Apr-May-Jun-2019 Spring Issue of Lotus Guide

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Building Bridges of Community Resilience:

New Paradigm Solutions for a Changing World bounce back, reorganize, and regenerate from the impact of natural disasters, economic collapse, or a public-health crisis.

These critical issues affect everyone, regardless of income, race, gender, or religion.

By Michael DiMartino Golden Road TV & Radio partners with The Alliance for Resilient Communities to unite the Sacramento River Watershed Region toward preservation, education, and regeneration.

Golden Road TV & Radio has been engaged in creating regionally based independent media about the community for the last three years. We have archived more than 300 interviews with individuals and organizations and covered various events, culminating in a total of more than 200 hours of community-related content on our YouTube channel.

Starting in 2017, we became more focused on the concept of community resilience. Resilience is our ability to

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During the last year we have more extensively showcased experts on issues varying from food and water safety and security to emergency preparedness, sustainable development, and renewable energy.

Simultaneously, many of these crucial issues have unpleasantly come to light throughout the bioregion and the world in the shape of natural and human-made disasters. In my research I have come to understand that many of these issues will continue to intensify under our current paradigm and consequent broken systems, only escalating by the Earth’s changes. Nature is teaching us that it is time for us to work together toward our individual, community, and global well-being, and perhaps our very survival. We cannot

count on a broken system to fix the problems that it is partially responsible for creating. We are being called to be proactive and restructure old paradigms, thoughts, and systems that may be no longer functional.

After several fires in the region, our mission has been to collaborate in building resilient communities by addressing regional issues and a variety of possible preemptive solutions and timely responses. It is through this increased

Special Interest effort that we founded The Alliance for Resilient Communities (ARC) as an umbrella organization to effectively unify our efforts and resources.

What We Do: Identify problems and offer solutions and consultations; bridge individuals, organizations, and government agencies for the common good; consult with innovative experts and professionals; and offer resources for preservation, education, and regenerative work.

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How We Do It: Weekly community resilience roundtables.

Monthly public forums throughout the six counties.

Weekly broadcast of educational content on public TV, independent radio, podcast, and print.

Quarterly online publication Golden Road Magazine.

An online networking resource with blog and event directory, The Source Directory.

An online media archive with Golden Road TV & Radio.

Why We Do It: For healthy and strong communities, to practice regenerative strategies for the future, and to improve quality of life.

Topics Include: Emergency preparedness, food and water safety/security, economic development, peace and justice, arts and culture, health and wellness, environmental restoration, renewable energy, science and technology, indigenous perspectives.

Guiding Thematic Principles: • Sustainability versus regeneration; • Rebuilding versus redesigning; • Treating problems, not symptoms; • Community engagement.

Through the recent launching of The Source Directory, individuals and organizations can share and locate focused information pertaining primarily to our region. It contains an informational blog, articles, events, and projects aimed at community resilience.

Our parent company, Golden Road Productions, will be hosting a spring series of monthly public forums in several counties, including Siskiyou, Shasta, Butte, Nevada, Placer, and Sacramento.

These events feature keynote speakers, live music, discussions, and a potluck to engage with each other around these issues. Events are live-streamed and archived for future use.

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Upcoming Events Include: International Resilience Film Festival, April 19-21—Earth Day Weekend, Nevada City

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Public Forum, Sunday May 5, Redding / Water Safety and Security Sacramento Water Protector Rally, September 21, State Capitol

Please get involved to help create and be the change we need in moving forward.

“We are the ones we have been waiting for.”

—June Jordan For more information, visit: ResilienceFilmFestival.com TheSourceDirectory.org GoldenRoadTelevision.com GoldenRoadProductions.com

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A Letter from the Publishers

Looking Forward We think the first thing to mention is how much we appreciate all of you who are getting in touch and wanting to help with the Lotus Guide Center in Paradise. We already have residents signing up for the detox program, including the supplements involved. We have a webpage specifically for the center, LotusGuide.com/Center, where you can visit to see what is needed and what we are offering.

Through the years we have made a lot of good connections with people who can really help, and our reach into the community to those who need help puts us in a position to make those connections. If you want to stay in touch with what we are doing at the Lotus Guide Center, please visit our website, LotusGuide.com, and sign up to receive our emails.

From 4 to 5pm on May 18 at 6268 Skyway, Paradise, we will have our ribbon cutting; however, there will be a potluck along with other activities that will be covered on our Community Email list. We have 9,400 residents on our list right now so join in; it covers many important issues, workshops, and events in your area.

We wish we had the room to thank everyone for being supportive, such as Dr. Bruce Lipton, Inner Traditions, our friend CoSmic Bob, and so many others who donated to our GoFundMe site, and of course, all of our advertisers who have faithfully supported the magazine through the years. You can visit LotusGuide.com/campfire for more information on how you can donate, and every dollar goes toward helping those affected by the Paradise Camp Fire.

One last thank-you to all of you who wrote testimonies for us to help with the grant writing process; let’s just say you touched our hearts deeply and made us aware that we are doing the right thing here in Paradise and Northern California in general.

Thank you from all of us here at Lotus Guide Ray Varlinsky, Marianna Love, Robert Kennedy Jr., Dhara Lemos, & Rahasya Poe at Terry Ash Center, Paradise

PUBLISHERS, EDITORS, & OWNERS Dhara Lemos & Rahasya Poe WEBMASTER Kasey McKnight

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COPY EDITOR Karen Bleske DISTRIBUTION Bill Unger CREATIVE CONSULTANT Dhara Lemos

GRAPHIC ARTIST Chloe Gray CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dr. Gayle Kimball Dr. Patrick Giammarise

Body & Mind Woman to Woman: Together We Can Heal the Past

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by Dhara Lemos

Clearing Space

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When Reality... Suddenly Changes

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The Protective Power of Vitamin D: How to Make Sure You’re Getting Enough

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DIgestive Health: Are You Becoming Sensitive to More and More Foods?

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Questions for Dr. Gayle Kimball

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by Wendy Brunson

… “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” … it’s us, Just-Us, who need to stand up and demand a change in how we want to live out our lives.

By Alex Groh

by Kristin Grayce McGary, LAc., MAc., CFMP, CSTcert, CLP

by Dr. Patrick Giammarise, DC

…“call to take action,” a call to all of us to speak up and a call to the local representatives to start listening to the very people who put them in their positions.

Building Bridges of Community Resilience: New Paradigm Solutions for a Changing World

Rahasya Uncensored 30

Be Aware: The Hidden Dangers of 5G

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A Camp Fire Story on Change and Miracles

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by Rahasya Poe

by Doug Newsom

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

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by Michael DiMartino

Geoengineering Is Fueling Firestorm Catastrophes

by Dane Wigington

Special Interest

Institute of HeartMath: Empowering Heart-Based Living

by Kathleen Riley

Be Where Now

By Nayaswami Nityananda

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Lotus Reviews

Book, CD, & DVD Reviews

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Calendar of Events

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

Copyright © 2019 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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Together We Can Heal the Past

hen I first arrived in the United States, I was surprised by how many women’s groups there were— dance, meditation, yoga, healing sessions, all for women only. Why, I wondered, was there such a pressing need to segregate the sexes? It seemed strange, and it took a while before it started to make sense to me.

Women looked for a space in which they could freely express themselves without judgment about what mattered and affected their lives—spaces where the male gaze did not dim their own light and concerns.

What could be termed women’s issues varied from domestic abuse and rape to “boys’ club” protection of institutionalized misogyny on all levels of society: the workforce, the church, the police, academia, and the military, just to name a few. I watched The General’s

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Daughter (American movie based on a novel by Nelson DeMille) with a mixture of appalled horror and recognition. The atrocities that took place in Guantanamo further revealed the extent of the rampant yet not-uncommon abuse that takes place when the boys’ club mentality goes unchecked.

In the ’90’s I watched the movie Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney Story,(starring Melissa Gilbert), the real story of Shari Karney, an attorney, awardwinning fighter for victims’rights, and a

survivor herself of child abuse and rape, which struck a deep chord in me, as it surely did for many other people. What differentiated her story from those of others who had experienced similar abuse was that she transformed what could have been a silent, tormented existence into one of empowered activism on behalf of other victims. She became a prominent lawyer who helped craft legislation that actually changed the law for child-abuse and rape survivors.

Her activism was a reminder of what can happen when women stand up to injustice and work to change the status quo. Visit ShariKarney.com. One woman’s efforts affected the lives of countless others. It is the type of activism that inspires and uplifts others to change the world around them on not just a macro- but a microlevel as well.

Body & Mind

Kathleen Hallal

When women such as Kathleen Hallal, whom I met in Nevada City, rise up in their communities to change something that affects them on a personal level, such as the use of pesticides in their child’s schools, they create a momentum for change in not only their lives but in others’ lives as well—visit MomsAcrossAmerica.com. These pioneering women are often unaware of the powerful ramifications of speaking out against a particular issue. Rape is an extreme example, though not an uncommon one, yet there are so many socalled small issues that concern women and their children (including children who grow up to be men) that are relegated to the sidelines or ignored altogether until a woman decides to do something about it.

This column, like the women’s groups that harbor and serve as safe spaces to share their concerns, issues, and stories, will be a sharing platform. I will interview and open a space for women who inspire

others through activism—women who have had a harrowing experience and have come out of it, if not unscathed at least the stronger for it, and women who wish to have an open conversation about something that matters to them, large or small. I am certain that it matters to others as well.

Recently, in my own family, I witnessed a traumatic birth that shattered the woman’s psyche in the process. Perhaps it could have been avoided, perhaps not.

The impact of this experience has been painful for her, for my family, and for me personally, and it is an issue that I wish to explore here in a future column. For instance, it would have helped to have been informed about the possibility of postpartum depression/psychosis. By sharing the story, I hope to help prevent it from happening to others and to discuss ways in which it can be coped with in a healthy, holistic manner. Depression, isolation, and alienation are common in many women’s lives. On a societal level, mental/spiritual health is still a taboo subject, and awareness of it, as well as an ongoing dialogue about it, is vital to all. I feel a call to speak up to help to protect our children who for so long have been abused physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And I see not only men cover up for each other

but also women, such as wives, mothers, coworkers, and nuns, who are so afraid to stand up to play the role that every woman has the power to achieve, to be the guardian of her loved ones.

As women, we all have our stories and our shared burdens. I wish to relieve some of this burden by doing something that often comes naturally to us: sharing our experiences. From woman to woman. I welcome you to join me in our journey and celebrate the women in our life!

I like the saying: “If you can feel, you can heal” And I add, If we can talk, we can feel...

So let’s talk about the things we need to talk about with freedom.

I would like to thank the brave men out there who may be reading my column because the importance of changing the status quo attitudes has never been greater and it will take all of us working together as human beings to heal the past.

For more information on Dhara’s Guided Meditation visit DharaLemos.com.

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ACUPUNCTURE

DOCTORS & DENTISTRY

MEDITATION

Acumoxa Treatments - Michael Turk (Chico).......38

Bloating & Digestive Pain - Dr. Patrick (Chico)......35 Food Sensitivities/Allergies - Dr. Patrick (Chico)..2 NAET - Dr. Mark Light & Vicki Van Scyoc (Chico)...15

Alpha Healing & Meditation - Dhara (Paradise)...9 Ananda Chico Meditation Center.............................18 Ananda School of Yoga (Nevada City)................21 Dhara’s Guided Meditation.............................................8 Dr. Terry Cole-Whittaker (Mount Shasta).............39

ARTS Love’s Art - Marianna Love (Paradise)......................39

AYURVEDA Ambika’s Ayurveda (Chico)........................................16

BOOKS/CDs/DVDs Creating the New World (DVD) - Jack Allis........34 Dhara’s Guided Meditation............................................8 Inner Traditions Books.................................................39 White Magic Books..........................................................5

CENTERS, RETREATS & CLINICS Ananda School of Yoga (Nevada City).................21 Center for Emotional Balance - Susan (Chico)....14 Center for Spiritual Living (Chico)............................14 Colon Therapist - Maxine LeClerc (Chico)..........26 Dr. Patrick - Digestive Health (Chico)................2 & 35 Living Free Healing Center - Jane Miners (Chico)..13 Lotus Guide Center for Healing & Info (Paradise)..36 Seven Rays of the Sun - Kristi Lopez (Chico)......12 432 - Jesse Spallina (Chico).............................................4

CHIROPRACTORS

EVENTS, CLASSES & WORKSHOPS Ananda Chico Meditation Center.............................18 Ananda Expanding Light (Nevada City)..................20 Ananda School of Yoga (Nevada City)...................21 Dr. Terry Cole-Whittaker (Mt. Shasta).................39 Full Circle Healing & Shamanism - Annie Fuller..11 Inner Strength Coaching - Montriel (Chico)...........32 KVMR Radio (Nevada City)..........................................34 Lyme Aid Concert (Chico)....................BACK COVER Mary Kay Winterstein - Mystic Medium (Chico)...22 Phoenix Strong (Sac/Magalia/Paradise).................11 Sound & Touch Therapy - Pia (Chico)........................8 Trauma Workshops - Kathleen (Paradise)...............11 432 - Jesse Spallina (Chico)............................................4

ENERGY HEALING Acumoxa Treatments - Michael Turk (Chico).......38 Craniosacral Therapy - Rowena (Chico)............33 Ener-Chi Wellness - Quantum Healing Store......29 NAET - Dr. Mark Light & Vicki Van Scyoc (Chico)..15 Sound & Touch Therapy - Pia (Chico)........................8 432 - Jesse Spallina (Chico)............................................4

Mary E. Ewing. D.C. (Chico)......................................26

SHAMANIC HEALING

COACHING

Full Circle Healing & Shamanism - Annie Fuller...11

Awake Mind & Body - Paula (Nevada City).......18 Fabulize Your Life - Lynn Tosello (Chico).............9 Inner Strength Coaching - Montriel (Chico)......32 Mary E. Ewing. D.C. (Chico).....................................26 Phoenix Strong (Sac/Magalia/Paradise)...............11

HEALTH & BEAUTY / SPA

COLON HYDROTHERAPY

Apothecary Options - Steve (Chico).....................12 Colon Therapist - Maxine LeClerc (Chico)................26 Hair, Body & Soul - Teresa (Chico)...........................39

INTUITIVE READINGS

COUNSELING

Age of Aquarius - Margaret (Chico).......................17 Alpha Healing & Meditation - Dhara (Paradise)...9 Mary Kay Winterstein - Mystic Medium (Chico)...22

Resonance Repatterning - Leigh Ann (Chico)....5

MASSAGE

Colon Therapist - Maxine LeClerc (Chico)...............26

FAMILY-INDIVIDUAL Adrienne Parker - Morano, LMFT (Chico)..........23 Inner Strength Coaching - Montriel (Chico)......32 Marriage & Family Therapy - Gale (Chico)...........32 HEALTH COUNSELORS Center for Emotional Balance - Susan (Chico)...14 Plant Based Chico - Nancy Mathews......................19

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Healing Hands - Justin Urrutia (Chico)......................23 Mary E. Ewing, D.C (Chico).........................................26 REFLEXOLOGY Happy Feet Reflexology - Elizabeth (Chico)......37 ROLFING Rolf Practitioner - Jean Louise (Chico)...............17

SERVICES Apothecary Options - Steve (Chico)......................12 BBS Radio Station Stream............................................37 Chico Peace and Justice Center.................................6 Chico Sky Watch..............................................................30 Cold Creek Inn (Mt. Shasta)....................................2 DK Web Design (Chico)................................................16 Insight Directory (Grass Valley)................................16 Kennedy CA Guild - Camp Fire Lawyers................3 RespectfulRevolution.org - Gerard & Stacey...........3 Spiritual Activist Radio - Rahasya.............................28

SHOPS & PRODUCTS Berkeley Olive Grove - Olive Oil (Oroville)..........27 BLAZEn’J’s (Chico/Oroville)..........................................33 Chico Garden Center........................................................6 Dhara’s Guided Meditation.............................................8 Ener-Chi Wellness - True Quantum Healing Store...29 Gold Exchange: Jewelry for the Soul (Red Bluff)...22 Hair, Body & Soul - Teresa (Chico)...............................39 Lotus Flower Imports (Chico)....................................15 Omni Gym Yoga (Chico)...............................................2 Sanare Smart Natural Relief - Darrell (Chico).....36 S&S Produce: CBD Oil (Chico).....................................29 Soul Connections (Mt. Shasta)....................................2 The Mountain Astrologer (Online)..........................38

THERAPEUTIC TECHNOLOGY Sound Health - Judy Chambers (Chico)......................3

YOGA / FITNESS Ananda Chico Meditation Center...........................18 Ananda School of Yoga (Nevada City)....................21 Breathe Yoga Studio (Chico)...................................9 In Motion Fitness (Chico)..............................................35 Omni Gym Yoga (Chico)...............................................2 Yoga Center of Chico - Rex Stromness......................13

Visit LotusGuide.com for our Online Business Directory

Special Interest

®

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By Kathleen Riley

ounded in 1991, the HeartMath Institute’s purpose and vision is to help activate the heart of humanity. HeartMath’s definition of resilience is the capacity to prepare for, recover from, and adapt in the face of stress, challenge, adversity, and trauma. Our community is still feeling the effects of the Camp Fire and trying to recover.

The HeartMath tools and techniques help you access the intelligence of the heart so you can make better choices in the moment and navigate these stressful times. We know that stress, anxiety, and feeling overwhelmed are out of hand, especially because of the number of traumatic events and changes that are occurring. As humans we do not like change, especially changes that we are not in control of.

One of the most effective ways to reduce feelings of anxiety and feeling overwhelmed is to access the intelligence of the heart and shift the rhythms of the heart. These send a different message to the brain. We have known since the late 1800s that the heart sends more messages to the brain than the brain sends to the heart. And this has profound effects on brain function and the way we feel.

If you can shift the rhythms of the heart, you can quickly reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, and feeling overwhelmed.

The HeartMath system empowers people to self-regulate their emotions and behaviors to reduce stress, increase resilience, and unlock their natural intuitive guidance for making more effective choices. This enables people to break through to greater levels of personal balance, creativity, insight, and health.

Experience science-based technology and programs for taking charge of your life that are proven to help you reduce stress and anxiety by increasing your inner balance and self-security. Learn to access your heart’s intuition to become the best version of yourself more often.

Contact Kathleen for more info for the next workshops at kathleen@drkathleenriley.com or visit DrKathleenRiley.com.

THE RESILIENCE ADVANTAGE™ WORKSHOPS FOR STRESS AND TRAUMA RECOVERY • • • •

Learn HOW to identify emotional triggers Recover from trauma Reduce stress in your life Increase emotional resiliency for well-being

COMING SOON!

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Clearing Space

By Wendy Brunson “You need to burn some sage in here.”

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was alone in my home. These intuitive words sounded as though they’d been whispered from within a pile of rubble. Taken aback, I slowly scanned the main living area of my home. Pride chattered inside my head with justifications such as “It’s fine” and “I just cleaned it two days ago.” I then dropped inside myself to what I couldn’t see. A dark leaden blanket of energy covered me, and I

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felt choked. Tears filled my eyes as I consciously “felt” my home. I bought my first bundle of sage within an hour and got busy researching what I might do next.

Our homes, lives, and everything inside them are filled with, and surrounded by, energy. Every “thing” possesses a degree or level of this power. Some of us may be more sensitive to or intuitive surrounding this power, but it greatly affects us all whether or not we are completely aware of it.

There are times when we will feel a higher vibration of these energies—for example, when we connect with friends and loved ones, laugh until we cry, or hear affirming words. Other times we may be filled with the lower vibration of energy brought on by physical pain and sickness, hearing or reading upsetting news, or spinning in

thought over a recent argument.

These vibrations, both high and low, saturate us, our homes, and our “stuff.” It is crucial, in my opinion, to regularly clear out (smudge) these lower vibrations of energy.

The practice of burning sage is known as smudging.

When you smudge your home, work environment, or your own aura with sage, it’s like an energetic shower. The smoke from dried sage changes the surrounding air’s ionic composition. It increases negative ions (the kind we need more of to feel relaxed). This has an immediate effect on calming our brain’s stress response.

With the constant stimulation of today’s impossibly fast-paced society, paired with our perpetual need to scroll through social media or read the news, most of us live in the state of stress we all know as the fightor-flight response. This leaves our nervous

Body & Mind systems, and our living and working environments, pulsing with adrenaline and its effects. It can be an inconceivable task to persuade our nerves to settle enough for us to decompress and relax in our homes.

Changing the ions changes the type of energy felt.

As I researched more about emotional stress and the effect it has on the human body and our homes, I began to learn about feng shui, a Chinese practice of using energy forces to harmonize individuals with their surrounding environments. As well as energetic vibration within the items in your home, the placement or arrangement of items in your home can also affect you. Imagine taking a chair from your dining area and placing it in front of your refrigerator to reach something on top. Now imagine leaving the chair there. That chair takes up extra space in your kitchen, obstructs your ability to get into the fridge easily, creates a potential hazard if you run into it with your toe, and pulls your vision toward it. This creates an energetic reaction inside of us. Feelings of annoyance would eventually encourage you to move this chair to a space that makes

more sense. At times, the placement of our belongings impedes the natural flow of energy in our homes. If it’s not obvious, such as with the example of the chair in

front of the fridge, we may not understand why something doesn’t “feel right,” and we develop automatic reactions to this energy.

The first time I lit a bundle of sage and walked through my home, I felt an immediate sensation of calm. This type of calm usually fills me after a relaxing yoga class, postmeditation, or while filling my senses with the sights, smells, and sounds of nature. After snuffing out the smoky sage stick, I slowly walked down my hallway.

As if the blinders had been removed, I observed items in my home that “didn’t belong there.”

An entire wall of pictures reminded me of the day of the photo shoot. Lower

vibrations engulfed that day, but the smiles captured by our beloved photographer were framed and hung for all to see. I now saw the pain in those pictures. They had to go.

These were the first of many things to be removed from my home, and this was the moment my personal epiphany with home energy clearing happened.

As the years have passed, I’ve created my own method of successfully clearing homes and offices of stuck energy. I begin by encouraging my clients to answer a short list of questions that shine light on the intentions they desire for themselves and their space. These are used throughout the smudging ritual.

After the clearing, I am able to offer intuitive recommendations that may help you decide how to make changes in your space. These energy clearings can be done as often as needed or desired, and I’m happy to teach people how to do them themselves. My goal is to bring clarity and balance into people’s lives and homes, and with them the peace, calm, and connection everyone deserves.

Wendy Brunson is a certified massage therapist and Reiki master.

Call 530-591-9063 to schedule your home energy clearing. For more information about Wendy, go to LivingFreeHealing.com.

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When Reality...

Suddenly Changes

By Alex Groh On November 8, 2018, so many local people were caught unprepared for the firestorm that would engulf much of Butte County before the end of the day.

As local Paradise residents and business owners, we think the following story by Alex Groh typifies the experience had by many people fleeing the destructive and deadly Camp Fire.

—Dr. Mark Light and Vickie Van Scyoc

T

here were no warnings and no evacuation orders. Apparently there was an opt-in evacuation list that, even after two years in Paradise, we were never told about. Our house was in the middle of town, far from the normally endangered areas.

It started around 6:30am the next mountain over on the far side. At around 6:45am or so I saw smoke discoloring the sunlight and found online that it was a small fire miles away that evacuated the small town of Pulga. It didn’t seem to be a danger to us and there was no communication from official sources that said otherwise. I decided to start thinking about what to bring if we did have to evacuate over the next few days or week (as in previous fires).

At 8:23am my wife called me from work and said the Starbucks management was sending workers home because they heard of some evacuations on the far east side of town. We didn’t know the fire had

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already reached those areas and was burning the hospital and houses near my mom’s neighborhood.

At 8:30am we frantically began to pack as the sky turned from orange to blood red to black as night. We grabbed some papers, laptop, and some clothes.

Our street went from a few cars here and there to gridlocked with people fleeing the advancing fire line to the east of us to escape through Clark Road or Skyway to the west.

At 9:15am we started hearing explosions from the east and realized they were propane tanks exploding outside of houses. We got in the car immediately and joined the gridlocked traffic, where drivers without hesitating created room to let us in.

We didn’t know it at the time, but the entire town was already surrounded by fire and at that moment a spot fire had started right across the street from us.

At 9:51am, just a little way down our street, Nunneley, we could see to the right of us a cluster of houses burning, including our family friend Elisabeth’s house. We were moving inches a minute as the fire spread and moved closer to the road. We prayed fervently, told our family we loved them, and knew that with this one, we might not make it out. We soon lost cell service. We sang hymns to keep our minds from going to the worst and reminded each other that our hope and life consist in Jesus alone. This was the middle of town.

By 11am we made it to Skyway and heard that officials opened up the inbound lanes for outbound traffic. We breathed a sigh of relief and thought we were home free. We even saw our pastor, Bryan, in a car near us and rejoiced to have our friend near us. As we approached the edge of town, however, we saw those inbound lanes engulfed in flames and we were quickly ushered down Neal Road—a small two-lane road with no shoulder and towering trees lining the entire way.

At 12 noon we were well down Neal Road and it was as dark as midnight. We watched embers and sparks blown by the wind shower over our car. We could hear explosions and see an orange glow through the trees to the right of us. We inched forward in traffic as we passed the Theatre on the Ridge and saw a lone firefighter silhouetted against roaring flames 40 yards down the road. From then on the fire line remained to our right and approached the road with the wind.

Finally we came to a standstill in traffic. Both lanes were crammed with cars.

Nearby on our right a home was on fire and exploding. The grass field in front of the house was burning and moving quickly to the road with every gust of wind. We sat there, stuck in place in gridlock, for 20

Body & Mind driving and didn’t stop until Yuba City.

There was no warning. Some had it easier than us. Some had it worse. Some didn’t make it out. We are brokenhearted about those who didn’t make it, those who were people just like us. We are at the same time grateful that so many did make it—it could have been worse. We thank God that those trees didn’t fall and block the few roads left to get out. We thank God for the firefighters and law enforcement who rushed into the fire to help us get out.

Please pray for all those who lost so much. We know that there will be beauty from the ashes. But there is a time for mourning. minutes as we watched the fire move closer to us and catch a fallen oak 20 feet away.

The winds whipped around and we prayed they would go the other way.

People began leaving their cars on the side of the road and fleeing on foot.

A woman carrying her two toddlers was running the other way, back into Paradise.

Emily reached out the window to put masks on all three of them before the mother kept running. People said the fire was about to jump the road ahead and that it was worse ahead and getting worse every second.

People told us to run. We didn’t know what to believe. The smoke grew thicker. Did they send us down here not knowing we would all be trapped to die? Emily had the intuition to stay with the car as long as we could until we no longer could. We were ready to bolt as others did but decided that we would wait until the oak overhanging our car caught fire. Then we would have

no choice. We prayed, said we loved each other, and would stick together no matter what happened next. We were determined to make it. The traffic started moving before we had to run and we began moving at a steady pace. We saw police and CHP waving traffic forward ahead. Thank God. Soon after 1pm we made it out of the thick forest and could look to our right to see the fire raging in the gulley between Neal and Skyway. There was still traffic all the way out and we prayed for those in the cars behind us. We thanked God for our lives and once we had cell service again immediately tried to reach our family to make sure they made it out OK and to tell them that we did. We kept

Chico Integrative Health is a small local business run by two Paradise survivors, Mark Light,MD and Vickie Van Scyoc, RN. As our community of affected individuals rebuilds their lives, there are many holistic tools that can help.

Contact us today for a free consultation at 530-899-7300 or ChicoIntegrativeHealth.com.

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Winter Blues and Broken Bones

The Protective Power of Vitamin D3: How to Make Sure You’re Getting Enough

By Kristin Grayce McGary, LAc., MAc., CFMP, CSTcert, CLP

M

y family and I lived in a suburb of Chicago when I was a child. The weather was often overcast and gloomy. When it was sunny, my parents applied sunscreen. Unfortunately, when I was 10 years old I fell off a jungle gym and fractured my right arm. It wasn’t a big fall, I shouldn’t really have broken any bones, but looking back I suspect my vitamin D levels weren’t optimal.

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Vitamin D is often referred to as the “sunshine vitamin.” It is produced in your skin in response to sunlight and is a vital organic compound supporting the absorption of calcium and protecting bone strength, supporting immune function, and regulating mood. Deficiencies in vitamin D can lead to weakened bones, autoimmunity, conditions such as osteoporosis, and mental illness such as seasonal affective disorder, more commonly known as SAD. Vitamin “D-eficiency” can also lead to: • Type 1 diabetes • Cardiovascular disease, including heart attack • High blood pressure • Cancers of colon, prostate, ovaries, esophagus, and lymphatic system • Muscle and bone pain • Broken bones

• •

Autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis Allergies

There are two forms of vitamin D: ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). Of the two, vitamin D3 is the preferred form for human consumption.

Vitamin D3 Is Good for Your Brain D3 helps regulate the conversion of tryptophan to serotonin, which is the essential neurotransmitter affecting a variety of cognitive functions, including mood, decision making, social behavior, impulsive behavior, and social decision making. Many psychological disorders associated with brain chemistry and function, such as autism spectrum disorder

Body & Mind (ASD), ADHD, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression, show low brain serotonin. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is positively affected by combining light therapy with vitamin D3.

So How Can You Help Your Body Get the Right Amount of Protective Vitamin D? While sun exposure is helpful, it is often not enough. It is worth considering a daily dose of a good-quality vitamin D3 supplement. Obviously, dosing vitamin D3 depends on your weight and current vitamin D3 status. The first order of business would be to get tested and look at the data. Generally, children need less than adults.

In my experience, most doctors order 25 dihydroxyvitamin D test but this is the inactive form and may not give you all the information. I suggest also getting your calcitriol 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D blood levels checked and if required ask your doctor or holistic health-care provider to recommend an appropriate dose of vitamin D3 for supplementation.

A healthy vitamin D blood level is about 45-75 ng/ml, depending on an individual’s unique biological needs. The Vitamin D Council recommends an average of 50 ng/ml. As part of my practice, I’ve learned to individualize things; some people do better with vitamin D levels that are 75ng/ml, and others lower. People with known autoimmunity, autoimmune disease, immune dysfunction, or those living in

northern states should have their levels tested regularly.

In order for vitamin D3 supplementation to work optimally, it is worth supporting it with other important mineral cofactors that help the body to use D3 properly. In addition to the D3 supplementation I also suggest adding magnesium, boron, and zinc. Here’s why: Magnesium is necessary for your body to make energy from the food you eat.

It helps to control blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and it keeps your heart beating regularly.

The Vitamin D Council believes that the daily amounts of magnesium recommended by the Food and Nutrition Board aren’t enough to keep your body healthy and supplementation is recommended. Some research studies show that your body needs between 500 and 700 mg a day.

Zinc is a mineral mainly found in the muscles and bones. It helps the body perform many vital functions such as fighting infection; healing wounds; making new cells; facilitating the use of carbohydrates, fat, and proteins in food; promoting strong growth and development, especially in babies and young children through adolescence; and helping with taste and smell.

Zinc isn’t stored long term in the body so it’s vital to eat foods that contain it or to supplement. Zinc helps vitamin D work in cells as well as strengthening bones.

Oysters have a high concentration of zinc.

(If you are taking any medications that are intended to suppress your immune system, consult your doctor before taking zinc.)

Boron is a trace mineral needed in small amounts by the body. Fruits, leafy vegetables, and nuts contain boron. It works with vitamin D to help bones use the minerals they need, such as calcium.

To reiterate, vitamin D3 plays a central role in a healthy mind and body, which is why a balanced diet and supplementation are vital.

Supplement Recommendations There are a few on the market that have a very healthy carrier oil called medium chain triglycerides (MCT) or olive oil. Look for this in your supplement. Avoid products that contain soy, cotton seed, rapeseed, and safflower oil.

Some doctors believe an adult dose of 2,000 IU/day is adequate, others promote 5,000 IU/day, and some individuals may temporarily need as much as 10,000 for a short period to help boost their levels.

Kristing Grayce McGary, LAc., MAc., CFMP, CSTcert, CLP, is a highly soughtafter health and lifestyle alchemist. She is renowned for reversing annoying and debilitating health conditions and helping people to live with clarity and vitality.

Kristin Grayce is also a speaker and author of Ketogenic Cure; Heal Your Gut, Heal Your Life.

Visit KristinMcGary.com.

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Be Where Now?

By Nayaswami Nityananda “Be here now” is a great saying. It nicely captures the idea that we are far better off to pay attention to what we are doing instead of having our attention in the past or future. If we are caught worrying about the consequences that might happen, or stuck on a difficult event that happened yesterday—or when we were 11 years old—we’re not actually living in the moment. That sort of defeats the purpose of being alive.

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The higher meaning of “be here now” includes being in a raised state of consciousness. One could “be here” and be consumed by anger, or other negative emotions, or even absorbed in inconsequential things. When that happens, we’re missing the more important point.

“Be here now” is most meaningful when we understand that the “here” means being in a state of higher consciousness. Higher consciousness exists and is accessible. It awaits our joining in.

Living Consciously We will find ourselves happier when we are paying attention to our own thoughts and actions and moving them constantly toward the positive.

This is living consciously. Serving others is one of the best ways to get outside our little selves and engage in a higher energy.

For the spiritually minded, serving the Universe, Higher Consciousness, or if you like, serving God, will lift us

even further. We’ve all had the experience of getting beyond our own little selves while feeling a deepening calmness. The combination of feeling positive and being absorbed is hard to beat! While it may happen that we slip into such a state on occasion, taking charge of our lives by deciding in every moment to move toward the positive will mean that it happens more often. This will raise our awareness, our consciousness, and our energy. It’s worth working on having that experience more and more often. The more we practice it, the more often we will find ourselves in this state of raised consciousness. And the happier we will be.

We have a tendency to wonder, “What’s going to happen to me?” We do need to actively accept responsibility for our lives and continue to work on responsibilities we have accepted. However, if we get too attached to what is going to happen, we’ll find ourselves not living in the present, not living consciously.

Doing our part, but trusting in higher consciousness, will allow us to deepen the meaning in our lives and live more positively in the present. I’m sure most of us have had it happen that our being in this state without tension allows more conscious solutions to come about.

Special Interest Facing Challenges When we are in the middle of extremely challenging circumstances, these things are hardest to remember. The greatest spiritual growth, however, often results from raising our energy to meet our greatest challenges. I almost died of illness when I was 36 years old. I was out of the game for about seven months. It was one of the best things that ever happened to me. I deeply learned what really matters. You probably have had similar experiences.

Swami Kriyananda (a direct disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda, and the founder of Ananda) used to say, “You can’t beat out the darkness with a stick.” You need to turn on the light.

Strong forces in the world are trying to spread dissension, polarization, and negativity. We must together build positive consciousness and energy to dispel the darkness. We need to turn up our inner lights. It is often easier to connect with the positive than it is to let go of the negative, once our attention is going in that direction. But the negative has a powerful grip when we are in its hold. It can be a habit to stay attached to negativity. If we focus too much on what we think is bad, we are likely looking in the wrong direction.

What we shine a light on grows. We may never meet each other in the body. But we are all united in higher consciousness. As each one of us grows, we all grow together.

If ever we needed a demonstration that life on this planet is ephemeral, the Paradise-area fire certainly brought it home. Our hearts and prayers continue to go out to many great souls who did suffer and are suffering from the impacts of the

Camp Fire. If ever there were a chance to make up our minds that we will find our happiness inside, and not in external things, now is the time.

Karma Hey, we’re all Californians. I can write about karma, right?

Paramhansa Yogananda once had two disciples who trusted so much in God that they left many valuables in their car and didn’t lock it. Their valuables were stolen. Yogananda chastised them. We must accept responsibility for ourselves and for our lives. We must fulfill responsibilities we have accepted. We must do our part.

To trust in God means to trust that what happens to us is what is best for our spiritual growth. Paramhansa Yogananda, the great avatar who wrote Autobiography of a Yogi,* taught that we come into this life to work through specific karma. He said that we, while in a higher plane, actually made the decision to come into this life to work on karma that we need to resolve. We will have missed our opportunity if we let the hard times get the better of us.

Swami Kriyananda said, “Events are shaped by people who live in their center.”

Sorry, but being a spiritual person does not mean your life will be less challenging.

What it does mean is that we have more tools to deal with those challenges.

We move ahead spiritually by meeting our karma with an uplifted spirit. If we can’t rise above our karmic challenges, they will be back to test us again. By consciously working to raise our own consciousness, we

can meet those challenges head-on.

Living in our center means we are connected to higher consciousness.

Watch out for the reactive process! Take the time to respond; move away from reacting. If we’ve already been practicing holding our consciousness, this will come more easily. That oh-so-human tendency to react to energy around us can get the better of us. To illustrate, if someone speaks angrily to us, most people will respond in kind. Then you’ve got two people stuck in a lower consciousness! Energy coming at us is still just energy.

If we bounce it off ourselves, nothing has been accomplished. If we simply absorb it, and raise it, we will have grown from the experience.

Swami Kriyananda said that the most important thing to be improved is our outlook.

A Few Tools • Take the time to breathe! Are things coming at you too hard or too fast?

Take a few deep breaths. The breath is the conduit to calmness and raised consciousness. Facing things calmly makes them more manageable.

• Have some quiet time each day to relax your body, quiet your mind, and still your heart.

• See the Divine in others. This is God’s creation.

• Do your best, and don’t be too hard on yourself. See how you can do better.

But don’t beat yourself up.

Many blessings on your journey.

Nayaswami Nityananda is the director of The Expanding Light Retreat at Ananda Village, outside Nevada City. The Expanding Light shares the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda and is open to all interested in spiritual growth: ExpandingLight.org.

You can email him at Nityananda@ExpandingLight.org. *Autobiography of a Yogi is available from Crystal Clarity Publishers at CrystalClarity.com.

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Information Medicine: The Revolutionary Cell-Reprogramming Discovery That Reverses Cancer & Degenerative Diseases

By Ervin Laszlo and Pier Mario Biava ISBN-13: 978-1-62055-822-5 (Healing Arts Press, 2019)

Time of the Quickening: Prophecies for the Coming Utopian Age

By Susan B. Martinez, PhD ISBN-13: 978-1-59143-126-8 (Bear & Company, 2011)

The Foundations of Iridology: The Eyes as the Key to Your Genetic Health Profile

By Gustau Pau ISBN-13: 978-1-62055-778-5 (Healing Arts Press, 2019)

I’m not sure how the authors did this but they somehow took a subject that in the beginning looked so completely beyond me and brought it down to a level where it made complete sense. Most of us don’t realize that “information” is nothing more or less than highly organized energy, which is the only thing that actually triggers actions in the cell.

That really surprised me when I learned about epigenetics and how our thoughts and emotions can change our genes. The day has arrived when we now have the knowledge to heal ourselves and it’s all here in this book.

I learned a long time ago that most religious people have never read the Bible from cover to cover, studied it, and researched the original definition of the words being used. This book brings out one of those misinterpretations, of the word Apocalypse. The original Hebrew text defines it as “a lifting of the veil,” as in seeing the hidden meaning or deeper truth. This book speaks to the idea that we are approaching a time in history that is hidden from most people … now the time has come to “unveil” the truth that is fast approaching all of us.

Once again I find that I have to reevaluate what I thought or knew about something—in this case, iridology. This book with all the explicit detail of the eyes in clear graphics and photos takes you beyond what most iridology books would or could show you. Bringing more than 35 years of experience to this work, Gustav Pau guides you through layers of understanding what is truly meant by “Your eyes are the windows to your soul.”

Rahasya Poe, Lotus Guide

Rahasya Poe, Lotus Guide

Dhara Lemos, Lotus Guide

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Special Interest

Healing the Thyroid with Ayurveda: Natural Treatments for Hashimoto’s, Hypothyroidism, & Hyperthyroidism

By Marianne Teitelbaum ISBN-13: 978-1-62055-782-2 (Healing Arts Press, 2019)

This book takes you way beyond theory and right into the realm of hands-on healing and research of both Eastern and Western approaches. As I wake up to the realization that we no longer live in the same world as our grandparents, or for that matter, our parents, it has come to my attention that information such as this is more than just an interesting read, it’s mandatory. If any part of the system breaks down it will eventually have an effect on the whole, and this is so true of the thyroid. The book ends with “Diet & Daily Routine,” so be aware that a lifestyle change is necessary for lasting results.

Dhara Lemos, Lotus Guide

Energy Medicine for Animals: The Bioenergetics of Animal Healing

By Diane Budd ISBN-13: 978-1-62055-840-9 (Findhorn Press, 2019)

OK, I need to admit right off that I’m out of my depth but this book answered some questions I didn’t realize I had, such as what truly happens psychically between animals and humans while in a healing mode? I know we’ve had many positive testimonials about a friend of ours, Cara Gubbins, PhD, because she has helped so many people in our community by doing this work. This book is timely in my area, where so many animals were traumatized by the Paradise Camp Fire. It seems that as we heal our animals we also heal a part of ourselves.

Dhara Lemos, Lotus Guide

Being Present: Cultivate a Peaceful Mind through Spiritual Practice

By Darren Cockburn ISBN-13: 978-1-84409-746-3 (Findhorn Press, 2018)

This book really spoke to me because when it came time to put away an addiction in my life, I shuddered to think that I would spend the rest of my life saying, “Just for today. …” Without a deeper spiritual connection and doing the hard work of being in the present moment, you might be able to “just say no” but if everything in you is saying “yes,” you will live out a life of inner conflict that breeds anger, contempt, and unconsciousness. My wife and I wrote a book called The 12 Spiritual Laws of Recovery and Meditations for the 12 Step Program and the few people who bought swore by it, but this path is not for the faint of heart.

Rahasya Poe, Lotus Guide

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Sunday Ananda Chico: Meditation and purification ceremony 10-10:30am, Sunday service with chanting, readings, and a talk based on the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda 10:30-11:30am.

Ananda Chico Meditation Center, 562 Manzanita Ave., Ste. 9, Chico, 530-343-0819. See ad on p. 19.

Unity of Oroville Church: Sunday services at 10:30am, preservice meditation at 10am, 1321 Robinson Street.

Science of Spirituality, Jyoti Inner Light Meditation, every fourth Sunday 3-4pm, Unitarian Fellowship-Youth Hall, 1289 Filbert Ave., Chico. 530-470-0310.

Special for the Paradise Center for Spiriual Living Now meeting at 2pm every second and fourth Sunday, 14 Hillary Lane (Chico)

Monday Guided Meditation, enjoy a peaceful, guided experience, 6-7pm at Ananda Chico Meditation Center, 530-343-0819, donation $5-10. See ad on p. 19.

Lyme Disease Support Group, meetings held 5:30-7pm on the third Monday of each month, Northwood Commons Clubhouse at Northwoods Commons Place in Chico. For more information call The Lyme Center, 530-877-6666.

Tuesday

Mindfulness Meditation, 5pm, 6 Governors Lane, Ste. A, Chico, new members welcome to join our mindfulness meditation group!

Contact Steve Flowers at 530-898-1495, donations only.

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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, contact Lindi at 530-228-8671. See ad on p. 19.

Wednesday 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 p. 19.

Thursday Belly Dance Practice, 7pm every Thursday at the Subud Hall, 574 E. 12th St., Chico, call Tanya at 530990-0994.

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

Plant-Based Chico, weight-loss coach and cooking instructor, free monthly meetings 6-8pm last Thursday of every month, Chico Guilds Hall, 2775 Nord Ave., Chico.

See ad on pg. 18.

Friday

Ananda Yoga, gentle poses with uplifting affirmations, small classes perfect for all levels, 8:30-9:30am, Ananda Chico Meditation Center, contact Lindi at 530-228-8671. See ad on p. 19.

Saturday Qi Gong and Tai Ji Quan, with Higgy Lerner, L.Ac., 11am-12:30pm at Yoga Center of Chico, 250 Vallombrosa Ave., Ste. 150, Chico, 530-343-8932. Qi gong and standing meditation, stretches, and yang-style tai ji.

Sky Creek Dharma Center, 9am-noon and 1:30-4:40pm first Saturday of each month, a monthly day of silent sitting and walking meditation, for more information call 530-893-8088, by donation.

Spiritual Activist Radio Show, where we “question their answers with Rahasya Uncensored,” 6pm every other Saturday at BBSradio.com/SpiritualActivist.

Mind Power Workshop, with Gayle Kimball, PhD, author of Essential Energy Tools book, CDs, and DVDs, noon-3pm monthly on first Saturday of the month at the Yoga Center of Chico, by T. Bar, $50 includes a meditation CD and a 400-page book if you RSVP at 345-8118, gkimball@csuchico.edu, or GayleKimball.info.

April

19th-21st: International Resilience Film Festival, Nevada City, visit ResilienceFilmFestival.com for details.

26th-28th: Expanding Light, A Women’s Retreat, Deepening Your Heart and Soul Strengths. Visit ExpandingLight. org for more information.

26th-28th: Expanding Light, Ananda Yoga for Bone Strength (Nurses Only).

Visit ExpandingLight.org for more information.

24th: Chico Sky Watch Free Movie Night, 7pm, Chico Library, Chico.

See ad on p. 30.

25th and May 2nd: Learn to Meditate,

Special Interest Two-Class Series, 7-8:30pm, learn powerful techniques to bring more peace and joy into your life, Ananda Chico Meditation Center, 530-343-0819, $40 includes a book and course materials.

See ad on p. 19.

27th: Learn to Meditate Saturday Workshop, 2-4pm, Ananda Chico Meditation Center, 530-343-0819, $30 includes a book and course materials.

Be the change! Learn to meditate for peace and harmony! See ad on p. 19.

May

Expanding Light Retreat, We are having ongoing retreats and workshops throughout May; visit ExpandingLight.org/calendar for details and information.

4th: Awaken Your Chakras with Flower Essences, 10am-1pm, learn how to strengthen your chakra system and improve the quality of your life, presented

by Lila Devi, founder of Spirit-in-Nature Flower Essences, Ananda Chico Meditation Center, 530-343-0819, sliding scale $20-30.

See ad on p. 19.

5th: Divine Joy Kirtan! 7:30-9pm, open your heart and lift your spirits during this special evening of devotional chanting and song with special guest Lila Devi from Ananda Village, 530-343-0819, $10.

See ad on p. 21.

18th: Lotus Guide Center Ribboncutting & Grand Opening 4pm, 6268 Skyway, Paradise. Invitations will be sent out via community email.

Contact us at info@LotusGuide for more information.

23rd & 30th: Learn to Meditate, TwoClass Series, 7-8:30pm, learn powerful techniques to bring more peace and joy into your life, Ananda Chico Meditation Center, 530-343-0819, $40 includes a book and course materials.

See ad on p. 19.

June Expanding Light Retreat: We are having ongoing retreats and workshops throughout June; visit ExpandingLight.org/calendar for details and information.

7th: LYME Aid Benefit Concert, 7-10pm, CARD Center, 545 Vallombrosa, Chico.

See ad on back cover.

8th: Deepen Your Intuition: Awaken the Powers of Inner Guidance, 2-4pm, learn powerful practices to help you develop and strengthen intuitive guidance, Ananda Chico Meditation Center, 530-343-0819, $20.

See ad on p. 19.

15th: Learn to Meditate Saturday Workshop, 2-4pm, Ananda Chico Meditation Center, 530-343-0819, $30 includes a book and course materials.

Be the change! Learn to meditate for peace and harmony! See ad on p. 19.

20th and 27th: Learn to Meditate, Two-Class Series, 7-8:30 pm, learn powerful techniques to bring more peace and joy into your life, Ananda Chico Meditation Center, 530-343-0819, $40 includes a book and course materials.

See ad on p. 19.

22nd: The Meaning of Inner Communion, 1:30-4:30pm, listen, journal, discuss, and share the wisdom of this recorded talk by Swami Kriyananda, founder of Ananda Worldwide, Ananda Chico Meditation Center, $15.

See ad on p. 19.

July Expanding Light Retreat: We are having ongoing retreats and workshops throughout July; visit ExpandingLight.org/calendar for details and information.

Please be responsible for updating your events, classes, and workshops.

Please email your changes to info@LotusGuide.com.

Thank you for your help and continued support.

For a more complete listing, visit our online Calendar of Events at

LotusGuide.com

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Are You Becoming Sensitive to More and More Foods?

A

recent JAMA study (Journal of the American Medical Association; January 2019) discovered that among the 26 million adults who have a food allergy, about half developed an allergy as an adult—that’s 1 in 10. In addition, more women (7.2 percent) than men (3 percent) were found to be afflicted, and some allergies are more commonly developed during adulthood (shellfish and wheat) than childhood (peanuts).

Some experts theorize that increased adult-onset allergies could be related to the rising rates of C sections that affect the microbiome of babies, increasingly sterile environments, and increased use of antibiotics—all conditions that affect the good bacteria in the intestinal tract, which in turn alters the immune system.

This study also found that almost twice as many adults (19 percent) think they have a food allergy but don’t test

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positive using the flagship medical method of testing for a food allergy— known as the IgE-mediated-allergy.

Why the symptoms but not an allergy?

Because they have a food sensitivity instead! In other words, when

you have the symptoms of an allergy and have been tested only to find out you do not have a true allergy according to your doctor, then you are not imaging things … you have developed a sensitivity to the food.

Estimates indicate that up to 50 percent of people have one or more food sensitivities. And here’s how it happens: Chemicals or mold in workplace and household settings, foods, a new pet, hormonal changes, and the process of aging are all factors that play a role in adult onset of allergies.

Environmental exposure built up over time from these common allergens, and the body’s accumulated toxic burdens, are two well-understood triggers for adult allergies.

What is less understood is the role our digestive system plays in developing allergies, especially as adults.

Did you know that 70 percent of the immune system is located in and

Body & Mind

around the gut and the digestion system?

Seventy percent! That means your gut has a lot to do with how the immune system reacts to foreign invaders—aka allergens.

In fact, our gut is the body’s first line of defense against bacteria, viruses, and parasites.

When we develop chronically poor digestion from eating foods that our body considers an allergen, our gut becomes inflamed, resulting in undigested food particles leaking into our bloodstream (called “leaky gut syndrome”). This explains why you could eliminate the trigger to an allergy, such as a food, pet, or household mold, but still have allergiclike reactions. Under such circumstances, the immune system becomes overtaxed by undigested food and has to work harder to eliminate the accumulated burden placed on it. This added burden accumulates over time and is especially relevant as we age (see graph above to the left).

An effective and systematic treatment approach is to first improve digestion and heal the leaky gut. This helps to lessen the stresses on the immune system so that it can do its job to eliminate the allergen(s), which then helps to lighten the daily burden on the body’s organs of detoxification.

This, in turn, resets the body’s ability to keep up with the toxic burden of allergens in our day-to-day environment.

If you have been suffering from itchy eyes, runny nose, bowel problems, or other annoying allergy-induced symptoms, we can help. Give us a call or visit our website at DigestionReliefCenter. com to find out how you can get relief. To see if our approach is right for you, please call Dr. Patrick’s office at 530-899-8741 to schedule your consultation.

Since 1999, Dr. Patrick Giammarise, DC, IHS, 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 DigestionReliefCenter.com. © 2019. Dr. Patrick Giammarise, DC, IHS. All Rights Reserved.

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P aradise A wakening

I

Becoming the Heroes of Our Own Story

n John Milton’s Paradise Lost the tragic figures are Adam and Satan— Adam because he succumbs to mortal weakness and Satan because of his fall into the dense fields of matter and time. The high strangeness of the story is the fact that John Milton died on the same date as the Paradise fire, November 8. Most people who have read Paradise Lost banter back and forth about who the real hero is but I have a totally different idea of who the hero is in this story. The story is told from the perspective of a third person so in a sense, the real heroes in this world are the storytellers who are able to tell the story in such a way that others can, in a Heinleinian sense, “grok” the meaning of what is going on.

What I’ve noticed lately is that most people who tell their story of tragedy and loss, anguish and fear, are telling it as a deeply involved third-person account of the events they experienced. It takes a lot of conscious awareness to tell it like it is and not fall into the depths of chaos and self-pity, which continually amazes me.

This is what it will take to make this our

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John Michael Sun & Susan Dobra story, a story of Paradise Awakening, our collective journey to become the heroes in our own story.

So, what will it take to be the hero in our own story? It will take what every story has demanded through time; it will take speaking out when no one else will or can, it will demand taking actions based on well thought-out research regardless of old dysfunctional outdated rules and regulations, and most of all, it will take standing on the shoulders of other brave souls so we can look further over the

horizon of what most people think is possible.

I recall going to a council meeting here in Paradise a couple of years ago when everyone was invited to speak about the legalization of medical marijuana.

Everyone there who spoke was for the legalization except one person who stood up to speak against it. He was against it because some kids, whom he assumed were high on marijuana, destroyed his mailbox. Other speakers tried to explain that in all their years of getting high, none went around destroying mailboxes. Truth be told, the kids were probably high on meth. But my point here is that the whole meeting turned into that one negative comment that was probably wrong. The disconnect between the city and the residents would have been embarrassing to anyone who was aware.

But we all walked out after the 3-to2 vote against the legalization and didn’t say much or address the fact that we were not represented by our “representatives.”

We can no longer afford to be apathetic to this disconnect with local officials.

Our communities here in Northern

Rahasya Uncensored California do not belong to elected representatives; our communities belong to us. I’ve been telling people on my radio show for a couple of years now that we need to learn the proper spelling of the word justice and spell it like it is: “Just-Us.” The sooner we realize this the better.

I think it’s time to take a hard look at history and learn from it.

Our presidents, czars, emperors, and kings have never really accomplished anything lasting for the welfare of the common person; it’s always for their elite circles disguised as helping the people in some altruistic way.

Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” But because we have been disempowered by everything from our educational system, our financial systems, governments, and extreme religious beliefs, we have lost sight of the power we have in creating and manifesting a better and more equitable life for everyone.

Like it or not, we are awakening from the American Dream and realizing that all is not what it appears to be in the world. Almost every war has been fought on false premises that are now out in the open, our legal system exists only for the rich and well connected, our public educational system is an embarrassment in many parts of the world where they value the youth above all else, and the way we care for our elders would be criminal in some parts of the world. But the masses are so dumbed down that even though 38 percent of the American public no longer accepts the official story of 9-11 or the fact that more than 70 percent of the American public believes that we are being visited by unidentified flying objects in our atmosphere, I, along with many others, are labeled conspiracy theorists by the corporate media. We live in such a

polarized society that it’s impossible to have a dialogue about whether President Trump did something good or bad—either way you have half the country up in arms and outright hating you.

Even now I am hesitant to publish this article but this is what I mean about being the hero of your own story; right or wrong, we all should be able to voice our opinions in the face of whatever and whomever is out there. Once again, as we look back in our planet’s history, we should keep in mind the fact that every ancient civilization is either in ruins or has been completely wiped off the face of the Earth and every one of them had it in their heads that they would last forever … until they didn’t.

As our Northern California communities such as Paradise rebuild, we would do well to realize that it will never be the same, nor should it be; why create the same situation that got us where we are today? Like it or not, we have been “reformatted,” which gives us a chance to create something amazing and different.

This has to be our decision because it’s us who will be living out our lives here, not the Rothschild-owned PG&E, not the federal agencies, it’s us, Just-Us, who need to stand up and demand a change in how we want to live out our lives.

So, regard this as a “call to take action,” a call to all of us to speak up and a call to the local representatives to start listening to the very people who put them in their positions. We all see trees that are perfectly healthy being chopped down and hauled away by what can only be called “catastrophe profiteers,” and we see PG&E replacing electric poles that were burned down by yet another wood pole and not even upgrading all of its electric lines to some of the better-insulated lines needed in forested areas. Isn’t this the definition of insanity? This would be the perfect time to bury a lot of lines and at the same time add fiber optics for high-speed Internet, but instead, the powerful communications agencies such as the FCC are “deploying” 5G technology (read my article in this issue and listen to a show I did on this at BBSradio.com/SpiritualActivist). We have a window of opportunity to stand up and speak out and demand our rights as living and breathing human beings. Remember this above all else: We have inalienable rights that cannot be taken away; they can only be given away.

Of course, this article would not be complete without thanking the first responders and all the agencies who came here to help. Truth be told, no one could have prepared for what happened in Paradise but from what I have seen everyone was doing the best they could under the circumstances. Although I have to say that I was happy to see the military police come…and go  Important Update: You probably don’t know this but there’s a legal way to hold “people” financially responsible who have traditionally hidden behind corporate shields. They are doing this in other countries such as Canada regarding smart meters. Listen to my interview with Cal Washington, who is behind this movement, at BBSradio.com/SpiritualActivist.

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Rahasya Uncensored

GeoEngineering

Is Fueling Firestorm Catastrophes

NOTE from LG: It’s obvious to anyone with a few brain cells still firing that “something” is going on out of the ordinary on our planet and specifically in Northern California regarding the wildfires. Here’s where many of us get into trouble when it comes to not defining “something.” After a long hard search on some of the theories I’ve been hearing about, I’ve yet to get hard evidence on things such as directed energy weapons (DEW), for instance. As tempting as it is to simply believe some of these stories with no evidence, I think it’s far more important to look at what we know for sure while we continue to look for evidence to prove or disprove things such as DEW. I talked with Dane Wigington on the phone about this and the evidence is clear that geoengineering is a contributing factor to the wildfires and what he calls “incendiary dust” very well could be a contributing to the intensity of these fires.

There’s no doubt that we are living in desperate times that call for desperate measures, but when those measures are shown to make things worse we need to

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regroup, reevaluate, and try something else. Personally, I’m not sure what to do but I do know that these programs and others such as 5G technology need to be researched and fully transparent so we the people can take part and have a say-so.

By Dane Wigington Yet again forests in the Western United States are incinerating at the same time that the U.S. East Coast is anomalously wet and cool. All official sources are blaming the rapidly increasing extreme and deadly wildfire behavior on global warming alone, but is that the full truth? What factors are “official sources” not informing us of in regard to the increasingly destructive wildfires?

The NASA satellite image above reveals massive climate-engineering operations being carried out over vast expanses of the Pacific Ocean off the West Coast of the United States. The geoengineering/solar radiation– management operations completely disrupt the hydrological cycle and thus fuel drought and fires (a scenario that has been ongoing). The image was captured on Saturday, July 28, 2018. This happened to be the day that a long-planned climate engineering–awareness and call-to-action event had to be canceled in Redding, California, because of the Carr Fire. Smoke from the Carr Fire is clearly visible on the NASA satellite image.

Though there are countless forms of human activity damaging the climate and biosphere, illegal global climate engineering/solar radiation–management operations are a primary causal factor fueling catastrophic wildfires all over the globe (which official sources are not disclosing). Climate engineering is completely disrupting the hydrological cycle, triggering increasing dry lightning, destroying the ozone layer, contaminating soils, and covering everything at ground level with an incendiary dust (from the fallout from atmosphere-spraying programs). Geoengineering is nothing less than weather warfare.

All around the world forests are incinerating at an ever more-rapid rate being further fueled by the climate engineering assault. If the current trajectory of biosphere collapse continues, these forests are not coming back.

All of us must work together in the effort to fully expose and halt the ongoing climate engineering/weather warfare assault. How? By circulating credible data from a credible source. Make your voice heard in this all-important battle.

For more information go to GeoEngineeringWatch.org.

Tune in to KZFR 90.1, where “Ask Dr. Gayle” broadcasts 6-7pm the second Thursday of each month.

Q: I had psychic insight in real time, when I knew a friend my age had died (when everyone including me was sitting at a school celebration banquet and wondering why he was late!). This made me wonder why I would “know” that information, and how horrible to think it!

A: Quantum physics found that entangled particles instantaneously communicate from a distance, although physicists don’t understand what allows for this connection (they discuss this, and how time is not linear so we can sometimes read the future, on my YouTube channel.

I post interviews with visionary scientists for a book in progress.). Indian philosophers have known about this information field for thousands of years; they call it the Akashic records, referring to the Sanskrit word for “stuff.” Famous channel Edgar Cayce believed he was reading from this kind of library of human experience. My book Essential Energy Tools: How to Develop Your Clairvoyant and Healing Abilities explains how to be in control of these insights.

Q: I have a lot of duties as a parent, spouse, and worker. How can I include spirituality in my daily life?

A: Link positive visualizations to routine tasks, such as ground when you brush your teeth, imagine healing energy pouring in when you shower, and release old baggage when you go to the toilet.

Give thanks and blessings before you eat or if you pick a flower or fruit. I towel off after a shower rubbing the meridians the right way and massage reflexology points in my hands, feet, and ears when I’m sitting. Search the Internet for charts

to show you the correspondence of a sore spot to a body part. Listen to my meditation tape (I created a CD for kids too) when you’re doing chores (GayleKimball.info).

Q: Now that Paradise and other Camp Fire burn areas need to be rebuilt almost from scratch, what models exist of progressive cities?

A: The global Municipalism Movement is headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, led by Mayor Ada Colau. “Fearless Cities” network organizes conferences and produced a book titled Fearless Cities: A Guide to the Global Municipalist Movement, 2019. The movement values listening to constituents in open-source platforms and neighborhood groups. It aims to “feminize politics,” which values cooperation over competition, expressing doubts rather than asserting ego, and balancing work and family. Another aspect of the movement is developing clean energy and carbon-free cities, and the sharing or solidarity economy such as bike sharing, time banks, and co-ops.

In the United States, several networks are Local Progress for progressive municipal elected officials and Symbiosis, a “confederation of democratic community institutions.” Outside Magazine featured an article on six habits of highly successful cities by Will Cockrell.

Q: It’s hard for me to stay focused on something. What can I do?

A: If you’re reading, use your hands by taking notes or underlining. To get chores done, write each task on an index card, sort them by priority, and focus your attention on the top card. Also do Brain Gym exercises shown online to make sure you’re balanced. I start my Mind Power workshops with cross-crawls and other exercises that enable optimal learning.

Read about ADD or chronic stress and see if they could be the underlying issue.

Q: I take on my alcoholic son’s pain.

How can I separate my feelings from his?

A: Remind yourself that one of the reasons we’re on the planet is to grow through working through challenges.

You can’t solve his problems for him, but you can suggest that he find a compatible AA group where he can learn how other people moved into recovery and listen to him when he feels needy.

Q: I doubt myself although I’m doing well, making a contribution to society, and saving money. How can I have more confidence?

A: Sometimes there’s a family generational imprint, which homeopathy calls a miasm or cloud in the energy system. It feels like many generations of your ancestors have felt inadequate.

Remind yourself of today’s date and that you choose to keep your family’s positive characteristics and release the negative.

Read about epigenetics, the science that discovered that our gene expression changes depending on our environment.

Q: I’m looking for a partner but not having any luck. What to do?

A: Let the universe know what you want and then affirm it will happen at the right time. Anxiety, fear, and neediness block the information flow. Plan to be at an event at least once a week where you could meet someone compatible without having any expectations but to enjoy it.

Taking a look at online dating sites is a way to signal your interest to a higher power. Also, let your friends know in case they can introduce you to interesting singles and check out advice books on this topic.

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BE AWARE!

The Hidden Dangers of 5G

A

By Rahasya Poe s you can easily imagine, knowing what to write about can be a daunting task because so many things are happening on our planet that have dire consequences. I will list a few topics that we’ve covered in the past and I also need to say this … I have officially reached a point in where I “know” goes on in this world, and I no longer feel comfortable in disseminating that information in our magazine. For that, you will need to listen to my radio show (BBSradio.com/SpiritualActivist); all I can say is that some of the things happening right under our noses go beyond most people’s most depraved imaginations. So, let’s look at a few topics that most people can handle that we’ve covered in past issues of the Lotus Guide and that have ended up being very serious issues, and then I will explain why I think the topic of 5G is the most important subject to look at right now. And I might add that in our Jan/Feb/Mar Winter issue we dedicated most of the coverage to the Camp Fire and now we think it’s time to start looking through the chaos to make sure we make the right decisions going forward. I’ve been reading the Chico News & Review lately and see that it is doing an amazing job of disseminating up-to-date information on resources and what has been going on since the fire, so this gives us the opportunity

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to explore other topics that are indirectly linked to what happened here in Paradise and the surrounding area that will have an impact on our future.

Most of these articles can be read online at LotusGuide.com.

Social Media Addiction: Issue 67, 2018, covers the addictive nature of social platforms such as Facebook and how we are being programmed. A note of interest is that the Lotus Guide is widely read by college students who want to know what’s going on, but this issue was hardly picked up at all on college campuses. Why? Well, it’s that word programmed that steps in here; I’m sure they read the front cover and quickly passed it by. Since that issue Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO, has been called to Congress about Facebook’s algorithms and their legality and effect on the population.

Artificial Intelligence: Issue 65 looked into AI and how some of the most brilliant people on the planet say it will be the undoing of human civilization as we know it. It’s been recently shown that AI makes life-and death-decisions with drone attacks on humans. This is indeed a slippery slope.

The Dakota Access Pipeline: Issue 61 provideded an in-depth look at what was going on with this situation. Now we have

leaky pipelines and another disaster lurking in the future of our environment.

The True Cost of Technology: Issue 60 took a hard look into the fact that almost every piece of technology we have requires a mineral, coltan, which for the most part is found only in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Because it is not properly mined by a “trusted corporation,” which concept in itself is an oxymoron in today’s world, most of the money goes to support terrorist groups and in the process, destroys the environment that the country’s gorillas depend on for survival.

Addiction: Issue 59 predicted what we now find ourselves in the middle of—an opioid addiction problem. It’s no longer a secret that opioid/heroin addiction is at an all-time high since we invaded Afghanistan and started guarding its poppy fields.

Whistle-blowers have been warning us for decades about how the bulk of drugs are

Rahasya Uncensored waves. Here we are today and the tumors are showing up all over the planet from cell phone use and close proximity to cell phone towers. The situation is about to get far worse with 5G.

entering our country … and I’m sure most of you know the organization I’m referring to, which is the CIA, which goes all the way back to the mid 1970s and earlier.

CERN Hadron Collider: Issue 56 may have gone beyond what some of our readers could handle. Even the director of CERN said scientists expected something to come through the portal they were attempting to open and that maybe we would send something through it … what is this “something?” Many scientists and researchers involved are highly conCERNed about where this technology came from, but this subject goes far too deep to cover here.

We’re Exposed to 100 Million Times More EMF Waves Than Our Grandparents Were: Issue 52 looks at the scientific data dealing with everything from brain tumors that were expected (this was in 2014) to genetic damage done by EMF

Climate Change: Issue 51 went deep into this subject through an interview with Guy McPherson and an article by Dane Wigington on weather modification. Even though this subject is being exposed, these programs are continuing to this day and are continuing to destroy the very air we breathe and the environment we depend on for life.

Is Reality Real?: Issue 48 took a look at why most scientists now believe we live in a holographic universe or an AI simulation.

This subject has taken on an even stranger dimension with the acceleration of technology.

Are We Alone?: In Issue 45 we published interviews with leading researchers in this field that make it abundantly clear that we are not alone … and never have been, according to almost every ancient civilization on this planet. This was back in 2013 and since then many pilots, high-level military personnel, and astronauts are speaking out in clear language that advanced beings of unknown origin in our solar system are flying around in our airspace.

Earthships and Rethinking How We Build Our Homes: In Issue 44 we wrote about the necessity of building more sustainably with homes that need no heating or air-conditioning and that are fireproof. Well, I think we can all agree that we should rethink how we live and be more resilient with our changing climate … it’s a little late for some but it’s not too late to wake up and change how we build our homes.

The End of Growth: Issue 42 includes an interview with Richard Heinberg, who gave a two-hour lecture at Chico State and when he opened for questions a young female student timidly raised her hand and asked, “After listening to you I’m not sure what I should be taking here to prepare for my future.” Richard looked around and said, “Well, I hate to say this but there’s very little here that will help you prepare for the world you are growing up in: Learn a trade, how to grow food, and live as close to clean water as you can.”

Compassionate Care: Issue 40 in 2011 included an interview we conducted with the Chico police chief at the time in which he said the laws have to change to open the door to medical marijuana.

Well, I’m sure you’ve noticed that things are changing.

What the #?@! Are They Spraying On Us?: Issue 39, 2011, made a lot of us “look up” to see what we were writing

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about. Recently with the Paradise fires it is suspected that the aluminum oxide accounts for the high temperatures that melted steel and glass.

Anti-Cancer: Issue 37 showed that cancer treatments do exist that people are using to heal themselves that are not part of the allopathic treatments such as chemo and radiation. Now it’s well known and there are hospitals where you can go for these treatments … in other countries.

Hidden in Plain Sight: In an interview with James Wasserman, Issue 33 exposed the hidden Masonic symbols in Washington, DC, and what that means to our society.

OK … so I’m sure that by now you are asking what could possibly be more important than any of the above subjects?

The short answer is 5G. We don’t have space for the long answer but I will give a brief explanation of facts and a little theory that I will keep separate.

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Facts: We are living and breathing in an ocean of 2,3, and 4G EMF waves along with the cell towers and WiFi signals in almost every public place, all of which are now shown to have a detrimental effect on our mental, emotional, and physical health—by the way, the G stands for “generation.” So why on Earth would any sane person in his or her right mind “deploy” a 5G system that is exponentially more dangerous to our health? Pay close attention to the words the government agencies use—for example deploy, which is used in the military when it rolls out a new system. To answer the previous question, no sane person would do this without “any” research, as admitted to by the FCC. But I beg to differ; I think agencies such as the FCC know exactly what they are doing, but this is a theory we will get to.

All previous frequencies were ultrahigh frequencies used by the cellular industry that have been shown to be unhealthy to human biology and even to our plants and trees. But now, the industry wants to “deploy” a system that uses very high-millimeter waves that will require

millions of cell phone antennas with more power. Why? Because those frequencies require closer proximity and/or higher power to blast them out. There are plans to put up 22,000 new satellites so they can bathe the whole planet in 5G, and the spokespeople for the industry say that there will be one antenna every two to 10 homes, which means they will be right beside your child’s bedroom in many cases.

Why: The federal agencies and the communication corporations say it’s so we can do things such as surgery at a distance with robotic technology, play real-time online games, download movies more quickly, and … now it’s time for “theory.”

Theory: It’s always important to separate what we know from what we suspect. The reason I think this is more important by far than the topics we have covered above and topics we have yet to cover—such as “directed energy weapons,” for instance—is that this 5G technology is also used by the military for things such as crowd control, mood control of masses of people, and

Rahasya Uncensored recently it’s been leaked that the military-industrial corporations can implant thoughts and cause auditory hallucinations and voices to be heard in your head. This is a “fact,” but the theory comes in when we try to imagine what they might be wanting to use this technology for. In the foreseeable future, we may find ourselves in a situation in which we no longer can make a choice or decide for ourselves what to do. There are more than 20 research programs that the government has unleashed on an unsuspecting public—the “Tuskeegee Experiment” is but one of many.

Back in the 1970s the CIA was caught experimenting with mind control and after a lot of bad press and release of its distasteful experiments it said, “OK, we’ll quit doing that.” Really, do you think the mind-control experiments have stopped?

You can be assured that the research/ experiments with advanced technology have not stopped. This is probably why the FCC was so bold in saying that it has not

done any research on 5G when it probably knows exactly what it is doing; it just doesn’t want us to know. It gets stranger from this point on, and at some point you realize you are not falling down the rabbit hole; we are all deep in the rabbit hole trying to climb out.

I recently did a radio show on this topic with what the experts are saying and with the admissions of the director of the FCC that it has not done the research but “we’re going to make a lot of money.” You

can listen to the show at BBSradio. com/SpiritualActivist. We make every attempt to write about subjects that need our attention; that’s our part, and your part is to pay attention, do your own research, and at the same time find a way to balance it out by daily meditation, reaching out into the world around you, and helping to evolve your/our consciousness.

Here’s a quick reminder that at LotusGuide.com you can find almost every article ever published in our magazine, which include many uplifting and inspiring ways to look at life, increase consciousness, heal your body and mind, and the list goes on. I suppose what I’m attempting to bring out is the fact that I’m not a doom-and-gloom person, but there are far too many people in our world who are quite simply … asleep, and who need to wake up to the amazing opportunity that lies before us as we evolve into a much higher state of awareness.

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A Camp Fire Story On Change and Miracles

I

By Doug Newsom am so overwhelmingly grateful since that fateful day on November 8, 2018, the day my family lost everything in Paradise during the California Camp Fire!

The day my twin brother, his wife and four teenagers, and I lost our home, our business, our possessions, our community, our sense of security and safety, and our retirement savings. We don’t have a picture of our parents or an item we cherished to hold on to anymore. And I can’t stop

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saying, Thank you! Every day is a miracle!

Every single day since tragedy struck!

Last year, I wrote an article in the Lotus Guide in which I mentioned that BBS Network (BBS Radio) had just completed its solar installation (to do the right thing), and that we might be the first company in the industry to operate 100 percent on solar power. It was an achievement, along with others that were completed just weeks and months before the fire, that took years to accomplish (a lifetime). BBS Network was at the apex of the industry and well situated to grow rapidly into the foreseeable future. Everything we’d worked for, what we’d hoped to accomplish and set in motion, was finally complete and ready for launch. We were excited! A lifetime of work and dreams were emerging (converging). Then tragedy struck (and we may never reach that level again).

Great change of terrible proportion is something we’ve experienced regularly.

We’ve had everything

taken from us or stolen from us more than a half dozen times. We’ve also lost our home and possessions in three separate events. In a couple of instances, my brother and I were capable of retirement before the event occurred. In every instance, we lost everything of financial value.

It was after one of these events, the most costly, that I gained the most personally—a spontaneous Kundalini after two years of inner reflection and hours of daily meditation. It was a period when I had to forgive the world and embrace it, or quite frankly, go insane. I was seeking ways to make sense of terrible events, caused by bad people and nature, one after the next for a period of 20 years.

A human soul who wants to grow in wisdom and compassion can not do so in a bubble!

During times of great change, we evolve the most. This is true for all living things, which change genetically to adapt to changing circumstances. We know from history that levels of higher awareness are most often obtained (abruptly) after major events (periods of fasting, long periods of quiet meditation, near-death experiences,

Rahasya Uncensored our way of empowering the world! It’s our dream! It’s our way of exploring and sharing many points of view, not just one. It’s our chosen vehicle to effect positive change. It means everything to us, and we got it back through the compassion of others (most we don’t know), unexpectedly (because of a competitor).

Donald and I have never taken from others. We’ve turned down every manner of gift and offer of help since we were Douglas & Donald Newsom, boys. We are very independent, founders of BBS Network (BBS Radio) so accepting this generosity took loss of a loved one, major societal changes, even deeper levels of awareness etc.). These Quickening moments help (deeper levels of humility)! But once we define us (good and bad) and we must showed our need and vulnerabilities to the embrace them (and be grateful). world, it repaid us with kindness, cradling The definition of insanity—being us with support (weakness was our greatest unforgiving! strength).

My brother and I are extremely I often surmise that change, like positive people. We love what we do, which karma, has a reciprocating affect, meaning has a positive impact in this world (we don’t be surprised if the forces of change have a purpose). We tend to think outside you release come back at you (in more ways the box. We set goals. We motivate each than you can expect). other. We thrive in competition. We are Dogma or ignorance is the result of workaholics. We get over things quickly. no thought ... no, more thought upon, that Traits that come in handy when calamity strangles the host. To come together, we strikes! must think of right and wrong, and good Yet for us, this time around, they and bad, based on everyone else’s point were all seemingly unnecessary, because an of view (not just our own). We don’t grow outpouring of generosity from a thousand from the known, but by knowing more! souls showered us almost immediately Ultimately, we’d like to find peace in that and continuously (even before we could knowledge (this understanding guides us)! recognize what was happening). As a result, It can be said, a sense of purpose BBS Network (BBS Radio) was back in grants you clarity. business 30 days later. How does one ever Donald and describe the feelings that come from this I knew what we had level of awareness? How does one ever give to do within hours enough thanks? And it was a competitor of this tragedy. We in the industry that started, created, and had to get back in managed the donations (what company business as fast as does that for another?) because it cared humanly possible about our well-being. (because our BBS Radio is our future! It is work had a higher

purpose)! Such a motivation in life has no equal. A purpose that goes beyond the self!

Because BBS Radio affected so many people (positively), it gave us the motivation to overcome all challenges, and BBS Network rose from the ashes (during a period of total chaos) in a few short weeks.

A little advice: Ultimately, no matter what happens, when tragedy strikes, remain calm. Be more observant and try to provide assistance and comfort to those around you. This will help you as much as others to keep from feeling sad, scared, angry, or some other undesired emotion (because you must now show strength). As soon as possible, create a plan of action, a list of things you need to accomplish. Just do it! It will guide you! See things in terms of possibilities. Embrace the mystery and newness, and tell yourself over and over that something good will come of this! Be positive!

When in doubt, get help!

In this instance, given the magnitude of the financial losses, we sought out help.

In most cases, it’s not what you know or how you think, it’s whom you know that benefits you the most! In our opinion, the single most important person to know (to find) is a good lawyer! Period! This is true for every single major event we’ve ever had to deal with during the past 30 years.

Call our lawyers!

They’re impressive! 530-812-1120

Visit us: BBSRadio.com

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