November December 2016 by Radiance Magazine

November/December 2016 Volume 6 Issue 6

a publication for the Socially and Spiritually Conscious Community

Religion versus Spirituality by Rev. Danielle Marie Hewitt

The Compliant Child Syndrome by Choury DeVelle Surrendering the Dream Merit Oneness Amaya Victoria Awaken Donna Bond, M.A. Chakra Insights Nancy Kimes Transform Your Energy Carol â&#x20AC;&#x153;Leilaniâ&#x20AC;? Jenny Chiro Corner Dr. Benjamin Horning The Spirituality of Money Niina Bagdasar, CFP God is My Source, of Course! Rev. Annette Drake Pragmatic and Fun Tools for Life Gosia Lorenz Fixing Holiday Loneliness Rev. Arlene Meyer

The Magical World of Transformations Kristina Sanborn & Noelle Harris

Is Your Pet Your Helpmate or Are You Dumping Toxicity on Him? Kara Udziela

RADIANCE

November/December 2016

Table of Contents Publisher’s Editorial: Religion versus Spirituality 4 by Rev. Danielle Marie Hewitt Founder and Spiritual Director of the Temple of Light Spiritual Community, Publisher of Radiance Magazine, Mentor to Spiritual Leaders, Teachers, Practitioners and Seekers

ON THE COVER ANIMYSTIC ADVENTURES: Is Your Pet Your Helpmate or Are You Dumping Toxicity on Him? 24 by Kara Udziela (Cover photo by Jenny Loya, Jennifer Rose Photography)

Surrendering the Dream 9 by Merit

Magic 27 by Amaya Victoria

ONENESS: Four Powerful Ways to Infuse Your Holiday Season 11 by Rev. Janette Freeman

CHAKRA INSIGHTS: Accept Your Spiritual Gifts 29 by Nancy Kimes

AWAKEN: The Truth About Imagination 13 by Donna Bond

TRANSFORM YOUR ENERGY: Helping to Heal Mental Diseases with Energy Work 31 by Carol “Leilani” Jenny

The Compliant Child Syndrome 16 by Choury DeVelle CHIRO CORNER: Cleanses 19 by Dr. Benjamin Horning GOD IS MY SOURCE, OF COURSE!: Dream Lofty Dreams 21 by Rev. Annette Drake

THE SPIRITUALITY OF MONEY: Navigating the Fears Around Having Money 33 by Niina Bagdasar, CFP The Magical World of Transformations 36 by Kristina Sanborn and Noelle Harris Fixing Holiday Loneliness 42 by Rev. Arlene Meyer

Pragmatic and Fun Tools for Life 23 by Gosia Lorenz Published by Rev. Danielle Marie, Spiritual Director of Temple of Light Spiritual Community Radiance is published by The Temple of Light Spiritual Community, 11 Goddard, Irvine, CA 92618. Publisher’s Liability: Radiance does not warranty any advertised services or products. Opinions and factual statements expressed herein are the responsibility of the authors and not necessarily endorsed or verified by the magazine, nor do any advertisements necessarily constitute endorsement by the magazine, publishers, or editors. Radiance is a free publication that is available at various metaphysical stores, health food locations, vegetarian restaurants, yoga studios, spiritual centers, coffee stands, and libraries throughout Orange County. If you would like copies at your location or recommend a site, please email zia@templeoflightoc.org or contact our office at (949) 333-1641. Office hours are from Monday to Saturday, 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Go to http://radiancemagazine.org to view current and past issues of Radiance and share your thoughts! Annual subscriptions are available for $25. To submit an article, please email Rev. Danielle at revdanielle@ templeoflightoc.org.

RADIANCE

Religion versus Spirituality

n meditation, as an answer to my prayer request of what my topic for this article should be, came the words “Religion versus Spirituality”. I opened my eyes intrigued, excited and enthusiastic. Normally, when my topic “comes” to me, I get into the flow of writing it quickly. For some reason, I was struggling with this one. Every day for over a week I seemed to invent distractions, other work, house guests and needs for a nap, etc. which continued to get in the way of me sitting down and allocating the time. When it came to be passed my promised submission date to the graphics designer, I knew I had better get to the bottom of my block. I decided to see if I could jump start the writing process with some

internet research on the subject. The google results were promising, over 100 hits. What I read surprised me and I realized gaining an understanding of how many other people weighed in on the subject was relevant. I was not, in fact, blocked but rather being held up whilst in process of getting the complete picture. Prior to reading what the search engines produced, my position on the subject was most assuredly prospirituality as I understood the difference between the two. And, admittedly, I had a small amount of pride in my position and what I thought was a tolerance of the religious world. When we have visitors and newcomers to the Temple of Light, we are regularly asked “is it

by Rev. Danielle Marie Hewitt

religious?” To which I have a brief, pre-rehearsed answer of “No. We are a community center offering spiritually based classes, workshops and lectures to all. Many of our attendees have and maintain an affiliation with a religious community, while others utilize our center as their sole source for spiritual growth.” Although I am happy what we offer is welcomed by some of those in religious communities, I couldn’t help but have a little twinge of insecurity in wondering why what we offered wasn’t enough for them? Why did they still need their religious communities? Surely if they took the time to build a spiritual practice of their own, it would be all they need. I shrugged it off to family values, culture, tradition, or a need for a publicly safe

November/December 2016

forum where a lot of the outside world still thought of us spiritualists as “woo woo.” If there were further inquiries from guests to elaborate on the difference, I would normally have said something along the lines of religion being for those who need or want a more traditional structure, creed, doctrine or ritual whereas spirituality was in contrast, very personally designed. In all transparency, I will admit to being the tiniest bit smug in my explanation believing in my own mind that the personalized path was the better one. In truth, it is simply better for me, but not necessarily what is better for everyone else. What I read on this subject has changed my position entirely. To explore the “versus” or contrast of religion and spirituality, some reference as to what they mean are in order. Religion is defined as “the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods. It is a particular system of faith and worship.” According to some estimates, there are roughly 4,200 religions in the world. The earliest

evidence of religious ideas dates back several hundred thousand years to the Middle and Lower Paleolithic periods. Archaeologists refer to apparent intentional burials of early Homo sapiens from as early as 300,000 years ago as evidence of religious ideas. The word religion is sometimes used interchangeably with “faith” or “belief system”, but religion differs from private belief in that it has a public aspect. In the United States, 71% of the people consider their religious affiliations Christian, 6% other religions (Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and others,) with the remaining 23% being Non-religious. The 23% non-religious can mean, Agnostic, Atheist or of No One Particular Religion. The study puts spiritual people in the category of “no one particular religion.” Spirituality (of no one particular religion) is a broad concept with room for many perspectives. In general, it includes a sense of connection to something bigger than ourselves, and it typically involves a search for meaning in life. Traditionally, spirituality refers to a religious process of re-formation which “aims to recover the original shape of

Spirituality Where do I find meaning?

How do I feel connected?

How should I live?

belief comfort reflection ethics awe

Religion What practices, rites, or rituals should I follow? What is right and wrong? What is true and false?

man,” oriented at “the image of God” exemplified by the Torah, Christ, Buddha, Muhammad and others. In modern times the emphasis is on a subjective experience of a sacred dimension and the deepest values and meanings by which people live, usually in a context separate from organized religious institutions. Modern spirituality may include a belief in a supernatural realm, personal growth, a quest for an ultimate/sacred meaning, religious experience, or an encounter with one’s own inner dimension. The meaning of spirituality has developed and expanded over time, and various connotations can be found alongside each other. The term “spirituality” originally developed within early Christianity, referring to a life oriented toward the Holy Spirit. In modern times, the term both spread to other religious traditions and broadened to refer to a wider range of experience, including a range of esoteric traditions. As such, it is a universal human experience— something that touches us all. Another way to explore the difference between religion and spirituality maybe to understand “esoteric” versus “exoteric.” Esoteric refers to “inner traditions” which are concerned with a “universal spiritual dimension of reality. Exoteric refers to religious institutions and dogmatic systems of established religions. In the same way as the term “esoteric” is often associated with esoteric spirituality, the term “exoteric” is mostly used in discussions of religion where the teachings shift the believer’s focus away from an exploration of the inner self and towards an adherence to rules, laws, and an individual God. The term

continued on page 6 > 5

RADIANCE

“exoteric” may also reflect the notion of a divine identity that is outside of, and different from, human identity, whereas the esoteric notion claims that the divine is to be discovered within the human identity. So, it would seem, that religion allows an individual to search for and find God or gods as a superhuman Divine being or beings, that exists outside of themselves. The search is done within a community of other similarly minded people using a prescribed set of guidelines and methods, doctrine and creeds to achieve the search. Whereas spirituality allows an individual to search for and find God as a Divine being existing within ourselves. Although it may be done in a community, personal expression and individualized practices are the norm. Imagine an oversized, classic tour bus with many seats all the same color in uniform rows. This is the way a religious person takes their journey to create their relationship with God. They look for a community with structure and adherence to that structure by all who attend. It feels safe and “tribe” like. Through following their religion, great saints have attained the fruits and realizations of a mystical approach to God. This includes Christian mystics such as St Teresa of Avila, Joan of Arc, Hildegard Von Bingen, St Francis of Assisi, Kabbalists such as Isaac ben Abraham of Posquières or Aryeh Kaplan and Sufi saints like Rumi, Hafiz and Attar. Each religion has produced spiritual seekers of the highest order.

Now imagine a group of offroad dirt bikes also traveling to the same destination, perhaps in a loose group or some may be completely on their own. This is the way a spiritual person takes their journey to create a relationship with God. It feels free, individual, private and personal. Through following a non-religious path we have great mystics such as Romain Rolland, Richard Maurice Bucke, Erich Fromm, George Bataille and Yves Bonnefoy. Truly, the difference between religion and spirituality is method, structure and forms of community, but in their essence, more alike than different. Each having their goal to reach an utter and complete faith in the existence of the Divine and the achievement of the longed-for union. This being true, why the schism between the two? The answer lies within the same paradigm we see in the emotional and physical wars between the religions themselves. It is not the form or structure which creates the trouble, but the thoughts and mindsets of the people within them. It is not a matter of which religion someone follows or not (no one particular religion,) but rather where each of them is on their journey. What achievements have they made as a seeker? Are they content to follow the exoteric guidelines and never seek deeper meaning? In all religious and nonreligious people, each of us has a responsibility to study our nature, our being-ness and come to a place of growth and peace which creates harmony, tolerance and acceptance of the choices others make for their journey.

Surely, we cannot all be on the same bus? It is not the choice of the vehicle, but rather the lack of progress in the journey which creates the mistrust, contempt, righteousness and aggression. I was taken aback upon reading some results of my research. Not surprisingly, from the religious people, the comments were mostly sourced in being in a conundrum of how someone finds the Divine without structure. However, in my community, the spiritual one, I found statements of mistrust, contempt and judgment of those practicing a formalized religion. I was shocked. I thought this wasn’t who we were. I was also hurt. What I realized was, just as with religious people, there are those in the spiritual circle who also have not worked to become the version of themselves who would be in tolerance and acceptance. There are some whose fears run just as deep. There are twelve classical world religions. The religions most often included in history of world religion surveys and studied in world religions

November/December 2016

classes are; Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Baha’I, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Taoism and Zoroastrianism. Religion is a path to God. Spirituality is also a path to God. However, they have differences in approach. The true separation is not religion versus spirituality, but rather, quite clearly it is those who make a commitment to seeking the great union with the Divine as compared to those who only adhere to doctrine and creed which exists in all communities of religion and even non-religion. We have what can be described as the “Human Religion” and the “Divine Religion.” Both are found in all places regardless of any collective distinguishing factors. Sri Chinmoy expresses the following: • The human religion claims that other religions are false. The divine religion sees and feels that different religions are merely different branches of the same tree, and that the only real religion is the love of God. • At best, the human religion tolerates other religions, at worst it seeks to defeat others and assert its own supremacy. The divine Religion only seeks to offer its good will to the various paths – seeing and feeling the underlying unity in all religions. • The human religion is the song of ego. The divine religion is the song of oneness. • The human religion vainly tries to use a mask of divinity to disguise its own egoistic misconceptions. The Divine religion seeks only to surrender the human ego to the all liberating and illumining transcendental consciousness. • The human religion takes great joy in displaying its goodness to others. The

divine religion cares nothing for the appreciation of the world. But, only seeks to please the inner pilot, the inner God.

the Will of God.

• The human religion teaches through fear. The divine religion teaches through love and love alone.

• Human religion is often an for the shameless misdeeds of pride, human jealousy and egoism. Divine religion is a for the transformation of consciousness.

• The human religion is practiced once a week, sometimes less. The divine religion is lived and breathed every second of the day.

• The human religion is to be found is impressive temples and churches. The divine religion is to be found in our tiny than the tiniest sacred heart.

• The human religion is often a dogmatic interpretation of ancient scriptures. The Divine religion is a quiet receptivity to the all-pervading and all-embracing Divine consciousness.

• The human religion is eventually transformed into the divine religion. The Divine religion is eventually transformed into man’s eternal quest— the ‘Sat Chid Ananda’—‘Existence Consciousness Bliss’ of pure existence.

• The human religion tries to remember by rote the phrases of the past. The Divine religion seeks to go beyond mere book learning to live and implement the sacred truths in the eternal now. • The human religion invariably judges and condemns the world. The Divine religion only accepts and loves the world. • The human religion says heaven is in the next world, the divine religion seeks to transform life into the Life Divine and create heaven here on earth. • The human religion tells us we must change other people. The Divine religion teaches us our only duty is to change our self. • Human Religion is concerned with human morality. The Divine religion is concerned with becoming one with

excuse human human vehicle human

“There is a human religion and a divine religion. The human religion is a baseless self-aggrandizement. The human religion is a lifeless confidence. The divine religion is a constant God-proclamation from the very depth of the seeker’s heart. It is in the inmost recesses of his heart that a seeker proclaims God’s Reality, God’s Divinity, God’s Immortality.” —Sri Chinmoy

Whatever your choice, Spirituality, Religion, a blend of both or neither, seek to find peace, tolerance, love and harmony with all who exist. Namaste, Rev. Danielle Marie Hewitt

Rev. Danielle is a Master ThetaHealer® who practices a healing art primarily in ThetaHealing®, but with several personal additions and modifications. Her sessions are life-changing, creating shifts in her clients’ perceptions resulting in the most positive changes imaginable. Rev. Danielle has been a student of metaphysics since 2002 and studied under several mentors, including Vianna Stibal and Dr. Doreen Virtue. As a metaphysical minister, she believes in the innate intuitive ability gifted to each of us. Teaching this and witnessing healings has become her life’s work and passion. She believes we can live free from pain and suffering and be in a state of peace and joy. Contact Rev. Danielle by email at revdanielle@ templeoflightoc.org or 949-244-1960 to begin creating a new journey for yourself.

RADIANCE

November/December 2016

Surrendering the Dream

s the rivers of the dream flow, cascading from high mountains, where the castles of imagination reside, allow it to nourish, in its beauty, visions of what can be. Invite the presence of the most potent force of love, inspired by the hidden world of ideals. Allow it to create your world of happiness, colored by the hues of your own brand of magic. Imagine, dream, and embody more of that creative wonder that we encounter in this magical life: in the silk folds of every blooming rose, in the pulse of nature and the nourishing green leaves, in the freedom of the blue ocean and the expanding skies, in the happy innocence of small animals, in the eyes of children smiling with curious joy and wonder, and in the depth of the human connection that is renewed with every breath. Yet, if loss strikes, and sometimes it will, sneaking like an unwelcome morbid shadow, then know that it is time for surrendering the dream. Trust and accept destiny. Reconcile with what is. You cannot be at war with what is. You cannot be at war with what has happened and the domineering shadows of the deep loss. However, you can live in what is meant to be, even before it is, and forgive the visions which can no longer exist. Find refuge in wholeness, in the world of ideals and perfection, where all is united and redeemed. Be anchored in the inner security of the heart, despite all chaos and the brutal attacks. In the pain that opens the heart, treasures are revealed. Through the heart passage, lie the keys to the higher kingdom beyond the tribulation. From darkness, the dream will be reborn again. It will embody a thousand story and enliven a thousand face and separateness will cease to exist. Look carefully in the eyes of the dream, on that day when you shall meet again, so you may know the dream, and celebrate, so you may not miss the transforming moment, when it enters disguised in your life, rising and dispelling the shadows. Recognize and release the old patterns expressed in tragedy. Be thankful even for the tragic. Be forgiving of fate, ourselves, our weakness, others and all that was and could have been, what happened that we once thought should have never happened. It is tragic because we cannot access the full vision of glory that lies beneath our loss and the betrayal of what was promised. Somewhere in our emotional codes and energetic patterns, we have repeated what we need to release. We are caught in a very sad dilemma. Maybe we were chosen, maybe we are being guided through a difficult path, maybe we are being prepared, maybe we are overlooking some weakness or ignoring a source of strength, maybe it is not even about us, and something is spelling the letters of our fate for reasons we know not. Maybe big dreams, sometimes, have to be entangled with big losses. Maybe, it is a human condition compelling us to explore deeper and go beyond. Yet, in those moments when we encounter the unsettling challenge, we are called to see the radical innocence in us, and in all, even through the perceived lack, and to know that in fullness, there is, was, and will always be, perfection and union. Trust and invite more of the peace of that perfection in the apparent lack and sorrow. Whoever and whatever passed have never passed. Beyond that curtain, in love, we shall meet. Allow the tragic loss to free your energy from old patterns so it can transcend the constraints of matter, to gaze through the walls of darkness that cover the unknown, and to connect you to that which is beyond,

by Merit

and what is beyond is always love, in its true and most potent and pure expression, a force that connects us with each other and with the Source of all life, forever, and defeats even death. When the pain becomes beyond what we can bear, stay with it and look for an opening. Sooth your hurt with a calming lullaby and wait knowing the darkness will eventually retreat. Connect with that mysterious point of light, which you know not where it comes from, but you know it exists in that passage of the heart. Let it radiate its warmth and calm assuring presence. Bring your whole existence to bask in that place and let the light and life expand through you, body and soul. Talk to the Creator of the Universe, and know that your voice is heard and your heart will soon shift and be light again. Beloved, it hurts me to see your hurt and mine. But somehow, somewhere the hurt will only be a symbol of a journey of purification, realization and liberation. We will be more than we ever were. And in truth, as promised, we will find our freedom. A day of love and connection lives forever. We will never disconnect from those that we have loved, or from all the precious dreams that seem broken. How can we ever loose them, if they are part of who we are? How can life betray us, if we are an expression of its own heart, as Gibran beautifully expressed? So take a moment to express the sadness, surrender the cherished dream when it seems shattered, and allow it to settle in the stream of purifying tears, and to remerge in its new form. Then, let us plant a seed for tomorrow, a new dream that will rise from all the broken parts, more magnificent, more beautiful than ever. We know not when, where or how, but we know it will reemerge. And to witness that, we only need to guard the purity of our heart, and to breathe in the frequency of pure love, believe, and dream again, even as we surrender all dreams. Wait in tender patience, as you allow reality to shift, as you connect and glimpse again how blessed life will always be. In each renewed heartbeat, we encounter the most sacred breath of life, which is our connection to our soul and the Devine, we are forever united with all that we love and all that loves us, the connection lives in us and with us. Until through that sacred breath, we too, one time will experience a magnificent new world.

RADIANCE

ONENESS

November/December 2016

Four Powerful Ways to INFUSE your Holiday Season with Mindfulness

s you begin the Season, would you be willing to choose to do it differently, with greater peace, mindfulness and joy, while letting go of expectations and stress? Done properly, the holidays happen in the heart. While this is supposed to be a holy time in the calendar of religious holidays…this is actually the most commercialized, materially focused time of the year; full of expectations, demands and debt producing gift giving. It is also a time of stress and depression for many. We stand at the precipice of CHOICE. What will this season mean to you? What experience would you like to create? Imagine, at the beginning of this gift-giving season that there are two beautifully wrapped presents for you to open, with a note that says “Pick ONE.” One gift is labeled: “Peace,” and the other “Your History.” As you ponder which one to open you are filled with a deeper understanding. Either you can choose Peace and experience the present moment more peacefully, or you can choose the familiar, “Your History,” and have a wonderful time plundering through the holidays with all habits, expectations and demands firmly in place. Which will you choose? All of the peace possible is the freely given gift of the Divine. The individual must choose between this gift, or choose their historical perceptions. In those that can’t choose consciously; history wins by default. If we do not want our history to consistently repeat itself with monotonous regularity, we must choose differently. Go ahead, unwrap the gift of “Peace,” and set “Your History” aside.

by Dr. Janette Freeman

Many of us have learned that celebrating a holiday season that is over commercialized does not bring meaning to it nor does that make us wise. 3. Enjoy the atmosphere and beauty of the season Play holiday music and turn the television off. Burn candles, decorate early and enjoy it. Look for the beauty of the season everywhere you go, actually SEE IT. Listen for beautiful music in the stores, at the parties, and in your home. Be present to what the SENSES offer you…SEE, HEAR, TASTE, SMELL, FEEL…BREATHE! 4. Enjoy the sacred more. Meditate, read spiritual literature, go to Christmas church services, attend meditations and ceremonies. Light candles, pray, dedicate the season to knowing and experiencing God. Make this the best Holiday season ever because you were actually there…present. Dr. Janette Freeman is a meditation teacher, inspirational speaker, author, soul empowerment coach, mother, grandmother and friend. She is the spiritual director of The Oneness Center OC and author of “Why Did This Happen to Me Again?” and “The Second Envelope.” www.janettefreeman.com

www.onenesscenteroc.com

Four tips for keeping materialism and commercialism to a minimum by focusing on the expansion of LOVE rather than the expansion of DEBT: 1. Enjoy your family and friends Go to holiday parties with presence and kindness, seeking to get to know and be with people as they are, while letting go of expectations and worrying excessively about what to wear. If you’re alone, enjoy your aloneness, it won’t last forever. If you have a large crazy, dysfunctional family, enjoy it, they’re yours. Whatever your situation is this year, find the good in it. Let go of your demands that things be different from what they are. Spend time with your family of origin, or your family of CHOICE and be present to the gifts that arise. 2. Watch your spending and debt Make a budget and stick to it. Spend and do with less, make gifts, personalize, do what you can and don’t try to live up to other’s expectations. Make shopping simpler. Say “No.” Give in different ways, give simple gifts, give to charity, give to your spiritual home, give gifts in other’s names.

RADIANCE

November/December 2016

AWA K E N

The Truth About Imagination

hen you agreed to come here to planet Earth you were sent with many gifts. One of those great gifts is your imagination. It was packed in your Earth Suit Tool Kit and EVERYBODY got one! Our imagination is the faculty we use to navigate our way through Physical World Reality and it’s the thinking substance we use to CREATE our lives. Unfortunately for many of us, from the time we were small kids, we have been discouraged in using this incredible gift. I can remember hearing parents and teachers saying, “Hey…YOU—stop daydreaming—pay attention.” Because we are natural creators and when we are thriving we are creating—some of us have trained ourselves to misuse our imagination. I call this “dreaming up a drama.” In about five seconds we can use our imagination to dream up unlimited possibilities of all the things we don’t want to happen. Why do we do that? John Roger, the founder of the University of Santa Monica had a great quote. He said, “It’s foolish not to win in your own fantasy.” We have this incredible God given power of creation. Our imagination manifests as our thoughts. When we can take responsibility for the fact that we are creating in the form of how we use our imagination, we empower our creations—which are then manifested consciously. We are in charge of the thoughts in our mind. When we can observe (and then change) the limiting thoughts created through our imagination, we can make the choice to play an active role in participation with the thoughts we are creating. What if our thoughts—our imagination—was the currency by which we “put our order in” with the universe? Today, allow this worn out programming of either misusing or not using our imagination for good—to be released and recreated with a new empowering affirmation each day, “My imagination is real” Often when we do allow ourselves to imagine or to dream, we put parameters around our own minds. We put barriers and guardrails up around our own imagination. We only let ourselves imagine within the realm of our conditions. This actually keeps us trapped. The ego would argue that it keeps us safe, protected and confined, in our tiny little world of familiarity. Let’s remove the conditions by which we harness our imagination. Let’s allow this beautiful incredible power of creation within each one of us to expand with unbridled freedom. What would you imagine if you didn’t believe it was impossible? Allow yourself to experiment. Just let your mind unfold. Without judging it, without committing to anything, just follow the trail of your own thoughts. Be the observer to whatever comes up. Do this for a few minutes and connect to the power of creation within you. The power of creation that you are. Now, begin to play

by Donna Bond

a role in what you want to create. Be an active participant in the creations you are imagining. Gently, lace in your desires. Your hopes. Your dreams. What does it look like? And, most importantly, how does it feel? Our imagination is directly connected to the secrets of our heart. If we allow ourselves the permission to let our imagination run away with itself, we can make new discoveries about our true self. Exercising our imagination is accessing an innate power that we all have. The self-consenting act of imagination can bring forward empowerment, self-worth and self-love as we give ourselves the approval that what we create in our own minds is shaping the experience we are having in this life.

Donna Bond, M.A. is a graduate of the University of Santa Monica where she earned her master’s degree in Spiritual Psychology with an emphasis in Consciousness, Health and Healing. Her work as a professional life coach, transformation consultant and inspirational speaker centers on serving individual transformation of consciousness.

RADIANCE

November/December 2016

RADIANCE

The Compliant Child Syndrome

suppose we all know or have known a person or persons who suffers from issues that can be traced back to childhood. More often than not, that observation is something we see about ourselves. Isn’t it interesting that in spite of our deliberate efforts to forgive our parents for their ‘bad parenting skills’, we still find many of their negative behaviors becoming our own. Even their negative words somehow find a way into our own language and self-talk. But what about the truly psychotic behaviors of a man who walks into a movie theatre or a preschool and simply starts shooting? Is there any rhyme or reason to this behavior? As strange as the following statement sounds it’s true: their actions make perfect sense…to them. Years ago, one of my clients, who I will refer to as ‘Madam X’ described her unwanted behaviors as follows: “My mother has been dead for more than 10 years,” she said wiping the tears from her eyes. “But I can still hear her voice ringing in my ears and I’m as frightened of her now as I was when I was five, maybe even more so now. It’s as if she’s still running the show, standing over me telling what a pathetic loser I am! Strangely, I never had a problem with drugs or alcohol until she died. It was after her death that I became an addict. I always did what she asked of me, all I ever wanted was her approval. Now that she’s gone, I won’t ever be able to get her approval,” she went on, “So, why would I start to do drugs now? Do I have a death wish that I don’t know about?” What is the machinery behind such aberrant behaviors? I’ve counseled and been able to help many people over the past 5 decades with identical issues and my experience tells me the rules governing this behavior are well beyond the grasp of psychology. In point of fact, it enters into the realm of spirituality. By the time Madam X came to me, she had already seen several very competent psychologists and one psychiatrist who put her on antidepressants. “No one seems to understand,” she continued. “They (meaning other therapists) think that if I could forgive my mother I’d be over my addictions. They think that if they can label it, they’ve cured it. What they don’t understand is that I’ve already forgiven her. I don’t hate her. But it’s as if someone or something outside of me is governing my mind and body. I feel completely out of control.” Here is what I’ve learned from 50 years of very practical experience in dealing with the subconscious mind, the trauma from adversity, regardless of its derivation, settles inside of us in three ways: Emotionally, Physically and Cellularly. Emotional traumas are expressed in the form of aberrant behaviors, like unreasonable anger, fears or anxieties that often turn into phobias. Generally, we deal with these traumas in three ways: 16

by Choury DeVelle

1.) We suppress them. 2.) We try to get away from them or 3.) We medicate ourselves as a means of coexisting with them. By the way, the medication route can and does range from legally prescribed drugs to food, alcohol, cocaine, heroine and so on. None of the aforementioned methods solve the problem, if anything they are a temporary fix. The reality is, if we don’t adequately deal with our emotional traumas, they will escalate into physical traumas that surface inside and on the surface of our bodies and they can range from minor headaches to migraines, from a little indigestion to serious digestive issues like ulcerative colitis, and skin eruptions like acne and rashes. All of which can become serious immune issues. Cellular trauma is exactly as it reads: Every cell of the body has a memory and when prompted those cells can and will respond with such profound expression that they will sometimes literally, render the subject unable to move (like a deer in the headlights) or the subject will break out in a cold sweat from head to foot without consciously knowing who, what where or why.

November/December 2016

Okay, assuming I know what I’m talking about, why did I call this article “The Compliant Child Syndrome?” Firstly, it is the name of my next book which will be published in late 2017. Secondly, I believe it’s important to know that all of us have had to be compliant in one way or another; it’s a part of how we fit in. I also attempt to explain through real life examples, how most of the time, we are acting out of a volition that isn’t ours. In other words, the negative self-talk that constantly punishes us doesn’t really belong to us. I talk about how the dark energy came into us and what we can do to be free of it. More importantly, I talk about how we get to a place of peace. But who or what is the compliant child and what does all this business of the logical mind versus the illogical emotions have to do with him? The compliant child starts out like any other child: He wants life to run smoothly, so much so that he is willing to comply to the unreasonable demands of his parents, friends, relatives and teachers. But even though his outward behavior is all about harmony and coexistence, inwardly, subconsciously, he is seething with anger and frustration over the hypocrisy of the world but instead of speaking up and rebelling, he holds it inside. He suppresses his frustrations with parents who tell him to do as they say not as they do, frustrations with the bullies at school who push him around because he’s different, frustrations with the teachers who turn a blind eye on all these injustices,

and finally, frustrations with longtime friends who would sacrifice his friendship in order to be a part of a high school, college or societal clique. The bottom line is, if he doesn’t find a constructive way to release his frustrations and resentments, the compliant child becomes an adult volcano of negative, irrational emotions ready to erupt outwardly toward the world and all the people in it or inwardly in self-destructive behaviors that may result in actions completely out of character to the people who thought they knew him. Interestingly, there is a very thin line between the rebellious child who gets the help he needs early on, who then becomes a pillar of society and the compliant child who ultimately brings pain and suffering to himself and possible everyone around him. Is something holding you back from realizing your true potential? Fears can manifest into sickness, self-sabotage, and violence if you feel threatened. What most people don’t understand is these roadblocks to success are old beliefs based on lack and limitation buried deep within the subconscious mind. Most of the time, the victim doesn’t know how or why those beliefs got started .Choury believes the quickest, most effective way is through hypnosis to access the subconscious mind and change the programming from fear, sickness, lack, and limitation to courage, health, abundance, and wealth which is quicker than standard psychotherapy Telephone:714.624.1956, email: chouryd@yahoo.com; www.orangecounty/hypnosiscenter.com

RADIANCE

November/December 2016

Cleanses

ver the years the body can be exposed to many different chemicals, hormones, toxins and poisons. The body tries to rid itself of these agents however a lot of the time it isn’t fully successful and there are residual pollutants that accumulate. They get stored in various areas such as organs, tissues, and cells. You need to rid your body of these things and this is why it’s important to do a cleanse. There are many types of cleanses and I’d always recommend talking to a health care professional first to figure out the best cleanse suited for you. That being said, typically people start with a liver cleanse for and intestinal cleanse first. They are designed to improve digestion and prevent the body from absorbing toxic substances. Typically cleanses can range from a few days to a few weeks. Whatever the cleanse you end up doing, do it the whole way through. If you end up cheating on it get right back to it and make sure it doesn’t happen again. Too many times I’ve seen people mess up and then abandon the whole thing or only partially do the cleanse. This is why many people state the cleanse didn’t work. On closer inspection, it is usually that the person abandoned it or lackadaisically followed it. So whatever cleanse you do, follow it strictly and completely. As a warning preplan your schedule according to the cleanse. If you are doing a cleanse that might require that you are close to a toilet, then plan for it. If the cleanse requires a certain diet. Shop beforehand and make whatever food you are planning on consuming earlier in the week. This will set you up for a successful cleanse. Cleanses are great and if you do one you will most likely see some great benefits. My office offers a few types of cleanses. If you are ever interested in them feel free to e-mail my office at reception@ drbenhorning.com. I wish you luck and hope you enjoy the benefits of a well cleansed body.

CHIRO CORNER by Benjamin Horning, DC

6. Juice Cleanse have many types. They all involve replacing food with juice of one type or another designed cleanse the stomach or enrich the blood. 7. Gallbladder Cleanse which is designed to help a gallbladder function properly and reduce the risk of gallstones. 8. Liver Cleanse which is a kidney cleanse, the liver cleanse is designed specifically to clean the liver and improve its function. Cleansing is not for everyone. If done incorrectly you won’t get the desired results and improper or excessive cleansing can even be dangerous to your health. It’s vital that you have a comprehensive and detailed program to follow and that it’s one approved by your doctor. (This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition.) Dr. Ben Horning grew up in a holistic home. He studied at the university of Maryland and received the unique degree of Agriculture and Resource Economics. He received his Chiropractic Doctorate at Southern California University of Health Sciences. An eternal optimist, Dr. Horning cares about restoring health and allowing his patients to flourish in whatever goals they have.

Types of cleanses to possibly consider after consulting your doctor: 1. Anti-Candida Cleanse which is designed to remove candida albicans—a type of yeast—from your system. 2. Parasite Cleanse which aides with IBS, diarrhea and other abdominal issues, skin problems and various nutrition problems. 3. Kidney Cleanse which flushes out the kidneys by passing large amounts of water through them or by using diuretics. 4. Fat Flush Cleanse which uses cleansing techniques to burn fat. This cleanse couples with a liver detoxification with a special diet to take advantage of the body’s natural fat burning abilities. 5. Ayurvedic Cleanses were created in India and couples with Eastern philosophy to detoxify and cleanse the body of mental and physical impurities. This is a three-phase cleanse.

RADIANCE

November/December 2016

GOD I S M Y SO U RCE, O F CO U RS E !

Dream Lofty Dreams “D ream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so shall you become. Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil.” Allen, James

The longer I live the more I realize how important it is that I always have a big dream in my life. Dreams are what cause us to bound out of bed in the morning instead of waking with anxiety or, even worse, apathy for the day ahead. When I don’t have a dream in front of me it’s easy to find fault with everything and self-pity comes easily. There’s an easy explanation for why we’re not at our best when we don’t have a dream—we were created to dream. The Proverbs writer tells us that “without a vision the people perish.” “Anything you can dream of is not too great for you to undertake, if it hurts no man and brings happiness and good into your life.” Science of Mind Text p. 288.2 A Dream is the Divine Urge. “It is impossible to plumb the depths of the individual mind, because the individual mind is really not individual but is individualized. Behind the individual is the Universal, which has no limits.” Science of Mind Text p. 30.2

by Rev. Annette Drake

of what we desire. This is the way to have them become fully embodied within us. We can see them, smell them, feel them, hear them, touch them. We step into them, so to speak. They become so real that they change our vibrational field, which sets off the Law of Attraction. Try this, you will be amazed at the immediate results you get. Your dreams are sent to you to guide you to use your natural talents. Listen and follow the still small voice. It knows! James Allen tells us that “your circumstances may be uncongenial, but they shall not long remain so, if you but perceive an Ideal (a dream) and strive to reach it. You cannot travel within and stand still without.” Namaste, Rev. Annette Drake, MSU Rev. Annette has served as Senior Minister for the First Church of Religious Science (now the Center for Spiritual Living, Fullerton) for the past 20 years. In her years of service, she has taught classes, held seminars, counseled many clients and performed weddings and memorial services. “My years of service have been the most rewarding time of my life. I love inspiring people and lifting the spirits of those around me.” Her new slogan “New Day – New Way” says it all. Every day is a chance to build a new inspired life, filled with love, harmony, peace, health, prosperity and all that you desire.

I’ve always liked a quote that I’ve heard attributed to both Oscar Hammerstein and Walt Disney, “If you don’t have a dream, how are you going to make a dream come true?” So why is it so hard for some of us to dream? Or so tough to believe that our dream can come true? Perhaps for some of us it’s because we were programmed to “don’t get your hopes up.” While this was told to “protect” us, it had the opposite effect. For many years I wanted to believe in a dream (because I was created that way) but I was afraid of how I’d feel if I didn’t get my dream. I was afraid to “get my hopes up.” So how do we start dreaming? Or how do we dream bigger? By changing our thoughts of course. Mark Victor Hansen, writes in his book Dare To Win, “If you know exactly what you want, you can have it…Look around you. The world is filled with abundance.” Here is how to think about and bring about our dreams, taken from the Science of Mind Text p 399.3 “We should think clearly and allow the image of our thoughts to sink into a subjective state. We do not crowd them down, we let them sink into this inner receptivity with power and with conviction. Our individual subjective mind is our place in the Universal Creative Law and immediately connects us with limitless power and energy.” As we dream lofty dreams and let them sink into or subjective state, they become a Spiritual Prototype or mental equivalent 21

RADIANCE

November/December 2016

Pragmatic and Fun Tools for Life W e live in a busy, fast, challenging and confusing world. This reality often overwhelms or scares us and there are moments when we think we are stuck or have no choice. What if this is not the only way we could live our lives and other possibilities existed for us? After studying and using a lot of different modalities and techniques throughout my whole life I became very clear on what kind of tools work for me. I like fast, easy, pragmatic and fun tools that create a dynamic change. I’ve been searching for those tools everywhere and almost lost hope when I came across the tools of Access Consciousness. Brilliant, effective and easy to learn for everyone. Since I started using them over 6 years ago my life has expanded more than I could have ever imagined. What’s most important, I changed to the degree that I might as well be a different person. From sad, depressed, often suicidal, angry and negative to becoming happy, joyful, inspiring, potent and positive. I’d like to share with you some simple tools that led me to it. There is one condition, though, you do have to use them whenever you remember and miracles will start showing up before breakfast! My first tool which I use hundreds of times a day is determining what is true for me and what is not by perceiving the energy which comes up after I ask the question. What creates lightness in my body and being is true or a ‘yes’ as compared to what is heavy and is not true or a ‘no’. So, what is light is right and what is heavy is a lie? You can use this technique in every situation, for example, Truth: Should I go to this party? If I choose this job, will it make good money? If I go out with this guy/girl will it be fun? If I choose

this home will it contribute to my life? etc. If you really want to get out there you can even look at the future and what each choice will create (“If I do this, what will my life be like? If I don’t do this, what will my life be like?”). After you ask a question you just stop, relax and observe your body. For some people lightness occurs in the head, for some in the chest or belly, there is no right way to do it, so you have to learn and practice your light and heavy. For some people is very easy, for some it takes some time to strengthen this muscle but I guarantee you, you came into this world equipped with this muscle. What would your life be like if you actually trusted yourself and that which you know? Would it be easier for you to know whatever you choose following this lightness will

by Gosia Lorenz

expand your life? How many problems and obstacles could you avoid if you followed the lightness rather than logic? How many times have you known you should not do something, but instead, you listened to your logic and mind and you did it anyway? How did it work out for you? It could be as little as buying the wrong dress for the party or as big as marrying the wrong person. And as I said at the beginning, it’s about what is true for you, not for somebody else. I don’t know about you, but I do believe that each and every one of us could have it all. We can all have beautiful, joyful lives, healthy, vibrant bodies, wonderful relationships, tons of money AND be conscious and aware at all times as well! With ease and joy! Gosia

Gosia Lorenz is an Access Consciousness™ Certified Facilitator, Body Process Facilitator, Talk To The Entities™ Facilitator, Certified Spiritual Health Coach and many more. She facilitates classes all over the world, teaching various techniques and tools for consciousness. She is a gifted healer, engaging speaker, published author and a dynamic change agent.

ANIMYSTIC ADVENTURES

Is Your Pet Your Helpmate or Are You Dumping Toxicity on Him?

n my very early days as a working animal communicator, I watched a panel at the Los Angeles Conscious Life Expo. To my horror, the lead panelist told a woman in the audience that it was perfectly okay for her to weep all over her dog numerous times a day because she was so sad. This speaker then said, “My dog died in my arms of cancer after my divorce. She took that pain from me. That’s how they help us.” A few of her fellow panelists agreed with her, while my jaw hit the floor. Every fiber in my body was screaming, because in my opinion, this is EXACTLY what we should not do to our pets. I was so angry I walked out of that session, and I remained upset for the whole rest of the night. As I left in a hurry, Dr. Linda Bender, a wonderful veterinarian who has written a book called Animal Wisdom, asked me to come to her session the next day. I attended that session still unsettled, and saw a few of those same panelists in Dr. Bender’s audience. At the end, Dr. Bender said, “I was awoken in the middle of the night with a message for someone here, from the animals…I was awoken from a deep sleep and they insisted someone here needed to hear this. They say, ‘We are not your emotional dumping ground. Don’t lay on every burden on us. It is not fair and it is not healthy.’” This is absolutely correct. Animals can come to help us, listen to us and guide us on our paths. But, they are also often physical mirrors for the emotional health or chaos of our households. Some of you may be reading this with abject sadness, thinking you may have sent a pet over the rainbow bridge because of your illness, fear or worry. Let that go. There are plenty of times that a dog, cat, bird or horse is exercising his or her own karmic path, 24

RADIANCE

by Kara Udziela

but there are steps you can take to ensure they are not absorbing your negative emotional experiences. As an animal communicator, I have experimented in a blind test with another “people psychic.” We have individually scanned the chakras of a person and his or her pet, in the same room at the same time. Without alerting each other, in every instance, the pets’ ill-aligned chakras perfectly matched an imbalance in those of their humans. In one case, a woman had trouble feeling painful or negative emotions, without a rooted sense of self. Her dog is what I call “adrenal,” very hyper and reactive, living in her first three chakras, but very closed in the root, sacral and solar plexus. In another case, a woman was undergoing thyroid treatment without my knowledge, and the word thyroid popped up for her cat, as well as the cat’s throat chakra being wobbly. The cat may have been attempting to absorb illness from her owner. We cleansed and corrected the chakras for both pets and the people. And you can as well, for yourself and your pet. This should be done as often as possible, daily if feasible, because our life circumstances are always changing. Here are several tips for keeping your pet energetically healthy: 1. Tell Her About Your Problems But Make Her Let It Go. I am not at all suggesting that you have to stop loving your pet or confiding in her. What I am saying is that you need a few boundaries and limits. If you have a bit of a snivel over money worries or a relationship sitting next to your noble Labrador Sadie, that is ok. Thank her for listening and remind her that she is the family dog and you are capable of handling the problem. If you are going to cry for the 15th time that week, put Sadie outside your bedroom, tell her she is the dog, and have a good cry, or call a friend or counselor to help you move out of sadness or anger. Come out of your room and be lighter, and make an effort to play. 2. Cleanse the Chakras Whenever possible, cleanse your chakras and your pet’s. Chakras are energy centers in the body. There are hundreds, but focus on the root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye and crown. The purposes and correspondences of each, as well as the possible imbalances represented are too complex to go into in this article, but you can refer to www.tailsinc. com/2014/06/conscious-living-balancing-your-pets-chakras/ for a good list.

November/December 2016

between these two points. Once this feels good, follow by sweeping your hand about 3 inches above your animals’ body from head to toe, and pushing old negative energy into the ground. Tell the animal to let go of bad energy as you do so. Ask for the energy to be transmuted to the positive. 4. Have Fun Daily While pets are not meant to be our emotional sponges, they are here to experience joy, as are we. Take time for walks, even when you don’t feel like it. Throw toys in the house. Teach them a trick. Go to the beach. Make an effort to remember the excitement you had when you first brought him home and do something super fun every day. When your energy is high, your dog will sense that and you are doing great things for his health as well, and building a better bond. Kara from Pet’s Eye View is an Animal Communicator and Teacher certified by CWALU, a 20-year initiate in British Earth Wisdom traditions and a certified Fairyologist with Doreen Virtue. Her mission is to help pets and their people form stronger bonds through telepathy and energy work.

Using your intuition, or a pendulum as pictured, with a guide to where the chakra centers are, feel or see where there are imbalances or cloudy, dirty spots on each chakra, clear them, imagine the circles stabilizing and spinning clockwise, at a steady pace. Do this from the root to the crown until you sense that all chakras are balanced and spinning in unison. Then seal the aura. Imagine an electric blue light and surround your pet in that, to protect her from outside energies. 3. Ground Your Pet’s Energy Especially if your pet tends to be anxious, fearful or aggressive, there is often an imbalance in the lower half of the body. You may even feel above his body and sense that the energy stops or is cold in the solar plexus, sacral or root chakras. In this case, it is a great twice daily practice to put one hand on the top of the head and gently touch the crown chakra, while placing the other hand at the base of his spine and touching the root chakra. Imagine a golden energy circuit running strongly 25

RADIANCE

November/December 2016

Magic

opanga, October 3rd, 2016. I have come to Dare’ with my daughter. Night has fallen and we have moved inside for counsel. People sit tightly packed together. We are discussing the question that was developed by the convening committee who gathered hours before Dare’ begins. The question is: “With everything that is going on, what are the signs and where do you stand?” We are asked to speak from our experiences; our hearts. Theory or spouting intellectual philosophy has no place in this circle. Those things that are spoken move from one person to another, each thought, each experience building upon itself. As I listen I hear the word magic; it becomes a mantra in my head. I ask for the talking stick. I begin to speak. “As each of you were sharing, the word magic was repeating in my head. As we speak about the dire conditions that have come upon our planet, these conditions being our own doing, or the doing of an inevitable outcome, I am asking “what about the magic?” Can we not open to the magic of who we are? Even if this is the end of it all, before it ends, can we not allow the magic to explode from our beings? What about the magic?” This is how I believe in the magic. The year is 1986, night has fallen, and I am teaching a class in Philadelphia for spiritual development. I have asked a man who does channeled music/songs to come do his “thing” for my students. For years whenever I have been in distress, the song “Let It Be” by the Beatles would come up on the radio I was listening to, right at that moment I was asking for help. Scott turns to me as he finishes with the last of my students, having sung to each of them an original song; a message from spirit put to music. “Would you like me to sing a song for you?” he asks. I nod in assent. Quietly he settles, closing his eyes. His hand begins to strum against his guitar. The beginning notes of “Let It Be” ring out into the room. My eyes fill with tears.

by Amaya Victoria Scott, nor do any of my students, know that this is my song; the song spirit brings me whenever I am in distress. Magic. September 2016, 6 pm. I am finishing up a healing session with a client. I raise up one of my healing feather fans. Gently I brush the feathers of the fan down each side of her face. Two weeks later she returns for another session. At the end of the session she tells me about her experience after the last session. “I had 10 minutes or so left on my parking meter, so I went across the street to the beach to convene with Grandmother Ocean. I decided to take a few selfies. This is what appeared on the photos.” She proceeds to show me a series of 25 pictures that start with her face turned slightly sideways away from the camera. There on her cheek is the energetic imprint of the tip of my feather fan in lavender. The proceeding pictures had an orb developing from this form and traveling across her chest out to the ocean. This is truly magic. I used some examples in this article that can be considered tragedies. The point I am making is that every step,

every experience, every interaction is sacred. Magic in its own right. Whether it be taking a stand, praying preciously for someone as they are moving from one realm to another, or having the imprint of a feather fan on your face after a powerful, precious healing session. All of it, MAGIC. Topanga October 3rd, 2016. I hand the talking stick off to a man who says “Is there anyone else here who has been spoiled by synchronicity?” As I laugh I think Ah yes MAGIC!

RADIANCE

November/December 2016

CHAKRA INSIGHTS

Accept Your Spiritual Gifts

his is the season to recognize and accept your spiritual gifts. Whether you were aware of your gifts at an early age or discovered them during your adult life, know that it is an opportunity to personify the abilities you have been endowed with. The topic for this issue’s column is insights into the “Brow Chakra”. You likely have many stories to tell from your life experiences. These experiences need recognition no matter their content because they prepare you to help someone else when the need arises. Some of you may experience many gifts that link together. Do not look at them as separate. Look at your gifts as jointly connected by one thread. This will lead you to your life purpose. Imagine a spider web and the intricate pattern that is weaved. Life is like this for all of us. Creating a web is the spider’s purpose for survival. There are so many things you can learn from nature if you observe it closely. Your life too is by Divine Design. Look at the gifts you have and the ones that are calling you to be unwrapped. Find the common thread that pieces the gifts you have together with the gifts that are latent in you. These gifts can show you how to receive your heart’s desire. You may think you are not ready or do not know where to start. Stay focused on your goal. An opportunity will come through to give you more insights to follow. If Spirit nudges you to express your talents, do not hesitate to take action. As with any ability you have, you must activate it or it will stay dormant! I recently spoke with a woman who was afraid of her gifts. She felt the visions she had were dark and oppressing. For one thing Spirit will not lead you in that direction. From the information I could gather she inherited gifts from many generations. All she needed was some training to redirect her focus so she could capture the true works of Spirit. Remember you are energy and what you feed your mind will eventually demonstrate those thoughts in your physical reality! The gifts you have blossom at different stages of your life. Many will start with a thought, an interest or a challenge. They oftentimes will mold your passion into a

by Nancy Kimes

career. For instance, if you want to save animals from abuse or give them shelter you may want to work at an animal reserve or become a veterinarian. If you want to feed the hungry you may become an advocate to reach these goals. Your gifts are tools for your higher intentions in life. The spider has within itself the capacity to weave a masterpiece. So do you! Weave your web to find the opportunities in your path. If a spider should cross your path do not harm it, instead, observe it and respect it. Do not fear it. Observe the spider as yourself. Are you aware? Do you respect yourself? Do you have fear of what may hurt you? You will learn a lot about yourself through observing nature. I use the example of a spider not only because of the intricate web design it weaves, but also because of its strength. The spider’s web has the capability to stay intact through all the elements it faces…wind, rain or storm. The next time you walk in nature take a camera and notepad. With each encounter note your feelings and thoughts. Give yourself and what you encounter space. Be still and enjoy the experience. Your gifts will manifest through doing what you love to do!

RADIANCE

November/December 2016

TRA N SF O RM YO U R EN ER G Y

Helping to Heal Mental Diseases with Energy Work

t is very important to clear our energy field, and it is equally important to clear the root cause of it being unclear. Sometimes the root cause can include inner child issues, with examples being something like abandonment, being beaten, being molested, being bullied etc. These memories can b e extracted by a healer that has advanced technical training. Healing & transforming the wounded inner child can yield immediate results the next day. I’ve seen it. If you take out the current dysfunctional operating software, then when those programs are no longer there, you can be free to develop your own operating system, with a little guidance, and this will create a new point of attraction. With the clients I have helped, I have seen that in most cases, narcissists and borderline personalities, bi-polar, etc., are mostly made or created in early child experiences rather than being born with them. Energy healing is the easiest way, and I believe the most foundational way, to address the problem. Conditions like OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), are actually brain malfunctions, when you look at it on a psychic vision level. It is usually a stuttering of a few moving parts in the center of the brain. Some people are much better in one treatment. Severe cases take as many as 9 sessions. But what a relief to no longer be stuck in inflexibility and routine, and severe limitations in life. Autism is a complex problem to solve, because it is also a brain damage problem. From what I have seen, in vision, is a lot of times it is vaccines that have made the holes in the brain, additionally I’ve seen the dendrites and synapses (nerve impulse highways) are not communicating, so there is a lack of internal awareness and also a lack of awareness of what is outside too. The heavy metals have to be neutralized, and I do this energetically and also with a recommendation of inexpensive supplements which can take out the poisons. Autism takes time and multiple layers of healing, but it can be made better. I use many systems of healing for autism, including classic energy work (pranic healing) and also quantum healing to repair brain tissue and to get the

by Carol “Leilani” Jenny

nerves to communicate, and then there’s the healing of the person’s reality, which functioning more normally is a really different experience for them. With autism, there is usually heavy karma with the soul, but that can be mitigated too with proper protocols and a spiritual bank account of positive karma to allow the healing to happen. Depression is an easy problem to solve, since it is the blocked energy. I hope this helps in giving you hope that there can be relief for these symptoms that can be an ongoing wellness state of being, and not only talk therapy and medications. Blessings! Carol Leilani Carol Leiliani is a multiple modality energy healer with many modalities in her “tool kit.” She is a fluid intuitive, and multidimensional healer. Her gift is tuning in to your Higher Self and being informed and guided by your higher self. To book an appointment call (480) 586-5804 or email Caroljenny.com@gmail.com

RADIANCE

November/December 2016

TH E SPI RI TU A LI TY O F M O N E Y

Navigating the Fears Around Having Money

he Best Reason to observe our attitude toward money is that if it is in our hearts to help humanity, without funds, we can help only a very limited number of people as it would require our personal presence to make an impact. (Or a prayer, of course!) But, if we have funds, we can easily end hunger. We could give out micro loans to get women in developing economies to start their own businesses, we can buy school supplies and hot meals to aid in the fight against illiteracy. So even if we feel that talking about money, or owning it is not spiritual, let’s think again if there is a chance that we would feel more alive just because we are giving away at a fast pace what is coming to us. Receiving is the same as giving. Fear and anxiety can keep our money energy streams scaled back. If money is neither good or bad, but an energy flow, why isn’t it flowing equally to everyone? Was the first idea about money you heard as a child “Money doesn’t grow on the trees” or “Rich people aren’t going to heaven?” These seem to be the most common misconceptions we have been equipped with for our journey through life. Unfortunately, they stick. So, if our money energy doesn’t flow like we wish it would, or if we feel guilty that we have more than others, perhaps we need to take another look at our childhood. If we agree that this life is a Hero’s Journey, the first thing to do about money misconceptions is to realize that in the beginning of our journey we were given a GPS by our parents. They did the best they could but, sometimes our parents are not the greatest money-handlers either. Our GPS could be flawed. It can be scary to drop the flawed programming that was given to us by our most trusted caregivers, start changing the way we feel around money and move into trusting our own inner guidance. Change is always hard, and floating on the ocean of finances

without an orange life vest seems illogical, irrational and so right-brained that most of us who are used to surviving cannot fathom the idea of letting go. One of my favorite Joseph Campbell quotes is “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” Sometimes the cave opening that we fear to enter in is decorated with yellow “Do Not Enter” tape. And in parenthesis it may state: “Spiritual people don’t care about worldly treasures” or “My mom always says rich people are greedy and I want my mom to love me.” Or perhaps it says, “I am too spiritual to admit that I would like to have some money flowing through me.” Or even “If I ask for help, there will be with some strings attached and I will be asked to do something I am not comfortable with.” Do any of these sound familiar to you? When at Holistic Healing Fairs the guests see my “Free Financial Advice” sign, they don’t know what to think. In Finland when we are suspicious of something we say, “A dog must be buried there somewhere.” If we subscribe to the

by Niina Bagdasar, CFP

thought that money is hard or rich people are greedy and you have to work really hard to have enough, then Free Advice seems like some far-fetched utopian concept or a trick to reel us into something. What stands between our dream life and what we are dealing with is fear. To begin navigating this fear, take the time to sit and observe. We just might have flashes of our own genius. We can emerge from our meditation mind full of great ideas that can be changed into prosperity. Niina Bagdasar is a Certified Financial Planner, MBA and Wealth Manager, Money Coach She has worked in investments and finance since 1988. Her client relationships are long-term and entail the entire financial spectrum of their lives. She loves people more than numbers but has a good handle on all things finance. Her goal is to help her clients make their financial decisions from a well-informed, heart-centered place, for the good of all humanity, utilizing investments and businesses that either produce renewable energy, care for their employees or at the minimum try to leave the earth in a better shape than what we found it in.

LEADERSHIP TEAM

RADIANCE

Rev. Danielle Marie Hewitt

Hideko Curcio

Founder and Spiritual Director

Director of Events and Facilities

Abbas “Abby” Namazi

Rev. Zia Sadaf

Deborah Shea

Coury DeVelle

Marcie Howard

Programs Director

On-site Practitioner and Instructor

Rev. Amaya Victoria

Laura Lesneski

Shannon Quamme

Elizabeth Hendershot

Debra Hookey

On-site Practitioner

On-site Practitioner and Instructor

On-site Practitioner

Instructor

Victor Edwards

Grace Avalon

Jayden Rodriguez

Shauna Kossoff

Kara Udziela

Adil Panton

Instructor

Seth Pincus

Joshua Bower & Lemia Astarabadi

Anna Sophia

Alejandro Tovares

Nancy Kimes

David Wells, Ph.D.

Instructor

Instructors

Instructor

Kathleen Abraham

Harmony Roundy

Ryan Lee

Susan Lape

John Salat

Instructor

Temple of Light

November/December 2016

RADIANCE

The Magical World of Transformations

e began with a simple vision: demonstrate how folks could uplift the consciousness of their environment by simply allowing beauty to be their guide. The furniture, the pictures on the walls, the lighting and even the smaller decor items all become a part of the overall landscape. There is something extraordinary that happens when you enter a space where everything is mindfully placed; an unexpected sense of ease and peace when entering such a landscape, a place filled with beauty. Our moniker was “Transform Your Home, Transform Your Life”. We focused our attention on finding the unusual and unique. We hunted high and low through homes of the rich and famous and celebrities who were letting go of some of their valued treasures to flea markets. This was all well and good but we were purchasing goods before we had secured our location. So not only were we hunting merchandise but also our home. We knew we wanted to be in Long Beach, other than that we were a blank slate. Faith was a large part of what drove us in those early days. We were having great fun, but boy were we out on a limb. What if none of this pans out? What if we can’t find a place we can afford? What will we do with all the stuff we have in storage?

by Kristina Sanborn & Noelle Harris

Then it happened. Right on Broadway in Belmont Heights, Babcock and Cook were closing their doors. A well-established gift store loved by the community was leaving; we were sad for them but hopeful for ourselves. We approached the landlord with our desire to lease the space and after what seemed an endless negotiation we were able to secure the location. Working tirelessly for several months to reinvent the space, we finally opened our doors in the fall of 2013, and Transformations was born. We displayed our treasures with great delight. Setting an amethyst quartz cluster atop a black bamboo side table, along with an inspirational poetry book published by a local author; placing a six-foot tall, one of a kind, hand carved Buddha statue behind an old couch refurbished with cool vintage fabric from the sixties. Our customers were entranced. We also hoped to engage our patrons with more than just a store. From holding classes in Feng Shui and painting to hosting social gatherings with music and nosh; to poetry readings and book signings, we hoped to bring the community together. Inspiring interaction through beauty, art and learning.

November/December 2016

Our vision was big, we knew that. But our desire to succeed fueled the fire of our vision. Our first year was challenging. There were some very lean months. But our desire and vision kept us afloat. And our faith became paramount. We were here to stay and we could not afford to see it any other way. As time progressed more and more of our patrons communicated their desire to have expanded options with crystals and statues. From the higher end to the more modest offerings, folks wanted variety, diversity as well. We naturally began expanding our offerings and we continued to grow slowly. But it looked as though that might not be enough. We were becoming more and more of a culturally diverse store with offerings from many spiritual paths. From Hindu to Pagan we found ourselves expanding the offerings into many diverse cultures and perspectives. There was a natural evolution and our “transformation” began to take place throughout the second year. But we were still holding on to our original mission. There was still a good deal of furniture and home décor on the docket. Sometimes when we’re too close to a situation it’s difficult to tell the forest from the trees. This was so true for us, but then fate intervened. One of our employees has a grandmother who is a well-known psychic. She asked her granddaughter if she might be able to speak with us. We of course said yes; and her session was a marvel. In short she told us we needed to stop trying to be a furniture store and become what was innate within our own natures. “Transform” into a metaphysical center. It was there we would have great success.

And that’s exactly what we did. Now we have brought in a wide variety of highly skilled, readers, teachers and healers. We offer free new moon and full moon meditations and rituals. We have festivals four times a year on the fall and spring equinox, and winter and summer solstice. We host as many special events as time and the calendar permits. We have also hugely expanded our crystal inventory. As well as our statues that hale from many different cultures. We have metaphysical books, a wide variety of tarot and inspirational cards. We have singing bowls and chimes, many kinds of incense and holders. And that’s just the tip of the ice burg. This blossoming and expansion has blown all of our minds. We were shown very quickly that following one’s passion leads to a road filled with success and fulfillment. Everyday seems to bring a new adventure when we allow ourselves the freedom to do what brings us joy. Our faith kept us afloat but following our passion has brought us untold riches. These riches aren’t just in our wallets. These are the riches of leading a fulfilling life where we are all of benefit to others and ourselves. Our new moniker? “Transform Your Life, Transform The World”. Come join us as we celebrate our continuing “Transformation”. Written By: Kristina Sanborn, Owner/Founder & Noelle Harris, Managing Partner Transformations

Kristina Sanborn is an author, retired actress, theatre producer and owner/founder of Transformations. Her love of beauty, creativity and spirit is what inspired her to open the store/metaphysical center. It is her greatest hope that when you walk through the doors you will discover your own inspirational journey. Noelle Harris as life-long resident of Long Beach, knows the town like the back of her hand. As both a healer in her own right & a retail maven, her skills give her just the right vision to keep Transformations down its lighted path.

RADIANCE

November/December 2016

RADIANCE

November/December 2016

Temple of Light 41

RADIANCE

Fixing Holiday Loneliness

h the holidays! Most people either love them or dread them. How do you feel about the holidays? For people who have lots of family (that they like) this time of year is a time to get together with their loved ones. People brave the planes, trains, buses, and roads to travel to be with the people they love. They spend weeks if not months, shopping for that perfect gift for Aunt Sue, Cousin Bruce, Mom and Dad, not to mention all the kids. The television screens are filled with wonderful movies that show how even people who may once have Scrooges and Grinch’s, find their attitudes and behaviors changed by the love shown during the season. After all, it is a time of love, peace, joy and hope. Everything looks better decorated in the twinkling of lights and ornaments. And the food! All those cookies, candies, cakes, egg nog, hot apple cider, and hot chocolate just begging to be eaten or drunk. It is a time when diets go out the window and everyone seems to get a reprieve from concerns about healthy eating and exercising. After all, who has time—there is so much to do and so little time to do it in. But for many people the holidays only intensify their feelings of loneliness, a separation from others, and a reminder of what they do not have. It is a time for the Scrooges to isolate and to avoid the happy crowds of people merrily celebrating the season. Unfortunately, both groups of people often forget what the true meaning of the holidays are. They either get wrapped up in the commercial aspect and become stressed trying not to be out done or they only see the part of the holidays that bring out the fact that they may be alone or far from family and unable to be with their loved ones. If we take time to understand the meaning of the holidays during this season, it would help us to truly appreciate—even love, this time of year whether we are alone or surrounded by many. Thanksgiving is a time of just

by Rev. Arlene Meyer

that—giving thanks. It brings up pictures of happy families gathered around a table filled with food. But for me, I dreaded the holiday because it reminded me of how alone and lonely I was. Then I met a group of people who every year got together for the holiday to share a meal. Ever since that first communal Thanksgiving, I have either attended or hosted such an event. Sometimes it was at my home, when space permitted, and sometimes at the spiritual center that I was affiliated with. It became one of my favorite times and continues to be so. At Unity of Orange County, we continue the tradition. The point is no one has to be alone. What I learned about Christmas was that it, too, became a happier time when I found ways to get out of my self-pity and depression through serving others and being among friends and people who understand. Nothing beats the “blues” like being helpful to others and spending time with likeminded people whatever time of year it is. How we feel about the holidays is about our thinking and our attitude. If you are alone or lonely and looking for a “family” to share the holidays with, please come to our Unity Center for Spiritual Awakening, located in The Temple of Light in Irvine, (unityoforangecounty.org) and we’ll make you feel right at home. Our folks are friendly and warm and you will truly learn that you’ll never have to be lonely or alone anymore.

November/December 2016

Temple of Light

November 5, December 3 and January 7

Goddard Business Center 11 Goddard Irvine, CA 92616

949.333.1641 43