May/June 2015 Radiance Magazine

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rivileges & Responsibilities: A Match Made in Heaven By Rev. Danielle Marie Hewitt Founder of the Temple of Light Community Director of the Academy of Light School Publisher of Radiance Magazine Mentor and Practitioner of Holistic Healing Arts

M hand in hand.”

y husband and I raised four children. We owe our success partially to a philosophy we applied to them universally. We told them “privileges and responsibilities go

This meant, for example, if they wanted the privilege of going out on a weekend night with friends or on a date ,certain responsibilities went along with it, like being honest about where they were going, who they were with and getting home by a certain time. Demonstrating the ability to handle the responsibility of the freedom allowed the privilege of it. 4

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It made it easy to pull the privilege when the responsibility wasn’t being executed. It took the punitive aspect of it away and we gave them the opportunity to demonstrate if they could manage the responsibility at a later date. We explained to them it was a process of being ready and that it wasn’t about judgment or blame. This philosophy took the condescension out of what and when we allowed them to do things. Although this philosophy is a great parenting tool, I recently realized it is also a great life tool for anything continued on page 6 >>

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that we want to accomplish or have manifest. We seek loving relationships, friendships, great careers, financial success, rewards, gifts, etc. These are privileges. To have these privileges we must be willing to live responsibly. They go hand in hand. Living responsibly for me comes in several different forms (spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically.) I look at the areas in my life I deem to be the most important to me and consistently review my actions to ensure I am not sabotaging them and ensuring the continued manifestation of them. I am responsible for everything which manifests in my life ...good, bad, or neutral. I recently heard through the grapevine a holistic healing arts practitioner compared herself to me and said something like, “Why did God give her a Temple and a husband and not me?”

without the limiting believes the lower chakras often instill.

An unhealthy root chakra can create limiting feelings around safety and financial security which will support beliefs around the idea of scarcity and lack. These beliefs will create feelings of competition, jealously, being left behind, being passed over, never getting ahead and all of the related stress, fears and resentments associated with them. An unhealthy sacral chakra can create feelings of stifled creativity, inability to be imaginative, disempowered, insignificant contributions to society, nothing to give and an understated relevance as a person. These feelings will keep our inspiration in check and compartmentalized as well as support a poor selfassessment of our talents and abilities.

I am responsible for everything which manifests in my life ...good, bad, or neutral.

When I initially heard these words, I was stunned and hurt that someone I knew would say such a jealous, unsupportive statement. However, after contemplation, it was the inspiration for this article as it caused me to ask myself, "Why did God and the Universe give this life to me?" The answer is because I do what it takes to create it.

Many people I know work hard physically to achieve their dreams and desires yet come up short. They are frustrated, exhausted, and confused. Doing what it takes to create the life of your dreams isn’t just about the physical work, it’s also about the mental, emotional and spiritual work. The physical work is actually the easiest, the remaining three are the most challenging. We must be responsible for all four areas in order to reap the rewards of a life of grace and privilege. The Spiritual Work (living without limits) For those of us who work with the chakra systems, the idea of spiritual work tends to conjure up images of the third eye and crown chakra. In fact, it’s the opposite. To be responsible spiritually, we must work on our lower chakras, the root, sacral and solar plexus. To be spiritually responsible is to live

An unhealthy solar plexus creates feelings of low selfesteem, low self-worth, undeserving of success, needing to “pay our dues” or a constant need to prove our self. These feelings will deny us the ability to accept success or keep it in check. As beings of light, we are compelled to be responsible to seek out and work through unhealthy lower chakra issues which limit our ability to show up in the world as a capable, ready, willing, and able servant of the Divine. We need not fear that in the strengthening of these lower chakras we will become overly ambitious or aggressive with our pursuits in love, health, and career, for, in truth, a natural, easy balance will be the overriding experience. I seek the easiness of not worrying about money, not being concerned I am not creating the right programs or afraid I am not good enough to deserve the success. This would be the privilege I see coming hand in hand with the responsibility of getting to the bottom of the limiting beliefs which dwell in the first three energy centers of our human beingness.

The Emotional Work (following your heart) Passion, an open heart feels passion and desire to do something wonderful, powerful, meaningful, and loving towards our brothers and sisters. May/June 2015

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s If our heart chakra is impaired, wounded, shut down or broken we cannot pursue our greatest desires. If we do not take responsibility for our joy felt and loving heart, we will live a life of emotional disconnection to our family, friends and society as a whole. Breathe in love and life, fill your heart and lungs with the sweetness of life, and know it is yours to have and hold. When we learn to love ourselves, we love others; when we speak kindly to ourselves, we speak kindly to others; and when we nurture and respect ourselves, we nurture and respect others.

We are responsible to heal our broken hearts and give love unconditionally to others in the process. When we take this responsibility, we have the privilege of love in our hearts and we see only love in others. The Mental Work (relationships and communications.) Now we arrive at the upper chakra work, the throat, ears, third eye and crown. How do you relate to people? Do you see them, know them, listen to them, and speak kindly? We are responsible for what we believe and the paradigm of thoughts we create. When the crown chakra, our belief system of what we know to be true, is beleaguered with negative thoughts and ideas, our decision making process is impaired.

We are responsible for the monitoring, hearing, and responding of the inner voice which conducts our interpersonal dialog. What is in our head governs our inner dialog and will color what we hear and see subsequently creating what comes out of our mouth. We are responsible for “our story." If someone asks you to tell them about yourself, how do you answer them? Do you respond with regrets from your past or the retelling of previous painful circumstances? Do you talk about your inabilities to being doing what you want now? Do you speak and think in terms of embittered circumstances? Or, do you embellish your current situation because you want to paint a brighter picture for your listener than what you believe is true?

Heavy thoughts and emotionally stressful beliefs can be a daunting, oppressive way to exist. It is tempting to survey our surroundings and declare the physical reality of what we see, hear, and know to be the “reason” 6

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for our distress. The idea of embracing the concept we only see, hear, and know our current reality is because it comes from inside can be an overwhelming theory for many of us to grasp. Only when we take full responsibility of creating our reality will we begin to have the privilege of changing it.

The Physical Work (tying up your camel) Or, as I prefer to say “getting your ducks in a row." The physical work is the fourth element. We must go to bed, eat, dress, pay our bills, put gas in or car, and show up to work and do our best every day to execute daily tasks. Sometimes we are tired and feel beaten and the idea of getting up and flogging ourselves through another day is too much.

The physical work is only daunting when the other three elements are not supporting us or when it is the only one being executed with determination and effort. This is when we get exhausted, frustrated, confused and resigned to failure. We cannot look around, complain, and feel sad we do not enjoy the privileges of life if we are not doing all that we can responsibly to ensure we have carved out the space for it to happen.

The good news is with effort in the four areas, improvement will be experienced in any current situation. The key is to recognize work must done in all four areas in order to begin to see real change happen. Y You can do it!

Rev. Danielle Marie is a Master TheaHealer® who practices a healing art primarily on 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 2000 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.

Build An Empowered Spiritual Practice With Rev. Danielle Marie Hewitt

Sat. & Sun., June 13 & 14 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cost: $197 per person AND you can bring a friend for free (share the cost) Register: www.templeoflightoc.org/ build-an-empowered-spiritual-practice

Do you dream of having a successful Holistic/Healing Arts Practice? Whether you do it as a hobby, part- or full-time, TOPICS: this 2-day course will get you started or enhance your existing practice. We provide the tools you need to create your empowered practice so you can fulfill your dreams to bring your work to those who need you.

This course is based on Rev. Danielle’s experience in building a spiritual practice, the creation of the Temple of Light, her 30+ years of experience as an accountant and entrepreneurial CPA, and the following books:  Starting a Spiritual Practice  Create Yourself  Creating Customers for Life  Creating An Abundant Practice  The Practice  The Enlightened Entrepreneur  The Science of Spiritual Marketing  Soulful Marketing  PR for the Holistic Healer  Living with Certainty  The Soul of Money  Client Mastery

 Getting out of your way: what emotional blocks are holding your back? (Strengthening the Lower Chakras)  Creation, Branding, and “I AM Presence:” discovering who are you and what you do. (Strengthening the Heart Chakra and letting Divine Spirit guide you)  Telling the World What you Do and Attracting Your Perfect Clients: Share What You Offer through Public Relations, Marketing, Websites, Social Media, the Perfect Sales Techniques for You, Networking and Making the Right Connections (Strengthening the Upper Chakras)  Managing Your Practice: Accounting, Legal, Merchant Accounts, Paypal, Eventbrite, Staffing, Barter Arrangements, Event Organization, Venues, Facebook, etc. (Being grounded in a “woo woo” field of work)

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anifesting Forgiveness

“Forgiveness is the fragrance that However, when we forgive, the the violet sheds on the heel that has payoffs are huge. crushed it.” As Wayne Dyer says, “When we ~ Mark Twain change the way we look at things, the things we look at change.” If we view forgiveness as a wonderful he need to forgive... opportunity, rather than a daunting For many of us it conjures task, we may start seeking ways to up anxiety, stress, fear, forgive. And the first step is to forgive and overwhelm. ourselves. After all, forgiveness is The egregious behavior needing about us. Not the person we need forgiving runs the gambit from to forgive. This is where the real broken promises to horrendous healing begins. crimes which cause tremendous suffering. Forgiving can be one of Why do we often get stuck in the most daunting challenges life unforgiveness? has to offer. One word, power. When we donʼt

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By Tim Braun

forgive, somehow we think we have power over someone else because of what they did to us. We feel weʼre punishing them. – they owe us. This makes us feel we are in control of the situation. However, the only thing weʼre controlling is our power NOT to forgive. Think about it for a moment. Feel the feeling of not forgiving. What does it feel like? Itʼs probably a heavy, dark feeling. This what youʼre putting into your body. Itʼs like injecting poison in your veins or drinking Arsenic. Once we understand we are poisoning ourselves when we donʼt forgive, we can free ourselves

TRUTH s CONSCIOUSNESS s BLISS with the exhilarating experience of forgiveness.

How do we begin to manifest forgiveness? First, you need to understand the meaning of forgiveness. It is letting go. Itʼs that simple. Itʼs releasing our negative feelings around the person who did us harm.

Next, you need to understand the meaning of unforgiveness; what forgiveness is not. Itʼs not about forgetting or condoning the egregious behavior. Itʼs more about shedding our anger, resentment and the hurt which resulted from that behavior. The incident is in the past. It canʼt be erased. But we donʼt have to carry it with us anymore. When we let go, we can move forward to a better life.

Then, you need to forgive yourself. Itʼs a crucial step toward manifesting forgiveness. And perhaps, it is the most difficult. We go through life beating up on ourselves—feeling weʼre not worthy. We need to let go of the expectation to be perfect. Then we must forgive ourselves for any harm we have done to someone else. When we can do this, we can free up the space to find forgiveness in those who have done harm to us. Once we forgive ourselves, we are truly loving ourselves and can begin to forgive others. When we can forgive ourselves, we are able to receive forgiveness from others.

What about someone who has passed on? How do we manifest forgiveness if the person isnʼt here in the physical? Youʼve lost a loved one. There is so much you wanted to say. So many

things you wanted to clear up. Maybe you didnʼt tell the person how much they meant to you and you really loved them. Perhaps they hurt you deeply and youʼre still carrying it with you. Remember, forgiveness is more about you than about the person you need to forgive.

Even if the person whom you need to forgive is still here, itʼs not always necessary or possible to confront them. This is about you confronting you. It doesnʼt matter if the person has passed on. It is critical you forgive yourself for you to heal the grief of your loss and let it go. In this process, you are letting yourself go.

But what about forgiving yourself because you think you caused their death? First, remember each of us is on our own path. Weʼre in our own movie; we make choices. We canʼt control someoneʼs destiny.

The first step toward forgiving yourself about a loved one who has passed on is to surrender and accept their destiny. Forgiveness is forgiveness. Whether the person is here or not. Remember, itʼs about YOUR path and your experience. You can choose to forgive and be free to live in the present or stay stuck in the memories of what youʼve done or what someone else has done to you in the past. 7 Tips and Techniques Toward Manifesting Forgiveness: 1. Be clear about what happened

Itʼs important to understand why you feel hurt and be clear about the circumstances which caused the hurt. You can share it

and get clarity with a friend or a therapist.

2. Change your attitude about forgiveness

Remember, forgiving is about your healing. Itʼs an opportunity to be your best self. Focus on the benefits of forgiveness, not on the drudgery of having to forgive. 3. Take baby forgiveness steps

This is important! Even the tiniest egregious behavior needs forgiving. The more we get into the forgiving habit, the more we build our “forgiveness muscle” and are able to cope when the bigger issues arise. Start right now. Think of someone who may have done something, like not returned text messages, or cancelled plans at the last minute for no good reason. Forgive them. The sooner you start forgiving, the freer youʼll feel. 4. Prayers, mantras and affirmations

They are all great tools in manifesting forgiveness. The key is to find the right practice for you. They serve as your anchor, protector and healer. Itʼs important to make them a daily habit. (You can pick just one path.) 5. Write a letter to yourself

Write about the hurt. The situation. The person who hurt you. Let your thoughts and emotions flow. This is for you, so it doesnʼt have to be perfect. Write continuously. It’s a powerful way to get to the continued on page 10 >>

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<< continued from page 9 deeper part of ourselves.

6. Keep a journal

In addition to writing a letter, a daily journal is a great way for moving from unforgiveness to forgiveness. It can be a powerful motivator to keep forgiving.

Rereading the moments where you forgave can remind you how healing it is.

7. Visualization

Seeing it in your mind can have a powerful effect on the subconscious. This visualization will help you feel the feeling of forgiving which in turn will help you manifest forgiveness: Sit in a quiet room or play meditation music.

 Imagine a dark, heavy door in front of you, slightly ajar.

 Feel the anger, resentment and hurt you have toward a person whom you need to forgive.  Imagine those feelings going through the door.

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 Close the door. Feel its heaviness as you hear it shut.  Imagine turning around. Before you is a giant picture window with beams of glorious light shining through.

 See the window opening. As it opens, feel the powerful, freeing feelings of forgiveness rush toward you and right through you.  Feel the tremendous healing as the liquid light permeates every part of your being as you forgive this person.

 Basque in this new light. This new positive energy. Feel the joy because you have manifested forgiveness. Can we all forgive?

Absolutely. Donʼt we all want someone to forgive us if we have caused them hurt? Then we all have the ability to forgive another who has caused us hurt as well. Make forgiveness a habit; an integral part of your life. Let go of the past so you can start living in the present.

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Tell a new story. Look forward to the next opportunity to forgive. Youʼll find you will be forgiven as well. When we realize that we want to spend the rest of our lives full of joy, fulfillment, and freedom, we will want to start forgiving as soon as possible. Tim Braun is an internationally renowned medium who has conducted more than 14,000 Sittings. He was born in Whittier, California, and is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where he earned a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies. He has been reading for private clients for more than 20 years, including Hollywood celebrities, renowned athletes, and corporate leaders. He recently guest starred on television Bravo's "The Orange Country Housewives,” TLC network show, "Sin City Rules,” and interviewed on CBS/Radio: Sunday's with Rolonda, The Good Life Radio Canada, and featured in Awareness magazine. His forthcoming new book titled Life and Death will be published December 2015 in the U.S., England, Germany and Italy. www.TimBraun.com

TheDateStranger: Dream January 2015

TRUTH s CONSCIOUSNESS s BLISS

By Choury DeVelle

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was a child chasing grasshoppers in the vacant lot next to my parent's home on Walnut Street. As I looked up from the weeded sanctuary which harbored the jumping green critters, I saw a tall, thin stranger walking into our backyard. He carried a dark brown leather backpack over his right shoulder and a black guitar case hung at the end of his left arm. If that was all there was to him, I might have simply thrown him into the closet of my memory along with the millions of fractured faces which come and go in dreams. But there was something about him that let me know his face was one I had to remember. For one thing, he was an albino. His skin was snow white, almost transparent. He had a gentle smile, but there was a weary look on his face, as if he hadn't slept in years. His patchy beard was the same color as his long white

hair which was pulled back into a ponytail. Perhaps he grew the beard to hide the damaged skin that covered his chiseled jaw and cheek bones but it didn't work.

I could see his facial scars were deep and uncared for. It seemed that every time he looked into the mirror, they reminded him of all the places he had been where people didn't understand. He had other wounds, too, wounds he wore beneath the skin in a place only I could see, wounds of hatred and bigotry which left their mark on his heart. But it was his eyes which made me forget to breathe; sad and lonely, they were the color of a “Monet” morning: pastel blue with tiny hints of pinks and greens. They had a language of their own and they spoke to my soul. I understood him to be a kind of “universal soldier” who continued on page 12 >> May/June 2015

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<< continued from page 11 took up residence in the little room next to our kitchen. He smiled at me as he hung his back pack on the nail only inches away from the wall mirror. He sat on the bed, took off his shoes, leaned back on the pillow, strummed a few chords on his guitar and fell asleep.

I stared at him, marveling at his innocence, especially after all he had been through. He had no reason to trust us, yet he looked like a baby sleeping in a mother's loving arms. How is it the world hadn't turned his heart into stone? I could feel my eyes welling up with tears. I wanted to hurt everyone who had hurt him, but knew this wasn't possible or practical; exchanging pain for pain never resulted in achieving anything but war. I quietly closed the door and went to bed. The door to his room was closed in the morning. Mother assumed he was sleeping when breakfast was on the table. "Be quiet," she whispered putting her right forefinger to her lips while placing a fried egg into my plate. "He must be very tired." That morning we ate breakfast in silence.

When noon rolled around she asked me to go to his room to see if he was hungry. I knocked on the door but there was no answer. I gently cracked it open and peeked inside but there was no sign of him. As I entered the room, I detected a scent that wasn't there before. Instead of the smell of newly laid tile which had been put down the week before, the room had a heavenly fragrance like a forest just after a spring rain.

Suddenly I realized I was dreaming, so I quickly tried to find something in the room which would remind me of this dream and how peaceful it was; I wanted to remember the stranger. I tried to stay in the dream, but I could already feel my bed beneath me and the blankets covering my body - I knew I had to hurry, the dream was fading.

In the dream, I turned to the door and saw the leather backpack still hanging from the nail on the wall next to the mirror. I rushed to it and quickly opened it. There was nothing inside except a little folded piece of white notebook paper with something scribbled on it. “It must be a message,� I thought. What could it be? I unfolded it as quickly as I could and even though the letters all seemed familiar, I couldn't understand it: meard-eht-era-uoy. 12

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No matter how I looked at it, it didn't make any sense! I was almost fully awake now and realized I would soon be back in my room in my bed without any remembrance of this dream.

The note was disappearing from my hands as I looked up into the mirror but, strangely, I didn't see my reflection. It was the stranger's face looking back at me through my eyes. His voice was familiar, like mine. "Hold it up to the mirror," he said. I held it up to the mirror and there it was, a perfectly handwritten note which could only be read in the mirror. All it said was: you-are-the-dream.

immediately."

Choury is founder of Orange County Hypnosis Center located at the Temple of Light in Irvine. When asked what he does with hypnosis, he replies, "I help give folks 'clarity.' The beauty of working with the power of the subconscious mind is you get results almost

Choury is the author of two books. His first book available on May 15, is The Message, a riveting account of his communication with his father after his father's death. The second book is about the spirit guide his father introduced him to titled Nemah. He is currently working on his third book, The Book of Dreams. For an appointment with Choury, call 714.624.1956.

The Message: A Son's Journey from Skeptical Cynic to Spiritual Counselor

Available for purchase on June 1, 2015

on www.Amazon.com.

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Keys to a Passionate Life

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assion is a concept people talk about a lot, in many different arenas. Business and leadership experts talk about employee engagement. Coaching and career development folks talk about finding a calling. Educators talks about passionbased learning. And couples and relationship counselors talk about keeping the spark alive. But passion is much bigger and deeper than what happens M-F 9-5, or what happens between partners.

Ultimately, passion is a life skill--a stance---which helps bring vitality to all our engagements: from work, family and school life,

By Gregg Levoy

to creative, social and spiritual life. It's a survival mechanism---critical to health and well-being---because your attachment to life depends on your interest in it. It's shockingly easy, though, to lose touch with our passion and vitality, to let them slide into disuse or be siphoned from us by all manner of downward-pulling forces--boredom, stress, fear, routine, a Great Recession, and a Code Orange world. Life, in fact, is so full of deterrents to passion, self- expression, and authenticity that what we casually refer to as “normal� behavior is really a state of arrested development. It's

just so pervasive, we often don't notice it.

There's a reason so many people are fascinated with vampires and zombies---there have been something like 50,000 books written about them in the past 20 years alone, and more than 500 movies and TV shows---and part of this is probably our collective fear of 1) being sucked of our life-force and 2) being left in a catatonic state. Here, then, are 5 key things to remember about the nature of passion, and how to give your vitality a transfusion: continued on page 14 >>

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<< continued from page 13 1. Passion can be cultivated. Turned on as well as turned off. It isn't one from the “either you've got it or you don't” department. This cultivation happens most readily at the level of the gesture and the moment, not the 5-year plan or the extreme makeover. But even at this micro-level, action is required, spontaneous action. The equation is: ready, fire, aim.

Here's an example: I was sitting with friends recently when one said, “You know what the problem is? We're not outrageous enough.”

When I asked him what he would to be outrageous, he thought for a moment, reached up and swept his hair from middle-parted and slicked-back to side-parted with a cowlick dangling over his forehead instantly transforming him from Richard to Ricardo, from PhD to matinee idol. He said, “I'd go to work like this.”

The idea is to start with the subtlest manifestations of the impulse to express yourself and act on your passions, and build from there. Begin identifying little moments of choice which lead you either toward or away from a sense of aliveness. 2. If you want to live with passion, you have to confront whatever blocks its expression. Start by identifying where in your life you lose vitality, where it leaks out. Maybe it's a job which sucks the life out of you. Maybe it's a relationship where you feel like a ghost of your full self. Maybe 14

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it's your eager, capable mind being put in dull circumstances. Maybe it's the absence of life goals you feel passion for. Or having them, but doing nothing about them. Maybe it's work or other involvements which are de-meaning, lacking any sense of meaning or purpose.

3. Passion is in the risk. In the willingness to step from the sidelines onto the playing field. The act of courage, even a single bold step beyond the comfort zone, helps awaken passion. The horse-and-cart equation isn't necessarily that you find your passions and then begin taking risks on their behalf, but that through the act of taking risks---making decisions, putting yourself on the line---you begin to discover your passions and bring them to life.

Risk, though, is utterly relative. It's whatever scares you, whatever brings you excitement. And it's not just the big, scary stuff, like tossing yourself out of airplanes or traveling the world. Maybe most importantly, it's the risks that are closer to home: taking your poems or jokes to open-mike night, being the first to make up after a quarrel, making love with your eyes open or the lights on, when someone asks how you are, telling them how you really are.

Abraham Maslow, who coined the term self-actualization, believed that self-actualizing types are those who make the growth choice instead of the fear choice---a dozen times a day.

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4. Passion isn't just exuberance, it's endurance. It's sometimes shoulder-to-the-wheel stamina and patience on the order of years. If your creative inspirations, or even your infatuations, aren't balanced by good long hours at the workbench, they don't come to fruition. The author Malcolm Gladwell even calculates mastery in most endeavors requires at least 10,000 hours of dedicated practice. Here's the math: 90 minutes daily for 20 years.

Unfortunately, we tend to think of passion as an inherently unstable element, prone to degrading quickly when exposed to familiarity or---in the case of relationships---commitment. It seems to serve the same purpose as a booster rocket in the space program. It launches people into orbit, but once that orbit is reached it falls away. But real passion has some staying power. It took Scheherazade 1001 nights---three years---to inspire the Sultan to a change of heart.

5. Passion breeds passion, and disinterest breeds disinterest. If you lack passion for you life, for our lives, your other relationships will be denied this energy, your partnerships, friendships, neighborhoods, communities, classrooms, corporations, and congregations. The mechanics of inspiration being what they are, one person's passion for life can have a profound effect on the unfolding of other people's passions; certainly for anyone in a position of leadership or

–Š‡ Œ‘—”Â?‡› ‘ˆ –Š‡ Š‡”‘‹… •‘—Ž ĥ ›‘— –”ƒ˜‡Ž ˆ”‘Â? ƒÂ? ‘—–nj ‰‹ˆ–• ƒÂ?† …ŠƒŽŽ‡Â?‰‡•Ǥ Â?‘†‡† ‡š‹•–‡Â?…‡ –‘ ƒÂ? ƒÂ?’Ž‹ˆ‹‡† Ž‹ˆ‡Ǥ Â? –‹Â?‡• ‘ˆ „”‡ƒÂ?ÇŚ TRUTH s CONSCIOUSNESS s BLISS stewardship---especially to ‹Â? get”‹‰Š– on with his work, so he takes ‡ ƒ”‡ ƒŽ•‘ ƒ†˜‹•‡† –‘ –—”Â? †‘™Â? –Š‡ ‘—–•‹†‡ Â?‘‹•‡ ƒÂ?† †‘™Â? ƒÂ?† „”‡ƒÂ?–Š”‘—‰Šǥ relative ™Š‹…Š to ™‡̾”‡ Â?‘™ǥ Gregg Levoy children and young adults. Whether a map of the world, rips it into little –—”Â? ‹Â?•–‡ƒ† –‘ –Š‡ •‹Ž‡Â?…‡ ™‹–Š‹Â? —• ˆ”‘Â? ™Š‹…Š ™‹•†‘Â? Â?›–Š• ƒ”‹•‡ –‡ŽŽ‹Â?‰ —• ‘ˆ –Š‡ Â?‡™ Š‡”‘‡• ƒÂ?† Š‡”‘‹Â?‡•ǥ is the author you're a parent, teacher, minister, pieces, and gives it toˆŽ‘™•Ǥ ‘ Â?ƒ––‡” ™Š‡”‡ ™‡ ÂƒÂ”Â‡ÇĄ ™‡ Šƒ˜‡ –Š‡ ‘’’‘”–—Â?‹nj the boy, telling of Vital Signs: ƒÂ?† ‘ˆ –Š‡ Â?‘„Ž‡ Œ‘—”Â?‡› ™‡ Â?—•– –ƒÂ?‡ ‹Â? •‡ƒ”…Š ‘ˆ –Š‡ The Nature mentor, manager, coach, counselor, him that he can help by piecing ‘••‹„Ž‡ —Â?ƒÂ? „‘–Š ™‹–Š‹Â? ‘—”•‡Ž˜‡• ƒÂ?† ‹Â? ‘–Š‡”•Ǥ and Nurture politician, or CEO, this much is the world back together. The boy of Passion Ěś ‘™ †‘ ™‡ ‡˜‘Â?‡ –Š‹• ‡Â?‡”‰‡Â?…‡Ǎ ‘™ †‘ ™‡ ‹Â?•’‹”‡ certain: your passion is critical to doesn't have a clue what the world (Penguin) and

‡‘”‰‡ ƒ’’ƒÂ?Â?‡ŽŽ‹ ‹• –Š‡ ƒ—–Š‘” ‘ˆ –Š‡ ÂƒÂ™ÂƒÂ”Â†ÇŚ Callings: Finding their engagement. looks like, but he takes the pile of –Š‹• ’‘••‹„Ž‡ǥ ’ƒ••‹‘Â?ƒ–‡ Š—Â?ƒÂ? •‘ ™‡ Â?ƒ› Â?‘– Œ—•– •—”nj ™‹Â?Â?‹Â?‰ ÇĄ „‡•–•‡ŽŽ‹Â?‰ „‘‘Â? ‘ ‘– ‘ —‹‡–Ž›ǥ and Following ˜‹˜‡ ‘—” –‹Â?‡ǥ „—– Â–ÂŠÂ”Â‹Â˜Â‡ÇĄ Ž‡ƒ˜‹Â?‰ ƒ Ž‡‰ƒ…› ‘ˆ ƒ Â?‡™ ™ƒ› an Authentic And this goes not just at the paper off to his room. …‘nj ˆ‘—Â?†‡” ‘ˆ ‰‡ ƒ–‹‘Â?ÇĄ ƒÂ?† Š‡ ‘”Ž† ‘—Â?…‹Ž

Life (Random ‘ˆ ‹•†‘Â? ‡‡’‡”•Ǥ ‡ ‹• Ž‡ƒ†‹Â?‰ ‰‡ ƒ–‹‘Â?ǯ• individual level, but the collective. If Two days later he rushes into his ‘ˆ „‡‹Â?‰ ˆ‘” ‘—” …Š‹Ž†”‡Â?ÇĄ ‘—” ‰”ƒÂ?†…Š‹Ž†”‡Â?ÇĄ ƒÂ?† –Š‡ ÂˆÂ—ÇŚ House). He is the former “behavioral •‹š –”ƒÂ?•ˆ‘”Â?ƒ–‹‘Â?ƒŽ ƒ˜‹‰ƒ–‹Â?‰ ‘—” —–—”‡ ‡‡Â?‡Â?† ‘—”Â?‡›• dispassion is contagious, passion is father's study. “Father. Father,â€? –—”‡Ǎ – ‹• ‘Â?Ž› ™Š‡Â? ™‡ Šƒ˜‡ †‹•…‘˜‡”‡† –Š‹• ’‘••‹„‹Ž‹–› specialistâ€? at USA Today and a regular —Â?‡ –Š”‘—‰Š ‘˜‡Â?„‡”ǥ ™Š‹…Š ™‹ŽŽ ˆ‡ƒ–—”‡ Í•Íš ‘ˆ –Š‡ ™‘”Ž†ǯ• blogger at Psychology Today. equally catching---though you have he says, “I've put the world back –Šƒ– ™‡ ‰‘ „‡›‘Â?† ‘—” ’‡••‹Â?‹•Â? ƒÂ?† …”‡ƒ–‡ ƒ ™‘”Ž† ‹Â? Ž‡ƒ†‹Â?‰ ™‹•†‘Â? Â?‡‡’‡”• ƒ††”‡••‹Â?‰ –Š‡ Â?‡‡†•ǥ …‘Â?…‡”Â?•ǥ ƒÂ?† Gregg has presented at the Smithsonian to catch it yourself first before you together.â€? And indeed the shreds of ™Š‹…Š ™‡ Â?ƒÂ?‡ ƒ †‹ˆˆ‡”‡Â?…‡Ǥ – ‹• ‹Â? ™‘”Â?‹Â?‰ ™‹–Š Â?›–Š ‘’’‘”–—Â?‹–‹‡• ˆ‘” Dz’‡‘’Ž‡ ™Š‘ ™‡”‡Â?ǯ– „‘”Â? Â›Â‡Â•Â–Â‡Â”Â†ÂƒÂ›ÇĄÇł ĥ ™‡ŽŽ Institution, Environmental Protection can spread it. paper have been veryĥ ˆ‘” ›‘—Â?‰‡” ’‡‘’Ž‡ ™Š‘ ™ƒÂ?– –‘ …Šƒ”– ƒ –‡””‹ƤÂ… ÇĄ ˜‹–ƒŽ …‘—”•‡ meticulously Agency, Microsoft, National Conference ‹Â? ƒ …”‡ƒ–‹˜‡ Â?ƒÂ?Â?‡” ™‡ ‰ƒ‹Â? ˆ”‡•Š ’‡”•’‡…–‹˜‡• ‘Â? ‘—” taped together. His father is stunned, on Positive Aging, American Counseling ˆ‘” –Š‡ ˆ—–—”‡Ǥ Š‡ ‰‘ƒŽ ‘ˆ –Š‡ ’”‘‰”ƒÂ?• ‹• –‘ ƒ••‹•– ’ƒ”–‹…‹’ƒÂ?–• One of my favorite stories from the Ž‹ˆ‡ Œ‘—”Â?‡›Ǥ ›–Š …ƒÂ? –ƒÂ?‡ —• „‡›‘Â?† ‘—” ‘”†‹Â?ÂƒÂ”Â›ÇĄ ÂŠÂƒÇŚ Assn, Esalen Institute, Omega Institute, it? The boy Colombian novelist Gabriel Garcia and asks how he did–‘ ‡š’Ž‘”‡ •‘Â?‡ ‘ˆ –Š‡ ‡••‡Â?–‹ƒŽ ƒÂ?† ”‡Ž‡˜ƒÂ?– –‘’‹…•ǥ ƒÂ?† Â?ƒÂ?› and others. A former adjunct professor „‹–—ƒŽ ™ƒ›• –‘ –Š‡ ‡••‡Â?…‡ ‘ˆ ™Šƒ– ™‡ ƒ”‡ ‘” …ƒÂ? „‡Ǥ̜ turns the map over. ’”‹Â?ƒ”› ƒÂ?† ‡Â?’‘™‡”‹Â?‰ –‘‘Ž• –Š‡› …ƒÂ? —•‡ ‘Â? –Š‡ ”‘ƒ† –‘ Ž‹˜‹Â?‰ “On the back

Marquez is the story of a man trying of journalism at the University of New Â?‘”‡ …‘Â?•…‹‘—• ÂŽÂ‹Â˜Â‡Â•ÇĄ ‹Â?Š‡”‹–‹Â?‰ –Š‡‹” ”‘Ž‡• ĥ ™‹•‡ ‡Ž†‡”• ƒÂ?† he said. Mexico, he has written for the New to solve the world's problems, when was a picture of a person,â€? ’Žƒ›‹Â?‰ ƒÂ? ƒ…–‹˜‡ ’ƒ”– ‹Â? ”‡…ƒ•–‹Â?‰ ƒ Â?‘”‡ ’‘•‹–‹˜‡ ˆ—–—”‡Ǥ ‹•‹– York Times Magazine, Washington “I put the person back together and his young son comes into the–Š‡Â?‡• room ‹Â? Post, Omni, American Health, Reader’s ‘—Â?† ƒ†˜‹…‡ ƒÂ?† …‘Â?Â?‘Â? –Š‡ ™‘”†• ‘ˆ ™™™ǤÂ?ƒ˜‹‰ƒ–‹Â?‰›‘—”ˆ—–—”‡…‘Â?ˆ‡”‡Â?…‡•Ǥ…‘Â?Ǥ Digest and others. and asks if he can help. He's touched then turned it over and the world Follow him at www.gregglevoy.com by the boy's concern, but impatient was back together.â€?

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Dr. Kayhan graduated from University of Southern California and has more than 15 years of experience.

Armaghan Kayhan, DDS Holistic Dentistry

(949) 559-6988 14785 Jeffrey Road, Suite 206, Irvine, CA May/June 2015

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LEADER REV. DANIELLE MARIE HEWITT

REV. BASIA CHRIST, PHD

DEBORAH SHEA

Founder and Spiritual Director

Executive Director

Member, Board of Directors

President, Board of Directors

Editor-in-Chief & Creative Director

Instructor,

Director & Instructor, AOL

Radiance Magazine

Leader, UCC

Leader, UCC

949.690.1257 Basia@liveyourradiance.org

On-site Practitioner, HSS

On-site Practitioner, HSS

Look2OneSource@msn.com

949.244.1960 RevDanielle@liveyouradiance.org

ABBAS “ABBY” NAMAZI

TERI NEJAD

FAIZ MASHOOD, D.C.

On-site Practitioner, HSS

On-site Practitioner, HSS

On-site Practitioner, HSS

949.212.7787 asnamazi@yahoo.com

contact@tvolved.com www.tvolved.com

847.989.7117 faizmashood@yahoo.com

DEBORAH HOOKEY Leader, UCC

714.318.6629 Debra@DebraHookey.com 16

Radiance May/June 2015

JOSHUA BOWSER & LEMIA ASTARABADI

TERRELL WASHINGTON ANANSI

Leaders, UCC

949.510.9821 TribalNeoPop.com

949.677.3700 RaMaHolisticCare@yahoo.com

Leader, UCC

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SHIP TEAM MARCIE HOWARD On-site Practitioner, HSS

714.336.8122 mhoward48@msn.com

CHOURY DE VELLE, BSC, CHT, NLP On-site Practitioner, HSS Leader, UCC

714.624.1956 chouryd@yahoo.com

HIDEKO CURCIO Events, Operations & Facilities Manager

949.333.1641 hideko@templeoflightoc. com

www.orangecounty/hypnosiscenter.com

SHAR PIRNIA

ADRIANNA ALLEN

MERYLL MONTANO

On-site Practitioner, HSS

On-site Practitioner, HSS

On-site Practitioner, HSS

949.682.SHAR (7427); SharPirnia@gmail.com

unique.in.spirit@gmail.com

949.291.9020

714.423.4548 montanomeryll@gmail.com

LEGEND HSS - Holder of Sacred Space SETH PINCUS

ELIZABETH HENDERSHOT

Leader, UCC

Leader, UCC

732.609.4639 DidgiHealer@gmail.com

949.803.5302 Yosisable@yahoo.com

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ME ON-SITE PR REV. DANIELLE MARIE HEWITT Rev. Danielle is the Founder and Visionary Leader of the Temple of Light Spiritual Community. Her tireless efforts to provide a place of learning, growth, fellowship, and community are reflected in the programs and projects created. She created the Academy of Light school for Holistic Healing Arts, publishes Radiance Magazine, the United Conscious Community, and the Humanitarian Outreach Program for Worldwide Peace and Prosperity. Rev. Danielle’s life path and passion is to see Holistic Healers and Seekers find their power, step into their life path, and see the enlightened beings they are. Moving them through their human experience into one of empowerment and watching the ripple effect in our world is her greatest joy. She practices her mentorship program on site five days a week. 949.333.1641; revdanielle@ liveyourradiance.org

CHOURY DE VELLE, BSC, CHT, NLP Choury grew up in a house of alcoholism and physical abuse and learned 'the hard way' resentment is the tie which binds the victim to the victimizer. Almost everyone has something in their past which holds them back from realizing their true potential. Old fears can manifest in sickness, self-sabotage, and violence if a person feels threatened What most people don't understand is those 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. Standard psycho therapy is one way to let go of the past, uncover, and release old beliefs and fears. He believes the quickest, most effective way is through hypnosis. In hypnosis, we can access the subconscious mind and change the programming from fear, sickness, lack, and limitation to courage, health, abundance, and wealth. Compared to standard psycho therapy, we do it quickly. Once old beliefs are released, the person is free to live the life of their dreams. 714.624.1956; chouryd@yahoo.com; www.orangecounty/hypnosiscenter.com

MARCIE HOWARD Marcie has studied and trained with Reiki Masters in California and Washington. She is a Certified Sound Healer and active member of the Sound Healer's Association. Highly intuitive and clairvoyant, she coaches individuals in meeting their challenges and growth opportunities. Clients are inspired and encouraged to step forth into their lives feeling empowered, peace-filled and balanced. Marcie recently held a "Spirit Sings" workshop on Sunday, February 28 at the Temple of Light. She taught people how to raise their voices in song. 714.336.8122; mhoward48@msn.com

MERYLL MONTANO Meryll is an Ayurvedic Wellness Educator, Certified Health Practitioner, and Massage Therapist specializing in Marma Therapy, received her education from the Southern California University of Health Sciences in Whittier, CA. She is also trained in Yoga for Disease Management and Herbology .She is currently practicing at The Ayurveda N.E.S.T. located at the Temple of Light in Irvine, CA. Meryll’s highest goal is in creating a sacred space of love and support for the transformation and Self- realization of her clients. She is absolutely passionate about sharing the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda to the modern world through one-on-one consultations, cooking classes, rejuvenation oil treatments, individualized nutrition seminars, body-mind- spirit workshops, and much more. Her sole mission in this lifetime is to be of service to others and help people ignite their body’s healing intelligence. 714.423.4548; montanomeryll@gmail.com 18

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EET OUR RACTITIONERS ABBAS “ABBY” NAMAZI

SHAR PIRNIA

Abby was born in Bombay, India and believes in his six principles: Be good, do good, act good, good deeds, good thoughts, and good words. When he was six years old, his mother was holding her head in pain. He put his hands on her forehead. Within minutes, she said her pain was gone. Years later, he saw a woman in pain rubbing her neck. He placed his hand on her forehead and moments later her pain was gone. Since then, he has pursued his calling, healing people by touch. 949.212.7787; asnamazi@yahoo. com

Shar is a Dream Whisperer, an EFT/ Tapping Master, and a Certified Coach in Relationships, Weight Loss, and Life Path . She also does Past Life Regression and Hypnotherapy. In person, online, and phone sessions are available. 949.682. SHAR (7427); SharPirnia@gmail. com

FAIZ MASHOOD, D.C.

TERI NEJAD

Dr. Mashood wants to help those who seek it. He understands the root of the word, “doctor” means “teacher.” His outlook is extracting ‘aliveness’ from within so good health is a result. Dr. Mashood is looking forward to meeting you at Thrive Center, where Health & Happiness Harmonize. 847.989.7117 faizmashood@yahoo.com

Teri has been dedicated to helping educate her peers in maintaining the same, beneficial lifestyle thus sparking a continuum in education in the field of Mental and Physical health. After witnessing a slew of success by others who followed her guidance, Teri realized this was her calling in life. She is an Ayurveda Practitioner, working with a variety proven theories in her practice. contact@tvolved.com; www.tvolved.com

DEBORAH SHEA

ADRIANNA ALLEN

Deborah offers hands-on healing of running energy to clear blocked energy in the aura and chakra system with crystals, sound and color therapy, among others. She channels Lemurian and Divine Ray wisdom and energy as well as the Ascended Masters and Archangels. She has been a metaphysics student for 15+ years and a graduate of Spiritual Touch, healing school based on Barbara Brennan's work. 949.241.5790; Look2OneSource@msn.com

“Adrianna is a gifted and gentle energy healer helping people create more peace and joy in their life. unique.in.spirit@ gmail.com; 949-291-9020

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especting Our "Mammal" Self and Allowing Spirit to Rise and Lead By Denee Jordan, PSY.D.

A

simple, yet profound, perspective on wellness is "Already Well" which says that by developing respect and compassion for ourselves, exactly as we are, our Spirit will naturally emerge to manage our lives and make contentment, healing, and prosperity possible. Our selfacceptance is the precursor to our success.

It is natural and normal to want to improve; to become more successful, healthier, happier, richer, smarter, more attractive, and so forth. Though different people and different cultures define “success” differently, what lies behind the desire to be successful is the same for all of us; our drive to survive and thrive. 20

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As Human Beings we all desire three things: to feel safe, valuable, and connected. This concept may sound simple, but it is actually the key to humanity’s evolution or destruction. Depending upon how we choose to feel safe, valuable, and connected, this underlying desire can be at the root of the most heinous war or the root of the noblest human activity.

Today, many of us try to achieve “safe” using defensiveness, worry, and fear. We try to feel “valuable” using relentless self-scrutiny. We try to feel “connected” with constant striving, comparing, and competing …..and we fight for all of it….creating a society prevalent with depression, anxiety, and disease. It is estimated

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there are more than 15 million Americans diagnosed with depression. This is heartbreaking considering our spirit’s natural capacity to love. “Already Well” says there are three false belief systems under which we are operating that prevent us from finding the healing and happiness were deserve. They are as follows:

1. We don’t have enough, need to get more, and when we do, we will be successful and content.

2. We need to fight for what we want or we will never get it. 3. We need to fight for what we have or we will lose it.

“Already Well” challenges the validity of these beliefs. Such beliefs are based in fear and perpetuate our problems. When we never have enough and need to fight to acquire and maintain more, it creates a vicious cycle which cannot be broken without a new perspective. It is the fighting which actually prevents us from feeling safe, valuable, and connected.

Some people believe humans are born to fight. This is true in part, but we are also born to love, and consciously evolve. We are a magnificent blend of mammal and Spirit. One survives; the other thrives.

Survival involves contracted energy or negativity. Thriving involves expanded energy or positivity. They are both necessary to live on the planet Earth. “Already Well” says we need to balance our need to “survive” and “thrive” by making peace with ourselves as we are, before we are able to make other “improvements” to our lives. It is learning to lovingly tame our mammal self to allow our Spirit self to lead. How do we do this? How do we find the “enoughness?” How do we find self-acceptance when we have been unsuccessful or made mistakes? How can we get in touch with our Spirit and accept our lives, in their entirety, with compassion? “ “Already Well” utilizes 4 steps: 1. REFLECTION

Give yourself the credit you deserve just for living. Look back on your life and identify all of the time and energy you have spent struggling, loving, hurting, healing, suffering, discovering, working, succeeding, failing, feeling frustration, joy, and

disappointment to be alive in the present moment. It is no small feat to be a surviving Human Being in our present society! In fact, it is amazing!

2. RECOGNITION

Recognize all of the effort you have put into living your life and what you have learned along the way. Nobody but you knows what your experience has been! Notice I did not mention just learning from the “good” parts of your life. All of your life has value!

Let’s use obesity as an example. “Already Well” encourages the overweight client to add up the pounds she lost and gained, the money she spent on weight-loss treatments, the time she spent worrying and feeling isolated and depressed and turn that focus on praising herself by saying, “Wow! You are amazing! It is wonderful you can invest all of that emotion, energy, and time into trying to feel better! You actually have demonstrated tremendous ability!” The only thing missing for this woman is self-respect and acceptance. She has already demonstrated the ability to do the work! Remember, self-respect precedes success! 3. RECONCILIATION

“Already Well” states we must look at our lives in the present moment and know we have done the best that we have learned how to do and give ourselves credit for our efforts, without exception. People might say, “Yes, but I know better.” “Already Well” says, knowing is not enough; we only do what we have learned.

If we had learned better, we would have done better. We need to be honest about who we are and accept ourselves as completely as possible, including the things we think are wrong or bad. It is more than self-forgiveness. It is a compassionate acknowledgement of the value of your life. People might say, “That’s crazy! If I accept myself, nothing will change.” Though it may seem counter intuitive, self-acceptance paves the way for positive change. Self-acceptance is not a judgment that everything is the way you want it; it is a decision to accept and honor yourself as you are, so you can move forward positively! continued on page 22 >>

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<< continued from page 21 4. EMBRACING SPIRIT

When we make peace with ourselves as we are, we naturally, progressively become aware of our Spirit. Our Spirit is our core, the “thriving” part of us; the part of us which is central to our feeling safe, valuable, and connected.

There are many different names for our Spirit. However we choose to address it, our Spirit comes alive when we stop fighting with ourselves. We don’t have to go looking for it because it is always with us. We often just can’t hear it with all the battle sounds ringing in our ears. The question is…how can we hear it better?

Practice. Practice makes progress; Practice mindfully watching ourselves, consciously understanding, and honoring ourselves as we are. Our behavior, thoughts and feelings are part of our Human Nature and they will actually improve as we watch ourselves respectfully. A specific Practice Plan includes focusing time on and engaging in activities which encourage self-acceptance and self-compassion (i.e. listening for negative self-talk and gently correcting it, holding our boundaries with

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other people, risking feeling uncomfortable, recognizing our limitations without shame, trying new things, etc.).Our Spirit knows how to take good care of us. Trust in that.

“Already Well” says finding success doesn't involve changing anything right this minute. It teaches us to understand all of our actions, feelings, thoughts, and behaviors are rooted in our human instinct to survive and thrive, regardless of what we have or haven’t done. When we can accept this with self-respect and compassion, our Spirit naturally emerges to take care of our lives. When we recognize our total magnificence in the present moment without changing a thing, we liberate ourselves to heal, learn, prosper, and succeed in all of the ways we dream possible. Denee Jordan, PSY.D is a licensed Clinical Psychologist and Marriage and Family Therapist and the founder of Already Well. www.AlreadyWell.com

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The Education Program created by Temple of Light Spiritual Community is honored to present a series of classes created by ...

Mystery Schools are ancient schools of wisdom and teachings that have stood the test of time, often by remaining in the shadows while sending their students out into the world as great leaders of their time. The Modern Mystery School, through its lineage holder, Gudni Gudnason, traces its lineage back over 3,000 years to the time of King Salomon and is one of the original Mystery Schools. Shauna Meryn Kossoff is a Guide member of The Modern Mystery School and is one who has the authority and training necessary to physically initiate people into this powerful path of self discovery. A life filled with joy, energy, and purpose is possible! Shauna can guide you on a journey where you will learn ancient tools for today's world and along the way discover yourself. The following classes will be offered individually or in packages.

Max Meditation: 1 Hour

Journeys with Spirit: 8 Hours

Sanctuary Meditation: 2 Hours

Divine Sacred Geometry I : 4 Hours

Spiritual Intuition: 3 Hours

Divine Sacred Geometry II: 8 Hours

Awaken Thyself: 4 Hours

Divine Sacred Geometry III: 8 Hours

Astral Travel: 4 Hours

Divine Sacred Geometry IV: 5 Hours

12 Root Races: 6 Hours

Empower Thyself: 16 Hours (2 Days)

Go to www.templeoflightoc.org/modernmysteryschool for upcoming dates, time, registration information and pre-requisite information. Classes begin June 2015! May/June 2015

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Most of us weren't taught how to draw. Some people seem to have a natural talent for it, while the rest of us can only muster up the same stick figures we made back in first grade. We had to figure it out probably because our teachers in K-12 hadn't been taught either. We made hand-print turkeys, Popsicle stick buildings and colored in coloring books drawn by someone. What if back then (or now - it's never too late) someone taught you how to see the world and draw an accurate representation of what you see? I didn't learn how to draw until I was in my 40's. By that time, I had learned to paint (abstracts, of course) and people were telling me I was an artist - and buying my paintings! However, I couldn't bring myself to say I was an artist because I couldn't draw; I had the belief that "all artists can draw."

Finally, I took a class called "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain," taught by students of the program's creator, Betty Edwards. At the first class, I drew a chair which looked like a chair, with shading and depth. That night I emailed it to friends (sort of an internet refrigerator posting) proudly proclaiming, "Look! I can draw!" You mean I couldn't draw simply because nobody taught me? What a revelation!

Hours: Tues., Thurs. 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Unity Telephone: 949.472.9230 Temple of Light: 949.333.1641 Confidential Prayer Chaplain Line for Rev. Albert Wingate: 949.472.8105

Sunday Services Join us at 10 a.m. on Sunday mornings. Hear a dynamic message which is practical, positive and relevant, enjoy uplifting contemporary music and meet other enthusiastic likeminded people. www.unityofalisoviejo.com; unityofalisoviejo@gmail.com

Since then, I have tried to remember that simple "aha!" moment whenever I hear myself saying "I can't." The right teacher, the right book, or the right life experience may be all you need to add a new skill to your repertoire. It's all right to have a healthy respect for your known limitations, but make sure you give equal respect to the endless potential you have for learning new things. Have you always wanted to paint? I am teaching a class called Life Path Mandalas: Mandala Painting Made Simple and combined with your personalized Life Path cards analyzed by Donna LeClair at the Temple of Light on May 23. I also teach privately in my Laguna Hills studio coupled with a fun learning environment and my gentle teaching style. Whether you are just beginning, have some skills, or are a professional artist, and want to hone your skills, please contact me at 949-413-2251 or charlotte@ mandalavisions.com.

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Events, Workshops & Classes Supporting Membership discounts DO apply to these events.

May 2015

Classes in purple are UCC, black highlighted in yellow are Sacred Space events, and magenta are Unity Church. Call the Temple for registration information or check the online calendar at templeoflightoc.org/ calendar/2015-05.

Sun. 26

Mon. 27

Tues. 28

Wed. 29

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1p Integrative Dance with John Salat

7:15p Meditation Group with Elizabeth Hendershot

9a Unity Church Rev. Albert Wingate

7p Quantum Meditation with Choury deVelle

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10a Group "I am" Mentorship with Rev. Danielle 5:45p & Naam Movement & Meditation and 6:30p & Naam Yoga w/ Josh & Lemia

Thurs. 30

Fri. 1

Sat. 2

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7p Max Meditation w/Shauna Kossoff (FKA:Wickham)

7p "The Meeting Place" w/Terrell Washington & Djembe Fusion

6p Marti & Michael Parry Mediumship & Psychic Art Demonstration

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6:30p Conscious Anatomy w/Rev. Danielle

7p "The Meeting Place" w/Terrell Washington & Sacred Voices 6:30p Nancy Kimes - Feng Shui 101

6:30p Unity Church

12p Holistic Healing Fair

10aFeng Shui 101 with Nancy Kimes

7p Group "I am" Mentorship w/ Rev. Danielle 7p Psychic Development w/ Debra Hookey

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9a Unity Church Rev. Albert Wingate

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7p Quantum Meditation with Choury deVelle

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10a Group "I am" Mentorship with Rev. Danielle 5:45p & Naam Movement & Meditation 6:30p & Naam Yoga w/ Josh & Lemia

7:15p Meditation Group with Elizabeth Hendershot

6:30p Unity Church 7p Group "I am" Mentorship with Rev. Danielle

6:30p Conscious Anatomy w/Rev. Danielle 7p Crystal Journeys w/Deborah Shea

7p "The Meeting Place" w/Terrell Washington & Seth Pincus

7p Max Meditation w/Shauna Kossoff (FKA:Wickham)

7p Mediumship Development w/ Debra Hookey

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9a Unity Church Rev. Albert Wingate

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7p Quantum Meditation with Choury deVelle

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10a Group "I am" Mentorship with Rev. Danielle 5:45p & Naam Movement & Meditation and 6:30p & Naam Yoga w/ Josh & Lemia

7:15p Meditation Group with Elizabeth Hendershot

6:30p Unity Church 7p Group "I am" Mentorship w/ Rev. Danielle

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6:30p Conscious Anatomy w/Rev. Danielle 7p Kwan Yen Reiki Community with Nancy Kimes

7p "The Meeting Place" w/Terrell Washington & Josh & Lemia

12p Theory of Mind & Body Syndromes w/Dijle Koont 1p Charlotte Backman & Donna Leclair teach "Life Path Mandala"

7p Max Meditation w/Shauna Kossoff (FKA:Wickham)

7p Psychic Development w/ Debra Hookey

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9a Unity Church Rev. Albert Wingate

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Memorial Day

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7p Quantum Meditation with Choury deVelle

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10a Group "I am" Mentorship with Rev. Danielle 5:45p & Naam Movement & Meditation and 6:30p & Naam Yoga w/ Josh & Lemia

7:15p Meditation Group with Elizabeth Hendershot

6:30p Unity Church 7p Group "I am" Mentorship w/ Rev. Danielle

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6:30p Conscious Anatomy w/Rev. Danielle 7p Crystal Journeys w/Deborah Shea

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7p "The Meeting Place" w/Terrell Washington “Reach Out and Touch a Voice

7p Max Meditation w/Shauna Kossoff (FKA:Wickham)

7p Psychic Development w/ Debra Hookey

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9a Unity Church Rev. Albert Wingate

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Events, Workshops & Classes Supporting Membership discounts DO apply to these events.

Sun. 31

June 2015 Mon. 1

7p Quantum Meditation with Choury deVelle

Tues. 2

Wed. 3

Classes in purple are UCC, black highlighted in yellow are Sacred Space events, and magenta are Unity Church. Call the Temple for registration information or check the online calendar at http://templeoflightoc.org/ calendar/2015-06.

10a Group "I am" Mentorship with Rev. Danielle 5:45p & Naam Movement & Meditation and 6:30p & Naam Yoga w/ Josh & Lemia

7:15p Meditation Group with Elizabeth Hendershot

6:30p Unity Church

Thurs. 4

6:30p Conscious Anatomy w/Rev. Danielle 7p Max Meditation w/Shauna Kossoff (FKA:Wickham)

Fri. 5

Sat. 6

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7p "The Meeting Place" w/Terrell Washington & Sacred Voices

12p Holistic Healing Fair

6p Michael Tellinger: UBUNTU Contributionism

7p Group "I am" Mentorship w/ Rev. Danielle

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9a Unity Church Rev. Albert Wingate

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7p Quantum Meditation with Choury deVelle

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7p Psychic Development w/ Debra Hookey

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10a Group "I am" Mentorship with Rev. Danielle 5:45p & Naam Movement & Meditation 6:30p & Naam Yoga w/ Josh & Lemia

1p Integrative 7:15p Meditation Dance with John Group with Salat Elizabeth Hendershot

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6:30p Conscious Anatomy w/Rev. Danielle 7p Crystal Journeys w/Deborah Shea

7p "The Meeting Place" w/Terrell Washington & Djembe Fusion

10a How to build an empowered prosperous practice with Rev. Danielle

7p Max Meditation w/Shauna Kossoff (FKA:Wickham)

6:30p Unity Church 7p Group "I am" Mentorship with Rev. Danielle 7p Mediumship Development w/ Debra Hookey

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10a How to build an empowered prosperous practice with Rev. Danielle

7:15p Meditation Group with Elizabeth Hendershot

9a Unity Church Rev. Albert Wingate

7p Quantum Meditation with Choury deVelle

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10a Group "I am" Mentorship with Rev. Danielle 5:45p & Naam Movement & Meditation and 6:30p & Naam Yoga w/ Josh & Lemia 6:30p Unity Church

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6:30p Conscious Anatomy w/Rev. Danielle 7p Kwan Yen Reiki Community with Nancy Kimes

7p "The Meeting Place" w/Terrell Washington & Seth Pincus

7p Max Meditation w/Shauna Kossoff (FKA:Wickham)

1p Healing Ancestral Karma: Free Yourself from Unhealthy Patterns with Dr. Steven Farmer, Ph.D.

7p Group "I am" Mentorship w/ Rev. Danielle 7p Psychic Development w/ Debra Hookey

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9a Unity Church Rev. Albert Wingate

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7p Quantum Meditation with Choury deVelle

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10a Group "I am" Mentorship with Rev. Danielle 5:45p & Naam Movement & Meditation and 6:30p & Naam Yoga w/ Josh & Lemia

7:15p Meditation Group with Elizabeth Hendershot

6:30p Unity Church

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6:30p Conscious Anatomy w/Rev. Danielle 7p Crystal Journeys w/Deborah Shea

7p Celestial 1p Bands and Resonance: Bellies, Alec Journey into the Marken Infinite Heart w/ Paradiso & Rasamayi

7p Max Meditation w/Shauna Kossoff (FKA:Wickham)

7p Group "I am" Mentorship w/ Rev. Danielle 7p Psychic Development w/Debra Hookey

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9a Unity Church Rev. Albert Wingate

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7p Quantum Meditation with Choury deVelle 7:15p Meditation Group with Elizabeth Hendershot

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The online version now has LIVE LINKS so you can immediately connect to the author, advertiser, or healer. May/June 2015

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Special Events

We welcome the following special sacred events. They are not part of the UCC membership program.

Click here to view May 2015 calendar and register for events

Nancy Kimes Feng Shui 101 Fri., May 8 6:30-9:30 p.m. & Sat., May 9 10 a.m-6 p.m. Nancy Kimes Kwan Yen Reiki Community Thurs., May 21 7-9 p.m. 28

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Marti & Michael Parry Spirit Art Sat., May 9 6-9 p.m. Dijle Koont Theory of Mind & Body Syndromes Sat., May 23 12-5 p.m.

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Click here to view June 2015 calendar and register for events

Michael Tellinger UBUNTU Contributionism Thurs., June 4 6-10 p.m. Dr. Steven Farmer, Ph.D. Healing Ancestral Karma Sat., June 20 1-4 p.m. Alec Marken Bands & Bellies Sat., June 27 1-10 p.m.

Nancy Kimes Kwan Yen Reiki Community Thurs., June 18 7-9 p.m. Paradiso & Rasamayai Fri., June 26 7-10 p.m. The Meeting Place Special Guest Peter Sterling Fri., July 28 7-10 p.m. May/June 2015

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ptimism By Dadi Janki, Peter Vegso, Kelly Johnson

optimism instead of taking steps toward renaissance, your steps will lead you to complaints, resentment, or even desperation.

"Sweetness is a virtue that searches for the good in every person and situation. At its heart is the conviction that there is always something positive to be found. You simply need the patience to discover it." ~ Eternal Blessings ptimism opens a door in difficult or hopeless situations. Optimism knows there is always a way, no matter how many doors have been shut; it believes there is always a good alternative.

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situation you are facing is a sign you need to find a different way of thinking or a new way of doing things. Sometimes it’s easy to miss the signal because change can be uncomfortable. No one really wants to do the work it takes to change unless it’s absolutely necessary, so they often ignore the warning signs until they become so obvious and clear there is no choice but to wake up. Now the choice is either to heed the warning and make a change or continue in self-delusion and fall behind on your journey to develop a lifetime of feeling great. However, if you take the road which lacks

Optimists hold on to hope . . . they don’t ignore the reality and consequences of problems, but they also don’t despair or lose themselves in the chaos when Pandora’s Box is opened. In your daily life, you will face many obstacles; sometimes they will be bumps in the road or they will be detours. No matter if it is a brief detour or a true Pandora’s Box with an assortment of problems which bring fear, chaos, and distress, optimism will enable you to persevere. When you can draw on patience and determination, your commitment to positive thinking and introspection will allow you to find solutions, and it will attract healing and peace from within yourself and from the world around you. Work on becoming an optimist— maintain a gentle determination which will allow you to focus on potential alternatives and find solutions to problems. Be flexible

TRUTH s CONSCIOUSNESS s BLISS and let yourself to be led. Combine the art of making things happen with the ability to allow things to happen, and realize more than one factor is involved in building a bridge and finding a solution. When you apply these principles to your life, you will feel yourself moving closer and closer toward that constant state of feeling great which once was so elusive. The Story of the Two Applicants

A man answered an ad in the paper for a job and was asked to come and complete an application. As he waited, he asked the receptionist, “How are the people here?” “Well, what were the people like where you worked before?” she responded. “They weren’t very nice,” he said. “They overworked me and my boss was strict and rude. I’m glad to be rid of them!”

“Really?” replied the receptionist. “That’s just how you’ll find people here, too.” Disgusted, the applicant picked up his keys and marched out the door.

Half an hour later another applicant came through the door. While he was waiting for an interview, he asked the receptionist, “How are the people at this company?” “What were the people like where you worked before?” she replied.

“Oh, they were great! My boss was good to me and gave me opportunities to learn new things. I worked hard but it was good work. I’m going to miss them,” he mused.

“Well, that’s just how you’ll find people here, too. You’re going to love it!” she said.

Lesson: Don’t let your thoughts reside in a negative mind. An optimist resides in hope.

Exercise: Authentic Living Becoming an Optimist

The following exercise will sharpen your skills at being an optimist. Learn and put these rules to practice; you will quickly find they cease to be “rules” and become part of your character instead. Be mindful of them from morning to evening— they will carry you a long way toward fulfilling your goal of feeling great day after day. Peter Vegso’s Happiness

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Sometimes we need a shift in perspective to lift our spirits. It’s easy to get caught up in ourselves and our situations and allow them to dictate how we feel, but we can learn to control the inner and outer influences which affect us. We can train ourselves to overcome distressing or pessimistic emotions and enjoy greater happiness.

1. Be grateful for what you have—you may not have everything you want, but it’s likely you have everything you need. If you don’t, be grateful for the ability to pursue your needs and set a plan to achieve them. 2. Find a source of awe daily— there are a million things waiting to be discovered: a person’s kindness, a sunrise, a faithful pet. Take a look around and learn to recognize them. 3. Reach out to someone – be kind, listen, share something.

Until you make this effort, you won’t know what the person next to you needs. An encouraging word may be all she or he needs to have an emotional boost.

4. Do something for yourself— even if it’s something small like taking an extra ten minutes with your coffee in the morning or taking the scenic way home from work. 5. Be aware of your thoughts— when something runs through your mind you can’t do anything about, let it go. All this thinking will cause you to sink lower; you need to rise above things which are not contributing to your happiness. 6. Live for today—you only have right now; make the best of it. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow will bring its own challenges.

7. De-clutter—clean out your junk drawer, tidy up your desk, or your closet. When you put external things in order, your mind and heart will also function in a more orderly fashion and this is liberating.

8. Donate—find something you haven’t worn or used in a while someone else can use, a coat, a blanket, or blue jeans which don’t fit. Make sure they are in good condition; donating old rags is not helpful or caring.

9. Quit feeling sorry for yourself—even if something legitimate is making you sad, know the true source of the sadness and grow. An attitude of “poor me” is negative. continued on page 32 >>

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<< continued from page 31 10. Set a goal—whether it’s exercise, eating better, encouraging your child more often—each little step forward will be rewarding.

11. Practice calm—every one of us has hectic days which can unravel us if we let them. Breathe, settle down, and tackle one situation at a time; you’ll accomplish more and feel less stressed.

12. Take a inventory of things around you which are comforting—the pictures on your desk, the trees on the roadside, the music in your car, the bed on which you are sleeping. Wherever you are, there are reminders of your fortune—be thankful! 13. Smile more—even if you wake up on the wrong side of the bed, do not take negative feelings into your day. Smile at yourself in the mirror (and try not to laugh!).

14. Get outside—of the building. The sun has an amazing ability to change our perspective; its warmth can permeate even the grumpiest façade. If it’s not a sunny day, take a drive or take a walk in the rain and appreciate its ability to renew and make things grow—including you.

15. Get outside—of yourself. Too much thinking and internalizing can make you dull and selfcentered. Lift up your chin and be an overcomer—you can be happy if you try; and this will make everyone around you happy. 32

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s Feeling Great, Creating a Life of Optimism, Enthusiasm and Contentment (HCI Books), is a fascinating and complete guidebook which offers a simple blueprint for a lifelong embodiment of true contentment by a triad of leading wisdom keepers--Dadi Janki, Peter Vegso, and Kelly Johnson. This book lets you OWN a permanently elevated state of mind and way of life. Feeling Great breaks down the elements which must be present in your life to experience sustained peak living. It succinctly brings forth what needs to be cast aside, what needs to be adapted, and how to get from a place of emptiness to robustness as you build character traits which strengthen your contentment muscle. Feeling Great is available at www.hcibooks.com, Amazon.com, and many bookstores.

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Every Day Every day,

a new joy, a new bliss, a new blast of astonishment. Every day, more wonder and the minutiae of magnificence revealed. Yes, every day is another gift, to see the heretofore unseen. And every day, I rush to the mirror to seejust whose eyes these are? ©Paul Goldman April 7, 2015 Poet Paul Goldman (www. Ecstaticpoet.com) is the author of Upon Your Canvas. Purchase it at http://riversanctuarypublishing.com/ upon-your-canvas.

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he Ugly Duckling By Helen Woo

please, please, please "Let me help you - let me make you proud. Please give me a chance."

When I am nine years old, I am told to stop being outspoken. I need to stop expressing myself. I must keep my emotions to myself, I must keep my thoughts and wishes hidden. I should not express myself. I am a Chinese girl. I should "speak only when spoken to."

I am now in the sixth grade; I think I am 11 years old. I look into the mirror, I smile into the mirror, and I brush my long, dark hair. I say to my reflection and affirm to myself: "I am NOT ugly. I am pretty... I am a pretty girl." I am a teenager now, 14 years old and about to turn 15. I am told even if there were funds available, it would be my sister my parents would send to university. It doesn't matter if I bring home mostly A's and a couple of B's. I still am not worthy. I do not deserve a paid education.

I am told I will not succeed. I am told I am unfortunate because my sister got the good looks of the two girls. I am too short and too skinny; my voice is funny because it is too low and raspy. I am no good. I am the bad egg. I can relate to a book from my early childhood. I did not remember that in the end, the "Ugly Duckling" turned into a beautiful swan.

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am the ugly duckling. There are three of us and I am always the odd man out. I am different from my siblings.

I want to be like my sister. Heck, I want to BE my sister. She's older, prettier, taller, and smarter. She gets all the attention. She's perfect. My sister can do no wrong.

I like being a girl, so I don't want to be like my brother - except I know if I was born a boy, I'd get special treatment all the time. I am seven years old, maybe eight, and I want approval so badly. I am proud and happy to carry the groceries on our way home from the market. We have no car, so walking is our norm. I'd willingly help out in the kitchen every chance I could. I craved love and wanted approval so desperately. Oh,

I am 15 now. I have been raised with the belief I am the black sheep of the family. So why not act like I am? The boys are looking at me now. They think I'm cute. Wow, I am cute! Not only that, but they tell me that I have a "good personality." Nice. People like me; I am thrilled. There is no longer a need for me to compete with my sister. There is no need to try so hard and please everyone at home. However, I am still longing for their love... and approval. I now start my rebellious phase. Trouble, here I come. I am a troubled teen like many, and I am involved with anything and anyone that is off limits to me. My excuse is nothing I do makes a difference anyway, so why not test the limits. Ultimately, I do feel remorseful for my actions and repent.

I am 18 now and want out. I feel restricted and confined to a place where I cannot be myself. I cannot speak out, and when I do, I am always wrong. Nothing I do gains approval. I want my freedom. I want to express myself!

Growing up in the traditional old school, old culturestyle home, I was told I was too expressive and too continued on page 34 >>

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<< continued from page 33 talkative. I was reprimanded for laughing too often and too loudly in public. I was told to contain myself and be aware of my body language. I was told to speak with my hands by my sides and to be still. I was discouraged to initiate conversations, as this action would be considered a display of bad manners. These requests were not easy, but I could at least honor them in public when with my family. However, when I was on my own, at school or elsewhere, I laughed, I jumped, I hugged, I felt passionate, and I felt free. I finally felt as though I loved myself. Mostly, I wanted to love myself because I kept thinking, who would love me if I didn't? My friends, uncles, and aunts and grandparents thought I was special. They loved me.

Outside of my immediate family, I realized other people accepted me. They enjoyed my enthusiasm. They wanted to be with me. Even strangers thought I was a "fun and happy" person to be around. They enjoyed my laughter. I was happy. I was happy because I felt freedom with them because I could be myself.

Though I recognize the bond of family, I also realize they are not the only people who are important in my life. Whether bound by blood or by friendship, it is human nature to connect deeply to those who want to be with us and see the best in us.

Self-esteem grows immensely when it is nurtured by love and acceptance. I am grateful for the positive influence and guidance in my life. I am able to build my self-esteem through the people who were meant to be part of my journey to self-love. Today I love and appreciate myself for who I am; for I am a beautiful swan. SELF-AID

S= SELF AID: One step at a time... We start by recognizing we can improve, we can get well, and we can be better in every aspect of our lives. Self-Aid is necessary, as we cannot help anyone until we first help ourselves.

E = ESTEEM: With self-esteem and confidence, we also find strength to face life's challenges. This is the beginning of achieving success.

L = LOVE & LAUGHTER: Self-love is vital to our 34

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existence. Self-love enables us to give and receive love. LOVE is the main ingredient to finding happiness and positivity. Laughter makes us happy and keeps us healthy. Laughter is more contagious than a cough or a virus. Laughter benefits us in more ways than one. Scientifically proven, laughter helps us emotionally, physically, and mentally. Without a doubt, laughter is the best medicine. F = FREEDOM: Letting go of anger, pain, and resentment gives us the freedom to experience happiness. Forgiveness allows us to live in the present and not in the past. Therefore, we can grow, move on, and find true contentment. A = ATTITUDE: A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events, and outcomes. A positive attitude exudes beauty and creates happiness.

I = INTEGRITY: Integrity is the key ingredient in our character... it provides harmony with our body, mind and soul. Staying true to ourselves is the foundation for living a balanced and good life.

D = DREAM: We each have a dream. If we put our thoughts into action, we can LIVE our dream. Starting today, we are in charge of our destiny. Helen Woo is the author of SELF-AID Inspirations to Turn Struggles into Success, a key to opening up the reader's heart and mind to reframe his or her life from lackluster to luscious-much as Woo had to do for herself. After setback after setback in her life, Woo created the concept of SELF-AID--an acronym that stands for Self-Aid (self-help), Esteem, Love/Laughter, Freedom, Attitude, Integrity, Dream. SELF-AID - Inspirations to Turn Struggles into Success allows readers to be inspired and uplifted by the very quotes that ultimately turned her life around. Each quote is followed by one of her unique "Wooisms" - the ideal way to interpret the quote to engineer a shift into a higher and better way of thinking. The book provides Self-Aid for anyone to lift out of their doldrums or depression and move into a life filled with joy, peace, gratitude and prosperity. Woo is an emerging speaker, writer, and leader who brings a welcome ultra-positive perspective to everything she does. For more info, go to www.SelfAidwithHelenWoo.com

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et's Return to Eden

"Never doubt a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." ~ Margaret Mead

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an you just imagine the quality of our lives if we were living in the “Garden of Eden?”

One of the first impressions of ‘Eden’ is a place of boundless natural beauty, filled with a plethora of diverse flowering and fruit bearing trees, shrubs and vines growing in harmony with other life forms in the Garden. There are edible foods growing in abundance, enough for all inhabitants. They have a synergetic relationship in nurturing and nourishing each other's sustainability. The sights

By Amber A. Penrose

and sounds create subtle energies, which are positive and restorative to body, mind, emotions, spirit, and social harmony.

What must the air quality be like? My family and I took a vacation up at the Kern River in the Great Sequoia National Forest, California and were amazed at how clean and pure the air was. We could clearly see at night when looking up at the heavens filled with a tapestry of stellar constellations and the biggest and brightest moon ever.

Imagine the sky view from Eden? Imagine what breathing its fresh clean oxygen-rich air would do for your clarity of mind, body, emotions, and spirit. Something like a “Rocky Mountain High?” Eden is now believed to be more closely related to an Aramaic root word meaning "fruitful,

well-watered." The Hebrew term is translated "pleasure." Every culture has a version of Eden by other names. Water quality and air quality are vital components to ultimate health and happiness. In my research I discovered there is “Real Living Water” found several places on Earth and healing miracles are documented at these places. Eden’s waters must also have been “Real Living Waters." Think how happy your body would have been drinking and bathing in such life sustaining and thirst quenching waters? The fresh live foods growing in the Garden were as appetizing and delicious as they were nourishing and nutritious to eat. No one ever worried about them being organic, or covered with toxic chemicals continued on page 36 >>

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<< continued from page 35 or full of GMOs; it was a non-issue. What if we could go back a few years when everything was only organic? How much would the health of Earth and all Animals and Humans improve? Isn’t Earth our Garden of Eden?

Forgive me for being a cockeyed optimist, but I believe we can “Return To Eden!” I am persuaded from my research and due diligence it is possible for us individually and collectively to “GO-GREEN” and reverses most of the damage to the planet and ourselves. We are each a breathing, walking, talking, thinking, dreaming, dancing, loving ‘Miracle!’ Our amazing bodies, like Earth, have the power to heal, regenerate, and rejuvenate when we supply it with basic elements it requires to do so. The Earth Day Movement is a glorious example of major progress in this direction with stunning examples of success. Earth Day’s Proud 45-year history proves we are not alone in our desires to restore our Mother Earth to her former natural strength and beauty.

As a result, on April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive coast-to-coast rallies.

From its ambitious early beginnings, Earth Day 2015 will be the largest secular holiday to be celebrated globally by 192 countries. The theme of World Earth Day 2015 is to be “Water Wonderful World”. This is for me (and I am hoping for you) enough evidence of what the power of our intentions backed by positive plans of actions can initiate for our common good. Earth Day form the beginning exceeded the wildest hopes of its originators because it became a ‘Grass Roots People’s Movement!’

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Universe you are ready for more.

Activate massive Forgiveness to Yourself and ALL Others who have, and are contributing to the situation, forgiveness clears the negative energies working against your heart’s desires.

Be realistic. Start with simple cost effective Baby Steps. Success builds best on one success upon another until you reach the momentum required to implement your plans. Be enthusiastic!

Create a vision of what your personal Eden looks like in your home, office, and neighborhood. Stay focused on it to guide you. 2. Clean Air: Air quality cannot be over emphasized; research a plan to improve your home’s air quality with cost-effective products and systems to filter and purify air. Examples are some Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils in a diffusor can work wonders. Some Ion Exchange Systems work well, etc. Live plants and fresh ocean breezes are very effective.

With the new technology we have now ...imagine how this idea of “Return To Eden” could go viral?

The idea came to Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, a Democrat, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin. Senator Nelson announced the idea for a “national teach-in on the environment” to the national media; persuaded Pete McCloskey, a conservation-minded Republican Congressman, to serve as his cochair. They recruited Denis Hayes as national coordinator. Hayes built a national staff of 85 to promote 36

events across the land.

Radiance May/June 2015

Are You Ready? Willing? Able to Set Your Intentions To Go Green? Good 2 Go Green Choices:

1. Positive Green Attitude: It is essential to cultivate a Positive Green Attitude because the reality can be overwhelming and only Positive Intentions will be achievable.

Start with an attitude of Gratitude for the beauty and health and happiness you have received. This is a signal to the

3. Clean Water: Do your research because there is confusion about what is clean pure water. I have a simple water pitcher made by Shaklee Corp that filters out 99.99% of all potential and existing toxins from my tap water for just pennies a gallon. I sadly discovered all the wonderful Mountain Spring Water was contaminated by the toxic plastic water bottles used to make it convenient, but

TRUTH s CONSCIOUSNESS s BLISS filled with Xeon Estragon which wreaks havoc with our health. I save every glass bottle and jar to store foods and beverages in my refrigerator and dumped all toxic plastic from my home.

4. Clean Food: This is getting easier because many people are demanding cleaner, high quality foods. Vine ripened, Organic, No GMOs are best. Farmers' markets are everywhere bringing local farm fresh foods to almost every neighborhood. Cost advantages abound from eating seasonal locally grown foods. The more you can grow your fresh herbs and foods the better. No matter how small your space, most people can have the delight of growing in ‘pots or plots’ many favorite fruits and vegetables. Organic food picked minutes before eating tastes best.

I have learned the art of Seed “Sprouting!” Who knew it was so easy to grow scrumptious super foods for pennies? I am learning about the amazing values of these live enzymes that work wonders in our bodies. 5. Clean Home Environment: I went into shock when I first learned of the toxic effects from both my house cleaning products and hygiene products. The good news is we now have more choices than ever before. The best non-toxic cleaning products are cost effective and fragrant to use.

6. Continuing Education: We are more fortunate than at any other time in history because we have my three favorite authorities at our fingertips. ‘Google’ number

one Search Engine, research source directory; ‘Wikipedia’ is a free encyclopedia; ‘YouTube,’ number two most used search engine (technology to display a wide variety of user-generated and corporate media video, on every subject imaginable) We can keep up with the latest research on natural holistic and going green ideas and "how-to's" imaginable. Here is everything you ever wanted to know but didn’t know who to ask.

7. Sustainable Habits: The best news is we are creatures of ‘Habit.’ This means once we generate a new, improved habit it is integrated into our lives with ease and grace. It takes 21 one days to create a healthy habit.

8. Purpose and a Plan: This can be Fun & Easy or Daunting. Fun & Easy works best, especially if we can get friends and family involved. Children love to play so make a game out of it. Children are the most active group in environmental awareness. This gives them the pride of being respected guardians of nature and as they are the heirs of this legacy. 9. Dream-Team Work/Play: There are many local and national Environmental Organizations. Why not join one or more and be either a ‘passive member’ or an ‘active member’ both are in great demand and appreciated? 10. Time, Money & Resource Budgeting: Unless you are extremely wealthy and can afford to Go Green over night, remember this is a life plan. Work at your own pace. Conserve

resources so you will enjoy the ‘fruits’ of your labors for the rest of your life.

11. Join a Larger Green Community: Join community groups in projects which will improve the health and welfare of your neighborhood. Community Gardens which feed the needy are rewarding. Recycling projects to improve local organizations fare wonderful.

12. Own Your Own GREEN-POWER! Celebrate every successful step! We all love to be recognized and rewarded. for our efforts It is imperative to reward yourself for your progress and share celebrate with others. It is important to understand the POWER of Your Purse! Every dollar you spend is a VOTE for status quo or Going Green and Our Return to Eden! Imagine...What if 20% of the world’s population made the commitment 2 Go Green? Amber A. Penrose, Self-Appointed: “Good 2 Go Green Global Goodwill Ambassador!” Amber is a storyteller, creative writer, poet, author, and columnist. She has interviewed and told the stories of “The Who’s Who” of the transformational world for several Holistic Publications. She is a social and environment campaigner known for her positive community leadership and audacious fund raising. Now her vision for Play~n~Prosper™ Network, is starting 'Blog-Talk' Radio, a new model of people “Audaciously Capitalizing on the Power of Play while Co-creating Sustainable Harmony & A Global Green Economy “A Call To Action is speaking to every heart today! Just do something! Doors will open and the next step will show up and baby steps are the way we all started our life’s journey!” May/June 2015

Radiance 37

yer with a challenge to write a ’s Conference in Long Beach, hriver.

women from around the world and countries. Each made a es destroy them. Each cerateda ue to overcome her challenge,

d powerful voices and acted re,” to crimes agsint them,

he interviews transformed my nce and resources to help you l.

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esource Directory for the Socially and Spiritually Conscious Consumer Look2OneSource@msn.com

AUTHORS______________________________

Rev. Basia Christ, Ph.D. From Ash to Flame: rising Women Rising

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at people want: intangible, but fe.

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WOMEN

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949.690.1257 basia@basiachrist.com www.basiachrist.com

Click here to order AYURVEDA HEALERS__________________

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Abby Namazi

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Debra Shea 38

Radiance May/June 2015

MEDITATION___________________________

Elzabeth Hendershot 949.803.5302 Yosisable@yahoo.com

Shauna Kossoff (Wickman) (951)440-6938 shaunakossoff@gmail.com

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Debra Hookey

SPIRITUAL CENTERS

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Lemia Astarbardi & Joshua Bowser The Conscious Groove 949.677.3700 www.theconsciousgroove.com

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Topics: 5 Paths to Rising to Your Greatness Why I Became an Altruistic Kidney Donor Human Trafficking: It's in Our Backyard Radio Host: Speaking from Spirit Become Who You Are Meant to Be aired at noon every Sunday by clicking http://amazingwomenofpower.com/radio/ customplayer2/AWOPPlayer.html

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Want your business listed in this directory in the July/August issue of Radiance? It's easy ... go to http://templeoflightoc.org/radiancemagazine and complete the form.

The online version now has LIVE LINKS so you can immediately connect to the author, advertiser, or healer.

Rev. Danielle Marie Hewitt 949.244.1960 RevDanielle@LiveYour Radiance.org www.templeoflightoc.org

Shar Pirinia

949.682.SHAR (7427) SharPirnia@gmail.com

May/June 2015

Radiance 39

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ut of Africa

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s a writer I believe in the power of the written. As an artist, though, I believe in visuals more. As newspaper editor Arthur Brisbane was quoted in 1911, "A picture is worth a thousand words." With this in mind, my article will be a visual array of my three weeks in Africa which I alluded to in the January issue as I prepared for my trip.

My best friend, Shari Young, and I are supporting 20 Maasai children from Amboseli in Kenya. Pictured above are members of the tribe whose son, Leonard, helped Shari set up her non-profit Amboseli Children's Fund (www.amboselichildrensfund.com). It only costs $34 per month to put a child in boarding school.

By American standards, the conditions in which the children attend school are deplorable. To these children, the school presents an opportunity to have a future in a 40

Radiance May/June 2015

By Rev. Basia Christ, Ph.D. country with is below our poverty standards. We have been supporting the children for two years, but this was the first time we were able to meet them.

Shari and I were overwhelmed with the welcome we received not only from the children, but also parents who knew we were at the school to thank us for giving their children something they could not. We spent several days at the school, speaking with their teachers and visiting makeshift classrooms. This is a private boarding school where children attend classes after a 7 a.m. breakfast of a cup of tea and nothing else. At around 1 p.m., they might have another cup of tea or something like oatmeal or beans and rice for lunch. Supper around 7 p.m. is the same as lunch. After supper, they do their homework until 9 p.m. when they go to a large room filled tightly with bunk beds where they sleep (girls and boys separately). I thought about children in America. The double digit drop out rate. Chicago, from where I was born, has a drop out rate among black males of 27%. I wish there was a way to do a student exchange and switch these African children with Chicago children, many of whom do not value the education given to them for free.

TRUTH s CONSCIOUSNESS s BLISS

windows and dirt floors). They had never had dessert or fresh fruit or fresh juice. Things we take for granted so easily were life changing for them.

On Monday, we flew to South Africa to begin the second leg of our trip - two weeks volunteering at the Cheetah Experience. We had no idea the hard work for which we gladly paid $350 per week to do. We walked the grounds of the large farm picking up "waste" from the cheetahs that roamed amongst us and several dogs. On the weekend, we brought the 11 girls and 9 boys to the Amboseli Lodge for breakfast, swimming in a pool (which they had never seen before and were amazed at how clean the water was). They told us they only place they had ever swam was in the swamp - with all sorts of creatures, insects, and mud. We all jumped in with our clothes as I showed them how to float.

Afterwards, the children were served lunch. They had never sat at a table with a cloth on it. They had no idea what to do with the napkins or silverware. They had never eaten vegetables or drank from ceramic cups. (The Maasai drink cow's blood because their tribe is nomadic and cannot grow food in the desert. ) Each children was interviewed separately to learn more about them. (they all speak English) When asked what their dreams were, they had no idea what to say. We had to explain that they could wish for whatever they wanted to be. It was a question they all said no one ever asked them. The common thread was they had never known such places exist with beautiful flowers, lovely cottages (the Maasai live in huts made from cow's dung with no

Each day we fed them cut up, cleaned chickens donated by farmers. Sometimes the animals received a treat when a cow or horse died and their carcass was donated. Pictured here is me bounding with Shakira, the white Alpha, and Nikita, both Canadian wolves (strange story how they wound up in Africa, but no time to tell it now).

We put lions, leopards, and cheetahs in a compounds where other volunteers fed them when we picked up bones and their waste in buckets in 100 degree heat with the South African sun giving us no mercy.

In spite of the hard work, we got to play with the animals. Pictured above are 4-month-old caracals, Jupiter and Orion, and Genje, a 4-month-old cheetah. continued on page 42 >>

May/June 2015

Radiance 41

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<< continued from page 42 By the time the second week arrived, Shari and I were considering the impulsiveness of "let's go to Africa to take care of some wild animals."

Luckily, we stuck it out and by the start of that week, I made friends with Luna, a beautiful one-year-old black leopard (shown below) the staff referred to as "Looney Luna."

I learned why when I took her for a walk on a leash - accompanied by a staff member, of course. The walk started off well, until Luna decided I was walking too slow. (she thought I had another speed and wanted to run.) Luna is strong, but I finally convinced her she had to listen (thank God I brought chicken strips). I even slept with two 4-year-old cheetahs, Eden and Faith, under the beautiful South African moon and stars. Actually, I didn't sleep because they sandwiched me on the blanket and took turns purring in my ear all night as I watched Orion cross across the sky which was filled with more stars and galaxies I had ever seen.

By the time the second week ended, I had made "friends" with many of the animals. It was difficult saying goodbye and playing with them "one more time" before Shari and I started on our 30-hour trip home to California. I have hundreds of pictures and many memories - some of them which still haunt me - the poverty of the African people - and some which will forever bring me joy - the 42

Radiance May/June 2015

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faces of the children as they read to us, drew for us, and played soccer and swam with each other. I encourage you who are reading this article, to please find it in your heart to support one of the children ... it is only $34 per month - less than a Starbucks coffee per day for a month. You can change a child's future. Please go to www. amboselichildrensfund.com to make a donation. Rev. Basia Christ, has a Ph.D. in Transformational Counseling and is Executive Director of the Temple of Light and editor of Radiance. She has written for Today’s Woman, Beach Cities Style, and Empowering Women magazines, of course, Amazing Women published by Raven International Media, and the OC Register. She donated her kidney anonymously in 2010. Basia advocates for human trafficking victims through presentations and fund raising. She is available for presentations on human trafficking, gender equality, being a living kidney donor, and Rising to Your Greatness. For more information, call 949.690.1257 or email basia@basiachrist.com. To listen to her radio show "Speaking from Spirit: Become Who You are Meant to Be" on Sundays at noon PCT on the Amazing Women of Power Network, go to www.basiachrist.com and click on the "flashing" radio icon.

The next Fairs are May 2, June 6), and July 11 (SECOND SATURDAY OF THE MONTH)

*

Noon to 6 p.m. (EXTENDED TIME) For more information, visit http://templeoflightoc.org/ speakers-vendors-and-healers

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Renowned medium Tim Braun’s demonstration will confirm there is life after death.

Saturday, July 18 7:30-9:30 p.m. Temple of Light 11 Goddard, Irvine, CA 92618

$40 members (front row seating) $50 non members Come enjoy this demonstration of mediumship where Tim will deliver messages and communication from spirit with love and support. It is Tim’s desire to heal those with grief of loss and re-establish the ties we have lost with those who are no longer with us. Tim believes our love is the link which allows us to connect with those on the other side. Many of Tim’s clients have had their lives changed dramatically, and have received hope that there exists a place of beauty and joy at the end of life on this earth. Loved ones are there, and love doesn’t die, but it is taken to this place, “the other side.” Tim has been heard on radio shows throughout the world, and conducted phone readings to callers that were astounded by his accuracy. He has appeared on the show Looking Beyond, and the TLC TV reality show, Sin City Rules. Recently, Tim sold out two 700 seat evening events at Pala Casino in Southern California.

To register for this event go to www.templeoflightoc.org/tim-braun 44

Radiance May/June 2015

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