Positive Life Spring 2010

THE FUTURE BY DESIGN

What if Time and Money were no Concern?

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Gregg Braden reveals the Secrets of our Future in our Past

EARTHSONG The New Alternative Camp Scene

POSITIVE BEAUTY Awaken to Radiance

spring 2010 priceless

New Zealand Weight Management Program Available in Ireland Let us teach you how to lose weight and keep it o in the most natural way.

NO prepackaged foods NO milkshakes or meal replacements NO bloodtests NO unrealistic expectations NO MORE YoYo dieting!

Lose weight using real food and great support!

To ďŹ nd your nearest clinic, check out our website

www.systemslim.ie

if you are interested in opening a System Slim clinic, email declan@systemslim.ie

“spring makes its oWn statement, so Loud and cLear that the gardener seems to Be onLy one of the instruments, not the composer.” ~ geoffrey B. charLesWorth

Positive intro VISION - My editor, Patrick, once said to me, “You don’t need eyes to have vision.” A visionary is a being who holds the IMAGE of where he or she wants to go, no matter what. At present, a collective vision is emerging from consciousness as to where we are heading. LIFE flows and we observe, and HARMONY arises when we choose to flow with it. Accept everything that comes your way. Complain not at all. Simply keep your vision. We are blessed in this, our Spring issue, to have two visionaries featured, GREGG BRADEN and JACQUE FRESCO. They share their vision with humanity. The beauty is, we can all have separate visions, and we all do, yet within the whole, a common vision emerges. The expression “Think outside the box” is no longer relevant. There is no BOX anymore. We are ready to use our individual power to step into a new REALITY, a new version of how we would like things to be. CHOOSE not to describe it.

Simply feel it. It’s coming.. PAUL CONGDON, Publisher

Contents 4 7 8 10 12 15 16 18 20

22 24 26 28 30 32 34 37 38 40 42 45

Spring vibes - The Flowers of Opportunity Happiness is a Key to a Positive life Spirituality and the city - Greatest life lessons Positive Personality - Patricia Crane Astrology - Messengers in the night Sky Positive Beauty - Awaken to natural Beauty Positively newsworthy - did you hear the Good news?

A life on the Run from yourself The notes of life - The ZPoint Process exclusive interview - Gregg Braden The Future by design - The venus Project The Wonder of Growing Food from Seeds The Good life 2.0 - Personal Resilience earthsong - The new Alternative Camp Scene light of the Shaman - The Wild, natural Mystic Phytobiophysics - Flowerful Remedies life as a Homeopath has its Rewards Mercury-Free dentistry - Quite a Mouthful CnM - Take your Health into your Own Hands yorktest - Ask the expert Spring Recipes - yum yum

Publisher PC Media paul@positivelife.ie Editorial Patrick Bridgeman patrick@positivelife.ie Design Simon O’Connor info@simplesimon.ie Advertising Paul Congdon paul@positivelife.ie 0861579518 Please use the information provided in this publication as a recommendation only to better mental and physical health.

We strongly advise you to consult your doctor regarding health concerns that you may have. The views expressed by contributors and advisors do not necessarily represent the views of the publication’s staff.

Printed, published, packaged and distributed in Ireland.

www.positivelife.ie

Springvibes “ S p r i n g h a s r e t u r n e d . T h e E a r t h i s l i k e a c h i l d t h at k n o w s p o e m s .”

Rainer Maria Rilke

Deepak Chopra - Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul 19th May 2010, National Concert Hall, Dublin 2, 7:30 - 9:30pm €50 Deepak Chopra MD will share his latest work and show you how your highest vision of yourself can be turned into physical reality. You don’t join the cosmic dance - you become the dance.

4

www.seminars.ie

Beyond Bruce Lipton - The Biology of Belief 15th July 2010, Stillorgan Park Hotel, Dublin 18, 7:30 - 9:30pm €50.00 Cell biologist and bestselling author, Bruce H. Lipton will take you on a fast paced journey from the microcosm of the cell to the macrocosm of the mind.

March

1000 Ways of Light Taking her work in Ireland to a new level, Chloë Goodchild will be working on a ground-breaking musical project with a minimum of 50 participants over a full year to develop a “Symphony of Love”, an interactive concert which will raise money for key children’s charities when it is performed on tour around the country in Spring 2011.

Contact Catherine Walsh at sjcwalsh@yahoo.ie or 0870516098 or www.thenakedvoice.com

April

Inspired Action Conference April 3rd -9th 2010, Findhorn Foundation, Scotland Inspired Action aims to raise awareness of the crucial link between inner wisdom and outer action. Balancing both contemplation and engagement, the week will investigate creating peace and sustainability through embodying positive qualities in our own hearts, minds and lives.

Contact bookings@findhorn.org or www.findhorn.org/inspiredaction

May The Enniskerry Farm Kitchen An inspiring new organic restaurant opens on April 1st in Powerscourt Gardens, Enniskerry.

Their philosophy is to bring something beneficial not only to their customers, but also the community, staff and environment. I’ve already tasted plenty of head chef Dorene Palmer’s amazing food already, so it’s one place I plan to visit time and time again.

Healing Mandalas of Light 24th - 25th April, Dublin Affecting the highest vibrational light bodies, the Mandalas of Light help individual processes of cleansing, harmonising and healing of the body, soul and mind. Having learnt to create your personal mandala through your name and date of birth, you activate your whole potential and your life’s purpose.

www.theenniskerryfarmkitchen.ie

Contact madalasoflight@gmail.com or 0863836263

www.seminars.ie

Timeless Treats Metamorphoses Robert St John recognised that our ability to think developed in the womb at the same time that our physical body was developing. By gently paying attention to consciousness at various reflex points, it is possible to release oneself from these patterns and move towards a less conditioned and fearful pattern of life.

To book a session, contact Clare Burrows on 0868283238 or Claire@ Metamorphosisireland.com

“The Best Massage in Town” That’s how this magazine’s owner referred to Ravi, a masseur who operates out of Oscailt Integrative Health & Therapy Centre. Massage allows us to replenish, de-stress, and be good to ourselves.

Coconut Water Flying off the shelves is the new sensation in ultimate hydration, Coconut Water. Naturally loaded with the five key electrolytes, it also contains Lauric Acid which is anti-fungal, and tastes great! www.vitacoco.com, www.dr-martins.info

To book a massage, contact (01)6603872

Amatsu for You Another recommendation is Tomas Ronan, an Amatsu practitioner. Amatsu is a holistic Japanese therapy. If you have any issues with posture, Tomas will put you back together.

For more info, or to book a session, contact 0872711215

Fly direct to Civrac Sanctuary If you fancy a holistic holiday, direct flights to Bordeaux from the end of march onwards with Ryanair will take you to the lovely Liz Dowling in the Civrac Sanctuary. www.civracsanctuary.com

Online Oracles “Best in Season” This is Bord Bia’s website to promote exactly what fruit and vegetables are available in Ireland and what’s ‘Best in Season’. The site explains the benefits of eating fresh produce grown within the natural Irish climate.

Both products are available from Nourish on Wicklow Street.

Sweet Cures York-based company Sweet Cures is achieving astonishing success with their own health product, Waterfall D-Mannose, a cure and preventative treatment for bladder infections and UTI’s. A friend of mine told me that it cured him of a painful bladder condition within a couple of hours of him starting to take it. www.sweet-cures.com

Feng Shui Power Disc 99 The Feng Shui Power Disc 99 has been designed to protect a house and all its inhabitants from the negative health effects of all different kinds of EMF Radiation. It is not only balancing the stresses from electric pollution to a very high extent, it is also able to clear the stresses from the radiation of mobile phone masts, geopathic radiation and any other pathogenic form of artificial radiation.

For more info, visit www.thelife.ie or call 0719854186

www.bestinseason.ie

Bruce Lipton Earth Clinic Looking for a wealth of online knowledge regarding Folk Remedies. Here it is. Their readers have been testing and developing these folk remedies, with contributors from every part of the world, since 1999.

They’ve been sent some of the most exciting remedies to date – dozens of restorative remedies, plus natural cures for fibromyalgia, back pain and more than 350 other diseases and conditions! www.earthclinic.com

Positive Products Conscious Chocolates Conscious Chocolates are handmade raw bars that are free from pesticides, dairy, gluten, soya and refined sugars, and remain packed full of everything that makes chocolate so good for you. www.consciouschocolate.co.uk

Special Offers Sun Warrior Protein Sun Warrior Protein focuses the nutrient profile of brown rice, turning a nutrientdense food into a highly bio-available, almost pure protein superfood. Sun Warrior Protein is assimilated by the body so cleanly that it can actually help us absorb additional vitamins and minerals from the foods and superfoods in our diet. For more info, visit www.sunwarrior.com All of our readers will receive a 10% discount on all Sun Warrior products by mentioning “Positive Life” to John at La Sante in Dun Laoghaire Shopping Centre or by entering “positivelife” into the Discount Coupon section when buying online from www.sportwarrior.net

The Yin Yang Complex All men and women possess a combination of both masculine (yang) and feminine (yin) energies. These two primary energies affect all aspects of our lives, including the levels of success and happiness that we achieve. The Yin Yang Complex reveals how balancing these masculine and feminine energies can help you to gain a new perspective on your life, your relationships, your career and your place in the world. For more info, visit www.brendanfoley.net A copy of the book and CD will be given out to the next 5 people who subscribe to Positive Life’s print magazine on www.positivelife.ie

Reduce Stress and Anxiety Improve Health Increase Energy & Vitality Enhance Memory & Focus

manuka

silva method

Manage Weight

Eliminate Unwanted Habits Overcome Limiting Beliefs Enhance Self-Esteem

Increase Intuitive Abilities Connect with Life Purpose

Happiness

is a key to a Positive Life

Part 1

By George Esser

2 Journaling Take 20 minutes several times in the coming week to write in your journal about a recent positive experience. Try to be as specific as you can about the experience and why it made you happy.

“While becoming happier is no simple feat, there are some simple measures to help raise your level of happiness. Research has demonstrated that it is possible to be happier — to feel more satisfied, to be more engaged with life, find more meaning, have higher hopes and probably even laugh and smile more, regardless of one’s circumstances. Research has also shown that happier people outlive, outperform and are healthier than their counterparts.” (Dr. Martin Seligman, Director of the University of Pennsylvania Positive Psychology Centre) To get you started, we’ve listed three exercises that take advantage of your brain’s neuroplasticity—its ability to change and grow in response to your actions. That means every time you do one of these tasks, you’re actually training your brain to be happier. We have also included a brief summary of the supporting research so you can learn about the specific benefits of each exercise.

7

1 Showing Gratitude A research project had a group start the day by thinking about three things that they were grateful for and why. For example, “I am thankful for my wife because she is soft and curvy.” After 21 days, the people doing three gratitudes a day felt better about their lives as a whole and felt more optimistic about the coming week.

They retested the group six months later and found that they were all still happier, even the ones that never went beyond the 21 days. Compared to control groups, they exercised more frequently and reported fewer physical complaints. They also experienced more positive emotions, fewer negative emotions, and exhibited more helpful behaviour towards friends and neighbours.

(Emmons & McCullough, 2003) Being grateful will predispose you to look for good things and therefore you will see more good things in your life, which causes an increase in positive emotions. For example, when shopping for a new VW Jetta (i.e. focusing on it), you suddenly seem to see many more Jettas around you, but really you have just become more aware of them. We call this the “Jetta effect”.

People who write about positive experiences at least 3 times a week report enhanced positive moods and a 50% drop in doctors’ visits for up to three months later (Burton & King, 2004).

Also, couples who journal about their relationship are significantly more likely than control group couples to still be together 3 months later.

(Slatcher & Pennebaker, 2006)

3 Raising your Happiness instantly Smiling is associated with being happy and when we smile, our bodies release endorphins. One way to become happier instantaneously is to put a pen in your mouth sideways. It may seem silly, but try it. You will most likely start to chuckle a bit, proving that it works. When you put a pen in your mouth sideways, it causes the corners of your mouth to rise which in turn triggers your body to release endorphins. If you don’t have a pen, then use your finger. It’s a positive way of “giving the finger”.

In the next issue, we will show you how happiness can help you perform better. We have research that will show you how both four year old children and doctors performed up to two times better when their happiness was raised before they started specific tasks.

George Esser and his wife Janet have been exploring Alternative Health for 30 years and together they set up the company Calm Natural Limited. For more info, visit www.calmnatural.co.uk

Spirituality and the City “life lessons”

Julie Williams Natural Health Practitioner There have been so many wonderful, challenging and sacred lessons in my life so far, that I cannot choose just one. So, here’s a compilation of some of my most important “Ah-ha!” moments: Surrender, Trust, Love and Gratitude will get you through anything... The Truth is in the Moment… There is nothing to seek out, nothing to become, we are already there and have been all along... It’s difficult see the lesson while learning it… Judgments reduce clarity… Trying to understand a problem can create more obstacles to ensuring a successful outcome… Life is Love is Life… Honour and Respect your Ancestors... Love the Earth… Listen to the Body… Live within, not without… Release the Drama, keep the Passion… Try not to take anything too seriously... Time is optional, Gravity is not… Shift perspective and reality will follow… Duality can be leveraged...

Play Every Day… and remember to Celebrate the Ordinary.

Mary D’arbey Byrne Healer / Broadcaster

Raymond Cadwell Healer / Spiritual Mentor

I always thought that some people were just lucky. Not me. My early life was so bad that one day I said, “Enough! If there’s a God out there, show me what to do or I’m out of here.” That night, He delivered. My Seeker archetype kicked in and I started to attract similar people into my life.

The next big eyeopener was getting to know myself, which led me to life coaching, face-reading and other approaches that brought profound healing. The year I entered Homeopathy College, I lost my home, my job and the means to continue my studies. My adversities continued for some time, but so did my deep healing.

Today, I am a psychic surgeon, an Aura-Soma practitioner and a health & spiritual well-being broadcaster who has found the dynamics of her soul.

There I was at a crossroads in my life.

I felt like I had lost everything. I was at this weekend healing retreat, simply because I did not know what else to do with my time. When I lay down to receive healing, I was full of worries, feelings of loneliness and I could not keep my mind still. So, imagine my surprise when I found myself being lifted right out of the suffering into a deep sense of happiness and love. It was like being in a rising elevator.

The force which was lifting me seemed to come from “I know not where.” I was perplexed because up until then in my life I controlled everything. Yet in this place, peace was given without me “doing anything” to earn it. On reflection, I realise it was my first direct experience of unconditional love. It saved my life.

Radio Dublin South, 93.9 FM, every Saturday, 5-6pm

Tatiana Kovalenko Business Owner

Daniel Korolev Student

My lesson was about love. It took me by complete surprise. The whole world crumbled. Life lost its meaning and I lost my appetite for months. I remember the numbness and indifference to the world.

I could only relate to the lyrics in love songs. The words would ache in my heart. I started looking for answers to questions I didn’t find very important before, questions about the nature of love. Tolstoy told me about universal love and taught me forgiveness. Osho told me that to fall in love with someone you need to have love in abundance in yourself. There should be so much love available to you that you start looking for a special someone to share it with. I listened to them and prayed for a person I could share the joy of life with, and that very special soul has appeared in my life!

For me, the greatest lesson that I have learnt is to allow myself to shine, to be who I really am. And also not to care what other people think of me, something I still haven’t mastered. To not shrink for other people’s sake. When I write, I am still sometimes afraid of what people might think. I am still afraid that they’ll laugh at me because of my content, or that they might disagree with it. But I am improving and I am starting to open up about everything. The way I did that was by realising that it’s a better world to live in if you can do this. I feel great when I do it and I help other people to open up and shine by showing them that you’re far better off if you allow yourself to be yourself. I believe that we should do what we can do.

www.instantranslation.ie

Niall Mac Giolla Rua Musician / Composer I love the title of Byron Katie’s book, I need your love— is that true? It challenges us to look at our perceived needs and how we hurt when we find they aren’t met, and to honestly question these concepts so we can free ourselves by seeing that most of them aren’t as real as we think. Such awareness can be liberating, empowering and enlightening, but there is an important balance to be struck. A lesson I keep having to return to is that while it may not be ultimately true that I need people, it’s perfectly ok when I feel I do. I resolve to love myself regardless, to love myself when I’m needy, or confused or imbalanced. It’s too easy to use high standards of spiritual freedom as just another way of judging oneself, and to isolate oneself in the process. When I love myself without judgement, I find a more authentic love for others naturally follows. That’s my truth for now.

9

Positive Personality

Patricia Crane Interviewed by Patrick Bridgeman For the last 20 years, Patricia has shared the life-changing philosophy of Louise Hay with people worldwide.

She and husband Rick Nichols lead Heal Your Life® Workshop Leader Trainings.

as a social worker in the Watts District of Los Angeles; I was stressed to the max!

To help myself relax, I started a meditation practice that changed my life forever: Transcendental meditation. It connected me with Spirit in a way I had never experienced before, and that connection has guided me ever since.

international workshop leader,” and here was the manifestation of it.

First I took the workshop to Canada, then England, Italy, Poland and Spain (the last three with interpreters). Along the way I met incredible people who also had a commitment to be of service. At the end of one of the two-day workshops in England, the

“It connected me with Spirit in a way I had never experienced before, and that connection has guided me ever since.”

Intention sets things in motion, and during all the turmoil in the US over race issues, women’s issues and war in the late 1960’s, I made a commitment that my life would be about service to others. I felt strongly that each person was entitled to respect and dignity and equality.

Little did I know where that would lead.

A few years later, I found myself working

10

I learned to relax, but more importantly, I also started my spiritual journey. I began to notice that I would think things in meditation (like finding a new job) and they seemed to happen with little effort. I was practicing the Law of Attraction without even knowing it.

I started on a search to find answers and discovered books and workshops that explained how we create our reality. Despite the fact that the ideas were completely alien to my upbringing in the southern state of Georgia, my inner being said “Yes!” A few years later, I went to a breakfast meeting where Louise Hay was speaking. I was delighted to meet her after the meeting and signed up for her mailing list. Just a few months later, she announced dates for her first personal growth intensive, and I signed up for it immediately – and again for the next one! Louise then asked me to be on the intensive staff for the following three years, and I had the incredible opportunity to study with her personally. Using Louise’s principles, I started leading short “Love Yourself” workshops and a support group for people with life threatening illnesses.

In 1989, things were very busy at her publishing company, Hay House, and she asked me and three others to start taking her two-day workshop, Love Yourself, Heal Your Life, around the US and in other countries. I had written an affirmation at one of the intensives, “I am an

attendees asked for a training program - they had found such incredible changes in their own lives with the Heal Your Life® work, they wanted to share it with others. So, with Louise’s approval, I created the Heal Your Life® Workshop Leader Training in 1995.

Later that year, another life-changing event happened. I met the man I had been affirming for – Rick Nichols, who is now my husband. I knew I’d found my soulmate and someone who shared my intention for making a contribution to the world. Together, we have travelled to Greece, Portugal, Spain and Australia to lead workshops and trainings.

In 2001, I wrote a book entitled Ordering from the Cosmic Kitchen: The Essential Guide to Powerful, Nourishing Affirmations. One day during a walking meditation, my inner voice said, “It’s time to write the book.” I was quite startled and asked, “What book?”

The answer was, “You will be guided.” The next morning I began writing and it literally poured out of me and was finished in 3 months. In it, I share inspiring stories about myself and others who used affirmations to increase prosperity, improve health, find jobs, and attract relationships.

Then in 2008, one of our teachers, Eileen Clair, organized a Heal Your Life® Workshop Leader Training on the west coast of Ireland. It was during that course that we fell in love with Ireland; so it is wonderful to be coming back.

Patricia Crane Ph.D. is in Dublin on May 1st, for a one-day live event, The Magic of Believing in Yourself. To book your place contact Mary Kate O Flanagan on marykate@ireland.com or 0868163656 or www.healyourlifeworkshops.com/magic.

For more information about Patricia and Rick and their workshops, go to: www.heartinspired.com/Ireland.htm or contact Eileen Clair on 065 9052239

RES-5406 Essiac o'Reilly:Layout 1

8/24/09

3:49 PM

Page 1

From Renemcaisse

®

Original Herbal Formula Trusted Worldwide Since 1922

libra

essiac Extract Formula

Powder Formula

Vegetable Capsules

Immune System Support • Premium Quality Herbs • c G.M.P. compliance

New to Ireland the Ondamed system, endorsed by Dr James Oschman, PhD is now at Libra Natural Health

• Made only in Canada • Exported worldwide

Herbal Supplement BEWARE OF COUNTERFEITS ® ® The Original Company Ltd

Lakeside, Millview Road, Malahide, Co Dublin, Ireland Tel.: + 353 1 8454310 • Fax: + 353 1 8454410 e-mail: info@theoriginalessiac.com

® COPYRIGHT COPYRIGHT © © 2008 2008 -- ALL ALL RIGHTS RIGHTS RESERVED RESERVED -- AUTHORIZED AUTHORIZED USER USER OF OF ESSIAC ESSIAC ®TRADEMARK TRADEMARK

Ten Years How to Look and Feel rugs Younger Without D or Surgery. festyle Party Have a Fun Healthy Li your home. and Demonstration at

Discover Living Foods, for lasting energy and vitality like you never knew before. You get to taste wheatgrass juice, Green Juice, amazing Fruit Smoothies, home grown Seed Sprouts and “Baby Greens”, delicious Dressings, Spreads, Dips, Savouries and healthy Desserts.

Everyone gets fed! Come hungry!

Demo lasts 2 to 3 hours. You can book for daytime, evening, weekdays and weekends.

We go everywhere in Ireland. All subject to dates being available.

“

For a limited time, cover charge is only €25 each, including all the delicious Real Healthy Lifestyle food you can eat! Plus the host goes free!

Very thorough – well ow – I presented. Easy to foll all the really liked the idea of to start it wa not can – ting tas e. putting it into practic lin 14.

Mary T, Churchtown, Dub

”

All you need is 8 or more attendees in addition to the host.

The more the better!

See you soon!

To book your date, call 045 401 800 or text “Health Demo” to 085 125 4296 or go to

www.realhealthylifestyle.ie

Astrology

By Margaret Gray Copyright 2010

“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.”

Jon Kabat-Zinn “A Wave in Physics = a periodic motion or disturbance consisting of a series of many oscillations that propagate through a medium or space, as in the propagation of sound or light.”

Webster’s Dictionary

Due to the nature of the Transits of 2010, like many other astrologers I have set up a blog to maintain an open dialogue during the year.For more details, visit www.astrologypsychological.com or email Margaret@astrologypsychological.com

12

2010 – The Waves are Here We often use the word “waves” to describe movement, particularly that of sound, light, heat, emotion and water. For those of us who love the ocean, waves are an unending source of pleasure. Staring in trance-like fashion at breakers rolling in, our body resonates at a deep primal level with the motion of the water, knowing instinctively that even the calmest, gentlest wave could become a tsunami of immense life-taking force in a matter of minutes.

Similarly, we live with the daily transits/ movements of the planets in the sky, aware on some level that their energies affect us individually and collectively, yet relatively undisturbed by their ebb and flow until they either impinge on our birth chart or come into contact with each other, creating powerful waves which impact the collective as a whole.

The summer of 2010 is a peak time for these compelling waves which have been building since 2008 and will continue to 2012 and beyond. The question is not how to stop the waves, or how to avoid them,

paralyzed in fear of their strength, but rather how best to surf them as individuals and as a collective in a conscious, aware manner as we face major crosscurrents on our evolutionary journey towards 2012 and beyond.

In the past four editions, I have described the nature of the main planetary configurations which are active in the sky between 2008 and 2012. Now I am going to summarize the main themes of the transits in 2010 with a focus on Ireland, keeping in mind that the movements of the planets, like the ocean waves, often overlap each other, making it almost impossible to separate the effect of one from the other.

1 The weighing of collective structures on the Scales of Justice – revisiting 1982 February 1982 was the starting point for a planetary cycle, which at its broadest is concerned with rebalancing fairness, justice, ideals and ethics in our individual and collective lives. The planets Saturn (the god Cronos) and Pluto (the god Hades) joined forces at this time in the sign of Libra, initiating a dance that is now embarking on its

final quarter in preparation for its demise and rebirth in 10 years time. Looking back to events, circumstances, relationships and choices made at the seeding time of the transit in 1982, both personally and in the collective at large, can help you become more aware of what the core issues were and continue to be throughout the lifetime of this transit. For anyone with the sun between 22 degrees and 29 degrees in Libra, Aries, Capricorn or Cancer, 1982 was a particularly important time in your life related to your identity and vocation.

Collectively, some of the main events connected with the theme of fairness, justice and ethics at the start of this transit in 1982 included: – The European Court of Human Rights ruled that teachers who caned, belted or hit children against the wishes of their parents were in breach of the Human Rights Convention. This brought to an end the use of corporal punishment in schools in Ireland, although it did not protect children from chastisement within the family.

– The Falkland Invasion – Ireland declared its neutrality in the matter.

– Women organised peace protests at Greenham Common with a lot of support from Irish women.

– In Ireland, 20,000 people across the country marched in protest at Income Tax and PRSI changes.

– Garret Fitzgerald announced his resignation and Charles Haughey became Taoiseach in Ireland, strengthening the power of Fianna Fail.

– A brief but severe recession began in the US. There were also some interesting natural occurrences: – Temperatures plummeted to a record low in the UK and the USA and there were heavy rains followed by mudslides and El Nino in ‘83.

The basic themes of justice and fairness are being revisited by all of us between Nov 2009 and Aug 2010, with an emphasis on the structures we have built, from our human bodily structure to our collective societal structures. In the words of Liz Greene, “These planets allow the possibility of the most profound perception of the truth of who we are.”

2 Innovative Awakening and Action In May 2010, the planet Uranus (the god Prometheus) moves from the sign of Pisces to Aries for the first time since 1935, connecting in the process with Saturn and Pluto.

This powerful force in the heavens is further expanded by Jupiter (Zeus) in June 2010 when he moves alongside Uranus. This initial visit by Uranus in the first sign of the zodiac is likely to make a dynamic impact.

One of my favourite sayings for the planet Uranus is, “Expect the unexpected!” In Aries, the focus is on action and initiative.

However, combined with the innovative Promethean energy of the mind and ideas as well as idealism, Uranus in this fire sign in aspect to Saturn and Pluto could greatly assist us to find innovative, far-reaching, ethical ways of using our minds to enhance humanity. This would seem a much better option than using the Martian energy to fight against each other in a fruitless, fearful effort to win a battle which could ultimately destroy us all.

In the chart of Ireland for 1949 (the Creation of the Republic), we have our Sun, Mars, Venus, Mercury and North node in Aries. Uranus moving into Aries could potentially re-ignite our natural skills as courageous pioneers, leaders and innovators as well as artists and writers.

3 Understanding and Healing our Spiritual Wounds In May 2010, Chiron, the wounded healer/centaur, will briefly dip his toes into Pisces, offering the possibility of a greater understanding of the woundedness that has arisen from our separation from source. Pisces offers the possibility of healing through the imagination, compassion and a spirituality that is all encompassing rather than divisive. Chiron then returns back to Aquarius to travel with Neptune (Dionysus), whom he has accompanied faithfully for over a year. In the Irish chart of 1949, Chiron is in Sagittarius, indicating, at a basic level, a wounding to our nation from religious/philosophical beliefs that did not feel true for us. In quoting Marian Woodman, who describes substance abuse as a “search for the spirit”, we are drawn to ask if our high rate of substance abuse in Ireland is indeed related to the loss of our connection with an authentic spiritual source.

If this is the case, the transit offers Ireland the healing potential to reconnect with our deep, spiritual, creative muse, removing forever the label of victim, together with the blame and shame that has haunted us for centuries, thus reclaiming our authentic label as healers. (Hallelujah! - Ed.) 4 The Time is Now The two peak times for planetary activity this year will be July 30th 2010 and August 6th 2010, when the major slower planets in the sky are joined by the smaller faster ones to form stressful configurations in the cardinal signs of Aries, Libra and Capricorn. Imagine the smaller currents in the ocean joining up with larger ones. Mercury (communication) will oppose Neptune and Chiron, offering the opportunity for greater understanding. Mars (action) will join Saturn, Pluto, Uranus, Jupiter, Neptune and Chiron, whilst Venus (self-value and relating) joins Mars, bringing attention to our relationships. The Moon in Cancer also joins in on Aug 6th, adding an emotional dimension to already churning waters.

Conclusion This is, in all probability, the most powerful year (planetary-wise) that most of us are likely to experience in our lifetime. The actual manifestation of these energies is not possible to determine, as the choices we each make play a large part in the outcome.

The challenge is, in part, holding the conflict between our relative insignificance and our unique and individual, vital contribution as co-creators on our planet and beyond.

Pluto in Capricorn urges us to take responsibility for our authenticity in all that we are and do. Uranus in Aries encourages us to stretch our mind beyond what we construe as limitations. Chiron in Pisces reminds us of our connection to something greater which we can access through our imagination and spirituality. Saturn in Libra urges us to pay heed to fair ethics. This is an ideal time in Ireland to let go of our guilt, fear and rage towards ourselves and others. The changes we are encountering with the planetary movements need the steadfast tenacity, courage, entrepreneurship, leadership and creativity that have made us one of the most loved nationalities in all corners of the globe.

Most of all, they require us to keep our heart and mind open as we surf the planetary waves to the best of our ability.

Margaret Gray is a professional Psychological Astrologer with a consulting practice in Ireland, Hawaii and California. She teaches internationally, both independently and on behalf of the CPA worldwide. Margaret is the book reviewer for the ISAR journal and a member of the APAI, ISAR and the Ast. Ass. UK. Whilst in Ireland, Margaret is based at Oscailt integrative Health Centre www.oscailt.com

Cloona Health Retreat Ireland’s original DETOX residential health retreat.

Programs every week Sunday to Friday to make you shine from the inside out!

ILI IRISH LIFECOACH INSTITUTE

IRISH LIFECOACH INSTITUTE Leaders in Coach Training and Personal Development Diploma Course in Personal and Business Coaching

Nationwide, starting every Spring and Autumn (Now enrolling for Spring 2010 Courses) *New this year - Life Transformation Course

Light, cleansing organic food, Yoga, walks, treatments, wheatgrass, juice fasting...

Programs for Advanced level, Seniors, 10 days, Raw, Astrology...

Workshops Personal Development,

ILI

Life & Career, Spiritual Development

Coaching individuals, couples, groups and teams

Facilitation groups, teams, meetings IRISH LIFECOACH INSTITUTE Spiritual Retreats Nationwide, on request

A rural hideaway near Westport, Co Mayo. Network of picturesque country lanes overlooking Clew Bay.

Advanced Training for Coaches Career Coaching, Relationship/ Couples Coaching

www.cloona.ie Tel: 098-25251

Call 1850 200591 for brochures and more information visit us at www.ili.ie or email us at info@ili.ie

ILI IRISH LIFECOACH INSTITUTE

Irish Institute of Nutrition & Health

‘Health is the True Wealth’

Holistic Education & Training in Nutrition & Health

www.bcenteredu.ie holistic & complementary health web directory bCenteredU, your information portal to alternative and complementary health.

š š š š š

Practitioner listings Affiliation links Definitions Articles Videos

For more information Call: (+353) 086 665 1544 Email: info@bcenteredu.ie

Nutrition and Health Coaching (1 year) Diploma in Nutritional Therapy (3 years) Study one weekend per month

Nutritional Therapy Clinics Nutritional Therapy can identify problem foods and nutritional weaknesses in your diet which can lead to low energy and vitality, digestive disorders, weight problems, IHUWLOLW\ DQG SUHJQDQF\ GLIĂ€FXOWLHV VNLQ DQG MRLQW SUREOHPV poor immunity, mood disorders, ADHD, food sensitivity, hormonal imbalances, among others. Most clients need RQO\ D IHZ DSSRLQWPHQWV WR DFKLHYH ODVWLQJ EHQHĂ€WV Reduced fees for student clinic sessions (fully supervised).

Please contact us for information on our Teaching Programmes or for Clinic Appointments.

IRISH INSTITUTE OF NUTRITION & HEALTH 2 WOODLAND PARK (by Ramada Hotel), SOUTHERN CROSS ROAD, BRAY, CO. WICKLOW

www.iinh.net 01 272 3003 info@iinh.net

positive beauty

Awaken to Natural Beauty

By Mary Berkery

Happy springtime, everyone! Spring is starting well for me because this is the first of a series of regular articles I will be writing for Positive Life about positive beauty. I have been a tutor in Aesthetics for many years, with an emphasis on natural wellness and beauty, living-food nutrition, oriental diagnosis, holistic skincare, Shiatsu and eastern approaches to inner and outer care. My fundamental interest is the use of natural and soulful approaches to enable each person to find their own individual expression, eliciting their own vitality and glowing beauty.

As we step into spring, we certainly notice some changes. We want to sleep less as the days lengthen. We discover aliveness in ourselves, want to spend less time sitting in front of the fire or the TV and suddenly have the impulse to go out more in the evenings for a walk or a cycle or even simply to sit outside – weather permitting! We find ourselves throwing off some of those winter wraps and woollies we were enveloped in for so long.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, in winter we need to sleep more to build our kidney and adrenal reserves. We need to eat more warming spices and have less activity in our lives. In spring, the energy changes into what they call liver or gallbladder time, which is more active. So, how can we align our own inner rhythms with nature’s rhythms for health and harmony?

1 Time in nature Get out and experience the invigorating joys of nature. Let the delicate colours of this time of year and the trills of birdsong fill your being with hope for new expansion in your life and with those you love. If at all possible, try to take a whole day out-

side to mark the turning of the light. Feel the fresh air, the rain, and invite the earth’s abundance to fill you and feed your soul.

See the beauty of nature as a reflection of your own beauty and creativity. Ask what it is you need to let go of as you move towards the brightness of summer. Take time to listen to the awakening spring energies in your being. When you deepen into yourself, answers are there!

2 Regenerate your skin Find the new you beneath those old skin cells. The Dead Sea Body Scrub is excellent; and for the face, the Dr. Hauschka Cleansing Cream and Cleansing Clay Mask will provide you with a cleansing mask routine for your face and neck. Nourish your hands with a mask and nail oil treatment at the same time. The hands can suffer badly from both the cold winter and from the drying affect of indoor heating. Lavish your body afterwards with delicious Dr. Hauschka Lemon Body Moisturiser to regenerate and stimulate skin function.

3 Detox March and April are ideal times to do a detox. You can choose a three-day to a week-long detox. This will energise and bring back your youthful radiance.

A place I recommend is Cloona Health centre in Co Mayo. You can partake in a weekend or even a week away. Another option is to do it at home with a home kit from the health store. Dr Vogel does a good herbal home detox kit. Include more spring greens in your daily diet such as lettuces, scallions, cucumbers, sprouts.

4 Juicing Green Juices are ideal for alkalizing the body. They are rich in enzymes and antioxidants. Also, a daily shot of

freshly juiced wheat grass is one of my inner beauty secrets. And it does so much more than that!

5 Receive a body massage or an acupuncture session Body massage helps to remove uric acid build-up in muscles. It relaxes the speedy mind and improves lymph and blood flow.

Acupuncture moves the stagnated damp heat that can accumulate over the winter and awaken the body into the rising energies of spring, boosting liver and gall bladder function. Find therapists who are recommended, and arrange times that will allow you to enjoy some free time afterwards.

6 Enhance your beautiful expression Your hair style, clothes and make-up: are they revealing and enhancing the real you?

Get rid of those clothes that no longer reflect who you are. Perhaps try a new, unexpected colour, or experiment with make-up to accentuate the beauty of your features, or ask your hairdresser to advise you on a new hairstyle.

Treat yourself to a Makeover using all natural products and enjoy a radiant and renewed you this spring.

If you have any questions regarding natural beauty, please email mary@heavenandearth.ie

152

Positively

newsworthy

Co-operative Pub for Local Community The Star Inn in Salford was given three weeks’ notice of closure, but, after locals clubbed together, the pub is back in business as a community-owned co-operative.

The new pub coincides with the launch of a report, ‘Calling Time on Pub Closures - The Co-operative Answer’, by Co-operatives UK which documents trends in pub closures and sets out advice on creating co-operative pubs.

Ed Mayo said: “Pub closures can be like pulling the plug on local communities. It is scandalous that pubs like The Star Inn are being closed at three weeks’ notice and it is a tribute to the community in Salford that they responded in an innovative answer to the threat of closure.”

“The Star Inn has been part of the community since 1867,” said Margaret Fowler, a local resident. “People really missed it when it was closed down and that brought us all together to invest our own cash to re-open the pub. It really was easy to set it up as a co-operative and now we have got our pub

16

back, it’s the most fantastic feeling in the world.”

Julian Ross added: “We have shown that by working together, we can preserve something that is very important for the community. As a group, we believed we could safeguard our pub’s future and turn it into a co-operative, and I want to help encourage other communities to try what we have done.”

needs. Together, they build rich, inclusive and fulfilling lives.

Peter and Cristina have two children, 5-year-old Inka and 3-year-old Rowan, who will be travelling with them. The couple have trained in the principles of organic and biodynamic farming and are hoping to pick up new ideas while sharing their experience and skills along the way.

Peter has also been a master baker for six years and the family will have a mobile woodfired bread oven in tow, which they will use to bake delicious breads and pizzas. “Today wood-fired ovens can be run very efficiently and cost-effectively compared to those that use other fuels,” Peter reveals.

Cristina has often thought of herself as born to travel. She longed for the road, “to experience a sense of freedom in discovering what else is out there, to find out what other ways of life people have followed and to get to know places of outstanding beauty.”

We know a couple of Camphill communities here in Ireland also, so if you keep your eyes out, you may just meet them.

You can follow their progress online at: www.doubledeckerfamily.co.uk For further information about Camphill: www.camphill.org.uk

For more info, visit www.cooperatives-uk.coop

All Aboard for Europe An adventurous family from the Forest of Dean have set out on the trip of a lifetime in their 30-year-old double-decker bus. Peter Kramer and Cristina Solana, have spent many years working within Camphill Villages around the UK and want to explore similar pioneering communities being set up across Europe.

Camphill communities are inspirational places enabling vulnerable adults and young people with learning difficulties to live and work side by side with adults without special

Mama Amma to the rescue Many of you may remember hearing about Amma’s charitable donation of $23 million towards Tsunami relief and rehabilitation in India and Sri Lanka. But, in truth, altogether the value of the project has doubled as it has taken so many new dimensions in terms of adding fully equipped communities to the housing project with community halls, parks, healthcare centres, schools and also so much of the work is being done by volunteers.

You’ll be glad to know that she has announced a plan to provide relief in response to the crisis in earthquake-ravaged Haiti.

Amma has directed Br. Dayamrita Chaitanya to travel to Haiti with a small team of medical advisors to assess conditions on the ground.

Br. Dayamrita’s team will explore avenues to make a meaningful long-term contribution to the recovery effort.

a ‘living machine’ will mimic the filtration process that occurs in natural wetlands to turn sewage into clean water.

“By accommodating all these activities in one building, it’s possible to get the benefit of a closed-loop design that mimics the remarkable efficiencies of ecosystems,” Michael explains.

“Although there are some worrying times ahead in terms of climate change and so on,” he adds, “for every problem that we face, whether it’s creating energy, finding fresh water, or manufacturing in a benign way, there’ll be examples from nature that we can follow – and I bet you, that all those examples will be closed-loop, solar powered and non-polluting.”

A New Generation Shifts into Gear There is a shift taking place. Against the odds, climate change is being treated, by an increasing amount of people, as something that can be turned into a positive opportunity.

This became visible when hundreds of young adults and teenagers, from across the UK, converged in London last autumn for Power Shift ‘09. The aim was: “To connect young people and inspire and equip them to organise in their local communities, raising the youth voice on climate change,” explained Amy Mount, the event’s media officer.

The event culminated with a ‘flashmob dance’ next to the London Eye and then outside Parliament. Waves of young people suddenly appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, to perform a co-ordinated routine. With a public display of solidarity and celebration, they injected a note of creativity and passion into the climate change debate.

“Doing the dances was amazing,” said participant, 24 year-old Rosie Sullivan.

“You’ve got to have fun together and celebrate the fact that we are alive and live in a beautiful world, right now. It’s not completely dysfunctional.”

“I think we live in a really exciting moment. We have the opportunity to do fantastic things. Because we have to.

How often do we see people flourish in such a way because there’s a need for it to happen?” – Emma Biermann

For more info, visit www.exploration-architecture.com

For more info, visit www.ukycc.org and www.think2050.org

The Solar Furnace, Odeillo, France

In Amritapuri, Amma led several thousand people in a prayer for the peace of the departed souls, for those who have suffered injuries and devastating material losses, and for the mental strength and peace of mind of those who have lost their loved ones.

For more info, visit www.amritapuri.org

Exploration Architecture “We can be sure of one thing: the revolution that we are now entering – the sustainability revolution – will be like no other. For the first time, the future will not just be an improved version of the past.” Michael Pawlyn Michael Pawlyn is a pioneer in the field of biomimetic architecture, responsible for some of the world’s most intriguing designs. In 2007, Michael founded Exploration Architecture to focus exclusively on sustainable design inspired by the natural world.

Respecting nature as our Elder, whom we turn to for solutions, can, he believes, reduce our impact on the earth and slow the effects of climate change. “Nature has an amazing storehouse of ideas,” he says, “and it has had a long research and development period – 3.8 billion years in fact, so most of its faulty products have already been withdrawn from the market place.”

Currently, Michael is working on the Community Ecology Centre, inspired by Amsterdam’s De Kas restaurant. At the heart of the complex, a greenhouse will grow fruit and vegetables for the guests. Food waste will go to feed a wormery. The worms are fed to Tilapia fish, and the fish are then served fresh to diners.

Micro-organisms will break down the centre’s rubbish in an anaerobic digester, producing biogas to heat the greenhouse and generate electricity for the site. Meanwhile,

18

positive power

A Life On The Run

By Olga Sheean When I was growing up, I used to dream of running away from home. I’d jump out the window, climb over the front gate and then belt down the road as fast as my little legs could carry me. In my dream, I was always caught and brought back home. I varied my route each night, in the hope of evading my faceless pursuers, but they always found me.

As soon as I was old enough, I did run away from home. I left Ireland and kept on running—to Scotland, to Italy, to Switzerland; I ran all over Europe; I ran to Canada and the States, the Caribbean, Mexico and all over Latin America. I ran to Kenya, Bali and the Seychelles. Over 35 countries and 26 years later, I’m back in Ireland, breathless and dizzy.

My globetrotting opened up a whole new world of awareness. I realised, of course, that it wasn’t home I was running from; it was me. And then I realised that it wasn’t me, either; it was all the things I’d been taught about myself that had created a frantic web of angst and insecurity. I’d been running from what I thought of as the truth—that I was not good enough, I was an imposter waiting to be found out, and I didn’t

“It’s not the loss of our booming economy that we need to address; it’s the loss of our self-worth, our emotional freedom and our ability to see beyond the negative beliefs that keep us stuck.”

deserve to have the love or life I wanted. I was driven by generations of negative programming that created struggle, anxiety and disappointment—the inevitable product of an oppressed, religious nation that preached penance and unworthiness.

Fortunately, my worldwide marathon led me to some deeper truths. I delved into the human psyche, exploring the subconscious dynamics that drive our relationships, our health, our economy and our world. What I discovered was a reality that transformed my life, bringing love, enlightenment and lots of laughter lines. But it’s a reality that’s hard to grasp. When I tell people that our negative beliefs literally determine our circumstances

in life, and that we all attract particular people, challenges and crises as a result of how we’ve all been subconsciously programmed, their eyes glaze over and they’re back to worrying about their Visa bill.

Ironically, the programming itself (the beliefs, fears and limitations we absorb from parents, teachers, the Church, etc.) is the very thing that gets in the way of us realising that it’s the very thing getting in our way. In fact, it’s probably the ONLY thing stopping most people from living their ideal life. It doesn’t just determine the way we think, how we perceive the world or what we imagine is possible for us; it determines how much love, money, ease, success and fulfilment we have.

Finally, I’d begun to make sense of my world and to understand why I (and a few billion others) was driven to behave a certain way, to believe certain things, to expect certain outcomes—and to attract exactly that. I realised that the root of our problems lay buried in our subconscious minds and that changing our negative programming changed everything.

It’s not the loss of our booming economy that we need to address; it’s the loss of our self-worth, our emotional freedom and our ability to see beyond the negative beliefs that keep us stuck. Those beliefs keep us from seeing our true value, having healthy self-esteem, having loving relationships, being healthy and whole, fulfilling our dreams, boosting our bank accounts ...and being happy.

Of course, the miserable Irish weather doesn’t help. If I could just hire a massive tug and haul the whole soggy island southwards about 1,000km, I think we’d all feel a lot better. Failing that, the single most effective, powerful thing we can do is address the negative programming that’s stopping us from being all that we can be.

Our negative programming sets us up for a life on the run; we’re either chasing something, in the hope of a payoff, or we’re running away from whatever seems to be causing us grief, burying ourselves in denial with alcohol, cigarettes, soap operas, antidepressants and yummy dark chocolate.

Only when we understand what’s really driving us can we finally stop running and come face to face with the deeper truth: we’re powerful, we’re creative, we’re worthy and, yes, we’re Irish.

Olga Sheean is an author and counsellor-cum-catalyst who teaches a unique system of self-mastery. She’ll be writing a regular column for us on how to transform your programming and create more love, money, ease, success and fulfilment. olga@olgasaheean.com / www.olgasheean.com

mary kate

Eating Disorder Resource Centre of Ireland 24 Glendoher Close, Ballyboden , Rathfarnham, Dublin 16 Principal: Suzanne Horgan, Practitioner Skills for Eating Disorders and Obesity

Ratu Bagus Bio – Energy Meditation Ratu Bagus Bio-Energy Meditation Ratu Bio –but Energy “You think you are only one Bagus small person, you areMeditation the whole Cosmos.

“You think you are onlyBrahman one smallCreator, person, you are the whole youbut are e Sun.” “You thinkYou youare are only onethe small person, butTh you are the whole Cosmos.

You are Brahman the Creator, you Sun.” Cosmos.

You are Brahman the Creator, youare are The The Sun.” Ratu Bagus

Ratu Bagus

Ratu Bagus

Practitioners experience the following:

Do you wish to work with people experiencing eating disorders or people who have food, body or weight issues?

eating disorders

The Eating Disorder Resource Centre of Ireland, in affiliation with the National Centre for Eating Disorders (UK), wish to offer you the opportunity to embark on a one year, part time fully accredited Diploma in Practitioner Skills for Eating Disorders.

2010 Course being presented in the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel, Naas Road, Dublin For further information please log on to

www.eatingdisorders.ie

where you can download a course prospectus and synopsis or alternatively you can contact us at Phone: 01-4953577 Mobile: 087 2056560 Email: info@eatingdisorders.ie Places are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment

Practitioners experience following: Practitioners experience the the following: Happiness and Joy R Explosive Happiness and Joy Laughter in the heart R Peace Explosive Laughter Clarity in the mind Happiness and Joy Heightened intuition R Peace in the heart Greater Vitality and Energy Explosive R ClarityLaughter in the mind Strengthened Immune System Healing blocks, on the mental, Peace in theofheart R Heightened intuition physical and emotional levels R Greater Clarity in theVitality mind and Energy View videos of theImmune practice on UTube: R Strengthened System Heightened intuition UTube: Ratu Bagus Way to Happiness R Healing of blocks, on the mental, Utube: Energy OrbsEnergy Greater Vitality and physical and emotional levels Strengthened Immune System

sharon

Bio - Energy Meditation classes takes place in:

Healing of blocks, on the mental, physical and emotional levels

Dalkey: Karin Eve: 0876751179 Dublin: Mick Cox: 0877569716 Mayo: van amerongen: ViewEvelien videos of the practice on0851084540 YouTube: Castle bar: Patricia Mannion: 0860770725 Galway: Simon Cullen: Ratu Bagus Way0872315162 to Happiness

R View videos of the practice on UTube: R Energy UTube: RatuOrbs Bagus Way to Happiness www.meetup.com/ratu-bagus-energy/

Utube: Energy Orbs www.ratubagus.com

Bio - EnergyBio Meditation takes classes place in:takes place in: - Energyclasses Meditation Dublin: Mick Cox 0877569716 Dalkey: Karin Eve 0876751179 Dalkey: Karin Eve: 0876751179 Rialto: Ann O’Kelly 0877580173 Dublin: Cox: 0877569716 Mayo: Evelien vanMick amerongen 0851084540 Mayo: Evelien van amerongen: 0851084540 Castle bar: Patricia Mannion 0860770725 Castle bar: Patricia Mannion: 0860770725 Galway: Simon Cullen 0872315162 Galway: Simon Cullen: 0872315162

www.meetup.com/ratu-bagus-energy/ www.meetup.com/ratu-bagus-energy/ www.ratubagus.com www.ratubagus.com

The Notes

of Life

By Grant Connolly

When I was a small boy, my mother decided I should learn how to play the Piano and my teacher was a homeless man named Max. Max, being homeless, lacked bathing facilities, and sitting on that bench with him for more than a few minutes gave me a true appreciation for clean fresh air.

God bless him!

Why do I mention this? It’s a good memory for me; but more than that, it reminds me that life is like playing a piano. It must be learned. No one with the exception of a Beethoven sits down and plays perfectly from the start.

We must learn how to make those beautiful notes. This takes time

20

and effort and in the meantime you may strike many wrong notes.

Imagine sitting in a Canyon with high walls that reflect back the notes we strike as an echo. These echoes tell us when we strike a wrong note. These “wrong notes” are instant feedback that we’re not playing in the proper way. Life is like that as well, except that the wrong notes we play echo back to us as financial lack, difficult relationships, illness and suffering.

These are simply indicators that we are not in alignment with who we really are. They do not mean that we are “bad” people or that there is something wrong with us. They are just the echoes produced by striking the wrong notes. With time and practice we start hitting the right notes more often and the

“life is like playing a piano.

It must be learned.”

echoes that return to our ear please us more frequently until we hear a symphony and our life becomes a joy.

When you habitually think a thought that does not feel good as you think it, it is very much like striking a wrong note.

That habitual thought, whether you know it or not, goes out and returns just like the echo I spoke of, in the form of unpleasant circumstances.

To change the habitual thoughts that you are sending out, you need only release the difficult feeling attached to those thoughts.

Change the feeling and you change the nature of the thoughts connected to them.

Change your thoughts and you change the nature of the echo reflected back to you.

Instead of financial lack, you start receiving financial abundance. Instead of bad relationships, you start receiving good ones, and so on.

With the ZPoint process, you can change the notes you play simply by putting your attention on the difficult feelings that arise as you think of certain parts of your life, releasing those feelings. As you do this, your life will begin to change and the echoes will sound sweeter.

This does not take a long time but it does require practice. If you decide today to change the notes you play, within several weeks you will start seeing a change in the echoes that are reflected back to you. Your life will improve and often quite dramatically.

My suggestion is to do this in a systematic way. Just as it is more difficult to learn to play the piano well on your own, having an experienced teacher guide you through this process can help you play the right notes that much faster. That way you can learn to play like the virtuoso you really are.

For the first time in Ireland, learn the unique and amazing ZPoint process with Grant Connolly.

March 26th – 28th. Dublin. For details on this workshop, contact Sarah Bird on 0872193343 or sarah@sarahbird.ie For more info on ZPoint, visit www.zpointforpeace.com

Transform Your Health Increase Awareness Change your thoughts Balance and Calm your Mind

The Dublin Holistic Centre has moved… to a beautiful new premises

AYurveda

on 28 South William St., Dublin 2. To celebrate, we would like to offer you a treatment of your choice for €50, thats a €20 discount for positive life readers.

Ayurveda Ireland gives you the path to connect with spirit while healing the physical bodyand harmonizing the mind.

Choose from Acupuncture, Osteopathy, Aromatherapy massage, Ayurvedic Massage, Holistic Massage, Homeopathy, Allergy Testing, Life Coaching, Hypnotherapy, Counselling, Reflexology, Herbal Medicine, Clairvoyant healing & Quantum healing OR two free yoga, pilates or bellydancing classes!

Be in your constant flow and feel life from an empowering perspective

Visit my website for your free 5 Ayurvedic tips for Energy Phone 01 4433400 or email info@dublinholisticcentre.com and quote “positive life” €50 offer.

www.ayurvedaireland.ie Edie O’Reilly 0876506513

3966 Mind Body Spirit 1/4 page ad March 2010:Layout 1

Mind Body Spirit International Festival

11/02/2010

Dublin 2010

at the RDS, Industries Hall

March 12th, 13th & 14th Fri, Sat & Sun

17:14

Page 1

‘Working and Playing with Nature Spirits’

dennis k

a workshop with Tanis Helliwell author of ‘Summer With Leprechauns’

June 4th, 5th & 6th 2010 €190.00

Venue: Dunshane Camphill Community, near Brannockstown, Naas, Co. Kildare, Ireland

MBS

Book Early Places Are Limited Info Katja 087 9132152 or Denys 086 2871895 or email: denys.kaye@gmail.com

Master Training Systems presents

Great Master Wang Pei Sheng’s Yin Cheng System of Wu Style Tai Ji Quan Cost €108 per class term

w ww .m indb od y sp irit. ie

Ongoing Introductory classes

Teaching:

at Oscailt on Pembroke Road Thursdays 7-8:30 pm and Samadhi - Temple Bar Saturdays 3-4:30 pm

Nei Gong (Golden Light Meditation) Qigong (Vitality Exercise Set) Tai Ji Quan (Principles of Balance) Tui Shou (Pushing Hands)

For more information or to sign up please contact

Chief Instructor David Marshall 087 207 2792 daithilacha@hotmail.com

The Wisdom of Time and Time Again excLusive intervieW With gregg Braden

by Patrick Bridgeman

22

New York Times best-selling author Gregg Braden is internationally renowned as a pioneer in bridging science and spirituality. For more than 22 years, Gregg has searched high mountain villages, remote monasteries and forgotten texts to uncover their timeless secrets. His work is now featured on the History Channel, the Discovery Channel, The Sci-Fi Channel and NBC. A former geologist and senior aerospace computer systems designer, Braden has devoted the last two decades of his life to researching ancient wisdom traditions, studying the ice core records in Antarctica and working for Global Coherence.

His work shows us that the key to our future lies in the wisdom of our past, and provides us with practical techniques and insights for getting there in time.

I got to do an exclusive phone interview with him, from his headquarters in Taos, New Mexico, before his visit to Ireland in April of this year. But before we get into the actual interview, I’d like to give those who are new to Gregg’s

work some insight into what he’s already uncovered.

In his book, Awakening to Zero Point, Gregg shows us that man is conditioned to be suspicious of life events that do not fall within the box of his conditioning.

Yet these life events, both good and evil, are catalysts moving him towards new experiences and dimensions within himself. They are the means by which he arrives at wholeness.

In Walking Between the Worlds, Gregg explains that while the planet is undergoing a shift to a higher frequency, because she is a living, moving energy system, all who reside within her energy fields will also experience this realignment.

Another book, The Isaiah Effect, offers unprecedented insight into the power of an ancient mystery - a lost mode of prayer - that modern science is just beginning to understand. A topic he later expands upon in the book Secrets of the Lost Mode of Prayer.

Then, in The God Code, he reveals that a message has been found deep within

the DNA in each cell of our bodies, and through a remarkable discovery linking ancient alphabets to the elements of life, our genetic code now reads as a text message of healing and peace. In his DVD, The Science of Miracles, I learnt that the first line of DNA in everything on the planet is the same, and the message it reveals translates as “God eternal within the body.”

Gregg’s book, the Divine Matrix, shows how a series of groundbreaking experiments, between 1993 and 2000, reveal dramatic evidence of a web of energy that connects everything in our lives and our world. And then in The Spontaneous Healing of Belief, he shares the scientific evidence which reveals that heart-based belief affects everything from the healing of our bodies to the atoms of our world.

In his latest book, Fractal Time: The Secret of 2012 and a New World Age, he takes us one step further along this path of realisation, and that’s where our interview begins.

“I think it is important to begin with facts,” he says, “and it is a fact that we are living the end of a rare and mysterious cycle of time that began 5,125 years ago in the year 3114 B.C. and completes with a rare astronomical event that occurs on December 21, 2012 A.D. This 5,125 year cycle has occurred in the past a number of times. Ancient and indigenous traditions, specifically Mesoamerican traditions, identify at least four of these cycles leading up to the cycle that we’re experiencing now.

Each time cycles were completed and new cycles began, they were accompanied by conditions of change that were catastrophic for the people living during that time. Changes in climate, in temperature, and in seasons impacted their ability to do simple life-sustaining things like growing food. So, they started to fight each other for the vestiges of these disappearing resources, and in their fighting, everyone lost - no one won - and the civilizations collapsed and disappeared.

We are a rare generation living at an equally rare period of time where we’re straddling the world that has been in one cycle with the world that is emerging because of the birth of the next cycle.

We’re the generation that is living that transition.

“there has to Be a singLe generation that Lives in Both WorLds… and this is that generation. We are those peopLe.”

I think it’s helpful to know, to be able to go into the past and see what we can realistically expect. But we also have to ask ourselves, are we making the same mistake today? Are we fighting one another in our fear of a changing world? And, if so, can we recognize it and change things before we go the way of those past civilizations?”

By marrying the modern discoveries of nature’s patterns (fractals) to the ancient view of a cyclic universe, Gregg demonstrates how everything from the war and peace between nations to our most joyous relationships and personal crises are the returning patterns of our past. As each pattern returns, it carries the same conditions of previous cycles - fractal patterns that can be known, measured and predicted. Each cycle also carries a window of opportunity - a choice point that allows us to select a new outcome for the returning pattern.

“Ancient texts and traditions have always viewed our lives, our relationship to the earth and the cosmos in terms of cycles. They viewed time as a great wave of energy that pulses through the universe on a regular, cyclic, rhythmic basis.

Each time it reappears, the pulse carries patterns of energy from the past which we experience time and time again.

What modern science now is beginning to understand is that the ancients were right and we do, in fact, live cycles

within cycles within cycles. Fractal Time was an opportunity for me to marry the best science of the day with the wisdom of our past to give a greater depth and meaning to the changes we are seeing today.”

We are already living the most frightening of the visions that were anticipated by our ancestors for our time in history, and Gregg believes that we are dealing with them very well, and at the same time building a new world of cooperation and peace, revamping the economic system of the world and the way the power is distributed in our world.

“All of those things are already happening now. So, as the world changes around us, we are changed as individuals; and there is a growing body of evidence showing that people are emotionally and physiologically changing to accommodate the stress of a changing world that our ancestors never had to deal with.

We have learned to live in one kind of world in the 20th Century, and now, within just a short couple of years, many of the systems that we have grown accustomed to are falling away because they are no longer sustainable in the presence of this changing world; and at the same time we are building these new systems.

There has to be a single generation that lives in both worlds, and it takes a really strong individual: one that can find their centre and their focus within their own being, and can find a way to maintain their balance in the moving target of a changing world. There has to be one generation that has one foot living in the old systems, because they need to, but also has the other foot in the new systems that are being developed.

And this is that generation. We are those people.”

It is a call, not to arms, but to heart and mind, working together to better understand ourselves and our relationship with the world we live in and the planet we live on; and Gregg is coming to Ireland, not to preach, but to show us what too few of our ancestors knew, so that we can be the generation who finally succeed in creating the critical mass of consciousness needed to tip the balance from a life lived in fear to one lived in love on a global scale.

Welcome to Planet Love.

To find out more about Gregg Braden, visit www.greggbraden.com To book tickets to his seminar at the Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire from 7pm - 10pm on 20th April 2010, call Mairead on 0877468583 or visit www.spiritoneseminars.com

The Future by design

By Patrick Bridgeman Imagine a world where war is outdated, there is no shortage of resources, and every human being enjoys a high standard of living.

Jacque Fresco has.

He is considered by many to be a modernday Da Vinci. Peer to Einstein and Buckminster Fuller, Jacque is a self-taught futurist who describes himself most often as a “generalist” or multi-disciplinarian - a student of many inter-related fields. He is a prolific inventor, having spent his entire life conceiving of and devising inventions on various scales, using innovative technology to provide win-win solutions for the planet and its inhabitants.

Jacque (now in his mid-90’s) has been redesigning our entire culture for most of his life, and he doesn’t just want to talk about what today will be like tomorrow, he has a plan to build an entire new world from the ground up. “I was always interested in the future; as far back as I can remember. I drew airplanes and cities of the future, and underwater cities and floating cities.”

His organization, The Venus Project, works to provide a global vision of hope for the future of humankind in our technological age. The project also seeks certain global aims and goals. These include: realising the planet’s resources as the common heritage of all people; transcending

the artificial boundaries that are currently separating us, outgrowing nationalism, bigotry and prejudice; replacing moneybased economies with a resource-based world economy; redesigning transport systems and industries so that they are green and clean; gradually outgrowing corporate entities and governments as a means of social management; sharing new technologies for the benefit of all nations and enhancing education so that future generations are intellectually and emotionally prepared for the changes and challenges that lie ahead.

To put his ideals into practice, Jacque is building the first ever experimental research city – a 25-acre complex in southcentral Florida. Construction has already begun and fundraising efforts are underway to support it.

Aside from utilising the very best in green technology – wind, solar and heat concentrating systems, hydroponic farm facilities and lush landscaping – the city is designed to serve the needs of every member of society and allow occupants to choose their most fulfilling lifestyle.

It reminds me of a very good question I came across many years ago. “If money were no object, what would you do with your time?” Would you still be working at the same job? Would you work at all?

How would you like to spend your free time? Would you play games like when we were children? Where would you like to go and who would you bring with you? What would you like to create? If everybody’s basic needs were met all over the world, what would be left to do? Whatever you like. Whatever makes your heart sing, your mind tingle and your face smile. Art, Science, Philosophy, Sport, Space Exploration, you name it, you can spend your whole life doing it if you so desire.

It will take some amount of work to get from where we are to where we can be, and a lot of people will have to take a long hard look at their lives and decide what‘s really the right path for them to travel along in this lifetime, but I believe we can do it.

So, let’s imagine how our life and our society will change when money is no longer needed because the resources of the

world are freely available for all to share equally. Robotic technology will look after the production and distribution processes required to fulfil our basic needs. People won’t have to work to buy food, shelter or clothing. Profit will no longer be a driving force in business, so cutting corners and producing poor quality products will no longer make sense. Sweat shops, child labour, and cheap, toxic additives causing harmful side effects will be things of the unenlightened past.

If people do want to produce goods, they will have access to the very best quality of resources, so they’ll have no reason to create something that is anything other than top quality. Clothing and technological products will be built to last for years, not for months.

Only medicines free from negative side effects will be prescribed, along with natural remedies and safe procedures. The worlds of quantum, spiritual and energetic healing will be fully embraced and their amazing results shared with the world.

The health of the planet will be as important as the health of its inhabitants. All packaging will be biodegradable and recyclable. We will find ways to reduce, reuse and recycle the waste that has already been dumped in landfills. We will instead fill the land with love, and work with nature in an effort to replenish all of its wondrous flora and fauna.

People will not only eat what’s best for their body, but what’s best for the planet.

Every meal can be 5-star quality. Families and friends can dine together in celebration of the food Mother Earth has provided, which can be cooked from scratch as there will be no need to rush back to work after some fast food.

People will spend their time following their heart’s desires and all of the right people will find their way into all of the right pursuits in order to continue our spiritual and scientific evolution.

With resources available to all, and everyone’s basic needs met, there will be relatively little reason to go to war. And with all that free time to get to know yourself and your relationship with Life and God, people will feel a lot happier and more understanding, so bigotry and prejudice will also eventually disappear.

People will look to spiritual teachers and scientists, instead of military leaders and politicians, for direction. Although, their own internal compass will be their strongest source of guidance. We won’t need someone else to make our decisions for us.

We will all instinctively know what’s best for us, personally and as a society, and we will naturally move toward those things.

Festivals will spring up all over the earth, big and small, organised and impromptu gatherings. Music will be as much a communal expression as it is an individual one.

Fun will be free-roaming, not restricted to certain allotted times and places. Art can be spontaneous and temporary or a life’s work created to last forever. Dancing and movement will happen on a whim, in harmony with your body’s natural impulses.

So too with emotions. Crying and laughing out loud will be respected as healthy expressions of being human. We will like ourselves and respect each other more.

Cities will have more of a community ethos to them, so that everyone feels included and is taken care of, both physically and emotionally. That will go a long way towards helping to alleviate any mental health issues that arise.

“People will spend their time following their heart’s desires.”.

Clocks will no longer govern our waking and sleeping periods, our eating and working habits, or our emotional state. We may rise with the sun and get to know the seasons. Meetings with people will happen intuitively. We may even go so far as to get rid of mobile phones in favour of our gut instinct and telepathic capabilities.

Of course, we are where we are now, which I like to think is on our way to the world I’ve just described. It requires a commitment to authentic communication with your mind, body and emotions, as well as to the other people in your life.

The best first step we can take is to work on ourselves, to embrace the qualities of honesty, integrity, intelligence, compassion and freedom of expression. It’s up to you to decide what substances to fill your body, mind, heart and home with. It’s up to you to ask for help when you need it, and to follow through with whatever healing work suits you best.

People like Jacque Fresco can shine a light for the rest of us to follow, but I believe we all have a light worth shining, and I’d love to see yours.

25

“It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” - Krishnamurti “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” - Ghandi

For more info on The Venus Project, visit www.thevenusproject.com Jacque Fresco will be presenting a Lecture on August 14th in The Button Factory, Temple Bar, Dublin.

For more info, contact HeatherOdom@thevenusproject.com To order a copy of The Future by Design, an award-winning documentary which tells Jacque Fresco’s life-story and explores his vision, visit www.futurebydesignthemovie.com

The wonder of growing food from seeds

26

By Hans Wieland Growing food from seeds is often taken for granted, but it is definitely one of the wonders of gardening and one of the most exciting and even addictive activities. Browsing seed catalogues, early in the year, answers the all important question, “Is it worth all the trouble of raising your own plants, rather than buying them ready for planting out?” once and for all.

The answer is Yes, because you are spoilt for choice. The Organic Gardening catalogue, for example, lists nearly 59 varieties of tomatoes. The Organic Centre’s seed catalogue offers more than 50 varieties of lettuce from Butterhead to Cos Lettuce and Loose Leaf Type to Oriental Greens.

Thompson and Morgan and Mr. Middleton have 20 different carrot seeds in their programme, from Autumn King and Early Nantes to “Healthy Coloured Carrots”, specially selected for their health benefits when eaten raw, rich in antioxidants, beta carotene and Vitamin A. We all know that the fresher the vegetables we eat, the better it is for us and our families. And the freshest vegetables we can get are from our garden. Home grown vegetables are proven to give us more vitamins, minerals and nutrients than shop bought alternatives – and they have so much more flavour too!

You might also want to grow unusual vegetables that are expensive to buy or hard to get: Kohlrabi, your seeds for your champion pumpkin, your yellow courgettes and purple beans.

Another important reason to grow from seed is to avoid the risk of introducing soil-borne diseases into your garden such as club root and eelworm. It also is more economical to grow from seed than to buy expensive transplants. Last not least it is fun and satisfying too!

be detrimental to certain crops, i.e. lettuce does not germinate well above 24° C. There are different types of heated propagation units available with heating pads or mats with thermostat or soil warming cables.

3 Moisture and Air Seeds need moisture and air to germinate.

The higher the required temperature, the higher the water uptake, but beware of overwatering the seeds, as it encourages fungal diseases.

4 Light Once germination has occurred, all plants require light, ideally from above.

Germination on window sills works only to a degree and plants often become leggy.

Note: A few vegetable seeds require light to germinate, e.g. lettuce and celery. They need to be sown shallow.

For good germination there are four basic requirements: 1 Viable Seed Seeds must be of good quality and not too old. On average most seeds store for 2-4 years in a cool, dry place. Check the germination information on the package.

Seeds should never be left in a hot or damp polytunnel as they will deteriorate quickly.

2 Correct Temperature for Germination Each crop has a minimum, optimum and maximum temperature for germination.

An average temperature for most seeds is between 16 - 20°C. Tomato seeds, for example, like it warm: around 20°C. On the other hand, too high a temperature can

Direct sowing or sowing in trays?

At The Organic Centre we are often asked is it better to sow direct into the soil or in pots and trays. The answer is, it depends on the crop. Most root crops such as carrots, beetroot, parsnips, swedes and radish are better sown directly, because they don’t transplant well. Also vegetables with large seeds such as peas and beans are generally sown direct.

Most other seeds are sown in modular or cell trays. The seedlings can then be transplanted into the prepared bed or potted on into bigger pots for another 2-4 weeks. This has the added advantage that those well established small plants are more resistant to slug attacks.

You can buy different types of plastic or polystyrene trays, or you can recycle yoghurt pots and cut milk cartons, or use home made seed pouches from newspapers.

To produce quality transplants requires some skills and experience. Learn more at The Organic Centre’s one day introductory courses “Grow Your Own Food –Organic Gardening for Beginners”. Dates are 7th of March, 17th of April and 1st of May. These courses will equip the beginner with all the information necessary to grow a wide range of high quality vegetables at home.

For details on these or any other courses, please contact The Organic Centre. For all your seed requirements, visit our online shop or drop in at our Eco-Shop in Rossinver. Ph: 071-9854338, email info@theorganiccentre.ie or visit www.theorganiccentre.ie

The

Organic centre

ROSSINVER, CO. LEITRIM

organic centre where inspiration Let’s grow together

Promoting Organic Growing and Sustainable Living

becomes action

grow green

Courses in Leitrim: Autumn/Winter Courses7/3 and 17/4 Organic Gardening for Beginners

Storing and Preserving Vegetables Fruit – Jam without Sugar 19/9 Plan your organic allotment now – and NEW 13/3 Homemade Remedies POTATO DAY 14/3 for the Winter Month 19/9 Plan your garden – organic gardening for beginners 26/9 also 10/10 Polytunnel Springnow Workshop 20/3 Introduction Alternative Energy – Wind and Solar PV 3/10 Fruit GrowingtoSpring Workshop 21/3 Growing Trees from Spaces Seed 10/10 Gardening in Small and Urban Gardens 27/3 Natural – How make and Organic Paints Gardening in to Schools 27/3use them 11/10 Wine Making 17/10 Growing in Polytunnels – an introduction 28/3 Grow your own Mushrooms 18/10 Sprouting and Growing Wheatgrass 24/10 Cooking for in your Blood Type 7/11 Courses Wicklow: Grains, and Sourdough – more than just a 24/4 bakingand course OrganicBreads Food Growing for the complete beginner 21/721/11 Introduction to Hedgerows 21/11 Growing Fruit – Winter Workshop 28/11 Order your organic seeds online today!

Green Christmas Craft Fair 29/11 www.theorganiccentre.ie - E-mail: info@theorganiccentre.ie - Ph: 071-9854338

For new commercial courses midweek visit www.theorganiccentre.ie The Organic Centre, Rossinver, Co. Leitrim For dates, bookings and more information on the above and all other courses call

… where inspiration action 071-9854338 - e-mail:becomes info@theorganiccentre.ie - www.theorganiccentre.ie

Ask your local health store about

Find us in the greenhouse, a new venue for eco-living and education for sustainability. Cultivate is offering:

WHAT IS NEEM? For more than 4.000 years, people in India have taken advantage of this fascinating tree. Even before ancient herbalists discovered the analgesic qualities of the Willow Tree - from which aspirin is derived - people used branches, fruits and leaves from the Neem Tree to help with skin ailments.

Even today, rural Indians refer to the Neem Tree as “the village pharmacy” because of its huge array of properties which can also help to protect their crops and animals from insects.

Our range of Organic, Fair Trade, Never Tested on Animals Neem products include:

Supplements Supercritical C02 Extract of Neem Leaf, Vegetarian Neem Capsules, Neem Leaf Alcohol Extract Body Care Neem oil, Neem cream, Neem Lip Balm,

Neem Leaf & Aloe Vera Gel, Neem Oil Botanical Soaps, Nail & Cuticle Scrub, Botanical Fading Cream, Outdoor Herbal Spray

Hair & Scalp Neem Shampoo & Conditioner Oral Hygiene Herbal Neem Toothpaste & Mouthwash Distributed in Ireland by Neemworks Ltd. Rathescar, Dunleer, Co. Louth Contact Patricia on 041 6861059 or 086 8114419 email patricia@neemworksltd.com

UÊ/ iÊ Õ Ì Û>ÌiÊ- « UÊ Ûi ÌÃÊ> `Ê v À >Ì UÊ ÕÀÃiÃÊ> `ÊÌÀ> }ÊÊ Ê UÊ i> Ì Ê> `Ê9 }>Ê >Þà 2010 highlights include: / iÊ Õ ` }Ê> `Ê iÀ}ÞÊ > À]ÊV ÕÀÃiÃÊ Ê}Àii Ê LÕ ` }]ÊV >ÌiÊV > }iÊ> `ÊV Õ ÌÞÊÀià i ViÊ and Convergence, our sustainable living festival ÀÊ >«Ê> `Ê ÕÀÃ]ÊiÛi ÌÊ`iÌ> ÃÊ> `Ê ÀiÊÃiiÊ www.cultivate.ie or ring 01 674 5773

the greenhouse

« ÜiÀi`ÊLÞÊ Õ Ì Û>ÌiÊ> `Ê " 1 - "Ê -ÌÊ `ÀiÜÊ-ÌÀiiÌ]Ê ÕL ÊÓ

The Good Life 2.0 Community resilience in a changing world

By Davie Philip

Personal Resilience

28

A week before Christmas, I moved into one of the first houses to be occupied in the Cloughjordan Ecovillage. After ten years of being involved in this sustainable community project, I have finally moved in. The ecovillage is an innovative development, integrating with the town of Cloughjordan in North Tipperary, where work has started on over 20 eco-homes and features renewableenergy for heating, allotments, a community supported farm, and plans to be a destination for people wanting to learn about sustainability and resilience. 45 families from this project have now located to the village of Cloughjordan and community life there is vibrant. This project has many elements which will provide a sense of resilience, but I have come to realise that if I don’t nurture my own resilience, I can’t contribute to my community’s. What I want to explore this month is the need to build personal resilience as a key step in the process of building community resilience.

The term ‘resilience’ is widely used by ecologists and is defined as the ability of ecosystems to maintain themselves in the face of disturbance. Resilience from a community point of view refers to the capacity of a community to cope with stress, overcome adversity and adapt to change positively.

The unprecedented floods and then the big freeze that Ireland endured recently highlights how unprepared we have been to cope with unexpected incidents, and the level of our vulnerability.

“By looking to past failed civilisations we can learn what not to do with our future.

Like the ancient Mayans, we’re reaching peak everything – oil, land, population, climate, food and water – but the question is whether we can manage the change, or

“By looking to past failed civilisations we c an learn what not to do with our future. Like the ancient Mayans, we’re reaching peak everything – oil, land, population, climate, food and water – but the question is whether we c an manage the change or will we let the changes manage us.”

David McWilliams, Addicted to Money, RTE

will we let the changes manage us.” David McWilliams, Addicted to Money, RTE Our preparedness depends on us understanding the converging challenges and building our own ability to cope and adapt to change. I am of the opinion that we will need to prepare to manage the change together, as communities, and am heartened by the small but growing interest in community initiatives around Europe such as community food and energy systems, local currencies, and even community energy companies.

Hopefully the spirit of the meitheal is on its way back. Signs of this can be seen in some of the communities who got self-organised in order to help each other during the floods last year. Also encouraging are the popularity of the Grow Your Own and Transition Towns movements. On their own, these efforts may be inadequate to meet the challenges we collectively confront, but they could be the catalyst we need to start to think about the things we can do for ourselves locally.

We need top down support for these bottom up community initiatives, and nations and regions will need to put in place strategies to better prepare for the challenges on the horizon. However, unless we nurture our own resilience, our ability to face adversity, recover from setbacks and embrace change will be completely undermined.

Personal resilience can be described as our ability to deal with trauma, tragedy, and all kinds of threats. The more resilient we are, the faster we will bounce back from difficult experiences. It is not a characteristic that some people have and others don’t have, resilience can be developed by everyone.

But how do we do this? Here are some steps that are helping me to enhance my own personal resilience that I would like to share: 1 Stay Healthy This is a good first step on the journey. Do what you can to maintain your health and look after yourself. Regular exercise and a balanced diet are absolutely necessary for personal resilience. This will give you the strength and balance to deal with difficult situations. Some sort of meditation

or quiet time on your own each day, even a walk in nature, is extremely beneficial.

2 Nurture Relationships Over the last two decades, our society has become more and more individualistic. It is as if we don’t need anyone anymore. Strengthening your relationships with your partner, family, friends and your local community are a necessary step for resilience. Having people that you trust and can talk to will be essential in times of hardship. So, nurture connections with people, but don’t get too attached to meeting their approval.

3 Be Aware Being aware of our choices and reactions to the challenges we face, both personally and collectively, can provide resilience to future negative events. Stressful and negative events happen, but you can change how you react and respond to them. Be aware of what you need to learn, especially around providing for your essential needs.

4 Reflect Think about your past experiences of dealing with hardship and stress, and appreciate what you have learned from them. There is a lot of potential for personal growth and resilience by reflecting on past failures and crises. Another process I use is to take a mental snapshot of how I feel when I am happy and content, which I can then remember and reflect on when I am low or in a place of hardship. This will help you to better deal with difficult situations.

5 Embrace Change Change is one of the only constants in life. Accepting this can help us to adapt to new circumstances. We should nurture a long-term perspective and a “bigger picture” view of our situation and avoid getting bogged down in the scale of the challenges facing us. Many people who have come through difficult times have described having a new appreciation for life from the experience.

6 Be Realistic Accepting circumstances that cannot be changed can help you focus on circumstances that you can alter. Setting realistic goals and taking small steps towards achieving them can help maintain perspective.

7 Stay Positive Be optimistic and nurture a positive view of yourself. Developing confidence in your ability to solve problems and trusting your instincts helps build resilience.

Think positively.

8 Get Active Identify things you need to do as part of your own personal strategy for fostering resilience. Don’t avoid taking action.

Procrastination and hoping our problems will go away will just make things worse.

Do something practical like starting a garden, even better a community garden which as well as contributing to your resilience around food will build relationships with people in your neighbourhood. Just getting your hands into the soil can be grounding. Celebrate your accomplishments.

9 Operate with Integrity Live your values and be honest with others, but, most importantly, be honest with yourself. Our culture is based on deception and illusion, from political spin to the daily bombardment on our consciousness from advertisements.

Don’t add to the noise. Cultivate compassion, kindness and respect.

10 Build Community Getting active in your community and being able to offer and accept help and support when it is needed is the key to your resilience. Establishing a meaningful contact or connection with your community, whether this is your household, the town where you live, or the business where you work will nurture personal resilience and help you cope with some of the challenges on the horizon.

Developing personal resilience requires time and effort, but can be nurtured. Tomorrow is not going to look like yesterday, and to be able to withstand and manage change is an ongoing process.

Good luck on your road to resilience. Adapt and thrive.

Davie Philip is the Education manager at the Cultivate Centre, a member of the Cloughjordan Ecovillage and the coordinator of the Irish Transition Towns Network. www.thevillage.ie www.cultivate.ie http://transitiontownsireland.ning.com

By John Bowker

The new alternative Camp Scene

By John Bowker

John Bowker is Ireland’s leading drum circle facilitator. In recent years, he has helped create Earthsong, Ireland’s first major alternative camp. Here he explains some of the story behind this unusual event.

30

During the late sixties and early seventies, many alternative festivals began to emerge in Europe and America, bringing new life to ancient traditional fairs and gathering times.

In the U.K. the most famous of these were the Midsummer festivals at Glastonbury and Stonehenge. The flagship event for Ireland was the Lisdoonvarna festival.

Inspiration was to be found in these places; the counter culture, alive and flourishing, brought together alternative energy ideas, Yoga, Wholefoods, Organics, Green Anarchism, Vegetarianism, CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament), new school initiatives, eco housing, workers co-ops, Tai Chi and World Music. It was inspiring and hopeful, suggesting the future could be good if we learnt a few things and gave up our destructive habits. There was meditation and talk of ley lines, mysticism and sacred sites. To be in the heart of the country for a few days, overlooked by the famous Glastonbury Tor or the standing stones on Salisbury plain, could have a profound effect; an enchantment. Spending time living on the land brought changes; many began to care for the earth a little more.

But there were problems: dodgy types in balaclavas - selling drugs, poor sanitation,

Hells Angels - drunk and abusive, crowds were enormous and an incredible amount of litter kept an army of litter pickers busy after the events.

As the recession of the seventies led into the poverty of the eighties, many found an alternative life living in buses and trucks, making crafts and selling them at the festivals. In the heights of the cold war, nuclear missiles were stationed throughout the U.K. and festival organizers and activists created peace camps at several nuclear bases as peaceful protests against the war machine.

Glastonbury festival became the biggest CND fundraiser in Europe.

The authorities came down hard on these new gatherings, and in 1985, Stonehenge Festival was stopped in the unlawful police action that became known as The Battle of the Bean Field. The media branded alternative travellers and festival goers as brigands and thieves, dismissing the counter culture as naive hippy nonsense. The alternative festival scene began to collapse, many of its leaders and organizers seeking shelter in France or Portugal, Spain or Ireland.

In 1985, a visionary named Palden Jenkins (he would later become well known as a new age author), along with other like-minded

The c amping circle becomes the extended family for the week and strong friendships are made.

festival stalwarts, came up with new models, bringing the best of the festival scene into the future and leaving the rest behind.

The Camp Scene was born with Palden’s first camp project: the Glastonbury camps.

I met Palden at one of Ireland’s first camps, the Earth Wisdom camp, Roscommon, 1993.

There he explained how a group of people can come together for a while, living on the land, sharing responsibilities and skills, indigenous wisdom and teachings, building an environment for exploration of what it could mean to be modern, healthy humans, a social experiment in consciousness raising and freedom.

The Camp Scene has blossomed since the eighties, evolving a safe and magical, human-friendly environment.

For four years now, I have been the main co-coordinator for Earthsong, Ireland’s pioneer camp event. Based on wisdom inherited directly from the Glastonbury camps and its off-shoots such as the Oak Dragon camps and the Unicorn camps in Dorset, Earthsong has clear policies that help create a very unusual and magical oasis.

No drugs or alcohol are allowed on site.

This is the most important ground rule, ensuring our sensitivity and access to intelligence can be increased rather than diminished. The lack of intoxicants also seems to deter any troublemakers from coming.

The camp lasts for nine days and access is by advance ticket only. Earthsong is kept deliberately small and intimate; only 185 adult tickets are sold. Adults can bring

teenagers and children with them. 175 working tickets are for teachers, facilitators, café workers, etc.

Electric Music is not allowed on site, there are no rock groups or rave tents. This encourages the camp participants to make music. Gospel songs, World Music, camp fire guitars and tribal drum sessions fill the Earthsong with sound. A noise curfew at 11pm helps families with children to get enough sleep. No day tickets or visitors are allowed, which helps the community to become quickly established and a feeling of safety to arrive. A deep sense of playfulness and healing can ensue. Workshops cover all sorts of music and dance, crafts, personal growth and healing arts. A daily program of crafts and games are provided for children.

At Earthsong the camping is in small circles of around 12 tents, each circle sharing a central cooking fire. All firewood is provided.

The camping circle becomes the extended family for the week and strong friendships are made.

Teenagers have their own camp space, venue and workshops, and are also encouraged to join in with the adult events.

Earthsong’s teenagers are the strongest supporters of the event and each year provide the camp with a wonderful night of African style dance drumming.

Every morning, the camp comes together in a meeting, sharing information and program details and also exploring creative ways to deal with any issue that may arise.

Earthsong has no hired venues and no

professional crew. All of Earthsong is put together by a team of fifty or so volunteers.

In return for a free ticket, they carefully create the infrastructure for the camp. Compost loos, hand wash stations and water points are built and put in place. Earthsong has invested all its takings from the first few years into a collection of excellent covered spaces which the site crew also put together; big tops, yurts, marquees, a café, a wholefood shop and a wood stove heated hot shower tent. All give good shelter from the weather and create a magical and inspiring atmosphere. The site crew team have found over the years that setting up camp can be as much fun as the main camp. Many appreciating the satisfaction of creatively working as a team to make something beautiful and inspiring I teach drumming and voice at the camp, and lead some of the evening events. I have never before seen such wonderful sessions.

Sometimes a hundred and fifty drummers are joined by a hundred dancers and singers in enormously powerful celebrations of life and community.

I have sat on a hill overlooking Earthsong and seen an ancient Celtic village, a gathering of the tribes. In the wood smoke and the banners, the laughter and the songs I can get a sense of the voices of the future sending back their blessings as we humbly reclaim our heritage, our birthright, bringing our young folk and elders into enchanted moments in the green fields of Ireland for the precious summer days.

This year, Earthsong is holding two camps in Co. Tipperary; Earthsong Healing Drum Camp, Sat 10th July to Sat 17th July and Earthsong Harvest moon Camp, Sat 24th July to Sun 1st Aug. For more info, visit earthsong.ie or call 091590785 or 0863541328 or email earthsongcamps@gmail.com

The sustaining tradition of the indigenous heart is being remembered.

Our survival as a species may depend upon it.

Step forward you, the wild, natural mystic .

Light of the Shaman

By John Cantwell

32

In recent years, a Neanderthal grave excavated in Germany found a skeleton with the remains of rose petals among the bones.

Carbon dating of the petals revealed them to be 100,000 years old. Even then, the life of a human was clearly worshipped as sacred by the burial ritual. From ancient springs such as this, we can trace evolving awareness, celebration and honouring of the life-forces of people, animals, plants, rivers, mountains, the sun, moon and stars. Through a primal engagement with the natural world, the turning of the seasons, cycles of birth and death, in the heart of the mystery of life on earth, our species awoke to find, in that place, beauty, magic, wisdom, sacred energy and more mystery.

The shamanic path will always be the default path of divine connection for human beings because it does not and cannot belong to anyone, not to any age nor culture. In the

arteries that conjoin humankind and nature, flows divine energy, the currency of Spirit.

It is a tradition that is honoured, renewed and developed by every generation, at once always ancient and always unfolding in exciting new ways. It is the original transpersonal psycho-spiritual path, understanding that our innermost, personal healing is indivisible from us healing our relationship with Mother Earth and all her children. The Shaman knows that when we turn up for the earth, we turn up for ourselves, there is no difference.

“OK John, so what can we do to reawaken this indigenous Self? How can we know that connection to our authentic selves and the world around us?” I was asked this question

by Billie Dean and Andrew Einspruch, producers of the documentary “2012: This Sacred Earth”, in which my wife Karen was also a contributor. I began by saying that it is important to realise that we are by nature, equipped and primed for the journey. We don’t have to reach a place of qualification before we step on the path. Our Irish

tradition asks us to open our senses more and more to natural life around us, whether in your window box or the mountain you walk up on a Sunday. Be fearless in developing an intimacy with the water of the rivers, the songs of birds and the freshness of the air in Spring. All animals, including humans, are born “wild”, i.e. we enter this world with no training or taming, and we need to free that innate wild man and woman within each of us (this wildness is not to be confused with savagery). So, go a little wild! Choose to walk the beach barefoot and you will experience the sand and water, impossible while in your boots. Whistle back to the birds in your garden. Taste a young oak leaf. Above all, allow yourself to listen with all of your senses and you will be spoken to, in surprising and comforting ways. The ancestors of this land revered the amhrán mór (“the great song”). It is, they said, the sound of creation itself and it is to be heard in the wilderness.

When we look at many of the avatars that became the iconic figureheads for contemporary religions, we see that they seemed to know this. There is little evidence that Jesus or Buddha or Mohammed received their enlightenment in temples, churches or mosques. It is in the wild, natural world of the desert or meditating under the tree that provided the environment for their spiritual breakthroughs. A wonderful shamanic friend of mine, a catholic nun, Sister T, often tut-tuts and shakes her head as she passes a church. “C’mon T, you can’t be doing that, you’re a nun”, I once said to her. She turned to me and said, “But John, why build on pieces of the earth and call them houses of God, when the entire earth is the house of God. Why separate it; and look what happens when we do?” Amen, Sister.

If you would like to read the EXTENDED VERSION of this article, visit www.positivelife.ie

John Cantwell and Karen Ward are the directors of Slí An Chroí Holistic Healing Shamanism www.slianchroi.ie www.pathwayoftheheart.ie They offer shamanic training for all levels of experience in Ireland. They have brought the Irish tradition abroad to teach in England, Netherlands and USA. In 2010, they will do so in Australia.

“2012: This Sacred Earth” is an award winning documentary addressing humankind’s need to return to an Earth consciousness. For DVD copies, contact johnandkaren@slianchroi.ie or visit www.thissacredearth.tv

Slí an Chroí

When we step into shamanic practice,

SHAMANISM

our hearts take us on an epic path of discovery, power, beauty and wisdom.

It is the soul’s ‘journey home’, connecting us to the sacredness and magic of Life.

We touch the earth and rise gifted with healing, to become true caretakers of ourselves and of the earth.

WALKING THE PATHWAY OF THE HEART

Training In Healing Shamanism 2010/2011 At the new Slí An Chroí Centre, Smithfield, Dublin 7: 1& 2 Day Courses

Evening Gatherings

• • • •

• Men’s Group • Women’s Group • Immrama Community - Journeying with the Drum

Introduction To Shamanism Living In Protection The Shaman Divines Power In A Sacred Universe

At Dunderry Park, Co. Meath & Mucklagh Lodge, Co. Wicklow: “Medicine Spiral Trainings”, (4 weekends over 10 months approx.)

1. Personal Shamanic Practice – starts Sept. 3rd-5th, 2010 2. Professional Shamanic Healing Therapists (Certification) – starts Sept. 2010 Samhain – The Native New Year, Oct. 29th-31st, 2010

sli and chroi

We see our greatest purpose and come

to know the ecstatic joy that rolls like thunder deep in the centre of our being and of all creation.

This is the pathway of the heart, “Slí An Chroí”.

-John Cantwell & Karen Ward-

Le brí na taise

With the energy of compassion

Slí An Chroi is the school of holistic-healing shamanic training founded and directed by John Cantwell and Karen Ward since 2005. The Sli an Chroí lineage is native Irish and is supported by that of the Inca (Q’ero Indian, Peru) into which John and Karen have been initiated during fieldwork. Their model of shamanic practice blends ancient wisdom teachings and rites of initiation together with cutting edge breakthrough techniques for EnergeticSpiritual, Psycho-Emotional and Physical emergence.

For more information contact us: www.slianchroi.ie or www.pathwayoftheheart.ie Email: johnandkaren@slianchroi.ie, Tel: 01 670 4905.

tribal spirit drumming (bowker half)

A rainbow of healing

in the palm of your hand

By Regina Cunningham, Naturopath and Practitioner of Phytobiophysics

What is Phytobiophysics®

How does it work?

Phytobiophysics is based on the Mossop Philosophy of healing - a technique that matches the vibration of plants and trees with that of healthy cells in the human body. Each cell, organ and system in the human body emits a frequency and light.

When we are healthy, our cells dance in tune and vibrate at the highest level.

When our vibrations are lowered, due to emotional wounds, physical injury or spiritual disease, the light and energy in our cells diffuses and we fall deeply ill.

However, by transmitting the harnessed vibrations of a range of trees and flowers into the physical body, cells become alive again and health is restored to the body.

Diana Mossop, the founder of Phytobiophysics, the Mossop Philosophy and Institute, a remarkable and astounding lady, has dedicated her life to researching the vibrations of a multitude of plants and trees from around the world, thus helping mankind to heal. Some years ago, while living in the Far East, Diana fell ill. She was prompted to investigate natural remedies and she soon discovered the astonishing ability that plants and trees have in healing the diseased body. She spent many years of research in optimising the creation of twenty Phytobiophysics Flower Formulas and ten Superfit Tree Formulas, collecting trees, nuts, seeds, plants and flowers from all over the world.

These are formulated to resonate on exact frequencies following the colour spectrum of the rainbow.

All flowers vibrate at specific frequencies and emit specific colours: visualise a crisp white daisy, a warm yellow daffodil or a bright red poppy. By capturing the specific vibrations of a range of flowers, using the traditional sun method, and transferring to simple sugar pills, it is possible to introduce these energies to the various cells and systems of the human body.

Each part of the body corresponds to a specific vibration/colour and, therefore, flower formula.

The formulas, when ingested, instantly regulate the frequency of the human system which encourages the body’s own innate ability to heal on a very deep level.

34

What’s involved during a consultation?

During a consultation, a simple non-invasive electrical muscle test is used as a tool to identify weakness/blocks of energy in the various systems of the body. This weakness is then matched with one or more of the flower formulas/superfits and an immediate rebalancing and harmonising of energy is retuned to the system.

The patient will then take the formulas daily for a few weeks at a time until the body has healed and health is restored.

The colour that we are most attracted to and wear most often is usually the area in our bodies that needs balance, so this will also be considered during the consultation.

However, one of the most profound aspects of Phytobiophysics, The Heart Lock Theory, is a major focus of the healing session. Considering that the heart is

the seat of all emotions, its significance in how we deal with emotions, relationships and life will have an effect on our body.

Each situation we encounter will have an impact on us and we lock that situation into a specific part of the heart depending on our personality/constitution. If it’s a negative experience, we can lock the scar into our heart and create a block in the flow of our energy somewhere else in our body.

Ever wonder why some people are always fighting illness, some people get cancers or degenerative disease yet others sail through life without as much as a head cold. We each deal with situations in various ways and react to these depending on our constitution. In the same way as peeling back the layers of an onion, the heart lock identifies specific hurts, wounds and scars, when these occurred, who caused the hurt and how is it affecting us now.

The Phytobiophysics Flower Formulas and Superfit Tree Formulas are made from the vibration of plants and flowers. They are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any medical condition. They will however, » Heal on all levels of consciousness » Give you balance and energy » Provide an antidote to the vibration of toxins and poisons in our modern society » Aid the assimilation of nutrients » Help you feel revitalised » Unblock energies that cause degenerative, chronic and physical conditions of all kinds in the body » Encourage the body’s own innate ability to heal itself.

For further information or to book a consultation, please contact Regina on: 0873775577.

The Key to Happiness An evening with

Brahmachari Shubamrita, envoy of Amma, the ‘Hugging Saint’

amma

Friday May 21st 7.30pm Mount Merrion Community Centre St. Theresa’s Church Grounds The Rise, Mount Merrion, Dublin 18

Vegetarian snacks and meals available from 6.30pm

Practical spiritual wisdom, music and meditation to help you reconnect with your own inner center of peace and joy. d Roa ore Sycam ise eR Th

ďż˝

7]jf

N31

Bus routes 46A, 63, Stillorgan Park Hotel 84 and 145 stop at Stillorgan Rd s e Park Hotel Tre

gUb

N11

aWbcObSR ! [W\cbSa T`][ 0]`RSOcf QS\b`S W\ bVS VSO`b ]T bVS

Admission free

CbY Wci`X kf]hY fYUag UVcih h\Y VYUih]Zi` giff cf h\Y hUghm bihf]h]cig ZccX UjU]`UV`Y cf h\Y Zib gb]ddYhg Zfca h\Y j]g]hcfĂ g Vcc_ gia ]h id VYhhY

and bring a friend

Also: One-Day-Retreat:

Sat May 22nd 10am - 5.30pm Townley Hall nr Drogheda, Co. Meath. Euro 25 incl. vegetarian lunch

ž=b Ub ]XYU` kcf`X YjYfmcbY bYYXg U kYY_ k]h\ @]n

ž= k]g\ = Wci`X ghUm `cb[Yf mcià jY []jYb aY \cdY h

Info: tel 01-2190216 8am-5pm, email help@ammaireland.org

ž= ZYY` U `][\h \Ug VYYb gk]hW\YX cb ]bg]XY aY UbX []jYb giW\ U []Zh"¿ 9" ?"

7 ] 7]jfU

website: www.ammaireland.org

Amma Ireland, Reg. Charity No CHY 15299

ÂŽ

žH\Y VYgh \c`]XUm = \UjY YjYf \UX"¿7"G

žH\Y W\UhYUi ]g UaUn]b[ Vih h\Y WcadUbm UbX h\Y acgh¿ >">

žH\]g \Ug VYYb U kcbXYfZi` UXjYbhifY cZ a]bX Vc aWbcObSR ! [W\cbSa T`][ Zcf h\Y &bX h]aY ]g `]_Y Wca]b[ \caY"¿ J""B

gUbW

CbY Wci`X kf]hY fYU cf h\Y hUghm bihf]h]c

aWbcObSR ! [W\cbSa T`][ 0]`RSOcf QS\b`S W\ bVS VSO`b ]T bVS dW\Sg gb]ddYhg Zfca h\Y j

LEARN TO DRUM FOR WELLNESS, RECREATION & FUN

ž=b Ub ]XYU` kcf`X Yj CbY Wci`X kf]hY fYUag UVcih h\Y VYUih]Zi` giffcibX @cc_]b[ ZcfkUfX hc gYY]b[ U`` W`] ž= k]g\ = Wci`X ghUm ` cf h\Y hUghm bihf]h]cig ZccX UjU]`UV`Y cf h\Y Zib UbX :cf Zifh\Yf XYhU]`g j]g]h kkk"W]j ž= ZYY` U `][\h \Ug VYY gb]ddYhg Zfca h\Y j]g]hcfà g Vcc_ gia ]h id VYhhYf

7]]jjffUUWW 7

[]jYb giW\ U []Zh"Âż 9"

žH\Y VYgh \c`]XUm = \ ž=b Ub ]XYU` kcf`X YjYfmcbY bYYXg U kYY_ k]h\ @]n"¿ 7"

žH\Y W\UhYUi ]g UaUn

g UgbUWbhWihžH\]g \Ug VYYb U kcb UifUMf M

agnieska 7]jfUW

ž= k]g\ = Wci`X ghUm `cb[Yf mcià jY []jYb aY \cdY h\Uh U acgh¿ >">

ž= ZYY` U `][\h \Ug VYYb gk]hW\YX cb ]bg]XY aY UbX = ZYY aWbcObSR ! [W\cbSa T`][ 0]`RSOcf QS\b`S W\ bVS VSO`b ]T bVS dW\SgO`R Q]c\b`gaWRS aWbcObSR ! [W\cbSa T`][ 0]`RSOcf QS\b`S W\ bVS VSO`b ]T bVS dW\SgO`R Q]c\b`gaWRS []jYb giW\ U []Zh"¿ 9" ?"

Zcf h\Y &bX h]aY ]g `]_

CbY Wci`X kf]hY fYUag UVcih h\Y VYUih]Zi` giffcibX]b[g UfcibX 7]jfUW

CbY Wci`X kf]hY fYUag UVcih h\Y VYUih]Zi` giffcibX]b[g UfcibX 7]jfUW

žH\Y VYgh \c`]XUm = \UjY YjYf \UX"¿7"G cf h\Y hUghm bihf]h]cig ZccX UjU]`UV`Y cf h\Y Zib UbX `Ui[\hYf Vih dYf\Udg cf h\Y hUghm bihf]h]cig ZccX UjU]`UV`Y cf h\Y Zib UbX `Ui[\hYf Vih dYf\Udg

gb]ddYhg Zfca h\Y j]g]hcfĂ g Vcc_ gia ]h id VYhhYf gb]ddYhg Zfca h\Y j]g]hcfĂ g Vcc_ gia ]h id VYhhYf

žH\Y W\UhYUi ]g UaUn]b[ Vih h\Y WcadUbm UbX h\Y `Ui[ @cc_]b

acgh¿ >"> ž=b Ub ]XYU` kcf`X YjYfmcbY bYYXg U kYY_ k]h\ @]n"¿ 7" 7

ž=b Ub ]XYU` kcf`X YjYfmcbY bYYXg U kYY_ k]h\ @]n"¿ 7" 7

:cf Zifh\

ž= k]g\ = Wci`X ghUm `cb[Yf mcià jY []jYb aY \cdY h\Uh Ubmh\]b[ ]g dcgg]V`Y"¿ 5 AW žH\]g \Ug VYYb U kcbXYfZi` UXjYbhifY cZ a]bX VcXm Ub

ž= k]g\ = Wci`X ghUm `cb[Yf mcià jY []jYb aY \cdY h\Uh Ubmh\]b[ ]g dcgg]V`Y"¿ 5 A

ž= ZYY` U `][\h \Ug VYYb gk]hW\YX cb ]bg]XY aY UbX = ZYY` df]j]`Y[YX hc \UjY VYYb Zcf h\Y &bX h]aY ]g `]_Y Wca]b[ \caY"¿ J""B ž= ZYY` U `][\h \Ug VYYb gk]hW\YX cb ]bg]XY aY UbX = ZYY` df]j]`Y[YX hc \UjY VYYb []jYb giW\ U []Zh"¿ 9" ?"

ay/ We run one d k e weekend/we g long drummin r ve o retreats all Ireland, and abroad all year ional round. Profess m Certified Dru Drum d therapist an or Circle facilitat thmretreats.

Visit www.rhy e 087/9151134 com or Phon our upcomfor details of etreats. ing Rhythm R

[]jYb giW\ U []Zh"Âż 9" ?"

žH\Y VYgh \c`]XUm = \UjY YjYf \UX"¿7"G

žH\Y VYgh \c`]XUm = \UjY YjYf \UX"¿7"G

žH\Y W\UhYUi ]g UaUn]b[ Vih h\Y WcadUbm UbX h\Y `Ui[\g UfY k\Uh =à `` fYaYaVYf

žH\Y W\UhYUi ]g UaUn]b[ Vih h\Y WcadUbm UbX h\Y `Ui[\g UfY k\Uh =à `` fYaYaVY acgh¿ >">

gUbWhiUfM

acgh¿ >"> @cc_]b[ ZcfkUfX hc gYY]b[ U`` W`]Ybhg žH\]g \Ug VYYb U kcbXYfZi` UXjYbhifY cZ a]bX VcXm UbX gd]f]h Wca]b[ hc 7]jfUW

:cf Zifh\Yf XYhU]`g j]g]h kkk"W]jfUWg

h]aY ]g `]_Y Wca]b[ \caY"¿ J""B Zcf h\Y & žH\]g \Ug VYYb U kcbXYfZi` UXjYbhifY cZ a]bX VcXm UbX gd]f]h Wca]b[ hc 7]jfU aWbcObSR ! [W\cbSa T`][ 0]`RSOcf QS\b`S W\ bVS VSO`b ]T bVS dW\SgO`R Q]c\b`gaWRS bX bX

Zcf h\Y & h]aY ]g `]_Y Wca]b[ \caY"Âż J""B

CbY Wci`X kf]hY fYUag UVcih h\Y VYUih]Zi` giffcibX]b[g UfcibX 7]jfUW

cf h\Y hUghm bihf]h]cig ZccX UjU]`UV`Y cf h\Y Zib UbX `Ui[\hYf Vih dYf\Udg

@cc_]b[ ZcfkUfX hc gYY]b[ U`` W`]Ybhg c`X UbX bYk" gb]ddYhg Zfca h\Y j]g]hcfĂ g Vcc_ gia ]h id VYhhYf

:cf Zifh\Yf XYhU]`g j]g]h kkk"W]jfUWgUbWhiUfm"Wca @cc_]b[ ZcfkUfX hc gYY]b[ U`` W`]Ybhg c`X UbX bYk"

ž=b Ub ]XYU` kcf`X YjYfmcbY bYYXg U kYY_ k]h\ @]n"¿ 7" 7 :cf Zifh\Yf XYhU]`g j]g]h kkk"W]jfUWgUbWhiUfm"Wca ž= k]g\ = Wci`X ghUm `cb[Yf mcià jY []jYb aY \cdY h\Uh Ubmh\]b[ ]g dcgg]V`Y"¿ 5 AW ž= ZYY` U `][\h \Ug VYYb gk]hW\YX cb ]bg]XY aY UbX = ZYY` df]j]`Y[YX hc \UjY VYYb []jYb giW\ U []Zh"¿ 9" ?" žH\Y VYgh \c`]XUm = \UjY YjYf \UX"¿7"G žH\Y W\UhYUi ]g UaUn]b[ Vih h\Y WcadUbm UbX h\Y `Ui[\g UfY k\Uh =à `` fYaYaVYf acgh¿ >">

MEDITERRANEAN RHYTHM CRUISE APRIL 2011.

12 DAY DRUMMING TRIP OF A LIFETIME, VISIT WEB-SITE FOR FULL DETAILS!!

žH\]g \Ug VYYb U kcbXYfZi` UXjYbhifY cZ a]bX VcXm UbX gd]f]h Wca]b[ hc 7]jfUW Zcf h\Y &bX h]aY ]g `]_Y Wca]b[ \caY"¿ J""B

@cc_]b[ ZcfkUfX hc gYY]b[ U`` W`]Ybhg c`X UbX bYk"

:cf Zifh\Yf XYhU]`g j]g]h kkk"W]jfUWgUbWhiUfm"Wca

PL_autumn_09_d4.indd 32 PL_autumn_09_d4.indd 32

The Irish School of Homoeopathy Celebrating over 20 years of Homeopathic Education at Milltown Pk College, Dublin since 1989 and at Cork City since 2000.

We are fully accredited by the Irish Society of Homeopaths, the regulating body of Homeopaths in Ireland www.irishhomeopathy.ie Workshops for acute Home Prescribing: ‘Get Started in Homeopathy’ Feb. 21st - €50 Dublin ‘The Power of Homeopathy’ 6 weekend course A Homeopathy & Nutrition course Spring every year

irish school homeopath

Four-Year Professional Training Course: Commences at Milltown Park – Dublin 6 every September Commences at Bru Columbanus – Cork September 2010 Lecturers include Irish homeopaths and visiting UK and international homeopaths at the forefront of their profession Clinic at Milltown and Bru Columbanus Available to the public as part of our student training programme you can attend our student clinic at reduced rates – contact the office for details. www.homoeopathy-clinic.com

Contact Angie Murphy

01 8682581 ishom@indigo.ie

www.homoeopathy.ie

Marcus McKeown

mind clinic

Life as a Homeopath

has its rewards

By Rita Garland

“As the administrator of the Irish School of Homoeopathy, I find that the average profile of our students has been women in their late 20’s, 30’s and 40’s, with many still starting young families.

Recently, I have found that one of the positive consequences of the recession is that I am receiving phone calls from individuals who now find themselves in compulsory job-sharing and similar situations in respect of their current occupations, and they are delighted to be able to use this time to study a subject which fascinates them and has the potential for self-employment.” - Angie Murphy

Getting started When I found out that I was pregnant with my fourth baby back in 2005, I posed myself this very pertinent question: “Is this the best time to start a 4 year course in Homeopathy and begin a career that will require a completely new set of skills, 2 days per month away in classes and many, many more hours of reading and studying?”

A phone conversation with Angie Murphy at the Irish School of Homeopathy greatly helped my decision: Yes! The 4 year practitioner course, based at the Milltown Institute, seemed to be designed exactly to fit in with my circumstances:

breastfeeding babies are welcome in class, the time commitment for classes is minimal and all the other work (reading, writing essays, study group meetings, etc) could all be done at home and in my own time.

The gifts of homeopathy Despite my early hesitations, studying Homeopathy proved to be both fascinating and effortless to me. The study and practice of homeopathy encourages the development of listening skills, observation powers, a rigorous study of nature, empathy and connection towards others, as well as a fully non-judgemental attitude.

My experience at Milltown has been so positive that I can’t wait to go back, as I am eagerly looking forward to starting up my post-graduate studies at the end of January. Little Joanna is now no longer a baby and it is time to hop on my bike again and cycle along the canal to class, fiercely excited about all the new insights there are to learn, great books to discover at the school library, the camaraderie in the cafeteria and the dreamy walks around the beautiful grounds.

Reaping the fruits There seems to be no shortage of work in our field. Right now, I am in the process of establishing my practice at home (South Circular Road area), at the Olive Tree studio in Dublin 8 and at The Sanctuary in Dublin 7.

So far, I have been using homeopathy successfully as a means to help conditions as varied as persistent insomnia, hay fever, psoriasis, arthritis, infertility, common children’s ailments, depression, heart disease, etc.

One of the most enjoyable projects that I have helped to establish is a charity called “Open Homeopathy”. One of our ventures involved the setting up of a free clinic for patients who are resident in the “Fatima Mansions” area.

Through this project, we have found a vibrant, active community and all seem very keen to use and learn more about homeopathy, and we also run introductory workshops for the community workers. Homeopathic therapy is well in keeping with the selfempowerment ethos of the group we work with, the Fatima Health Initiative.

37

Looking ahead So –at this point of the journey, I can safely say that not only have all my efforts proved to be well worthwhile, but also, I can foresee that homeopathy will continue to keep the wind in my sails for many years to come.

“Was it worthwhile? All is worthwhile When the spirit is not small.

He who wants to go beyond the Cape Has to go beyond pain.

God to the sea peril and abyss has given But it was in it that He mirrored heaven.”

Fernando Pessoa (1888-1935)

Rita Garland was born in Portugal and has been living in Ireland for the past 16 years. She has graduated from the Irish School of Homeopathy and is a registered member of the Irish Society of Homeopaths. She has a practise at The Olive Tree and in The Sanctuary – contact 0876859219 For a complete list of registered Homeopaths, visit the society at www.irishhomeopathy.com and to find dates for introductory workshops and seminars visit www.homoeopathy.ie or ring Angie at 018682581 and to attend our public clinic at reduced costs visit www.homoeopathy-clinic.com

Mercury-Free Dentistry

for Optimum Health

By Dr. Evelien Van Amerongen Both of my parents worked in Dentistry: my father was a professor and my mother worked in the dental laboratory and assisted my father as a dental nurse. Both worked with mercury amalgam and other dental restorative metals.

In those days, mercury was added to a silver amalgam and mixed by hand in a little rubber cup. Their exposure to mercury was high to say the least. During my mothers pregnancy this mercury was passed through the placenta and later through the breast milk to me, so I was born and grew up with a high body burden of toxins.

Then one day, as a 6 year old, I sneaked into the surgery and played with the wonderfully glistening little mercury bubbles that just could not be caught, whatever you tried. I became acutely toxic and suffered the consequences. I was put on a high protein and fat diet, and supplements, for months to remove the body burden of mercury.

Later when I became a dental student, I revisited the symptoms of toxicity, but in a much more severe way. My adrenal, immune and thyroid function began to fail; I put on a lot of weight quickly and could hardly walk

38

to the bus stop without being exhausted.

It took a fellow medical student to recognise the symptoms and insist I visit the toxicology department in the hospital to have some tests done. IV-Chelation and a strict nutritional program brought me back to health, but left me with many questions.

I was often confronted with a hostile and dismissive attitude when talking to the dental and medical profession about the heavy metal issue. I learned that, to get these questions answered, I had to look outside the dental curriculum. From the many thousands of hours of continued professional education in the environmental aspect of health, it became very clear to me that modern diseases have a common factor: a heavy burden of toxins.

The toxins behind many health problems are classified in two categories: toxic metals and man-made chemicals. In order to be able to address these metals and chemicals in my patients, I trained with Dr Dietrich Klinghardt, specialist in Chronic Degenerative Disease, Heavy Metal Detoxification and Chronic Pain Management.

I qualified in Dr Klinghardt’s Developed Autonomic Response therapy, which is based

upon the ancient Vedic knowledge: The 5 Levels of Healing. I have incorporated this therapy into my integrated dental clinic in the UK and now in Ireland for over 15 years with great results.

I moved to Westport, County Mayo, and founded the ISHSKO Centre in 2008. The Centre incorporates both modern western dental and medical medicine and eastern healing modalities with an integrative team approach.

Optimum health is a natural state of being, and happens when body, mind and emotional aspects are in harmony. A hectic life, poor work/home balance, physical and emotional trauma, dietary deficiencies and polluted environment all cause this balance to be disrupted. If the stress is persistent, our health deteriorates. It takes more than a prescription and a 5 minute consultation to find the cause behind symptoms. It is important to see a patient as a whole human being and to empower the patient to address their health on each of the 5 levels of healing.

1 The physical level, which represents our structure, organ-systems, chemistry (digestion, hormones, etc.) and sensations (touch, sight, hearing, etc.).

2 Our electrical system, nerves and meridians, and our feelings.

3 Our mental field (beliefs and thoughts).

4 Our intuitive level.

5 Our spiritual level.

Each level has its own science, diagnostics and treatment modalities. Addressing blockages at the correct level with the correct healing modality gives good and long lasting health benefits. On the contrary, if a problem occurs on one level, giving a treatment that is designed for a different level, one cannot expect nor achieve long lasting results.

In our centre, we provide Biocompatible, Mercury-free Dentistry and Detoxification therapies for the whole family, Dental Implantology, IV-Chelation therapy, A.R.T., Family Constellation therapy and Sports Injury and Rehabilitation Massage therapy.

Our body has an amazing self-regulatory capacity, but often, what stands in the way of this inert capacity to heal can only be understood and dealt with when the blockages are revealed to us and treated simultaneously, so we can act and change our direction and take actions to support the healing pathways.

If you are interested, you can get more information about each of the modalities and services by visiting www.mercuryfreedentistry.eu

Lets Spring forward not fall back try our Ultimate Body-Mind Detox 20% off detoxification therapies during February and March and April

Relaxed friendly environment s Mercury free dentistry for the whole family s Children of registered patients receive s free check up and oral hygiene instruction s Individual tailor-made treatment s Bio-compatible restorative materials used s Approved protocol for safe mercury filling removal s Medically supervised Intra venous Vit. C treatment s In-house Testing and detoxification therapies

ISH SKO

Treatments offered are: s Intra-venous Chelation s Intra-venous Vitamin Treatment s Intra-venous hydrogen peroxide s Intra-venous Vit. C s Intra-venous glutathione s Mercury detoxification

Readers Spring Offer 20% off on Initial and full dental assessments and detoxification support therapies

In depth screening for the main causes of ill health. s Food allergies -Heavy Metals – Interference fields s Infections – Jaw alignmentunresolved trauma – Electro magnetic pollution – Environmental toxins s Personalised written treatment report included

Alleviate low-back pain and improve range of motion. s Enhance immunity and detox by stimulating lymph flow s Exercise and stretch weak, tight, or atrophied muscles s Help athletes recover from strenuous workouts s Promote tissue regeneration, reducing scar tissue s Reduce post surgery adhesions and swelling.

For further information contact: ISH SKO CENTRE -Barrack Yard, Westport -098 26200

www.mercuryfreedentistry.eu

Healing Mandalas of Light Creation Course Mandalas emit and transfer high vibrations.

They allow a constant acceptance of Light into Consciousness and inner insights. ·

· · · · · · ·

Uncover your full potential and your life’s purpose on Earth Heal yourself and your loved ones from various illnesses Clear and harmonise your chakras Raise your vibrations Remove emotional blocks Overcome negativity & depression Protect yourself from electromagnetic radiation Cleanse your environment, water and food

camilla

24-25 April, Dublin weekend workshop by a Teacher for New Knowledge, Dr. Irina Budimir M.D..

Early booking discount until March 24.

Email mandalasoflight@gmail.com or call 086 3836263.

vortex

Take your health into your own hands So many of us lead such busy lives that we only take stock of our health when we are laid low by a virus or infection or are actually diagnosed with an illness. The philosophy of Naturopathy is that if we live in a balanced way, attuning to the needs of our minds, bodies and spirits, that not only can we prevent illness, but we can experience true wellness. Experts from the College of Naturopathic Medicine will be presenting a trio of seminars on health. Here they give their viewpoints.

SStephen Langley Naturopath, Herbalist, Acupuncturist & Homeopath Most of us live in a “sea” of electromagnetic and chemical pollutants which were completely alien to us 40 years ago. Add to this a dose of de-natured foods, speed grown and mass produced, and you see the reasons for the epidemic of ill health in Ireland. The great news is that you don’t have to live that way. Some supportive therapies and simple changes to your lifestyle and diet, and you can be back in the peak of health in no time.

The body has the capacity to heal itself if given the right conditions, and naturopa-

40

thy, along with acupuncture and herbal medicine can give the body the support it needs to bring it to optimum health on a physical, emotional and spiritual level.

Naturopaths tend to see people in two conditions: either deficient people who need to be built up with good nutrients and a healing diet plan, or those that are toxic and need to be supported in their detoxification through fasting, juicing and diet, as well as exercise and emotional changes.

Naturopathy respects the bio-individuality of each person. Two people may present with the same diagnosis but need profoundly different treatment. Naturopathy is the medicine of the 21st century, as it looks at creating tailored programs to suit each person and their own specific strengths

and weaknesses, and to teach the skills everyone needs to take responsibility for their own health. Prevention, as always, is the best cure.

Róisín O’Kelly Naturopath & Herbalist We live in exciting times! In recent years, herbs which have been used for thousands of years for common conditions have been scientifically tested with amazing results.

Double-blind, placebo controlled trials have shown the effectiveness of well known herbs for everyday complaints. Herbalists now have tradition and science on their side when using herbs such as Cayenne for poor circulation, Garlic for the common cold and viruses, Devil’s Claw for Arthritis and gene-

sugar system. your Tea blood sugars out of ral aches and If pains, Tree for are stubborn balance, follow all the same recommendafungal infections, Echinacea for lowered tions as above butfunctioning, add some essential immune system Bilberryfatty for acids to your regimen.

Theyfor arecardiac wonderful improved vision, Hawthorn proin helping to balance blems and many more.the system. Also eat two day to bre.

Weapples have per access to ensure some enough of the fimost Fibre blood Good sources usefulstabilises medicines in sugars. our own cupboards. include oats, you nuts,can seeds, and Some oflegumes, the things usepears in your vegetables. own home are: Avoid caffeinated and ciga· A basic chicken tea, soupcoffee containing parrettes; all of which can cause bothand an adrenal sley, thyme, rosemary, onions garlic. response a huge blood sugar fluctuation.

It is nowand proven that it can relieve chroTake frequentasexercise (ideally day): nic sinusitis powerfully as every mucolytic weight drugs. bearing and cardiovascular. Weight bearing exercises inof particular affect our glu· a combination lavender, camomile cose factor,asso aeven and tolerance passionflower bedlifting time gentle drink weights can keep our blood sugars instress. check to improve your sleep and relieve for· up to 48 hours. They bring out Aromatherapy oils. can Youalsocan enjoy the in usof and groundoils ourtoenergies, the warrior technique burning reduce giving us in a stable base to work from and infection the home. keeping ourshot mindsofin Cayenne balance. Pepper to · a tiny improve circulation to every cell and SEROTONIN organ in the LEVELS: body.

Serotonin is a happy neurotransmitter that plays a major role in transmitting messages Tom O’Brien in the nervous system. When it is plentiful, Homeopath & Psychotherapist we feelofwonderful aboutwe theneed world, it Many us know what to even do iniforis posing challenges. Our mental stores ofand serotonin der to experience better physican run lowbut particularly over do a period of cal health, we simplyifdon’t it. Good time our cortisol levels have been elevated,

our blood sugars swinging and our gut function disturbed.

Signs of low serotonin include feeling overwhelmed, lowered mood, insomnia, lack of motivation and feeling that we are The not good intentions often come to nothing. barenough. riers to change include the experience of Serotonin is naturally produced by the low energy, negative thoughts and feelings body from thefeeling amino overwhelmed) acid tryptophan.which The (particularly tryptophan into serotonin, but may be partisofconverted coping with everyday stress. in order for the conversion to take we Clear thinking, common sense andplace natural need to becan eating really well; ideally diet medicine provide practical tips toa help which of high each ofisusnutrient to take adense closerand lookfull at what we life-force Wehow also to need want fromfoods. life and get to it. make sure our gut function is good by including lots of Avril Ivory, health psychologist, also prebiotics onions, etc.) and adds that,(garlic, ‘Further barriers mayprobiotics include and and high fat foods. not avoiding believinghigh thatsugar we can change, failure goodgoals, gut function by following toWith set clear a lack ofand ability to idenall recommendations andvery by tify the our deepest needs and,above, an often including tryptophan rich foods overlookedplenty factor,oflack of social support.

In in our daily diet (turkey, chicken, avocado,

banana, milk, tomato,herbal chocolate, pineapple some tribal cultures, medicines are and our serotonin will be optimal. onlyplums) administered to patients if the patient All our systems are inter-related.

The adreidentifies who from the tribe has agreed nals affect the blood metabolism and to help support themsugar in making changes. gut functionand which affect chemistry.

Identifying asking forbrain support as we When these systems are in balance feel embrace change is essential.

Goal we setting poised to change; take on writing the obstacles times is key to down of ourthe goals in we live in,that andisindeed are posia manner clear, because specific, we measurable tive energised we help to make a better and and realistic is very helpful.

Assessing world.

In a season of gifts, best gift our work/life balance and the ensuring thatwe it can give to honour and supallows ustotoourselves be well isisalso crucial’. port our physiology.

To learn more about these topics, CNM are running a TrioIvory of Seminars in the next few Avril (M.Sc.Dip.nat) is a months: naturopath and Naturopathy – AShe Health Model for the of health psychologist. is the Academic Director 21st Century.

Stephen Langley.

2nd in March the College of Naturopathic Medicine Ireland.

2010, 7pm – 9pm

CNM run free and reduced rate clinics in the Barriers O BrienIf&you Avril city centre to andChange. in Dun Tom Laoghaire. would Ivory. 22nd April 2010, 7pm -9pm like to be a patient at a clinic, contact Eileen on 012353094.

Herbs for Everyday Living. Róisín O Kelly.

11th May 2010, 7pm to 9pm

NEW CNM SHORT COURSE STARTING The Collegewill ofbe Naturopathic Medicine is The seminars held in Griffith College, Dublin offering 12 more weekinformation evening course ‘Nutrition 8. To findaout or toon book a for Everyday Living’ starting Tuesday Feb place, call 012353094 or email on dublininfo@ 2nd 2010 in Griffith College, Dublin. naturopathy-ireland.com Entry Fee: €35 for 3 lectures or €15 each (CNM

Students €27 for 3 lectures or €10 each)Entry Fee: For bookings or information on our NEW course €35any for 3oflectures or €15 each Studentsemail €27 or our courses, call (CNM 01-2353094,

for 3 lectures or €10 each) dublininfo@naturopathy-ireland.com or see www.naturopathy.ie

“The staff at Michael’s school c annot believe the difference, he now c almly sits and reads books and attends school full-time.”

positive food

He could not concentrate, was disruptive in class and didn’t socialise with other children.

After Michael took the YorkTest foodSCAN test, Michael’s Mum discovered that his body was reacting to carrots, kiwi fruit, garlic and pork. Under the guidance of a nutritionist, Michael followed the elimination diet.

The staff at Michael’s school cannot believe the difference. He now calmly sits and reads books and attends school full-time.

Delayed food allergies in children with ADHD / Autism are unique to each child, and it is clear that a targeted elimination diet based on the measurement of food-specific IgG antibodies can be of help.

Q How important is it to consider a food intolerance test when working with a child who has autism or ADHD? A There are clearly multiple influences on attention-deficit and hyperactivity (ADHD) and autistic spectrum disorders, including genetic, environmental and dietary factors.

Many think the main food culprits to be additives such as colourings and preservatives.

However, although children with ADHD / Autism can show improvement on additivefree diets, better results are gained by using more comprehensive dietary changes. In a controlled trial of 76 children, published in the Lancet, although artificial colours and preservatives were the most common (and most instant) provoking substances, not one child was affected by additives alone. This trial concluded that the influence of diet on behavioural disorders in children is critical, and that it is the combination of different foods, and not individual foods or additives, that alter behaviour.

Gut disturbances in those with autism are widely reported. Many autistic children suffer from leaky gut, which means that undigested proteins enter the bloodstream

Q As a professional Acupuncturist, I treat all sorts of health problems including migraines, chronic fatigue and gut dysfunction, and because I focus on treating the person rather than the disease, I also consider whether food intolerance or other factors could be contributing to my patients’ conditions. On occasions, I would like to recommend certain tests and utilise the expertise of a qualified Nutritionist, but I struggle with how this would work for me, my patient and my business. Can you help?

A I regularly visit colleges and lecture to those studying complementary medicine about ‘What makes a good diagnostic test’.

It is this sort of question that I hear more and more often now as our future Complementary Practitioners (and Nutritionists) are becoming more and more business ‘savvy’.

What I am hearing is that Complementary Practitioners want access to tests for factors such as food intolerance, liver function and homocysteine that are accessible and easy to use, with no upfront payment commitment, generous commission and access to support from a Nutritionist.

YorkTest has launched a new package for Complementary Practitioners that includes all of these factors. Blood samples can easily be collected in practice, or in the comfort of the client’s own home.

The future for small businesses such as yours is looking brighter!

Expert Advice from Dr Gill Hart

42

and cause the body to react (identified by measuring food-specific antibodies in the blood stream). Supporting this, a recent study showed higher levels of food-specific IgG antibodies in persons with autistic disorders compared to their siblings. In addition, IgG antibodies to foods such as wheat can crossreact directly with proteins in the brain, and these antibodies are raised in autism.

The challenge with dietary modification is that first you need to know what to change.

This can be done using a long trial and error process where first one thing then another is removed from the diet; like trying to drive from Cork to Donegal without a map and without knowing the route! Another option is a ‘few foods’ diet whereby only limited foods are eaten; this approach can achieve good results but is not considered practical by parent groups, and certainly isn’t advisable long-term.

Targeted elimination diets, based on foodspecific IgG levels, offer the ‘route map’ needed. One person who has had experience of this process is five year old Michael’s Mum. Michael was so hyperactive that he was only allowed to go to school on a part-time basis.

Dr Gill Hart is a PhD Biochemist with over 20 years of expertise in the development of scientifically validated diagnostic tests. Gill has been at the forefront of campaigning for improved regulation within the diagnostic testing industry. If you have a question for Dr Gill, email drgillhart@googlemail.com and you may be featured in a future issue.

You could be picking up more than you bargained for at the supermarket.

Health problems can be aggravated by many foods, even those generally considered good for you. YORKTEST could help you understand the effects of food intolerance with foodSCAN. It’s Ireland’s only scientifically proven food intolerance test – a simple blood test that identifies intolerances in 113 foods. Not only will you have the results within ten days, our service includes two follow-up appointments with a BANT*- qualified nutritionist. We’ll be there every step of the way, offering support and practical advice, like what to leave off your shopping list.

Call now on 01 2022701 or visit www.yorktest.ie *British Association of Nutritional Therapists

The Enniskerry Farm Kitchen Enniskerry Village, Co.Wicklow www.theenniskerryfarmkitchen.ie ph: 01 286 37 20

Opening April 2010 The Enniskerry Farm Kitchen is a restaurant and shop located in the picturesque village of Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow.Our intention is to promoute a more sustanable way of life, healthy eating and eco awereness by the use of sustanable energy and natural resorces and by building a close relationship with the local farming community to bring local fresh produce to our tables.

Hero’s Journey Workshops

satnya

» Do you want to make significant changes in some area of your life? » Are you at a crossroads and wondering what next? » Are you getting caught up in over-thinking and need a fresh perspective?

You could tackle these questions by attending a 2-day hero’s journey workshop and exploring » What is your call to adventure and what holds you back » What do you need to cross the threshold and commit to your call to adventure

» The main challenges you will face and how will you address them “I got 2 year’s worth of learning and growth in 2 days!”

– previous workshop participant For further information contact Peter Mohan on 087-2833925 or peter.mohan@phoenix-alchemy.com or check out

www.phoenix-alchemy.com

Spring Recipes positive food

Liz Nolan works as a Nutritional Therapist in Health and Herbs, Sea Rd, Galway City, and also runs classes in wholefood vegetarian cookery from her home in Moycullen, 8 miles west of Galway City. Check out the EXTENDED VERSION of this article on www.positivelife.ie for a gorgeous Spring Dessert recipe to finish off this wonderful meal.

Broccoli and cauliflower salad with lemon and sunflower seed dressing

Butterbean,Vegetable and Tomato Casserole with Quinoa

This is a super nutritious, liver-friendly salad. Broccoli and Cauliflower are members of the brassica family. They support the liver in its detoxification processes, and broccoli contains a substance called indol-3-carbinol which helps to prevent the formation of cancer cells, especially in breast cancer. Avocado is a wonderful source of protein, essential fats and the antioxidant glutathione, which also helps the liver.

The Sunflower Seeds and Alfalfa offer the wonderful energy of sprouted seeds combined with live enzymes to enhance digestion, and contain a multitude of vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin K in Alfalfa for healthy bones, and Magnesium in Sunflower seeds.

Lemon zest contains the antioxidant Limonene, which also helps the liver in its detoxifying processes.

Parsley contains folic acid and iron for red blood cell formation.

Serve this salad alongside the Butterbean, Vegetable and Tomato Casserole with Quinoa.

This is a simple, tasty vegetarian dish, but it could also be a lovely side dish to have with salmon or lamb chops. Serving it with quinoa increases the protein content. Quinoa (a seed) is so nutritious – it contains all the essential amino acids and many vitamins and minerals and even some essential fatty acids.

1 medium head of broccoli, cut into small florets 1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into small florets 1 medium avocado, peeled and cut into bite size pieces A handful of alfalfa sprouts 2 oz sunflower seeds, soaked overnight in filtered water 2 tbsp lemon juice zest of 1 lemon 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil ½ tsp salt 1 tsp honey

Directions Steam the broccoli and cauliflower for 2 minutes only, so that they retain their colour and bite.

Rinse with cold water to stop cooking and drain.

Put the alfalfa into a flat dish and arrange the broccoli and cauliflower over it. Scatter over the avocado.

To make the dressing: put the soaked sunflower seeds with their water into a small bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and use a hand liquidiser to process until smooth. Taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Spoon over the vegetables and scatter some freshly chopped parsley.

Casserole 1 tin of butterbeans - organic if possible and in unsalted water 1 medium red onion, sliced 1 red pepper, chopped into bite size pieces 1 large sweet potato, scrubbed and cut into bite size pieces 2 courgettes, sliced thickly 8 medium size mushrooms, sliced thinly 4 cloves of garlic, crushed 1 tsp dried thyme 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp of herbs de Provence

2 tsp sea salt 1 tin of organic chopped tomatoes 1 jar of ‘Bunalun’ tomato puree a few good grinds of black pepper 2 tsp brown sugar 2 oz coconut cream (optional), 3 tbsp olive oil Quinoa 8 oz red or white quinoa 16 fl oz water

Directions In a large pan with a lid, gently sauté the onions, mushrooms, garlic and herbs together for a few minutes in the olive oil.

Add the rest of the vegetables and cook with the lid on for a few minutes, stirring often. Add the tomatoes and tomato puree and the butterbeans, including the water from the tin.

The vegetables need to be just covered.

Bring to the boil and then simmer for 30 minutes or until all the vegetables are soft.

Season with the salt and black pepper and add the coconut cream if using – this will melt into the casserole and add a lovely creamy richness to the dish. Serves 4 to 6.

To make the Quinoa: Rinse the quinoa under a tap in a sieve.

Put into a saucepan with a lid and pour on the water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave with the lid on for 5 more minutes. Then fluff up with a fork and serve with the casserole. Serves 4 to 6.

For more information on Vegetarian Wholefood Cookery Classes, Zest4life Nutrition and Weight Loss Programmes or Nutritional Consultations, please ring 0868099604 or email liz.leagaun@gmail.com or see the website www.wholefoodmatters.com

Past Present Future

The event to transform your consciousness Dr David Hamilton PhD Renowned Scientist, Author and Top Presenter Heidi Sawyer BA (Hons) Psychic, Author, Presenter, Consultant to TV’s Medium

Your past Unlock your past lives to unleash extraordinary details about your life now.

Your present The scientific evidence of the mind, body connection and how Quantum Healing really works.

Your future Discover your destiny.

Dublin: 17 April 2010 Shepperton: 9th May 2010 Cambridge: 6th June 2010 Book online at www.past-present-future-events.com or Telephone 0845 331 3494 International callers: 0044 1992 531 284

!

Mark Keogh

Feldenkrais

uses ingenious, enjoyable movements and deep awareness to transform limiting habits of moving, acting and thinking. In group classes (Awareness Through Movement) and individual sessions (Functional Integration) we reduce pain, increase mobility and skill in action and relieve tensions due to stress and emotional challenges.

Other Benefits • renewed spring in your step • insight into movement limitations or injury with the benefit of pain relief • general sense of regeneration • improved balance and flexibility

Ă&#x20AC;K<C =G ;C83 MCI 5F9Ă ]g UjU]`UV`Y Zcf difW\UgY YbX cZ AUfW\ cb

kkk"Z]cbUZUm"Wca F I O N A FAY cf KKK"5A5NCB"7CA

Using Focusing we come directly in touch with our feelings and emotions, observing them with kindness and space. The work allows change to take place from within the body in surprising and deep-reaching ways.

MARK KEOGH Groups and Individual sessions 086 1659422 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; www.markkeogh.com markpkeogh@hotmail.com !

!

Irish Health Foods

Distributors of organic and conventional whole foods to the

INDEPENDENT TRADE www.iihealthfoods.com Contact Sales t: 026 65750 f: 026 65768 e: sales@iihealthfoods.com Unit 12, Ballyvourney Industrial Estate, Ballyvourney, Co. Cork Â? '%&% >cYZeZcYZci >g^h] =ZVai] ;ddYh A^b^iZY