. And the one you’re crazy about? That, my friend, is you. Expanding and growing, until the walls around you dissolve, leaving you

exposed to the creative beginnings of true and unconditional love. (This makes life very happy.)

Meeting Desire Practice Close your eyes. Feel your body and the waves of sensation that are created by your breathing. When you feel relaxed and your thoughts have settled, extend your breathing two seconds beyond your usual stopping point. Create more space by relaxing your body. Bring special attention to relaxing your shoulders and diaphragm.

After one to two minutes, imagine a sponge deep inside your belly, just beneath the navel. Each time you exhale, pull your navel toward your spine, squeezing the imaginary sponge.

Breathing in, you extend the breath, very slightly. Breathing out, you gradually pull the navel toward your spine. When you breathe in again, be sure to relax the navel completely, creating more space in your belly.

This Tantric breathing practice will slowly bring to life feelings of desire in your body. Allow 5-10 minutes for this stage of the practice.

Meet your desire Open to desire, slowly, taking time to experience it in its completeness. Notice the many sensations and emotions desire evokes in you. Meet these feelings and emotions with curiosity and acceptance.

Welcome them.

Feel your strength, your weightiness in the chair where you are sitting. Feel the edges of your body. Create a secure foundation for desire through awareness of your physical form. What do you notice?

How do you feel?

It’s normal to feel the absence of desire at times. To feel empty and numb. If this is the case, go back to the breathing practice again for a few minutes, then rest and practice again the next day. Over time, your body will begin to trust again and desire will reappear. Be patient.

Feelings of desire may arise very strongly at times, triggering feelings of losing control. If you feel overwhelmed when meeting desire, go back to the breathing practice for a few minutes, then rest and practice again the next day. Be patient.

Enjoy the Moment.

Dawn Cartwright is a Tantric visionary, sacred writer, world traveler, and innovator in bio-energetic Tantra fusion. You’re invited to join her at the Buddha Bag Meeting in Dublin, October 6th, 2016, The Red Tent, Sacred Sexuality for Women: April 13th - 14th, 2017, Sacred Sexuality. How We Love, 2-Nights of Tantric Bliss: April 14th - 16th, 2017, and Weaving the Beloveds, Couples Tantra Weekend: April 20th - 23rd, 2017. www.dawncartwright.com

27

the age of

miracles marianne Williamson on Peace, Prayer and Politics.

by Victoria Mary Clarke @victoriamary

I was praying for a miracle at the exact moment that I got the call to interview Marianne Williamson, the ‘Miracles’ lady.

I was feeling hopeless, helpless, full of fear. My partner was being wheeled into hospital, shaking with pain. I asked the Universe to show me a higher, wiser perspective on the situation, and via Paul from Positive Life, it delivered her.

On 4 February 1992, Oprah Winfrey told 14 million people that she had personally bought 1,000 copies of Marianne’s first book ‘A Return to Love’. All 70,000 copies sold out that day. Oprah said she had got 157 miracles, possibly the most miraculous endorsement imaginable.

The book was based on the teachings of the ‘Course In Miracles’, which is believed by the author Helen Schucman to have been given to her by Jesus.

Marianne has written eleven books and sold three million copies, she founded Project Angel Food in LA, and co-founded the Peace Alliance, which is campaigning for a US Department of Peace and she tours and lectures constantly.

Sixteen years ago, I sat next to Marianne at a dinner. I was wildly jealous of her, she had everything I wanted, the Oprah endorsement, the NY Times bestseller.

I watched her speak at the launch of her new book, and my envy turned to awe. She glided on stage, slender, sexy and chic and OWNED the audience like a rock star. She spoke with gravitas and authority about the need for compassion and community in our governments. She was Presidential.

Having told her about my partner’s plight, she said a prayer for his healing. I had been nervous, stuck in my head, busy thinking of clever questions. She immediately shifted me into my heart, which is exactly what she teaches people to do.

In October 2013 she ran for Congress in California and came in fourth despite being endorsed by a host of celebrities including Katy Perry and Kim Kardashian.

She believes Hillary will win the Presidency. She speaks with exceptional diction, in a husky voice with a slightly Texan twang. “But anything could happen.”

Marianne was a Bernie Sanders supporter, initially. “I do believe the Democratic party unfairly tipped the election in Hillary Clinton’s favour. But once it happened, I immediately pivoted to Hillary because I think that Donald Trump represents

“Miracles are where you ask the Universe how you might be of service to it.”

29 a real threat to our democracy and a destabilising influence.’

Does the situation need a miracle? “I am prayerful and hopeful, but this campaign has revealed some of the darkest shadows in the American psyche. Every country and every person has a shadow side. Enlightenment is the complete dissolution of the shadow, but we don’t need enlightenment to have a civilised world.

Civilisation is where the shadow is kept in check. Some of our worst impulses have been legitimised by this candidate, impulses that should never be taken seriously within the public realm.”

She does see an upside to the situation. “As much as it has exposed the divisions in the US, it has also exposed some unity.

There is an increasing consensus on left and right that there are limits past which we will not go. My hope is that he will be defeated so roundly that the whole world will see that.”

She describes her own campaign as an “exhilarating experience, but a brutal one.” “If I were a younger woman I would probably think of trying again in a few years time, but I feel that I scratched that itch and running for office is in the been there done that zone!”

Speaking of wake up calls, her new book ‘Tears to Triumph’ is about the spiritual journey from suffering to enlightenment.

Suffering as a wake up call? “It can be a wake up call, depending on how you contextualise it. One of the things I talk about in the book is the over prescription of anti-depressants in the US. If all you do is treat it with anti-depressants, it is a call to take a nap!”

Personal suffering in a spiritual context is seen as a dark night of the soul, she says. “There are guideposts in all the great spiritual traditions that lead us out of the darkness and into the light of personal happiness and peace, and those guideposts include forgiveness, mercy and atonement.”

“What we need is to figure out how to cultivate happiness,” she says. “Depression is the absence of happiness, happiness is not the absence of depression. You can’t see yourself as a victim and be happy, you can’t fail to take responsibility for your own life and be happy, you can’t fail to make amends and atone and be happy and you can’t withhold forgiveness and be happy. So the book is a reflection on the pathway out of human suffering and back to peace.”

30

“My life works really well when I practise what I preach, and when I don’t, things fall apart as much for me as for anyone else.”

MARIANNE AT A GLANCE: 1 Ask how you can be of service to love each day 2 Ideas grow stronger when shared 3 Practise a daily meditation 4 Check out A Course In Miracles 5 Take care of the present with inner peace and the future will take care of itself

When we think about what will make us happy, she says, we usually think of things that we can get, the car, the new job, the apartment. I find myself identifying with this, especially when I think of selling three million books!

But of course this is not the answer to finding real happiness. “To seek enlightenment is the most powerful, the only way to find inner peace and happiness,” Marianne assures me.

I asked her about the law of attraction, whether she thinks it works. “The idea that your thoughts create your experience is nothing new. It is true that thought is the level of cause and experience is the level of effect. But using your thoughts to get what you want is not the spiritual mountaintop. Hitler did that!”

So you can get what you want, but what you really want is not what you think you want? “Yes. Love is the only right track.

In ‘A Course In Miracles’, it talks about the difference between magic and miracles. Magic is when you use mental tools, you get the Universe to act as your errand boy. Miracles are where you ask the Universe how you might be of service to it, how you might serve love.”

She follows the teachings of the course every day. “I ask ‘How can Love use me today?’ That automatically lifts you into a zone where manifestation that serves all things good, true and beautiful for you and everyone else unfolds.”

Even Marianne gets it wrong sometimes. “My life works really well when I practise what I preach, and when I don’t, things fall apart as much for me as for anyone else. On the mornings where I wake up and ask Love to use me today, send Love to anyone I am going to be with, go into a meeting and ask to be an instrument of peace, bless the people who are there. When I do that things work. When I don’t, things do not work!”

Should we love Donald Trump? “Love does not mean you

agree with everybody. But we don’t have to personally demonise anyone. Politics is too important to poison it with that toxic vibration. Terrible things can happen when politics becomes an instrument of hate.”

I was curious about what her own daily life is like. “I am a normal person, I work out like everybody else, I do yoga, weights, try to eat well, like everybody else. My sign is Cancer, so I really crave the experience of home and when I am home I will spend an entire 24 hours in the delicious space of doing nothing, we all need that.”

She enjoys the work that she does, but not all aspects of it. “What gets stressful are the airplanes, the travel, the administrative details. But the work itself is a joy for me.”

She will be giving a talk on ‘Embracing the Miraculous Mind’ at the upcoming Hay House ‘I Can Do It’ conference. “I am going to be talking about the principles of living a miraculous life. We all have a split mind , one part of the mind is in touch with the spiritual essence, and when we live with that realisation as our mental filter, life unfolds one way, and when we fall into the forgetfulness of the world, which denies our spiritual essence, and we think and act from that place, life unfolds completely differently. It is the difference between harmony and miracles and love versus chaos, anxiety and violence.”

The message that I took away from our meeting? That no matter how fearful we feel, there is always another perspective and there are people like Marianne holding giant signposts to lead us back to love and peace. But even they have to work at it! marianne.com Hay House ‘I Can Do It!” Conference is in Birmingham, see hayhouse.co.uk for details

Positively Pr actical

i went into a

32 Tomorrow morning, I am heading to the Burren to collect hazel for a yurt-making workshop to be held later this month. There is something very natural and deeply satisfying in building a shelter. To go to the woods, select and cut sticks, peel bark, measure, shape, make simple connections with cord. To create a special little world in which to dwell and dream.

It is more than keeping the rain off our heads. It is creating and defining space, shaping the world around us. It is an instinctive architectural process.

When we lay a towel on the beach we define space in a simple way. True it does keep the sand off our bottoms, but it is more than that and we all know it.

“Circular structures are beautiful but also demanding, democratic, ordered and powerful.”

hazel wood notes from a yurt maker.

By Nick Clayson

The area of architecture I have ended up working in is mobile structures: yurts, tents and simple shelters. I like structures that kiss their surroundings and sit lightly on the ground, move and leave only the vaguest memory behind.

My journey with yurts began many years ago. I became interested in them as a student and years later started making them as a way of enticing my city girl partner into a life of camping. My fascination with these structures and the people who live in them has grown over the years since.

Circular structures are beautiful but also demanding, pulling our focus to the centre, democratic, ordered and powerful.

In Mongolia there is a strict order to the layout of a Yurt or Ger as it is known. The door always faces south. At the north is the Altar. Men are to the west and women in the east, always sleeping with heads to the north. In between, are places for children, guests, visitors and possessions. In a Yurt the whole universe is represented. The roof is the sky or heavens, the crown is the sun – the entrance to the upper world. The walls are the world tree or ladder by which one ascends to the upper world (something which Mongolian Shamen do in a trance state passing through the crown). At the centre is the sacred hearth. It contains the five basic elements: earth, wood, fire, metal in the

grate and water in the kettle, on which offerings are burned each morning. In this way the spiritual is a part of the everyday.

Circulation is always clockwise, and many other mores and traditions dictate how people interact with one another. It is for example considered very impolite to knock on the door of a Yurt. One should simply enter. To knock is to question a host’s generosity. Shelter will always be given even to a mortal enemy.

Yurts are also extremely practical dwellings. They offer protection from a very harsh environment and are perfectly suited to the lifestyle of nomadic people.

It is this combining of the spiritual practice with the everyday which holds my attention. It is something common with all vernacular or traditional housing.

In Ireland the long cottage with stone hearth, settle and holy lamp could be seen in the same way.

It is these questions about how we dwell and shelter and what we truly need to thrive as people, which should be at the heart of the debate surrounding the current housing situation. It is worth remembering that the word Ger in Mongolian does not actually describe a structure at all but translates simply as home.

Nick Clayson is an Architect, Craftsman and Proprietor of Bigfoot Yurts. facebook.com/bigfootyurts

good life 2.0

34

buen vivir a good life together.

by Davie Philip

For over five years I have been writing in Positive Life about community-led and citizen-engaged alternatives to our current unsustainable way of life. I called this column the Good Life 2.0 based on what I saw as an upgrade for the 21st century of the ideas of the 1970’s self-sufficiency movement. My interest however is in co-sufficiency - what we might do together to live well and transition to an equitable, post-industrial society not dependent on fossil fuels or exploitation.

Today, material accumulation and the pursuit of wealth has become an end in itself; for most this is the good life. This focus on ownership and self-interest tends to leave us feeling anxious, dissatisfied and unhappy in the longer term. More and more people believe there has to be something better than the system we have, but even imagining this will require a transformation in the way we see the world.

Buen Vivir is a new worldview based on indigenous traditions that has emerged

over the past decade across Latin America.

It is literally translated as the ‘good life’ or ‘good living’. However with Buen Vivir the good of the community is placed above that of the individual and there is a deep connection with nature. There is no single definition of Buen Vivir but a community-centric, ecologically-balanced and culturally-sensitive way of doing things comes close.

The concept of Buen Vivir has of now been embedded in the constitutions of Bolivia and Ecuador and has inspired a grassroots challenge to the culture of individualism and consumption. It encourages new ways of thinking about the linkages between ecological and economic systems and opens up pathways towards an ecological worldview that helps us imagine how we can live well together.

With an awareness of our connection and interdependence to everything comes a deeper empathy and responsibility for everything. I’m convinced that transitioning to a future that works will require our active engagement as citizens and a move from an obsolete worldview focused on the wellbeing of oneself,

“With an awareness of our connection and interdependence to everything comes a deeper empathy and responsibility for everything.”

to one that prioritises the wellbeing of the whole.

I do see some hope with initiatives such as community supported agriculture, co-housing and locally owned energy co-operatives, and although these social innovations are still very marginal, they may hold the seeds for the future. Each year, Cultivate, the co-op I work with, organise Convergence, Ireland’s longest running sustainable living festival. In October across the island of Ireland we will be facilitating conversations on citizen-engaged and community-led responses to the challenges we face.

By reconnecting with each other and the natural world around us we could fulfil our own material, spiritual and emotional needs in a way that is in balance with the needs of society and with the earth. We could design ways to live in an ethical way that doesn’t undermine our life-support systems. What we lack is the collective will. It’s time to embrace Buen Vivir and realise that the good life is only possible as part of a community. davie philip davie@cultivate.ie is a community catalyst at cultivate cultivate.ie and is based in cloughjordan ecovillage thevillage.ie - convergence festival takes place from october 13th to 29th, to join the conversation, email convergence@cultivate.ie

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The Synchronization Workshop invites everyone into a deep state of emotional healing and raises the vibration for the entire weekend. The ability that Teal has to open up an entire audience to a place of honesty and vulnerability is incredible. This raw honesty is what has people coming to several workshops no matter the location. Teal’s workshops run from 10AM until 5:30PM with a one and half hour lunch break. We will promote our alternative casual events on Friday and Sunday on social media closer to the event. They are designed so workshop guests can spend more time with each other. It is a beautiful weekend.

For more information about Teal, upcoming workshops and events, visit: www.tealswan.com

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put a

natur al medicine

pin in it five Reasons to Try Acupuncture.

by Candice Behan

36 Acupuncture and Chinese medicine is a complete medical system that is capable of diagnosing and successfully treating a wide range of conditions.

But like many alternative medicine options, it is often seen as a ‘last resort’ therapy choice.

Patients are often pleasantly surprised to find relief when other more traditional methods have failed them.

So often a happy client will tell me they wish they had tried acupuncture sooner. My only thought as to why more people don’t seek the help of an acupuncturist earlier is that they simply do not know what it has to offer. And while I want to be clear that acupuncture is a great choice for most medical troubles, here are a select few that it treats especially well.

1 Fertility Acupuncture enhances fertility by reducing stress, balancing the endocrine system, and increasing blood flow to the reproductive organs, including the ovaries and uterus. This increases the chances that an egg will be properly nourished and carried to full term. And since most fertility issues begin with irregularities of

the menstrual cycle, I always advise women to seek treatment to correct their cycle before they want to conceive.

It is important to note that infertility affects both women and men equally, and acupuncture successfully treats both.

2 Pain Relief A recent study showed that after traditional acupuncture, opioid receptors were more available, or receptive, to the types of body hormones and chemicals that help stop pain.

Whether it’s an injury, fibromyalgia, headaches, migraines, back pain, or literally any type of pain, see an acupuncturist today.

3 Depression and Anxiety Acupuncture works by moving energy. Stress stops this

natural flow of energy which produces symptoms such as depression, insomnia, and anxiety. Acupuncture also stimulates the release of natural endorphins found in the brain. These substances provide a feeling of ‘wellbeing’ which positively affect mood. So much that a 2013 study found that acupuncture could be a more efficient and faster treatment then fluoxetine (Prozac) for depression.

4 Autoimmune Diseases According to Chinese Medicine, autoimmune disorders occur when there is imbalance within the body. These imbalances disrupt the flow of energy resulting in a variety of symptoms. Acupuncture is used to help the body restore balance, treating the root of the disorder, while specifically addressing the symptoms that are unique to each individual. Clinical research has shown that acupuncture causes physical responses in nerve cells, the pituitary gland, and various parts of the brain.

These responses can cause the body to release proteins, hormones, and brain chemicals that control a number of body functions. Therefore, acupuncture can affect a multitude of symptoms resulting in improved quality of life, and control of the autoimmune disease.

CNM

“So often a happy client will tell me they wish they had tried acupuncture sooner.”

5 Cancer Treatment Side-Effects Acupuncture helps to reduce nausea, pain, hair loss, mouth sores, hot flashes, fatigue, and increase the body’s overall immune response. A 2007 Italian study found that even simple acupressure could help chemotherapy patients who were not responding to anti-nausea medication.

Anyone going through chemotherapy could benefit by seeing an acupuncturist as part of their treatment protocol. This could make them stronger both physically and mentally, making them better equipped to battle their disease.* If you are not sure whether acupuncture is an appropriate treatment for your condition please contact a trained acupuncturist in your area for a consultation. Just because you have

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suffered with something “forever” doesn’t mean it’s normal. Too many people begin to believe a debilitating pain or ailment is something they have to get used to.

Not true. Relief is out there, if only more people knew. *Acupuncture can safely be used alone or in conjunction with other complementary or conventional therapies.

Acupuncturist and College of Naturopathic Medicine Lecturer, Candice Behan specialises in fertility at Clover Acupuncture in Dublin. If you would like to find out how you can train at CNM for an exciting new career in Naturopathic Nutrition, Herbal Medicine, Homeopathy, or Acupuncture, join us at our next open evening. Reserve your free place online at www.naturopathy.ie – College locations; Dublin, Cork & Galway.

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38

the wonder of therapeutic horticulture

By Hans Wieland

winter

positive food

and independent living skills. The project garden includes a polytunnel and is grant Gardening is aided in 2012 by the National Lottery with a wonderfully flexible medium the specific purpose of ‘improving physical and mental health.’ that can The Senses Garden at The Organic transform lives, and, working salad days all year rouNd. Centre has become a well-copied feature,

By Hans Wielandseen firstand Helen McCauley - who works as a in The Organic Centre, I have ‘garden therapist’ in Cregg House - got hand how gardening can help everyone, many ideas from there. “The use of regardless of age or disability. raised beds helps our gardeners using We all have heard people say, “Gardening is therapeutic,” but the HSEpreparing your meal. wheelchairs to fully participate in the The lettuce (Compositae family) is a most As we approach autumn it is time astonishing plant and probably one of the personal harvesting tip: garden project.My Our sensory beds and funded Community Food Project (CFP) to think about how to keep our supply most popular vegetables today, eaten all It is always best to harvest of lettuce going throughout the Winter over the world. Infrom my home, the answer flower gardens lettuce offer abyrestful placethe for all I coordinated 2004 to 2011 proves hand, tearing months. Here is a short guide: to the daily question “What’s for dinner?” leaves apart twisting the our other service users toorenjoy through thatinvariably with the following figures: since goes like this: “Well, salad Pick the right variety and let’s see what else we have…” Salad head from the roots.

That vision, smell, taste, touch and sound,” starting with the CFP, participants have meaning lettuce most of the time and Lettuce varieties that keep better way the lettuce keeps better as we have a garden and a polytunnel lower shewith says. reported 67% better health,we91% through morethe winter months than cutting with a knife or eat our own lettuce 365 days a year, all temperatures and less light are often of scissors. active, 78% improved andthe81% less colours, shapes , flavours andfitness tastes. loose leaf type. They are colourful, We eat lettuce as salad with a easy, and fast-growing varieties, which stressed.

One of the other findings was simple dressing of two parts of oil to one go from seed to baby leaves in five weeks, of vinegar, seatogether salt, pepper and a seed‘mental to big salad leaves in seven. The thatpart gardening provided what is therapeutic horticulture? drizzle of organic apple syrup and we eat bestselling lettuce seed pack at our shop health those withinspecific is as agains starter tofor activate the enzymes in The Organic Centre is our “Baby Leaf Social and Therapeutic Horticulture is the our body for digestion.

Mix”, which is developed especially difficulties.’

(J.P. Burke: Growingforin Lettuces are a powerhouse of professional growers andformal containsname given to the use of plants nutrients, and because we eat them Oaking, Palosta, Lettony, Rosalo and Confidence, 2007 Evaluation Report) and gardening to promote personal raw, they are an excellent source of Sadawi, all varieties which are very Researchers at Bristol University hard to getand individually. Very suitable development, healing, health and for growing over the winter are “oriental University of London conducted research wellbeing. leaves”, belonging to the cabbage family I feel more in control compared to sowing like mustard, mizuna and rocket.

Lambs directly. I plant them out after three to which suggests that own friendly bacteria which “We eat our lettuce is a very hardy variety grow “Sowingrehabilitation thinly” is one of my Ittocan be partfour of aweeks. person’s are common fertile soil cause brain lettucein365 days outside. golden rules for mixed leaf lettuce. The to enable them to recover from a difficult ideal germination temperature is around cellsatoyear, produce beneficial chemical allthecolours, Prepare your beds, containers ortheir lives 18 degrees Celsius. time in such as drug addiction, polytunnel serotonin.

It also highlights the importance shapes, flavours bereavementharvest or physical a littleinjury. at a time Growing lettuce outside over the winter of gardening organically without using needs weed-free beds with good drainage Produce your own mixed salads by and tastes.”

It canHave help clients toa range learnofnew skills, and and fertilised with good compost. growing leafy salads from the chemicals and toxic sprays. cloches and garden fleece ready for extra cut and come again type. Harvesting the has been shown to slow down the progress The CFP has also been working with protection in case of frost. We grow most young leaves from outside in when you a degenerative illness.

Acquiring of our winter lettuces in ourof polytunnel need them prevents plants fromnew maturing the Occupational Therapy Department of antioxidants like Vitamin A, C and E and in some containers outside the and ensures several harvests of small, skills can also improve the chances of and minerals like Iron,Services Manganese and kitchen door. Make sure your polytunnel tender, mild-flavoured leaves over a long the Mental Health in Sligo.

The Potassium. The darker the leaves, the higher is well ventilated every day. finding employment. period of time. gardening asapart of a needs-based the nutrientproject, content. Eating fresh green sow seeds at the right time salad every day can be an important and Other benefits include increased physical therapeutic programme in the hospital, necessary part of a healthy diet. And Mid-August to end of September is the more on growing lettuce from activity, interaction, opportunities because lettuces are a perishable foodof individual time to sow again for a supply that couldsocial www.theorganiccentre.ie or on our special has supported a wide range it is best to grow them yourself all year last well into next April. I recommend harvest – day course at for voluntarycourse: workplan anda year’s social inclusion. goals, e.g. relaxation, exercise, round so you can harvest them just before socialising, raising lettuce plants in modules, because the organic centre 9th october 2016.

(Thrive 2011) motor skills development, motivation

lettuce

magical

positive food

miso

A Warming Autumn Soup.

by James Burke Miso is one of my all time favourite fermented foods. It is made from a combination of cooked beans, grains, salt and koji that have been aged in wooden casks for six to twenty-four months until they have turned to a smooth paste. It can vary from a dark brown to a lighter whiter paste depending on the beans and grains that have been used. The dark brown misos are the saltiest and heaviest while the whiter

coloured ones are a little sweeter and lighter.

Miso can be added to many savoury foods such as soups, sauces and stews due to its salty and flavour enhancing properties.

With a little more practice you can even use it in desserts as sweet and salty is an amazing flavour combination.

This recipe calls for barley miso. I associate this type of miso with the darker days and colder weather that comes with

autumn when I crave more warming foods.

Use the stock recipe as a base and try it with different types of miso over the seasons. Adjust the vegetables and grains as the seasons dictate and add a little protein for a more filling broth. This broth recipe can be used as a base while experimenting with the filling ingredients to accommodate what you have at hand and what may be lost at the back of your fridge or cupboard.

miso soup Serves 4 Ingredients for the stock: 15mls (1 tablespoon) rapeseed oil 150g onion (1 medium onion) 120g carrot (1 medium carrot) 80g celery (1 medium celery stick) 20g ginger (small thumb-sized piece) 50g garlic (4 to 5 cloves) 1 teaspoon sea salt 5g dried shitake mushrooms (about 3 mushrooms) 10g dried kombu seaweed 2 litres of water 4 tablespoons barley miso Ingredients for the soup: 250g red peppers (2 medium peppers) 240g carrots 15ml lemon juice 300g sprouting broccoli 100g whole spelt grain 30ml rapeseed oil

Method for the broth: 1 Boil one litre of water and soak the shitake mushrooms and dried kombu while you prepare the rest of the broth.

2 Peel the onion and roughly chop it, along with the carrot, celery, ginger, garlic and salt. Heat the 15ml of rapeseed oil in a medium saucepan then add the chopped vegetables to sautĂŠ gently over a medium heat. Cover the saucepan with a lid, reduce the heat and cook for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.

3 After ten minutes, add the soaked mushrooms and kombu along with the water in which they soaked. Bring the stock to a boil then simmer for another fifteen minutes.

Now the stock is ready and you will need to remove it from the heat. Strain it through a sieve, preserving the stock water and discarding the cooked vegetables and seaweed. Finish the stock by dissolving the four tablespoons of miso into the stock water.

Now you have a basic miso broth.

4 Place the broth over a very low heat to keep it warmed while you finish preparing the rest of the ingredients. Start by rinsing the spelt under cold water then placing it into a small saucepan and covering with about 600ml of water. Place the saucepan onto a high heat and bring it to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover with a lid and simmer the spelt for about 30 to 35 minutes until it has softened and cooked thoroughly. Once cooked, strain the water from the spelt and set the cooked spelt aside until needed.

5 While the spelt is cooking the vegetables can be roasted. Heat your oven to 180c. Prepare the red peppers by halving the peppers and removing the seeds and stalk. Slice the peppers into long thin strips and mix them with 15ml of the rapeseed oil. Place the oiled pepper strips onto a roasting tray and into the pre-heated oven to roast for 15 to 20 minutes. Top, tail and peel the carrots then roughly chop them into bite sized pieces. Coat them with the 15ml of lemon juice and remaining 15mls of rapeseed oil and place them onto a roasting tray. Cover the roasting tray with tinfoil to help the carrots to cook. The carrots will need to be roasted for 25 to 30 minutes but the tinfoil will need to be removed after 15 minutes cooking to allow the carrots to caramelise lightly for the final 15 or so minutes of roasting. Once the pepper and carrots are cooked they can be removed from the oven and set aside until needed.

6 Prepare the broccoli by removing some of the tough parts of the stalk then chopping the remaining broccoli florets into medium pieces. It is best to cook the broccoli just before serving.

It can be cooked by steaming or blanching the broccoli briefly for two minutes.

Method for assembling the soup Once all the ingredients are ready, assemble the soup by ensuring the miso broth is warmed. Divide the cooked red peppers, carrots, spelt and broccoli into four bowls and pour the miso broth over each one and serve. cornucopia.ie

Photo: emma loughran

41

AMMA

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Soul Empowerment Coach Training Starts Oct 2016 (1 year) www.soulempowermentcoach.com ' Th e My s t i c P r o g r a m' Mindfulness inter-Spiritual Teacher Training

Acclaimed in America & Europe as one of the greatest Healers of our time. Guru Dev will lead a two day workshop guiding us to a state of deep silence. In the vastness of this consciousness profound healing occurs. A delightful experience to meet this much loved teacher. He is known for his generous spirit, his humor and tireless efforts to to spread the teachings. In the breaks Guru Dev will be available to answer any questions you may have.

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short & sweet

43

Selfless Service How Amma Opened My Heart.

by Tracey Behan

The first time I went to see Amma was during her first visit to Dublin in 2004, when my brother Patrick asked if I’d accompany him. I had a lovely evening but didn’t really focus on Amma. It wasn’t until I went again and had decided to help out by doing some volunteering or ‘selfless service’ at the programme that things started to change for me. My heart started to open up into a space of love, compassion and complete joyousness that I will never forget.

Ever since, there have been both subtle and significant changes in my life, and the feeling of Amma’s loving presence has continued. I have felt a beautiful connection with her and think of her many times during the day. To me it is a very personal and loving relationship.

I feel that Amma’s words, the work she does in the world and my personal memories of her guide me, motivate me and inspire me in my daily life. I find

myself thinking of her often and I thank her for helping to restore my faith in myself, for reminding me of who I truly am, and for helping me to find my way in the world.

Amma’s presence is so strong in my life and it keeps me focused on trying to live as well as I can with lots of love and laughter, joy and appreciation for Life.

I am really looking forward to her visit on October 14th & 15th at Citywest Convention Centre. ammaireland.org

short and swee t

Follow Your Star The Sun and Astrology

by Calodagh McCumiskey

A Healthy Start Gluten-free breakfast

By Yahaira Reyes “When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,” said Piglet at last, “what’s the first thing you say to yourself?” “What’s for breakfast?” said Pooh.

“What do you say, Piglet?” “I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?” said Piglet. Pooh nodded thoughtfully. “It’s the same thing”, he said. ~ A.A. Milne There is a wonderful feeling to waking up fresh on a Sunday morning and starting your great routine with a delicious bowl of cereal. You sit at your table, looking out the window at a beautiful summer rain, sunshine or even the beautiful cold sky announcing the coming of a cosy winter while you look forward to all the beautiful things the day will bring your way. After you are finished you feel satisfied and very ready to enjoy the day.

But what if for whatever reason, you’ve been trying to avoid gluten but you still love delicious cereals or crunchy muesli with the taste of berries? Well here is where Rebelicious Gluten Free Cereal comes in. They are a range of gluten free cereals produced in Ireland and registered with the Coeliac Irish Society. They come in a variety of tastes and shapes with awesome names like Rebelicious Buckwheat or Crunchy Buckwheat flakes; they are healthy and taste delicious.

Besides their cereals, they have their amazing and gluten free Toffeebreak bars for a little pause during your day.

Rebelicious cereals and bars can be found in most health food shops and independent supermarkets. So now every morning breakfast can be as enjoyable as a relaxed Sunday morning.

The sun is the most important celestial body in our lives. Without the sun there would be no light, food or oxygen.

In the same way that it has so much importance at a planetary level, it has a corresponding vitality at a personal level in our charts and lives. It brings the spotlight, illumination and energy. It points to our soul’s journey – the journey from ego to enlightenment.

Understanding the sun in our charts will give insights into our light, our shadows and point to our soul’s potential showing us how to shine most brightly and ignite our soul’s fire.

If the sun is placed close to the moon, the person will be prone to depression and more easily disheartened. People born on a full moon, when the sun and the moon are 180 degrees apart, tend to be more sensitive to what’s going on around them and in the world, even more so at the time of a full moon.

They can often have stronger intuition, psychic abilities and experiences.

People with the sun in the 7th or 10th houses, associated with daily working life and profession, tend to be leaders in their field. They have vision, charisma and the capacity to deliver the vision.

Astrology can help you to understand yourself, set goals and realise your potential.

As Ferdinand Foch proclaimed, “The most powerful weapon on Earth is the human soul on fire.” Set your world alight. hellenisticvedicastrology.com

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by Hayley Milthorpe I began my love affair with live fermented foods whilst studying to become a nutritional therapist. I was passionate about using food as a medicine.

I was particularly interested in the diets of our ancestors and the foods they consumed. For thousands of years they used fermentation to create foods with nutritional value far superior to that of what most people eat today, and to preserve foods without freezing or canning We regularly consumed live fermented foods in our diet but now other methods of artificial preservation have replaced more traditional ones.

Live fermented foods are rich in beneficial bacteria and yeasts, but scientists are only beginning to scratch at the surface of understanding the complex role they play in health. All the research indicates that a good balance of gut flora is important in achieving optimal health.

I began experimenting at home creating live fermented foods such as yoghurt, crème fraiche, kefir, kombucha, ginger beer, lactofermented gherkins, kimchi and of course sauerkraut. I was hooked!

The Cultured Food Company is helping lead the revival of these nutrionally dense and deliciously complex fermented foods.

As Indian activist, Vandana Shiva proclaimed, “The time has come for us to reclaim the stolen harvest and celebrate the growing and giving of good food as the highest gift and most revolutionary act.�

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Waking Up in Dreams and life lucid dreamiNg to help develop miNdfulNess.

by Patrick O Connor

Lucid dreaming is the learnable skill of becoming consciously aware within the dream state, allowing one to

46

experience and interact in dreams with self-reflective awareness.

Many people encountered the idea of lucid dreaming through the movie Inception, which introduces the idea of lucid dreaming in an entertaining but somewhat shallow manor. Lucid dreaming can be used for extraordinary adventures and to explore the nature of the mind, consciousness and projections. In Tibet the ancient practice of Dream Yoga has a central focus of exploring our awareness within the lucid state in order to develop freedom from suffering and insight, beyond the illusionary nature of life.

My recent thesis for my MSc in Mindfulness Studies through Aberdeen University, explored how lucid dreaming may assist mindfulness training. Researching this, I conducted interviews with experienced mindfulness and lucid dreaming practitioners.

Participants described how lucid dreaming practice contributed to more mindful moments through the day, greater insight into projection and the development of psychological flexibility. Some related how meaningful experiences of compassion within lucid dreams translated into life situations.

Also described were challenges encountered in these practices and various ways they found to work with this. If anyone would like to read my thesis, please contact me as it is freely available.

From October 28th-30th we’ll be fortunate to have one of the world’s leading teachers and authors on Lucid Dreaming, Robert Waggoner, coming to give a workshop in Cloughjordan Ecovillage, Co. Tipperary. email Dreamyogaireland@gmail.com for details.

shaman in residence creacoN lodge wellNess ceNtre Sandra Grey Wolf is the resident Shaman at Creacon Lodge Wellness Centre in County Wexford. Thirty years of doing healing work, ceremony and teaching Native American ways from an ancient lineage of those who walked in nature, she shares how to heal yourself through using the earth, and how to tune into it through mindful sitting in Creacon’s gardens.

People come from all over Ireland and beyond to experience her Oracle readings as she “throws the bones” on the Wheel of Life to help you understand yourself and your purpose here. She takes people on drumming journeys to meet and heal themselves through a deep soul retrieval experience. From nature to nurture, through her meditations with the elements, and her healing ways, she helps you understand why a hawk appeared to you, or a bear came into your dreams, and in the process shows you how all life is teaching you something every minute.

She utilises every therapeutic modality Creacon Lodge offers, to support and heal you. Juice Fasts and Food Is Medicine programmes become a Vision Quest, the sauna becomes a sweat lodge ceremony, through the body/mind therapies, massages, and yoga retreats you experience, she counsels you to connect with your inner teacher.

Being in the Irish countryside at Creacon, she helps you remember the ancient ways and again walk the path of life in a beautiful way. Come meet the Shaman over tea and she’ll read the tea leaves for you too. creaconlodgewellnesscentre.com

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Vegan Has A New Home Meet and eat without the meat

by VegHuns

At long last the amazing talent of Sova Vegan Butcher has found its forever home in Dublin City. Since opening this restaurant on Pleasants Street, our dining experiences at Sova have been above and beyond ‘pleasant’.

With a selection of three starters, we first sampled the king scallops with beurre blanc sauce on dill potato cakes which was an elegant mix of textures. We recommend starting with the refreshing watermelon and zucchini tartare. This comes with coconut polenta, tarragon balsamic and an avocado mousse which is to die for!

There is an unbelievable variety of main course options but our top recommendations will have to go to the chia burger and seitan steak, neither of

“For any vegans living in Dublin, you certainly won’t be disappointed with this three-course experience in a charming new location.” which could possibly leave you in want of anything more. The burger with red onion marmalade and jalapeño mayo is a filling and flavoursome unique twist on a classic. The scandalously smokey steak is partnered with a hearty potato gratin. No matter what you order, it will surely be paired with exquisite sauces and salad.

For dessert, you will have the choice of raspberry cheesecake and, our

personal favourite, coconut panna cotta.

This sweet note ends the meal beautifully.

For any vegans living in Dublin, you certainly won’t be disappointed with this three-course experience in a charming new location. For those looking to try something new, you’ll simply have to try this menu to believe it. facebook.com/veghuns

To book a Dr.Hauschka treatment contact one of our Estheticians below in your area Ann Boyle Beauty/Holistic Therapist Kathy Rogers - Health at Hand Health food Store and Therapy Centre Liberty Square (over Boyle’s Shop) Thurles 5 Lower Main Street, Arklow Co.Tipperary Co.Wicklow kennedy.ann57@gmail.com www.healthathand.ie 086 1052374 healthathandshop@gmail.com 0402 41869 / 086 3529877 Brenda Furey The Wellness Room Gina O’Callaghan Holistic Beauty Therapies Ospa Malahide Organic Therapies Co. Dublin Malahide brendafurey@gmail.com Co. Dublin 087 6726604 gina@ospa.com 087 4494749

Tara O’Rourke Saol Beo Holistic Therapies and Training 43 Fitzwilliam Square Dublin 2 www.saolbeo.ie hello@saolbeo.ie www.facebook.com/Saolbeoholistictherapies/ To enquire about Dr.Hauschka Therapist Training contact Tara at hello@saolbeo 087 4140718

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Learning the Art of Transformation A Course in Dr Hauschka’s Magic

by Kathy Rogers “The smells are amazing.” “I love the sage essence footbath, it is so soothing and grounding.” “I feel totally nurtured and cocooned.” These are just some of the remarks myself and my fellow trainee Dr. Hauschka Estheticians received over the course of our case study practise. Since completing six days training last May in a stunning house, set in the middle of the woods, in the idyllic Inistioge, Co. Kilkenny, we had all been totally hypnotised by this wonderful treatment.

All of us trainees had long been fans of the Dr. Hauschka Skincare range for years prior to embarking on this adventure to become Dr. Hauschka Estheticians. We were expecting to enjoy our week of training, but none of us expected to be quite as blown away by this treatment as we were. It was incredibly soothing yet powerful and a joy, not only to receive, but also to give. Not to

mention, we all left for our respective homes with glowing complexions after all the practice.

The whole experience was total immersion into the world of Dr. Hauschka; the products, the history and the practice. It was made all the better by the good company of our two wonderful trainers, Tara and Jean; we arrived to Inistioge as strangers and left as friends.

We are all so excited to now be qualified and offering Dr.Hauschka treatments in Ireland. It is such a privilege to work with this range in this way and we hope as many people as possible get to experience for themselves the magic and transformative effect of a Dr. Hauschka treatment. www.drh.ie

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Fluid Stillness Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy

by Vilma Matuleviciute Most of us know the value of stillness and rest, especially in our increasingly fast and busy lives. Allowing our body, and especially our mind, to slow down, we also allow it to rest and restore. One treatment which deeply, yet subtly, facilitates this is Biodynamic Craniosacral therapy (BCST).

Craniosacral is a non-invasive, safe and gentle hands-on therapy, suitable for all ages, where a trained therapist tunes into rhythmic motion of bones, connective tissues and cerebrospinal fluid.

Stress and traumatic experiences from birth to adulthood affect our limbic brain by flooding it with stress hormones and creating an imbalance in the neuroendocrine and immune systems. Neuroscience highlights the importance of nourishing and protecting the brain. BCST helps to enhance the flow of cerebrospinal fluid and by doing so brings nourishment and protection to our central nervous system. Increased fluid circulation in the brain also helps to release endorphins and enkephalins, which leads to pain reduction and enhanced sense of wellness.

Held by an experienced practitioner, who carefully palpates and listens to our body, our system attunes to this nourishing and safe relationship and allows itself to go into a deep stillness, during which nervous system activation can down-regulate and rebalance. Deep listening, rooted in

structural knowledge, helps us to settle into a rhythmic fluid motion, ease nervous or musculoskeletal tension and reduce flight or fight responses. But more importantly, it allows us to pause for rest and stillness, and brings us a deep sense of relaxation and a sense of being present in the moment. alchemilla-healing.ie

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A Novel Idea A Supercentenarian on a mission

by Domhnall O’Donaghue Thank heavens for chance opportunities. Some years ago, I received an unexpected invitation from a community-based theatre company in Co. Wicklow to devise an original production with them. The rehearsal process required the troupe to visit several residential homes for the elderly where we gathered a treasure chest of stories, memories and experiences - stimuli that were later used to create our show, Industrial Yarns.

Society and the media often encourage us to believe that once we reach a certain age, our vitality and worth start to wane – a sentiment that has never rung true with me, and this real-life experience only re-enforced my initial suspicions. Many of our hosts were north of 80 but, thankfully, they paid little heed to that dreary adage about acting one’s age. For three glorious weeks, we laughed and cried, danced and sang, talked and listened.

Last summer, when I started writing my first novel, Sister Agatha: The World’s Oldest Serial Killer, I was reminded of that colourful gang - and despite the fact that any future birthday cakes were sure to collapse under the weight of the endless candles, they still possessed hearts that beat louder than a marching band.

In the book, my 118-year-old leading lady guffaws at the fact that she has just a handful of days left to live because she’ll

stop at nothing in her quest to become the world’s oldest citizen – even if that means breaking the sacred fifth commandment and attempting to kill the only four supercentenarians older than her!

After all: life has no best before. tirgearrpublishing.ie

Tune In & Turn On Connecting With Your Inner Self

by Thomas John

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All of us are born highly intuitive. It is hardwired in our DNA. Intuition is basically data that our mind and body perceive before it has fully formed in the universe and turned into ‘matter’. We need to be aware of the way intuition works and practise developing it.

Here are three tips to use to connect with your powerful intuitive mind.

1 Document your thoughts and experiences: Keep a journal and write down impressions, dreams, and insights that you have. As you document and refer back to things, you will see some of the intuitive ‘hits’ you received.

1 Be open to signs from the Universe: The universe is always conspiring to bring us a happier life. To do this, we often get signs from the universe to let us know that we are on the right path. Be open to them.

1 Meditate the way that feels right: Meditating doesn’t have to involve funny scented candles or a trip up to the top of a mountain. Many people misconstrue meditation. They think of it as this intense process where we must block all thoughts and emotion. That’s not true. Make sure to focus on your breath, which will allow thoughts and emotions to flow in naturally.

Even 30 seconds of focusing on your breath can lead to great insights and emotional calmness.

Thomas John is coming to Ireland. See seminars.ie for details. mediumthomas.com

Food for Thought An Intuitive Evening with Paul Buggle

by Yahaira L. Reyes Inside a beautiful family home in Blackrock, an excellently decorated dining and sitting room filled with peaceful atmosphere, the intuitive dinner was held. I enjoyed the experience of watching how Paul waited for his guests with excitement. The idea of this evening, a coming together of souls excited to share a wonderful dinner and experience his intuitive gifts, had come to him many years before and it was now time to make it a reality.

After a light and cheerful conversation, the evening began with a peaceful meditation to be open to our guides and the messages Paul was about to receive. The room filled up with positive energy and at the end we walked excited to the dinner table. A versatile man, Paul prepared a delicious vegetarian meal and we all ate and talked to each other like longtime friends.

After dinner, the session began smoothly. Paul would allow his guides to lead him and bring the message with clarity. As he addressed each one of us, you could feel the changes in the room, one would laugh or cry or both while nodding with excitement.

Paul took his time with everyone, his guides and our guides having what felt like a happy conversation. The messages received were insightful and we all sensed a wonderful clarity and purpose to follow our path. At the end of the evening, we walked away

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Change the World Choose a Career in Nutrition & Health

by Richard Burton

55 No More Rash Decisions Sound advice for your skin

by Graeme Hume

It’s amazing how much more conscious people are becoming about health and nutrition. What was once confined to athletes and a few keep-fit enthusiasts, has now become mainstream.

This is a really positive development. Because of this, we can expect not just greater longevity, but also a much higher quality of life for the years we are given.

One of the factors that brought about this change, is that people are now seeking out information on nutrition and wellbeing far more than they did before. For this, they look to the professionals. You can now find qualified lifestyle coaches and nutritional experts in most towns around the country.

The Irish Institute of Nutrition & Health (IINH), Bray, Co Wicklow, has pioneered nutrition and lifestyle education in Ireland since 2002. We were the first college to train Health Coaches and Nutritional Therapists, both with internationally recognised qualifications.

Our graduates can be found working around the world in all health related fields including one-to-one coaching and therapy, group sessions and workshops, teaching, R&D, media work and beyond, such is the demand for their expertise in these more enlightened times.

For those who regard good health as the most precious of assets, what career could be more appealing? Our courses will give you the opportunity to get out there and make a difference. iinh.net

Do you have eczema? If so, here is some advice that may help: 1 Choosing the right detergent Organic, non-biological washing products are fantastic as they do not contain the ingredients that aggravate the skin otherwise found in washing products. Most detergents, even the non-biological ones, are derived from mineral oils, plus synthetic aromas and other modified chemicals to achieve their outstanding results. These detergents can have unwanted effects on the skin. Unfortunately, washing machines wash out the dirt but leave on some detergent. Don’t be fooled by a claim of a ‘Green Wash’. These products offer a slight improvement but their base ingredient is still detergent derived from mineral oils. Almost always they continue to use synthetic aromas. If, for whatever reason, you do use ordinary detergent, I would recommend an extra rinse to help reduce residue on the clothes.

2 Look at clothing labels Cleaning up the residues left by washing substances may be only part of the solution.

Check out the materials themselves. Anything less than 100% cotton or wool or hemp or other natural fibres has the potential to cause a skin reaction. Even pure cotton may be ultra processed with harsh chemical bleaches, so converting to pure organic unbleached clothes may be necessary. There is nothing as wonderful of the feel of organic natural materials.

Your skin will thank you for it. pravera.co.uk

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56 Test Drive Terranova Life Drink

by Gavin Ryan I eat a pretty good diet of mainly raw organic vegetables with cheese, nuts and occasionally fish to make up the protein I need. I’ve never considered taking supplements until my publisher asked me to try Life Drink. It’s a vitamin and mineral supplement made by Terranova.

Looking into the ingredients, I noted that Life Drink provides an impressive array of health-promoting natural ingredients including a balanced pea and rice protein blend, spirulina and chlorella, vegetarian omega oils, digestive enzymes and probiotics. Suitable for vegans and vegetarians, it seems to be packed with the nutrition that the body needs to maintain health.

We all know that eating local, organic fruit and veg from a farmer’s market or from your own garden is the best way to get the nutrition your body needs. Nothing is more wonderful or nourishing than cooking up nature’s finest. With our busy lives and limited budgets, sometimes we need something that we can reach for that will fill that need in a way that our time or finances allow. Supplements are ideal for this.

I mixed the powder into my morning porridge (which turned it spirulina green). It tastes fine. I took 15g per day as suggested. It’s too soon to say whether I’ve had any health benefits yet, but looking at the science behind it, I can see why supplements now form an important part of our diets.

Life Drink is available in health food stores nationwide. terranovahealth.com

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A series of 8 new Tantra workshops - Now coming to Dublin! Tantra 1 - The Game of Polarity Weekend workshop, 1st-2nd October 2016 at Liffey Trust Studios, North Wall, Dublin Tantra 2 - The Battery of Life Weekend workshop, 29-30th October 2016 Subsequent workshops run every other month, with Tantric themes related to the chakras. See our website for full details.

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“For reasons that would take a while to explain, i can’t load the dishwasher without remembering our conversations fondly.” so vividly her face when she was really happy or laughing and I’ve sworn to now memorise those expressions of everyone I love.

59 the

messenger cherishiNg love amidst loss.

By Elva Carri

This summer I lost someone I love. I count myself very fortunate that, until now, the only people I’ve lost who were dear to me, were elderly. I knew it was inevitable that one day that would no longer be the case and I felt that there was no way to prepare. In the sadness however, there were things that emerged as special, or a comfort. I realise that as humans, death is something we mostly prefer not to consider in our day to day lives, but it’s worthy of more of our time than we give it. i didn’t get tO SAy gOOdbye When I found out the news, this was what hit me hardest. I had shrouded myself in a belief that she would beat cancer, but it was all I could think about the day that I heard. I had the honour of reading at her funeral, one that celebrated her life very

beautifully, and so I treated that as my farewell but it will never be the same as what I wished I would have done. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you didn’t have a moment to say goodbye, I would encourage you to find some way to do this. The tears that come feel like they need to happen.

WhAt StAyed With Me I have carried two major things around with me since losing her. The fi rst is sadness that she’s gone. The second is memories of her laughing and smiling and us talking together. For reasons that would take a while to explain, I can’t load the dishwasher without remembering our conversations fondly. I feel like she’s with me when I do that and I feel blessed that I had so much wonderful time with her.

I am also so pleased that I can remember

the nOd Of AcknOWledgeMent Nobody knows what to say to someone who’s lost someone they love. While this person was someone special to me, I didn’t know what to say to people she was even more special to – her husband and children whom I also love. I said whatever I could and hoped it would do. But at the funeral I noticed something that I never thought about before. At times in life, I’ve wondered if it would be “appropriate” for me to go to someone’s funeral. Hundreds of people arrived at hers and the number felt like an acknowledgement of the size of the hole left in the world that day. Even if no one had said a word, I felt it marked the size of the loss. I’d beg you to keep it in mind the times you may be considering if it’s appropriate to go to someone else’s.

There is a Bahá’í quote that says, “I have made death a messenger of joy to thee. Wherefore dost thou grieve?”

While it seems unusual, it gained some clarity for me through this occasion. I remembered the laughter and the smiles and the warmth, I spent time with other people I love, joined together in marking the excellent life of a woman we all cherished and it has put a dedicated servant of the world to the fore of my mind for me to work to live up to. For that, I’m grateful to have known someone so hard to lose. elva carri is the founder of girlcrew, an online and offline social network for women all over the world to get out and have more fun. girlcrew.rocks | @elvacarri

positive busiNess

a food

revolution the Natural health expo.

by Gavin Ryan What could be more central to our lives than food? It is imbricated into the very fabric of our lives, of our culture, our religious practices, our social interactions. Food defines us as a society. We most certainly are what we eat.

There is currently a revolution taking place in the food industry. The science that has in the past been used to manufacture food with lower and lower nutrient values to cut costs and increase revenue, is now

is well and truly established in Ireland. A consumer expo will surely follow soon as businesses realise that people have a huge interest regarding healthy and ethical options for consumer products.

We went last year to the inaugural event. While it featured many health products, not just food, it was the imagination, innovation and diversity of the food exhibitors that caught our attention. Companies such as Iswari, Abundance & Health, Revive Active and Naturalife were showing such innovative and expert product lines that made us realise that combining a healthy and tasty diet with the clever use of supplements could have a hugely positive effect on our wellbeing. Vegetarian and vegan options have never been so diverse and exciting – check out the vegan egg!

There were a host of fascinating speakers and also a demonstration from David and Stephen Flynn of The Happy Pear, which really gave attendees a buzz about the benefits of healthy eating. The line up this year will no doubt be even stronger.

Another part of the event that

“vegetarian and vegan options have never been so diverse and exciting.” being utilised by nutrition activists who are working hard to create foods that are so packed with vitamins and minerals that better health, more vitality and longer life can scientifically be achieved through our dietary choices.

The Natural Health Expo is Ireland’s only natural health exhibition. While it is geared towards retailers of health products and holistic practitioners, rather than the general public, it is certainly a positive sign that the trend towards healthier alternatives

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captured our interest was that, while it was a trade show, so many of the exhibitors were passionate about how their businesses could make a positive impact. They really believed in the health benefits of their products and that while they wanted to make a living, it was equally important to provide nutritional support and food to the needs of consumers today. The atmosphere of friendliness rather than the typical atmosphere of competitiveness you would expect to find at a trade show was so refreshing and lead us to believe that business and a sense of common humanity don’t have to be mutually exclusive.

Another World Is Possible has long been the slogan of peace activists and campaigners. As I walked through the stands at the Natural Health Expo last year, it was tempting to think that it was just around the corner.

If you’re a retailer of health products or a holistic practitioner, we highly recommend that you make it to this year’s Natural Health Expo.

Be inspired. the Natural health expo will take place in the rds, dublin, october 2nd & 3rd, 2016. naturalhealthexpo.ie

packing the

positive pareNtiNg

backpack

those returNiNg to school feeliNgs.

by Anna Cole, PhD.

school environment, even though teachers try their best and generally do a great job, is mostly focused on the ‘correction’ side of things rather than connection. Strict and recurrent limits with little connection or chance for free-play make school a challenge for children and parents alike (not to mention the adults who work in the school).

So what are a couple of positive steps you can take to reduce the challenges of a return to school this year?

62 After the long summer break, starting school for the first time, entering a new school or even returning to a familiar school can be a challenge for both children and parents. You may be surprised as a parent at the feelings your child’s starting or returning to school kicks up for you.

You may find that a bunch of ‘implicit’ memories about what it was like for you at school get triggered by your child’s school. After all, until you had children, how many of us spent much time revisiting school playgrounds and hallways? Many of us left and didn’t look back. When we return years later to drop off our own children our implicit memories get stirred that may not all be peaches and cream.

Another challenge presented by the return to school after the long summer holiday is that children’s opportunities for play are seriously reduced. There’s a stack of research out there about the importance

of imaginative, physical, free-play to the development of a child’s neural pathways and self-esteem, in other words to their intellectual and social development. Play is

“Build in extra connection time with your child as the return to school transition begins.” so important it is defined as a human right in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Unfortunately at the majority of schools opportunities for free and imaginative play are seriously reduced.

Another challenge is that most schools, because of time and staff restraints, are not big on connection. At Hand in Hand Parenting we always remind parents that connection comes before ‘correction’. A child who feels connected to their parent or adult care-giver is more able to co-operate and stick to reasonable limits.

It’s helpful to understand that the average

1 Build in extra connection time with your child as the return to school transition begins. Here’s how: Set your alarm 15 minutes earlier than usual on school days.

Five minutes for you to arrive peacefully in awake-land, and ten minutes for pyjamaclad, Special Time before anyone has to rush anywhere. Special Time is child-led free-play, a chance for your child to do what she or he enjoys before a long day of sitting still and listening to teachers. It can make a profound, palpable and joyful difference to the level of connection you and your child feel towards one another in the typical rush of the school morning routine. In the words of Patty Wipfler, Programme Director and Founder of Hand in Hand Parenting, “turn the snooze alarm into the snuggle alarm”.

2 Arrange to exchange equal time with another parent or adult to listen without interruption or advice about what your experiences of school were like. 10, 15, 30 minutes – all of it will help. How was your first day at school? Do you remember it?

Who were your friends at school? Did you have any scary or fun teachers? Having a chance to rummage through your own personal emotional ‘backpack’ will give you more room to think about your child’s return to school.

anna cole, phd, is a certified instructor with hand in hand parenting, a parent educator, researcher and writer. anncole.uk@gmail.com handinhandparenting.org

Winter

brings short days and chilly temperatures, and you might find your mood changing to mirror these bleak days. Of course, many of us feel a little more sluggish during winter but for some people, the winter blues develop into Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D), a form of depression that begins in Autumn and usually fades by early Spring.

Common symptoms of S.A.D include extreme tiredness, cravings for carbohydrates, especially sweets, irritability, weight gain and a desire to avoid social situations. Beating the winter blues can be accomplished, all you need is the right diet and attitude.

Tips for beating the Winter Blues Exercise

Exercise isn’t only for maintaining your weight and staying healthy. It’s great for relieving the stresses of life. Exercise will increase your energy and also helps your mind by releasing those “feel good chemicals” that improve your mood.

Eat a Healthy Diet What and when you eat has a great affect on your mood and energy. Avoid refined and processed foods (like white breads, rice, and sugar).

These foods are not only devoid of the nutrients your body craves, but they zap your energy levels and can affect your mood—contributing to SAD, lack of concentration, and mood swings. Try to incorporate more complex carbohydrates (whole wheat breads, brown rice, veggies, fruit) and get your daily 8 cups of water. These healthy foods provide your body with nourishment, help stabilize your blood sugar and your energy levels. It’s important to consume foods high in tryptophan which converts to serotonin – the feel good hormone. Good food sources include turkey, banana, eggs, nuts, seeds and spirulina.

Omega-3

Recent research demonstrates that consumption of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D can play a role in reducing depression. Studies have found that people who consumed fish frequently exhibited fewer depressive qualities than those who didn’t consume fish. Omega-3 EPA and DHA are present in high quantities in fatty fish such as mackeral, sardines, salmon and anchovies. DHA is particularly important in promoting healthy brain function. Just as calcium is essential for building strong bones, DHA is essential for good brain health.

Studies show that you need 250mg DHA daily to support brain health. Eating oily fish twice a week – such as salmon or sardines, provides a healthy dose of omega-3 EPA/DHA. Surprisingly, a massive 89% of Irish people are not consuming sufficient oily fish in their diet, so often there is a need to take a good quality omega-3 fish oil such as Eskimo Brain 3.6.9 which combines the unique stable fish oil, Eskimo-3, high in DHA, with plant oils omega-6 and omega-9 along with Co-Q10 and vitamin D3.

Vitamin D - The sunshine vitamin, may be the most important “missing” vitamin for your brain and your mood. Vitamin D is vital for good health, immunity, growth and strong bones. Vitamin D also regulates the conversion of tryptophan into serotonin – your feel good hormone.

Vitamin D deficiency is common in Ireland, as sunshine is the number one source of vitamin D, which unfortunately we don’t get a lot of in Ireland. Low levels are thought to be responsible for S.A.D and therefore supplementing with vitamin D during the winter months can help ease symptoms and improve mood. Eskimo Brain 369 contains vitamin D3 along with omega-3 in one formula.

B Complex vitamins help your body convert proteins from your diet into the neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, etc.) needed for mood and energy. B-complex vitamins also support heart health and improve your response to stress and help boost energy levels. While most B vitamins have some benefits for mental health, in terms of depression, the most important B vitamins include vitamin B6, B9 (folic acid) and B12. Looking to supplement, check out Terranova B Complex. Drop into your local Horans Health Store for more information.