Lotus Guide-For Healthy Living

Take One

SPRING 2017

April-June / Issue No. 62

for Healthy Living

Making Your Mind Matter

YOU ARE THE PLACEBO

Dr. Joe Dispenza, New York Times Best Seller & Featured in Docu-movie Pg. 34

Paradox of Conscious Healing & INTEGRATING MEDICINE Dr. Otani is an Integrative Physician Bridging East & West Pg. 32

Are you suffering from a stuffy nose or chronic sinus problems?

Sinus Problems & Your Gut Dr. Patrick Giammarise

Pg. 26

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Special Interest

Jaki’s Smokehouse A Family-Owned Restaurant

By Janell Goupil

J

aki’s Smokehouse is simply here to take your taste buds on a ride and feed you something different.

The creators of the menu here at the Smokehouse made it simple enough to feed you the meat you never thought you could get around the corner, but it has the endless possibilities of the imagination of your palate and the amount of time you want to spend with the chef! No counting calories here, just toppings on your sandwich and bones in your sweet pork spare rib racks. We select great quality Angus meats, hand rubbed with house-made rubs and smoked with

Southern-style pecan wood. Chico’s S&S Produce’s half-pound hand-formed and smoked beef patties await your visit to taste something you can’t get anywhere else in town.

Not everyone knows that the smoker that fills Paradise with the aroma of smoking meat was towed down from the lot of Jaki’s Hilltop Cafe. We always say, “Never forget it all started JakisCafe.com at the hilltop” when we smoked ribs and tri tip for Rollin into Jaki’s Tuesday Night Car Shows. Soon to Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner begin again, the car show brings back the fact that Friday & Saturday Nights six months ago Jaki’s Smokehouse Large Groups Welcome

i’s

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CAFE

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rode into Paradise to give the town something different! Brisket, pastrami, tri tip, ribs, chicken, turkey, pulled pork, burgers, salad bar, soup, macaroni and cheese, baked beans, and so much more.

Delivery service available noon6pm Tuesday-Saturday so you can enjoy the Smokehouse even if you can’t come by. The perfect solution for lunch parties, large groups, feeding the family at dinner, or just because you feel like some comfort food. Open five days a week 11am-8pm to serve you Southern comfort food in the beautiful town of Paradise, Jaki’s Smokehouse invites you to come give it a try and become a part of the good-eating family!

Jaki’s Hilltop Café in Magalia and Jaki’s Smokehouse in Paradise are family owned and operated, guaranteeing you the best possible service with a smile.

Visit JakisCafe.com & JakisCafeParadise.com

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We are more than a rock shop!

(530) 873-1275 14112 Skyway, Magalia Open 7 Days 7am-8pm

Art

Rocks

Minerals

Crystals

Gifts

Body & Mind

Finding OM, It’s Never too Late to Make Positive Change what I affectionately started calling “The Question.” y new book, Finding Om, Here’s the question: includes practical methods, tools, Do you have a handout or a PDF and information to support people with activities for other areas of life that I in experiencing more happiness and joy can buy? within their lives. Since the year 2000, I’ve I’d always answer the same had the privilege of working with a large way—by telling them that I appreciated cross-section of people and I have found their enthusiasm and that I was so happy there were several themes or areas that the activity was helping them. I would also came up for people, no matter who they tell them that I thought a collection of were or how they moved through their activities was a great idea but that I didn’t world. have anything like that put together. Then At the end of each session, I I would tell them that maybe one day when always give an activity for people to use I got around to it, I’d write one. This went in their daily lives to help them integrate on for a long time, years in fact. the change they’re making. I would ask Finding Om is that list, finally people to start implementing the activity compiled into a book. When I was for at least five minutes a day and then working on the book, I chose 44 areas or to report back to me. Some people were themes that I found affected people the more enthusiastic than others about this most through the years. This book isn’t “homework” assignment; however, I’d a complete list of all of the activities I’ve encourage people to give at least five ever used but it does include a lot of topics minutes a day to the activity and even the that hit home for people. The book is more reluctant people would usually get on compiled into three parts: Physical, Mental/ board with the activity before leaving.

Emotional, and Spiritual areas of life.

Sometimes I would hear back My intention in writing this book was to from people more quickly than from others. offer practical, doable, and transformative However, when I did hear back from people activities that would support people in I often heard the same kind of thing. making positive change.

People would tell me that the activity I’ve found that seemingly small helped them and then they would ask shifts or changes can create a big change through time. I’ve seen this time and again for people I’ve Kristy M. Ayala M.A. had the privilege of working with and in my own life as well.

By Kristy M. Ayala, MA

M

L i fe Coach Ange l T herapist Cl ai r vo yant Medium Re i ki M aster Teacher Readings | He a l i ngs | C ourse s | Worksh o p s

Often the hardest part for people is

getting started. So many things can feel overwhelming when making any changes in life; however, choosing to make a change is a powerful place to start. I hope Finding Om will inspire people to begin implementing small but significant changes in their dayto-day lives. The book is meant to be used as a guide and my hope is that by using an activity from Finding Om or by becoming inspired to personalize an activity in the book, people will move forward in the way that’s right for them.

I hope that my book will support people in giving themselves permission to honor what they know is right for them. It’s never too late to make positive change and yes, you’re worth it.

Kristy M. Ayala, MA, is a professional author, speaker, integrative intuitive counselor, and life coach. Kristy has both her master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and uses her professional and educational background in conjunction with her spiritual gifts to best support her clients. You can connect with Kristy by visiting her website kristymayala.com.

On lin e Sc h edul i ng at kri st ymay a l a . c o m

Made with Love from Nothin’ but the Good Stuff ™

234A We st 3rd St re e t Sui t e D Ch ico

Visit us at the Paradise Chocolate Fest on May 13th

Al l Sessions B y Appointm en t

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5

ACUPUNCTURE Acumoxa Treatments - Michael Turk.........................28 Heavenly Herbs & Acupuncture - Sheryl...............27 ‘Ohana Health..................................................................10

ARTS

Love’s Art - Marianna Love...........................................20

AYURVEDA

Ambika’s Ayurveda.........................................................28

BOOKS/CDs/DVDs

Dhara’s Meditation CD..................................................37 Innergrowth - Lezah Young..........................................12 Inner Traditions Books...............................BACK COVER The 12 Spiritual Laws of Recovery..............................21 To Believe or not To Believe.........................................38

CENTERS, RETREATS, CLINICS & HOSPITAL

Beyond Fitness Club - Paradise...................................3 Center for Emotional Balance - Susan Bertozzi....34 Center for Spiritual Living - Paradise.......................22 Chico Therapy Massage School....................................2 Colon Therapist - Maxine LeClerc..............................27 Dinner with the Doctor - Feather River Hospital....31 Dr. Patrick - Digestive Health.........................................2 For the Funk of It Music Festival...................................3 Health & Wellness Fair - Oroville...................................3 Kick Butt Hypnosis Clinic - Julia Ferré...................13 My Body Wisdom - Anasuya......................................35 Natural Care for Wellness - Crystal...........................40 New Living Expo - San Francisco...........BACK COVER ‘Ohana Health..................................................................10 Ridge Fitness for Women - Paradise...........................3 Stewart Mineral Springs - Mt. Shasta.......................35

EVENTS, CLASSES & WORKSHOPS

Apothecary Options - Steve.......................................33 CAP Graphic & Web..........................................................22 Chico Sky Watch..............................................................39 From the Ground Up Farms.......................................11 Insight Directory...............................................................14 KVMR 89.5 - Nevada City Radio............................43 Lynn’s Gluten-Free Bakery..............................................5 Nightingale Cannabis Collective...............................40 Spiritual Activist Radio - Rahasya..............................41

Dr. Patrick - Digestive Health........................................2 N.A.E.T. - Dr. Mark Light & Vicki Van Scyoc.............15 Richard Pruett, DDS..........................................................2

Ananda Chico Meditation Center.............................23 Chico Therapy Massage School....................................2 Dinner with the Doctor - Feather River Hospital...31 Dr. Terry Cole-Whittaker...............................................43 ‘Ohana Health..................................................................10 Stewart Mineral Springs - Mt. Shasta...........................35

HEALING ENERGY HEALING Acumoxa Treatments - Michael Turk..........................28 Ener-Chi Wellness - True Quantum Healing Store...18 N.A.E.T. - Dr. Mark Light & Vicki Van Scyoc............15 SHAMANIC HEALING Find Your Wings - Redding - Jim “Redtail”..............19

HEALTH & BEAUTY / SPA Apothecary Options - Steve.......................................33 Colon Therapist - Maxine LeClerc..............................27 Hair, Body & Soul - Teresa...............................................26 My Body Wisdom - Anasuya......................................35

HYPNOTHERAPY

Hypnotherapy - Katy Redmon, CHT.........................12 Kick Butt Hypnosis Clinic - Julia Ferré.....................13

COACHING

Age of Aquarius - Margaret..........................................11 Angel Therapy - Kristy.....................................................5 Animal Whispers - Lianne Wood..............................42 Dhara’s Hand Readings.................................................36 Gregory Spiritual Readings - Bobbie G.....................36 Innergrowth - Lezah Young..........................................12

COLON HYDROTHERAPY

Colon Therapist - Maxine LeClerc..............................27

COUNSELING

FAMILY-INDIVIDUAL Adrienne Parker - Morano, LMFT................................23 Marriage & Family Therapy - Gale Dixon Brown...33 HEALTH COUNSELORS Center for Emotional Balance - Susan Bertozzi.....34

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RESTAURANTS & CAFÉ

Jaki’s Hilltop Café - Magalia...........................................4 Jaki’s Smokehouse - Paradise......................................4 The Depot Restaurant & Café, Magalia...................16

INTUITIVE READINGS

Holistic Success Coach - Cal Ling...............................13 Life & Relationship Coach - Wayne Crooks...........10 Mary E. Ewing. D.C..........................................................32 Transitions - Pat Basham...............................................12

REIKI

Angel Therapy Reiki - Kristy........................................5

DOCTORS & DENTISTS

CHIROPRACTORS

Chico Creek Wellness - Dr. Penner..............................2 Mary E. Ewing. D.C..........................................................32

6

HOLISTIC COUNSELORS Angel Therapy - Kristy.....................................................5 Find Your Wings - Redding - Jim “Redtail”.................19

SERVICES

SHOPS & PRODUCTS

Berkeley Olive Grove - Olive Oil.................................8 BLAZEn’J’s - Chico, Oroville & Paradise....................39 Chico Garden Center........................................................40 Ener-ChiWellness -True Quantum Healing Store....18 Fiona’s Forest - Natural Skin Care & Herbs.............32 Gold Exchange: Jewelry for the Soul, Red Bluff...18 Hair, Body & Soul - Teresa............................................26 Lynn’s Gluten-Free Bakery..............................................5 Nightingale Cannabis Collective...............................40 Paradise Rocks Gifts & more..........................................4 Sanare Smart Natural Relief - Darrell.......................43 S&S Organic Produce...........................................16 & 17 Soul Connections.......................................BACK COVER

WOMEN’S HEALTH Ridge Fitness for Women - Paradise..........................3

YOGA / FITNESS Ananda Chico Meditation Center.............................23 Awakened Yoga...............................................................18 Beyond Fitness Club - Paradise....................................3 Breathe Yoga Studio - Durham...................................34 In Motion Fitness.............................................................15 Yoga Center of Chico - Rex Stromness.......................9

MASSAGE

Chico Therapy Massage School...................................2 Mary E. Ewing, D.C..........................................................32 ‘Ohana Health..................................................................10 REFLEXOLOGY Happy Feet Reflexology - Elizabeth.........................27 ROLFING Rolf Practitioner - Jean-Louise....................................14

MEDITATION

Ananda Chico Meditation Center.............................23 Dhara’s Class Meditation..............................................36 Dhara’s Meditation CD..................................................37 Dr. Terry Cole-Whittaker................................................43 Sanctuary of Omni Love - Auburn Area...................10 Science of Spirituality - Jennifer Bliss - Chico..........22

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Body & Mind Finding OM

5

The Layers of the Yoga Practice

9

by Kristy M. Ayala, MA

by Tom Hess

Stop Stress & Achieve Goals through Hypnotherapy

12

Animals Have Allergies, Too!

14

Complementary Health

16

The Skill of Happiness

18

Digestive Health

26

Questions for Dr. Gayle Kimball Healthy Recipes - Dinner with the Doctor Series

29 30

Meditation, The Way In . . .

36

by Julia Ferré

by Vickie Van Scyoc, RN and Mark Light, MD Remembering the Miracle of Life

by Donald Payne

by Jim “Redtail” Collins

Are Your Sinus Problems Coming from Your Gut?

by Dr. Patrick Giammarise, DC

Supplied by Feather River Hospital

The placebo effect is a fascinating field of science because it challenges established notions of how we heal.

The idea is that they believe so strongly in the treatment that they begin to heal themselves.

But what happens if patients know they are getting a placebo?

Is it still possible to heal yourself when you know what you’re taking isn’t the real thing?

The answer is yes....

Rahasya Uncensored Walking on the Razor’s Edge . . .

Between Two Worlds

by Rahasya Poe

Spring Tour 2017 The Golden Road Radio & TV Show Live Public Shows and Broadcast

by Michael DiMartino

Lotus Guide Magazine P.O. Box 135 Chico, CA 95927

Being the Watcher!

by Dhara Lemos

Special Interest 4

Jaki’s Smokehouse

A Family Owned Restaurant

by Janell Goupil

Longshotsville

10

Lotus Reviews

20-21

A New Film by Jody McNicholas

by Nikki Lyn Pugh Book, CD, & DVD Reviews

38

Justin Time

Autobiographical Stories from an American Spiritual Master

by J. Jaye Gold

24-25

Calendar of Events

42

22

Paradox of Conscious Healing & Integrating Medicine

32

by Dr. Kelley Otani

www.LotusGuide.com (530) 894-8433 • Info@LotusGuide.com

Copyright © 2017 SpirituaLight Publishing. The entire contents of this magazine are the property of SpirituaLight Publishing. All rights reserved. This magazine/ contents is not to be reproduced in any way without the prior written consent of the publisher. The views and opinions of the writers and/or advertisements are not necessarily a reflection of the views of the publisher/Lotus Guide/SpirituaLight Publishing.

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7

A Letter from the Publishers

LOVING

OUR COMMUNITY

W

e are dedicating this issue to our dear friend, Donald Payne, who lived and gave his advice in every issue of Lotus Guide in his column, this one being his last since he recently passed away. You may have noticed that this issue is focusing on our ability to heal ourselves and to be responsible for that process which was always Donald’s focus.

Our body’s natural state is to be “healthy” and it always seeks to maintain a state of equilibrium. But living in a toxic world can make this challenging and this problem needs to be addressed on every level—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual … but you need to make the decision to take action and we sincerely hope you find something in this issue that rings true for you.

We are often asked by you, our readers, what you can do to help the Lotus Guide. When you pick up a copy of the Lotus Guide, pick up three or four extra to give to friends who may not have read it. New residents are pouring into our northern communities and this magazine is a great resource for anyone looking for traditional or alternative health care and guidance. Something else that really makes a difference is to find us on Facebook and LIKE us and SHARE our posts.

Publishers, Editors, & Owners

Copy Editor

Graphic Artist

Webmaster

Distribution

Contributing Writers

Dhara Lemos & Rahasya Poe Kasey McKnight

Marketing Consultant Pat Basham

Extra Virgin Olive Oil 100% Organic

Buy Fresh • Buy Local • Buy Online 8

We are also reaching out to thousands of new people through the “Rahasya Uncensored” (www.RahasyaUncensored. com) segment on The Golden Road television show and a new radio show, Spiritual Activist, is in the works (www.

SpiritualActivist.com).

As a final thought about Donald, we want everyone to know just how much he has meant to all of us so if you have anything you would like to say about him, your interactions with him at S&S Produce or simply how much he touched your life in some way, please email it to info@lotusguide.com (Subject: Donald) with your first name and last initial and we will take it from there; let’s honor him with the respect he so much deserved in life by letting everyone know what he meant to all of us.

Thank you for your continued support, Rahasya & Dhara

www.lotusguide.com

Karen Bleske Bill Unger

Creative Consultant Dhara Lemos

Craig Perry

Dr. Gayle Kimball Donald Payne Dr. Patrick Giammarise

Berkeley Olive Grove 1913 was entered in two venues, The Aristolio Award for olive growers who are changing their methods to produce a superior product thereby encouraging other growers to do the same, and The Olympia Health & Nutrition Awards for olive oil containing more than 1001 mg/Kg and Berkeley Olive Grove 1913 was awarded Gold in both.

www.BerkeleyOliveGrove.com • (530) 533-1814

Body & Mind

The Layers of the Yoga Practice

By Tom Hess

A

ccording to the Taittiriya Upanishad, there are five layers, or kosas, to traverse on our yoga paths. These layers, or sheaths, provide us a path to follow and certain signposts along the way. They also describe the depth and potential of the practice of yoga.

The beginning of the journey for the yoga practitioner is the body. This is especially true in today’s world, where the public perception of yoga is all about the physical postures. That is where most people start with their idea of what yoga is, and that is perfect. The body is what we are given as our birthright, and it is something we are uniquely placed to study and think about.

It is something that we all need to understand on some level to practice yoga.

Yoga is about the stilling of the mind, but the body has to be stable and pain free to be able to focus the mind.

So we start with the asana as a means to cleanse and strengthen the body.

If the body is in any kind of unbalanced state because of disease, injury, muscle shortness, or muscle weakness, then yoga will help bring the body back to Dedicated to equilibrium. When the union of the body is in a stable, strong, and Body, Mind light state, then the and Community other more inward layers are more available.

In Business for 3 Years The Experienced Teachers Pranayama Kosa is the layer of energy, in a Beautiful Space! or prana. This is the underlying Rex Stromness energy within the body that controls all of the organs of Cheri Neal action, organs of perception, and all of the body’s energy Tom Hess needs. This prana is behind all of the Lisa Weber functioning of the body and can be improved with the - Visit Our Retail Store, The Om Depot practice of yoga.

YogaCenterOfChico.com • (530) 342-0100 Within this 250 Vallombrosa - Suite 150 (Next to Tea Bar) layer lies the

practice of pranayama, the fourth limb of the eight limbs of yoga. Pranayama is the yoga practice of breath management. When one practices breathing with a particular mind-set and with prescribed ways of breathing, then there is a refinement of the prana in the body. Another way to work with the prana in the body is through the practice of some of the asanas with a particular mind-set that would lead to a refinement of the prana.

The practice of yoga brings us to a particular realization of the existence of this energy within and gives us a way to work with it.

The next layer is the mind, the Manomaya Kosa. This is really the key, for without the focus of the mind the distractions would limit us. We have many objects of meditation for the mind; any part of the body could be used for the mind as we do in the asana and the breath is the central focal point for the mind in the practice of pranayama. The focus of the mind deepens our experience of the prana and the body.

The next layer is the discriminating mind or Vijnanamaya Kosa.

This is the layer of wisdom. We all have the decision-making power within ourselves to control our thoughts and where we might put those thoughts. This layer is about making the right decisions in our lives that lead us to a deeper understanding of the spiritual path of yoga. This understanding is the intelligence that we foster in the practice of yoga that leads to a stilling of the thought waves.

The last layer is the Anandamaya Kosa. This is the layer of bliss that occurs as a result of following the eight limbs of yoga and stilling the fluctuations of the mind.

This layer is the goal. The natural result of proper practice done with the right mindset over a long period is a state of fullness or joy that exists on such a deep level that the practitioner is settled into a blissful state.

These five layers are nicely laid out in B. K. S. Iyengar’s book Light on Life.

Come by and visit us at 250 Vallombrosa, Chico, or at www.YogaCenterOfChico.com. www.lotusguide.com

9

LONGSHOTSVILLE, a New Film by Jody McNicholas “Inspiring the Creative Healer in Us All”

By Nikki Lyn Pugh

I

n 2010, the American Journal of Public Health published a sweeping review of more than 100 studies that connected the arts to physical and emotional healing.

What they discovered was groundbreaking: Art reduced stress responses, increased positive emotions, reduced anxiety and depression, encouraged spontaneity, allowed for the expression of grief, helped develop positive identities, and led to involvement in important social networks.

All the scientific health jargon aside, however, we all know creativity heals because, well, it just feels good when we do it!

And this is exactly why we need films like Longshotsville, the latest from filmmaker Jody McNicholas. In fact, in our increasingly chaotic world, we need films like this now more than ever.

McNicholas is founder of WalkIn Productions, based in Taos and Santa

Fe, New Mexico. Before moving to New Mexico, Jody lived and worked for nearly a decade in Chico, where she produced the pioneering documentary film A Wave of Compassion (featuring many Chico locals).

Jody’s latest creation, Longshotsville, tells the story of young actors in small-town Taos and their acting teacher, Metta Theatre founder and director Bruce McIntosh (who is also a practicing Zen Buddhist). Through intimate interviews and sweeping footage of the rural landscape that these youth call home, we learn about their hopes, dreams, fears, and, above all, the spirit

of determination that animates and drives them all.

“There was something magical about being around them,” says Jody about the young people who participated in the yearlong Longshotsville project. “I loved how courageous they were.

Following them made me stand true to my own dreams. I went to document their dreams, and it made me reflect on my own life.”

McNicholas herself had a soullevel relationship with the project from the very beginning. She actually started out as a student in one of Metta Theatre’s acting classes and was so touched by the authentic connections and healing that occurred with the youth in that class that she decided that their creative journey must be put to film. Eventually, some of the actors became involved in the project behind the camera as well. The result was a “truly collaborative experience.”

“Much of this project has been about capturing the essence of what Metta

Wayne C. Crooks, LCSW Life & Relationship Coach Coaching conveniently provided telephonically or by web video

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Special Interest Theatre really is,” explains Jody. “Metta is a place where these young people, against all the odds, are really striving for something big—their dreams! What we discover as an audience is that their inner yearnings really aren’t for fame and fortune at all. Rather, they wish to find themselves through connecting with each other in meaningful ways and creating a community of true support.”

Nothing is staged or fake about Longshotsville, the latest creation from a truly gifted and inspiring filmmaker. Honest integrity oozes from the screen with each scene; there is no choice but to cry, laugh, and ultimately root for the success that all of these young actors define for themselves in their own terms. Along the way, what becomes crystal clear is the power of acting as a mechanism for healing. Their love of the art and craft of acting is what binds these young artists together in creative community.

“I would like the craft of acting to be more visible as a tool to engage and inspire our youth,” says McNicholas. “My experience at Metta Theatre—watching the interactions that occurred on stage with no cell phones, no alcohol or drugs—just two or more young people interacting—was one of the most powerful preventative medicines I have ever seen.”

Indeed, in the process of telling their personal stories, the actors in the film inevitably bring up larger issues to consider.

“Everyone has a unique voice, a unique story, and my motivation is to encourage our youth to never give up on their dreams,” says Jody. “We need the dreamers. We need the artists and the creatives. The arts need to be as valuable as any other subject in school today.”

“Longshotsville is a way to reach people who have not had the experience of being part of a group like Metta

Theatre,” says Jody. “We can go along for the ride via a film and get a glimpse of the power of this art form and this community.”

As one of the young actors featured in the film, Syndesi, so wisely states: “I finally came to understand that my path is not to destroy but it’s to create. … You have to go and you have to do what is in your heart. If you don’t do that, then what are you doing? You’re

neglecting your talents, your abilities ... your love.”

And sometimes the simple act of watching a movie about the healing power of creative expression can inspire us to express ourselves in our own unique way too. This is the beauty, and the gift, of Longshotsville.

So get yourself a digital download of Longshotsville. Keep it close at hand and watch it whenever you need a creative pick-me-up.

Then get to that acting class, pick up that pen and paper, stand before that canvas, or dust off that old guitar. Start creating yourself back to health … and repeat often!

After winning multiple awards at film festivals throughout the country, Longshotsville is being distributed via streaming media at www.longshotsville1.vhx.tv.

Nikki Lyn Pugh is a health blogger, writer, and coach.

You can reach her through her blog, TheGentleTraveler.com.

Reference Stuckey, H. L., & Nobel, J. (2010).

The connection between art, healing, and public health: A review of current literature. American Journal of Public Health, 100(2),254-263.

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11

Stop Stress & Achieve Goals Through Hypnotherapy

By Julia Ferré

E

very time John attempts to go to the eighth floor (or higher) in a tall building, he sweats and his heart races. He feels nervous, nauseated, and has trouble breathing. He wonders if there is a way to deal with the anxiety so he can get to those top levels.

Andrew enjoys his job and work is satisfying except when there are reviews.

The feedback is usually positive; however, whenever he hears any comments, it feels like criticism, just like he felt when his father would reprimand him as a child. He

thinks he may be overreacting but doesn’t know how to change his response.

Janet is expecting her first baby in a few months, but she is worried because her friends relay stories about their lengthy, painful labors. She believes it is possible to have a natural childbirth and really wants to avoid any unnecessary medical interventions.

Life doesn’t get any better than being able to do what you want, when you want, and how you want. But what do you do when something interferes with normal functioning?

When situations arise such as phobias, misinterpretations, or important upcoming events, it is appropriate to use additional resources to help you do things differently.

Hypnotherapy is a useful modality to change what you want to change. In the above examples, hypnotherapy can be used to overcome a phobia

to heights, to review the past and how it has contributed to a current misperception, and to prepare for childbirth. For example, hypnosis can help desensitize a phobia through acceptance and deep relaxation. For excessive emotions that lead to misunderstandings, hypnosis can be used to regress to an earlier time and to understand the basis for that emotion with the goal to resolve the incorrect idea. And childbirth? HypnoBirthing is a unique childbirth educational program that incorporates hypnosis with relaxation, breathing techniques, visualizations, and intentions to help moms and couples prepare for the birthing day.

Hypnotherapy has many applications and they can be divided into two general areas. The first area is the use of hypnotherapy as a process method to help resolve conditions that may be holding you back, such as overcoming phobias, stopping smoking, or stopping stress. The other area of use for hypnosis is for regeneration, that is, to incorporate positive suggestions, fortify well-being,

Hypnotherapy Unsure how to decide what to do next?

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Coaching through Changes,

when finding Light in the Shadows is most challenging and you need a sounding board.

Body & Mind and increase confidence.

Most sessions include both aspects where it is useful to stop something negative and strengthen something positive.

In every session is the potential to relax, refresh, and rejuvenate.

This is due to the idea that hypnosis is a mind-body therapy that offers benefits because the mind and body integrate in a holistic way.

During a hypnosis session, the physical benefits are abundant. The heartbeat and respiration rate slow to a restful state similar to sleep.

This deep relaxation lowers blood pressure, allows for more production of endorphins, and decreases production of cortisol, the stress hormone. Spending 20 minutes in hypnosis provides as much rest as taking a two-hour nap.

In addition to the body’s physical comfort, the mind rests. During deep physical relaxation, brain waves slow down, and a person enters the alpha state, with the potential to reach deeper theta or delta states. In these deep states, the subconscious mind engages without the conscious mind’s interrupting. It is like turning off the mind chatter. As the conscious mind quiets, the subconscious mind focuses. The subconscious mind is the seat of feelings, beliefs, and memories, and in this heightened awareness, it is possible to review the past (even a prior lifetime), uncover misconceptions, and change deepset ideas. When the subconscious mind is activated, it is the ideal time to reinforce emotions and beliefs that you want and

the body and engage the mind.

Information gained from the experience can influence you in immediate ways—such as overcoming a phobia or preparing for childbirth. Information can also remain with you for many years and provide benefits beyond the session. As a way to unify the mind and body, hypnosis can be a perfect way to get to know yourself better and is a perfect tool for personal growth and development.

thus condition yourself to activate and achieve the things you want.

My first experience with hypnosis occurred in 2002. I was camping with friends and my hypnotherapist friend guided me into a deep relaxation. As I was lying on a mat on the ground, large forest ants began crawling on my legs. Even though I knew the ants were there, I was so relaxed that it didn’t matter. This was the most amazing realization!

A year later, I had my first past-life regression, which revealed some interesting information. I consulted a certified hypnotherapist because I wanted to know if my recurring neck pain had a connection with a past life. The hypnotherapist helped me uncover a past life in Atlantis, where I had died from a neck injury. The situation had similarities to this life, plus I learned some things about my character and what is important to me. In addition, even though that pastlife regression occurred in 2003, I can still recall many of the details and continue to garner additional insights.

Hypnosis is a deep way to relax

HOLISTIC LIFE COACH Balancing Emotions, Work & Play

Some Uses of Hypnosis Anger/temper~Anxiety~ Asthma~Bedwetting~Blood pressure Childbirth~Concentration Constipation~Eating disorders~Energy Exam anxiety~Fear~Goal setting Grinding teeth~Healing~Indigestion Insomnia~Incontinence~Memory Migraine headaches~Nail biting Pain control~ Past-life regression~Phobias Problem solving~Procrastination Public speaking~Study habits Self-confidence~Sexual issues/disorders Sports performance~Smoking cessation Stress management Weight reduction/control Julia Ferré, CHT, is a certified clinical hypnotherapist certified through ACHE, the American Council of Hypnotist Examiners. She provides sessions via Skype or in person in Chico, California, 530-864-5053, Juliaferre101@gmail.com.

See www.JuliaFerre.com for more info.

Julia Ferré

Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist

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13

Animals Have Allergies, Too! Emotional stressors can contribute to their allergies. Examples of allergens are: Inhalants: Pollens, grasses, weeds, trees, molds, dust and mites, powders, smoke, cosmetics, kitty litter, perfumes, cleaning products, laundry products, fumes from paint, pesticides, fertilizers, and so on.

Ingestants: Food, water, food additives, preservatives, colorings, drugs, vitamins, and so on.

By Vickie Van Scyoc, RN, and Mark Light, MD

A

nimals can develop allergies just as people can and to many of the same substances. These allergies can have a severe impact on their health, well-being, and comfort.

Their immune systems respond to an allergen, seeing it as foreign and causing a reaction. Reactivity can vary among the species. For example, inhalant allergies do not necessarily cause dogs or cats to sneeze; instead, they experience allergies through their skin with excessive licking of their paws, biting, chewing, ear infections, and scratching.

Animals can have allergies to inhalants, ingestants, contactants, injections, molds, and physical agents.

Contactants: Soaps, detergents, poison oak, carpets, latex products, grooming products, plastics, wood, paper products, and so on.

Injectants: Vaccines, drugs, and insect bites (a protein in flea saliva can cause an animal to itch for days and become more sensitive).

Molds and fungi can be easily contacted while the animal is playing in the yard, ingested in water, or through exposure inside. Animals may react to physical agents such as heat, cold, and high altitude. Even unresolved emotional trauma can be the cause of many physical symptoms and strange behaviors.

Examples of allergic symptoms Structural Integration-optimizing structural, energetic, are: Abdominal discomforts, and functional change in the human body. asthma, brain fog, cough, crying, cravings, diarrhea, dry mouth/nose/ throat, fatigue, fleas, frequency

of urination, hives, hyperactivity, irritability, itching, joint problems, nausea, mucus, nervousness, nosebleeds, rashes, sneezing, and watering eyes.

NAET provides an excellent method for testing and treating allergies in animals. It’s noninvasive, drug free, and best of all, we treat animals remotely! NAET is performed on the pet’s owner as a surrogate for the pet with the use of the pet’s picture. Think quantum physics, prayer, radio waves, remote car keys, anything that is energy moving through air.

Search YouTube for “NAET and animals” for demonstrations and more information.

NAET is affordable: The initial fee is $75 and subsequently $50 (cash discount), and many pets need only one to four sessions.

Testimonies for Chico Integrative Health I stopped chewing the fur off my tail after I was treated for anxiety and the fear that my owner was not coming back for me.

- Perro, male Ridgeback dog After I was treated for my reaction to my vaccines, I stopped wetting in the house. I would also run away from my collar. I was treated for fear and anxiety of my collar and I wear it now.

- Bruno, huge 8-month-old dog I was scratching the back of my neck and biting my feet. My owner said I was 100 percent better after my treatments for weeds, trees, ragweed, medications, and water.

- Maddy, cocker spaniel

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Body & Mind I had had the rabies vaccine before, so my owner wasn’t concerned about my third vaccine. However, I refused to eat and drink. Three days later, I developed a head shaking, a constant neurological tic. My owner was afraid I was going to die.

It was so bad that I almost went to the ER. Dr. Light treated me for the vaccine and I started eating and drinking, and the head-shaking tic stopped, never to return.

- Aramis Van Laam Martin, the cat My leg is no longer swollen and I won’t have to be put down.

- Sierra, quarter horse Buddy the Siamese cat was biting and scratching himself raw in several places, along with vomiting white mucus. Vickie muscle-tested me while I focused on Buddy and determined he was allergic to his food, even though it was a very high-quality

brand. We treated him remotely for his foods; he stopped scratching immediately, healed completely, grew his fur back, and was able to sleep peacefully. Even more

Our dog Maddie had carbon monoxide poisoning with her owner many years ago.

She had been lethargic since then, for 10 years. After treatment, Maddie started playing like a puppy again! A year later, Maddie developed a large lump on her side.

After NAET treatment, it was gone in 24 hours.

- Cheryl, owner and breeder of border collies, Paradise A cat, Kittie, and a dog, Katie, had severe itching of their skin and hair loss in patches.

They were allergic to the rugs they slept on. After NAET, the spots looked better and after nine months, the dogs’ fur was completely grown back.

- Practitioner Mala Moosad, RN

remarkable was that when I got home from that treatment session, Buddy greeted me at the door with lots of purrs and rubbing as if to say thank you (which, in retrospect, I believe was the case). Vickie also treated Buddy for his fear of going outside and he is fine now.

- Kim Victoria

Our puppy suffered from severe fatigue, no appetite, and he slept for hours. He drank lots of tap water. His lab tests were normal.

He was allergic to his water and after treatment, his fatigue improved; he is very active and healthy.

- Barbara Cesmat, DC, Woodland Hills

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15

Complementary Health

By Donald Payne

Most of us know him as Donald, the gentle man who gives generously of his time and advice at S&S Produce and Natural Foods in Chico, where he’s worked for more than 30 years. Donald has also practiced t’ai chi since 1974 and been a member of the Natural Food Association since 1970. You can reach Donald at 530-343-4930, ext. 213.

S

Remembering the Miracle of Life

itting here I am asking myself, “How do I write what is in my heart?” When Dhara and I moved to Chico, the first person we met was Donald Payne at S&S Produce. We gravitated toward each other and we developed a deep connection that went to the very depth of what united souls feel after a long separation. He was our friend first and foremost, and he wrote the Donald Payne “Complementary Health” column in every issue of Lotus Guide … this column will be his last.

Donald passed away in the typical loving and peaceful way he lived, surrounded by a family he loved so deeply and who loved him. You will be missed, Donald, by literally thousands of people throughout Chico and far beyond…

Good-bye, dear friend, Rahasya & Dhara

Hello again, dear reader. Blessings and love to the person who used his or her own beloved presence and performed the most effective “rain dance” for our drought-stricken North State. The rain has descended and our precious Earth is refreshed and then some!

Perhaps these extreme Earth changes will begin to diminish our collective arrogance and force us to use higher judgment in our dreams. Because we are always transmuting the invisible world into the visible, we change our dreams into an image and then we manifest those images into the material world—reality.

Indeed, when we reach higher levels of judgment we can make our thinking

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clear and straight, so that we can go directly to our goals.

If many of us could reach a very high level of judgment and consciousness maybe we could eliminate so much sickness, suffering, difficulties, and troubles, and humans could probably be very happy and live a very long time.

With the coming of the Industrial Age, things of the spirit began to assume less and less reality in our lives, until now many have almost completely forgotten that we are all born of the Earthly Mother and Heavenly Father. The God of the 20th and now the 21st century is technology—

Body & Mind whose vast machines are wholly dependent on limited fuel resources—a computerized God we have programmed to produce material things, many of which we do not need and much of which is even harmful.

What has happened to us?

There was time in our past when the very air crackled with wonder and awe when we were confronted with the miracle of life, when birds sang songs of mystery, and it was possible to meet a saint in bare feet on a dusty road and if we were humble enough we would be allowed to soar with his spirit and ours into unknown realms of holiness.

But now, dear reader, fatalism and indifference will not solve the monumental challenges we face. We must personally involve our beloved presence again with this “Miracle of Life.”

“For the unified mind in accord with the Way all self-centered striving ceases.

Doubts and irresolutions vanish and life in true faith is possible.

With a single stroke we are freed from bondage; nothing clings to us and we hold nothing.

All is empty, clear, self-illuminating with no exertion of the mind’s power.

To come directly into harmony with this reality just simply say when doubt arises, “Not Two.” In this “Not Two” nothing is separate, nothing is excluded no matter when or where.

Enlightenment means entering this truth and this truth is beyond extension or diminution in time or space In it a single thought is ten thousand years.”

- Seng-Ts’an Excerpts from Verses on the Faith Mind And so it seems that working on our personal illumination is a constant practice for us all. Clean up our blood by eating pure food with a growing amount of gratitude and love. Practice cleaning up our thoughts with reflective contemplation and begin to focus on manifesting perfect harmony with the great order of nature again.

I’m so grateful that I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to work in the natural-foods industry for more than 46 years and to be exposed to so many disciplines, from so many great teachers, mental, physical, and spiritual. So much education regarding disease and wellness.

No wonder I use so many supplements to help augment my blood quality. I have had such a colored and checkered past, full of missteps—how nice it is that I found a path to work toward my own greater good—including my physical health.

Nordic Naturals omega-3 fish oils are a daily supplement for me. Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega is my favorite; sometimes I use two capsules twice a day to help with some of my joint inflammation and to help with blood circulation to my extremities. The longer I use Nordic Naturals omega-3 fish oils the more I realize I need them.

Also, I began to use Garden of Life’s My Kind men’s multivitamin and mineral supplement, and I really think it makes a difference in my energy level and I love that it’s all organic food–grown nutrients. Garden of Life’s probiotics for men over 50 I have used for four to five years, especially because last winter I had to use antibiotics for a lung infection—after I finished I began to use two probiotics twice a day and it made such a difference in my gut feelings and bowel regularity.

Now we have entered spring and the first thing I stocked up on was Country Life’s Aller-Max for getting rid of allergy symptoms. It works great and fast. My wife loves Country Life’s Maxi Hair to keep her hair thick and strong and we both use Country Life’s CoEnzyme B-Complex for our nerves and Country Life’s Bone Solid for our bones, muscles, adrenal glands, and so much more.

Thanks again for the rain (let’s hope not so much all at once), the Earth, and I am refreshed and looking forward to our North Valley summer heat—Fire the people awake! Fire the people awake! Fire the people awake? ...

The best is yet to come.

Donald Payne S&S Produce & Natural Foods This information should not be considered a substitute for medical advice.

Consult your physician before making any health decisions.

www.lotusguide.com

17

The Skill of Happiness

By Jim “Redtail” Collins

H

ow you see the world determines what you see. And how you see it is determined by the memories that you have accumulated, and what you believe to be true, based on those experiences. What do you believe to be true?

You probably think that your memories are real, and you probably have beliefs based on them that control your emotional life, even if you have forgotten what they are. But our memories are only partial recordings of the past, distortions

of the truth, at best, because when your subconscious mind recorded them, you were focused on certain things to the exclusion of other things. The fact is, our brains are unable to discriminate between memory and fantasy, most likely because they are not that different.

The mind expresses what it already holds—what it has recorded subconsciously—which is everything you have experienced. What your mind holds constitutes the sum of your resources for creating your life. It is the source of your thoughts and emotional experiences.

If you don’t know how to change your mind, then who is in control of your life?

The Tyranny of the Past Most of us live in the past most of the time.

Less often, we live in the future. Rarely, we are present in the now. The past is over! It does not exist, and neither does the future, but that does not stop us from living there in our minds.

Your subconscious mind is a replicator of the familiar. The more you experience an emotion, the more likely you will repeat it. Neural pathways—networks of dedicated function—form in the brain from repetition. The more frequent a thought or emotion, the stronger the neural pathways become.

Since most of the decisions you make and the emotions you experience

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Body & Mind are based on patterns from your past, the odds are against you if you carry limited beliefs and subconscious mental “programs” installed from negative life experiences, and if you had no one to teach you how to manage your emotional states.

We attract into our lives what matches our belief system. Inflexible beliefs bind us to replication of our emotional past! In other words, your mind uses bad experiences to create more bad experiences.

Good experiences work the same way. Which way we tilt with this depends on what is more familiar, what we practice the most. Once you learn how this works, you can begin to take charge of your emotional life. You can change how your past affects your present.

Changing How You Feel Everything you experience happens within your perception. Changing experience therefore requires a change of perception, a change in the way your mind represents reality.

If your parents were skilled in managing their emotions (which is unusual, even for psychotherapists …), you are lucky—and a rare bird. Your parents probably did the best they could, but the chances are high that they had no idea how to manage their emotions, because your grandparents did not know either, because neither did theirs.

And if your parents did not have a high level of emotional skill, neither will you. Like most skills, it must be learned

and practiced. In a nutshell, the reason we feel bad is because we have considerable practice at it.

The good news is that changing your mind and managing your emotions is easy once you know how. You can abandon old neural pathways and create new ones.

As new pathways form and we strengthen

them by “practice” (i.e., repetition) the old pathways atrophy rather quickly.

Neuroscientists call this neural plasticity.

Happiness is a skill. No one is “happy” merely because of the conditions in his or her life. People are happy—or not— because of their beliefs and mind-set, because it is familiar.

To experience more of something—such as happiness—we must make it more familiar. There are several effective ways to do this, but the simplest way is to practice, which will create new neural pathways, increasing the likelihood of autonomic repetition, like learning to ride a bicycle.

A Simple Trick That Can Help You Out Close your eyes and think of one of the best feelings you have ever had, something

so good it is almost impossible to tell anyone about it. If it doesn’t make you want to giggle, find another. Feel it in your body.

Then imagine a dial in your mind that controls the intensity of the feeling, and turn it all the way up!

Now grab your wrist with the other hand and gently squeeze for about a minute while focusing on that good feeling.

Keep practicing this several times a day, for about a week, the same way each time.

After you have practiced for a week, you will be able to dial up that feeling any time you need to change your attitude just by squeezing your wrist in that special way.

Then you can get creative by continuing to practice having that good feeling by imagining problematic situations in which you would like to feel good instead of bad and then squeezing your wrist.

Keep practicing ... and watch how your life begins to change.

If you would like to learn more about how to manage your emotions and transform your life, you can always call me.

Dr. Jim Collins, widely known as Redtail, is a psychologist, shamanist, and self-mastery coach, whose passion is helping people to empower themselves to happiness, personal excellence, and conscious evolution.

He can be reached at 530-604-8653 or through his website at www.PowerForTransformation.com.

Power for Transformation Premium Coaching and Training Jim “Redtail” Collins, PhD

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530-604-8653 www.lotusguide.com

19

Soul Breathing: Spiritual Light and the Art of Self-Mastery

By Carrie L’Esperance ISBN-13: 978-1-59143-249-4 (Bear & Company, 2016)

What grabbed me about this book is the approach Carrie takes to embrace life’s experiences and be with it, good or bad. By doing this we start to break our addiction to constantly being distracted.

We constantly try to fill a void with “things,” not realizing that “things” are devoid of spirit and will never quench that spiritual thirst we have. But this book goes even deeper into the fact that we live in an ocean of electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs) that disrupt and distort our beings on subtle levels. We all had better wake up to the fact that we are living in a world much different from one that our grandparents were even able to dream of. This is a great “how-to” book.

Rahasya Poe, Lotus Guide

The End of Stress: Four Steps to Rewire Your Brain

By Joseph Goewey ISBN-13: 978-1-58270-491-3 (Atria Books/Beyond Words, 2014)

Who’s ever heard of rewiring your brain?

Well, anyone who has been keeping up with neuroscience and the research with neuroplasticity. Stress is the number one factor behind most illness in today’s modern world, so you have a choice: You can numb out with drugs, which a large percentage of the population does, or you can read this book and follow the formula “4 Steps + 8 Weeks = The End of Stress.” Don’t be like 80 percent of the population and do nothing about it until it’s too late. Reducing stress increases performance, creativity, and your ability to live a healthier life … it’s time.

Rahasya Poe, Lotus Guide

The Book of Tapping: Emotional Acupressure with EFT

By Sophie Merle ISBN-13: 978-1-62055-601-6 (Healing Arts Press, 2017)

Being the publisher of an alternative health magazine gives me a privileged view of many healing techniques and by far, “tapping-EFT” has proven itself time and time again with everything from PTSD and depression to jealousy and panic attacks. The real challenge has been to find a well-written and easy-to-understand book on the subject and this is it. It’s the perfect little book for a beginner or for a longtime practitioner to be reminded of the simplicity of the process.

Dhara Lemos, Lotus Guide

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Healing

By David Elliot ISBN-13: 978-0-97539-106-8 (Hawk Press, 2010)

Bach Flower Essences and Chinese Medicine

By Pablo Noriega ISBN-13: 978-1-62055-571-2 (Healing Arts Press, 2016)

Is there a universal energy that flows through all of life? I think we can all agree to this on some level and if it’s so, I would say that this energy is what we call love.

We all need to be healed on some level and it seems that all we need to do is to get out of the way with our beliefs and ideas that no longer serve us. We are living and being right in the midst of an amazing transformation on this planet and books such as this can light the path. Even though this book is for sale everywhere, I was touched when I found out that it’s a free download on David’s website, www.davidelliott.com

Happiness Genes: Unlock the Positive Potential Hidden in Your DNA

By James D. Baird, PhD, and Laurie Nadel, PhD ISBN-13: 978-1-60163-105-3 (New Page Books, 2010)

In my lifetime I have watched as boundaries between Eastern and Western modes of healing merge, which is what we call “integrative medicine.” Backed by a mountain of research, Noriega leads the way to a deeper understanding of flower essences, especially in regard to Chinese medicine. This book is a detailed explanation of the interconnectedness between each essence and how it corresponds to a variety of illness, both emotional and physical. It is a perfect way to catch many chronic disorders before they manifest on the physical realm.

If you know anything about Dr. Bruce Lipton’s work, you know that simply by working with your emotional energy you can reprogram your genes. We are no longer victims of our inherited genes, and this book shows the way to altering your genetic makeup. Although there are many ways to go about this, one proven way is through the emotion of happiness, which sounds deceptively simple.

Here’s my advice: Take 28 days out of your life to read and practice what’s in this book and you will find the magic behind “epigenetics” through this program.

Dhara Lemos, Lotus Guide

Rahasya Poe, Lotus Guide

Dhara Lemos, Lotus Guide

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Justin Time Autobiographical Stories from an American Spiritual Master I’m going to explain something that may help you embark on and Currency of Struggle maintain a spiritual quest without having ow is it that some people get to contend with and be challenged by mildness, mellowness, and that conflict. Rather than be inhibited circumstances of natural beauty, by it, you could be inspired by it, be and others have conditions that are so enthused by it, be motivated by the extraordinarily different that life for absurd-appearing dichotomy between the them is a struggle for food, clothing, and people who have so much, as most of us shelter, and sometimes even for safety? do, and the many millions who have so If you have never had to miss a meal—if little. In actuality, though circumstances you have the leisure to read and talk may be diverse, there is a common about extraordinary things—if you have denominator for all human beings. time to explore and experiment, while What we have all been given is a stage for struggle, and the players are either millions of people have to make sure struggling or they aren’t on that stage. they have food, clothing, and shelter, I am going to explain what then you are probably troubled by that I mean by this word struggle. It is the question. commodity, or more like the currency, of participation in human life, and Dedicated to love, unity and everyone has an peace, our international, equal chance to multi-faith non-profit, participate. We are under the direction of all players on the H.H. Sant Rajinder same stage if we Singh Ji Maharaj recognize what we welcomes all to hear www.sos.org have to struggle inspiring teachings and Ongoing with and are fully

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engaged in that struggle. We have the opportunity to recognize that we have enough, and even excess. The struggle for money, for attention, for recognition, for comfort—even the struggle for control is no longer our struggle.

Our natural inclination to struggle is now meant to be put in another arena—the arena of struggling toward consciousness, toward awareness.

Now, our struggle could be with our lack of attention, with our lack of concentration, struggle with our inability to get beneath the surface of things, struggle with our negative opinions of other people, struggle with our blame and self-pity, and all the other obstacles that are between us and the beautiful experience of being a servant—not for

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Special Interest our own pleasure but because the world desperately needs people who have those qualities.

We will start to feel differently about ourselves in relation to the poor and downtrodden and to all the other people in this world who have very difficult external circumstances, including threats to their physical safety.

You may even find yourself assisting those people in some way, but not from your guilt, not from discomfort with your own good fortune.

In some curious way, those who struggle for the essentials may have a more straightforward task than those of us who are struggling toward consciousness. First of all, we are dealing with an elective choice, because external circumstances don’t demand our struggle.

We have the option to stay off the stage of life, even though it might bring us numbness and cost us our humanity.

Second, we have two obligations, as opposed to the one obligation of survival held by those in poverty or in harm’s way. We must not only work as hard as they do at our endeavor, but we must lend assistance, in any way we can, to those who are actually trying to make a living—or more precisely, trying to keep themselves and their families living.

If you are actually struggling for consciousness, your life will not be easy. It will be difficult, but in a different way from that of those who lack the essentials. Perhaps we should use a term other than struggle to define our work, because it’s not strain, and it’s not suffering. It’s going against. Going against self-destructive tendencies can take tremendous effort, as can going

against the momentum of numbness and blame and all the different forms of negativity and darkness. Similarly, it can take a tremendous effort to go against our laziness, our mechanical ways of acting, our false confidence, and our tendency to blindly accept what we’ve been taught.

There are so many opportunities to struggle that if you really were fully involved in what people have historically called the work, not the play, you would not, at the end of the day, feel so separate from those who have been given other assignments of struggle. Understand, those of you who have been given the gift of leisure have been given it so that you can struggle with your lack of consciousness. If you do, your confusion will be replaced by an overwhelming sense of belonging to the unexclusive experiment called the human race.

Certainly you can refute what you’ve been reading, and your heart will still continue to beat. The power that creates breath and heartbeat doesn’t enforce the requirement to struggle, but you will not be having the experience of a natural human being. You will be a passer of time, and a passer of time is far, far short of what a human being can be. Human beings are those who struggle for food, clothing, and shelter, along with their brothers and sisters who are struggling for consciousness.

The only way you can really verify the equitability of those struggles is to engage in them. When you do, you’ll feel a unique connection to history and time, because you will be a player on the stage of life. You will be paying the currency of struggle.

FINDING HAPPINESS WITHIN YOU! Group Meditations Spiritual Boutique Classes, Yoga Sunday Service Healing Prayer Circles

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We are aware of the details of the struggle for freedom from oppression and deprivation, but how clearly are we aware of the details of the struggle for freedom from our obstacles to consciousness? Here is a list of 10 freedoms worth seeking. They are all examples of our self-destructive tendencies, and our struggle is with these tendencies that keep us from realizing our full potential as conscious human beings: Freedom from identification with negative emotions; 2. Freedom from a distorted sense of our own importance; 3. Freedom from self-deception and dishonesty; 4. Freedom from the misconception of responsibility; 5. Freedom from fear of other people’s opinions; 6. Freedom from unexamined concepts; 7. Freedom from mechanical behavior; 8. Freedom from fear of relinquishing control; 9. Freedom from insecurity and material loss; 10. Freedom from unconscious imitation.

1.

If we can identify, understand, and eventually remove the obstacles to these freedoms, our innate beauty will be revealed beneath them. The stories I am presenting are geared toward understanding those obstacles and the freedoms they conceal.

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Calendar of Events For complete Calendar of Events visit www.LotusGuide.com

Sunday

Monday

Science of Spirituality, ongoing Jyoti meditation, 2-3pm first, second, and fourth Sundays, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Chico, Youth Hall, 1289 Filbert Ave., Chico, 530-877-1552.

Wild Harvest Adventures, meet at 10am at Fiona’s Forest, see what we use for our formulas and explore the areas where we get them, 5390 Skyway, Paradise, call 530-876-1455 for more information.

See ad on pg. 32.

Drop-In Yoga at Shalom Free Clinic, offered by Balance by Lindi 1-4pm on the first Sunday of every month, First Christian Church, 295 E. Washington Ave., Chico.

Mats provided. Questions?

Call 530-228-8671.

Center for Spiritual Living, guided meditation at 9:30am and Sunday service at 10am, 789 Bille Rd., Paradise, 877-5673.

Call for Science of Mind class schedule.

Butte IONS–Institute of Noetic Sciences, 2-4pm second Sunday of each month at the Center for Spiritual Living, 789 Bille Rd., Paradise, call Joy Mendoza at 891-8789, suggested donation $5 (or more) appreciated to help cover the costs, all are welcome.

Ananda Chico, join us for Sunday services based on the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda, 10-10:30am is purification— meditation and individual fire ceremony, 10:30-11:30am is Sunday service, Ananda Chico Meditation Center, 562 Manzanita Ave., Ste. 9, Chico, 530-343-0819.

See ad on pg. 23.

Chico New Thought Center, meditation at 9:30am and celebration services at 10am at 14 Hillary Lane, Chico.

Center for Spiritual Living, monthly discussion on “New Thought Principles,” 11:30am-12:30pm after the service the second Sunday of every month through July 2017, 789 Bille Rd., Paradise, 530-877-5673, love offering. Rev. Andy Torkelson is facilitating a one-hour exploration and guided discussion of our New Thought/Science of Mind principles, that is, what we believe, brought forward by our founder, Ernest Holmes.

Beginning Yoga with Tom Hess, 12:30-1:30, this hour long class is designed to introduce newcomers to the basics of Hatha Yoga, as well as members who want to review and continue to develop basic yoga practice.

Beyond Fitness, Paradise.

Guided Meditation Experience, learn breath work to energize and calm your body and mind, chant to open the heart, meditate for inner peace, and experience powerful affirmations and healing prayers, 6-7pm at Ananda Chico Meditation Center, 530-343-0819, suggested donation $5-10, all are welcome! See ad on pg. 23.

Silent Meditation, with Joel 6:30-7am every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at ‘Ohana Health, 757 Fir St., Paradise, 530-876-1692.

See ad on pg. 10.

Brazilian Dance Class, 5:30-7pm, 212 Spring St., Nevada City.

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Tuesday Beyond Fitness-Paradise, Yocas with Debbe Gagne, 12:30-1:30pm, this gentle and restorative class is offered free to members and nonmembers who are cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers. The focus is always positive, uplifting and calming. All levels will feel comfortable and capable.

Mindfulness Meditation, 5pm, 6 Governors Lane, Ste. A, Chico, new members welcome to join our mindfulness meditation group! All levels of experience welcome, contact Steve Flowers at 530-898-1495 or visit Steve@ MindfulLivingPrograms.com, no fee, donations only.

Heart of the Lotus Sangha (Insight Meditation), 6:30-8:15pm, Sky Creek Dharma Center, 120 Three Oaks Ct., Chico, call 893-8088 for information.

Ananda Yoga, gentle poses with uplifting affirmations, small classes perfect for all levels, 6:15-7:15pm, Ananda Chico Meditation Center. See ad on pg. 23.

Aloha Yogis at ‘Ohana Health, 7:15 and 9:30am will be taught by Inna and 6pm will by taught by Tatiana or Serena.

See ad on pg. 10.

Center for Spiritual Living, weekly “Spirit Matters Gathering,” 6-7pm every Tuesday,

789 Bille Rd., Paradise, 530-877-5673.

Rev. Andy Torkelson is facilitating a onehour quiet reflection on an ancient piece of wisdom, a brief expansion of that truth as it applies to each of us, and a meditative reflection upon that teaching, enabling us to take it quietly into our personal beings.

Wednesday Community Acupuncture Clinic, walk-in, clothes on, noon-4pm, ‘Ohana Health, 757 Fir St., Paradise, 530-876-1692, $20-40 (you decide). See ad on pg. 10.

Sound Healing, breath meditation and vibrational sounds with Emiliano, 6:30pm third Wednesday at ‘Ohana Health, 757 Fir St., Paradise, 530-876-1692, $15.

See ad on pg. 10.

Silent Meditation, with Joel 6:30-7am every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at ‘Ohana Health, 757 Fir St., Paradise, 530-876-1692.

See ad on pg. 10.

Energy Balancing, with Gayle Kimball and the Jorhei Group, 5-7pm at 1010 Mangrove Ave., Ste. D, Chico.

Ananda Group Meditation, 6-7pm, 562 Manzanita Ave., Ste. 9, 530-343-0819, by donation, all are welcome! See ad on pg. 23.

Open Mic at Paradise Grange, 7pm, 5704 Chapel Dr., Paradise.

Beyond Fitness-Paradise, 6:45-7:45am, Good Morning Yoga with Jen Wallace, come enjoy an hour of yoga to prepare you for work or play. All levels welcome.

Thursday Center for Spiritual Living, Nan Marshall is leading a study group and discussion on the book The Way of Mastery 1-2:30pm every Thursday in the social hall, 789 Bille Rd., Paradise, contact 530-877-5673 or admin@paradisecsl.org, love offering.

Beyond Fitness-Paradise, 11am-noon , Tai Chi with Jon Ropp, feel the Chi energy pulse through your mind, body, and spirit.

This slow and gentle art of movement is both relaxing and energizing.

Guided Meditation and Energy Tools, 1:303pm at the Yoga Center in Chico next to the T. Bar on Vallombrosa and Memorial Way.

Special Interest Belly Dance Practice, 7pm every Thursday at the Subud Hall, 574 E. 12th St., Chico, call Tanya at 530-990-0994.

Deeksha in Paradise, 7-8:30pm, Chapel Lane off Pearson (turn between the Hobby Store and the veterinarian clinic).

Ananda Yoga, gentle poses with uplifting affirmations, small classes perfect for all levels, 6:15-7:15pm, Ananda Chico Meditation Center. See ad on pg. 23.

Ask Dr. Gayle KZFR Radio Show, 6-7pm the second Thursday of each month, email your questions to GKimball@csuchico.edu.

Friday ‘Ohana Health—Mindful Movie Night, 6:30pm second and fourth Fridays, 757 Fir St., Paradise, discussion afterward, free.

Group Angel Readings, with Tracy Devlin 6pm first and third Fridays at ‘Ohana Health, 757 Fir St., Paradise, 530-876-1692, $20.

See ad on pg. 10.

Center for Spiritual Living, awakened heart meditation, 10-11am, 789 Bille Rd., Paradise, 877-5673. See ad on pg. 22.

Silent Meditation, with Joel 6:30-7am every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at ‘Ohana Health, 757 Fir St., Paradise, 530-876-1692.

See ad on pg. 10.

Open Mic at Paradise Grange, 7pm, 5704 Chapel Dr., Paradise.

Aloha Yogis at ‘Ohana Health, 7:15 and 9am will by taught by Tatiana and 11am will by taught by Lynn, 757 Fir St., Paradise.

See ad on pg. 10.

Beyond Fitness-Paradise, 8-9:30am, Yin Yoga with Lynn Larsen, a profoundly rejuvenating practice working to safely stretch deep muscle and connective tissue using slow, gentle stretches.

Saturday Community Reiki in Paradise, noon on first and third Saturdays at ‘Ohana Health, 757 Fir St., Paradise, 530-876-1692, donation.

It speeds up healing and reduces stress.

See ad on pg. 10.

T’ai Chi, Yang Short Form, 9-10:30am, open class, introduction to chi qi gong and standing meditation with instructor Felix Berkhoudt, Bille Park Pavilion (West Wagstaff entrance), Paradise, 876-8041, $5 donation appreciated.

Mind Power Workshop, with Gayle Kimball, PhD, author of Essential Energy Tools book, CDs, and DVDs, 1-4pm monthly on first Saturday of the month at the Yoga Center of Chico, by T. Bar, $25 includes a meditation CD if you RSVP at 345-8118,

gkimball@csuchico.edu, or www.gaylekimball.info.

Restorative Yoga, (workshops by special request), give yourself the gift of peace and calmness while gently releasing tension and stress, 2-4pm at Ananda Chico Meditation Center, 562 Manzanita Ave., Ste. 9, 530-228-8671. See ad on pg. 23.

April 21st-23rd: Silent Retreat, in the wild natural beauty of Stewart Mineral Springs.

We welcome anyone seeking a place and time to practice their own form of silent meditation or prayer in a supportive, beautiful mountain setting. See ad on pg. 35.

26th: Learn to Meditate, learn a powerful meditation technique to bring you more joy and peace, 7-9pm, Ananda Chico Meditation Center, 530-343-0819. See ad on pg. 23.

27th: Dinner with the Doctor, a presentation on GERD, Church of Christ, 1181 Pearson Rd., Paradise, RSVP at 530-876-7154. See ad on pg. 31.

28th-30th: New Living EXPO, San Mateo, www.NewLivingEXPO.com or call 415-382-8300. See ad on Back Cover.

29th: Health and Wellness Fair, some booths still available, 10am-4pm at Unity of Oroville, 1321 Robinson St., Oroville, call Carolyn at 530-532-9245.

See ad on pg. 3.

29th: Learn to Meditate, Saturday workshop, 2-4pm, Ananda Chico Meditation Center, 530-343-0819, $30 includes a book and course materials. See ad on pg 23.

30th: ‘Ohana Holistic Health Fair, healers, energy tools, aura photography, jewelry, and much more at 757 Fir Street, Paradise.

See ad on pg. 10.

30th: Restorative Yoga and Guided Meditation with Lynn Larsen, 3-5pm, $25 members and $30 nonmembers. Beyond Fitness, Paradise. See ad on pg. 3.

May

10th: Learn to Meditate, 7-9pm, Ananda Chico Meditation Center, 530-343-0819, $30 includes a book and course materials.

See ad on pg. 23.

12th &13th: Paradise Chocolate Fest, 12th, 5456 Black Olive Dr. (7-10pm), 13th, 6626 Skyway (9am-5pm), $5.

13th: Demystifying Patanjali, presented by Nayaswami Premdas from Ananda Village, 1:30-4:30pm at Ananda Chico Meditation Center, $30, 530-343-0819. See ad on pg. 23.

14th: Stewart Mineral Springs, Mother’s Day, discounted mineral baths for moms, $18.

See ad on pg. 35.

18th: Dinner with the Doctor, What’s New in Preventing Cancer, Ridge Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 15204 Skyway, Magalia, RSVP at 530-876-7154. See ad on pg. 31.

24th & 31st: Learn to Meditate, two-class series, 7-8:30pm at Ananda Chico Meditation Center, 530-343-0819.

See ad on pg. 23.

June 10th: Learn to Meditate Workshop, learn a powerful meditation technique to bring you more joy and peace, 10am-noon, Ananda Chico Meditation Center, 530-343-0819, $30 includes a book and course materials.

See ad on pg. 23.

16th: Divine Joy Kirtan, open your heart and lift your spirits during this special evening of joyful chanting and song, 7-8:30pm at Ananda Chico Meditation Center, suggested donation $10, RSVP at 530-343-0819 or info@anandachico.org. See ad on pg. 23.

18th: Stewart Mineral Springs, Father’s Day, discounted mineral baths for dads, $18.

See ad on pg. 35.

21st & 28th: Learn to Meditate, two-class series, learn a powerful meditation technique to raise your consciousness, deepen your concentration, and expand your inner peace and joy, 7-8:30pm at Ananda Chico Meditation Center, $40 includes a book and course materials, register at 530-343-0819 or info@anandachico.org. See ad on pg. 23.

21st-25th: Sri Yoga Retreat, for students and teachers, join Jean Mazzei and Brenna Geehan for a Sri Yoga retreat at Stewart Mineral Springs. Every year they come out here for intensive teacher trainings. This is the first time we are inviting all practitioners to enjoy this remarkable land as an invitation to go deeper into your heart and mind.

See ad on pg 35.

22nd: Dinner with the Doctor, Stroke Signs to Know, Paradise Adventist Church, 5720 Academy Dr., Paradise, RSVP at 530-876-7154. See ad on pg. 31.

24th: AUM: The Melody of Love, learn about the power of AUM (OM), 2-4pm at Ananda Chico Meditation Center, $20, register at 530-343-0819. See ad on pg. 23.

27th-July 3rd: Stewart Mineral Springs, Combining Acupressure and Craniosacral for Facial Rejuvenation for practitioners (28 Continuing Education hours). Learn to melt muscle tension and old trauma patterns in the face (and body) with this unique blend of acupressure and facial rejuvenation techniques, bringing softness and balance to the face, lifting the whole being.

See ad on pg. 35. www.lotusguide.com

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Since 1999, Dr Patrick Giammarise, DC, founder of the Digestion Relief Center, has helped North State residents by using a whole-body systems approach to health. He specializes in natural relief for food and environmental sensitivities, intolerances and digestive problems.

To ask Dr. Patrick a question, contact DrDigest@sbcglobal.net

by Dr. Patrick

Are Your Sinus Problems Coming from Your Gut?

I

f you’ve ever had chronic sinusitis, you know that it may be hard to get rid of. You may have tried overthe-counter medicine.

Or you may have seen your doctor and been prescribed antibiotics— even multiple doses of antibiotics—only to find that you may still have the problem. Why? Antibiotics are often prescribed because sinusitis is frequently treated as a bacterial infection even though most chronic sinusitis is not caused by bacteria. While bacteria may be the cause in some cases, antibiotics are not the answer when the sinus problem is more often viral or fungal.

Treating sinusitis with antibiotics may only make the problem worse. This is because both the body’s good and harmful bacteria get wiped out.

In essence, the antibiotics create a fertile environment for a fungal infection, such as yeast or Candida overgrowth, that

probiotics alone will not fix.

At the Digestion Relief Center, we look at sinusitis differently. In simplest terms, sinusitis is inflammation of the sinus. It can be caused by our immune system’s response to bacteria, viruses, fungus, and reactions to toxins and allergens, or what we call the “Snotty 5.”

To understand how the Snotty 5 create sinusitis, it helps to understand the relationship between our sinuses, our immune system, and our gut.

The Role of the Sinuses The sinuses consist of eight air-filled

cavities in the forehead, cheeks, and nose lined by mucous membranes.

The sinuses filter and regulate the temperature and humidity of the air we breathe. On a cold, dry day, for example, your sinuses warm and moisten the air entering your throat.

The sinuses’ mucous membranes provide an immune barrier to prevent infection. When we have an infection or inflammation, specialized white blood cells known as “mast” cells trigger a histamine reaction that releases extra mucus in an attempt to sweep out and destroy the invaders.

These mucous membranes are lined with histamine-releasing mast cells that go to work to protect us from bacteria, viruses, fungus, toxins, and allergens.

Think of mucus as a protective gel-like coating. This mucus can become inflamed when any one or more of the Snotty 5 exceed our body’s capacity to expel the harmful substances. For example, blowing your nose is a direct way you have to try to clear out harmful substances.

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Body & Mind The Role of the Gut in Sinusitis Just like our sinuses, our intestinal tract is lined with mucous membranes that act as a barrier to infection. And just like your sinuses, the mucous lining of your intestine can become inflamed.

And again like our sinuses, our intestinal mucous membranes are lined with histamine-releasing mast cells that protect us from the same bacteria, viruses, fungus, toxins, and allergens.

The Sinus and Gut Connection Note that our intestines and sinuses have some similar infection-fighting responsibilities. That’s because there is a direct anatomical connection between the sinuses and the gut that is often overlooked. When an embryo develops, the gut and the sinuses are formed at the same time and share nervoussystem connections. Chinese physicians recognized the connection between the sinus and the gut thousands of years ago. They identified that the stomach meridian ends over the maxillary sinus (in our cheeks just under the eyes).

This illustrates the anatomical relationship between the stomach meridian and its termination in the sinuses and helps to explain why sinusitis needs the kind of holistic approach we provide.

The Role of the Immune System in Sinusitis Most of us know the immune system’s role is designed to protect us. You may have heard

that 70 percent of your immune system surrounds the gut. It’s no accident that the gut has the highest concentration of immune tissues in the body. Immune tissues and cells line the gut for the purpose of blocking harmful bacteria, viruses, fungus, toxins, and allergens from entering the bloodstream.

Basically the same Snotty 5 that cause inflammation of the sinuses cause inflammation of the gut and immune system. In essence, when one or more of the Snotty 5 inflames the gut and the immune system, our sinuses become the overflow valve.

The connection is so strong that we view sinusitis as a symptom of gut inflammation. Because both the gut and the sinuses are major parts of the immune system, treating only the sinuses without consideration of the other systems will only promote chronic sinusitis.

How Do Food Allergies Relate to Sinusitis?

Have you ever experienced your nose starting to drip or getting stuffy after eating a certain food? Why?

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You may have a food allergy, sensitivity, or intolerance to the food, which promotes inflammation of the sinuses and gut concurrently (because of the anatomical connection described above).

If you are unable to digest the food you are eating, the undigested food feeds the bacteria and yeast in your gut. Excessive amounts of bacteria and yeast create toxins that inflame the gut.

When this occurs, particles of undigested food leak into the bloodstream and the lymphatic tissues surrounding the gut.

A steady stream of foreign particles entering our blood and lymphatic tissues promotes a systemic inflammatory reaction and potential toxic overload that affects the entire body, including the sinuses.

For example, some people have “agglutination” reactions to certain foods. Agglutination reactions basically gum up the works, allowing gluelike sticky residues to form, promoting inflammation in the gut and sinuses. Two common agglutinating foods are wheat and milk (agglutination is different from

a lactose intolerance). Some people don’t process milk properly, and a smaller group does not process wheat. We suggest that you stop dairy for two weeks or wheat for two weeks to see if your sinus symptoms improve. But that may be only part of the picture because of the sinuses’ interconnections with our intestinal and immune systems.

How We Can Help Because sinusitis may be caused by more than just a bacterial infection, improving sinusitis requires a more holistic approach. A better approach addresses all five factors that may be causing your sinusitis—bacterial, viral, or fungal infections and reactions to toxins and allergens.

The key to eliminating recurring chronic sinusitis lies in reducing inflammatory causes and reducing the body’s immune system stress. Because the gut plays such a major role in the development of systemic inflammation, healing the gut must be considered as a primary factor in providing relief for chronic sinusitis.

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If you suffer from a stuffy nose or chronic sinus problems, find out how we can help you breathe more easily. Call our office at the Digestion Relief Center at 530-899-8741 to set up a consultation with Dr. Patrick.

Since 1999, Dr. Patrick Giammarise, DC has helped North State residents by using a whole-body systems approach to health. He specializes in providing natural relief for food and environmental sensitivities, intolerances, and digestive problems.

For more information, contact Dr. Patrick at 530-899-8741 or visit www.DigestionReliefCenter.com. © 2017. Dr. Patrick Giammarise, DC, IHS. All Rights Reserved.

Body & Mind

Questions for

Dr. Gayle Kimball Submit your questions to be aired on “Ask Dr. Gayle” KZFR (90.1) radio show the second Tuesday of each month at 6pm.

Gayle Kimball has a PhD in Religious Studies, UCSB. Author of Energy Tools book, DVDs, and CDs and a dozen other books. Her recent books are about how global youth are transforming our future.

To ask a question for this column, contact EarthHavenChico@hotmail.com

deeply spiritual in nature, nonjudgmental, secular, and beautifully designed.

Q: Please tell me how to deal with depression and worry about the new administration!

A: Take action, speak up, and support watchdog organizations. The administration’s stated policies of deconstruction, disruption, and “alternative facts” are turning over the rocks of racism, sexism, Islamaphobia, and anti-Semitism to be exposed to the light. Check out NorCal Progressives on Facebook for current activities.

Q: My husband is an alcoholic; I’m at a loss about what to do.

A: (This answer is from a reader—thanks for writing!) I felt the strong urge to respond to one of your kind answers in the last issue to the question by the wife of an alcoholic. As someone who was married to an alcoholic, I felt you left out the most important advice.

She needs to go to Al-Anon or CoDa. She won’t stop his drinking. First and foremost, she needs to nurture herself. It is very stressful to love an alcoholic. We can only fix ourselves. One of the hardest things for me to accept was, even though I never drank, I had a drinking problem—a huge one. Any person in a close relationship with an alcohol abuser has a drinking problem!

I felt unheard and alone, and mad, until I went to Al-Anon and got the focus off of him and his so-called problem that I wasn’t a part of. It was the death of the old me and truly the beginning of my empowerment.

Twelve-step programs are

Q: I am in the depths of wrestling with how to align my Christian faith with the fairly new awareness of injustice and call to respond under the Trump administration. Some of my church members are critical of my new activism. Is there a conflict?

A: Reread what Jesus said about helping the poor, loving your neighbor, turning the other cheek, and forgiveness. Think about his concern that rich people will find it difficult to earn a heavenly afterlife, and his violating Old Testament taboos against discussing theology with women. Jesus said, “Mary chose the better part,” discussing theology with him while Martha was in the kitchen. Jesus was crucified for not accepting tradition and currently Pope Francis causes a lot of opposition by reminding Christians what Jesus preached, so you are not alone.

Remember Proverbs 31:8-9: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the right of all who are destitute.”

Q: I’m feeling assaulted by difficulties one after the other. How can I avoid getting sunk?

A: Instead of meeting conflict head-on like a boxer, think of being a martial artist who uses the energy of the assailant to move him or her out of your space. Whenever we experience a pattern it reflects a lesson we need to learn.

Q: Young people today are often accused of being fragile, falling apart at the smallest problem, and spoiled because their helicopter parents micromanaged their lives. Do we need to reexamine parenting styles?

A: Many experts are now advising parents to let their kids solve their own problems and rather than supervised “play dates,” have unsupervised playtime with other children to learn how to cope with challenges such as being chased in a playful setting or climbing a tree. Resilience is the goal. It requires both independence and support. One-third of children growing up in high-risk homes in Kauai learned resilience in a study by Werner and Smith. What helped was getting emotional support from a mentor and involvement in a community group.

Educators (such as the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence) are interested in learning how to teach resilience skills, the study of how not to be defeated by challenges and how to use them to grow stronger. Resilient people have the strength of character to risk making mistakes to stretch their abilities and follow up on reasonable goals. They take responsibility and don’t blame others. If a student doesn’t do well on a test, instead of blaming the teacher she or he can ask the teacher for suggestions about how to study more effectively.

Resilient people think of themselves, not as “poor me” victims, but as survivors. Another characteristic of resilient people is they’re positive and optimistic.

They express gratitude rather than focusing on what they don’t like. They look at the glass as half full rather than half empty.

When you have a self-defeating “I can’t” thought, acknowledge the negative habit and replace it with “I’ll get help and do my best.” Parents and teachers need to aim for a balance between encouraged but not smothered, modeled in Danish and Finnish schools (discussed in Your Mindful Guide to Academic Success mentioned above).

Stay informed; never miss an important event or workshop again.

C OMMUNITY E MAIL

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H E A LT H Y R E C I P E S Making small changes in your eating habits can make a big difference in your health Parsnip Apple Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil 1 garlic clove, smashed 2 cups sliced leeks (washed, using white only) 1 pound parsnips, peeled and sliced into 1-inch slices 2 apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 medium baking potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 can vegetable broth salt and pepper SautĂŠ leeks in olive oil, salt and pepper, and garlic on low heat. Add parsnips and stir. Add apples and potatoes, broth, and 3-4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer partially covered, until tender, 20-30 minutes. Working in batches, puree vegetables in blender. Add milk or cream, unless desiring to keep soup vegan. Taste and season as needed.

From the kitchens of Martha Stewart Living

Roasted Butternut Squash-Cabbage Salad

1 bag cabbage mix 2 cups diced butternut squash, roasted 1/2 cup sliced green onions 1/2 cup dried cranberries fresh chopped basil and cilantro 1/2 cup cooked couscous 1 cup cooked quinoa Cook grains to package directions and cool.

Dice squash, toss in olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.

Roast 15-20 minutes in a 375-degree oven. Cool.

Dressing 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon grape jelly 1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup good olive oil salt and pepper Toss all ingredients together. Add dressing and salt and pepper.

Butternut squash is available cut and prepackaged.

Recipe from Sandra Sage

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Body & Mind

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Paradox of Conscious Healing & INTEGRATING MEDICINE

By Dr. Kelley Otani

I

would like to introduce our Lotus Guide community to Dr. Otani, whom I met while being interviewed in the documentary A Wave of Compassion by Jody McNicholas, which was about alternative ways to deal with addiction. When I met Dr. Otani, he was working for Enloe Hospital helping patients who had tried everything, so Dr. Otani was their last hope in a lot of situations. He now works at Feather River Hospital in the role of an integrative physician bridging East and West and taking medicine to new levels of understanding. I did an interview with Dr. Otani, which you can watch at www.LotusGuide.com/otani.

Rahasya Poe, Lotus Guide I am a Western-trained physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation. I treat patients who have suffered life-changing diseases and injuries that led to major disabilities. I work with the patients to try to help them adapt to their conditions, increase function, and

improve their independence. I also treat chronic pain and commonly receive referrals from other medical specialists after the patient fails to improve with all other forms of conventional treatment.

I became frustrated that with all my medical training, I was not having more of an impact on my patients’ healing.

Albert Einstein said that when you reach a conflict with a certain level of thinking, you can’t find solutions from the same level of thinking that created

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the problem. You have to evolve your thinking to gain a different perspective to find the solution.

Western medicine works well on the physical aspect of healing— repairing damaged blood vessels or bones, removing tumors or masses, or replacing molecules that are deficient in the body. However, we are mind, body, and spirit, not just physical beings. The mind is more powerful than the body, as shown by countless research studies involving the placebo effect, and the spirit is more powerful than the mind and represents higher consciousness or awareness that allows for changes of beliefs and behaviors.

My medical training did not include study of mind and spirit. In studying the mind, I studied the works of some of the world’s greatest psychologists and psychiatrists. I wondered how avatars such as Jesus and Buddha were able to heal without surgeries or medications. I grew up Christian but I began studying Buddhism and Taoism. I studied with Native American healers.

I did all this research to find different ways to help individuals to heal, but in the end, it ended up changing me and I

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Special Interest could no longer practice medicine the same way I had been for many years. I left my medical practice and my previous life to further my studies and compile the knowledge in my book Paradox of Conscious Healing.

Our health is affected by three factors, which are genetics, environment (the food we eat, the water we drink, the people we associate with), and behavior. We have control of two of the three factors. Our attitudes and beliefs play a large role in our health. A person with a positive attitude and a spiritual practice has twice the positive outcome and survival rate from cardiac surgery or cancer than those who don’t. Attributes such as forgiveness, gratitude, personal responsibility, and higher purpose provide the necessary tools that promote greater health. Certain diseases lie in the energetic fields of specific emotions that encompass the body, such as guilt, anger, or fear. Each emotional field has its own limited perception of truth and reality.

The emotional fields affect the body’s physiology in an unhealthy way. By transcending these negative emotions to

reach a higher truth, we also transcend unwanted conditions and diseases.

The Dalai Lama said that what people seek in life is happiness.

Happiness comes from four things: good health, wealth, worldly satisfaction (relationships with one’s partner, family, community, and the world), and enlightenment (one’s spiritual practice).

The truth is that all these aspirations are achievable by raising one’s level of consciousness, and then happiness, personal wealth, and love also become more achievable.

The human body is like a community of cells that work together for a higher purpose, your authentic self.

Some cells are like

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policemen (immune cells) that protect the body from harm, some are like sanitation workers (kidney and bowel) that remove toxins, and some are like construction workers (bone cells) that provide structure and mobility.

Autoimmune disease occurs when the cells of the body are attacking other cells, which leads to illness and early death. Today this is also reflected in our outer world with the increasing divisiveness and conflict that has a collective negative effect on our nation and also globally.

Major challenges are confronting humanity in today’s world, such as energy consumption, environment, and the economy, all of which can have a devastating impact on humanity. The Native Americans have known this for decades and termed this the great shift. We all will be affected and it is up to each of us to make a difference out of compassion for ourselves and others and to do what we can within our circle of influence.

Paradox of Conscious Healing was written to unify Eastern and Western spiritual practices, psychology, and science to maximize healing and enhancing life for an individual, but these can also heal a community and the rest of the world. Whether one is a Democrat or Republican, a Christian or Buddhist, rich or poor, putting aside differences and working together for a greater, common good can make miracles happen. Instead of emphasizing “being right,” emphasize “doing the right thing.” By healing yourself, you heal your relationships, your community, and the world.

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Making Your Mind Matter YOU ARE THE PLACEBO behooves us to look deeper into the remedies we have locked up inside us.

In the next issue of Lotus Guide we will be going deep into epigenetics in an interview we are doing with Dr. Bruce Lipton.

We are on the frontier of discovery in every area of existence, which means we are living in exciting times.

-Lotus Guide

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or anyone who is paying attention there’s little doubt that we are evolving and with that evolution comes, not only new ideas, but new abilities. We know from independent studies that when we are in pain we have the ability to produce morphine; in researching asthma we now know that our cells can produce antihistamine; and even Parkinson’s disease studies show that the brain can make dopamine. Lotus Guide interviewed Dr. Joe Dispenza a few years ago when he appeared in the documentary we brought to Chico called What the Bleep Do We Know? Now, after reading his recent books we clearly see that he is walking his talk and is on to something amazing that we can all benefit from.

Why the “placebo effect” works at all has been a mystery, but it appears that our mind/body relationship is becoming more tangible. There’s no question that there are times when we need traditional medicines, and we are thankful they are there, but when it comes to lifelong chronic conditions it

By Dr. Joe Dispenza The placebo effect is a fascinating field of science because it challenges established notions of how we heal. In the traditional model, you would go to a doctor and he or she would present you with a diagnosis and some treatment options.

Placebos work differently in that they heal from within, not without, and this presents a choice: You can heal either from a drug or from a placebo.

In placebo studies, patients are given a medicine and told it will either cure them or make the symptoms more manageable. Of course, they’re usually given a sugar pill or a saline injection instead of the “medicine.” In many cases, patients who were given the placebo reported improvements in their health like those seen by participants who took the actual medication.

The key to placebos, or so it was thought, is that people don’t know they’re

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Dhara & Rahasya, publishers of Lotus Guide, with Dr. Joe Dispenza receiving a substitute. The idea is that they believe so strongly in the treatment that they begin to heal themselves. But what happens if patients know they are getting a placebo? Is it still possible to heal yourself when you know what you’re taking isn’t the real thing?

The answer is yes. A recent study by a team at the University of Colorado, Boulder examined whether or not preknowledge of a placebo affected its performance. The researchers applied a heating element to the forearms of study participants. The element was removed and a blue analgesic gel was applied to the area. In reality, the gel was petroleum jelly tinted with blue food coloring. Researchers gave some participants information about the supposed treatment and some were told it was a placebo.

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The interesting part of this experiment is that those participants who went through four rounds of the heating element and subsequent treatment before being told the gel was a placebo were able to reproduce the effects later on even when they knew it was petroleum jelly. These people believed in the treatment’s efficacy to such an extent that it no longer mattered if the medication was “real.”

These results have been replicated in other studies. In 2010 a team from Harvard gave 40 patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) a placebo. Each patient received a bottle clearly labeled as “placebo pills” and was told that they were made of an inert substance that had been shown to help IBS sufferers. A second group of 40 IBS patients, given no pills, served as a control group.

After three weeks, the group who took the placebo pills reported twice as

much symptom relief compared to those who received no pills. Here is where it gets even more interesting. The relief provided by the placebo pills worked as well as the best IBS medications.

These studies offer a glimpse into the power of the subconscious mind. It didn’t matter if the patients knew with their conscious minds that they were given a placebo. They were able to heal themselves because their subconscious minds were conditioned to put their belief in some “thing” external from them, such as a pill.

And as a result, even though their conscious minds knew it was a placebo, their subconscious minds had been programmed their whole lives to believe that pills heal.

So let’s say you’ve taken pills your whole life to help you with various health conditions.

You’ve used different medications to aid you in healing headaches, allergies, depression, and even the flu. Then based on your repeated experiences, something outside of you was changing how you felt inside of you.

When you noticed a change in your internal state, you associated whatever it was outside of you with the internal change—and you felt better. In time, you conditioned yourself to expect the same outcome without even thinking about it. You anticipated that your familiar past experiences were going to be the same predictable future experiences.

Put another way, you trained your brain and body to release the same pharmacy of chemicals as if you were given the actual medication. In the Harvard study it’s entirely possible the placebo group made

their own natural anti-inflammatory drugs.

Now, what if you were to change your belief from giving your power to something outside of you to heal you and place your belief on the power inside of you to heal? What if you changed your belief to the understanding that your body has the natural ability to heal itself if it’s given the right biochemical stimuli? What if you conditioned your body daily to a new mind and expected that your health could be changed by thought alone? Is it possible that once you understood the what and the why, the how would become easier?

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Meditation, The Way In...

Being the Watcher!

T

By Dhara Lemos

his time we’re going to talk about the very core of meditation … awareness.

All meditation techniques have the same goal, which is to make us more awakened/alert than we ordinarily are.

A few essential things are necessary in every technique: a relaxed state and no fighting with the mind. Just watch with a relaxed awareness, without

judgment. Millions of people miss out on meditation because they have gotten the wrong impression from some of its practitioners—those who take it far too seriously and obsessively, those who end up rejecting life rather than embracing it. In reality, a meditative person is playful—life is fun for him or her. Life is Leela, the Hindi word for “the play of life.” Meditative people enjoy life tremendously—they’re not serious, and they are loving and relaxed. So, let’s have fun with meditation and life.

The important question is: What is the core or the spirit of meditation? The essential core is to learn how to be the witness. Meditation is just “being,” like a little child is. Whenever you can find the time for just being, drop all doing and enjoy. But the next question is: How can I enjoy being with no thoughts? The answer is first to learn how to become the watcher.

Watching can be meditation if there is a quality of being aware and alert, without judgment.

Meditation is not against action.

You don’t need to stop everything to be in meditation; you can bring the quality of being aware and present

Active Meditation Classes

in the moment to your day-by-day actions such as walking, eating, cooking, or watching a sunset. Whatsoever you do with awareness is meditation.

The Four Steps toward Awareness 1. Be watchful of your body. Start with your body because it’s easy. You can touch it and feel it. Become alert to each gesture, tension, pain, or pleasure.

Be aware when you eat, take a shower, read a book, or this very article. Just pay attention; don’t try to change anything.

It will seem as though a miracle is happening as you become more relaxed and peaceful through awareness.

2. Be watchful of your mind.

Now that you know how to watch the body, it’s easier to watch the mind.

Becoming aware of your thoughts is more difficult because they are more subtle than the body is. We are much more closely identified with our minds than with our bodies. For example, if someone tells you that your body is sick, that you are not looking well, you may be worried and go to the doctor, but if someone says to you that your mind is sick, you immediately feel insulted and angry with the person. That’s because our sense of self, of who we are, is much more closely identified with our minds than with our bodies. And when you become aware of your thoughts you will be surprised

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Body & Mind at what’s going on inside you. There’s a madness inside us saying all kinds of things such as: I’m a failure, I’m not good looking, and so on. Without awareness, this unconscious dialogue will continue.

It affects everything we’re doing. We can change this situation by simply watching the mind. We need only to be willing to see and become aware of our minds.

Slowly, slowly, the madness and chaos start to disappear and the mind settles into a peaceful awareness.

3.Be watchful of your feelings, emotions & moods.

When your mind and body are relaxed and at peace, you will see that they are attuned to each other. There is a bridge, they are in harmony, and this harmony helps immensely to let you become aware of your feelings, emotions, and moods.

Reaching this subtlest layer of awareness is the most difficult step, but if you can become aware of your thoughts, it’s just one step more to reach the state of enlightenment. But you need to work up to that point of more intense awareness.

4. The awakening of the witness.

Once you are aware of body, mind, and moods, they become part of one phenomenon. And when those become one and function in harmony, then and only then does the fourth step “happen,” which is the end of conflict and the awakening of the witness. This state of awareness has been given many names:

enlightenment, awakening of the Christ consciousness, becoming the Buddha, becoming one with the divine.

As Osho said: The body knows pleasure, the mind knows happiness, the heart knows joy, and the spirit knows bliss.

So remember, it’s very important that you are watchful, but even if you forget to watch, the moment you see that you forgot to watch, that’s also awareness, so pass no judgment on yourself. There’s no need to feel bad about it and in fact, if you do feel bad, the awareness of feeling bad is also good; just go back to watching—that’s part of the path. As we continue to watch, slowly, our watching becomes stronger and more stable and a transformation

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begins and we can just be … at peace.

Active meditations (i.e., dance meditation or tai chi, running, or walking as meditation) are excellent ways to begin the process because they are centered on the body.

Using Meditation as the Way In In every age people have sought to understand themselves, their world, and their universe. They have sought awareness, consciousness, inner knowing, enlightenment, and transformation in the search for themselves.

“Know Yourself” has always been the fundamental teaching of every spiritual tradition. The very word “meditate” literally means “remedy.” Remedy for what? Long ago we started to understand that forces within us shape our destiny.

Forces such as our ancestry, karma, biology, and the culture we live in are all very strong energetic patterns that we carry deep within our body, mind, and spirit and they all shape our destiny. The “remedy” for getting past these forces and taking charge of our own destiny is meditation.

In meditation we become aware, and in that very awareness, we begin to transform into a more conscious self rather than reacting to old patterns and conditioning.

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Rahasya Poe is an author, publisher, and has a tenacious appetite for the truth no matter where it leads. In today’s world the truth hides in plain sight within the disinformation that is generated by the many organizations we have traditionally trusted. To watch his interviews with cutting-edge scientists and researchers visit www.YouTube.com/LotusGuide or email at Rahasya@usa.com.

Y

Walking on the Razor’s Edge...

Between Two Worlds

ou are about to read an article on a subject that I usually discuss with close friends, colleagues, and people who are open to thinking outside of the box. If, while reading this, you feel offended in any way, be assured that this is not my intention. Since writing my book on beliefs I have experienced several attempts to put me in some kind of category so let me set the record straight before I continue.

I am not anti-religion, antiAmerican, anti-Semitic, or anti-anything except one thing—I am anti-bull@#*!

So, let’s take a look at a few things in our world through the eyes of a 21stcentury human being who is searching for the truth no matter where it leads, and

remember that we’re all in this together.

But first let me tell you a little about myself. Recently, about four years ago, I realized that through the years I had unconsciously mixed a lot of what I believed to be true with the few things that I knew were true, which is a terrible mistake for anyone seeking the truth. So after a careful separation of what I knew

from what I didn’t know, I realized that the only thing I knew for sure was that “I exist” and that there seems to be something, call it consciousness or God if you will, orchestrating what I would call reality. So it’s from this place of humility that I would like to start this article.

You might be asking yourself, “What is this guy going to be talking about if he admits that he knows nothing?” This is where “paradox” takes the stage front and center. As it turns out, “not knowing” seems to be the key to all deep understanding. Up until now all of our understanding has been based on a polarized view of our reality, but something happened 100 years ago

It was during interviews for the magazine with cutting-edge thinkers, scientists, and healers such as Joe Dispenza, Bruce Lipton, Fred Alan Wolf, Gary Zukav, and Lynne McTaggart that Rahasya Poe found encouraging words to write this book, which documents some of the science and viewpoints of the social and neurological consequences of belief systems.

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Rahasya Uncensored that people didn’t quite grasp and most still have a difficult time with; it’s called “quantum physics” and in the quantum world we enter a world that is topsy-turvy and would make even Alice a little dizzy.

Before I get too far, let me define science and religion as I see them and their relationship with each other since these are the two predominant ways we search for truth. Science is built on and around tradition, the tradition of repeatable experiments and validation.

Einstein once said that he stood on the shoulders of giants and it’s true. There would be no Einstein without Isaac Newton, there would be no Newton without Copernicus, and so on. Scientific knowledge is interdependent on past discoveries and research. Religion, on the other hand, is, or should be, grounded in the present moment and looking forward and free from the confines of absolutism.

Without the free expression of the spirit that religion offers, we would become stagnant with sterile observations of our world. Religion, in my opinion, shouldn’t be confined to the past. For example, Jesus was not dependent on a Buddha, and Muhammad was not dependent on a Jesus, and so on. Every great spiritual leader, whether we agree with him or her or not, had a fresh and unique view of the world and the reality in which he or she lived at the time. So the relationship between religion and science is crucial. What’s happening now is that science is entering the realm that was

once confined to religious thought, and likewise, religion is becoming more and more dependent on science as we enter the quantum world of subtle energies.

“Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”

So said Albert Einstein What does this mean to a person searching for truth? You’re going to need to stay with me on this because the point is elusive by traditional thinking. You may have heard the term walking on the razor’s edge. It refers to the precarious place we find ourselves in when we start seeing the pathology of taking sides, whether it’s the sides in a war or ideas. In this worldview there are no winners or losers, Republicans or Democrats, or any other polarized and divisive view that we have held on to for dear life through the centuries.

We are at the very beginning of the greatest transformation of consciousness in human history, both as individuals and as a collective human consciousness. I will be the first to admit that I could be wrong on this, and always keep in mind that what I know to be true and what I believe to be true are two different things. This is why it’s called “walking on the razor’s edge”—because it’s a precarious place to be. But it’s from here that you see further over the horizon of where we are headed and realize that the true handicap to thinking and even

feeling is caused by the polarization of higher truths as they enter our reality.

So let’s take a quick look at our world and where traditional thinking has taken us. Let’s start with politics and world governments, including our own, the United States. Have you noticed that nothing seems to be working?

We are 23 and 25 out of 30 of the top industrialized countries in reading and writing respectively. Why? Because of the polarized views of teachers’ unions, which say that even the worst of teachers cannot be fired after tenure, which is often after only two years. It’s estimated (The Department of Education) that if we could fire the bottom 6 percent of teachers and replace them with just average teachers we would be in the Top 10 right away. This alone tells you that most teachers are amazing and dedicated but the system is being bogged down by a few who simply should not be teaching.

New York City is paying $15 million per year to teachers who were so bad that the system wouldn’t let them teach or who were involved in some type of court case that kept them out of the classroom but who couldn’t be fired. 1 In Congress it’s called a “lame duck” session but it simply means that members can’t get anything done because they are so polarized. Bills are in Congress right now that would help many Americans but that will not get passed until the “other” side gives concessions to other bills that have nothing to do

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with our well-being and everything to do with special interest groups. We hear the term “broken government” over and over, which is about the only thing they can agree on and of course the reason it’s broken is “them,” those Republicans or those Democrats. We have all but erased our balance-of-power system and our oversight committees.

The list of congressmen and women and representatives who have been brought up on charges and allegations of fraud and moral misconduct is far too extensive to include in this article.

Do you remember the 2010 elections? Both sides of the aisle brought up everything about the other side except for one thing … the war; they don’t want us to think about what’s really driving us

into bankruptcy. Fortunately we have citizens going to Iraq with their cameras who are bringing back more information than we will ever get on CNN or FOX News. This has true investigative journalists such as Amy Goodman, Bill Moyers, and Robert Frisk truly concerned about the future of our country and our world. I can tell you from my own experience that we are getting maybe 10 percent of the truth behind the war; for instance, do you know that our soldiers guard the poppy fields in Afghanistan?2 Most of the “soldiers” are highly paid mercenaries from the group called “Academi” formerly known as Blackwater.3

I was just interviewed on our local public radio, KZFR, in February 2017 with the director of one of the local rehab centers and she was telling everyone about the heroin epidemic in Butte County because heroin is so cheap now; where do you think the heroin is coming from? Do I support our troops?

You bet, 100 percent. And the way I support them is to make sure when they’re over there risking their lives, it’s for the right reasons and if not, to do everything in my power to bring them home. But most Americans have been brainwashed to think that supporting the troops is putting bumper stickers on their cars and hoping and praying that they will be safe. Well, so far that is not working with more than 6,000 deaths of American soldiers, not to mention the uncountable deaths of innocent Iraqi citizens, excuse me, collateral damage.

And don’t think for a minute that we are actually withdrawing all of our troops; we are in the Middle East to stay.

And don’t even get me started on the illegal Federal Reserve that prints up money, our money that we end up

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Rahasya Uncensored owing back to them, the Federal Reserve, with interest. A few years ago they printed 100 billion dollars’ worth of 100 dollar bills that ended up being no good because they are so complex that they were printed incorrectly. Great, the only thing left that we could do right, print money, and now we can’t even get that right.

How about the “economic stimulus” money? You know, the money the government gets from taxpayers and then gives back in small portions to taxpayers, hoping they will buy something with it with most of the profit ending up in China, Korea, or some other country where the workers work in sweatshops by day and are sex slaves by night.

Then we can take a quick look at the very real conspiracy to buy up and privatize the world’s water supply and Monsanto’s agenda to control the world’s seed population by splicing in a terminator gene so farmers need to buy seeds every year.

Obviously I could go on and on with the devastation of the Amazon forests and other forests that are simply gone, and I could report a long list of situations that for lack of words borders on insanity. We eat meat in this and other industrialized countries that’s shipped thousands of miles, we’re closing down small farms in favor of industrialized farms, and the list of insane acts continues to grow every day.

So now what? If everything we do seems to make the situation worse or the effect is so trivial it makes very little difference, what is the answer? I think Einstein put it well when he said that

we will never come up with solutions from the same level of thinking that created the problems. As I mentioned before, we are on the verge of a global transformation of consciousness unlike anything we have ever experienced and in fact, beyond anything we can even imagine at this point. But we have a responsibility as individuals in this process to do the work of becoming more enlightened and aware of the world around us, to stop being afraid to look at the situation at hand, and to stop ridiculing those who are taking an active approach and speaking out.

The new level of consciousness that we need to solve today’s problems starts with those of us brave enough to walk on that “razor’s edge” and live in the precarious moment of finding our balance. I remember learning to ride a bicycle; it was totally a left-brain scenario at first, falling, a constant attempt to find my balance, and then something happened. I remember the very moment when something in my brain shifted and what was only a moment ago almost impossible became part of my nature.

A part of my body-mind took over all the thousands of sensory inputs that are necessary for balancing a bicycle. This is what happens once you let go of divisive and polarized thinking—call it spirit or consciousness or God, something finds balance and the divisions fade away, and the ride of your life begins.

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field.

I’ll meet you there. -Rumi

For more info please visit www.RahasyaUncensored.com or email Rahasya@usa.com Note: Vast numbers of the population are waking up to issues such as chemtrails, vaccinations, ancient alien intervention in our history, and a long list of global conspiracies that are now proven to be true. And if at this point you are saying to yourself, “I don’t believe these ideas,” ponder this: Historically speaking, almost every belief we’ve ever held has ended up being either misleading or completely wrong. Ironically, if you are keeping up with the science that we live in a holographic projection of light and consciousness, you realize that we are slowly proving many ancient religious beliefs to be true. Visit RahasyaUncensored.com to read more on this and many other issues uncovered by organizations and people who are waking up to the fact that true and lasting change “out there” starts as a personal transformation within each and every one of us.

References http://nypost.com/2016/01/17/citypays-exiled-teachers-to-snooze-as-rubberrooms-return/ 2 http://www.globalresearch.ca/drug-waramerican-troops-are-protecting-afghanopium-u-s-occupation-leads-to-all-timehigh-heroin-production/5358053 3 http://www.mintpressnews.com/rumorspersist-that-the-cia-helps-export-opiumfrom-afghanistan/209687/ 1

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Rahasya Uncensored

Spring Tour 2017 The GOLDEN ROAD Radio & TV Show Live Public Shows and Broadcast

By Michael DiMartino

“Bridging the past with today for a better tomorrow” • Where can you listen to in-depth interviews with individuals and organizations from our region?

• Where can you watch and enjoy live music, performing arts, and visual arts from the comfort of your own home?

• How can you become aware of the current issues that affect you and what’s happening in our region and around the world to help make the world a better place?

• Where can you find community members who are committed to enhancing your quality of life and empowering you with health tips you can use in the privacy and convenience of your own kitchen?

• Where can you find a legitimate source to keep you informed about environmental change that affects you and gives the indigenous community a voice?

• What show is specifically dedicated to showcasing incredible talent, businesses, and resources of the Sierras?

The Golden Road Television and Radio Show is a weekly eclectic twohour program that broadcasts from 6 to 8pm every Sunday in six counties along the Sierras and foothills. These include Nevada County, Butte County, Auburn, Sacramento County, Truckee/Tahoe, and Shasta County.

On April 9, 2017, The Golden Road began a four-city tour, bringing an eclectic live event featuring live music, DJs, keynote speakers, local celebrities, interviews, audience participation, and a few surprises. Each event runs from 5 to 9pm with the main livestream broadcast from 6 to 8pm. There will be live music as a reception and social from 5 to 6pm and then again after the show with dancing from 8 to 9pm. The tour started on April 9 at the historic General Gomez Arts

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says the show is committed to educating and inspiring people to help make a positive difference in our community and in the world. In this day and age, making content that appeals to the mind is important but real change takes place within the human heart!! “Even though the show is a quick-moving magazine format with many moving parts and extremely entertaining, we also take on very serious subject matter that you will not hear anywhere in corporate-sponsored media.

This is for community by community—a new paradigm in collaboration. We will eventually accept content submissions from members in our broadcast radius.”

We also play in a world music band called The World Beatnix (WorldBeatnix. com). We’ve traveled and performed around the world in places such as Egypt, Morocco, Cuba, Brazil, Spain, Italy, and Israel. I am also an interfaith minister who is dedicated to bridging the differences between cultures and religions through the arts, philosophy, and media.

Center in Auburn. This will be followed by a stop at the Chico Women’s Club on Earth Day, April 23, then May 7 at the Truckee Community Arts Center, and Off Center Stage at the Grass Valley Center for the Arts on May 14. After these public events, the shows will move back into local production studios and continue their weekly broadcasts.

The Golden Road television shows broadcast from 6 to 8pm every Sunday evening in Nevada County on channels 11 Comcast and 18 Suddenlink, Butte County channel 11, Auburn/Placer County channels 20 and 85, the Truckee/Tahoe area channel 6, and Shasta County on You can get tickets for these events for channels 180 and 182. It also rebroadcasts $10 to be part of the live broadcast at 2pm Sunday in Sacramento County and get more information at on channel 17. It also rebroadcasts every GoldenRoadTelevision.com and Thursday on the same channels. The audio www.GoldenRoadRadioHour.com from the shows, along with world music, or EventBrite or 530-270-9169. is also played from 4 to 7am every other Saturday on KVMR 89.5 FM radio in Nevada City and weekly on KUBU 96.5 radio in Sacramento.

The Golden Animal Communication & Holistic Healing Road television show explores the Massage, Animal Acupressure intersection of CranioSacral, Hospice Care arts and culture, Home Nursing Care health and the environment, Pet Sitting peace and justice, Listen to the whispers in your heart! and science and technology.

(530) 615-7498 Michael DiMartino, AnimalWhispers4@gmail.com the show’s founder,

Animal Whispers

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