LOVE | January • February 2010 Central Florida’s Green and Conscious Living Magazine | FREE
Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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Secrets For Living A Magnificent Life
Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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Secrets For Living A Magnificent Life
Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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Instead, how about being receptive to the greater Divine Love that already resides within our hearts? If anyone ever questions you about your trusting and optimistic nature in the midst of economic downturns or unhappy relationships, how about answering with, “My trust in the Living, Loving God Being unites and provides for me every loving experience I could possibly imagine.”
I invite you to remember:
God is Love, We are that Love, I am that Love, And so it is!
“Without love nothing can be accomplished. With love all things are possible…LOVE IS GOD.” —Ernest Holmes My trusting nature is often met with skepticism. Having an optimistic approach to life seems to disturb some people who have not discovered the joy of trusting the Living, Loving God Presence within themselves and everyone else.
Rev. Cay Thompson, D.D. has been a Science of Mind (SOM) Practitioner for 47 years, a student of SOM for 51 years, a Religious Science Minister for 19 years, and a United Church of Religious Science (UCRS) Ecclesiastical Representative (Eastern/Mid-Western US) from 1999-2002. She was recently awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity. Please see ad for Golden Triangle Center for Spiritual Living See ad below.
Many people go through life “looking for love in all the wrong places” (to quote a portion of a song sung years ago) and complaining how little love there is in their lives. Some feel they cannot be happy unless their closest family member or spouse or partner is making them happy. They tell me they can only truly enjoy life if this happiness need is fulfilled. I believe this kind of thinking is far from the truth. There is a Living, Loving God Presence already within us which, when we turn to this Presence, Spirit (or whatever you choose to call God), will awaken you and me to ways in which we can live more loving and happier lives. I have discovered that trying to get something (like love or happiness), which we already have, is unnecessary. Another discovery I have made is that looking for love (or happiness) merely provides me with more looking experiences.
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Secrets For Living A Magnificent Life
Volume 23 January · February 2010 LOVE A S T RO LO G Y
2012
50 65
2012 and the Opening of the First Seal
BY RAVEN MOONDANCE
C A L E N DA R O F E V E N TS
BY RAHANSIA P. BEN-MEJURI
SKY KEEPERS: A Novel of the Final Prophecy
New!
D I R E C TO RY
44-45
28-30
46-47
A QUICK AND EASY GUIDE TO FINDING SUPPORT FOR YOUR MAGNIFICENT LIFE
A BOOK REVIEW BY KALI TELANA
ANIMALS
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Kitty “Come Hithers” BY COLLEEN GORDON
ARTS
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The Word On Books: Suggested Reading CHARITY
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FA M I LY
A Whole Lot of Love: Manatees
Global Campaign to Support the Tibetan People
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Balanced Pregnancy
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A Grain of Truth BY LAUREL MOLL
The Journey of Consciousness Exploration BY MICHAEL VELASQUEZ
33 Ways to Love Your Community
BY JULIE NORRIS, CONTRIBUTING COMMUNITY EDITOR
23 Bamboo Arts Center, DeLeon Springs 68 Discover Wellness Weekend
BY KATEYAH KAPASHAH
FOOD
Free Goods at Throwplace.com
CONSCIOUS COMMUNITY
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22 Emotional Eating 26 How to Avoid Junk Food Vegetarianism BY MICHAEL JOSEPH
BY SUZANNE DIXON, MPH, MS, RD
GREEN
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Clean=Healthy BY LIAM HAIL
To the Trash or the Recyle Bin? BY DENISE GAINER
Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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HEALTH AND HEALING
16 18
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Expressions of Love BY DAWN GATES, MASTER HERBALIST
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Self Care Is Self-Love BY CLAUDIA VIRGA
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62 66
BY RONALD A. ALEXANDER, PhD
Be Healed: Step Into the Garden
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33
Honoring Coyote Medicine
BY DR. VALERIE FRANCES NUNNELLY
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The Power of Reflexology to Transform... BY LAURA NORMAN
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Loving Relationships: The Purpose of God BY CHRISTOPHER TIMS
43 Shine a Light on It 55 Love Hurts 56 The Mysteries of Prema
BY HOLLY RIGGS
BY DIANE J ACKERMAN
Conjure Woman BY CHONTEAU MC ELVIN
BY DAVID B. WOLF, PhD
S P I R I T UA L I T Y
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Ayurveda: Living In Harmony with Nature BY RICHARD A. MASLA, ND
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Endless Love BY SILVER HORSE R E L AT I O N S H I P S
The Real Way to Increase Your Energy ...
BY RAMAH WAGNER, DC, CONTRIBUTING HEALTH EDITOR
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Finding Balance in Love BY DAVID BOTSFORD You Can Let Go of Negative Self-Judgments
BY EMILY RUFF, CONTRIBUTING GREEN EDITOR
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Choose Yourself!
BY ANITA TORRES, CONTRIBUTING SUCCESS EDITOR
VSV BY CHARNG WANG, AP, MA, PT, CMT
Love BY REV DR CAY THOMPSON
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Transformation~Freedom
There’s Only One Thing Left
BY PURUSHA K. RADHA, PUBLISHER-EDITOR
BY PURUSHA K. RADHA, PUBLISHER-EDITOR
INSPIR ATION
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If I Knew Then What I Know Now BY FLYING MOONEAGLE
27 Looking for What’s Right 32 Letting Go of the Story 38 An Open Letter to My Self Worth
BY CYNTHIA MACMILLAN
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40 8
Create the Life You Were Born to Live
66
The Universal One Mind BY ERICA BOUCHÉR
58 59
BY TINA SHAFER, CPHI
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Love Is Being
BY DR ALBERT NUÑEZ, CONTRIBUTING SPIRITUAL LIFE EDITOR
BY ERICA BOUCHÉR
BY CHRISTINE SOKOLOWSKI
Live Life in a Zero Stress Zone BY YOGI AMRIT DESAI
Secrets For Living A Magnificent Life
The Perceiving Power of Our Mind BY REV. MARY BLOCHER
Finding Compassion BY REV. DONNA WEINHEIMER
contributing editors
Purusha K. Radha PUBLISHER-EDITOR
Karish Havatay GRAPHIC DESIGN
Nancy Butler-Ross ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Julie Norris CONTRIBUTING COMMUNITY EDITOR
Emily Ruff
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CONTRIBUTING GREEN EDITOR
Ramah Wagner, D.C. CONTRIBUTING HEALTH EDITOR
1 Contributing Community Editor Julie Norris is manager and co-proprietor of Dandelion Communitea Café, founding board director of the Progressive Local Alliance for Community Enrichment (PLACE) and serves on the boards of Slow Food and Mills Fifty Mainstreet. She’s an avid supporter of the local art, music and food culture, and showcases the diverse people and happenings in ‘Ourlando’ on her weekly radio program, Front Porch Radio. Her passion for community, delicious fair food, the environment and culture are the driving forces behind all her endeavors. More on her ventures: http://www.dandelioncommunitea.com http://www.frontporchradio.wordpress.com and http://www.ourlando.com.
2 Contributing Green Editor
Emily Ruff, herbalist, is director of the Florida School of Holistic Living in Orlando, a 501c3 nonprofit educational institution committed to creating sustainable communities by empowering individuals to reclaim their radiant well-being through reconnecting with the natural world. Emily has studied herbalism on three continents over the past decade and consults individuals on holistic nutrition, herbalism, aromatherapy and flower essences. Contact Emily at FSHL: 407-595-3731. Visit http://www.HolisticLivingSchool.org.
3 Contributing Health Editor Ramah Wagner, D.C. is a third generation chiropractor with degrees from the University of Iowa and of South Dakota. She received her graduate degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic (the founding college of chiropractic). Watch for Dr. Ramah Wagner’s new book, “The Health of Business - How to Balance Your Life for Greater Return.” Dr. Ramah is available for speaking events and intensives. Visit http://www.DoctorRamah.com or call: 352-589-5443. http://www.HealthOfBusiness.com.
Anita Torres CONTRIBUTING SUCCESS EDITOR
Albert J. Nuñez, DVM, CVA CONTRIBUTING SPIRITUAL LIFE EDITOR
Velocity Magazine is an independent Central Florida regional publication distributed in more than 500 locations in Orange, Seminole, Volusia, Lake, Sumter, Marion and Alachua Counties.
Advertising Inquiries 407-454-3443; 352-357-7122 ReadVelocity@comcast.net Subscriptions $24 Call with credit card 407-454-3443; 352-357-7122 Or email your subscription request ReadVelocity@comcast.net We Welcome Your Feedback ReadVelocity@comcast.net P. O. Box 132, Mount Dora, FL 32756 The Velocity Vision
4 Contributing Success Editor Anita Torres, owner of Alternative Learning Designs, is a Certified Professional in Learning and Performance and a Certified Emotional Intelligence Coach specializing in leadership development for individuals, organizations, and families. Contact her by email at alt@altlearningdesigns.com.
5 Contributing Spiritual Life Editor Albert J. Nuñez, DVM, CVA is a lifelong mystic and student of spirituality. He has studied and applied many of the profound practices and tenets of Catholicism, Shamanism, Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Zen, Kabbalah, Paganism, Mysticism, Hinduism, Tantra, energy and sound healing, “Shadow Work,” Kundalini Yoga, many forms of meditation, and Qi Gong. A spiritual and cultural musician and recording artist, his first CD is entitled “Earth School Now.” He is an environmental advocate and educator, nature lover, happy hippy tree-hugger, and rescuer of many baby squirrels. He has been practicing fully integrated and wholistic veterinary medicine for almost 20 years, with two Animal Hospitals in the greater Orlando area. Dr. Al is committed to awakening human beings to their highest self. Contact him at 407-897-8555 or visit: myspace.com/animalhospitaloflakemary
To serve as a catalyst in raising the velocity of mass consciousness as we strive to create a new world that embraces lasting peace, sharing and cooperation. All material contained in this issue ©2009 PKR Communications- Velocity Magazine. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without express permission from the publisher. The views expressed in Velocity represent the opinions and beliefs of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of Velocity or its staff. Velocity is not responsible for the contents, products or services represented in any advertisement.
Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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As you probably have noticed, each issue of Velocity bears a theme and we try to make the theme pertinent to the time of year. We hesitated choosing Love for the January/February issue for a couple of years. It’s an overdone concept, we thought, but visions of rich red hearts and loving embrace photos inside articles started to feel so very exciting, so yes! Love, it shall be for our first issue of 2010! As I read the magnificent articles contributed and we scout for just the right photos and graphic images to use, I ask myself, why didn’t we choose this theme earlier? How can we ever miss with LOVE, it being the most powerful force in the Universe?! As you hold this magazine in your hands, I hope you feel what I have felt as we crafted this gift for you. I hope you feel loved and cared for. I hope you feel how important you are in this world because we dedicate ourselves to creating a carefully planned banquet of food for your mind and spirit through this publication. Have I ever told you that our hearts pour into every page just for you? Have I ever told you that as we lay out this communication vehicle for the Divine, we pray and send you love vibrations so that all our lives may be uplifted and transformed in the highest? Have I ever told you that YOU are the reason for Velocity’s existence and that whether you know it or not, you propel us every single day to keep on keeping on? This is my Valentine to you. Publishing Velocity is such an enormous part of my life, perhaps you could say I and the magazine are one. My greatest Wayshower/teacher of all time once told me to be careful not to overly identify myself with my service. This is a great contemplation for me and perhaps for you, too. At times, I contemplate who or what would I be or feel if the magazine, my fabulous Apple computer and software, the wonderful people I have come to know and love to work with, even my ability to type the words or to mentally conceive of the Divine symphony we create with each issue, were all taken away from me? Who or what would I be without my son, my lover, my brothers and sisters, my home, my car, my health, my physical body?
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When I contemplate being stripped of every single thing I know and love in my life, and even all that I don’t even like very much, when I see myself so completely naked that even my physical body no longer exists, I see and feel only one thing is left. LOVE. Love is, indeed, what is left when you take everything else away. This is our essence. It’s covered over by the illusory construct we live in, yet it is so powerful that even the construct cannot completely bury it. Mighty force that it is, it bursts forth from our hearts, some days more spectacularly than others, but it does always prevail. Anything that powerful has to be the Divine Itself for it can surmount and overcome even the most awful, the worst, the ugliest actions on earth. We may view the earth as broken, hurting and cruel and all of those things may be true, but there is an awful lot more love winding its way around the planet than indifference. The God Essence cannot ever be stifled completely and it lives in us. Let us go out into the world this 2010 and love, love, love. When we begin to have a thought of judgment, let us remember we each have our own plate of issues to deal with. When we begin to have a ‘poor me’ thought, let us go out and give love to someone else and thereby become a Victor instead remaining a victim. Let us sing the song of love every day by blasting that love light from our hearts so mightily that all Universes throughout the cosmos hear the sound velocities of love and take note of magnificent green Earth.
Secrets For Living A Magnificent Life
This is a unique opportunity to discover and experience a source of power and healing hidden within you. You may have entered this “zone” before through sports, dance or intense exercise—where all doing disappears and you and the experience have merged. Once the competition, dance or race is over, you are back in the same old world. Yogis have known how to enter and stay in this dimension where healing and transformation happens effortlessly and spontaneously.
-Objective clarity of perception brings understanding and communication where there was conflict and confusion. -Move from the concept of multiple legs of a caterpillar “making it happen” with the horizontal dimension of the ego mind, to the wings of a butterfly “letting it happen” flying into the higher integrative dimensions. -You are free from the dependence on external sources of entertainment for relaxation as you discover your own source and power realization happens intrinsically in all that you do. -Self-healing happens intrinsically for rejuvenation and regenerative radiant health and well-being. -The restless monkey mind is silenced so quickly, you can enter this state as easily as a seasoned Zen master.
-Learn yogic techniques to enter the Zero Stress Zone to dismantle and release emotional stress, trauma and hurt built into your body. -Learn high powered breathing techniques for youthful vitality, endurance and accelerated healing through the power of prana.
Enter the Zero Stress Zone through the proactive of the Amrit Methods of Pranayam and initiate psychosomatic detoxification and restore optimal health. Amrit Yoga Institute is located in beautiful Salt Springs, Florida. Call 352-685-3001 or visit http://www.AmritYoga.org for more information. Please see ad below.
-Direct the life force knowing that “energy follows attention” and drive the healing energy with attention to relief of pain, regeneration, and restoration of health and well-being. -Unresolved tension is stress. Being in the Zero Stress Zone restores the balance in the body. - Being in the Zero Stress Zone activates your subtle energy field into a powerful, pulsating presence mobilizing energy and blood flow and restoring sensitivity to blocked areas in your body. - Observe your whole body being animated with new life force penetrating and permeating every muscle, joint and cell. Your physical illness is a superficial symptom; the cause is hidden in unconscious, self destructive behaviors and habits. You can experience the inner dimension of yoga that removes symptoms from the very source and restores balance. Stress that is the cause of anxiety, fear and frustration is disruptive to your family life, love life and professional life. The first thing stress takes away from you is the freedom to be happy, creative, efficient and effective. Your vital life force is being consumed and suffocated by emotions and anxieties, fears and frustrations. The Fountain of Youth is within. These powerful ancient tantric techniques reverse aging and allow you to enter the innermost space of the yoga zone. It is in the Zero Stress Zone where healing miracles happen spontaneously in the alpha, theta brainwaves.
In the Zero Stress Zone: -You see solutions where you saw problems before. -Your innate self healing rises above past memories and habits and soars into the limitless, expansive zone of spirit. -Pranic/energy healing happens on a non-mental, causal level, not on a symptomatic level; many have gradually moved from medication to meditation.
Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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by Laurel Moll Have you heard all of the buzz about whole grains? Although grains have been a staple food eaten by humans since early civilization, the modern American diet typically lacks this vitamin and nutrient-packed food group. That means we’re missing out on all the enzymes, fiber, vitamin B, vitamin E, iron, and sustained energy they have to offer our bodies! A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that eating whole grains helps cut your risk of high blood pressure. The study found that men who ate the most whole grains were 19% less likely to have high blood pressure than those who ate the least amount.1 I love whole grains because they’re a healthy food that’s affordable. You can buy bags of grains for $1 to $2 and make big batches that will last you all week. An easy way to get more whole grains in your diet is to switch to brown rice instead of white rice. White rice is basically the starchy center of brown rice, with all of the nutrients stripped away. Some other great grains are quinoa, buckwheat (kasha), oats, barley, or millet. Try making some old-fashioned oats with fruit for a filling breakfast or prepare quinoa with sautéed vegetables as a side dish for your next dinner. One of the things I learned when I was training to become a health counselor is the importance of really chewing your grains. The majority of whole grain digestion happens in your mouth where you chew and mix food with saliva. So make sure to chew your grains fully and give your body a chance to absorb all of the beneficial nutrients! Laurel Moll received training in health counseling and nutrition at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) in New York City. She is board certified as a holistic health counselor by The American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP). Contact her at (407)413-9086. Please see ad this page. 1 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 90, No. 3, 493-498, September 2009 www.ajcn.org
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Secrets For Living A Magnificent Life
Spreading toxic agents around your living environment can only lead to more problems in the future. Using safe, natural cleaning products or household remedies are just as effective, if not more so, in cleaning, sanitizing and protecting your home from harmful contaminants.
The weather is cooler and theater, art and social festivities have begun with a flourish. These all signify that winter is here and the house guest season is fast approaching. For most this means gatherings of friends and family, cooking dinners together, remembering what is important in life. It also means lots of preparation. Getting the gardens refreshed, making sure the guest room is ready for your visitors, tidying the house so you can welcome your guests properly. This time of year also brings the unwanted visitor of flu season, and colds and sniffles being brought in from out of town. Where better for these viruses and bugs to spread than large social gatherings. Or what happens if one of your guests has an allergic reaction while visiting you? No one really wants to reach for the salad while auntie on the other side of the table is coughing, spluttering and sneezing. What can we do to minimize the chance of these visits being ruined? One thing is for sure: cleaning, spraying, or using chemicals to prevent any potential problems is not the answer!
Using common household products is not only safer for you, but also better for the earth. Use white vinegar mixed with water as a multi-surface cleaner (great on mirrors or windows and glass tables). Use hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol to sanitize kitchen counters and bathroom vanities. To remove unwanted smells around trash cans and compactors, or in drains and sinks use lemon or lime juice. Run a few slices of lemon or lime peel through the waste disposal to sanitize it and remove old food odors. None of these methods leads to any harmful by-products being created as synthetic chemicals break down. They don’t harm the precious Florida aquifer by remaining in the drain water, which inevitably finds its way back into our drinking water. Instead of using scented air fresheners that are made from more synthetic chemicals, or using scented candles that spew soot and other allergens into the air as combustion by-products, try using some essential oils and reed diffusers. To deodorize a fridge, freezer or cupboard, use baking soda; no need to buy expensive name brand products (with hammers on them) when you can use the same stuff minus the packaging! Lastly, if you have carpeting or rugs throughout your home, consider having them cleaned regularly. Even if they do not appear dirty, a regular maintenance cleaning removes the sand, grit, dander, pollen, mold spores and dust which are the cause of most people’s indoor allergies. Cleaning your carpets using a wet method is not only not recommended by the carpet mills, but also uses considerably more energy, resources and many more harsh chemicals, than a good dry cleaning method! Liam Hail is owner of Odoronix: Clean. Green. Safe. Located in Clermont, Odoronix serves the Central Florida area. Odoronix’s methods, equipment and materials are all chosen for their low impact on the environment, safety for children, pets and adults in the home, while quickly and effectively cleaning, sanitizing and removing harmful allergens, irritants, microbes and odors. Please see ad this page.
Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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Kitty “Come Hithers:”
The Solicitation Purr
We
often know what our cats are trying to tell us by the look they use to get on the couch next to us, or by running ahead as we walk into the kitchen to guide us to the pantry where the cat food is stored. However, communication with owners can be limited, so cats have come up with a skillful way to tell their owners that there is a sense of urgency, particularly when it comes to feeding time. By mixing a subtle “baby cry” meow into their normal purr, felines have altered the playing field without the owner’s conscious knowledge. This is called a “solicitation purr.” According to Karen McComb of the University of Sussex, house cats understand what motivates humans and have discovered a new way to manipulate them. In fact, cats are becoming so well versed in how to train humans that they can simply change the urgency of a purr and their owners will subconsciously respond with getting up out of bed and feeding their very clever cat. Most cats understand to use a solicitation purr rather than a constant meow, which may get them banned from the bedroom before they can score their breakfast.
During her study, McComb had a series of cat owners record the daily vocalizations of their cats. When McComb singled out the purring that occurred before morning feedings, most cat owners and non-cat owners alike were able to by Colleen Gordon interpret this type of purring as more urgent. Additionally, listening to this type of purring caused the test subjects to feel uncomfortable and they found it difficult to ignore the underlying tones in the purr that signaled distress. This lack of contentment within the purr was a motivating factor in the test subjects’ need to immediately fulfill the wishes of the cat. When subjects listened to a lower frequency regular purr they were able to identify that purr as more relaxed and less intrusive. Interestingly, McComb also found that not all cats would use a solicitation purr. A solicitation purr seems to work best in quieter households with fewer distractions. In a noisier and more hectic environment, the solicitation purr could be overlooked. In those cases, cats would not risk their time on a subtle cue, and instead resorted to louder meowing to get the attention they needed. Conversely, some cats may find that this tactic works so well that they use it for more than asking for food. So, the next time your cat purrs to you just around dinner time, you may want to take notice. Is this the solicitation purr that hints of a baby’s cry to bring about your natural instincts to help the one in distress? If so, you can rest easier in the knowledge that you understand one more aspect of communication between you and the animal kingdom, all while you are busy preparing your cat’s dinner. Sources: Thea Feldman, Examiner.com; KnowYourCat.info; Reuters.com *We recommend that all health issues be discussed with your veterinarian, and that your pet has a thorough examination by a qualified veterinarian.
©2009 Healing For Pets & the Special People Who Love Them. All rights reserved. Content may be reproduced by special permission of author. Colleen M. Gordon is a pet communicator, holistic pet therapist, and herbalist. She is president and founder of Healing For Pets, and is committed to improving the health and lives of pets and their owners. Colleen has been helping pets and owners with behavior and health issues for over ten years. Visit http://www.HealingForPets.com or email Colleen at Colleen@HealingForPets.com Call 407-446-4315 and please see ad this page.
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Are
you still full of thoughts of seasonal celebrations and keeping your resolutions for the New Year? Well, some of us are!
find out the proper way to dispose of your old phone books.
This time of year, I’m thinking about family and fun and how to make this year even better than last. These thoughts include work, and honestly, thoughts of contamination in my bin loads. During the December holidays everyone was focused on anything but recycling properly, and come December’s end the SP Recycling bins were often contaminated with cardboard, wrapping paper, bows and plastic package wrap from all those wonderful presents, BUT those items are not recyclable by us. You can think of what is placed in our containers—old newspapers, magazines, catalogs, office paper and shredded paper—as cooking ingredients. So when things like cardboard, wrapping paper, bows and plastic get mixed in, the recipe is ruined. Cardboard is too dark and the wrong fiber. Wrapping paper and bows are nearly always coated in a waxy or plastic material, complete with metallic or plastic glitter and sprinkles. Those things contaminate the load and wind up being buried in a landfill, rather than being recycled. And let’s talk about those phone books given out at the beginning of the year. Phone books are created with the dye beaten into the fiber as the paper is being made. What that means for recycling is that it has virtually no value for paper recyclers. If you were to attempt to bleach out the color, you would destroy the very paper you are trying to save. So phone books, if recycled at all, are usually turned into a form of cardboard or egg cartons. I suggest you call your local waste management department to
There are two general rules of thumb for determining whether or not a piece of paper is recyclable: 1. If it is a highly glossy sheet, like magazine or catalog covers, run your thumb down the page. If your nail collects a clump of waxy material, then you know the page has been coated with something. So throw that away and recycle the rest of the publication. 2. If you’re wondering if the dye is beaten into a piece of paper, do the foldtest. Fold the paper. If, after you’ve unfolded it you see a while line running down the fold, then you know that ink is just applied to the surface of the paper and is easily recyclable. If, no matter how many times you fold that paper and no white line ever appears, then you know the dye and paper cannot be separated and can’t be recycled. So enjoy your Valentine festivities and the wrappings and bows that bring such sparkle and delight. Just know that when the partying is over, they go to the trash, not the recycle bin. As for your New Year’s Resolutions, one is very simple to keep: love the Earth and recycle more! Happy Valentine’s Day to All! Learn more about paper recycling at the SPRC webpage: http://www.SPRecyclingFlorida. com. Recycling Specialist, Denise Gainer has been “talking trash” since 2000 with anyone who will listen! Her goal is threefold: to educate people about their wastestream; recycle as much newspaper as possible; and by so doing, contribute to community fundraising throughout Central Florida.
Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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V
aricella-zoster virus (VZV) is known to cause two diseases: chickenpox (varicella) and shingles (herpes zoster-HZ). Chickenpox is a common contagious disease among children and it usually takes a benign course. Shingles is caused by a reactivation of the latent VZV, commonly seen over age 50. Weakening of the immune system due to aging can make people more susceptible to shingles. Some shingles patients experience post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) in the same dermatomic area following an outbreak of HZ. It is estimated that about 15% of patients have pain one month after healing of an acute herpetic rash, while roughly one quarter of HZ patients still experience pain after one year. The risk of PHN increases with age. It can be as high as 50% in patients over 60 and 75% over age 75. According to an article by Oxford and Flinders in the “British Journal of General Practice,” patients treated with the most popular antivirals and corticosteroids versus placebo, had no statistically significant reduction in pain after one month, nor after six months. Perhaps this is why more patients are considering alternative treatments in addition to the methods provided by their primary care physicians.
ing constant pain. The secondary pain comes from muscle tension and joint stiffness due to chronic postural deviation (guarding and adaptation). Acupuncture can stimulate the immune system and thereby intervene to significantly relieve both the primary and secondary problems. Acupuncture administered along the damaged nerve route can depolarize the abnormal electrical balance of the nerve, normalizing the electrical balance and correcting or reducing the spontaneous firing of the nerve. This helps to reduce the pain. Irene D. suffered with shingles and allopathic care for three weeks before she
We find that by the time most PHN patients present in our office, the PHN has become a chronic condition which usually means they present with both primary and secondary pain. The primary problem arises from pain residual from shingles that damage the nerve, causing spontaneous firing of the nerve fiber, thus caus-
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Secrets For Living A Magnificent Life
sought alternative care. She had to endure excruciating pain in her face, mouth, tongue and jaw. “I have been unable to open my mouth to eat and I cannot put anything in my mouth that is hot or cold.” Irene received acupuncture, massage therapy and herbal supplements as her treatment. “The first treatment was painful, but the therapists were very gentle and careful. I had not slept for five straight nights and was ready to try anything, especially since the medicine my doctor gave me was not effective.” After only a few weeks of treatment, Irene was back to normal, with a smile on her face and pain free. Scarring from shingles can cause fibrosis (adhesion) along the nerve route. While acupuncture can improve the circulation of the damaged area, adding physical therapy techniques can contribute to the healing by softening the adhesion and reducing the entrapment of the nerve involved. Acupuncture combined with electrical stimulation can change permeability of the local tissue, improve circulation, change the polarity of electrical imbalance, and ultimately, stimulate tissue healing. All this may lead to significant pain reduction in the PHN patient. Charng-Shen Wang, A.P., M.A., P.T., C.M.T. serves as the CEO and Director of four ARC: Physical Therapy and Pain Centers in Central Florida with his newest office open in Mount Dora. Dr. Wang is both a licensed acupuncturist and physical therapist. He has served as a clinician and physical therapy director for numerous companies in the Central Florida area. He is a member of the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncturists. Please see ad this page.
The Journey of Consciousness Exploration by Michael Velasquez
Do you remember a time when you couldn’t wait to go on an adventure? How exciting that feeling was? The anticipation, the explorations, the marvelous discoveries to be made? How about the expectation that, at any given moment, something magical was going to happen? What if you could live in that adventurous state of wonder? Through personal experiences, you may find that the greatest adventures exist within you, and within those adventures are the greatest experiences, and within those experiences, the greatest discoveries, and in those discoveries . . . We have access to intuitive processes by which we are able to discover just how unique and magnificent we truly are. Through this discovery we become enlightened to the possibility that “we are more than our physical bodies.” As we explore further, we tend to shed and let go of limiting beliefs, old behavior patterns and fears. We gain insights that allow us to create, prosper, and enrich our daily existence with a heightened sense of clarity and purpose. Using Hemi-Sync, created in the 1960s by Robert Monroe, a pioneering consciousness researcher, inventor, and founder of The Monroe Institute, Hemi-Sync is scientifically and clinically proven audio technology that works by sending a complex blend of different sounds (tones) to each ear via stereo headphones. The two hemispheres of the brain then work together to “hear” a third signal called a binaural beat. This is an electrical signal that can only be perceived within the brain when both sides of the brain are synchronized. The result is a focused wholebrain state called hemispheric synchronization, or “HemiSync,” an optimal condition for improving human performance. Using this technology, we can choose to explore powerful states of consciousness to achieve our desired goals. As an accredited Outreach Facilitator for The Monroe Institute (one of the very few
worldwide) I lead a variety of cutting-edge workshops utilizing this exceptionally effective technology. In the Gateway Excursion Workshop, you will discover a variety of mental tools and processes designed to help you achieve profound states of awareness. You can expect to achieve a better understanding of your own energy, and gain insights regarding issues and questions in your life through improved access to inner guidance. In the Creativity Workshop, explore and express your unbounded creativity and expand into the feeling that EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE by identifying and releasing creative blocks and limiting thoughts you may hold within yourself around your creativity. Creativity can be applied to everything we do, whether it is art, music, writing, business or relationships. In the Manifesting Workshop, you will be guided to go beyond the ego-mind into the field of all possibilities! Release old energy patterns and emotional wounds that keep you from achieving your goals and re-pattern your thoughts, emotions and intentions to help manifest what you truly desire.
Michael A. Velasquez guides you in this journey of self-discovery, exploring transformational programs that will assist you in achieving a deeper understanding of your magnificent self. Michael’s own adventures began in Colombia, South America when as a young boy he experienced paranormal events that drastically altered his life. Michael has been studying and exploring the metaphysical field ever since, in the process, learning consciousness expanding techniques (Meditation, Silva method, TMI, Shamanism) and various healing modalities (EFT-Advanced, Energy Medicine, NeuroLinguistic Programming, Reiki, Quantum Touch, Distant Healing, and more). Michael is an accredited Outreach Facilitator for The Monroe Institute. Please see ad this page.
Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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his time of year is filled with hope and visions of love both spiritual and physical. Love begins with the spiritual and then manifests on the physical plane. The world of universal spiritual love is deeper than it could ever appear. All things, whether mountains, rivers, animals or humans, are created from spiritual love that manifests into the physical. Love is expressed when the bird sings in the forest or a new plant breaks the ground after a long winter. All things are expressed in nature so that we can understand their purpose and the wonderful gifts that the universe has given us. This is evident in the plants and flowers that surround us; the love they have for us allowed them in the beginning of the world to change their shape so that we would know what plant could be used for which purpose. Native Americans teach this in their creation myths as do many other cultures. It is often love that creates the world or saves humankind from some disaster and moves it out of harm’s way. So many ancient cultures talk of being created out of love that it is imbedded in human history. The Dakota tell of the plants stepping forward to save the two-leggeds out of love for them, and the Lakota tell of the White Buffalo calf woman who gave hunters food, the sacred pipe and tobacco during a time of famine. These stories show us that even in times of strain the universe loves and provides for all. The plants are a vital part of this cycle, our friends and allies. Often just by observing them we can see how they are used: the soft opening of a rose resembles a heart opening itself to love, or the sweet scent
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of a lavender flower reminds us how to relax and be receptive. When I lived in South Korea I learned from a doctor how the shape of a ginseng root can determine its use. It was rare to find one that looked like a man and woman locked in an embrace, and was sacred because its medicine was that of perfect love and harmony. I was fortunate enough to obtain one from a local white ginseng farm in Wisconsin. I tinctured this root and to this day use it for women and men with sexual dysfunction issues. Ginseng can also improve endurance and increase energy; generally, red Korean ginseng is used for the male and white for the female. The rose can also be used to treat disorders associated with love and sexuality. A simple tea of organic rose petals can make a man or woman more relaxed and open to love. Red roses are what are traditionally used, but I have had good results using pink and white. The universe was created by love and the plants are expressions of this. Using plants to show or improve loving relationships are a natural way to tie into the universal energies that created life. Dawn Gates, Master Herbalist, aromatherapist, flower essence and gemstone elixir practitioner, has studied natural healing for 18 years. She has herb and aromatherapy consulting offices in Paisley, Deland and Orlando, Florida. Her school, “The Live Oak School of Natural Healing” offers Herbalist Certification courses both in classroom and online. Visit: http://www. dawnsenchantedgarden.com or call for a consult. In Lake County, (352)669-1963 and in the Orlando region, (407)967-6042. See ad this page.
Secrets For Living A Magnificent Life
It is often said that in order to love, you must love yourself first. This is a concept that I have been working on my entire life. Just recently, I acknowledged that my lack of selfworth equaled lack of self-love. I wanted to please everyone in my life, so I would take on more than I could handle. I would run myself into the ground to make life work for the people around me. The saddest part, though, was the things that meant the most to me were the things that got overlooked and pushed aside. My need to please others robbed my husband, children, and myself.
Loving ourselves comes in many different methods. It can be as simple as taking time to read every day, making good food choices, or just telling yourself every time you look in the mirror, I love you! During the consultations in my practice, we talk about my clients’ skin care regimens. Many times, I hear from my clients that they do not have the time to wash their face properly. What message do we send to ourselves when we cannot even find three to five minutes to wash our face?
Once I stepped back, I was able to see the bigger picture. Instead of beating myself up over it, I began to think, Why do I do this over and over again? For me, it was something that happened in my life around the age of twelve. Once I understood this I began to make changes in my life. I created boundaries at work, with friends, family and myself. I put myself back on my own schedule. Literally. Now I schedule my morning yoga, meditation and reading. Before volunteering to take on anything new, I now stop and think, “Who am I being in this moment?” Instead of answering others’ requests immediately, I ask for time to think it over. This allows me to create a space away from my impulse to please, and to make decisions that are in line with what is important to me.
When we take time to wash our face properly we tell ourselves, I love you. Think of skin care as an insurance plan for self-love in the future. When we take care of our skin now, it will look younger, brighter and tighter as we get older. Therefore, we will be content with how we look, instead of looking for every lotion and potion available on the market to fix what we didn’t love enough when we had it. Isn’t self-care, self-love? Be kind to yourself. Eat quality foods, enjoy nature and nurture yourself! Claudia Virga is a licensed Cosmetologist in Florida and New York and a Certified Aromatherapist. As a dedicated professional she is a member of Associated Skin Care Professional and Association of Holistic Skin Care Practitioners. She is devoted to providing skin care, naturally, and to continually educating herself and others. Visit http://www.claudiavirga.skincaretherapy. net or email her at ClaudiaVirga@SkinCareTherapy.net. See ad this page.
Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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“The garden suggests there might be a place where we can meet nature halfway.” --Michael Pollan
Once upon a time, man and nature lived daily in a profound and intimate understanding of its relationship with each other. We humans, vulnerable to the whims of the weather and larger animals around us, had little choice but to acknowledge our reliance on nature for our most basic needs, including our spiritual and physical health. The word ‘numen’ is a Latin term for the power of spirit present in objects around us. A new film, “Numen: The Nature of Plants,” explores the connection of this spirit in plant life to our personal healing. I have long been enchanted by this concept, and share it with my students by creating experiences where we can engage directly with these spirits through the plants in the garden. I am consistently amazed and awed by the palpable energetic exchange that happens when I sit with a plant and meditate. The spirit seems to reach out of each leaf and flower petal and wrap me in strong, healing light.
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Herbal teas, capsules, and tinctures all carry this spirit to us and through us, activating our body’s own innate capacity to heal itself. However, this power is magnified when we commune with the plants around us—whether they are ornamental landscape plants outside of our office, a carefully tended garden of healing herbs, or a wild and chaotic patch of forest.
Secrets For Living A Magnificent Life
I encourage you to consciously invite Nature, or Numen, to participate in the healing process. Goodness knows, she already does! As creatures of Nature, each of us experience the natural healing powers of our own human body—our immune system supporting us through times of struggle, our nervous system helping us experience the sensations to understand when something is amiss, our digestive system processing the nutrients we need to become healthy and whole. Biologically, physiologically, and psychologically, we function as part of nature. To forget, or heaven forbid omit, this central facet of our own healing is a disservice to our body and to nature. In fact, when we invite Nature to participate in healing with us in a Keeping your body healing is conscious way, an expression of gratitude we engage in a to the whole cosmos— devotional activity, a prayer, a the trees, the clouds, blessing, a gift to everything. the spirit within -- Thich Nhat Hanh and around us that gives us life. How simple, and yet how incredible of a healing tool. It creates not just healing in our physical and emotional life, but in our relationships to others and our relationship to the planet. In a time of great change on this wildly spinning world, grounding deeply into our relationship with Nature will help us to stand strong and balanced in the face of the challenges that lay before us. Emily Ruff, herbalist, is director of the Florida School of Holistic Living in Orlando,, a 501c3 nonprofit educational institution committed to creating sustainable communities by empowering individuals to reclaim their radiant well-being through reconnecting with the natural world. Emily has studied herbalism on three continents over the past decade and consults individuals on holistic nutrition, herbalism, aromatherapy and flower essences. Contact Emily at FSHL: 407-595-3731. Visit http://www.HolisticLivingSchool.org.
Join Emily on January 29 for a screening of the film
“Numen: The Nature of Plants,” and January 30-31 for
Roots of Herbalism course Reserve your seat by calling 407-595-3731.
33 Ways to Love Your Community by Julie Norris, Contributing Community Editor 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33.
Turn Off Your TV. Go Outside. Try Something New. Support Local Arts and Music. Serve the Elderly. Guerrilla Garden for the Homeless. Mentor a Child. Explore Public Parks. Let People Into Traffic. Lift Something Heavy for a Stranger. Avoid the Interstate. Wave at Passersby. Strike Up a Conversation. Put the iPhone Down. Learn Bikers Rights. Be Open to New Ways of Thinking. Vote with Your Dollar. Plant Something. Share the Bounty. Meet Your Neighbors. Be Compassionate. Support Local Independent Businesses. Seek Out Authentic Farmers Markets. Get to Know Your Farmer. Listen More. Judge Less. Join a Canoe Cleanup. Go On a Picnic. Learn About Natural Birth Options. Teach What You Know. Host a Clothing, Toy or Gadget Swap. Participate in Public Performance Art. Barter for Goods. Sing and Dance. Be the Change You Wish to See.
Please refer to Julie Norris’ ad for Dandelion Communitea, right.
Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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Emotional eating is an interesting phenomenon that is probably more common than one may think. To a certain extent, everyone eats emotionally. Our emotions are intimately linked to our digestive system; between 500,000 and 3 million neurons are present in our digestive system, giving us a primitive “second brain,” where primal feelings and sensations may originate or at least manifest (certain parts of the brain play a role in this as well). When we are hungry, we may feel a little sad or “down;” when we eat, we may feel a little happy, energetic or “up.” Even in the most basic sense, we all eat emotionally. Our emotions can give us a useful gauging tool about when and how we should eat in order to more effectively meet our needs. However, emotional eating becomes a problem when food becomes a substitute for authentic human interactions, a form of self medication, or a means of self-punishment for feelings of guilt. Food ceases being an ally and it becomes an instrument of pain, self-deprecation, and even addiction. Binge eating has roots of a psychological and biological nature. When one binges, it is usually in some heightened emotional state—anger, depression, detachment, fear and loneliness. The binge eater uses food as a means of quelling these feelings, to create a sense of fulfillment from the fullness food brings them. A feeling of euphoria can follow a binge, which under normal circumstances adds to the pleasure of eating. However, the euphoric feeling in this case would be more akin to an addictive high, similar to the high an addict may experience when substance abusing. There is a subtle missing component in the mainstream approach to binge eating and emotional eating; before one has a craving for a food as a result of food addiction, he or she becomes allergic to that food they are craving or uncontrollably binging on. As the body tries to adapt to the allergic food, the brain produces chemicals called opioids, whose function is to suppress some of the inflammation and irritation that results from the allergic reaction. These opioids, which get their name from the narcotic Opium, create a sensation of euphoria, a high which is subsequently followed by a crash that creates a low feeling. As this cycle persists, the brain begins to lose some of its functionality in producing these “feel good” chemicals and it starts craving a substance that induces this process, and in this case, a simple, commonly eaten food. Eventually, the body adapts to the allergic food, yet it becomes addicted to the food as a result of this chemical process, leading to cravings and withdrawal-like symptoms when the food is not available to satisfy the craving. As with most other addictive substances, more and more of the addictive food is required to create this chemical process, therefore making the craving harder and harder to satisfy. This is actually called mal-adaptation, because the adaptive process is flawed and creates a sort of biological dependency.
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Secrets For Living A Magnificent Life
There actually is an end in sight, and that is to recognize that the food allergy/food addiction is real, and that the mal-adaptive process is something that needs to be acknowledged. If this mal-adaptation of allergic foods is looked at with serious consideration, then the process can be stopped, cravings can be holistically stopped, and real healing can begin. Understanding that your cravings are not from a lack of will power or a weak character, but from a complex biological process where you improperly adapted to an allergic food that you have actually become addicted to is the first step to dramatically reducing your out-ofcontrol emotional eating, if not completely bringing it under control. First, get tested for delayed onset food allergies, and begin slowly, gradually weaning yourself off the food that came back with high antibody elevations. Also, keep a detailed food mood diary to track how your foods are making you feel. Second, begin a process of repairing your digestive system, using non-allergic foods and foodbased probiotics to replenish your intestinal flora. This will reduce the chances of future allergies, because a damaged gut can be a hidden cause of delayed food allergies. Third, start developing non-consumptive, non-food based activities to reduce or cope with stress, such as yoga, Tai Chi, meditation, writing, playing music, or creating art. Finding a relaxing hobby can be a really helpful and fun way of redirecting your attention from food to something constructive. Finally, get into a daily habit of exercising for at least 30 minutes. Exercise builds confidence as well as makes you feel pretty good! These are just the basics, but if you do at least these few things, you’ll be off to a great start in getting control over your emotional eating. Since 2002, Michael has counseled hundreds of clients for many health conditions like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, interstitial cystitis, irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, skin problems, anxiety, depression, emotional eating, and food allergies. Michael is one of the authorities in the region on food allergies and how to transition to a non-allergic lifestyle. He is based out of the Florida School of Holistic Living in Orlando, and has practices in New York and South Florida. To sign up for his free newsletter, please email staffoflifenutrition@gmail.com. Please see Michael Joseph’s ad this page.
Bamboo Arts Center a spiritual/eco host facility located near DeLeon Springs State Park, offers a private retreat atmosphere that feels a world away from the hustle of city or suburban life, yet is only five miles north of downtown DeLand, Florida.
Jan. 16 ~ Saving Money by Saving Energy, http://www.queenofgreen.net Jan. 9 ~ Spiritual Art, Drawing in the Light, http://www.tropicalsilks.com Jan. 23 ~ Anatomy of Vinyasa Yoga, http://www.twistedyoga.com Jan. 24 ~ Yummy Yin Yoga, http://www.twistedyoga.com Jan. 30 ~ The Ear HEARS, Ear Candling, http://www.enchantedwalkabouts. To reserve space or attend an event, connect with Bamboo Arts at 386-956-1329 bambooarts@gmail.com Visit http://www.bambooartscenter.com, for more information about upcoming events. Bamboo Arts Center, a spiritual/eco host facility located near DeLeon Springs State Park, offers a private retreat atmosphere that feels a world away from the hustle of city or suburban life, yet is only five miles north of downtown DeLand, Florida. Bamboo Arts Center is a little piece of paradise on earth. The facility includes three indoor meeting spaces, a separate yoga studio, plus a pool and spa. The Center’s outdoor space is lakefront property surrounded by lush gardens and acres of natural woodland and wetland. Wild Earth Adventures offers kayak and canoe clinics on the lake. Bamboo Arts is the perfect environment for a wedding, event, workshop, seminar or class. At Bamboo Arts, participants experience nature’s healing peace and tranquility. Bamboo Arts Center’s services include high level marketing assistance. The Center will post your event on its website, include your event in email newsletters and in social network postings: Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. Bamboo Arts Center welcomes the opportunity to add your mind-body class to its own schedule of ongoing classes. The studio’s lakefront view and raised pad floor provide the ultimate in comfort and aesthetic beauty. Instead of a closed box, the studio’s window wall overlooks the gardens and lake. The Center’s regular classes include: Fountain of Youth Yoga, Integrated Qigong and Gentle Yoga, Mushin Dojo-Aikido and Arnis, and finally, Wild Earth Adventures kayak and canoe training and outings. Sustainability is one of the Center’s core values. The Center advocates for fairness in the treatment of all living things and makes decisions for the common good. Bamboo Arts Center believes in the power of experiential education to inform and transform. Its educational offerings are linked by a common thread: spiritual and individual growth, sustainable living and selfsufficiency.
Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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Secrets For Living A Magnificent Life
In chiropractic school, we learned from one of the most prominent founders about this powerful mind-body connection. In fact, chiropractors mainly study the nervous system, not the bones of the spine. The nervous system is composed of the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The components of the central nervous system are the spinal cord and the brain. The peripheral nervous system includes all of the nerves and the wiring. Our focus is about moving the hard bone off the delicate nervous tissue that runs as a cord within the vertebrae of the spinal cord. That is why chiropractors are not just back doctors. In fact, what fascinates me most is how to use the power of our brain and nervous system to our own power and advantage instead of it using us. Where is the mind-body connection? It is in the nervous system. What jars the nervous system the most? Stress. Stress has both positive and negative effects on the body and there are two kinds of stress. Eustress is good stress such as the stress one feels when getting married. Distress is bad stress—like the stress felt when getting a divorce. When stress turns into distress we can have headaches, upset stomach, elevated blood pressure, chest pain, and trouble sleeping.
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his mind-body connection has baffled science for many years. Why is this? Most of us know without a doubt that there is a direct link between the mind and the body. We feel it during stress. A simple fearful thought and our body responds with an outpouring of cortisol, often referred to as the stress hormone. Boom! Our adrenals emit the hormone cortisol and we have “take-off.” What this means is that our breathing rate suddenly gets faster and shallower. Our blood supply changes from our trunk out to our extremities—the fight or flight reaction. Our pupils dilate and our mouth gets dry. Many things happen on a physiological level from just one fearful thought. We can feel the residual of our stressful lives. There is no real threat of a bear chasing us, yet our bodies actually respond to our boss’s angry words just as we would to the threat of a grizzly on our heels—like our ancestors fled for dear life! Our body will respond in the same way, but from a less threatening stimulus. This is an example of the mind-body connection. The problem is someone or something outside us is controlling our reactions. Are we in control?
The electricity of your nervous system runs from your head to your toes. Our healing comes down from our brain through the spine and out the nerves. The nervous system also uses feedback from the body to the brain. Just like a house’s electrical wiring, our bodies are wired by the nervous system. If we have any problems in that wiring system, we can have problems in those related particular organ systems. Any blockage or “blown fuse” causes a problem that is commonly referred to as disease. The real way to increase your energy and decrease your stress level is to maintain the mind-body connection. Ramah Wagner, D.C. is a third generation chiropractor with studies at the University of Iowa and a degree from the University of South Dakota. She received her graduate degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic (the founding college of chiropractic). Please see Dr. Ramah’s ad next page. Watch for Dr. Ramah Wagner’s new book, “The Health of Business - How to Balance Your Life for Greater Return.” Dr. Ramah is available for speaking events and intensives. Visit http:// www.doctorramah.com or http://www.healthofbusiness.com.
Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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How to Avoid Junk Food Vegetarianism by Suzanne Dixon, MPH, MS, RD “Simply because a food is vegetarian does not mean it’s healthy. After all, a person can eat donuts, bagels, potato chips, candy, and French fries and be a vegetarian, but obviously this is not a healthy diet,” says Suzanne Dixon, MPH, MS, RD. She says the best way to make sure you get all the nutrition you need on a vegetarian diet is to eat simple foods. The less processing a food has undergone, the more nutritious it is. Processing strips away many of the essential nutrients found in food naturally, so your best bet is to base your diet around foods that look as close to how they appeared when they came off the tree, out of the ground, or off the vine. Choose corn on the cob instead of corn chips; try apples instead of apple muffins; and enjoy whole grain bread instead of white bread. If you’re intrigued by vegetarianism, but want to avoid the junk food route, follow Dixon’s simple steps: 1. No combining needed: You don’t need to combine foods such as grains and beans at every meal to get complete protein. Eat plenty of beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and vegetables on a regular basis and you’re covered. 2. Super soy: Soybean and soy foods, including tofu, offer all of the amino acids—the building blocks of protein—that are needed for good health. 3. Start slow: By introducing one vegetarian meal per week to your personal menu or to your family’s. For example, make Wednesdays veggie night for dinner. 4. Travel the globe: Indian, Thai, Chinese, Mexican, Vietnamese, and other ethnic foods naturally have many vegetarian options. Be adventurous and try recipes from other cultures to “stretch” yourself in terms of flavor and cooking without meat from time to time. Suzanne Dixon, MPH, MS, RD,studies the important connections between what we eat, and our risk for cancer. An internationally recognized expert and author on cancer nutrition, she has taught her science to both healthcare professionals and patients. While counseling patients at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, she learned firsthand how to help patients get the information they need to help themselves heal. She is best known as the creator and author of http://www.cancernutritioninfo.com, an award-winning website that earned critical acclaim by the New York Times, and was named one of Time Magazine’s 50 Coolest Websites. As residents of Oregon, Suzanne and her husband Matt enjoy the serenity of the outdoors—hiking, climbing and scuba diving, but one of their primary passions is, no surprise, good food.
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If I Knew Years Ago What I Know Now by Flying Mooneagle In a recent conversation, I learned of someone who has a Bachelor’s degree in nutrition, has been unable to find a job, and most especially will not work in a hospital. I am sure life has presented us all with challenges of finding work. What we have learned, is that if we accept the opportunities that are presented to us, employing a certain amount of integrity, honesty and truth, we can make this journey through life so much easier and more rewarding. It may not be what we want to do at this time, but if it is presented to us, it is for a reason. It is a stepping stone. Embrace it. We use this as an example. Surely, we do not want to do a job that is against our beliefs, but in whatever we do, there is a learning curve, and if we continue to fight against that learning curve, it keeps tripping us up and making life more difficult. Whereas, if we embrace that learning curve and be thankful for it, it will move us closer to the things we want to do, because that desire is always there. We never lose sight of it. Life lessons come from the strangest places, and if we allow ourselves to visit those places, the most extraordinary revelations present themselves. Ego is a master manipulator. It convinces us of the things we should not, the things we are not, the things we cannot, and the things we would not, and we fall for it. The divine thought is just that… the divine thought… let it come in and be with it. Do not allow the ego to convince you to judge it, analyze it or dissect it. Just move with it and you will be presented with the next step. Although this lesson came to me later in life, I give praise and thanks that it is not too late for me to put it into practice, for I still have a lot to learn. And because of it, life has become more enjoyable!
Secrets For Living A Magnificent Life
Last October I was in Tucson, Arizona attending Kendall Sumerhawk’s “Money, Marketing and Soul” Intensive. I learned a lot about myself and being authentic in business, and created powerful breakthroughs surrounding my money archetype. After the Intensive, I decided to go to the Grand Canyon; 344 miles later, I was standing at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, which, by the way, averages 7,000 feet above sea level and is overwhelmingly large. To describe the beauty as awe inspiring is not nearly an appropriate description. Later, I travelled to Sedona where I fell in love with the red rock scenery and rugged terrain. I went hiking, or rather scrambled over the rocks, and felt invigorated; my perception was heightened. Absolutely anything was possible. Poet, painter, and mystic, William Blake, said “If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear as it is —infinite.” The question I ask you is: What is possible in your life? Each of us has a tape playing in our head. You know the one: I’m not good enough. I’m not smart enough. I’m worthless, unimportant, unwanted, some version of “something is wrong with me.” This may not be the perception of others but this view of ourselves is how we approach life or how we avoid life. This view of self represents our self-esteem. As we walk through life, our memories are recorded. The interesting thing about these recordings is that we assign meanings to events that are not factual but rather interpretations and the tape is no longer an objective documentary but rather a subjective view. As humans we don’t intentionally distort reality, rather view life through a dirty filtering system. We filter out
the positive and focus on the negative. In Debbie Ford’s book, “The Right Questions,” she asks, Am I looking for what’s right or am I looking for what’s wrong? When we look for what’s right our perception changes as if by magic and it’s the gift of choice that will lead us toward more peace and joy in our lives. Start the New Year 2010 off right by giving yourself the gift of choice and looking at everything with a fresh perspective.
Call to Action
1. Take one step every day to nourish your inner world. 2. Live with the question, Am I looking for what’s right or am I looking for what’s wrong? this week. Notice where you are negative and where you are positive. Remember, negativity tends
to snowball. 3. Journal about what you notice shifting and changing in your life as you put more attention on looking for what’s right. 4. Express gratitude to yourself, family and friends. Expressing gratitude actually causes beneficial changes to take place in your body. 5. Enjoy the New Year and look upon it with a new perception—looking for what’s right. Contact Cynthia MacMillan, Certified Integrative Coach at 386-789-0520, Cynthia@InnerRevolution.net or by visiting http://www.InnerRevolution.net. Cynthia will be your accountability partner, confidential advocate, and respectful challenger; as you uncover the internal blueprint that currently drives your beliefs and choices. Melt away the old stories that keep you in the repetitive spiral of mediocrity; instead embrace your authentic self, express healthy self-esteem, and awaken joy. Your questions, comments and thoughts are always welcome. Please see ad for Inner Revolution this page.
Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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EVENTS
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We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day. --Edith Lovejoy Pierce JANUARY 1 New Year’s Psychic Readings; 1-5pm; Lotus Yoga, Apopka; 407-697-6437; Fee; FREE food and drink JANUARY 2 Reiki Circle; 12:30pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-502-3898; Love Offering Abraham Study Group; 11am; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-502-3898; Love Offering The Four Agreements; 2pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-502-3898; Fee Laughter Yoga; 9am; Sol-Rize Center, Altamonte Springs; 407-415-3380; Fee JANUARY 4 Kundalini Yoga; 10:30am; Sol-Rize Center, Altamonte Springs; 407-697-0220; Fee JANUARY 6 Between Dog Grooming Visits; 1pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-622-3002; Fee Universe Responding; Florida School of Holistic Living, Orlando; 407-595-3731; Fee JANUARY 8 Eamonn Downey Psychic/Mediumistic Demo; 7pm; Lotus Yoga, Apopka; 407-697-6437; Fee JANUARY 9 Intro. to The Essential Nutrition Program; 5pm; Florida School of Holistic Living, Learning Annex, Orlando; 1-877-880-2023 X1 or 407-595-3731; FREE JANUARY 9 Kid’s Yoga/Ages 4-12; 11:30am; Lotus Yoga, Apopka; 407-697-6437; Fee Psychic/Mediumistic Development; 7pm; Lotus Yoga, Apopka; 407-697-6437; Fee JANUARY 11 Dances of Universal Peace; 7pm; Christ Church Unity, Orlando; 407-852-3940; Fee JANUARY 13 Paint Shop Pro Basics; 1pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-622-3002; Fee Dream On; 7pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-237-9998; Fee JANUARY 14 Debbie Ford’s “The Shadow Effect” Movie; 7pm; The Om Bookstore, Eustis; 352-978-1181; Love Offering; ad p. 3 Intro. to Kinesiology Workshop; 11am; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-502-3898; Fee The Shaman’s Path; 7pm; College of Metaphysical Studies, Clearwater; 727-538-9976; Fee
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Juice Plus+Prevention Plus Lecture w/Dr. Richard Dubois, World Renowned Nutrition Speaker; 7pm; First Baptist Church of Mount Dora; 352-385-2631 JANUARY 16 Intro. to Reflexology; 2pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-502-3898; Fee Reiki Circle; 12:30pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-502-3898; Love Offering Abraham Study Group; 11am; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-502-3898; Love Offering Grand Re-Opening Open House/New Location; 4-8pm; Jeweled Lotus Yoga, Leesburg; 352-8743272; Fee Manifesting: One Year Patterning; 9am-6pm; Casselberry Art House; 407-758-8276; Fee Saving Money by Saving Energy; 1pm; Bamboo Arts Center, DeLeon Springs; 386-956-1329; Fee Intro. to Holistic Nutrtion; Florida School of Holistic Living, Orlando; 407-595-3731; Fee Community Herb Walk; Florida School of Holistic Living, Orlando; 407-595-3731; Fee JANUARY 17 Two Hearts Meditation Group; 7pm; Zen Wellness Center, Maitland; 407-421-2165 JANUARY 19 Intro. to The Essential Nutrition Program; 7pm; Florida School of Holistic Living, Learning Annex, Orlando; 1-877-880-2023 X1 or 407-595-3731; FREE Journey to Emmaus; 10am; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-250-6144; Fee JANUARY 20 Floral Design Basics; 1pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-622-3002; Fee JANUARY 22 Psychic/Mediumistic Development; 7pm; Lotus Yoga, Apopka; 407-697-6437; Fee JANUARY 22-24 Transformative Communication & Self-Empowerment Experience; 9am; Satvatove Institute, Gainesville; 386-418-8840 JANUARY 23 Spiritual Photography; 3pm; Sholom Park, Ocala; 727-347-4828; Fee JANUARY 23 Beginning Numerology; 2pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-307-9774; Fee Yoga Day USA-FREE Classes, Meditation; All Day; Jeweled Lotus Yoga, Leesburg; 352-874-3272; Fee
Secrets For Living A Magnificent Life
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Anatomy of Vinyasa Yoga; 4pm; Bamboo Arts Center, DeLeon Springs; 386-956-1329; Fee Kid’s Yoga/Ages 4-12; 11:30am; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-307-9774; Fee Make Your Own Kombucha; Florida School of Holistic Living, Orlando; 407-595-3731; Fee JANUARY 24 Intro. to The Essential Nutrition Program; 4pm; Florida School of Holistic Living, Learning Annex, Orlando; 1-877-880-2023 X1 or 407-595-3731; FREE Reiki Share Group; 7pm; Zen Wellness Center, Maitland; 407-421-2165 Restorative Vinyasa Master Class; 10am; Jeweled Lotus Yoga, Leesburg; 352-874-3272; Fee Yin Yoga-Connect w/Inner Guidance; 10am; Bamboo Arts Center, DeLeon Springs; 386-9561329; Fee Speak Comfortably in Front of Groups; 1pm; Lotus Yoga, Apopka; 407-697-6437; Fee JANUARY 27 Aromatherapy Event; 7pm; Orlando; 407-4212165; FREE Past Life Regression; 5:30pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-502-3898; Fee JANUARY 28 “The Living Matrix” Movie; 7pm; The Om Bookstore, Eustis; 352-978-1181; Love Offering; ad p. 3 JANUARY 30 Reiki Master Level; 9am-5pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-502-3898; Fee Healthy Cooking-Winter Foods; 2pm; Jeweled Lotus Yoga at First Baptist Church, Leesburg; 352874-3272; Fee Psychic House Party; 2pm; Davenport/Four Corners-Exit 55, I-4; 863-420-3634; Fee JANUARY 30 -31 Roots of Herbalism; Florida School of Holistic Living, Orlando; 407-595-3731; Fee JANUARY 31 Two Hearts Meditation Group; 7pm; Zen Wellness Center, Maitland; 407-421-2165 FEBRUARY 3 Between Dog Grooming Visits; 1pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-622-3002; Fee Dream On; 7pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-237-9998; Fee
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FEBRUARY 4 Journaling for Self-Discovery; Florida School of Holistic Living, Orlando; 407-595-3731; Fee FEBRUARY 6 Intro. to The Essential Nutrition Program; 7pm; Florida School of Holistic Living, Learning Annex, Orlando; 1-877-880-2023 X1 or 407-595-3731; FREE Understanding Relationships; 2pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-502-3898; Fee Reiki Circle; 12:30pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-502-3898; Love Offering Abraham Study Group; 11am; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-502-3898; Love Offering Kid’s Yoga/Ages 4-12; 11:30am; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-307-9774; Fee FEBRUARY 6-7 The Gateway Excursion Workshop; 9am-6pm; Casselberry Art House; 407-758-8276; Fee FEBRUARY 7 Art of Sustainable Living; Florida School of Holistic Living, Orlando; 407-595-3731; Fee FEBRUARY 8 Dances of Universal Peace; 7pm; Christ Church Unity, Orlando; 407-852-3940; Fee FEBRUARY 10 Self Help Tapping Techniques (EFT); 5:30pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-502-3898; Fee FEBRUARY 10-14 Wholistic Sexuality; Florida School of Holistic Living, Orlando; 407-595-3731; Fee FEBRUARY 11 Wayne Dyer’s “The Shift” Movie; 7pm; The Om Bookstore, Eustis; 352-978-1181; Love Offering; ad p. 3 FEBRUARY 12 Couples Date Night Yoga; 6pm; Jeweled Lotus Yoga, Leesburg; 352-874-3272; Fee Psychic/Mediumistic Development; 7pm; Lotus Yoga, Apopka; 407-697-6437; Fee FEBRUARY 13 Beginning Numerology; 2pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-307-9774; Fee Reiki II; 9am-5pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-502-3898; Fee Open Your Heart Partner Yoga Workshop; 2pm; Jeweled Lotus Yoga, Leesburg; 352-874-3272; Fee
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EVENTSFEBRUARY “Love sought is good, but given unsought, is better.” -- Shakespeare
FEBRUARY 14 Valentine’s Day Flow; 10am; Jeweled Lotus Yoga, Leesburg; 352-874-3272; Fee FEBRUARY 16 First Class of The Essential Nutrition 10-week Program; 7pm; Florida School of Holistic Living, Learning Annex, Orlando;1-877-880-2023 X1 or 407-595-3731; Fee FEBRUARY 17 Floral Design Basics; 1pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-622-3002; Fee FEBRUARY 19 Manifesting Your Heart’s Desire; 2pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-502-3898; Fee FEBRUARY 20 Intro. to Feng Shui; 9:30am; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 415-310-2479; Love Offering Spiritual Healing Techniques; 2pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-502-3898; Fee Reiki Circle; 12:30pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-502-3898; Love Offering Abraham Study Group; 11am; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-502-3898; Love Offering Kid’s Yoga/Ages 4-12; 11:30am; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-307-9774; Fee Psychic House Party; 2pm; Davenport/Four Corners-Exit 55, I-4; 863-420-3634; Fee FEBRUARY 21 Reiki Share Group; 7pm; Zen Wellness Center, Maitland; 407-421-2165 FEBRUARY 24 Dream On; 7pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-237-9998; Fee Blood Type Diet; Florida School of Holistic Living, Orlando; 407-595-3731; Fee FEBRUARY 25 “The Living Matrix” Movie; 7pm; The Om Bookstore, Eustis; 352-978-1181; Love Offering; ad p. 3 FEBRUARY 26 Ashtanga Vinyasa Master Class; 6:30pm; Jeweled Lotus Yoga, Leesburg; 352-874-3272; Fee Psychic/Mediumistic Development; 7pm; Lotus Yoga, Apopka; 407-697-6437; Fee FEBRUARY 27-28 SomaEnergetics; 10am-5pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-307-1611; Fee
FEBRUARY 27 Beginning Numerology; 2pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-307-9774; Fee Spiritual Photography; 3pm; Sholom Park, Ocala; 727-347-4828; Fee Reiki Level I; Jeweled Lotus Yoga, Leesburg; 352874-3272; Fee JANUARY 11-FEBRUARY 22 Tai Chi; 6pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352408-8415; Fee JANUARY 19-FEBRUARY 23 The Secret You; 5:30pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-502-3898; Fee JANUARY 17-FEBRUARY 21 HypnoBirthing; 1pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-561-4296; Fee JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 1 Laura Norman Foot, Hand, Ear, Face Reflexology Introductory Workshop; 9am-6pm (24 FL & National CEU’s avail.); Experience a unique guided, hands on introduction; Learn powerful nurturing techniques that reduce stress, increase energy and improve health with the Laura Norman™Method; led by Master Instructor Sandy Rosen at Florida School of Holistic Living, Orlando; 407-595-3731; Register at http://www. LauraNorman.com or by calling 561-272-1220 or Florida School of Holistic Living at 407-595-3731. MONDAYS Hatha Yoga; 6:30pm; Unity of The Villages; 352426-1328; Fee Weight Loss Challenge; 5:30pm; Lotus Yoga, Apopka; 407-697-6437; Fee Power of the Soul; 6:30pm; Lotus Yoga, Apopka; 407-697-6437; Fee TUESDAYS Portrait Class; 4pm; Unity of The Villages; 352687-2667; Fee Kirtan; 7pm; Lotus Yoga, Apopka; 407-697-6437; Love Offering WEDNESDAYS Drawing; 10am; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-307-9774; Fee A Course in Miracles; 6:30pm; Lotus Yoga, Apopka; 407-697-6437; Fee
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Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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Continued from page 29 THURSDAYS (CONTINUED) Numerology Readings; 1pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-307-9774; Fee Self Realization Fellowship (SRF) Meditation; 7:15pm; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-3216-3647; Love Offering Multimedia Art; Noon; Artful Living Center, Belleview; 352-307-9774; Fee Kundalini Yoga; 10am; Zen Wellness Center, Maitland; 407-421-2165; Fee Hatha Yoga; 16pm; Unity of Ocala; 352-426-1328; Fee FRIDAYS Reiki Clinic; 7pm; 1417 Semoran Blvd., #201; 321-214-4390; Love Offering SUNDAYS Reiki Clinic; 1pm; E. Orlando; 407-620-5345; Fee EVERY FIRST MONDAY Meditation & Self-Hypnosis Workshop; 6pm; Healthy Alternatives Day Spa, Mount Dora; 352-735-7555; Love Offering
EVENTS BEYOND JANUARY/FEBRUARY MARCH 7-9 Transformative Communication & Self-Empowerment Experience; 9am; Satvatove Institute, Gainesville; 386-418-8840 APRIL 17-22 Advanced Relationship Seminar Experience; 9am; Satavatove Institute, Gainesville; 386-418-8840; Fee APRIL 24-25 Awaken the Power to Heal: 2 Day Energy Medicine Seminar; YAHWEH Academy of Light at Eustis Community Center; 352-357-5918; Fee APRIL 30-MAY2 Discover Wellness Weekend; Fri. 4pm-Sun. 1pm; Lake Yale Conference Center, Leesburg; 407-977-1500; Fee
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Psychic~Mediumship Demonstration by Eamonn Downey
Eamonn Downey, an international lecturer of metaphysical subjects, has filled workshops and presentation halls in Europe and the USA for over twenty years, motivating and empowering people with his concepts, delivered with deep comprehension and a savvy sense of humor. He is a delightful and fascinating speaker, well known for his contemporary theories on the evolving human consciousness, and his interpretation skills of intuitive and energetic perception. Eamonn is an Officiant of The British Spiritualists’ National Union (SNU). His outstanding teaching ability, combined with 20 years experience, has earned him the Advanced Teaching Award from the SNU, where he also holds Certificates of Recognition for Public Speaking and Mediumship. He is a course organizer and tutor at the world-renowned Arthur Findlay College, Stansted, England. In addition, he is qualified as a healer with the National Federation of Spiritual Healers.
Attend Downey’s demonstration at Lotus Yoga Center located at 465 Oakland Avenue, Apopka, Florida (behind Popeye’s, off 441/Main St.) Friday, January 8 7:00 to 8:30p.m. $15 per person RSVP: Janice at 407-697-6437. Seats are limited.
Secrets For Living A Magnificent Life
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s I continue to immerse myself in this process of birth, spirituality is present. What a mystical journey it is! From the love making experience to the moments of labor/delivery, to creating a new business or way of being, we move up and down the chakric system, cleansing and clearing away pieces of the past that no longer resonate with us, creating space for this new life to emerge.
This occurs instantly and simultaneously on many levels for a pregnant woman: physically, mentally and emotionally. It is important to keep the energy flowing and the chakras clear during this process. Everything we say and do, all of our experiences affect the baby; it is all energy; we are all energy. Emotional stress is something a new mother must manage, as many new things are occurring within and without. Finding safe and drug-free ways to move through emotions will create peace for you, your baby, your environment and the world. The father/ partner must also be in balance so that the baby comes home to a balanced, light-filled environment. Chakras are body centers energetically connected to the endocrine system and can assist, through intention and by managing stress, in the energetic movement of hormones within the body. Each chakra resonates with certain emotions and behaviors, causing the energy to move freely or to be sluggish. Doing yoga, deep breathing or receiving massage or energy clearing during pregnancy helps you move forward with the new life growing within, and the many outer life changes during pregnancy and after delivery. Massage assists by bringing relaxation to the physical body, calming the emotional body and freeing the mind from negative thinking that causes most of our stress. Bringing ourselves into the moment will keep us connected to our breath, which will assist us in peacefully moving through anything that throws us off our center. So whether you are birthing a baby or some other new creation in your life, I pray that the love of the Universe wraps itself around you and brings you peace this New Year. Shalom and G-d Bless. Kateyah as been practicing yoga and massage for the past 16 years. She has received Massage/Doula certification and serves female clients and their husbands as they move through the prenatal and labor process. Her office is located inside of Yoga Central and she is available by appointment for healing and massage sessions. She offers Stress relief/Therapeutic massage, Deep Tissue, Hot Stone and Thai Yoga Massage as well as pre- and post-partum massage sessions. Please see ad below.
Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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Letting Go of the Story We change, the story line usually stays the same. The all have our stories. And although the players may
story is our history, and most of us cling to it with fierce determination—apparently loving and hating it at the same time. In my workshops, I have participants create a timeline of their life’s events, beginning with birth and progressing to the present, and marking all of the events that happened along the way that are of any significance, no matter how big or small. Initially, the bigger, more obvious events will stand out, but eventually, other seemingly unimportant memories surface. Reviewing the defining moments of our lives in this way offers a vantage point that allows us to hold the past a little differently. It’s similar to standing close to a masterpiece in a museum: you cannot truly see it in its entirety until you step back and gain a more panoramic view. Only then can you begin to ascertain the story the artist was trying to tell. When you are too close to it, the piece is overwhelming to our senses and we are unable to gain perspective.
by Erica Bouchér
Keep the lessons learned, and let go of everything else, returning to the present moment. It is in the here and now that peace of mind dwells. Removing the story that has been running our lives, we are free to be present, returned to ourselves, to the state of pure consciousness from which we came.
“I do not have a biography. And whatsoever is thought to be a biography is utterly meaningless. On what date I was born, in what country I was born, does not matter. What matters is what I am now, right here.” -- Osho Erica Bouchér is a Registered Yoga Teacher, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Hypnotherapist and Life Coach. For the past ten years she has used a unique combination of all of these tools to assist clients in removing the
Like any masterpiece, there is usually a main theme, with many smaller substories that, when taken together, become a tapestry and tell a story rich in meaning and capable of evoking a wide range of emotions. When we look back on our lives with new awareness and a willingness to see objectively, we realize that it is just that—a story. It is our clinging to it that causes us to recreate and relive it over and over again. The characters and setting may differ, but the underlying theme is usually the same. Liberation comes when we look back over our lives and shine the light of awareness on them, cultivating a healthy curiosity as patterns reveal themselves, as well as defining moments that, when we are honest with ourselves, we can admit where we are recreating the past in our lives today. Then, the story becomes less about Who am I? and What is my story? and more about Who am I without my story? When we realize just how programmed we have been by the past, and how it has been showing up in our lives over and over again, ensuring that the future is more of the same, we begin to see the gift in letting go of the past.
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Secrets For Living A Magnificent Life
In 2005, I traveled to the Inyo Mountains in California, a high mountain desert wilderness just north of Death Valley. I was returning from a nine day vision quest, a spiritual journey that was the culmination of more than a year of prayer, study and careful preparation. My body was tired, dirty and weak from the fast. My soul . . . exhilarated. I had long ago learned to listen to the voice of Spirit, and as I quenched the thirst of the desert flora with my remaining water, I heard Spirit tell me, “Hold some back.” As I drove through the searing Death Valley heat, I discovered the reason. A coyote stood in the middle of the road. As I approached, he walked head first into the wind and dust. I pulled the SUV over and studied the coyote carefully. His back leg was injured, and he appeared haggard, weak and exhausted. My mind told me not to interfere with the natural course of the wildlife in the Valley. My heart knew the coyote needed my help. I got out of the SUV and the coyote made no attempt to run as we sized each other up in the heat, wind and sand. The coyote continued to observe me as I removed my drinking cup from my pack and filled it with the water I had saved earlier. I set the cup down a few feet from the coyote, and he drank. Finally, with one long meeting of our eyes, he was gone. Animal guides or “power animals” are an essential part of shamanic healing, and we all have at least one. Power animals, also known as totems or animal spirit guides, are compassionate spirits that reside within us, filling us with personal power (hence the name). They reflect who we are, and represent those qualities that we need to function in our daily lives. They act as our guardians, protecting us from illness caused by spiritual intrusions and negative energies. They are our teachers, our advisors, our healers and our champions. My encounter with the coyote in Death Valley was no accident. He was there to teach me. Coyotes are natural teachers, but coyote medicine is Heyoka (sacred jester), so he teaches us in bizarre
and humorous ways, helping us balance work and play, and to laugh at our own mistakes. It is said the coyote sang humans into creation. Coyote is cunning, enabling him to survive in extreme conditions. He adjusts to his situation, rather than fleeing from it. Coyote medicine teaches us to forgive our own shortcomings, and to love ourselves in the process. I carry coyote medicine to this day. Coyote last appeared to me in September during an Inipi Ceremony in Colorado, but I hear his song each night from the pine thicket behind my country home. I listen closely to his song of creation, and watch for mysteries that are about to unfold in my life. Valerie Frances Nunnelly, JD, serves as the Director of the Institute for Shamanic and Indigenous Studies at the College of Metaphysical Studies in Clearwater, Florida. A native of rural Alabama, Valerie grew up surrounded by natural beauty and wildlife. Valerie’s shamanic healing work includes working with power animals and totems, as well as soul retrieval, extraction, psychopomp, and drum and sound healing. Valerie lectures and conducts workshops on Shamanic Studies, Soul Retrieval, the Medicine Wheel, Medicine for the Earth, Drum Making, Shamanic Tools, and many other topics related to shamanic healing. For a complete list of workshops in your area, visit Valerie’s web sites at http://www.TheBearIsMyBrother.com, and http://www. HealingHeartsHealingHands.com. Or visit the College of Metaphysical Studies at http://www.cms.edu.
Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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time. That’s what transformation through Reflexology is all about. I have experienced countless moving, joyful, miraculous moments through the years in seeing how Reflexology truly focuses and empowers people’s lives.
these stressful and uncertain times, isn’t it comforting to know that there’s a centuries-old practice that can be enormously therapeutic? It’s called Reflexology. You’ve probably heard about Reflexology, but perhaps you’re not exactly sure what it entails. Reflexology is an art and a science that is based on the principle that there are reflex points and areas in the ears, hands and, especially, the feet that correspond to every gland, organ and part of the body. By skillful stimulation of these areas and points with hand, finger and thumb techniques, the body systems are facilitated to greater balance.
ing series using my distinctive techniques, the Laura Norman Method of Reflexology.™ Students in our programs come from all walks of life, from diverse professions, and from various cultures. They are drawn to this work by an awareness and appreciation that there is something special and powerful about the feet.
Those who have personally experienced Reflexology’s powers include entertainment personality Regis Philbin, who says that a session with Laura helped him pass painful kidney stones without the need for invasive surgery; and Sharon, a woman from St. Petersburg, who wrote me a moving letter: “Your book was heaven sent. My younger sister suffers daily with diabetes. She is blind and almost bedridden. I used the techniques in your book, “Feet First” on her last night. It was her first full night of sleep in many years. … She is still feeling better today. She cannot stop talking about it.” I recently received a call from a man living across the country. He had tracked me down to thank me for writing my book on Reflexology. He told me, “My sister was in a near fatal accident and was placed in intensive care, in a coma and on a respirator. The doctors did not know if she would survive or come out of the coma. They told me that if she did, she would probably have to stay on the respirator. I happened to have bought the book, and worked faithfully on my sister’s feet every day, if only for a few minutes. My sister did come out of the coma … and I called today because they took her off the respirator.” So many people have seen these types of results, that they are clamoring to learn how to do it themselves. To satisfy this demand, I have developed a highly successful train-
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Mary was a successful corporate Vice President who longed for a career that was more personally rewarding. She completed the program, went on to massage school, and now has a thriving full-time practice providing nurturing health care to others. “Laura’s program gave me the confidence to learn new skills and envision a new outcome for my life’s work,” she says. Facilitating personal growth is one of the keys to my approach with this extraordinary form of touch. An important part of health and well-being is the adventure of moving forward in our lives. Our feet transport us. Our purpose is to move, learn, develop and allow life to reveal itself through us one step at a
Secrets For Living A Magnificent Life
Laura Norman has been a Reflexologist for 38 years, with offices in Delray Beach and New York City. She authored the best-selling book “Feet First: A Guide To Foot Reflexology,” which has been published in several languages and sold nearly half a million copies worldwide. Transform your life and everyone you touch. Join internationally renowned Laura Norman and her instructors in her 3-Day Intro Jan 30-31-Feb 1 (Sat./Mon. 9 a.m.-6 p.m.), Part 1 of her Certification Program March 20-22, Part 2 April 2426, Part 3 May 22-24, Part 4 June 26-28, and Hand Certification July 10-13, all in Orlando. For details and to register online, go to www.holisticlivingschool.org or www.lauranorman.com. For more information, e-mail the Florida School of Holistic Living at info@holisticlivingschool.org or call 407-595-3731, or the Laura Norman Reflexology Center at classes@lauranorman.com or call 561272-1220. Please see ad below.
Conjure Woman, Medicine Woman, Woman of the Bush, and Folk Healer. There are many names for the Wise Woman who lives at the edge of the woods. She spends her days supporting life and her nights making sacred medicines. Those who journey to her house come to her in need of healing: Healing of the heart, body, mind and Spirit. Mostly, people come seeking wholeness. The Conjure Woman is always there with her arms outstretched and her heart full of love. She turns no one away. Many have sat at her kitchen table drinking herbal tea. Time spent with her is like no other. She will remind you of your song and point you toward your greatest healer... yourself. It seems some people in the holistic community are obsessed with what letters are behind our names or of what group, association, society, school, tribe, or shamanistic school we are a member. For me, every hill and valley of my life has been my university. The volumes of tear-streaked journals are my textbooks, and what the plants and ancestors have shared with me have become my materia medica. While I have many mentors offering me guidance and reminding me to carry on the Wise Woman tradition and the ancient healing art of Spirit Medicine, I believe the wisdom in my heart is as important as the knowledge in a book. The healing properties of a melody are just as important as the chemical compounds of a plant, and the love that pours from our bodies, minds, hearts, and Spirits will heal the world. Maybe I am idealistic or maybe I live in the clouds. Maybe I live in a little wooden house at the edge of the woods, with my arms outstretched, a pot of tea on the kitchen table and a heart full of love. Chonteau McElvin, Spiritual Arts Practitioner, works as a Counselor for at-risk adolescent girls by day and a Magical Medicine Woman by night. She founded a company called Sangoma LLC that carries her personal line of healing herbal products. She also created Herbal Wise, a vehicle she uses to bring herbal wisdom and her herbal creations to your circle of friends. To schedule a consultation, Herbal Wise Party or learn more about her services please call her at 407-342-3912. Please see ad for Sangoma Wellness Center above.
Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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Ayur means life and Veda means knowledge. Ayurveda is the science of life. If there were a life handbook given at birth guiding us to a healthy and happy life, included would be several chapters on the science of Ayurveda. This ancient healing system has its historical base in the pre-Aryan civilization of India dating back over 5000 years.
Here is some simple advice from Ayurveda in relation to diet. 1. Eat only when you are hungry. Eat a piece of fresh gingerroot with lime and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Ginger is panchan and dhipana. This means that it enkindles the fire of digestion and burns ama, or toxins, in the body. 2. Do not have cold drinks or drink a lot of fluids with your meals. This dilutes the digestive juices and extinguishes the fire of digestion. 3. Have your largest meal of the day at midday and your last meal at least two TO three hours before bedtime. 4. Make each meal a preparation of love and be grateful for all of your food.
Ayurveda is the science of living in harmony with the forces of nature. Its holistic approach to healthcare is unique in that it enables us to treat the individual as a part of the whole. Understanding one’s personal nature (prakruti) and the impact the environment has on one’s life offers us clarity for the most appropriate lifestyle applications that would serve us best. These may include nutrition and dietary changes, simple exercises such as yoga, meditation, deep breathing (called pranayama) and addition of simple herbal medicines. These simple changes will create a greater harmonic balance for the mind, body and spirit. In Ayurveda, food may be used to support healing. These principles coincide with the basic Hippocratic principle that food serves as the most valuable medicine for supporting and maintaining health. Likewise, poor nutrition and unhealthy lifestyles create a foundation for disease to begin. One of the major causes of illness according to Ayurveda is called prajna-aparadha or offense against knowledge. If you get heartburn every time you eat foods prepared with tomatoes and continue to eat them, you will suffer the consequences. This is called prajna-aparadha. If your body is telling you that a particular food is not good for you, listen. The Surgeon General of the United States says that 60% of diseases are diet-related. Ayurveda says that almost all disease can be related to improper digestion of foods and the wrong combinations of them.
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Know that it is a gift from nature and God for you. (We may take this for granted not realizing that every year on this planet 20 million die of malnutrition). By following some very simple principles from Ayurveda your health can improve and you can live a long and prosperous life. Living a full and healthy life does not need to be a puzzle; we may just need a little guidance from an ancient medical science that has been tested through time. Richard A. Masla LMT, Ayurvedic Practitioner, is the Director of the Ayurveda Health Retreat in Alachua, Florida. The retreat offers panchakarma retreats and Ayurvedic health consultations. You may learn more about Ayurveda at http://www.AyurvedaHealthRetreat. com or call 352-870-7645. See ads next page.
Secrets For Living A Magnificent Life
Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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I
don’t know where you have been. I have not been looking for you and I never knew you existed until I let go of everything I thought I was to everyone else. Then suddenly, I became aware of someone, something, deserved and tangible. I began feeling your pulse.
I wonder how many of us walk around unaware that we are allowed to value ourselves solely for what we offer to our own body, mind and spirit. Then I realized I have never met you, my own self-worth. It never occurred to me that I get to choose my value to myself. That by moving into alignment with all that is I allow into my life what I desire to experience. I wonder how often we get to feel our self-worth in play. I have so much value to others, but to me my only worth is to bring to me all that I desire, what I desire is how I value myself. Interesting. My self- worth is reflected by what I desire and my willingness to allow this into my life. Oooh, this is exciting.
As I begin writing this I realize I am worth whatever my imagination can conceive of. I can be worth it all, joyfully dancing through life, valuing myself above all others, valuing myself above all experiences and carrying this self-love into everything I do and allow it all. Ahhh! Life is about to get really, really juicy. I am worth allowing sweet fruit into my day, a cool swimming pool, a joyful smile and a friend who sees so deeply into me that I am reminded of my divine origin. I am all I desire to be already, and just realized it today. My self-worth, this new friend, is here to ensure I receive all I desire and right now I desire only to see, feel and rejoice in who I AM. And that is developing as my imagination soars. As this new friend holds my feelings of self-love I am reminded of our eternal connection to source. What a good friend, what a good friend, indeed. And to think I never knew you were there. I love you. I love you so much I will proclaim it to the world. Christine Sokolowski, Reiki Master, and author of “Reiki, From Beginning to Master,” a comprehensive and in-depth guide that is helpful to the beginner as well as experienced Reiki practitioner, has been teaching Reiki in Florida for several years. Her spiritual teachings and writings include decrees, children’s stories, and essays on The Course in Miracles, Wealth Creation, Abraham Hicks, Breath-of-Life and the “I AM that I AM.” One-on-one and group sessions are available. Please call to attend a free Reiki class. Christine can be contacted at beautifulfutures@hotmail.com or 407-9139280. See ad this page.
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Secrets For Living A Magnificent Life
In my travels and classes through the years, I have noticed a common thread. People wonder and want to know what their purpose is in this life. What is their main reason for being here? What is the main task God has for them to accomplish that will bring meaning to their existence and help humankind? I give all of them the same answer: “The purpose of God is Loving Relationships.” The way I see it loving relationships are constantly demonstrated. Just in our galaxy, our Earth hangs at just the right distance from the Sun to have precipitated and now support life, all the other planetary bodies in our proximity have their orbits in perfect relationship so that none collide. And our moon happens to be at the perfect distance to schedule our tides, and we spin around the Sun perfectly to have our seasons. Most people have not thought of all of this as a loving relationship, but when I start talking about it, they feel it. They feel a glimpse of the immeasurable depth of love that knitted together the whole of Creation in all of its infinite forms, all in perfect relationship to function as they do. Most have not thought about the countless number of synapses and functions that take
place in perfect relationship for us to draw a breath, blink our eyes, have a thought; the list is endless. This is a different take, but once we change our perception to encompass the possibility that everything is because it is in loving relationship we realize that miracles are not rare occurrences but constant in their flow. Our view changes to see that miracles are the norm. Every breath, every thought, every blink of an eye, every drop of rain, every animal, plant or thing, every human being, every star in the sky; all in loving relationship. God’s loving relationship to us. Something to think about when we wonder what our purpose is. Christopher Tims has lectured and taught about Sound & Light throughout the United States, Canada and Australia for over 20 years. Among other places, he is currently holding Mystery School classes, Gates Workshops and varied evening talks at Elemental Crossings in Sanford, Florida. http:// www.elementalcrossings. com; http://www.soundhealing.org; http://www.christophertims.com
Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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When I first started speaking before women’s groups, I was invited to teach a mind-body-spirit approach self-hypnosis (7th Path Self-Hypnosis®) to a group of women in a substance abuse support program. I’ve never admitted this before, but I confess I was surprised to find myself an outsider in a room full of NORMAL women from all walks of life. Listening to their unfolding stories, my understanding grew. Each one brought to the circle her own unique problem, and all had a common goal of being well. Each had found a way to distract herself from her life’s problems and had used what was available to her: legal prescription medication, alcohol, illegal street drugs, and even food! They were all independent, intelligent, problem solvers. Just like most women! They had successfully found a way to cope with an underlying problem. Unfortunately, they had trapped themselves with a coping skill that was interfering with the rest of their daily lives. I explained a way to understand the meaning of your emotions (The Secret Language of Feelings®) and got goose bumps watching the women, as I do with each class, when the “aha” moments started coming and they began to realize and understand they aren’t to blame. Coping is what we do as humans! We aren’t taught how to deal with our emotions, nor even learn what our emotions are for. Some of us get lucky, learn quickly, and sail through life. Others of us get caught up in the cycle of destructive distraction. Oh, I myself know “the distract cycle” very well. I’ve ridden through destructive cycles with alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and food. Once I understood how my emotions worked, and used 7th Path® Self Hypnosis to uncover and correct my erroneous beliefs, I began understanding who I am, accepting myself, and even loving myself, exactly as I am. Learning these effective techniques helped me change my life forever. I was humbled to witness the melting pot of connected women in the 7th Path® class as they shared their stories, intimately and emotionally. For five weeks, I watched them heal themselves with self-esteem, love, compassion, and the power of knowing who they were and had always been. Every week, we added more glue to strengthen the building blocks they already possessed, allowing them to seek out the answers they needed inside of themselves instead of using destructive, distracting cycles. Those women taught me a great deal. First, that substance abuse has no culture or class
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boundaries. Secondly, that the healing power of a group of women is amazingly strong. Each of them came into that group alone, seeking help, their only common bond, a woman in trouble; and over a course of five weeks they nurtured, supported, and bonded with each other while they each discovered themselves. My continual learning never ceases to amaze me and always excites me when I start a new class. I know along the journey we walk together, that the students shall become my teachers and I, too, will learn. Please see Tina’s ad next page. Tina Shafer is a national speaker, experiential teacher, gifted writer who founded the Hypnosis Success Center in Adrian, Michigan, a state licensed hypnosis career training school. Through empowerment workshops, training courses, coaching programs, and audio products, Tina teaches her students how to journey within, and with expanded love and trust, create the life they were born to live. Curious? You can find more information about Tina, hosting or attending empowerment workshops on 7th Path Self-Hypnosis® and The Secret Language of Feelings,” and purchasing audio products on her website, http://www.journeywithinyourself. com. Contact Tina in Oviedo, Florida at tshafer@tc3net.com or (517)9026160. See ad next page.
Secrets For Living A Magnificent Life
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Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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It could be that many of Cupid’s arrows are “green” tipped. Seems like more Valentine’s Day shoppers are searching for environmentally friendly gifts, ones that come straight from the heart, like “green” manatee gift adoptions from Save the Manatee Club. Take for example, elementary school teacher Heather Herendeen from New York, who, this past Valentine’s Day, decided to adopt Margarito from the club’s Adopt-A-Manatee® program for her husband, Jim. “Jim has everything, and he feels most gifts are just a waste of money,” said Heather. “Since Jim loves manatees, I thought it would make a unique gift, plus do something good for our animal friends.” The $25 tax deductible gift adoptions from Save the Manatee Club include a color photo of a real Florida manatee. People get to select one or more adoptees from 32 manatees featured in the Club’s three Florida adoption programs at Blue Spring State Park, Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, and in the Tampa Bay area. Also included in the package is an adoption certificate, biography, membership handbook, subscriptions to the Club’s official quarterly newsletter, The Manatee Zone, and the bi-monthly e-newsletter, Paddle Tales, a year’s membership in Save the Manatee Club, a personalized Valentine’s Day gift card, and free shipping within the United States. Or for $35, each new member who adopts online will also receive a plush manatee toy. Funds from the adoption program help Save the Manatee Club raise public awareness, educate, sponsor research, rescue, rehabilitation and release efforts, support land acquisition, promote aquatic habitat protection, work for improved protection measures and support conservation efforts in other countries. There are only about 3,800 manatees left in Florida waters. Manatees face ever-increasing threats mostly from watercraft-related mortality and loss of winter warm-water habitat. Save the Manatee Club, a national nonprofit advocacy organization, was founded in 1981 by Jimmy Buffett, world renowned singer/ songwriter and former Governor of Florida and U.S. Senator Bob Graham. For more information about manatees and to adopt one for Valentine’s Day, contact Save the Manatee Club at 500 N. Maitland Ave., Maitland, Florida, 32751. Call 1-800-432-5646 or visit http://www.SavetheManatee.org.
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Secrets For Living A Magnificent Life
W
hen I turned 30 I decided to make a change in my life regarding my relationship to relationships. I had no idea what to expect, but it turns out we are all more alike than we might suspect when it comes to this tender subject. The first step to changing an unhealthy pattern is to shine a light on it. This means taking an honest, sober look at how we are behaving, and why. It seems so simple in theory, but is humbling and sometimes torturous work. A common dynamic I have seen is the woman taking all of the initiative to make calls and dates. When she realizes that this behavior results in her having to do most of the work in the relationship and not being appreciated by her man, she might stop making all the moves in an effort to break the cycle. The relationship may lose steam and the man can step up to the plate, or not. It is not hard to see why it’s a tough thing to do. The thing that I have kept in mind is that I am attracting exactly the kind of partner I want. Another issue that arises is feminine sensuality waning from lack of attention. This is largely due to societal programming that if female sexuality is not receiving male validation—it is neither valid nor vital. The opposite is often true and often a powerful potential goes untapped. When a woman is not getting the attention she thinks she needs to feel sexy and attractive, the real potential lies in the company of women and eventually self-validation where the essence of the sacred feminine is found and set free. The self-empowered feminine essence is soft and fluid and ridiculously attractive to everyone! The funny thing is, when we stop seeking validation, it finds us. The world wants a person that truly knows their worth and power. The final word is balance. Every intuitive reading I facilitate, every personal hurdle I jump brings me closer to the center point. And that is where a truly new relationship always begins. Relationship Readings are available with Holly on Wednesdays at Audubon Community Market from 6-10 p.m., Thursdays at Dandelion Communitea Café, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and fourth Saturdays at Blissful Lotus Romance Boutique from 2-7p.m. See http://www.Shineonyoga.com for info on classes and workshops taught by Holly or call 321-947-0824. Email: Starbananas2@yahoo.com. Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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Winter is a time of new beginnings similar to the new moon, a time to contemplate and plant the seeds that we wish to see grow in the Spring. It is a quieter time for going within to examine where we are, what we would like to manifest and to deepen our connection to Spirit. Mercury in Retrograde (Dec. 26-Jan.15) has the potential to assist us in our introspection. The full moon lunar eclipse on December 31 in the sign of Capricorn is a potent ending of one year and beginning for the next. Take note of what is highlighted around this time for you as it may serve as a reality check. Be open to revising your plans and ideas as insights come to you during the ensuing weeks. In numerology, 2010 is a 3 year (2+0+1+0=3). Three has “a fascinating and diversified vibration carrying the qualities of manifestation and self-expression ... It’s creative imagination allows all things to be possible.” (from “Numerology and the Divine Triangle,” by Faith Javane and Dusty Bunker, pp. 10-11). “It’s keywords are friendship, peace, justice, prudence, piety, temperance and virtue ... associated with the planet Saturn (symbolizing responsibility, perseverance, stability) brings wisdom (and knowledge) as we benefit from the past, organize the present and foresee the future.” (from “The Numerology Workbook,” by Julia Line, p. 28) The energy of this year may even more clearly and quickly bring our dreams and visions into reality. Keep up those positive thoughts and affirmations! As the sun moves through Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan.19) notice how you feel with the shift into this new “3” energy. Saturn rules the sign of Capricorn, a practical earth sign that helps us to ground and manifest our visions into reality. The New Moon Solar Eclipse on Jan. 15 may bring guidance on ways to implement new ideas and perspectives in a more realistic and practical way that not only serves us individually, but also our world. As the Sun moves through the air sign of Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb.18) allow your creativity to flow and your imagination to generate the most uplifting, life-affirming, joyful scenarios you can envision for yourself and our world. Remember, anything is possible! Raven Moondance (aka Shenna Benarte), ad top of page 45, writes the newsletter, MOON ASTROLOGY UPDATE and monthly column on MOMA BEAR, a magazine for Gainesville, Florida moms. For a complete Moon Astrology reading or to attend a monthly Moon Astrology Class, call Raven at (352)372-8594 or email: moondance_raven@hotmail.com.
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ARIES (March 20-April 19) You may feel somewhat vulnerable as we start the year off. Take care of yourself and know that you are doing just fine. Don’t doubt your intuition. Allow your inner guidance to give you the insights you seek. You are being guided even though sometimes it may not seem like it. Be sure to ask for what you need and then give yourself the time and space to listen for that inner guidance! AFFIRMATION: As I attune to my inner knowingness, life flows with ease and my body, mind and spirit become more and more aligned with each breath I take.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) As the sun moves through the sign of Capricorn, you may begin to feel a sense of relief. Life has been intense for you lately, but things are beginning to shift and you may start seeing some positive results from all that inner work you have been doing. Be patient with yourself! You are doing just fine! Remember we are always exactly where we should be and they are the challenging times that ultimately help us to grow. Keep breathing and trust that you are indeed being guided in all things. AFFIRMATION: I AM gentle with myself. I love myself. I AM a child of the Universe being born each moment.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Many insights, opportunities and possibly, challenges have been coming your way recently. Are you breathing? Don’t put pressure on yourself to make any snap decisions. Take that next step, only when you feel it is right. Expand your sense of vision. Take a step back and view the various aspects of your life from a broader perspective checking out different angles and options. While the sun moves through the sign of Aquarius, clarity and insight will come to help you move forward with greater assurance that you are on the right track. AFFIRMATION: I totally trust that every aspect of life unfolds exactly when the time is right and in line with my highest good. All is in Divine Order.
Secrets For Living A Magnificent Life
CANCER (June 21-July 22) Yes, this may be quite a time for you—like the pot has been stirred up big time and is ready to boil! Well, just keep breathing. Take care of each day, each moment—one thing at a time. Observe yourself, your interactions and your challenges. Try not to react. Instead, take in what you are experiencing, examine what is happening and ask yourself what may need to be shifted or changed in your perceptions, expectations or life. This is a time of powerful insight that has the potential to help you shift and/or release some long standing patterns. AFFIRMATION: I breathe and go with the flow totally trusting that I AM guided, supported and loved. I AM at peace with life.
LEO (July 23-Aug.22) This is an active time of year for you on many levels. Be sure to use your tools (meditation, time in nature, yoga and prayer) in order to help maintain your center. Take lots of deep breaths. Observe others, observe yourself and try not to take anything too personally. Look for the joyful aspect in each situation, even the challenging ones. Or consider focusing on your gratitude. When we shift our attitude to something positive, resistance dissolves and life just flows more easily. Stay present to the moment! AFFIRMATION: I surrender to the flow. My life is unfolding one day at a time taking me exactly where I am meant to be! I AM grateful!
VIRGO (Aug.23-Sept.22) Expect greater clarity as we move through winter. You may gain some helpful insights or a shift in perspective as you contemplate your experiences of the past few months. Be sure to let go of what no longer seems to fit who you are today. The times are changing rapidly giving us ample opportunity to redefine ourselves and how we engage with our world. Take advantage of these energies. Trying to hold onto what worked before may cause stress. Let go and trust that something even better will manifest for you! AFFIRMATION: I allow my life to shift and change with the seasons. All is in Divine Order. I AM truly blessed!
LIBRA (Sept.23-Oct.22) Really let your intuition guide you now. Allow it to help you negotiate any challenges. Stay present! Give your logical mind a rest and follow that inner guidance that comes when you take a breath, ask to be guided and then tune in. When your mind comes into play to question or doubt, go back to your sense of feeling. Trust that what feels right, is right! AFFIRMATION: I AM centred. I AM at peace. My intuition guides me to take right action in all things.
SCORPIO (Oct.23-Nov.21) Honor your connection to Spirit! Notice how the Divine moves through the fabric of your life in sometimes very subtle ways. Feel the joy and blessings that come when you consciously and consistently acknowledge and tune into Source energy. The Divine is always present to support, love and guide us. We just need to remember to connect! AFFIRMATION: The Divine continually flows through me, my life and my world. I AM loved, guided and supported in every moment.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov.22-Dec.21) As you begin a new year with your birthday, contemplate what your challenges are reflecting to you about yourself and your perceptions. As you set the foundation for the year ahead, use the insights you gain during this time to create a more realistic picture of what you wish to see unfold in the months ahead. What needs to be shifted in order to align your outer world with your inner truth? AFFIRMATION: I am part of the perfect rhythm and flow of life. All aspects of my life are in alignment with the Divine. I AM guided in all things.
CAPRICORN (Dec.22-Jan.19) Observe yourself. Observe life. As you end and then begin a new year with your birthday, allow your observations to point out what needs to be shifted, changed
or let go of in order to make way for the new. Observe, and instead of reacting, take your time to respond. Self observation greatly assists us in our growth. When we take more responsibility for our actions and choices, our sense of empowerment is strengthened. AFFIRMATION: Each day offers me wonderful opportunities to grow, change and step more fully into my true self. I AM empowered!
AQUARIUS (Jan.20-Feb.18) Step more fully into your power by letting go of what you no longer need. It is holding you back! The past is over! Do some cleaning out and if you haven’t used it for a while, get rid of it! Let go of memories and stuff that do not nurture who you are today. It is time to step into the new year that begins with your birthday without the baggage. It is time to create the new empowered you, right down to the cellular level with more nourishing foods, positive affirmations and a new vision of your evolved self. AFFIRMATION: I release the past and move forward with love in my heart, love for myself, all my relations and the Earth. I AM supported, guided and blessed!
PISCES (Feb.19-March 19) Review the challenges you experienced over the past year. Can you see the broader picture and what they may be telling you, pointing you towards, or perhaps, pointing you away from? Let go of the logical way of looking at things. Let your heart and soul guide you. As you complete your year, consider releasing whatever does not truly nourish you by your birthday, if possible. This may be as simple as changing your perspective, detaching from a situation or person or dropping some unrealistic expectations. Wherever you feel stress, look deeper and clean out! Your soul is speaking to you. Are you listening? AFFIRMATION: I lovingly release what no longer serves me. I love and approve of myself and I alone have the power to create the joy in my life. All is well in my heart now.
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DIRECTORY ACUPUNCTURE Abundant Health Holistic Center; Solara Attatharya, DOM, AP, DNBHE; 2200 South Bay Street Suite B, Eustis, Fl 32726; 352 365-4325;SacredQi@ gmail.com; http://www.AbundantHealthHolisticCenter.com BOUTIQUES, BOOKS, GIFTS The Om Bookstore; Kali Telana; 15519 U. S. Hwy. 441, Suite 306C, Eustis, FL 32726; 352-978-1181 kalilove88@aol.com; http://www.theombookstore.com
a quick and easy way to find support for creating your magnificent life!
ENERGY HEALING Member of The Reiki Alliance; Kathy Adams, Reiki Master; 1630 Monteburg Dr.; Orlando, FlL 32825 407-620-5345; kadams71@cfl.rr.com http://www.chrisrosenthal.com GREEN CLEANING Odoronix; Liam Hail; P. O. Box 121567, Clermont FL 34712; 407-523-9700; info@odoronix.com; http://www.Odoronix.com
Elemental Crossings; Spring Rayne, 311 S. Park Ave., Sanford, FL 32771; 407-Y-392-6870; http://www.ElementalCrossings.com
HEALING ARTS SCHOOLS Out of the Blue; Donna Weinheimer; 5550 Empire Church Road; Groveland, FL 34736; 352-3947388; donnaweinheimer@aol.com ; http://www.clermontspa.com
CHILDBIRTHING (NATURAL) Kateyah Kapashah, LMT (MA17989); DOULA; Mount Dora, FL; 352-455-4421
YAHWEH ACADEMY OF LIGHT; Yashoda Yehudit and Vil-Am Ben-Ahim; Eustis, FL 32726; 352-357-5918; http://www.YAcademyofLight.com
CHIROPRACTIC Wagner Chiropractic; Ramah Wagner, D. C., 2755 S. Bay St., Eustis, FL 32726; 352-589-5443; http://www.doctorramah.com
HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES Trump Network; Marty Ward-Cutting Edge Health and Wellness; 321-848-4997; www.trumpnetwork. com/martyward; Marty@OurDiamondTeam.com http://www.jointnt.com/martyward
COLOR AND LIGHT SESSIONS Rahansia P. Ben-Mejuri, LMT (MA12828); Mount Dora, FL 32757; 352-408-9626 COMPUTER SERVICES (IT/IS) PC’S OF 8; Kqasha and Melissa Ananta, P. O. Box 1476, Mount Dora, FL 32756; 352-455-3398; pcsof8@comcast.net CONFLICT RESOLUTION Alternate Pathways Outreach; Diane J. Ackerman; 315 E. Maud St., Tavares, FL; 352-343-3380; http://www.alternatepathways.com; diane@alternatepathways.com BELLY DANCE Enlightenment Dance-Your Gateway to Enlightenment Through Dance; Hozuhni; Winter Haven, Orlando, Miami; 863-585-8264; enlightendance@aol.com; http://www.EnligthenmentDance.com ENERGY HEALING Reiki - Christine Sokolowski, Orlando, FL; 407-913-9280; beautifulfutures@hotmail.com
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REJUVENATIONS- Anti-Aging, Pain and Health Therapies; Shanaya Nalna, N.D., Mount Dora, FL 32757; 352-385-0055; info@askshanaya.com http://www.AskShanaya.com Amethyst Bio-Mat Quantum Healing and AntiAging Light Thermotherapy; Katarah Vishnu; Mount Dora, Florida 32757; 352-735-3203 HERBS/HERBALISM Leaves and Roots; Carolyn Whitford; 9434 E. Colonial Dr., Orlando FL 32817; 407-823-8840; leavesandroots@leavesandroots.com http://www.leavesandroots.com HERBAL/HOLISTIC EDUCATION North Wind Training, Inc.; Rebecca Henkins BSN, RN, HNB-BC, ND, MH, RM-T; 1411 S. Locust Ave., Sanford, FL 32771; 407-765-9035; Herbmstrs@aol. com; http://www.northwindtraining.com HOLISTIC LIVING EDUCATION All About Art - Artful Living Center; Donna D’Amato; 5162 S. E. Abshier Blvd., Belleview, FL: 352-307-9774
Secrets For Living A Magnificent Life
HOLISTIC LIVING EDUCATION REAL NURSES, REAL SOULUTIONS; Jeane Cole and Charol Martindale; 1433 Barn Owl Loop, Sanford, FL 32773 ; 407-513-4991; realnursesrealsoulutions@yahoo.com; http://www.meinsideandout.com HYPNOSIS Healthy Alternatives; Aida Alejandra Oliver; 1107 N. Donnelly St., Mount Dora, FL 32757; 352-7357555; http://www.healthyalternativesdayspa.com INNER PEACE http://www.InnerPeacePrograms.com; Manny Gross; Orlando, FL; 407-491-7807; mannygross@ bellsouth.net INTUITIVE READINGS 4 Corners Intuitive; David Botsford; 109 Ambersweet Way, # 111, Davenport, FL 33897; 863-420-3634; davidbotsford@gmail.com http://www.4cornersintuitive.com Osha Harama; 1335 Elray Blvd., Mount Dora, FL 32757; 352-516-9608; Osharama@aol.com Margaret Staton, M.A. Angel Therapy Practitioner, Orlando, FL; 407-4213758; healingangel334@hotmail.com Connected Earth Healing; Holly Riggs; 618 1/2 Cathcart Ave., Orlando, FL 32803; 321-947-0824 starbananas2@yahoo.com Divine Readings (by Cally); READINGS BY PHONE AND EMAIL; ‘Cally’ M. Pennington; Gainesville, Florida 32602; 352-481-0199 sessionswithcally@divinereadings.com http://www.divinereadings.com Moon Astrology Readings by Raven Moondance; by phone or in person; Gainesville, Florida; (352)372-8594; moondance_raven@hotmail.com. JEWELRY Touchstone Crystal; Carol Thomas, Consultant; 8521 Black Mesa Dr., Orlando, FL 32829; 407-5958554; carolstouchstonecrystal@gmail.com http://my.touchstonecrystal.com/carol LIFE AND SUCCESS COACHING/EDUCATION Vickie Haren,CCLC; 601 Webb Way; The Villages, FL 32159; 352-502-3898; lifecoach11@hotmail. com; http://www.wix.com/VickieH/Vickie
a quick and easy way to find support for creating your magnificent life!
DIRECTORY
LIFE AND SUCCESS COACHING/EDUCATION Alternative Learning Designs,LLC; Anita Torres, P. O. Box 2033, Mount Dora, FL 32757; 352-4554869; alt@altlearningdesigns.com; http://www.altlearningdesigns.com
RECYCLING SP Recycling Corporation; Denise Gainer; 5303 N. Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, FL 32810; 407-234-1517; denise.gainer@spnewsprint.com http://www.sprecyclingflorida.com
WELLNESS SOL RIZE Counseling and Wellness Center; Sherry Foster; 407 Center Pointe Circle, Ste. 1697, Altamonte Springs, FL 32701; 407-415-3380; http://www.SolRizeCenter.com
Inner Revolution; Cynthia MacMillan, Certified Integrative Life Coach; Deltona, FL; 386-7890520; http://www.InnerRevolution.net
SKIN CARE Phyto Institute & Wellness Center; Gina Cassisi Canas; 2575 Kurt Street, #102, Eustis, FL 32726; 352-483-4800; http://www.phytoinstitute.com
WOMEN’S HEALTH/SUPPORT Joanne M. Keller, ARNP Women’s Health/Wellness; Joanne M. Keller, ARNP; 3643 Lake Center Drive, Mount Dora, FL 32757; 352-385-2631
Claudia Virga’s Facials and More; Claudia Virga; 352-504-2893; ClaudiaVirga@SkinCareTherapy. net; http://www.ClaudiaVirga.SkinCareTherapy.net
REJUVENATIONS- Anti-Aging, Pain and Health Therapies; Shanaya Nalina, N.D., Mount Dora, FL 32757; 352-385-0055; info@askshanaya.com http://www.AskShanaya.com
MASSAGE Kateyah Kapashah, LMT (MA17989); Mount Dora, FL 32757 ; 352-455-4421 Rahansia P. Ben-Mejuri, LMT (MA12828); Mount Dora, FL 32757; 352-408-9626 Laura Painter, LMT (MA51773); Altamonte Springs, FL; 407-421-2165 Lymph Facilitation Therapist; Earmason B’nai, LMT (MA32689); 133 W. 6th Ave., Mount Dora, FL 32757;352-250-5543; Earmason216@yahoo.com Massage Therapy/Energy Healing (MA22986, MM17969); Kathy Hall, LMT; 1954 Howell Branch Rd., Suite 200, Winter Park 32792; 407-538-3044; Kathy@kathyhall-lmt.com MEDITATION Meditación en Inglés y Español; Serenity Mindfulness Center,L.L.C.; Beatriz Elena de Bruna; 1585 Morningside Dr., Mount Dora, FL 32757; 352-385-0103; bonette5@hotmail.com MOVERS-RESIDENTIAL AND BUSINESS A Better Price and Service Moving and Delivery; George Barton; 929 Northshore Drive; Eustis, FL 32726; 352-589-6683 (352-589-MOVE); GeorgeB7777@aol.com NUMEROLOGY Bobbie Roberts; The Villages, FL 32159; 352-205-6056 NUTRITION Joanne M. Keller, ARNP Women’s Health/Wellness; Joanne M. Keller, ARNP; 3643 Lake Center Drive, Mount Dora, FL 32757; 352-385-2631 Laurel Moll Health Counseling; Laurel Moll; Orlando, FL; 407-413-9086; laurel.moll@gmail.com; http://www.laurelmoll.com Klamath Falls Blue Green Algae; Zebon Ben-Atri; Mount Dora, FL; 352-383-8884
SPIRITUAL CENTERS A Center for Wellness and Light; Cindy Myers; 4353 Edgewater Drive, Ste. 3, Orlando, FL 32804; 407-297-0772; ACenterForWellnessandLight@gmail.com;; http://www.ACenterForWellnessAndLight.com Golden Triangle Center for Spiritual Living (Science of Mind); 2130A Prevatt St, Eustis, FL 32726; 352-589-2620; http://www.gtcsl.org COMMUnity 729; Trish Roddis; 729 N. Thornton Ave., Orlando, FL 32803; 407-463-2248 Unity Leesburg; 826 E. Dixie Ave., Leesburg, FL 34748; 352-787-0834; http://www.UnityLeesburg.org PSYCHOTHERAPY/PSYCH. COUNSELING Jeanine D’Onofrio, Ph.D. (ABD), LMHC, NCC; 1799 Salk Ave., Tavares, FL 32778; 352-742-8300
YOGA Lotus Yoga Center; Janice Keifer; 465 Oakland Avenue, Apopka, FL 32703; 407-697-6437; JanKeifer@cfl.rr.com; http://www.LotusYogaCenter.com Jeweled Lotus Yoga; Kellie Adkins; 104 S. 2nd St., Leesburg, FL 34748; 352-874-3272; jeweledlotusyoga@gmail.com http://www.jeweledlotusyoga.com LAUGHTER YOGA with Hara Marshi; Tavares, FL; 352-552-6053; haramarshi@embarqmail.com; www.myspace.com/laughtersize Yoga Central; Shata Ben-Avari; 2724 W. Old U. S. Hwy. 441, Mount Dora, FL 32757; 352-383-7979; http://www.yogacentral888.com
STRESS RELIEF LAUGHTER YOGA with Hara Marshi; Tavares, FL; 352-552-6053; haramarshi@embarqmail.com; www.myspace.com/laughtersize TAI CHI Debbie Kirby; Eustis, FL; 352-267-0884; Call for class schedule WATER FILTRATION AND TREATMENT Divine Water Co.; Thoram Charanda; 3975 Dora Wood Drive; Mount Dora, FL 32757; 321-5061850; divinewater@comcast.net WELLNESS Joanne M. Keller, ARNP Women’s Health/Wellness; Joanne M. Keller, ARNP; 3643 Lake Center Drive, Mount Dora, FL 32757; 352-385-2631
Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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Love. I don’t know anything about love. The more I try to know it, the less I understand it. In fact, I believe true love is unknowable. How can you know the depth of being? The depth of love itself? I have felt love. I feel love. I am love. I dwell in love. My experience of the feeling of love increases as I silence my mind and fully feel gratitude for the beauty in nature and others. When I fully focus on loving others in service by just being a witnessing presence, anything I do pales in comparison to what I am being. I surrender my mind and all knowing of love disappears into a deep well of feeling from which love comes pouring out. When I try to know and understand love, I seem to miss its many layers and often confuse love for expectations and attachments. The mind does not function at a high enough frequency to grasp full knowledge of love. The mind can grasp concepts about love, but to really know love one must be love. The mind must surrender itself to the higher frequency of a silent mind, where knowing merges into being. Being is vast, deep and unknowable. The depth and silent space of being connects you to
the depth and silent space of all being, everywhere in the present moment. All of your thoughts and the things you experience are made up of, suspended in, sustained and animated by the silent space of being in and around you. The depth of being is the generator, sustainer and destroyer of all thoughts and things you experience. The mind can only comment on the pure inspiration it receives from being, the source of all mind. Similarly, the mind can only comment on or about love, but it cannot be it. In order to fully express love, the mind surrenders itself to being and a portal opens up that allows the energy and feeling of love to come pouring through, bathing everyone around it in benevolent light. This state of being is our true nature and destiny. When we dive deep into the depth of being inside ourselves, we touch
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upon the depth of being that connects us to all other beings. Through this connection we realize that there are no others in our experience, only the one being, loving itself, because in reality there are no others, only being itself! Love from this perspective is not something you know but is who you are. Love is your being. You love the other because it is yourself.
figure. Learn to trust that if your intention is to be love, to raise your frequency and to serve others, that it may not always look like love to others, but you can feel it when it is, and so you love anyway. Learn to trust being. If you said it or did it from love don’t second guess yourself. The people at the temple were mad at Jesus when he tipped over the money changer’s tables. Sometimes love can be still or soft. Sometimes love is tough or full of action, but always true love comes from the depth of a silent mind that is free of concepts. A mind that is free of concepts is unknowable and unpredictable. So why try to know the unknowable? You’re better off to be love. Pure being is love, and love is being, no matter how it shows up. It seems that there’s nothing to know about love, only love to be.
I have often observed how the perception of love and the intention of love get muddled and confused. There have been times when in a state of silent loving being I have shared something with someone out of love, only to be perceived as the exact opposite of my original intention. This can be frustrating if you’re attached to a particular outcome, but if you trust the process, you will sometimes get confirmation that your loving words are seeds that sprout in that person’s future. Sometimes a year later, someone will say that they resented my earlier words, but that they eventually kept them from suicide or saved their marriage. We are not always so lucky as to get confirmation of cases like this. But it sure is nice when it happens. I think even yogis like confirmation that they’re on the path from time to time. We are human after all.
Dr. Al Nuñez is a lifelong mystic and student of spirituality. He has studied and applied many of the profound practices and tenets of Catholicism, Shamanism, Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Zen, Kabbalah, Paganism, Mysticism, Hinduism, Tantra, energy and sound healing, “Shadow Work,” Kundalini Yoga, many forms of meditation, and Qi Gong. He is an environmental advocate and educator, nature lover, happy hippy tree-hugger, and rescuer of many baby squirrels. He has been practicing fully integrated and wholistic veterinary medicine for almost 20 years, with two Animal Hospitals in the greater Orlando area. He is one of Velocity magazine’s regular contributing writers and has recently joined our team of spiritual editors. Dr. Nuñez is committed to awakening human beings to their highest self. Please see ad below.
There have been times when speaking from a state of “no mind,” where words are just flowering out from pure being, and the mind is in shock as to the words that being is saying. These words seem to violate what we know about love from a mental position, however the person receiving the words thanked me because what I said was not coddling. My sharp words cut through layers of lies like a scalpel that removes a tumor, so that the original light and being could be revealed. The moral of the story is love isn’t always pretty! I’ve been chased by angry drunks because I stole their keys. On that night, I was a very bad man but after their hangover was over I was all right. Go Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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December 2. Did anyone see the ring around the moon that night? This was the hallmark of the beginning of the opening of the first seal and alignment of the planets to 2012. Many were feeling the shifts of the planet and their own bodies that week. We are metamorphosing from only two strands of DNA to our original 12 strands of DNA as we move towards 2012. Our fully stranded DNA was taken away from us a long time ago and now many are aware of our awakening to our full connection to the Divine. There might be some that might not even feel any vibratory shift happen in December 2012. It is important to be very focused now more than ever regarding our spiritual disciplines. What we think, feel and eat is assisting us to move into our full potential. Distractions also have to come to a minimum enabling us to become so in tune with ourselves we have the ability to know and feel our true Selves.
Many have a fog over them because of what they are eating, foods full of sugar and/or filled with chemicals. We will not be able to be in touch with the Voice and Divine feelings within us easily if the food we eat is distracting our focus. Being vegan (no animal products of any kind) is a good way to clean out our bodies. Pure, chemical- and toxin-free non-genetically modified organic foods have also become significant for us to consume this time. They help to keep our bodies more pure and clear. Many are aware of the forces that do not wish us to reach our Christ Consciousness. We must be vigilant and remember to pray and read our holy scriptures, keeping negativity away as best we can. Nothing is more important now! Finally, I cannot stress how crucial utilizing the breath has become for our
First, what we eat has become consequential for our awakening.
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awakening. If we do not know how to breathe properly it is time to find someone who can help us! The strengthening of our core and the diaphragm is what is to be worked with right now. It is critical for us to be able to complete the openings in the body and auric field. Pranayama’s “breath of fire” is one of the highest and best exercises for strengthening the diaphragm. Find a good teacher (many yoga instructors know this practice) and practice everyday. We are fast on our way. There is only a short time to prepare for the Event Horizon 2012. Rahansia P. Ben-Mejuri is a licensed massage therapist (MA12828). She is a practitioner of energy healing and clearing, color light therapy and aura balancing. She offers healing classes and may be reached at (352)735-6842. Please see ad this page.
Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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Transformation~ Freedom Close to 20 years ago, I realized my life was in chaos and I didn’t want to live like that any more. My parents were both alcoholics who eventually died from the disease. Although I didn’t drink or abuse substances, I was just as sick. I exhibited most of the same symptomology in the reckless way I lived my life. One day, shortly after my mother’s death, I said to myself, “There’s got to be more to life than this.” And that’s when my most exciting journey of self-discovery and unveiling began. Within a year, I found myself participating in a healers’ congress led by the greatest Re-minder anyone could have, although I didn’t really have a clue about what really happened in a healers’ congress. Well, I got healed. At least, one cloudy layer was lifted from my being and my life was set on a forward course of self-realization. And this is why I feel it so important to share this interview I conducted with Yashoda Yehudit, Co-Director of YAHWEH Academy of Light (YAL) in Central Florida. I hope you’ll read it and decide to take the fast track to personal healing and transformation in April which the Academy is presenting. For more information, be sure to see the advertisement on page 2 which this interview supports. --Purusha K. Radha, Editor Editor: What exactly is energy medicine? Editor: Energy medicine is about a vibration, an upliftment of energy that takes us out of negativity, doubt, fear and the constant programming that has taken us down an unhealthy road. It focuses us on a path of health, healing, happiness and well-being. Editor: How does energy medicine focus us on a new path? YAL: By subtly working in the auric field, floodgates are opened that enable us to see what has been buried in the subconscious so that we can then begin to address issues because now they are conscious. Editor: If we’re working in the auric field, can physical challenges be uplifted? YAL: Yes, for example, many people have auto-immune diseases. This is because the immune system cannot see the disease. It is covered over and unless you take off the covering, the immune system cannot see and cure the disease. With energy medicine, we are re-directing ourselves out of subconscious programming that has
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continued to play over and over again. This programming causes mental and physical illness, and unhappiness in our relationships, family and work. On the emotional level, we have many subconscious programs which have created “blind spots,” issues others may be able to see in our behaviors but which we ourselves do not see. Energy medicine creates an environment in which these blind spots begin to reveal themselves so they can be healed. Editor: Can you share with us a story or two that our readers may identify with? YAL: Yes. We had a college professor in our school who taught theater to Masters program students. Not only did he so enjoy our three year program, he began to teach his students many of the meditation and protection techniques we share and ended up creating a whole summer program for his students. He found that while going through a major transformation within himself, his writing and creativity expanded. He found he was writing more meaningful plays. Editor: Please explain how our creativity would be affected. YAL: Your creativity becomes heightened because in healing ourselves we are connecting with our Higher Selves, the God Self, where we open ourselves to the constant flow of Divine creativity.
Editor: Do you ever have professionals from allopathic medicine inquire about the healing techniques you share? YAL: Yes, many have enrolled in our school. One was a head Registered Nurse who was so busy she barely got through our two year program. As she began to transform, she realized that she no longer wanted to be a nurse although she did want to use her healing powers in a more direct and profound way. She gave up a 20 year nursing career and moved into her journey of light where she became a most capable and loving healer, first of self, then of others. Editor: Who are your typical students? YAL: Our students come from virtually all walks of life, from medical doctors to homemakers. All of them are looking for change and healing.
Editor: Can you be more specific? YAL: Of course, students will learn how to clear their own and others’ auric fields of all debris, densities and precursors to disease and they’ll learn how to maintain this auric hygiene. They will begin or proceed further on their journey to remembering who they truly are and why they are here. And we’ll do this together in a safe, nurturing environment. They will begin to open their hearts and feel the love that comes from being present with Self. They will experience that love and the acceptance of Self all the way down to the soul level. Editor: Transformation is a word I’m hearing you mention an awful lot.
Editor: So what can participants expect to experience during your two day workshop in April?
YAL: Yes, because no less than that will happen for each student who attends with the desire to be healed and begin a new life. In these two days, we will explore together how energy medicine will support our highest and most magnificent Selves and become divinely inspired to go deeper inside Self and to ultimately, be free.
YAL: Students will receive the understanding and a revealing of their own power to heal by utilizing their inner knowing and wisdom.
For more information about YAHWEH Academy of Light’s Two Day Energy Medicine Workshop April 24-25, 2010 in Central Florida, please refer to ad, page 2.
Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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Love hurts. The words are from a popular song and now a commercial. With all the tension and stress we experience today those words may unfortunately ring true in the hearts of many. We could ask why, or perhaps we might explore the thin lines between love and hate. At times we experience warm fuzzies just by being in the same room with a loved one. Conversely, we might find ourselves cringing at the mere thought of the person, wondering, if I loved you yesterday what happened today?
ily members. Instead we choose a blind eye or a deaf ear, while making excuses and pointing fingers at the other guy. All the time asking, “If I’m changing, why aren’t you?” Never recognizing that if you have to ask, then you are probably not changing, but participating in a masquerade at the grand ball of deception. Anger is a healthy emotion when channeled for positive change, but when used as a venue to further one’s agenda it is destructive and deadly to a relationship.
If examined honestly, we might answer: ME, I happened! I allowed my thoughts to get in the way of my common sense. I put judgment and my desire to control in the forefront of the unconditional love I once felt toward you. I sacrificed my love of me in order to satisfy a misguided passion and compulsive need to be needed by you, only to feel demeaned and unworthy down the road. Sad, isn’t it?
When allowed to grow with honesty and void of the fear of retaliation, then nurtured by encouragement, love thrives and spreads like the laughter of children. We experience the warmth of fireplaces on cold winter nights and the security of a lover’s arms holding us close while saying, “I’ve got you, babe.”
Unfortunately, this revelation is seldom disclosed until a relationship is all but destroyed. Clients come to me for Anger Management Classes, claiming the problem is the other guy’s, not their own. When dissected, the feelings that trigger anger are often rooted in a fear of losing control and low self-esteem. If we direct our anger toward another, we are less likely to deal with the compost that created the pile of crap our lives have turned into. It’s not easy looking into the mirror of tomorrow especially when all we see is yesterdays filled with “what ifs” and “should haves.” We frequently fail to recognize the warnings given by friends and fam-
So if we’re feeling slighted, lonely or misjudged you might ask, What have I not nourished in myself? Am I doing my best, to be my best? What made me love you yesterday? If more than one person says you have a problem, then it’s probably yours and you may want to address it. It won’t be easy. But, it will be worth it. Diane is author of “The Gathering,” a book of poems addressing life’s addictions, co-dependencies and obsessions. Her workbook on anger management, “Shut the Duck Up,” was used with great success at Anthony House, formerly a homeless shelter in Zellwood, Florida. See ad, left.
Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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I am in Vrndavana. Vrndavana is a town in north India, specially known for an atmosphere conducive for developing prema, the highest love between the individual spirit and the Supreme. I awoke this morning to the pre-dawn chorus of Vrndavana kirtan and bhajan, radiating from hundreds of chakras of transcendental sound vibration throughout the sacred village. Immersion in such sound vibration before sunrise invites the soul toward profound spiritual joys as an auspicious start for the day.
cludes with a depiction of Radha-kunda, a place and consciousness where prema is the sweetest. Indeed, Rupa Goswami describes those who have attained Radha-kunda as “the most fortunate people in the universe.” Interestingly, the first words of “Nectar of Instruction” are “vaco vegam,” referring to the urge to speak. Herein Rupa Goswami expresses that the first step on the journey of spiritual realization, and ultimately toward absorption in the most intense and inspirational love, is to be conscious with our speech.
Prema, personal loving relation with the Divine, is all-inclusive, free from limitation. Just as by watering the root we automatically nourish all branches, leaves and twigs, we similarly nurture our relationships with all persons by cultivating love for the source of all creation. My specific purpose here in Vrndavana is to conduct experiential seminars on transformative communication. We might wonder about the connection between communication skills and the sublime love called prema. In this regard I am reminded of the quote from theologian and philosopher Paul Tillich, “The first duty of love is to listen.” Sometimes it’s helpful to distinguish between the feeling of love, and love as a verb. A vital action in loving relations is high-level communication, beginning with deep, attentive listening. About 500 years ago the Six Goswamis of Vrndavana inspired a renaissance, centered in Vrndavana, of prema-bhakti, personal devotional love as a means for self- and God-realization. The writings of these sages carefully differentiate between spiritual prema and material lust. One of these Goswamis, Srila Rupa Goswami, a leading Vedic scholar of the age, wrote “Sri Upadesamrita, The Nectar of Instruction.” This short treatise on spiritual life con-
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This points to the essence of transformative communication. Skills, or technique, are external, mechanics meant to serve the essence. At its essence, the principles of conscious communication comprise a systematic process of selfrealization. This process utilizes mastery of hearing and expressing to create sacred space. In that space we get to support each other and ourselves to unlock the mysteries of prema within our hearts, and experience infinite and untainted love. David B. Wolf, Ph.D., is a life skills coach and communications specialist, a highly sought-after teacher and speaker, and the author of Relationships That Work: The Power of Conscious Living (Mandala Publishing, 2008). As part of his doctoral studies he developed the Vedic Personality Inventory (VPI), a personality assessment tool based on Vedic psychology. He has more than twenty-five years of professional experience in a variety of social and mental health fields, including counselor training, medical social work, and children and family counseling. Dr. Wolf founded Satvatove Institute (www.Satvatove.com), a nonprofit organization based in north Florida dedicated to spiritually based personal and group transformation through empowered communication, courageous introspection, and purposeful action. He has conducted personal transformation seminars in more than a dozen countries, including India, Canada, New Zealand, France and Switzerland. Please see ad next page.
Secrets For Living A Magnificent Life
Global Campaign to Support the Tibetan People and Celebrate the Survival of Tibetan Culture is Launched!
The Tibet Fund The Tibet Fund, Peace Jam Foundation, the Nobel Women’s Initiative, and the Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education have joined forces to launch Thank You Tibet! a global campaign to celebrate the survival of Tibet’s great culture of wisdom and compassion and to support the Tibetan people’s steadfast commitment to nonviolence as a path to peace over 50 years in exile. Nobel Peace laureates Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Jody Williams, Adolfo Perez Esquivel, Mairead Maguire, Rigoberta Menchu Tum, Shirin Ebadi, Betty Williams, and Wangari Mathaai have signed a Statement of Support to launch the campaign, and Williams, Maguire, and Ebadi personally delivered it to His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India where they held a press conference stating that the Tibetan people “have set themselves as a model for the world, of nonviolence, truth, democracy and resilience.” The campaign calls for messages of hope and support to build a groundswell of support for the Tibetan people at a time when their culture and identity are at great risk of disappearing in Tibet. People can sign the Nobel Laureates’ Statement of Support and upload their own messages in any medium-videos, music, visual art, photography, and text-to a dynamic website, http://www.ThankYouTibet.org. The campaign will culminate on March 4, 2010 at a major event in New York City featuring interfaith leaders, Nobel laureates, celebrities and performances by Tibetan and non-Tibetan artists. Messages from the campaign will be projected throughout the event.
Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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O
ne only has to watch the evening news to learn about the current state of the economy. There have been countless foreclosures on homes all around the nation and our unemployment rate is at an all-time high. When we hear such dire predictions, it becomes easy for us to lose our faith and begin to wonder if we ever will see a glimmer of light at the end of a dark tunnel. It becomes easy for us to fall prey to showing a lack of faith in ourselves, our country, and our government. Many Americans are facing a deep sense of betrayal and anger, since we feel we have played the game of life by all the known rules. Many of us had a perfect work ethic and we made wise investments only to find now that it has been to no avail. All seems lost and we don’t know where to turn for relief from our anger and anxiety. In times such as these, it is important for us to remember to turn within and to focus our attention upon our innate power of faith. Faith is a power that we all have! Charles Fillmore, the great American mystic and cofounder of the Unity movement said, “Faith is the perceiving power of our mind.” In other words, faith assures us that we have the power to do the seemingly impossible. We can use our faith to draw to us our heart’s desire from the invisible spiritual world and bring it forth into our physical realm of existence in the here and now. The writer of the book of Hebrews knew this potential power of faith as stated in Hebrews 11:1, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” When we begin to focus our attention upon great expectations in our lives such as success, abundance, and finding a solution to our financial problems then we are likely to manifest this good in our world. On the other hand, if we get drawn into the drama of the news, we then focus our faith and attention upon worry, frustration, and even more lack and limitation.
receive Spirit’s abundant good. The question remains where will you place your faith? Will your faith be placed in the seemingly dire events of the world, or will you place your faith upon God the good? Rev. Mary Blocher was ordained as a Unity Minister in 2005. Rev. Mary hold a Master’s Degree in Education from Indiana University. Prior to entering ministry she was a special education teacher for 24 years. Nine of those 24 years she lived and taught on the Navajo Reservation where she learned first hand the traditions, customs, and spirituality of Native Americans. Please see ad, column 1.
In the Gospel of Matthew it says, “According to your faith let it be done unto you.” Faith, therefore, is the measure of our capacity to
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Finding Compassion by Rev. Donna Weinheimer You might think that Love would be easy to write about, as there are at least a billion songs, movies, books and poems written about this subject. It is not easy for me because I write what I feel, and love is not on the top of my list of emotions. As a spiritual student, woman, teacher and massage therapist, you would think that every word out of my mouth would be the L word, but the more I deal with the material world and work with clients, the more out of love I become with this world. I feel compassion for everyone and everything on this planet, but compassion is not love. Love holds the highest emotional vibration, and on the scale between love and fear, compassion holds a high ranking. But love rules. Being desensitized by the violence we are subjected to daily may have something to do with my feelings. We are taught to love our brother as we love ourselves, but when we witness home invasions and children being murdered, it is pretty hard to say “I love you” and mean it. When we feel lied to by our churches, government and the corporations to which we dedicate our lives, the L word, for me, quickly turns into the F word. In the end, transforming these emotions of anger and fear bring me to a state of compassion. Compassion! Compassion for all life—human, animal, plant—the mineral world, and our planet. Compassion is our lifesaver, an anchor that grounds us. As we move into this new age of enlightenment, we become the witnesses to the end of an old world that doesn’t support us; as witnesses we have to remove ourselves from judgment and become observers. What better way than to remain in compassion, detached from the outcome as the world crumbles around us. Compassion is our survival technique that allows us to feel, but not surrender our precious energy to the vampires of the old world. As the new world emerges, humans will become a new creation. Compassion and love will crystallize into a new vibration so pure that every thought and action will be of the highest good for all; fear, greed and jealousy will not exist. Humans choosing not to accept this new vibration will loose an opportunity to clear the slate and be a part of the new world. Until then we must remain patient, compassionate. As witnesses, we must remember who we are, then step out of the role of witness and into the role of creator. Rev. Donna Weinheimer is a licensed massage therapist (MA27125, MM12675) and ordained ADL minister. She holds a third degree black belt and is a Tae Kwon Do and Chi Gong instructor. Donna is also certified in Thai yoga bodywork, native hot stone massage, Breema bodywork, Shiatsu, Tui Na and shamanism. See ad for ‘Out of the Blue,’ previous page. Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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The New Year brings up many emotions for all of us. You may experience happiness or sadness, excitement or dread, anxiety or peace. Whichever emotion you find yourself experiencing, now is the perfect time to practice what we’ve been learning about using your emotional intelligence skills. In the last issue, we explored techniques for knowing yourself and getting in touch with your feelings by first naming and identifying them. Hopefully, you’ve applied a few of the success techniques. Let’s take a closer look at the “Choose Yourself ” step in the Six Seconds model. Choosing yourself begins with placing yourself first on the priority list. We are fortunate to live in a world where there are choices. I have experienced times in my life where I was in a funk or stuck in a rut, feeling powerless and unable to shake off the emotion. The first technique to practice is to acknowledge the feeling, identify with it, be with it; then use the insight from that process to decide how to react to the emotion. Some of us choose to stay stuck for days, months, even years, and enjoy wallowing in the drama or story of our situations we feel helpless about. Others stay in an analysis paralysis mode thinking we are being productive, with no concrete decision or actions in sight. Those who really take time to effectively assess, digest, and learn from the emotion, begin to create the balance between knowing what to say, what to do, and how to be. The hardest feelings are those that we imagine as unsafe; and our emotional brain will help us to do anything to resist unsafe feelings. We begin to associate sadness with risk and hardship. “We all have emotional intelligence, but that doesn’t mean all our emotions are intelligent,” says Joshua Freedman of Six Seconds Network. The key is in understanding the difference between emotions that are useful and those that are not. What I’m about to say may be difficult for some to hear and I totally understand why. However, consider the possibility that no one person, place, or a thing makes us experience happiness, sadness or anxiety. They may contribute to happiness or the lack of it. However, ultimately we alone can choose an emotion at any time, anywhere and for anything. I’d like to share with you some powerful words that hit me like a ton of bricks when I first heard them:
“What you tolerate becomes the standard.” Let it sink in again. “What you tolerate becomes the standard.” Here’s the primary technique in practicing how to “choose yourself.” The next time you are faced with a situation that triggers a deep emotion ask yourself: •
Am I really okay with this situation?
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What am I willing to accept or not accept?
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How is it serving or supporting me?
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Am I bearing (tolerating) it to avoid something?
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If so, what am I avoiding? What am I afraid of?
What feelings am I resisting?
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Stay in that inquiry. Let yourself feel the emotions come up. Then use the power of choice to react to that emotional data. It may be that new commitments are made, arrangements are negotiated, agreements to move on or stay are decided, or a whole new set of possibilities for creating a new future are available to you from the power of choice. When I facilitate my leadership workshops, I am often amazed at how obviously unhappy people are in their job or career, and some blatantly angry, because they don’t like what management is doing to them, or the job requirements are more than they can bear, or they really despise their chosen field or industry. I politely ask, “What efforts or actions have you taken to change the situation for yourself?” If actions, discussions, research, or new agreements have been attempted to no avail, then the next logical step is to make new choices and create a whole new reality. The bottom line is, we are responsible for imprisoning ourselves to our circumstances. We are much more powerful than that. We need to believe that our circumstances don’t control us, we control them. According to Eleanor Roosevelt, “In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die, and the choices that we make are ultimately our responsibility.” This is no doubt the toughest step in the emotional intelligence model. As a practitioner myself, I am challenged every day, just like you, and I make the conscious choice and effort to process, evaluate, and assess what my emotions are telling me. Sometimes it requires us to face our biggest challenges and toughest decisions. In the end, we will all be much better and happier for it and so will our family, friends, and colleagues. It takes courage and commitment to learn, lead, and live extraordinary lives NOW, NOT SOMEDAY! In the next issue, we’ll integrate the final step, “GiveYourself,” in our emotional intelligence journey. Until then, I want to express my warmest and best wishes to all. May you experience peace, harmony, and love now, in 2010, and forever! Anita Torres, owner of Alternative Learning Designs, is a Certified Professional in Learning and Performance and a Certified Emotional Intelligence Coach specializing in leadership development for individuals, organizations, and families. Contact her at alt@altlearningdesigns.com. Please see ad previous page.
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“Love seeketh not itself to please, Nor for itself hath any care; But for another gives its ease, And builds a Heaven in Hell’s despair. So sung a little Clod of Clay, Trodden with the cattle’s feet; But a pebble of the brook Warbled out these metres meet: Love seeketh only Self to please, To bind another to its delight, Joys in another’s loss of ease, And builds a Hell in Heaven’s despite.” Blake’s poem “The Clod and the Pebble” speaks of the eternal challenge of love: the search for a balance between our desire to give spontaneously and for the fulfillment of our own self interest. Each of us inhabits a subjective world in which those we love reflect something of ourselves. Yet in finding love we give up something of the self we were before. As a hypnotist, I seek to assist clients in finding solutions to challenges involving love. The unconscious mind has all the resources needed to find these solutions. Clients often find it difficult to talk about love, partly because of self-consciousness, and partly because they lack the words to really express themselves. So I often use devices such as tarot cards, palmistry and runes as a means of enabling clients to find answers at an unconscious level.
love. A curved heart line is known as a humanitarian heart line, meaning someone who needs to be aroused through the emotional aspects of affection. Notice the depth and form of the line, along with any breaks, irregular shapes and changes in direction. These manifest events connected with the ups and downs of love over the course of your life. Then imagine yourself shrinking in size and traveling along your heart line from the beginning (at the edge of the hand) to the end. Spontaneously experience whatever comes up. Then take a few moments to return to the here and now, and trust your unconscious mind to guide you forward. David Botsford is a hypnotist and psychic reader in the Four Corners area, His websites are http://www.4cornersintuitive.com and www.4cornershypnosis.com and http://www.selfhypnosiscd.com and he can be reached on 863-420-3634.
Here is one such technique. If you have a Rider-Waite tarot deck, look at the Lovers card (if not, print out the image from the Internet). It displays nude female and male figures beneath the angel Raphael with upraised hands, with the sun on top and a mountain in the background. The man is understood to represent the individual’s conscious mind, the woman the subconscious, and Raphael the superconscious, which connects us to universal consciousness. The sun is the light source from which we draw energy, life and potential consciousness. The mountain suggests climbing, aspiration and attainment above our current level through volition. Now forget about those meanings and just gaze on the card for three minutes. Play a love song you enjoy in the background. If your conscious mind wanders, that is good. Let your unconscious mind absorb what you see. Then, look at your dominant hand (the right hand if you are right-handed). Examine the heart line (the large horizontal line nearest the fingers). A relatively straight heart line is a physical heart line, signifying satisfaction primarily through physical
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Free Goods at Throwplace.com Help Others During Recession
At http://www.Throwplace.com, worldwide users list new and used goods to give away to others. Everything listed on Throwplace.com is free of charge. Each “Throw” and “Take” is recycled and/or reused, keeping countless goods out of landfills and helping people and nonprofits make ends meet during these tough economic times. Throwplace.com members donate an astonishing array of items, from furniture and appliances to computers and parts for recycling. The site enables potential “Takers” to view items listed and make requests. “Throwers” may then read the requests discreetly in “My Account,” selecting a recipient with the click of a button. Throwplace.com then provides the selected Taker’s name and contact information to the Donor/Thrower so that pickup or delivery arrangements can be made directly between the two. Current “takes” include a NordicTrack in South Dakota, Jewish art calendars in New York, concrete landscaping edgers in Virginia, appliances, furniture, and 40 computers and peripherals in Arizona. An organization in Washington, D.C., recently found a copier, paper samples, and all sorts of other useful items for its new children’s educational center on Throwplace.com. Another user who has recently moved out of a shelter found the site useful in helping her obtain some of life’s barest necessities for her new apartment. “I have found items on Throwplace that I desperately needed. I had been sleeping on a hardwood floor each night until I found a bed on Throwplace.com. It is wonderful to know that Throwplace offers gently used items from private donors and charities to people in need, like me.” Throwplace is organized into four sections: U.S. Charity, International Charity, Business/Individual, and Up-For-Grabs. Representatives of U.S.-based charities like Millions of Angels that have 501(c)(3) status can “take” from the U.S. Charity section and are obliged to return a receipt to the Donor/Thrower. This U.S. Charity section is intended to help non-profits obtain items for special needs families and individuals in their areas. Tak-
ing from the Up-For-Grabs section is free for everyone. For a nominal fee, businesses and individuals may subscribe to the site and have access to the Business/Individual section. Subscribing businesses receive a Business Directory listing. In late 1999, Donna Lomangino, the owner of a highly regarded graphic-design firm in Washington, D.C., saw that the Web needed a marketplace where goods could be exchanged rather than thrown away. She launched Throwplace.com in late March of 2004, having personally developed, produced, and financed the site. Lomangino hopes that non-profits from coast-to-coast will find items for community members who have fallen on hard times during this economic downturn. And also that generous Throwplace users will continue to donate their excess possessions to others who might be able to use them. http://www.Throwplace.com is a website where businesses and individuals can post and find items listed for donation to charities and non-profits, businesses, and individuals. The goals of Throwplace.com are to encourage reuse rather than disposal; to raise awareness of responsible environmental practices by promoting the free exchange of goods; to help those in need; and to bring the business community, non-profits and the general public together by creating a central repository of donated merchandise available for recycling, reuse, and refurbishing.
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SUGGESTED READING In Alphatudes: The Alphabet of Gratitude, author Michele Wahlder, an internationally recognized life coach, career counselor and speaker, reveals the unexpected and simple secret to living a joyful life: gratitude. Even simpler, Wahlder explains how our earliest grade school victory—the ABCs—can be utilized to achieve an even greater victory: a sustainable shift in thinking that leads to contentment, peace and appreciation in our lives today.
now dreams of converting her smallish bungalow into two apartments!
Life Possibilities Dallas, TX To Be Released March 1, 2010
Resplendent with breathtaking, heartfelt prayers, affirmations and quotes, Alphatudes takes readers on an extraordinary trip through 26 alphatudes drawn from spiritual principles and universal human concepts. Wahlder’s book presents an effective, easy method to discover how to heighten awareness and appreciation of life’s daily gifts, attract opportunities with a positive mindset, surmount life’s challenges by drawing upon a healthy reservoir of gratitude and find blessings in difficult situations. In the new book, Just Enough: Lessons in Living Green from Traditional Japan, author Azby Brown points to Edo Japan to show how we can live happy, fulfilled and responsible lives today. By sharing personal observation and stories that depict vanished ways of life, Just Enough offers insight into what living in a sustainable society is like Kodansha International and how larger concerns can guide daily Tokyo,, NY, London decisions. Some two hundred years ago, $24.95; 231 pages ISBN 9784770030740 the Japanese confronted the same issues of energy, water, materials, food and population which we face today. The way they found to resolve these issues was to take “just enough” from the world and it led to living meaningful, satisfying lives. More than anything else, Just Enough is about a mentality that pervaded traditional Japanese society and which can serve as a blueprint for greener living today. Here is the essential guide to planning, building, renovating and inhabiting an eco-friendly small house. Little House on a Small Planet is a guidebook and an invitation. With floor plans, photographs, advice and anecdotes, this unique book asks and answers, What fills a home when the excess is cut away, and how do get from there from here? Author Shay Salomon is a handywoman, carpenter and construction manager. She’s built several tiny houses and
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Lyons Press Guilford, CT $24.95; 267 pages ISBN 9781599217956
Author of the instant New York Times bestsellers “The Expected One” and “The Book of Love,” Kathleen McGowan, now offers to those in need of guidance and hope, a transformative book that unlocks the hidden power of The Lords’s Prayer that can be recited by every Christian in the world. In The Source of Miracles: Seven Steps to Transforming Your Fireside/Simon & Shuster Life Through the Lord’s Prayer, McGowan New York uses the ancient spiritual practice of walking $22.00; 205 pages ISBN 9781439137659 the labyrinth to guide the reader through the process. Relaying her own personal miracle, the survival of her deathly ill newborn son, McGowan intertwines personal stories with historic events and religious texts to guide readers through the process of real and lasting spiritual transformation. The Source of Miracles harnesses the power of New Age and Christian traditions at a time of great material and spiritual uncertainty, when the need for signposts on the road to success has never been more acute. What if by opening up your mind to different possibilities beyond conventional reason, you could discover an aspect of yourself so powerful it would redefine who you are? This is exactly what George R. Noory, host of America’s #1 late night radio show, “Coast to Coast AM,” did in Worker in the Light: Unlock Your Five Senses and Liberate Your Limitless Potential. Readers were so inspired by the exercises in Worker in Forge the Light that they wrote to Noory, describing New York what happened to them when they unleashed the $25.99; 317 pages power of their minds. Noory was so compelled ISBN 9780765321039 by these anecdotes that he made a personal appeal to his listeners to send him more stories of their spiritual empowerment. The result is Journey to the Light: Find Your Spiritual Self and Enter into a World of Infinite Opportunity—True Stories from Those Who Made the Journey. In Journey to the Light, we realize that by keeping our minds open and by being positive about life, miracles almost always happen. Wild Attraction: The Energetic Facts of Life, by Paul and Patricia Richards, springs from an energetically awakened couple’s astonishing non-ordinary connection, and from a seventeen year quest to share their exotic new form of relationship magic with others. This unique guidebook will snap you out of the prevailing illusion of romantic love and step you into a world of intelligent, transformational intimacy that works. Continued column 1, page 65
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Paul and Pa t r i c i a Richards are pioneers in the rapidly deChelsion Press Ashland, OR veloping $16.95; 338 pages field of ISBN 9780976440123 energetic seeing. They enjoyed successful careers in aerospace and medicine prior to forming the Senté Center, an innovative training facility, in 1992. Their groundbreaking work on the role played by energy in human health, empowerment, and relationships is the most powerful and practical exploration of this topic today. T h e Wisdom of the Jewish Mystics by Alan Unterman is Axios Press a selecMount Jackson, VA $12.00; 97 pages tion of ISBN 9781604190137 the most important writings, commentary, and ideas fo the Jewish mystical tradition through the ages. The sayings are primarily drawn from the great Hasidic writers, who produced a new genre of mystical literature for lay people. In his introduction, Dr., Unterman explains the background of kabbalistic thought and distills the quintessence of the mystics’ wisdom. “Reality is the clothing of ... the Godhead itself,” he writes. “The mystic breaks through [the] perceptions which only tell us about the clothing, not about that which is clothed.”
“Sky Keepers” is Book Three of the Novels of the Final Prophecy and it’s a good one. Sky Keepers hooks you and makes you want more. The Final Prophecy series by Jessica Anderson is based on the ancient Mayan prophecy of 2012. Global cataclysm could be the end result unless the Night Keepers, the modern magicwielding warriors can prevent it. This novel is replete with adventure, mystery, romance, and wondrous magic. Our two heroes, Michael Stone and Sasha Ledbetter are combatting evil forces that are out to make sure evil reigns when 2012 arrives. They are characters we grow to love and more importantly, learn from. They both begin resisting their destiny. Don’t we, too, often find Resistance the hardest to overcome? Don’t many of us still today wonder about and angst over what our destinies are? The Sky Keepers novel is so very much about Love. Protagonists Michael and Sasha graphically demonstrate to us how we attempt to protect our hearts because of past hurts instead of being in the moment and open to love, especially when it begins to knock on our door. They also show us how fear of hurting another prevents us from being honest and open in our relationships. Finally, another central theme in Sky Keepers is Unity—the only way to move a mountain!
Think about that for a moment. If a group of us united our focus and thoughts, what do you think could be accomplished? It is amazing what the unified Night Keepers are able to do, all founded on the immeasurable love they have for one another. Each Keeper has his own talent, gift, or contribution that when combined in unity, the result is spectacular. So we have Resistance, Love and Unity that come together to form the basis for this incredible, fast-paced novel, powered by fantastic action and adventure. Author Jessica Anderson has always had an interest in the Mayan culture and visited most of the major Yucatan sites when she was young. The pyramid at Chichen Itza made a huge i m p re s s i o n on her. She said the more she looked into the 2012 doomsday prophecy, the more the Night Keepers story starting clicking in her head. She says it wasn’t like
she was creating it, but more like the story had been there all along. Anderson expresses that the story becomes more and more important as we draw closer to the zero date. Pick up a copy of this book and curl up and enjoy! A good novel is priceless! Just like a good song or movie can send a message, see what a good book can do! Kali Telana is owner of The Om Bookstore in Eustis, Florida. See ad page 3.
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You Can Let Go of Negative Self-Judgments by Ronald A. Alexander, Ph.D.
Adapted from Dr. Ronald Alexander’s new book, “Wise Mind, Open Mind: Finding Purpose and Meaning in Times of Crisis, Loss, and Change,” (New Harbinger Publications, 2009). Many people cling to the myth that those who are successful inevitably feel good about themselves and are free from self-doubt and insecurities. I’ve worked with many clients whose résumés, personal achievements, and reputations garner the deepest respect and admiration, yet their negative self-talk is often utterly brutal. Despite their low opinion of themselves, they’ve managed to fashion lives that many would envy. Yet the disconnection between their inner feelings about themselves and their outer success causes them to hold back from making changes that would lead to far greater fulfillment and peace of mind. They’ll remain in a stagnant situation until change is thrust upon them, and then feel overwhelmed by any crises that occur.
The Destructive Power of Negative SelfJudgments
No matter how accomplished we are, no matter how happy we may seem, we all hold on to negative self-judgments, and they hold on to us. They prevent us from discovering our power to change our lives for the better. When we switch to more positive thought patterns, crisis stops being overwhelming,
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and it’s far easier to let go of resistance, tune in to our passions and inner resources, and move forward with confidence. Positive thinking is indeed powerful, but don’t hold yourself to unrealistic standards and expect to quickly transform what are often lifelong thinking habits. The object is to stop assigning meaning to these selfjudgments, because once you start to give them weight, they begin to weigh you down. Through the practice of mindfulness, you can learn to notice when you are tearing yourself down and begin to change your habit of self-criticism.
The Stories the Mind Spins
Often, the rational mind will string together a series of distortions. Instead of simply noticing “I am shy,” the mind will generate the thought, “I’m shy, which is why I’ll never find a romantic partner; my shyness makes me unattractive.” Instead of observing “I am an extrovert,” the mind begins to tell a disempowering story: “I’m an extrovert. My mother never liked that about me, and it seemed to embarrass my siblings. I probably made a fool of myself many times. I am too eager to connect to other people, who look down on me for being emotionally needy.” You may not even be fully aware that you’re embellishing your self-judgments in an unwholesome way.
Reframe Your Negative Self-Judgments
Through mindfulness practice and self-inquiry, you can render any negative self-judgments neutral and even see them in a far different light. To be “self-centered,” focused on resolving inner conflicts, can be perceived as negative, but it’s very
Secrets For Living A Magnificent Life
important at times to direct your attention to yourself and your needs. If you feel that you are “callous,” you might reframe that quality as “courageous” or “bold.” If you see yourself as “weak,” consider thinking of yourself as someone who is sensitive to others’ feelings. You’ll never rid yourself of your unwholesome self-judgments and be completely free from the suffering they cause you. However, you can alter their quality, learn from them, and either let them go or transform them so that they no longer block you from a sense of well-being, a feeling of spaciousness, and openness to new possibilities. Hidden gold will appear when you let go of your negative-judgments. The aspects of yourself you’ve been overlooking will ascend to your consciousness. Through mindfulness, you can discover these forgotten qualities that will inspire and vitalize you, and carry you through the rough waters of crisis to more placid waters. Ronald Alexander, Ph.D. is the author of the just released book, Wise Mind, Open Mind: Finding Purpose and Meaning in Times of Crisis, Loss, and Change. He is the director of the OpenMind Training® Institute, practices mindfulness-based mind-body psychotherapy and leadership coaching in Santa Monica, CA, for individuals and corporate clients. He has taught personal and clinical training groups for professionals in Integral Psychotherapy, Ericksonian mind-body healing therapies, mindfulness meditation, and Buddhist psychology nationally and internationally since 1970. http:// www.openmindtraining. com
all seem to want We and perhaps need Love. It’s important to us.
might say only God could be that way all the time.
We have a hard time being happy unless someone cares. We each strive to be wanted, accepted, recognized and loved. It certainly feels wonderful to have someone love us, to be acknowledged, nurtured and appreciated for who we are.
A wise friend once told me “the only difference between you and God is that you have forgotten you are divine.” Many scriptures point to looking within to find God. If true, we will also find happiness, joy and all the love we desire there as well.
When people truly love us, they are accepting us the way we are, perhaps seeing the true essence of our divine being. They seem to see through our façades. Real Love is beyond all the surface things that we think get us to fall for someone. The feeling is much deeper, beyond our conscious mind, and many times makes no sense whatsoever. It just feels right! How often do we search for that feeling, not just in relationships but in anything in our life? Can we find what feels right, that something we would really love doing, having or being? Perhaps we can find a way of being that excites the passion in us, that brings forth that feeling of completeness, joy, and knowing everything is right in our world. Is it possible to live in that space, or is it something we have to continually search for and find only rarely? Many saints and sages have said is possible to live there. In fact, they say it is our true nature, our birthright. Under our personality stuff, our defenses, doubts and fears is a truly joyous, loving being of light. To most of us that seems hard to swallow, especially on difficult days when we are overwhelmed with the stresses of daily life. We
The problem with striving for love outside of us is that we will never be satisfied; we will never have enough for us to be fulfilled. By finding the love for our selves inside, we don’t “need.” We realize we are enough. We are perfect just the way we are right now. That doesn’t negate that we might choose to improve in a place or two. It does mean that we move to a place of nonjudgment of our selves, a place of appreciation and deep love for the essential divine being that lies within; knowing we are on a journey, having experiences, learning, sharing and doing the best we can. By moving to that complete space of acceptance, we become free of wanting and needing, allowing the divine being inside to come forth creating the life our deepest desires knows is just right. Then we have endless love to share with others, for we are full to overflowing. Silver Horse, formerly known as Dr. Vil-Am Ben-Ahim, has been a Chiropractor for 29 years using craniosacral and deeper energy techniques to help people get to and release the seed concepts and fears that have led to their physical and emotional pain. He conducts seminars and workshops based on these empowering ideas and is co-director with his wife Yashoda Yehudit of the YAHWEH Academy of Light, a healing arts school in Central Florida. Please see ad page 2.
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Alyson McCoy and Solo Event Planning are proud and excited to introduce you to Discover Wellness Weekend. This is an event for women that will focus on nutrition, fitness and wellness. Attendees will hear dynamic guest speakers who have expertise in a variety of topics. All meals will be planned by our nutritionist and prepared on-site by our personal chef. The event will be held April 30–May 2 at the Lake Yale Conference Center in Leesburg, Florida. Please join us, as the weekend will be a powerful experience and give you the information needed to improve your life and the lives of those around you.
Nutrition Throughout Discover Wellness Weekend you will be immersed in a health conscious setting. From Nutrition for Children to Diet and Menopause, the five nutrition sessions will show you how changing the way you eat can positively impact your own health.
Fitness As women age, we have different needs when it comes to exercise. Our fitness sessions will help you find the right balance between cardiovascular exercise, flexibility, resistance and strength training. And, you will also learn how to incorporate fitness into your everyday life, no matter how hectic your schedule.
Wellness In addition to proper nutrition and regular exercise, there are many other areas of a woman’s life she can control. Being proactive about one’s health can have physical, emotional and financial advantages. From skin care to acupuncture to self-defense, you won’t want to miss these sessions. Discover Wellness Weekend is organized by women and will be facilitated and taught by women. Registration is limited to 50 participants. The fee is $310 per person and includes two nights lodging, all meals and all educational sessions. Visit http://www. DiscoverWellnessWeekend.com to register, see a list of all guest speakers and educational sessions as well as a complete schedule of events. Alyson McCoy is the owner of Solo Event Planning and is the founder and creator of Discover Wellness Weekend. She can be contacted at 407-9771500 or alyson@discoverwellnessweekend.com. Please see top of column 1.
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Connect the Dots to Your Passion
............... by Marty Ward
As Robert Frost said: “Two roads diverged in the woods and I? I took the one less traveled on and that made all the difference.” Steve Jobs referred to these famous lines in Frost’s poem, “The Road Not Taken” when he spoke at Stamford University commencement speech in 2005 (http://tiny.cc/c9ySd). In one of the three life stories he recounted that day, he shared his discovery that you cannot connect the dots going forward, you can only connect them looking back. Although he dropped out of Reed College for financial reasons, he returned to the college to take courses he just plain wanted to take. He took a course in calligraphy because he was fascinated by the calligraphy in posters he saw around the campus. “It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can’t capture.” Who could have known that 10 years later when creating the first Mac computer in his garage that he would incorporate all of what he learned into the now famous computer giving not only Macs but PCs their beautiful typography with multiple type faces and proportionately spaced fonts? He learned, “You have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something—your gut, destiny, life, karma. You see, believing the dots will connect down the road will give you all the confidence to follow your heart even when it leads you off the well worn path and that will make all the difference.” Conservative, staid Harvard University realized a few years ago they needed to look at new options for their graduates who could not get a job in this economy despite their prestigious MBAs. After six months of research, they now offer courses in Network Marketing and that is making all the difference. Paul Zane Pilzer, millionaire and top economist writes in his book “The Next Millionaires,” that there is a “Democratization of Wealth” occurring and that the wellness industry is the business to be in. “Let’s take a look at two of the emerging pow-
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erhouse industries of today and tomorrow, direct selling and wellness, and why, instead of simply making a few dozen Henry Fords, Bill Gates or Michael Dells, they are creating fortunes for millions of home-based entrepreneurs.” Donald Trump, billionaire extraordinaire, agreed and joined Ideal Health in March 2009. He said, “When I discovered Ideal Health,Inc., I knew immediately that I had found a great company.”
Who knows where the Trump Network might take you? For me, Trump Network allows me to be the person I am and give back. It allows me to have health I was unable to obtain from carefully prescribed vitamins and I can do it for a price I truly can afford. It is a way to achieve my big why in life—my life’s purpose which is writing a book “My Private Sessions.” (Designed to prepare us for the changes that 2012 will bring as the earth moves into the photonic belt; scheduled release 2011.) I ask you, What is your passion? I found the way to realize it! Call me. The Official Launch of the Trump Network was November 13, 2009 in Miami. Launch your new way of life with trust and faith that you will connect the dots and see just why you trusted to walk the road less traveled and that made all the difference. Please refer to ad this page.
.................................. Velocity Magazine | LOVE | January • February 2010
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Secrets For Living A Magnificent Life