Good News Feels Better
EMMA TURTON
World’s Top Medical Intuitive
DAN MILLMAN
The Peaceful Warrior
SUMMER VIBES
Are You Ready To Party?
POSITIVE THERAPIES
Grace Kinesiology And Osteopathy
Mas Sajady The Power Of Grace.
SUMMER 2022 PRICELESS
positivelife.ie
welcome to summer ‘22 “Be watchful - the grace of God appears suddenly. It comes without warning to an open heart.” Rumi Imagine if you will a light, a light inside of yourself that switches on. It’s like an inner knowing and you see it in others, reflecting back at you. It’s’ a quiet nod, an imperceptible smile, a frequency of togetherness. It’s running through humanity at the moment like a humming current of connection. The theme of this issue is Grace, the elegant ingredient in our lives. It comes from this light which shines through all of us at this time. When you hold this summer issue in your hands, close your eyes and feel the grace resonating within its pages and within yourself. Feel the amazing power of grace. Until next time.... paul congdon, Publisher
Contentment 4 Summer Vibes What’s on and hot this summer
6 Positively Newsworthy Uplifting news from around the globe 10 Spirituality In The City Reflections on grace 12 Positive Parenting A state of grace 14 Judith McAdam Stepping into magnificence 16 Sandy Newbigging Grace works in mysterious ways 18 Amanda Sophia The golden thread 20 Margot Tubbiolo Fall from grace 22 Emma Turton Medical Intuition
PHOTO: EMILIA KRYSZTOFIAK RUA PHOTOGRAPHY
24 Dawn Cartwright The capacity for wonder 26 Mas Sajady The power of grace 28 Positive Therapy Kinesiology 30 Davie Philip Surfing the waves of change 32 Dan Millman Peaceful warrior 36 CNM Handling times of transition with grace 38 Hans Wieland Globe artichoke 40 The Sova Vegan Butcher Tofu-rrific omelettes 43 Short and Sweet A treasure trove of holistic happenings 58 Sexual Illumination Kali Kavara 60 Jonti Searll Let’s talk tantra 62 Positive Astrology Mapping out 2022
Publisher PC Media paul@positivelife.ie Co-Editorial Alison McEvoy and Kate Stuart editor@positivelife.ie Design Conor O’Brien info@conorobrien.ie Ad Design Caroline Hanan caroline.hanan@gmail.com Advertising Paul Congdon paul@positivelife.ie 0861579518 Margaret O’Connor margaretpositivelife@gmail.com Social media Kate Stuart editor@positivelife.ie Thanks to our advertisers, we can give Positive Life magazine to you for FREE. If you’re talking to them, let them know we sent you their way. 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. positivelife.ie
4
summer vibes “SMELL THE SEA, AND FEEL THE SKY. LET YOUR SOUL AND SPIRIT FLY.” VAN MORRISON
delicious
delights
live a healthy lifestyle. Vital Health Group offers bespoke programmes to help you feel great, on the inside and the outside. Vital Health Group – Helping you on your journey. vitalhealthgroup.ie
A SPOONFUL OF MAGIC Discover delicious easy-to-follow recipes that you and the whole family will adore. Helping busy people achieve optimum health and wellness, The Magic Spoon is Roscommon’s independent holistic health solution. They have created a handy guide for recipes the kids will love, as well as gluten and dairy intolerant options. Whether you’re looking for dinner ideas, snacks or smoothies, The Magic Spoon has it all. Nourish your body, mind and soul. themagicspoon.ie
HEALTH GALORE The Tattie Hoaker remains one of our favourite health food stores – lucky Roscommon! This fab health food store is steered and guided by one of our fave owners too...the wonderful Margaret Brosnan. There’s lots going on here from therapies, to organic veg and a huge selection of health-worthy foods, supplements and beauty products. Check if out for yourself on facebook... Facebook.com/TattieHoaker
Nestled in the heart of Ennis, the Sweet N Green café is a restaurant with a difference! This family run business sources delicious ingredients straight from local farmers and producers in Clare to provide healthy, tasty meals in a relaxed, laid back setting. This is food for the mind, body and soul - from their renowned Gym Bowl salad to mouth watering desserts such as the salted caramel Baileys truffle cake, all tastes and diets are catered for. A unique restaurant nestled in the heart of Ennis. sweetngreen.ie
summer’s cauldron A NATURAL REMEDY
REAL FOOD – REAL TASTY
Emerald Farm produces a range of all-natural and amazing CBD products.. Here at Positive Life we can say that we have tried them for ourselves and we are suitably calmed. Providing relief for stress and anxiety, aids with sleep and may reduce inflammation. CBD has been shown to have positive impacts on overall health and well-being. Add this to your wellness kit, the benefits are endless!
One of the many highlights of Market Square in Dunlavin, County Wicklow is the exceptional A & K Real Food. The brainchild of Agnieszka and Krystian, their wide range of healthy, homemade products includes kombucha, wheatgrass, energy bars, a fabulous selection of sourdoughs and even a gluten-free buckwheat bread! Locally sourced and naturally grown, sustainability is at the heart of everything they do. Their extensive selection of healthy, organic snacks are bursting with flavour and are suitable for vegans, coeliacs and diabetics.
info@emeraldfarm.ie
AN ANCIENT ELIXIR FOR THE MODERN AGE
akrealfood.ie
VITAL HEALTH CAFÉ For healthy breakfast, lunch and coffee, using locally sourced products, The Vital Health Group is more than a café. This is a space to connect the dots of what it is to
FOOD FOR THE BODY AND MIND
Sweet N Green Café
Kava Kava, Yes, so good I said it twice! Tru Kava produces all-natural supplements that have been known to aid in a deeper restorative sleep, better memory and focus, and an aid for weight loss, to name but a few. Elevate what you know about the mind and body. We like the vibe! gettrukava.com
joyful
Turner Clinic
june
ALREADY FREE Already Free documents the profound transformation of Dorrie van RoijHoutappels and Norberto Rodrigues. We recently caught up with Norberto for a Positive Nights event to chat about his experience with Qigong. The viewer is invited into this world through intimate interviews, beautiful cinematography and revealing animation that tell a story that is beyond words. We see two normal people who have reached a higher state of being and inner peace that fundamentally alters the way they feel, think and live. We can’t recommend Already Free enough! alreadyfreefilm.org
SEXUAL ILLUMINATION Sexual Illumination is a guide to healing your emotional wounds to increase your sexual energy as life force to increase your consciousness and light up from within. Releasing energy blockages, trapped as emotional baggage, to resurrect your inner-strength and ascend into your highest light potential. Begin your pilgrimage within to remember who you are. Kali invites the reader to do the work that will illuminate their light and retrieve their true Soul. Let your journey to self-discovery begin today! kalikavara.com
POSITIVE NIGHTS GOES TO WICKLOW Celebrate the Summer Solstice with our guest John Bowker and The Heartsong Project, a singing workshop at The Wicklow Holistic Centre coming soon. We’ll use our voices to weave some enchantment into the night. This event will be a heartwarming arrival into the spirit of the Solstice in which we will be exploring the power of harmonics within the ancient Celtic traditions. positivelife.ie
THE GRANDDADDY OF THEM ALL RETURNS Make sure Earthsong is at the top of your summer festivals list. This is a place for people to come together, camp on the earth and interact through music, dance and creativity. It is an incredibly nourishing and valuable experience, bringing you right back to your roots. earthsong.ie
of their practice involve checking your vitality level, assessing your mental and emotional blockages, your level of nutritional deficiencies and uncovering hidden allergies and food sensitivities. As for their acclaimed chiropractic services, you won’t find the outdated ‘bone cracking techniques’ at the Turner Clinic instead they offer safe, gentle procedures to ease you out of pain with a focus on ethical, kind and fair treatments. turnerclinic.com
HOLISTIC GETAWAYS
STAR BATHING We all know the importance of spending time in the sun but did you know it is also great for us to spend time bathing in the stars and moonlight? Light a fire pit and sit out in your garden and get in some star gazing. Rumour has it we are light, and while your phone charges, charge your own cellular body with some light from the gods. Star gazing is about getting out into an open space and immersing yourself in the night sky. This promotes mindfulness, gives you a sense of calm and is a great way to be truly present in the moment!
let the
sunshine in REVEALING A HEALTHIER YOU Providing alternative solutions across Ireland for over forty years, the Turner Clinic provides a range of healthcare services including chiropractic, homoeopathy, allergy testing, nutritional testing and hypnosis. The four pillars Already Free
Formerly known as Tearmann, Glendalough Sanctuary creates a peaceful relaxing getaway from the stresses and strains of daily life. Catering to both groups and individuals, all your needs are catered for, offering hospitality and a warm welcome to all. The team at Glendalough Sanctuary provides a listening ear, guidance and support based on individual training, life experience and skill sets. All their programmes and activities are designed to nourish their guests by allowing time and space within comfortable accommodation. glendaloughsanctuary.ie
ALIGHT YOUR SPIRITUAL FLAME A wellspring of all things spiritually inclined, An Tobar Spiritan Spirituality Retreat centre offers a space dedicated to the re-ignition of faith, community spirit and healing. Immerse yourself in their offering of an Ashram Experience this summer. A team of retreat leaders will be guiding participants through practices of meditation, mindfulness and yoga on the journey inward of deeper connection with self and spirituality. antobar.ie
6
positively newsworthy GOOD NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE.
1 The Will of a Woman REMEMBERING HER STORY. by Alison McEvoy
Elise Wortley, of ‘Woman with Altitude’, replicates the journeys of forgotten female explorers and adventurers. At age 16, Elise read ‘My Journey to Lahsa’ by Alexandra David-Neel. She was enthralled, not just during reading it, but for years to come with Alexandra’s epic 14 year journey throughout Asia. Against significant odds, as a poor pilgrim, Alexandra arrived in the forbidden city of Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. Elise desires to experience what Alexandra and women like her experienced, and makes her journeys
using only the equipment which would have been available at the time to the female explorer herself. Elise, and her all female team, follow in these footsteps to keep the stories of women’s adventures and achievements alive. To bring them back to life in the minds of modern day women and inspire women of the moment by showing them just ‘what the will of a woman can do.’ Her journeys are documented through her website and she manages to raise funds along the way for a number of
“These are the forgotten shoulders upon which women may stand.” women’s charities. These are the forgotten shoulders upon which we as women may stand. Remembering the stories of these women enables us to dream bigger, stretch farther and wider with our hopes and plans and goals. As one historical woman poet said, let’s not let ‘washing the dishes get in the way of our sublimer wishes’! Alexandra certainly did not hold herself back from her will to journey, and neither does Elise.
womanwithaltitude.com
2 Good News For the Red Squirrel THE BALANCING ACT OF BIODIVERSITY. by Kate Stuart Biodiversity is a precarious thing and can easily become unbalanced. Since the turn of the century, the native red squirrel has become displaced due to the infiltration of the larger grey squirrel, who outcompetes the red squirrel for food as well as passing on fatal diseases, which saw numbers of the red squirrel fall dramatically. Biodiversity Ireland says that researching the movements of red squirrels will teach us more about the importance of green spaces and the role of ecological corridors in protecting the recovering native species. Positive changes began to take shape for the red squirrel with the reintroduction of the native Pine Marten – a predator of the invasive grey squirrel. You have most likely seen the grey squirrel on trips to the park, whereas the red squirrel is an altogether more elusive creature. This heightened sense of danger is what has, in part, helped the red squirrel avoid the pine marten. Luckily,
the red squirrel being smaller and more nimble can reach the farthest branches of the trees, finding safety. Although we are seeing heartening numbers of red squirrels flourish, Biodiversity Ireland are calling out for people to participate in a survey, asking the public to record sightings of red and grey squirrels in cities, towns and urban parks as part of a bid to revive the native red squirrel population in Ireland. The squirrel research is primarily focused on urban areas in Galway, Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Derry, Limerick and Waterford. Do you want to get involved? For more information and how you can help check out biodiversityireland.ie
“…red squirrels will teach us more about the importance of green spaces and the role of ecological corridors in protecting the recovering native species.”
3 Sustainability, but make it Fashion! FACILITATING NATURE TO CREATE WEARABLE SCULPTURES. by Kate Stuart What if we could grow our clothes from seed? This is the question artist Zena Halloway asked herself. Zena is crafting garments that lie at the interaction of art and fashion, and the discourse on how global warming and pollution impact our oceans. Frustrated by the plastic pollution in our oceans and rivers, Zena became interested in bio-design, an emerging practice in fashion design. Bio-design offers a symbiotic, environment-first, innovative approach, with potential to change the way we live. Holloway is facilitating nature to create wearable sculptures made entirely from seed. “It brings the conversation back to ourselves, and to climate change…Putting climate change and sustainability front and centre, the works are 100 percent compostable and carbon negative.”
Since 2018 Zena has pioneered a method of cultivating grass root to grow in moulds carved from beeswax.The process starts by placing tiny, wheatgrass seeds in moulds which channels root into structures that are biodegradable, organic and sustainable. The seeds do not require any soil as they contain all the nutrients a plant will need.The seeds are watered by run-off water that is captured to keep water consumption low. The roots will grow up to 20cm in two weeks. The roots can be formed into different shapes and even 3D figures. After they are harvested, they dry within 24 hours and become as light as a feather but durable enough to support their own weight. This method opens up new possibilities for sustainable garment production. Zena’s exploration and experimentation is leading the way, one small seed at a time.
“Putting climate change and sustainability front and centre”
positively newsworthy the little things 1 Babes in Arms LOVE AND WAR.
by Alison Mc Evoy
“These women have activated the antidote to war - loving kindness…”
I still overstay our time in the playground at times. I find it so hard to drag my toddler away from the freedom and fun of the open air. It usually means, however, that I end up carrying a tired and grumpy boy what seems, to my tired body, a very long way back to the car park. As I loaded the weight of my toddler across my middle one day, and cut away from the path to make as straight a line as I could toward the car park, a thought - perhaps a memory of sorts, or an imagining - flickered through my mind....of the many mothers throughout time who have carried their babes in arms across long distances, fleeing, frightened, frantic, exhausted and yet filled with a fiercely loving sense of protection for their child. Under a tree, where our sons were playing with their diggers, I heard from another mother something which touched my heart so deeply. She told me that Polish mothers are leaving buggies, loaded with nappies and blankets and
8
“There was a real sense of community and connectedness”
all the baby necessities you can think of, at train stations and borders for Ukrainian mothers to meet with. I can taste their relief, their salty tears of sorrow mingled with gratitude, and feel the plop with which they drop their infant from their weakened bodies into a warm, clean and safe space. Mothers have been forced to flee throughout time while men have been caught up in waging wars. These women of Poland however, have activated the antidote to war loving kindness and selfless forethought of the needs and feelings of others. Where there is day, there is night. Where there is dark, there is light. Where there is wrong, there is right. One cannot exist without the other. And it does me well to remember, where there is war, there is peace. Where there is fear, there is love...
2 Take the Plunge A DELIGHTFUL SWIMMING SPOT.
by Kate Stuart
I recently went sea swimming with some friends, inspired after watching a documentary on Wim Hof, The Iceman! We hopped on our bikes, crossed the charming wooden bridge and set up at the art deco ladies’ bathing shelter for a day of swimming. Okay, I didn’t go swimming as such but I had a dip in the fresh sea water. Something transcendental takes place when you plunge yourself into cold water. When you willfully get out of your comfort zone, incredible things will begin to happen. It’s mind over body. I felt invigorated, and my skin felt amazing too! It was an unseasonably warm day in April, the temperature had reached the balmy highs of 15 degrees! There are seasoned swimmers who are out there nearly every day, all year round and you can tell – they exude good health. For them, a swim in the Irish sea is part of their daily routine. They take the plunge day in day out because the cold has an effect not just on the body but on the mental state too.
The benefits of sea swimming are endless. The magnesium in the sea water can help with the ailments a lot of us experience daily. If you have trouble sleeping, try sea swimming. I had the most restorative sleep that night, I felt so calm and peaceful. As Wim Hof says, when your body hits the cold water, all the little thoughts that clutter your brain are no longer of interest. You change your mental state and that feeling lasts long after. Sea swimming can help release the feel good hormone dopamine too. There was a real sense of community and connectedness amongst the swimmers. The hardy swimmers I spoke with assured me that after a while, when you get used to it, you don’t feel the cold. What started as a test of my endurance turned into a spiritual experience and while I didn’t make it out into the bay for an actual swim, I felt stronger and more resilient – ready to join the rest of the community out in the water.
GET A FIGHTING FIT IMMUNE SYSTEM THIS SUMMER! Help support your health and immune system and boost vitality with Dr. Wolz line of proven supplements Zell Oxygen Immunkomplex provides a combination of vital substances to support mitochondrial health. It contains a great many bioactive protection enzymes such as 6,000 different proteins, which are very similar to human proteins, amino acids, Chromosomal and mitochondrial DNA sequences, SOD, enzymes, coenzymes, minerals, vitamins, trace elements and other protective substances. Immun Select is a formulation in capsule form to help improve Immunity containing Zinc, Quercetin, Vitamin C, Beneficial Bacteria, Immune boosting beta-glucanns and Antioxidants. Kinderimmun is full of essential ingredients and immune boosting properties for children from 2 upwards. It contains colostrum, inulin, Vitamins C, D, B complex, zinc, beneficial bifido bacteria’s and more. And an easy, flavourless powder your kids will love. Also suitable for adults and during pregnancy.
Available at Health Stores and Pharmacies www.rossmorehealth.com Recommend for everyone (including children) to supply them with all they need *20ml Vitalkomplex has the same amount of phytochemicals as 800g of fresh fruits and vegetables!!
spirituality & the city A moment of Grace
Marlon & John Hello, we are Marlon and John. We have been together for nearly 18 years. Like any other long-standing relationship, we have experienced different stages that have defined our union overall. Some of them have been good, great actually, and some of them have been challenging, too. Ultimately, some of them have been full of grace. It is important to say that all of them have been conditioned by love. A moment of grace can be described as “the freely given, unmerited favour and love of God”. We bow to differ on the “unmerited” because when a union is powerfully sealed by the wonders of love, a moment of grace is not “unmerited”, it is absolutely earthly deserved. © PHOTO: UNA WILLIAMS
Aidan and Lexi It was probably the shooting star that flew over our heads from the heavens when I said, ‘I love you’ for the first time. Or maybe it was when we did a ceremony under the moon on our ‘first date’ and a seal start singing. It could’ve been when she told me she was pregnant, and there was joy in our hearts and the sound of laughter in the air. There are many magical moments but for me there are moments of grace every night when we express gratitude and pray in each other’s arms.
For us, that moment of grace became a loving reality when we got married on March 18th, 2016, after the same-sex marriage referendum passed. At that stage, we had been civil partners for five years, and we decided to avail of the legislation that fully, legally consolidated our union. That moment of grace brought us much closer together, which is why that moment of grace is always echoed every time we say “we are married”. And it is even further echoed every time we hold hands as a symbol of the beauty that is getting old together to the end of time.
Kieran Holland For me, Grace is about tranquillity of the mind and spirit. However, it’s not always easy for me to find! One of the ways I try to do this is on my train commute. I really enjoy the train, especially as it passes through the countryside. Summer is such a beautiful season in Ireland, where everything is a lush green. The best trip is any trip where you get the window seat! I love watching the houses, farms, rivers, towns pass by... Often the train is rushing so quickly towards its destination you might think, how can you savour something when its passing by so quickly? Life is like that, sometimes we are so busy or wrapped up in things we don’t notice it flying by, so that’s why it’s important to take little moments when you can.
Aisling Cronin I have experienced Grace as a long-running thread of little moments, weaving its way into my life and imparting its lessons whenever my heart has been ready to receive them. The presence of Grace is as subtle and unobtrusive as a tiny spring flower rising above a blanket of snow: difficult to perceive at times, yet no less powerful for its gentle beauty. My upbringing leads me to recall the religious connotations of the word (’Hail Mary, full of grace’). In this tradition, Grace is characterised as forgiveness. The peace that surpasseth all understanding. I experience Grace as a call to relax into life. To let go of tensions within my body and mind. To jettison ideas of how things ought to be. Grace is nothing dramatic, nothing sudden. It is a quiet voice that says, breathe. You are still here. instagram.com/aislingmariacronin
11
POSITIVE PARENTING
grace a state of
HEALING THE COMMUNITY IN THE FACE OF UNFOLDING TRAUMA.
by Anna Cole
12
The recent geo-political context has put me in mind of an immense loss in my family and the profound love, rather than hate, expressed afterwards by those most directly affected by it. In the summer of 2014 my shocked Mum rang to tell me that Mo (12), Evie (10), Otis (8) and their Grandpa Nick, had been aboard a passenger flight heading home to Australia where they lived, shot down over the Ukraine by a stray Russian rocket. The three children had been flying home from a once in lifetime family holiday to Europe – at Grandad Nick’s urging, their parents had stayed on for an extra couple of days in Amsterdam to have some rare alone time together. All aboard lost their lives, and many thousands of loved ones were left to grieve. We last saw them the Easter before on a family visit to Australia, to celebrate the birth of my nephew, Walu, then five months old, their newest cousin. In the aftermath, there were calls for retribution from the public, and from several in high office. But within days, the children’s parents issued a message to, “the soldiers in Russia and the Ukraine, politicians, media, and friends and family:” “Our pain is intense and relentless… we live in a hell beyond hell…no-one deserves what we are going through. Not even the people who shot our whole family out of the sky. No hate in the world is as strong as the love we have for our children, for Mo, for Evie, for Otis. No hate in the world is as strong as our love for Grandad Nick. No hate in the world is as strong as the love we have for each other. This is a revelation that gives us some comfort. We ask everyone to remember this when you are making any decisions that affect us and the other victims of this horror.”
Over the past years I have sought to come to terms with this traumatic loss in my extended family and to think well about how to continue to honour their memory. There are a few guiding lights I’ve used in my journey that others might find helpful in the face of unfolding traumas: Firstly, when digesting trauma and shocking news, we as parents need to talk with others, so we can work through our feelings and reactions. We need to do this at times when our children are not present, so they don’t have to carry the burden of the emotions we express. We do need to offload our grief. We may need to show our outrage, and fight the helplessness we feel with moments of complete anger. It’s a relief to be supported to show our deeply human responses – crying, trembling and an open show of upset. Accessing our gut feelings can help us recover our ability to use the power we do have. Once we’re freed from our reactions, there is much we can do in our families and communities to make the world a safer and better place for all to grow up in. It is important for our children to see that we care about people and about justice in the world. But part of our job is to protect them from constant exposure to news of harm and hurt — there is so much effort to connect and repair that finds no spotlight in the news. I’ve decided to get my news after our children have gone to bed, or when I’m alone in the car. And as my children grow, I’m offering them perspectives and information about change that has come through non-violent protest: Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela for example. And it seems to me that ‘together’ is the watchword for dealing with news of war, violence or death. A healing question
is, “What can we do together, as a family, to remember those who died and offer our caring?” We can ask our children for their ideas and offer our own. Simple acts can help. Light a candle. Have a moment of silence. Listen to our children’s thoughts and choices, and to their feelings as well. We can remind our children of what we do in our families to help each other when someone is feeling hurt. For instance, we resolve fights by listening carefully. We make sure people don’t speak hurtfully about anyone else. We ask someone to listen to our own feelings of upset whenever we can. And we reach out to people we know have had trouble, so that they don’t lose hope or their sense that others care about them. As the parents of Evie, Otis and Mo said in the face of their horrific loss: “So far, every moment since we arrived home we have been surrounded by family and friends. We desperately pray this continues, because it is this expression of love that is keeping us alive.” As parents we know it takes a great amount of person-to-person love, work and commitment to keep even a small group of people working cooperatively together. It is the heartfelt skills we develop, when we parent or care for children consciously and get support to do so, that are the same skills needed to heal our human community — person by person, family by family, country by country.
Anna Cole, PhD, Regional Lead, Hand in Hand Parenting, handinhandparenting.org
POSITI V E AT TR ACTION
“You have limitless potential and you are abundant beyond belief”
14
stepping into magnificence MANIFESTING THE LIFE YOU WOULD LIKE TO LIVE. by Judith McAdam
Four years ago, I wrote a book called The Source: Connect with your Inner Power and Create your own Reality. It is all about creating and manifesting the life you would like to live. I wrote it to help acknowledge who you really are and embrace the fact that you are inextricably linked to infinite intelligence. ‘Little old you’ actually has access to the field of pure potential. It means you have to cast aside the negative self-limiting and damaging views that you have of yourself and step into your magnificence. Believe it or not, this frightens the life out of most of us, myself included. Source Energy, the Universe, or even God if you prefer that term, is magnificently creative and abundant, lush and fertile and ‘small insignificant you’ are in symbiotic union with this pulsating energy. This energy is within you. It has to be, otherwise you would simply not exist. You receive its grace every second of your life and you have the ability to continuously co-create with it. You have limitless potential and you are abundant beyond belief. This powerful energy expresses itself through you at all times. But what can help you step out of anxiety and fear and step into the magnificence that you were graced with? Meditation helps to open you up to
the limitless possibilities that lie in the field of pure potential. Good visualisations help you to open your mind to your own magnificence and allows you to ‘think you can’ instead of thinking ‘you can’t’. Asking for help and guidance is vital. Using words like ‘show me how to do this’ and ‘give me clarity’ open you up. Using words like ‘I can’t’ or ‘I would never be able to…’ shut you down. But who are you asking? You are sending out a vibration, a signal and that vibration will be met in the form of your intuition among other things. Listening to your intuition instead of doubting it is the next step. While acting on your intuition is the third step. • The split-second an idea has entered your mind it has been conceived. •T his is where the divine and human meet, this is where you have been graced by a unique idea or thought. •D oubts and fears cause resistance and restrict momentum from gaining around your embryotic ideas. • I t is vital to ignore your outer circumstances; pay more attention to the idea forming deep within you. • J ust like cell division, your embryonic idea amasses and multiplies in the womb of your mind.
• When the momentum increases to such a degree, it takes on a life of its own. • Remember, your ideas have a gestation period. • If a desire is born prematurely, it may not survive. • Ideas need to be nurtured, not forced. • When they are fully ready, they will finally be born into this reality. • In giving birth to anything, you need to prepare yourself to let go of all resistance and fear. • You also need to prepare yourself to receive the fruits of your labours. Just remember it is far easier to create a million euros than to create a brain or a heart, yet this is how women and men co-create with Source Energy every day of the week. You are co-creating with Source Energy every second of the day, with millions of ideas getting ready to be born out, but you are mostly unaware of this. It is easier than you think to step into more conscious awareness of the fact that you are a co-creator with Source. All you have to do is make sure you are ready to receive its many blessings. With love, Jx judithmcadam.com
Cholesterol and Lipid Profile in 3 minutes Multifunction Monitoring System
Box of 10 strips and Veri-Q Multimeter device.
Full lipid profile on one test strip in 3 minutes. Total Cholesterol, HDL, TG and (calculated) LDL Haemoglobin (anaemia) & glucose test strips also available Non-fasting fingerprick blood sample EASY TO LEARN
Nutricentric Healthcare Enniskerry, Co Wicklow A98 C1Y6 I info@nutricentric.com You can also ask us about the Food Detective Professional IgG and Rapi-D Point of Care rapid Vitamin D tests (RoI & NI)
2021
Available in Health Food Stores, Pharmacies and online - zincuflex.ie
POSITIVE PE ACE
grace
works in mysterious ways TRUSTING THIS BENEVOLENT FORCE FOR GOOD. by Sandy Newbigging There’s an underlying force for good that affects us all; a dynamism I like to call Grace. I believe we are all standing [and living] in the river of Grace – always and especially when it feels like we’ve been deserted. Grace is influencing our thoughts, feelings, decisions and actions. It moves via our ideas, inspirations, intuitions, realisations and creative impulses. It can also arise as inner concerns, questions, or curiosities, and as external invitations, synchronicities and [both wanted and unwanted] life events and changes. Grace sits at the heart of every ending and all new beginnings. The ever-present guiding hand of Grace is playing its part in our so-called successes and failures, our apparent gains and losses. It may appear as disruptions or delays, and present as challenging people or difficult circumstances. Grace helps the things that no longer serve us to fall away, and the things that we need for our highest growth and benefit to show up. Sometimes Grace works within our preferred timelines, and is convenient and welcomed. At other times Grace can push us off the metaphorical cliff – so that we make a change before we may believe we are ready. Grace can appear as the answer to a prayer and align with our dreams and
16
aspirations, or be the polar opposite of what we think we want. Either way, learning to recognise [and not resist] this underlying force for change, growth and good is fundamental for experiencing less stress, struggle and suffering, and more ease, joy, adventure and awakening. Last year I left my spiritual teacher and community, after 14 years. It’s not something I thought I’d ever do, and yet, it’s clear that Grace was involved in how it all unfolded. Grace started calling me to make a change with a niggling sense that something was ‘off’. It continued by creating conversations and scenarios for me to see, hear and experience more and more things that were fundamentally not ok for me. Without going into the details, I concluded that the spiritual teacher and organisation were operating in ways that were against my integrity. I remember praying while standing in the shower one day – asking for help to get out. At that time, I honestly didn’t know how to leave; it was complicated. My fiancée was also on the same spiritual path and I wasn’t sure if I might lose her if I left. I knew if I were to leave with as little backlash or conflict as possible, it would require some divine intervention! I now appreciate more than ever that it is Grace’s
job to work out the finer details… Fast forward a couple of weeks and I was sitting outside my home getting some work done and enjoying my morning coffee in the Spanish sun. At the same time my fiancée was in our house having a session with her therapist. After a while I needed to get something from inside and ended up walking past her office at the exact moment she said to her therapist: “I’ve never told Sandy this before, but….” Something rooted me to the ground outside her office door and what I overheard was the exact thing I needed to hear to make the final decision to leave. Within a few days, both my fiancée and I had left. In the following weeks, over 150 other teachers involved in the spiritual community left too! Without the recognition that Grace was always helping me, I believe the entire experience would have been much more traumatic, stressful and saddening. Life feels safer and more supportive and friendlier when we intend to look out for the mysterious ways that Grace is working within us and our life. Visit Sandy’s website for more on his online sessions, club and academy. sandynewbigging.com
“I now appreciate more than ever that it is Grace’s job to work out the finer details…”
Everything your family needs to stay healthy! DOWN TO EARTH HEALTH FOOD STORE & HOMEOPATHIC DISPENSARY 73 South Great George’s St. Dublin 2 PHONE / FAX 01-671 9702 Opening hours: Monday - Friday 8.30 - 19.00; Saturday 8.30 - 18.30 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Acute homeopathic service Qualified homeopaths in store 6 days a week Over 400 homeopathic remedies in the dispensary Wide range of homeopathic creams and herbal tinctures Helios kits Flower and crystal essences (Bach, Healing Herbs, Australian Bush Flowers, Indigo, Crystal Light)
Superb range of vitamin and herbal supplements Nature’s Plus, Viridian, Biocare, Higher Nature, Wild Nutrition, Together, Terranova Liposomal C The LifeMel Range A wide range of vegan and vegetarian food supplements and cosmetics available Selection of dried herbs Wholefoods, speciality foods & superfoods Eco-household products Organic skin care and body care
Free delivery for orders over €30
info@downtoearth.ie homeopathy@downtoearth.ie www.downtoearth.ie downtoearthdublin Down to Earth Dublin
POSITIVE HOME
the
golden thread HOW TO TRUST YOUR INTUITION. by Amanda Sophia Goddess, are you feeling connected to yourself, your relationships and the world around you? I love to refer to the story of the golden thread when I am at a crossroads and need to reevaluate my priorities. If you are looking to reconnect with self and Source, you will appreciate this story and find it as a helpful tool to recentre in uncertain times.
What is the Golden Thread? In Greek mythology, Queen Pasiphaë gave her Son of Zeus the magical thread to assist him on his heroic journey into the labyrinth, representative of life. The thread would allow him to remain connected to the spiritual world and guide him on his journey.
“Following that golden thread allows you to truly stay on the path meant for you and in your purpose.”
18
Beloved, the golden thread represents your intuition, the inner voice whispering to you that sometimes you choose to ignore. Following that golden thread allows you to truly stay on the path meant for you and in your purpose.
Connecting to Your Inner Wisdom Goddess, the universe has a plan. We can start to force things and get rigidly thinking that something must turn out a certain way. The power of the golden thread reminds you of what is essential. Signs you are Connected When you’re in alignment with your inner wisdom, you’ll experience some or all of the following physical and emotional byproducts:
Comfortable in your body – you will breathe deeply and peacefully. You feel a softness in your body depending on where you tend to hold stress. Enhanced senses – everything around you may look brighter. Your sense of smell, taste and touch are enhanced – a beautiful sign that you are living from a place of connectedness. The physical manifestation of peace – you feel a deep sense of peace in your body; fully relaxed and open. Better focus and productivity – Your ability to focus and be in a productive flow is better when you align with your intuition. Creativity comes more naturally and you get satisfaction from your work.
Signs you are Disconnected When we think of the golden thread, we can notice these moments of disconnection more easily. Discomfort in your body – when you ignore your intuition, you may feel tightness in your muscles. Decreased energy, stomach pain, headaches and nausea are indicators that you are disconnected. Signs from the universe to align– when you’re not living in sync with your intuition, the universe will send messages, attempting to pull you back into yourself and your purpose. Suddenly, you may find that mundane everyday tasks present you with powerful reminders. Deeply rooted stress – you may feel like you need to control everything and as if there isn’t enough time in the day to complete your work. A common sign that you aren’t connected to your intuition is the desperate need to ask for everyone’s opinion before making decisions.
Things That May Be Keeping You Disconnected During stress, exhaustion and grief, we can feel that we are not at home within ourselves. Although this is an ordinary and universal truth, unhealthy habits can keep us in a constant state of disconnection. It’s essential to be mindful and truthfully assess these areas so we can seek support if we find that we are remaining disconnected.
Holding Onto Childhood Trauma It’s time to let go of any old stories where you were the victim. Release old beliefs about yourself — even the need to always have your mind on ‘productive mode’. If you want to be connected, you have to create space for quietness. It
doesn’t have to be meditation. Find what feels good. Not Forgiving Start a forgiveness ritual. Perhaps every night before you go to sleep, offer forgiveness, be it to yourself or somebody who may have said something to you that day that hurt your feelings. Offer forgiveness to them. Self-Harm or Numbing Forms of self-harm or numbing such as alcohol, overeating, overworking, or any of these addictive behaviours are attempts to remain disconnected from your intuition. Moderation is fine, but to the degree, you use such things to numb yourself that it’s virtually impossible to connect to your higher self. Staying Busy Without Giving Space For Quiet Time I understand that many things such as a family, job, taking care of our homes and friends, working out and self-care fill our daily schedules. However, how can we hear that inner voice when we refuse to create a quiet space? Lack of self-care is also a way that we block connection with ourselves.
Daily Practices for Reconnecting to Your Intuition Meditate 10 Minutes Every Day If it’s not meditation, find what your peaceful activity is and dedicate at least 10 minutes a day to doing it. If you want to go deeper and deeper into your higher self, it’s essential to come into stillness. You may do this by lighting a candle, painting, or spending time in nature. Regularly Check In With Yourself Even if it seems small, I invite you to
ground yourself in every decision. Permit you to take time to get back to people and requests. You can sit with it and be with it, rather than rushing around and being in that state of busyness. Over time, you will become more natural.
Have a Dream Journal By Your Bed Before you go to sleep, ask for guidance on whatever you seek advice about. Allow that to come through. When you wake up, write that dream down. Listen to Your Body Listen to your body when you make decisions. Notice if you feel a tightness in your chest, shoulders, or gut. There are so many ways that spirit connects with us and give us messages every day when you are open. Pay Attention to the Universe’s Messages If you just keep hearing the same message from different people, that’s usually your higher self trying to get through. It’s a way of following the golden thread and the magic of life. Be open to these messages that come to you.
amandasophia.com priestessawakening.com
grace
TEEN SPIRIT
fall from FALL, & RISE AGAIN.
by Margot Tubbiolo
Everyone has a fear....a fear of falling, of letting someone in, of losing, of trusting. But what good comes out of fear? I have a theory that everyone has a fall from grace, meaning something they’re terrified of. Something that is deep within their soul. It’s a cognitive notion of, “this will happen to me because it always happens.” When you think like that, a downfall is around the corner. I want to know what your fall from grace is, what your core beliefs are, about yourself ?
20
Personally, mine is a fear of abandonment. I don’t know why, I don’t know how, all I know is I have it. It’s not like a parent abandoned me at one stage, no major traumas have occurred in my life. It’s simply just a crippling fear of people leaving me. This is my downfall because I believe I imagine it into reality a lot of the time. Kind of a Catch 22 if you will. I can’t seem to shake it either way. The thought is materialising the fear.
Some might argue that your teenage years are a giant fall from grace. A leap into a world that is unknown to you and most end up tripping on the jump over. I definitely had a few stumbles myself. I’d say it’s better to have your fall from grace in this time, because then you’re not one of those people that peaked in ‘high school’. This isn’t diminishing the difficulty of how hard it is to have all these emotions as a teen. However, I think for some, it’s a need to fall. I needed to fall to be happy at my age now. I dealt with a lot of inconceivable emotions as a 13 to 16 year old. I went through a depression that was (like for a lot of people) debilitating. I was never in school, I would never leave my house or my bed for that matter and I just had no idea what was going on with me. This was my big fall from grace. I got so low that I was harming myself for a while. I think In this time I pushed people away - that’s where the fear of abandonment comes in. I wanted to make people leave before they’d see how I was “too much to deal with”. Leave before you get left, was the ideology. The reason I’m getting into this is because I want to get across that even though this time of my life was so hard, I wouldn’t change it for the world. I learned so much about my mind. I learned how to look after myself at such a young age and I taught myself how to be happy. Falling is never a bad thing, because directly after a fall is a rise. I rose and bloomed into the beautiful person I am today.
“I rose and bloomed into the beautiful person I am today.”
The Tattie Hoaker Health Food Store
Goff Street, Roscommon F42EK20 (090)6630492
Roscommon’s only independent Health food store since 2001. Twenty years of serving our community. We are open as usual mon to Saturday 10-6. Selling supplements, organic food and skincare, gifts etc. Wide range of therapies available in our therapy rooms (post lockdown) call and collect available.
facebook.com/TattieHoaker
Aloha House Retreat Venue Empowering People & Community to Thrive as Old Paradigms Fail
Aloha House in Killorglin The Reeks District Co. Kerry offering Lomi Lomi Bodywork Training, Venue Hire for workshops & retreats.
Focus on Good Energy, Water, Food, Land, Gold & Silver Coins Abundance Is Our Birthright & a Frequency We Can Attain Talk to Mark O’Byrne, a leading expert on precious metals, hyperinflation & abundance +353 87 7551564 info@healthwealthgold.com www.healthwealthgold.com
WWW.ALOHAHOUSE.IE Email louise@alohahouse.ie for more details
POSITIVE PERSONALITY
master your
metaphysics MEDICAL INTUITION FOR HEALTH & HEALING. by Alison McEvoy Interviewed by Paul Congdon
22
A regular accompaniment on the spiritual journey is the sense of just how little we truly know. Our human knowledge, in the year 2022 is still only scratching the surface of what the oceans contain, of the goings on of the universe and even, yes, what the human body is capable of; what is happening, and can happen, right there under the covering of our skin. Seeing someone like Emma Turton, I get the sense of someone who is drawing in more knowledge onto the as yet largely blank canvas of our human knowledge – particularly in relation to the human body-soul. Emma is a leading medical intuitive and the founder and director of the Medical Intuition School, based in Adelaide Australia. Emma has a Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy. She is also a functional nutritionist, certified meditation teacher, therapeutic yoga teacher and intuitive guide.
THE DARKEST HOUR BEFORE THE DAWN Emma woke up on her 29th birthday. It was to be another day of aching and carrying the burden of her ill health - a chronic lung disease, constant physical discomfort, frequent headaches, swollen joints, arthritis and a plethora of other symptoms of imbalance. This day however, heralded a new dawn. No longer was Emma content to listen to the doctors tell her that her conditions would only get worse and that she would be on medication for life. Today she realised, “I needed to go on some kind of a journey to find my own answers.”
THE RETURN JOURNEY Bit by bit, Emma began to change things. “The more I changed things in my outer world, the more my inner world, my health, started to change...this was the thing that moved the needle for me, and I realised this was a missing piece in conventional medicine at that point...I was addressing all of the big soul issues in my life and everything was out of alignment. As I addressed each one of these, my health started to dramatically improve. I stopped needing to take my medication. I was able to release my medical conditions that were
lifelong and incurable.” When Emma returned to working with clients, she found something had shifted. “I realised I was receiving a sea of information about these things [soul issues], even though people hadn’t told me...for example that they had a narcissistic ex-partner, or they hated their job. Because I was a physiotherapist they told me they had a sore elbow or other issues in their body. But I had all this coming in and I didn’t know where it was coming from...I had to go on a journey of discovery again, this time to learn what a medical intuitive is.”
“I was able to release my medical conditions that were lifelong and incurable.” That second journey of discovery, the one that began after Emma committed to attending to the big issues, the soul issues, of her life, during which she gained the ‘sight’ to see how outstanding soul issues in others’ lives were affecting their health, is the one that led to her helping to evolve the medical field.
thoughts and soul purpose. They are seen as irrelevant, if seen at all. Medical Intuitives, on the other hand, recognise the meaning and role that emotions, energy, etc play in our lives, our well-being and even our physical health. For Emma, her refrain throughout the conversation is, “I don’t separate the physical and the metaphysical. They are not truly separate. It is an illusion.”
LANGUAGE OF THE BODY “As a human race we are not even scratching the surface of what the body is capable of,” Emma believes. The working of the mind-body are still largely mysterious to us. We can however, go on our own journey of discovery through the simple act of “sitting with our stuff”, paying attention and listening to the language of the body. It is crucial not to “push the body aside and see it as less than, less spiritual than the soul.” The body is speaking out for the soul. The body wants us to listen and its only language is sensation. Just as a child resorts to shouting when not listened to consistently, the body’s resort is to creating meaningful, yet painful, sensations to call us to urgent attention.
“I learned what I could do with this information, where it was coming from and how I was even receiving it. I learned When the body speaks, and we listen, how to connect with a client intentionally... asking for answers about our persistent how to ask for the information and what to back pain or stomach aches, the body do with it... I had such epic results. With responds. It no longer needs to call out for one session of Medical Intuition we could us to listen, our pain has been heard for see why a problem had shown up and we what it truly wants to say to us. could address that, instead of weeks and weeks of physiotherapy... The symptom, “We have to be ready to release the pain. the issue, would disappear when addressed There is no guarantee. But we are that because it was no longer required.” powerful. Doing the work is that potent. Radical shifts can happen in the body in an instant”.
METAPHYSICS MATTERS
Meta means ‘beyond’. Meta-physics means that which is beyond the scope of physics. The scope of physics is the world of matter, the physical world. So, meta-physics refers to non-physical aspects of being. For human beings, the metaphysical aspects of ourselves are the parts we cannot touch and hold. They are our emotions, our thoughts, or energy body, our soul and spiritual self. In traditional medicine not much weight is given to what is occurring in our metaphysical field i.e. our emotions,
emmaturton.com.au
POSITIVE TANTR A
the capacity for
wonder USING BREATH TO AWAKEN THE AROUSAL CENTRE. by Dawn Cartwright
24
“Wonder and pleasure are now synonymous, expanding infinitely, alive with grace.”
The capacity for total wonder is the very substance of awakening. Daniel Odier, “Desire the Tantric Path to Awakening”
Step 3– Genital Response: Our body responds to the physical sensations and emotions we feel, and the closeness we’ve created. Genital tumescence appears.
bodies. We are swept away by the intensity we feel for the person we’re attracted to and the beauty of our own body and its response. At this stage, our capacity for wonder expands as our capacity for connection grows. The sympathetic nervous system shifts into gear – muscles tighten, heart rate increases and breathing deepens. This leads to increased excitation, making us more and more sensitive until arousal takes over our focus. At this moment, the mind becomes quieter and we begin to discover new sensations and internal landscapes that were hidden before. Our experience of ourselves and our surroundings becomes more expansive and the boundaries between our bodies and the space around us begin to blur. We feel suspended and tethered, simultaneously. The parasympathetic nervous system triggers release of vasodilation agents that relax smooth muscle cells in the penis, clitoris, vagina and labia. Supportive muscles in the pelvic floor engage, adding to the strength and sensitivity of the erection in both women and men. Subtle contractions in the muscles in and around the pelvic floor and genitals, add to the sensations of pleasure, increasing arousal, reinforcing already active feedback loops with ever increasing intensity. Wonder and pleasure are now synonymous, expanding infinitely, alive with grace.
The Capacity for Total Wonder
Kripa
To be attracted is to be in wonder. Time stands still. Senses are awake. Minds are quiet. We are suspended in mid-air and securely tethered to the earth all at once. According to Singer’s model, our visual, physical and psychological information is relayed to the nervous system, triggering several positive feedback loops designed to steadily increase sexual arousal and interest in intimate connection. The attraction we feel and turn towards, heightens our senses, intensifying the cascade of emotional excitement and physical sensation in our
Kripa कृपा, divine grace. A moment that changes the course of our lives forever. Immersed in the stillness that exists at the centre of arousal – when arousal is experienced fully. Attraction, filled with wonder, infused with the transformational quality of grace. Singer’s model leads us here, to the mystical experiences that arise in sexual attraction and arousal. The place where control dissolves and grace appears. The fires of transformation have never felt as sweet.
In the summer of 1984, human sexuality research took a quantum leap when Barry Singer, Ph.D., published his thesis, Conceptualising Sexual Arousal and Attraction, introducing a new model for the stages of sexual response. Previous models such as Masters and Johnson’s Human Sexual Response Cycle and Kaplan’s Triphasic Concept, explained the arc of sexual arousal but not the interrelatedness between lovers. Singer’s model, based on the emotions we feel and the closeness that occurs when we feel attraction, revolutionised the perspective on the trajectory of sexual arousal.
Singer’s Model of Human Sexual Arousal Step 1– Aesthetic Response: The aesthetic response relates to the emotions that arise when we notice a face or figure we find attractive. This emotional reaction heightens our attention and focuses our gaze (covertly, or directly) towards the attractive person. Step 2– Approach Response: The approach response takes a little courage and it’s just as it sounds. Once we’ve noticed someone we’re attracted to, we move toward them.
Pause for a moment, now, just where you
are. Relax your body, melt into your centre. Breathe slowly and expansively. Gently pulse your pelvic floor. Then, soften the pelvic floor muscles. Pulse the pelvic floor, then soften. Expand your breathing to fill all of your body. And pulse. Then soften. Breathe only into your eyes, create a comfortable feeling of fullness there. Begin to make the breaths longer, softer, until the breathing creates a warm glow in and around the eyes. Breathe only into your heart, creating a feeling of fullness. After some time, breathe longer, softer, until the breathing creates a warm glow in and around the heart. Breathe only into your sex centre, creating a feeling of fullness. Breathe slowly, softly, as though you are filling the sex centre with a warm glow. Expand your senses so that you feel the subtle feelings of arousal that are always present in your body. Activating the aesthetic response within. Tilt your pelvis forward and back, very slowly. Moving your pelvis closer to your arousal. Activating the approach response within. Gently pulse your pelvic floor muscles again, then release. Activating the genital response within. Sink into the vibrant stillness at the centre of your arousal. “Grace transforms your physical body completely. Every gesture becomes beautiful. Your eyes radiate a totally new silence. They open to such depths that they become almost unfathomable.” Osho
Dawn Cartwright is a NeoTantra visionary, sacred writer, world traveler and innovator in authentic lovemaking and NeoTantra fusion. dawncartwright.com
the
power of
grace FEEL THE FREQUENCY. by Mas Sajady
When I was asked to write about the power of grace, I was very excited for a couple of reasons. My youngest daughter’s name is Grace and she embodies the Xponential Intelligent definition I’m about to share to help you live in the magic of grace. Ever since my 2nd near death experience I’ve been practising Xponential Intelligence. In a nutshell, XI is the physics of life – a handbook that explains life and then gives you step-by-step instructions on how to turn yours into the best possible version. If you’re familiar with my work, you may know that it has led to miraculous life transformations for hundreds of thousands around the world. You will naturally be thinking, “How could Mas give a profoundly different meaning to grace that has not already been thought of by the great thinkers of our times?” The XI definition, when heard, will ring so true that you may feel your life frequency change well before you understand it with the logic of your mind. By all means, this isn’t to say that I’m a master writer and my eloquence will move you. In fact, I’m the opposite: raw, to the point, unapologetic. The power to transform comes from the word itself. Grace is a word that belongs to a subcategory of magnifiers.
Magnifiers are words, actions, intentions, emotions, elements, whose origin comes from a non spacetime realm, or beyond the elements of this plane. Examples of magnifiers: your spirit or your timeless self comes from beyond a spacetime realm; water has very unique properties unlike any earthbound element, and was here before earth ever was. Speaking or listening to a magnifier word like grace can generate energy from nothing, breaking the laws of conservation of energy and invoking decisions that can move mountains and heal the unfortunate. But why doesn’t it work in practice the way I just described it? Am I too crazy or eccentric to see reality as it is? To many, this description sounds lofty and grand, like it came out of a Harry Potter movie and far-fetched from this reality. Those who believe may think it’s true, and if they try hard enough, maybe, just maybe, they can live it. Someday. The big question is, where is the proof and why isn’t it working the way I said? The science is quite simple. First and foremost, the universe does not care and has no obligation to prove itself to you. It does what it does on its own accord. It’s there for you to observe and learn – which
is proof in itself. Second, there is no magic left in the world. Few study the science of miracles anymore. Even fewer explore the magic of science. Humans have forgotten how to be human. They are too busy striving to be someone or something that they think will make them happy, which buries them deeper into the pit of lost souls. With nothing left of the spirit, desperation is used to ask for the grace of God, the courts, or a person’s forgiveness to give them another chance. Unfortunately, you cannot incite the power of grace in this manner. But much like the students in the Harry Potter movies, the student of right consciousness has the confidence and bravado to invoke power into their spells, and as they wave their wands, they successfully cast their spell. Like Harry Potter, you too can cast the power of grace upon your life: using a real-life sceptre called The Power Frequency that helps you shine the brilliance you naturally are.
mas-sajady.com
“The XI definition will ring so true that you may feel your life frequency change well before you understand it with the logic of your mind.”
27
28
“There is not only beauty and magic in a modality which consults directly with the body, there is also an enviable precision...”
your body tells a story KINESIOLOGY LISTENS.
by Alison McEvoy What if … you could ask an expert, when you are feeling unwell or ill at ease, and find out what your body needs, what it wants and how best to serve it, at this moment in time? Systematic Kinesiology does just that. It’s hard to fathom and yet, it is perfectly observable as the Kinesiologist tests your body’s muscles for answers to better understand where you’re at.
‘The magic of Kinesiology’ At a small gathering of Systematic Kinesiologists, Siobhan Guthrie, principal of KinesiologyZone, and graduates Pam McMinn and Roberta Branagan, the chat was mighty. These three ladies burn with the passion of Systematic Kinesiology. They shared story upon story of how this whole-person approach, and its plethora of accompanying tools, have restored balance, ease, health and peace to the lives of those who pass through their doors. From anxious children and teenagers, and those who want out of pain or improved energy, to elders who found a renewed sense of appreciation for their bodies, Systematic Kinesiology is a unique health care system which knows no bounds in whom it can support. “Parents often present their kids with some issue, and end up coming back
for themselves when they see the change,” says Roberta, who is on the Council of the professional Association.
The body speaks There is not only beauty and magic in a modality which consults directly with the body, there is also an enviable precision to what Systematic Kinesiology is about to identify. The Kinesiologist seeks to find the root cause of an issue and identify what is most appropriate for its healing process. “Kinesiology is often thought of as a diagnostic tool but that’s just part of the story,” says Siobhan. “In the midst of a lot of confusing and often conflicting advice, muscle testing gives clarity. Definite direction for the individual. When we balance the body’s energy, that’s where the magic is. It feels like magic, but is more like relief. Relief from pain, whether physical or emotional, and acknowledgement.”
Time & Space At a kinesiology session there is time and space for you to be heard and understood. Each muscle relates to an organ, a specific vertebra and meridian circuit. This gives many clues to what’s out of balance from the whole-person approach that’s
fundamental to how Kinesiology works. “We want to understand our clients as much as possible, this often brings our work much deeper than the presenting problem, and you don’t have to wait for an illness to occur to make you want to improve your health,” says Pam, who helps her clients who previously struggled to lose weight.
Toolkit for life & living Many who have their health turned around are curious to learn it for themselves and to help others. At KinesiologyZone, you can dip your toes into the 3 month part-time training called Balanced Health. The course is hands-on, making it much easier to learn and get comfortable in practising the muscle testing, and is jam-packed with techniques that can really change things in people. The course is extremely beneficial to its students, many of whom find all kinds of health issues improve. The website has videos, information, graduate stories and a list of graduates who are busy at work helping people improve their lives. askireland.ie kinesiologyzone.com
Carmel Rose Systematic Kinesiology Clinic Green St. Callan Co.Kilkenny Phone 056 7725777
www.wellnesscentre.ie Systematic Kinesiology is a gentle non-invasive therapy suitable for all ages, helpful in dealing with issues such as food sensitivities, nutritional deficiencies, stress, anxieties, self-esteem and structural imbalances.
Association of Systematic Kinesiology The Association was established in Ireland in 2000. Members abide by a code of ethics and aim to work with clients using the whole person holistic approach. Catriona Walsh Ballyknock upper, Kilgobnet, Dungarvan, Waterford 0877743640
A one stop treatment that looks at all imbalances in the body. After my very first visit to a Kinesiologist I said I am going to study this. I knew there and then that if my body was ever going to heal it was going to be true Kinesiology. After years of trying to get to the end of my health problems with rashes, inflammation, pains and aches. My first visit highlighted: * Toxic Metal overload * Gut Issues * Parasites * Lymes
Our Professional Practitioners undergo extensive, thorough training through the Association’s approved Systematic Kinesiology schools.
Back & Joint Pain
Stress/Anxiety
For more information on Systematic Kinesiology and where to find a practitioner check out our webpage and Facebook page
www.askireland.ie
Digestive Issues
GOOD LIFE 2.0
30
“ In flow you transcend your own concerns and see and act from a higher perspective.”
surfing the
waves of change GRACE UNDER PRESSURE. by Davie Philip
“Of all the virtues we can learn no trait is more useful, more essential for survival, and more likely to improve the quality of life than the ability to transform adversity into an enjoyable challenge.” Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Recent events have left many of us in a state of overwhelm. As the waves of disruptive change get bigger, our capacity to cope and live well together has never been more important. Like surfers, we need to be fluid, agile, strong and hyperresponsive to an ever-changing, often dangerous environment. According to the author and action researcher Otto Scharmer, the underlying cause of our volatility can be summarised as a disconnection from three sources of life: the ecological, the social and the spiritual. The ecological divide – our perceived separateness from nature – manifests in the destruction of the natural world. Humanity’s footprint well overshoots our planet’s carrying capacity and biodiversity. The variety of animals and plants that support life is declining faster than at any time in human history. The social divide results in a loss of solidarity, along with increasing poverty and inequality. The combined wealth of the world’s eight richest men is now more than the poorest half of the planet’s population. Conflict is escalating and societies are
becoming more divided and polarised. Rapidly growing levels of burnout, depression and emotional exhaustion are the outcome of the spiritual divide, a disconnect between our values and our actions. Cultivating the inner conditions that help us to address these divides will help us stay buoyant during these turbulent times. For psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, ‘flow’ is a state of grace that enables us to navigate difficult times. It is the moment when you are deeply connected, balanced and ‘in the zone’. In flow you transcend your own concerns and see and act from a higher perspective. Research has found that the people who access flow in their lives are healthier, happier and are more creative. These moments of grace are often accessed when experiencing the awe of nature or being fully immersed in an activity we love. It is about being present in the moment and acting spontaneously. The word ‘grace’ is from the Latin word gratus, meaning thankful or pleasing. Practising gratitude also shifts our awareness, bringing us positively into
the present moment with optimism and improves our general well-being. Even being grateful for the challenges we face helps us grow, learn and strengthen our resilience - the ability to thrive under tough circumstances. Actively riding these waves is the art of engaging with the root causes of our unsustainability. When surfing the waves of change, we tap into grace and connect deeply to ourselves, to each other and to the natural world that we are part of. In the flow we open up to a deep authenticity and integrity that unleashes the potential for personal and collective renewal. Alan Watts said, “The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it and join the dance.” By riding the waves of change we can creatively transform the way we do almost everything. Go for it. Davie Philip is a community catalyst and facilitator at Cultivate.ie, the sustainability cooperative based in Cloughjordan Ecovillage.
Infinite Wellbeing
Bringing your mind, body and spirit into balance
Systematic Kinesiology Attuning to Full Potential Kinesiology Sept 2022 - CHILD Centre Method Helping people of all ages find balance in their health.
For more information please contact Kathy on 087 6551893 or email kmkinesiology@gmail.com. Waterford City
Systematic Kinesiology Indian Head Massage Energy Healing
Coaching/Mentoring Workshop Facilitation Retreats
Founder Helena Enright, is passionate about helping people of all ages to improve their health and wellbeing. Drawing on over twenty years experience in performance, education and the applied arts, Helena also designs and delivers bespoke workshops, talks and programs on health and wellbeing so that people can start embracing life more fully. Online and in-person sessions availabe. If you are interested in learning more about Systematic Kinesiology, Helena will be running a Balanced Health Course in October. Contact Helena on 089-6169243 or email henright@gmail.com
Geraldine Foley @ Holistic Approach to haelth Kinesiology helps bring harmonious balance mentally emotionally physically chemically to the whole being
Newtown Grange Kimore, Co. Wexford 085 1473024
Offering a unique combination of Kinesiology & Nutritional Therapy
www.corenutrition.ie
Ann McCarren DipTASK, CABT & DipNT Monaghan www.kinuwellbeing.ie kinuwellbeing@gmail.com Mobile: 087 7656122 Systematic Kinesiology, Biomagnetic Therapy Nutrition, Wellness Programmes
In a treatment I work with your body’s innate wisdom to help balance your Wellbeing and Vitality. This is done by taking into consideration the Mental/Emotional Realm, Nutrition & Chemical factors, Structural & Skeletal considerations and Microbial & Energy imbalances. I am running the Balanced Health Programme, a 3 month part-time foundation training in Systematic Kinesiology in Monaghan, starting the weekend of 8th & 9th October 2022. So if you are interested in taking more control of your Wellbeing, or perhaps considering Kinesiology as a career, then this course may be for you! Contact me for more details. KiNu Wellbing is the Key to a New You!
Brenda Darcy Kinesiology, Reflexology, Food Allergy Testing With over 15 years’ experience in different therapies and specialising in digestive issues / toxin elimination, I adapt each treatment to suit you so that you personally benefit from the very best I have to offer. Using muscle testing (no needles or blood tests) you walk away from the session with immediate results, advice, tips and a plan to get your body back.
Lots of different treatments offered Digestive / nutritional, emotional, structural and physical
Google - Brenda Darcy Ph : 087 6827462 Blackrock County Dublin Brenda.darcy@gmail.com HOLISTIC TREATMENTS THAT GIVE YOU BACK YOUR LIFE.
be a peaceful
warrior in training BEHAVE ‘AS IF’....
by Alyson McEvoy / Interviewed by Paul Congdon
The Way of The Peaceful Warrior is a story which will be resurrected time and again. The book was published in 1980 after considerable effort on behalf of its author, Dan Millman. It then withered away into silence. Bookstores were simply unable to box it into a clear genre and did not want it lying around, blurring lines. A retired publisher came across the book and was catapulted back into his career by it, determined that light be shed on its pages once more. Grateful are we readers, by the thousands if not more, who have read it since. The conversation we had with Dan Millman recently was a delight. He exudes candidness and warmth, and has an exceptionally bright twinkle in his eye.
WHY THE WARRIOR? Dan encountered bullying as a child. This led to his delving into martial arts at the early age of ten years old. He trained in Judo, Karate (various different styles of Karate), gymnastics, Aikido (in which he received a black belt) and went on to Tai Chi, Stick and Knife fighting and more, as the years went by. These disciplines, Dan emphasises, are not sports. They were practised and honed by warriors. “What is different between Martial Arts and sports is that they began with a lineage of life and death. There is a sincerity and a recognition that physical skill alone is not enough, if the emotions are in turmoil or the mind is distracted. They work with body, mind and spirit. I grew up with the idea of training body, mind and spirit into a spiritual whole.” In his career as an assistant professor of
Physical Education in Ohio, he focussed on creating talent for sport. He sought the ways in which he could increase his trainees’ ability to learn faster and increase their potential. Soon however, his “interest shifted outside of the gymnasium and into everyday life.” “I began to ask, how can we create more talent for daily life, for living, for relationships and finances.” As the shift continued to turn, Dan realised that, “It’s important not to dedicate our life to our sport or training, but we want to dedicate our training to our life. How we do anything is how we do everything.” Hence the warrior’s arena becomes the arena of daily life and the battles are the everyday ones we all face, from within and without.
demons of fear, insecurity, self-doubt. It’s about rolling up our sleeves and marching into everyday life and facing what we need to...I think it’s useful for us to view ourselves as a peaceful warrior in training.” “There have always been warriors in the world; strong, courageous, grounded, but not all of them have had a peaceful heart. And there have always been peacemakers; nourishing, kind, supportive, loving, but not all of those have been effective because they lacked a warrior spirit.” “A peaceful warrior is one who does their best not to harm others but brings a spirit and a strength into everyday life.”
A PEACEFUL WARRIOR’S PERSPECTIVE
The strength which Dan speaks of is the strength to use our free will in the only arena he finds is truly available to us – our actions and behaviour. “I don’t encourage you to feel happy or kind or loving or peaceful or confident or courageous. I encourage you to behave that way...regardless of doubts, behave with confidence, courage, peacefulness. I spent years working on my emotions and my thoughts. This is the reason I now focus on behaviour.” “I don’t have a spam filter in my head – thoughts happen to us. They just pop into our awareness. The same with emotions...feelings are for feeling. They enrich our lives...I’m not saying ignore or deny emotions. They are changing all the time, they are the weather patterns of the body...but I’ve found through my own experience that we have very little control by our own will over our emotions or our
Unreflected upon, it is likely that we view and ‘talk’ to ourselves, and potentially others, through the lens and voice of our early caretakers. However, once we begin to reflect on our perception of ourselves, we can take back ownership of our attitude to Self, life and others. Dan Millman’s perception of Self and others is one which he has spent decades evolving and honing. He invites us to share in this perception of Self and others as a way to face daily life and our engagement with it. “I view everyone as a peaceful warrior in training. Aren’t all of us seeking to live with a peaceful heart amidst the chaos and changes and current events of everyday life? To live with a sense of equanimity in the turmoil? We need an inner warrior, not necessarily to fight, but to fight our inner
SPIRIT, STRENGTH AND A PEACEFUL HEART
thoughts. I can’t will myself to suddenly stop feeling what I’m feeling...yet they fade over time anyway and we start feeling something else.” “[We should] accept our thoughts and feelings as natural to us in the moment...but focus on our purpose. Do what needs to be done in line with your goal. Behave in line with your goals as a human being.” So, you can behave your way into being a peaceful warrior. Simply take one action at a time, focusing on your aims in life. One thought at a time, allowing it to be. One feeling at a time, allowing yourself to be enriched by its tones and shades. Each moment the time is ripe for embodying your peaceful warrior within.
“I view everyone as a peaceful warrior in training.” GETTING THINGS DONE While Dan acknowledges that his approach is “controversial” to some, he is confident that it is now the way he wishes to approach life and living. Thanks to this “behaviour orientation”, his life has been “radically simplified”. The opposite of Dan’s approach is to focus on having the ‘right’ feelings, a positive mindset, fixing your thoughts or having a quiet mind. As in meditation, where the focus is on observing without opinion or judgement the inner landscape of thought and feeling, Dan uses this approach into his daily life. There too, he notices, accepts, does not fight or wrestle with thoughts that naturally occur. Instead, he focuses on what actions to take. “It is not pretence” to behave one way while having thoughts or feelings of a different order. It is simply the use of our free will in the best and only possible way we can use it – in what we do. Running to save someone from being knocked over while feeling fear, is not fake or pretence. It is courage in action. Getting things done and a practical outlook is of huge import in Dan’s life. “It’s important to function and get things done. Those of us who get things done feel more fulfilled.”
33
GETTING OUT FROM UNDER THE INFLUENCE “Acting on emotional impulses leads to a chaotic life,” says Dan. As young children we are constant storms and rainbows, the weather of our emotions changes rapidly and our behaviour with it. My two year old can go from a dainty, smiling little thing to raging, in a matter of seconds. Most especially if someone touches his favourite bike! Being around him can feel very chaotic at times. As a child myself I remember feeling like ‘I’ almost did not exist. I was in chaos. So fluttering and flittering were my own and others’ feelings and favourings. One week I had a best friend and the next week she had decided someone else would get that title. So fickle and varying was the world around me as I, and all the others my age, changed direction each time a new thought or feeling came our way. As a teen, the fickleness continued. I was fickle. ‘They’ were fickle. There was very little constancy in the arena of our friendships, relationships and attachments of all sorts. As young adults and adults, we begin to want to ‘get control’ over this tumultuous sea within us. We start to feel some of the ‘borrowed’ nature of our thoughts and feelings from our early care-takers, and we wish to root out and remove these. We bring to notice patterns, repetitions, thoughts and feelings that merely sabotage us and don’t belong to us truly. What can we do? Further on in our investigations we might start to explore how our thoughts and feelings, the ones that feel alien and hurtful to us, even got there. We uncover our traumas, the traumas of our parents, parent’s parents and ancestors. What can we do? Now, this ‘radical simplicity’ favoured by Dan, whereby he focuses his energy on behaving with peacefulness, courage and strength becomes very appealing. Moreover, it makes sense. “Everything becomes more simple and direct in our lives by focusing on ‘what do I have to do right now?’ Even if we don’t feel the motivation to do it. You can reclaim your will in this way... Find your inner strength through your outer strength. It’s a way to liberate ourselves from the tyranny of passing thoughts and emotions.”
FOLLOW DEEPER FEELINGS = LIVING YOUR PURPOSE Trusting ourselves does not mean acting on every feeling, Dan emphasises. The feelings we get “whispered to us from the wisdom of the heart and soul” are very different to the feelings which resemble the weather within. These “deeper feelings” are the ones that are true to us, they are rightly ours, because “they are speaking for us and from us.” These are not borrowed, inherited or generated from trauma responses. They are truly ours. One such deeper feeling which guided Dan into being the healing soul he is today was the realisation that “no matter how much I improved myself, only one person benefited. But if I could somehow influence other people and improve their life, that made my life more meaningful.” This whisper of Dan’s heart, this feeling of desire to improve others’ life is the kind of true-to-one’s-own-soul-andlife-purpose feelings we are talking of. These are calm guides within. Steadfast and with a clear aim. When we follow these deeper feelings, we are on our true path and the results are miraculous. “Because of my commitment to share whatever I learned with other people, that’s what opened me up to find my four different Master Teachers.” And all that Dan learned from those teachers is what went into his book Way of the Peaceful Warrior. “I am Socrates. That is to say, he is a projection of my own psyche. I was not Socrates’ student but his creator. As my muse, he assisted in his own creation.”
NEWEST BOOK Dan certainly gets things done. He is the author of almost twenty books. In his most recent book, a reflective memoir entitled Peaceful heart, Warrior Spirit, Dan reflects on his life experiences, the ones that shaped him into being the spiritual teacher he is today.
peacefulwarrior.com
POSITIVE MEDICINE
handling times of
transition with grace
VISUALISE A BALLET DANCER FLOWING NATURALLY WITH ELEGANCE AND GRACE. by Madeline Winzer (CNM) Our lives are in a constant state of flux, with some changes being more prominent than others. We are presented with situations daily that challenge us and require us to adapt so we can continue with the flow of life. Some transitions are routine and include getting up in the morning, choosing what to have for breakfast and driving the same route to work – most of the time things run smoothly and potential disruptions to the daily grind may include travel delays and unforeseen emergencies. They are known as minor stressors and can be easily addressed compared to major stressors which include moving house, death of a loved one, separation or divorce, retirement, pregnancy, changes in the health of a loved one or a change of career path. These could be considered important life events and may be good or bad stressors depending on the context. The uncertainty that comes with an unexpected change can be anxiety-inducing, but if you look at the situation from a positive perspective and take an active role in solving the problem or moving forward instead of procrastinating, then you will build both confidence and resilience. Some individuals are more adept at handling change than others as they appear to breeze effortlessly through life with a certain degree of je ne sais quoi. They can see things through a different lens which allows them to see the bigger picture, rather than allowing themselves to get caught up in the small details. It is important to note that is not the circumstances these individuals go through, but the mindset that the individual travels with that separates
36
individuals of grace from those filled with anger and bitterness. Visualise a ballet dancer flowing naturally with elegance and grace. They have dedicated years of their lives to perfecting their art form moving fluidly from one pose into another. They don’t just have beautiful form, but also beautiful poise. They endure injuries, muscle cramps and burning feet to name a few; however, they were taught not to complain about their fatigue. The key lessons that ballet dancers learn during their training is to maintain composure and exhibit beauty
through their expressions. A certain degree of vulnerability is required to hold space on stage with stillness, while pauses in the choreography allow for the expression in a piece to change and evolve – this increases anticipation in the audience and can be powerful. The training received by ballet dancers translates to everyday life as they learn how to maintain their composure in situations that are beyond their comfort zone.
“…Making positive adjustments to your life will give you a feeling of contentment.”
Time is a key factor when transitioning from one thing to another with ease and there are a few things you can do to help you manoeuvre change gracefully:
don’t understand but making positive adjustments to your life will give you a feeling of contentment and inspire others to do the same.
• R eflect on past transitions and remember how you overcame those challenges. Taking the time to do so helps you consider what works for you when it comes to managing stress. Keeping a journal can be good for articulating your fears and anxieties about your experiences. Talking to a friend about how you are feeling can also be helpful as they can help take the load off your shoulders and suggest possible solutions to your problems.
• T ravelling is a great way to meet new people who help you develop a stronger sense of empathy for others while introducing you to the alternative ways you can live life. It will teach you to accept and embrace the parts of yourself that you aren’t fully comfortable with, and you will learn to be more tolerant of other people whose values differ from your own. Allowing room for mistakes is key as striving for perfection is unrealistic and boring.
• H ow you view change shapes your experience so if you are feeling stuck and don’t like the situation you are in, change it. At the end of the day, you are responsible for the choices you make. Find something that brings joy to your life and commit to it. It will be uncomfortable at first because as humans we naturally fear what we
• F ocusing on your health is important during times of uncertainty as stress takes its toll on the body. Eating a balanced diet can help keep inflammation at bay while improving your immunity, whereas exercise can provide a positive outlet for stress and anxiety. If it is work that leaves you feeling ruffled, book in for a gym class
CNM
COLLEGE OF NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE
Training Successful Practitioners
to release pent-up energy before going home – endorphins make you happy too! We all go off track sometimes as we navigate our next step, and it can be easy to lose sight of our purpose. If you maintain the core of who you are and what you believe in, then life will work out the way it’s supposed to in the end. We can make a dance of our own lives, with poise and elegance, stops and starts, and respond to the challenges of life with dignity and grace.
naturopathy.ie
RE FREE LECTU Scan below
CHANGE CAREER
Train to become a… + Nutritional Therapist + Herbalist + Acupuncturist + Homeopath + Naturopath Postgraduate & Short Courses Part-time studies NEW Study in class or online Colleges in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Belfast and in the UK 01 878 8060
EDUCATION AWARDS 2021
Best College
2021
naturopathy.ie/plfree
POSITIVELY ORGANIC
globe
artichoke THE GRACEFUL EDIBLE THISTLE.
by Hans Wieland
38
“His memoir is a splendid artichoke of anecdotes, in which not merely the heart and leaves but the thistle as well are edible.” (John Leonard)
Italy is the country I most associate with eating artichokes. Very tender young artichokes raw in salads, or preserved in oil. Larger artichokes sautéed, stuffed, fried, breaded or with pasta. The artichoke or Carciofi is a prized delicacy in Italy. Grown in fields, called carciofaie, all across central and southern Italy and planted in bunches as part of their landscaping, or as hedges up and down the driveways that lead to their homes in Umbria.
…more than just an ornamental We haven’t landscaped our driveway with artichokes yet, but we have always had artichokes and in years when we forgot to eat them, we enjoyed the flowers of this stunning and yet graceful plant just as much. Some gardeners grow them solely for their visual appeal as ornamental plants in a flower border. Not only do they have a unique architectural quality, but the arching leaves have a texture of their own. Whatever way you feel about eating it, the globe artichoke (Cynara scolymus) is a beautiful plant in any vegetable garden. We love the interesting flavour and unique taste and cook them in salty water until soft. Dipping the leaves or scales in home-made aioli and scraping the small pads at the base of the scales with your teeth is a communal culinary experience, slow and sumptuous. The best part is the soft heart with a taste similar to asparagus. John Evelyn, writing his ‘Discourse on Salads’ in 1699, recommends the following – “the heads, being slit in quarters, first eaten raw, with oil, a little vinegar, salt and pepper gratefully recommends a glass of wine”. He also cooks the young artichokes in butter until crisp and serves them with parsley.
…and highly nutritious Globe artichokes are also highly nutritious, low in fat, high in fibre and loaded with vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, phosphorus and magnesium. They are prebiotic and have
a high inulin content that feeds the good bacteria in the gut flora. This prohibits the growth of bad bacteria and has also been shown to stimulate the immune system.
“Globe artichokes are also highly nutritious, low in fat, high in fibre and loaded with vitamins and minerals...” A very short history of the globe artichoke The origin of globe artichokes is unknown. In the Arab world, they are known as ‘Ardi-Shoki’ which means ‘ground thorny’. One of the oldest cultivated vegetables grown in Sicily during the Greek period, the Greeks called them kaktos. In this period, the cultivated leaves and flower heads, which cultivation had already improved from the wild form, were eaten. The Romans received the plant from the Greeks and globe artichokes were cultivated in Naples around the middle of the ninth century. The plant was introduced to England in the 15th century and from there probably made its way to Ireland, where today they are still kind of a novelty and not widely available. The cultivation of globe artichokes is mainly concentrated in the nations along the Mediterranean basin, with Italy, Egypt and Spain the world’s main producers.
Growing globe artichokes for an early summer crop The globe artichoke belongs to the Asteraceae family, which also includes plants like daisies, lettuce, chicory, dandelion, ragwort and sunflowers.
Within the Asteraceae, globe, artichokes are considered to be ‘thistles’. Growing up to a height of 1.8 metres, and demanding a square metre of space, it effortlessly commands centre-stage. The largest globe is on top of the plant and the smaller ones grow beneath. It is at its eating prime as an immature flower. If not harvested, the buds (the edible part) will develop into deep-blue, thistle-like flowers. The edible matter are buds that form within the flower heads before the flowers come into bloom about six months after planting. The buds then change to a coarse, not edible form and produce beautiful purple thistle-like flowers. Globe artichokes grow well in our mild climate, especially in seaside areas. They require a well-drained fertile soil and mulching with manure every spring helps to produce strong vigorous plants, ideally sheltered from strong winds. We grow our globe artichokes in a border in our vegetable garden. It’s slow to grow from seed, so best is to buy in plants or multiply from new shoots/suckers in spring, roots attached, from the outer section of established plants. Well known varieties are Green Globe, Romanesco and Violetta di Chioggia (purple). Cutting back the flowering stalks at the base as soon as possible after harvesting the heads will promote the growth of strong suckers which will produce more in the following year. We haven’t encountered any problems and have experienced no pests or diseases. If you’re looking for something new for your vegetable garden, think globe artichokes. These prized vegetables add extra interest wherever they’re planted.
Hans Wieland works and teaches at Neantog Kitchen Garden School in Cliffony, Co.Sligo. neantog.com
tofu-riffic omelettes by Bart Sowa
The beginning of a beautiful friendship. A summer recipe to for anytime of the day. Turns out you can make an omelette without breaking any eggs. Welcome to our Summer Recipes. Our guest chef for this issue is Bart from Sova Vegan Butcher. Having won the hearts of Dubliners since their inception in 2015, they have moved to a new location in the Liberties and have rebranded as Coco Sova. Pop in and check out their culinary wizardry. The King Skallops, made with mouth watering mushrooms are phenomenal, you won’t believe they are vegan. We absolutely love it…
CHICKPEAS AND TOFU OMELETTE WITH MUSHROOM, TOMATO AND SPINACH. Ingredients 200g silken tofu 300ml plant based milk 250g chickpea flour 1 tsp baking powder 2 tsp of olive oil 1/4 tsp turmeric Pinch of black salt (optional) Vegetable Filling1 tsp olive oil 2 sliced portobello mushrooms 300g baby spinach 150g cherry tomatoes
Method; 1 In a small mixing bowl, whisk the chickpea flour, turmeric, baking powder, black salt (or salt). Use a food processor and blend tofu until it’s a smooth paste.Whisk in the milk and tofu until smooth and no lumps appear. Set aside while you cook the vegetables, then combine with the batter. 2 In a non-stick frying pan, heat oil over medium heat and sauté the mushroom slices, spinach and cherry tomato until fully roasted. It takes about 4 minutes.
3 Season the vegetables with
salt and pepper. Remove the vegetables from the pan and set them aside. 4 In the same non-stick
pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat, brushing it all over the pan to prevent the omelette from sticking. Pour the chickpea omelette batter in the pan, tilting the pan in a circular motion to spread it as you would do for crepes.
5 Cook for 3-4 minutes, the
omelette is cooked when the sides are dry and it’s not wet in the centre. Cover half of the omelette with the sautéed vegetables, loosen up the omelette sides with a spatula and fold in half over the filling. Cover with the lid and cook for another 2 minutes to ensure it is cooked well. Serve immediately. Find out more about Bart and his work here: sovaveganbutcher.ie
41
WELCOME TO MY WORLD I have had the great honour and pleasure of working with Denise Linn and successfully completed her Certified Clutter Coach: The Denise Linn Method for Transformation Certificate Programme. Denise is native American (Cherokee) and has written several books on this subject.
THE GREEN CONCEPT
Conlemany is not just any Brand, its a brand in a store of beautiful healthy products. Located in Upper George’s Street in Dun Laoghaire, owned and run by Italian couple Francesco Piccolo and Ivanna Margarini offering a ZERO WASTE, ORGANIC, VEGAN, ARTISAN, food store and a ZERO CHEMICALS, PLANT BASED ORGANIC HAIRDRESSER.
My background is in the healing arts, Aromatherapy, Reflexology and an Honours Degree in Psychotherapy from Middlesex University. Clutter Clearing is a kind of alchemy that can transform every aspect of our life. Clutter affects us on many levels, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Our homes should be places of renewal, a sanctuary to retreat to for healing, an oasis for peace and harmony. However, if we are surrounded by clutter we find it difficult to focus and may even feel ill because of it. Clutter clearing can be the magical catalyst for life changing results and powerful transformations occur, it is the alchemy of life and can empower in wonderful ways!
If you are ready for change give me a call - Cecilia 085 244 2487
Conlemany is an ECO-SUSTAINABLE Brand, PLASTIC FREE with a natural plant based hair dye approach and face masks. Hair and scalp treatments are freshly prepared on site, can be applied as part of your treatment in the salon or to use at home. Taking care of our health and planet is a new way to perfect wellbeing.
www.organicitalianhair.bio 087 719 4495 - OUR MANTRA -
LESS PLASTIC IS FANTASTIC!
AVAILABLE FROM HEALTH STORES NATIONWIDE
Quercetin & Zinc Irish made Quercetin & Zinc product providing 500mg of Quercetin with 15mg of Zinc per dose.
An Tobar Retreat & Spirituality Centre Available for private hire for events and retreats
www.antobar.ie Quercetin is a natural anti-histamine found in many foods like apples, onions & berries.
5 Day Christian Ashram Experience Registration and Orientation Tuesday July 12th 6.30pm Retreat starting Wednesday July 13th 7.00am Finishing Sunday July 17th 4.00pm Facilitator: An Tobar Ashram team
For details contact Jackie 046-9078973
An Tobar antobarnavan
short & sweet 43
Join the ‘Handmade’ Revolution CONLEMANY SHOWS US HOW IT’S DONE. by Alison McEvoy Nothing could prepare me for what I found when I walked through the doors at Conlemany, Italian Organic Hair Studio in Dun Laoghaire. As a child I developed a distaste for supermarkets, laden as they were with tins and boxes of food that were neither fresh nor healthy. I saw behind the stocked shelves a distinct lack of love for humanity’s health and well-being, and for that of nature, the earth. I experienced the exact opposite of that as I entered Conlemany. It was simply beautiful and my heart sang. It was not mere eye candy either but beauty from the inside out – Conlemany has depth, inspiration, passion and a love of nature and the human being at its core. From the Italian phrase, ‘Con le many’ means ‘with your hands’. Everything in the store that could be considered ‘processed’ – the chocolate, the beautiful clothing, jewellery, syrups, jams–are all done so by human hands. Down further into a little cave of
“Conlemany has depth, inspiration, passion and a love of nature and the human being at its core.” alchemy, you find the hair spa/salon. The walls are lined with organic powdered herbs, dried flowers and measuring and mixing tools. The sound of running water tinkles through the air and mingles with the scent of potted plants. Here, bespoke, organic hair and scalp treatments and dyes are created. Each client is treated as the individual they are and mixtures are made – yes, you have it – by hand, on each occasion they are used. The choice to live an organic lifestyle, a handmade lifestyle is one that involves a lot of unlearning. Unlearning the expectations in relation to what things look like, or how long things will take. Our organic apples may not be as perfect as the chemical-laden ones. Our organic hair dye will not bleach like peroxide does...but the organic chocolate does taste a lot better! organicitalianhair.bio
SHORT AND SWEE T
Practice Of Mind THE ART OF REBIRTHING. by Kate Stuart
We recently caught up with Orli, a medicinal practitioner from Practice Of Mind. Orli shared how she began her journey of helping others to tap into their power. Her work focuses on holding space for her clients to do the work for themselves but with her expertise. She specialises in Rebirthing Breathwork, a powerful practice to help people overcome past experiences that may be holding them back in life. Through her own explorations into rebirthing breathwork, Orlia began to think of how she can help others. “I love this, this is what I want to do – I felt the calling.” This wonderful experience can be done one-on-one with Orli or in a group setting. Orli offers workshops to give you a taste of what you can discover with this practice, you can then decide if a course would suit your needs.
“I love this, this is what I want to do – I felt the calling.” Another fascinating aspect of Orli’s work is her practice in Psych-K. PSYCH-K® allows you to quickly and painlessly change subconscious beliefs that are limiting the full expression of your potential in life, as a spiritual being having a human experience. This includes your mental, emotional, physical and spiritual well-being.This is a practice based around the idea of changing the thought patterns, those pesky negative thoughts that circulate through our conscious and subconscious mind all the time. Orli teaches her clients how to tap into the minutiae of these thoughts to acknowledge them but to not give them power, nipping them in the bud as she puts it. She enables her clients to take the steps towards making positive changes in their lives.
Latin Quarter A SLICE OF RIO IN REDCROSS. by Kate Stuart
It’s always a joy to highlight the amazing work being done by small Irish businesses. We recently caught up with Sandra Fernandes to chat about Latin Quarter – a space for artists, crafts people and culinary artists to commune. Set in a 200 year old building, located in beautiful Redcross in Wicklow, the atmosphere is rustic and eclectic. Sandra leaned on her architectural background when she chose this particular building for her venture. Latin Quarter is a perfect mix of Irish and Brazilian cultures; Sandra fuses the best of both worlds, creating a warm and friendly atmosphere for all her visitors. She is meticulous in her selection for Latin Quarter, choosing only the finest, most authentic items from around the world. Connection to nature is important to Sandra, who takes a holistic approach to her work: “I have always been aware of the spiritual and holistic connection humans have to the world we all live in.” Latin Quarter is a space for relaxation and rejuvenation, you’ll find people chilling out on sofas outside or curling up with a book inside. The space is a feast for the eyes, furnished with a variety of beautiful, curiously interesting and one-of-a-kind products which Sandra has collected. What started off as an art space, has turned into so much more! Latin Quarter boasts an impressive array of products from homewares, aromatherapy, gifts and a café which serves Brazilian coffee amongst other delicious treats.The summertime will see Latin Quarter facilitating outdoor yoga, painting and dance workshops and soon Sandra will be offering massage and Reiki. This is your onestop shop for positive vibes with a Latin twist! latinquarter.online/
44
“I have always been aware of the spiritual and holistic connection humans have to the world we all live in”
The Latin Quarter is a soul-filled Art & Craft & Coffee Shop situated in the picturesque Village of Redcross, nestled between the Wicklow mountains and the beautiful Brittas Bay. The Latin Quarter is a place where you can find homemade crafts, arts, rustic decor, coffee, tea, and artisan food. So what has the Latin Quarter got to offer? Sustainable and Eco friendly products from small cottage industries, such as our Aromatherapy range, candles, incense, bath therapy, jewelry, ceramics, handmade rugs. On the cuisine front, Latin Quarter introduces the Bossa Nova Café. Treat yourself with our high quality Brazilian coffee and a small taste of Brazilian cuisine. You will also find artisan food, vegetarian and vegan options. In our food court you will find the Pancake Parlour offering amazing fresh crepes and our Italian pizza from our fabulous airstream trailer. Sunday afternoon Trad music session, a great opportunity to listen to local musicians, such as Eileen McLane. When you come through the arch at the Latin Quarter you are entering a realm of magic with our sun drenched courtyard encroached by nature and history from every angle. Relax and enjoy the fabulous atmosphere, where you will be surrounded by beauty, art and tranquillity. Latin Quarter Spring opening hours: Thursday - Sunday 10am - 5pm. Summertime everyday from 10am - 5pm Instagram: latin.quarter
Website: latinquarter.online
“Oscailt is home to a community of holistic and integrative practitioners. We have beautiful one-to-one and studio spaces to rent. Come join us!”
Oscailt 8 Pembroke Road Ballsbridge Dublin 4 Phone: (01) 660 3872 Email: info@oscailt.com Web: www.oscailt.com Reception: Monday - Friday: 10am - 2pm
SHORT AND SWEE T
Connecting the Mind and Body KAREN WARD ON AGELESS AGEING AND THE MBE SHOW. by Kate Stuart “We’re beyond excited to meet everyone in September, to do the hugs and everything we have been missing.” We recently caught up with Karen Ward, a celtic Shaman and author. Karen along with her partner John Cantwell are the founders and directors of Slí An Chroí Shamanism. Karen went live to chat about a wonderful event taking place in the autumn, The Dublin Mind Body Experience. Taking place on the 16th –18th September 2022, this annual event is a great opportunity for folks to meet, share ideas and connect. It has been a while since we could all get together so this year is extra special! There is a wealth of experience to be explored at this festival. “There is a flavouring of everything” for people that are beginning on their spiritual journey to people that have been living the high vibe life for some time. You can have a taste of Reiki, Sound Bath healing and Shamanic journeying, to name a few. Karen beams when she tells us about her new book coming out, The Secrets of Ageless Ageing. She approaches the topic of ageing through a holistic lens
with humour and grace, giving sound, practical advice and a commonsense approach to the inevitability that is growing older. The book covers everything from society’s view of ageing, adjusting your perspective on ageing and taking opportunities to enjoy this new chapter of your life. During our conversation Karen unpacks ideas around self-love. “Self-love is not selfaggrandisement… It is much more centred around being humble.” If you can come from the aspect of loving your soul, then circle back to loving your human self, it is a good way to approach self-love. Dr Karen Ward is the author of Goddess of Ireland and a facilitator of women’s circles, among others. Find out more about this dynamic woman and her work here:
“There is a flavouring of drkarenwardtherapist.ie everything” slianchroi.ie mindbodyexperience.ie
Decoding Dreams WORKING WITH THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND.
“Dreams have healing and empowering properties if we can learn to understand them.”
by Gill Toal “Dreams are little workshops.” A healing scenario in which you are expected to participate in little activities that you wouldn’t normally do. You meet characters within your dreams and these are in fact versions of the self, the masculine and feminine aspects of our personality. George Rhatigan is an internationally acclaimed author, healer, dream analyst, radio and television broadcaster. His ability to analyse and decipher dreams has helped many people over his forty plus years in the field of dream interpretation. His wealth of
46
experience and his knowledge is second to none. Dream interpretation is the process of assigning meaning to your dreams. We spend about six years of our lives dreaming – some dreams are quickly forgotten while others stay in our memory forever. Dreams have healing and empowering properties if we can learn to understand them. George uses meditation techniques to go into dreams to make sense of them, to begin to understand their message. George has helped many people with issues ranging from fertility to sleep to name but a few,
but he insists that he merely facilitates the dreamer to heal themselves. Healing with Dreams in the New Age is the new book from George which will be available in June. George shares a lifetime of healing techniques, insights and experience, teaching the reader to interact with dreams to understand them better. Topics covered include working with the subconscious mind to support healing and ways of interacting with dreams for healing and improved success.
Dublin Mind Body Experience Hall 4, RDS, Dublin 4. 16th, 17th & 18th September 2022 Free Admission, 200 Exhibitors & 100 Complimentary Talks, Workshops & Classes
Cork Mind Body Experience Cork City Hall, Cork - 15th & 16th October 2022 Free Admission, 110 Exhibitors & 100 Complimentary Talks, Workshops & Classes For full listings & Schedules visit: mindbodyexperience.ie
ESCAPE THE STRESSES OF DAILY LIFE AND IMMERSE YOURSELF IN RELAXATION & WELLNESS
MINDFULNESS & YOGA BREAK Yoga, Meditation, Mindfulness, Tibetan Bowls Sound Healing As well as deluxe accommodation and nutritious meals.
www.creaconwellnessretreat.com Tel: 051 447 666 E: info@creaconwellnessretreat.com
SHORT AND SWEE T
Write Your Way Through It WRITING AS THERAPY. by Claire Maguire Did you know that writing expressively for as little as 15 minutes a day can bring about improvements in mental and physical health? WriteWell, the world’s first, online writing for wellbeing community launched in March 2021. The therapeutic writing platform assisted those who needed a lift and a connection to others. Today it continues to help boost people’s moods and bring calm and resilience to many. “Over one year on and we are seeing even more of a need to introduce people to the well-proven power of therapeutic writing. Whether it’s a Creating Calm or a Finding Purpose course, or a Mindfulness and Meditation challenge, there is something in WriteWell for everyone, even for the unseasoned writer,” says WriteWell’s Claire Maguire. Live events with wellbeing experts and a weekly online writing group are just some of the exciting ways to learn about the world around us and how we can respond by writing about it. The bite-size activities and short courses have been designed by experts to help support wellbeing in a variety of ways, from reducing stress and easing pain, to curbing anxiety. People can go at their own pace and write to suit their mood. There are
“WriteWell is about tuning into the power of writing for self-care.” timed classes and events for those who enjoy weekly deadlines to keep motivated. WriteWell is about tuning into the power of writing for self-care. It can help people to process difficult emotions and to bring perspective, particularly in challenging times. From diaries to letters, emails to shopping lists, texts to social media, many of us write everyday. Writing can be one of the best tools for making sense of life. writewellcommunity.com
Make Your Tummy Happy PROBIOTICS FOR ALL TIMES OF LIFE. by Alison McEvoy Probiotics are key to restoring gut and digestion health. Due to this restorative effect on the microbes in the gut, which are essential in order to digest and receive nourishment from our food, probiotics are in fact an important part of immune and overall health, too.
“probiotics are... an important part of immune and overall health”
48
Babies, especially when they start entering crèches and playgrounds, can get infection upon infection for months on end. Courses of antibiotics come and go. These little tummies are just beginning to learn to digest different foods. They need all the help they can get, especially after a course of antibiotics. The mum in Sinead FitzGerald is what led
her to create HappyTummy.ie. “I’m enthusiastic and really into probiotics! Maybe to the point of being a little nerdy! I studied Nutrition for three years and my dissertation was on probiotics in pregnancy and beyond. The research I completed helped me find the best baby probiotic for my daughter. Two years later I was looking for the BioGaia drops to give to my newborn son and wasn’t able to find them in Ireland and then the idea for HappyTummy.ie was born!” “Hearing how well the BioGaia probiotic drops work to make so many babies’ tummies better is very motivating and it’s great to get the word out there! Some good gut bacteria are all some babies need to soothe and calm their tummy pain and reduce their crying.” HappyTummy.ie stocks all things probiotics, and not just for babies. You’ll find probiotics for all ages and times of life. happytummy.ie
“Nourish Your Mind, Body & Spirit” Workshop/Event Space at The Soul Sanctuary @ Wicklow Holistic Centre Weekly Yoga & Movement Classes Weekly Sound Immersions One to One Treatments and Readings Retail Shop with a Large Range of Crystals Alessandro Olianas of Nuragic Shamaic Healing The Nuragic Moon Oracle Deck is an ancient wisdom shared for the modern age. It is connected with the new moons and full moons of the year, encompassing the energy of Sardinian Goddesses and the Nuragic Culture. Exclusively available in Ireland from Elaine Woods @ Wicklow Holistic Centre for both retail and wholesale purchase. Alessandro will be travelling to Ireland later this year to bring his unique brand of teaching to The Soul Sanctuary.
Now exclusive stockist and wholesale distributor in Ireland of the Nuragic Moon Oracle. For whole sale inquiries and space rental contact Elaine on 087 994 3776 Call/Text/Whatsapp: 087 108 4399 FB/IG: @wicklowholisticcentre Email: wicklowholisticcentre@gmail.com
Small drops big difference! Upset tummy?
Colic?
For a naturally happier tummy! @HappyTummy.ie @HappyTummyIRL
the best tasting juices and smoothies made fresh for you! Visit Jump Juice in shopping centres nationwide or online at jumpjuicedirect.ie
ENERGY – The Natural Way
*
Why Choose BioActive Q10 from Pharma Nord? • The Original, Best Selling Q10 Brand in Europe • Patented Formulation for Exceptional Absorption & Effectiveness
IE_Q10_Ad_IPNews_210x297_1120
• Official Reference Product of the International Coenzyme Q10 Association • Product of Choice for the Ground Breaking KiSel10 and Q-Symbio Scientific Studies * With vitamin B2 that contributes to the body’s energy-yielding metabolism and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue
VIEW FULL RANGE – SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER – ENTER COMPETITIONS www.pharmanord.ie • Tel: 01 8991650
Beat the Clock SLOWING DOWN THE AGING PROCESS. by Helen McSharry
In my clinic, The Magic Spoon, I focus on women and children’s health, empowering my clients to empower themselves through their dietary choices. Most of my clients are women 45-plus, who have raised, or almost raised their children and are keen to spend some quality time now focusing on themselves and their overall health and nutrition. I provide nutritious, easy-tofollow recipes, shopping lists, advice on any food intolerances, help on shedding any excess pounds, and the tools for them to recharge their bodies themselves. But sometimes, even with the best will and diet in the world, life can take its toll. Lately, I am seeing more and more clients suffering from Chronic Fatigue, run down by the daily demands of balancing work, life and family. Add the stresses and strains of the last two years into the mix and it’s understandable that so many of us are simply burnt out. So I have been researching new ways to help re-energise my clients and combat Chronic Fatigue. Theories suggest viruses can trigger conditions such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. A virus may be the trigger, but a lifetime of consuming the wrong foods may set the stage. This presents as having too much processed and refined foods and too much sugar. Not having enough good fats, complex carbs or fresh fruit and vegetables. Inactivity and side effects of some medications can also have an effect. Something is disrupting the energy metabolism at a cellular level. And the problems are related to the mitochondria,
the cellular power plants that convert oxygen and nutrients into energy. This helps explain why people lack energy. And stress will aggravate symptoms, further impacting on the immune system, the autonomous system and energy turnover. And let’s face it, we’ve all been under considerable stress the last two years. The mitochondria, those powerhouses within our cells, rely on Coenzyme Q10 – a vitamin-like substance involved in electron transfer that provides energy. Co Q10 is an antioxidant as well as an energy source so it also helps with DNA repair. It’s a bit like a self-charging battery constantly fueling and recharging our cells, but it declines as we age. As we get older our bodies become more and more susceptible to oxidative stress, premature aging, adrenal fatigue, immune disfunction, chronic disease and, with women, menopausal symptoms. Ideally, we would get everything from our diet, I like to think nature has given us all we need to feel well. Co Q10 is concentrated in foods like organ meats, and some dairy and wholefoods, but it’s hard to achieve a therapeutic level from diet alone. I’ve been taking Pharma Nord BioActive Co Q10 on and off for nine years now, as it’s very well researched and easily absorbed. I’ve experimented with other brands, but this gives me the best results. I
find if I stop taking it for a few months my energy levels start to drop. I’m in my 40s, Co Q10 levels start to decline from our mid-20s onwards. That said, everyone has a different metabolic rate. Lifestyle choices and genetic predisposition will come into play, but generically speaking by the time we hit our mid-40s Co Q10 levels will have dropped to around 60% in key organs like the heart, brain, liver and lungs. So I take it to put back in what life and aging is trying to take out! This got me thinking about my clients, their stage in life, and what we have all been through the last two years. I now believe that along with a whole food, balanced diet, clean water, fresh air, exercise and sunshine – supplementing with Co-Enzyme Q10 helps re-infuse our cells by recharging our energy at a DNA level. This may in fact slow down, treat and even prevent Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and possibly other age-related conditions. Co-enzyme Q10 may be an extremely important piece of the puzzle in ensuring a long, happy and healthy life. It is definitely food for thought. Find out more about Helen McSharry, Nutritionist – The Magic Spoon themagicspoon.ie Tel: 0871316110
“Co Q10 is an antioxidant as well as an energy source so it also helps with DNA repair. ”
51
SHORT AND SWEE T
Can We Ease Anxiety Through Embodiment? THE OMG WAY THROUGH ANXIETY. by Steve Haines Anxiety is most commonly framed as a psychological problem, and helping people with anxiety has traditionally been seen as the territory of mental health professionals. However, through over 20 years of clinical experience as a bodyworker, I’ve discovered how safely connecting to the body is a key tool to slow down feelings of anxiety and panic. I teach simple, practical tools that can help take the edge off anxiety, by understanding and relating to our physiology, as well as how you can support others to find agency and choice in meeting their anxiety. At Body College we explore: ➡️ • How anxiety is rooted in protective gestures of speeding up to survive – it is much more than a psychological problem. • Embodied approaches to managing anxiety.
“The map of Orient – Move – Ground can serve as a useful guide to working in an embodied way, and bring a creative response to anxiety.” ➡️ • H ow to understand the hidden stories and protective reflexes that can be working hard to protect us, through anxiety. ➡️ • H ow to self regulate intense feelings. (Feeling is hard, but if you can’t feel, it is very hard to heal). The map of Orient – Move – Ground can serve as a useful guide to working in an embodied way, and bring a creative response to anxiety. OMG is a good mnemonic to help you remember. ORIENT When we feel anxious, our body can feel activated – our threat detection systems (our inner ‘guard dogs’) tell us we aren’t safe, and catastrophic thoughts can take over. 1. Go slow Pause and give time. Acknowledge what is happening: ‘I notice there is a big charge here’ or ‘I notice there is an urge to go quick’ or ‘I notice it seems hard for to be here’. 2. Orient to the environment Can you hear the rain or wind? How many lights can you see above you? Do you like the pictures on the wall? Distract yourself away from the edge of fear.
52
3. Orient to a safe person Find someone you trust (a supporter) to help you come in to safety. For therapists/ supporters; you need to be the safest thing in the room - to be present. Skills for the therapist/supporter include; use a low, slow voice, lots of eye contact and
authentic facial expression. Hand-holding can be really useful. MOVE Moving is an important way to mobilise ourselves out of the protective ‘freeze’ immobilisation response to anxiety, where we seek safety by withdrawing and dissociating. 1. Simple movements can be very beneficial Can you wiggle your toes, tense legs, tense arms? Sit up, stand up or walk around if needed. 2. Generate a sense of power through movement Strong movements generate a sense of power in the limbs. Push your feet into the floor, push your hands together. GROUND Essentially, grounding is about connection with the body. 1. Ground in your body Orient to body sensations, to redirect attention from thinking and emoting, into safe sensations. Check the weight, size and shape of limbs. Can you feel your belly? Can you feel the back of your body? Ask yourself, ‘how does that feel in my body right now?’. Focus on simple descriptive words, and avoid interpretation. Feeling your feet can create a downward focus away from a hot, active, busy head. 2. Ground with your breath Change your breathing pattern – make long slow out breaths to stimulate the new vagus, hold your breath. 3. Ground through Self Touch Put a hand on belly, a hand on heart, rub your hands, self squeezing down the limbs.
bodycollege.net
WIDE RANGE OF MULTI PACKS
I AM
100% Recyclable
Inspired by nature for a clean, crisp taste irishspringwater.com
54 Discover Osteopathy UNCOVER WHOLE BODY HEALTH. by Alison McEvoy Speaking with Paula Marren on the subject of osteopathy, you get the sense that she is someone with an exceptional amount of passion, curiosity and expertise. “Osteopathy is primarily a musculoskeletal, hands-on therapy which works on joints, muscles, soft tissues, etc. It identifies restrictions and maintains health by ensuring the various structures of the body are functioning optimally by releasing joints, gentle manipulations and the like. I fell in love with osteopathy...I was hooked very young. Almost straight after secondary school I went into it... The more I dig into it, the more I get out of it. It’s such a huge endeavour, working with the body... There is huge variety and scope to improve things and you are working thoroughly with the whole body, not just breaking down your treatment to work on where the ‘problem’ is... It is much more interesting to look entirely at a person. Working deeply is more engaging and feeds your curiosity. You can have a long career with osteopathy.”
Osteopathy & You So, if you are tempted to think
“There is huge variety and scope to improve things and you are working thoroughly with the whole body.”
that ‘muscle and bone’ issues identify the boundaries of what osteopathy deals most effectively with, think again. Indeed, think the whole body. The bones are the structure, the lining, the frame. They hold everything in place and if they are misaligned, or restricted or tight, everything that is held and supported by them may be affected; our organs, our nervous system, our immune system. By ensuring good circulation throughout the body, the mobility and freedom of the structures, it allows all of the body’s systems to keep working and fighting infection. “We support the body’s own defences to keep health. We don’t prescribe medications and this avoids any complications or side effects. We work with musculoskeletal injuries, yes, however asthma, digestion problems, issues with newborns such as tongue tie and reflux respond very well to osteopathy.”
A noble profession Paula, with thirty years of professional practice under her belt, was recently named president of the osteopathy council. The
council has long been at work in Ireland to support osteopaths around the country, and to self-regulate the profession to ensure good standards of care, conduct and qualification. When you go to an osteopath who is a member of the osteopathy council, you know they have insurance, are up to date with their professional training and have strong qualifications behind them. The council also provides support and a sense of community to its members. The aim which Paula will work towards in her position for the next few years is to hand the model of regulation the council has created over to the government. Osteopathy is a lengthy undertaking for a passionate few. It involves four years of undergraduate training and a thousand hours of clinical practice. Previously, those who wished to study it had to do so in the UK, however there is now a degree course running in Co. Cork. It is a labour of love, passion, curiosity and the osteopaths of Ireland want to see osteopathy more widely recognised for its wonderful healing capacities and strengths.
Take control of your finances Do you control your money or is it the other way around? Would you like to develop better habits around your money? Remove the guilt of not managing your finances well
Osteopathy is a hands-on approach to healthcare, recognising the important link between the structures of your body & the way it functions. Your osteopath can help with: Back pain Neck pain Joint pains Headaches & more… Treatment is suitable for all ages from infants to the elderly, including pregnant women. Always make sure your osteopath is a member of the Osteopathic Council of Ireland (OCI) before you visit. All members of the OCI have a minimum 4 years full-time bachelor degree education, including 1000 hours of supervised clinical tuition. They also maintain professional insurance and participate in compulsory continued learning each year.
For more information, or to find an osteopath, please visit www.osteopathy.ie Free 15 minute consultation for reader of Positive Life Magazine (Quote: PL2022)
www.financialcoaching.ie Call 087 9828742
Ireland
Vitamin Drips & Booster Shots, your health is your wealth... Get A Drip offer IV Vitamin Drips & IM Booster Shots, bypassing the gut and making them 100% bioavailable for your body to use. This makes it a highly effective way of receiving essential nutrients.
Book your FREE consultation! Junction 6, Castleknock (01)8227760
Brown Thomas, Dundrum (01)2156914
@getadripireland getadrip.com
A Spiritual Awakening THE ARMY OF LIGHT. by Anonymous
On the surface of the world right now there is war and violence and things seem dark, but calmly and quietly, at the same time something else is happening underground. An inner revolution is taking place and certain individuals are being called to a higher light. It is a silent revolution. From the inside out. From the ground up.This is a Global operation. A Spiritual Conspiracy. There are sleeper cells in every nation on the planet. You won’t see us on RTE. You won’t read about us in the Irish Times. You won’t hear about us on the BBC. We don’t seek any glory. We don’t wear any uniform. We come in all shapes and sizes, colours and styles. Most of us work anonymously. We are quietly working behind the scenes in every country and culture of the world. Cities big and small, mountains and valleys, in farms and villages, tribes and remote islands. You could pass by one of us on the street and not even notice. We go undercover. We remain behind the scenes. It is of no concern to us who takes the final credit, but simply that the work gets done. Occasionally we spot each other in the street. We give a quiet nod and continue on our way.
56
During the day many of us pretend we have normal jobs, but behind the facade, we are working on our hearts and this is where the real work is taking place, as we connect to each other globally. Some call us the Conscious Army. We are slowly creating a new world with the power of our minds and especially our hearts.
“We are now recruiting – perhaps you will join us or you already have.”
We follow – with passion and joy. Our orders come from the Central Spiritual Intelligence Agency. We are dropping soft, secret love bombs when no one is looking, through hugs, smiles, kind words, meditation and prayer, empowering and inspirational music, dance, photography, movies, websites, blogs, videos, podcasts, conscious activism, random acts of kindness, connecting to the energy of each other, our natural world and the universes. We each express ourselves in our own unique ways with our own unique gifts and talents. Be the change you want to see in the world; that is the motto
that fills our hearts with love, joy and peace. We know it is the only way real transformation takes place. We know that quietly and humbly we have the power of all the mountains, oceans and universes combined. Our work is slow and meticulous. Like the formation of mountains and our glorious world. It is not even visible at first glance and yet with it, entire tectonic plates shall be moved in the decades and centuries to come. Joy and Love is the new religion of the 21st century. You don’t have to be a highly educated person or have any exceptional knowledge to understand it. It comes from the intelligence and coherence of the heart. Embedded in the timeless evolutionary pulse of all human beings. Be the change you want to see in the world; nobody else can do it for you. We are now recruiting – perhaps you will join us or you already have. All are welcome, the door is open. Time for all Spiritual Warriors to awaken, for unimaginable beauty awaits. The world shall suffer no longer. May love and joy prevail.
“We are passionate about what we do!” That’s how Olivia Cahalane explains the enduring success of The Health Connection. With over twenty years experience in the industry, Olivia has recently qualified as a nutritional therapist with CNM. - IN STOCK Macanta Terra Nova Natures Plus Dr Clare’s apothecary Liz’s flowers from Kilfenora The iconic St Tola goat’s milk cheeses from Inagh Krauts, misos and sauces from Savage Craic Beauty and Body products Full eco range of cleaning products Place all your shopping in a handmade woven willow basket from the Banner county.
FEEL THE HEALTH CONNECTION The Health Connection Walnut House, Turnpike Road, Ennis, Co Clare V95XK58 065 6866597 info@thehealthconnection.ie @thehealthconnectionennis
“Love inspires Freedom, and your sexual energy is the source.”
58
l ua sex illumination EXPAND INTO LOVE & FREEDOM.
By Kali Kavara Kalí Kavara is the Author of the book Sexual Illumination: A Pilgrimage Within to Remember Who You Are. Sample a taste in the excerpt below. “I have seen the grid of light that forms this natural world. It is a matrix of pixelations that shapes the visualizations you perceive. The physical plane is like a simulation. Your reality weaves itself together into what you experience from an endless array of light potentials. Your experience is determined by your filters. You radiate your beliefs out from yourself and attract like energy back as colored threads of light that initiate form. To expand your reality, you must break down your walls and open your mind to allow your perception to evolve beyond your current framework. As you receive more energy by opening to it, you expand your experience of reality. It is all a matter of awareness. Your conditioning determines your filters, so when you clear your shadow, you release your limitations of perception and are able to awaken to greater realities you experience as your life. The capacity of your energy is limitless. You can expand beyond any framework you’ve created for yourself, but you cannot do this without self-love. Love is the transformational fuel required for inner alchemy. It is the highest expression of consciousness. Love inspires Freedom, and your sexual energy is the source. Sexual energy is life force and is the universal
consciousness that flows through you. It provides the momentum you need to transform your energy from denser, known as ‘sin’, to higher states of vibration, known as ‘grace.’ Sexual energy is experienced as Love and inspires Freedom. We are all here on the Earth plane as alchemists, constantly transforming energy and, thus, ourselves. We are learning to master this process consciously to increase our levels of perception and power. There is no force more powerful than life force, i.e. your sexual energy, which is Love incarnate. To awaken your sexual energy to Dragon potentials of universal sexual energy as life force, or Love, you need the Goddess. Experiencing self-love happens organically when you receive sufficient life-force. The complete energetic spectrum exists within the electric and magnetic combination of energy as life force and this flows into you as unconditional Love, helping you evolve into greater Love and Freedom. To receive self-love, you require self-worth. Self-worth is the belief that you are worthy of love. Embodying ‘I am worthy of love’, as a core truth, is empowerment. When you innately know you are worthy of love, then you open to receive it from
the universe. Many have been conditioned to believe they are not worthy of love, subjugating their feminine channel for receiving, and so they are not receiving all the life force meant for them as their birthright. This diminishes the amount of power they are capable of embodying… The feminine energy within you is the pathway that magnetizes and thus receives. If you are not receptive to the universal Love that wants to come into your energy system at its full potential, because you are shutting yourself off from it in resistance to your feminine, then you are not receiving all the sexual energy as life force, i.e. Love, that is meant for you. When you resist the universal, you also resist yourself, for we are all but microcosms of All That Is… By reawakening your Triple Goddess within through positive action as you are taught to in this book, you remove veils of limitation to activate your highest light potential to embody your Soul, remembering who you are.”
KaliKavara.com
Just minutes away from St.Stephen’s Green and Grafton Street, Dublin City Hot Yoga specialises in hot yoga, yoga practised in the heat. The heat allows you to stretch safely and more deeply while getting all the detoxifying benefits of sweating. Hot yoga has many physical and mental benefits, from losing weight to sleeping like a baby. You will move your spine, increase your flexibility, build strength, stamina and learn to develop control over your breathing. While it doesn’t all happen in one class, you will already feel amazing after your first class! We have multiple classes 7 days a week. Our classes include the original hot yoga 26&2, heated flow, heated hatha as well as non-heated yin yoga. So come along, enjoy the benefits and sweat out everything you no longer need.
Classes are suitable for all levels and beginners are always welcome. We offer an Introductory 5 classes for €49. Fiona McNamara Owner | Director www.dublincityhotyoga@gmail.com
Sarah Breslin Wellness Colon Hydrotherapy Treatments & Training Are you looking for a new career?
Aine Hughes Medical Intuition 087 9188161 aine_medicalintuitive@yahoo.com Facebook: Aine Hughes Medical Intuitive ‘Aine’s work helped me release years of pain. Her gentle caring approach allows a depth to her sessions that will change your life’ Emma Turton - Medical Intuition School
Are you a therapist looking to add a new treatment to your skills? Do you love to help people feel better through the work you do? Are you ready to learn a new and interesting therapy? Are you interested in Gut health?
Check out
www.sarahbreslinwellness.com/training
or Contact
sarah@sarahbreslinwellness.com RICTAT qualified Advanced Practitioner and Trainer
Intuitive reading of the metaphysical and physical body to find the cause of illness and pain
bringing consciousness to
sexuality ‘KNOW THYSELF’
60
by Alison McEvoy
“Intimacy-in-action is honest, open communication, expressing one’s needs and wants...”
Jonti Searll is one of the leading guides in the area of conscious sexuality. He came to Wicklow recently and shared the wisdom of sensuality, sexuality and intimacy.
RE-UNION WITHIN
...& IN RELATIONSHIP
Many people of Ireland have an indelible mark on their psyche when it comes to the ‘place’ of sexuality in our lives. It was to have no place in a spiritually-led life. It was to be subdued, dismissed and essentially put out of sight and mind. As Jonti puts it, and as was similarly the case in his native South Africa, “We have been separated from our nature by abuses and trauma.” This situation is simply not sustainable for us as human beings. Sexuality will not be obliterated. As long as we live, it lives with us, in us, as part of our life force. “It’s our creative energy. It’s who we really are,” says Jonti. So, what ‘to do’ with our sexuality; how to see it, feel about it, understand it and express it healthily are all things so many of us need to learn. Jonti describes how many of us live in relation to our sexuality, and indeed our spirituality, unaware of how to integrate it into our lives. “We see sexuality as separate from everything else...put it in a box...take it out and use it and put it away again. We can end up doing the same thing with spirituality...meditate in the morning and then put it away for the day.”
When we are in relationship together, as people who carry trauma or separation from our sexuality, the question of healing, says Jonti, revolves not around one person healing another, but around creating opportunities for intimacy and a reconnection, through each other, with each other’s own sensuality and sexuality. “Your partner is not necessarily the person to heal you. When a relationship becomes about healing it becomes very unbalanced and takes us away from being each other’s lovers. Professional help is very important here. The real power of connection between two people is in intimacy, not sex. The question becomes, “How do we create moments of intimacy together?” Intimacy-in-action is honest, open communication, expressing one’s needs and wants, and listening to the other’s needs and wants. The practices shared which support the building of intimacy include eye-gazing, safe touch without goal or aim and awakening the senses individually, through appreciation of food or other enjoyments, so that our sensationawareness is enhanced. The softening into trust and connection safely with another is a powerful experience in re-awakening trust and connection to our own sexual energy.
“So much of our world is separation – what makes you different to me. But in the touch of our hands, or our embrace, we are experiencing connection.” This opens the door to our own inner creativity, vibrancy, playfulness, spontaneity and sensuality. We become more ourselves, more human, “out of being more sexual”.
...IT’S THE JOURNEY As with everything in life, restoring our relationship to sexuality is a journey. Reuniting with one’s own sexual energy, understanding and accepting the genuine power, creativity and beauty which this energy carries. Being a safe container for your own sexual energy and another’s. Allowing yourself to unite with another, ignite each other’s sexual energy, see and be seen for who you truly are. There is much to explore, much to do. Let’s bring ourselves back into the presence of who we truly are, own ourselves fully and completely, and reclaim our sexuality.
eroslife.co.za
Presents
POSITIVE NIGHTS IN PERSON EVENTS NOW IN DALKEY AND WICKLOW
num 53 BLANK
TO JOIN OUR POSITIVE CLUB GO TO:
positivelife.ie
Available in Health Stores, Pharmacies and online - eskimo3.ie
POSITI V E A STROLOGY
“The process of listening deeply to where the flow wants to take you...requires a state of grace and trust.”
62
intuition
and astrology STAR FILLED GRACE. by Rachelle Hicks This year, we are asked to dream big. We are asked to take a leap of faith in the direction of what really lights us up. For some, this might show up as a natural progression of goals you have already been working towards. For others, this could show up as a complete release of the old and the beginning of something new; taking action in the direction of a more heart-centred future could be that first, small step into the unknown. In whatever way you are experiencing this leap of faith, we are called to consider how we can do this with grace. There can be a lot of uncertainty, and nerves, when it comes to stepping into the unknown. Some people may handle it impulsively, while others might hesitate and stop themselves in the process of change. While these two approaches are very different, they both are susceptible to not trusting the flow of life. The natural flow of life, and where it wants to take you, will show you the right opportunities at the right time.
The process of listening deeply to where the flow wants to take you, to be able to take the opportunities when they are presented, to not be impatient but also to not hesitate, requires a state of grace and trust. The best way I’ve noticed to tap into this state of trust and grace is through a consistent meditation and/or regular self-care practices. It is in these moments of stilling the mind that we are able to tap into the current of where we are meant to be. This is the basis upon which I do all of my astrological work. I find that it is a necessary component for understanding astrological timing. We might know about a particular time period approaching astrologically, but it does no good to try and control or manipulate life based on this understanding. I always suggest to the people I work with to listen deeply to what their intuition is saying, and use the astrological symbolism as a helpful framework, rather than using astrological time frames to
bypass your intuitive instincts. That being said, the next few months are pretty smooth in terms of astrological events. Use this opportunity, while the seas are calm, to clear your world of any physical and energetic clutter so that you can make intuitively-wise decisions during times when the astrology is a bit more intense. Commit to your meditation or self-care practice so that you can learn to listen to the deeper callings of your heart. Meditate on the theme for this year of listening to your heart’s desire, and see where you can bring this forward in your life.
Rachelle Hicks is a Dublin-based astrologer offering one-to-one chart readings and personal astrology forecasts online through zoom.. rachellehicks.com @rachellehicksastrology
Naturally supporting you through the
Vitamin B6 contributes to the
REGULATION OF HORMONAL ACTIVITY Magnesium & Vitamin B12 contributes to the
REDUCTION OF TIREDNESS & FATIGUE Calcium & Vitamin D needed for the
MAINTENANCE OF NORMAL BONES Now available in your local health food store!
www.linwoodshealthfoods.com
You are in the state of grace when you allow energy to serve you, rather than oppose you. – Adamus Saint-Germain –
We’re your companion on life’s river to Realization. Visit us at CrimsonCircle.com
