Natural Awakenings of Rochester Feb 2015

H E A L T H Y

L I V I N G

H E A L T H Y

P L A N E T

feel good • live simply • laugh more

Happily Coupled

Creating Loving Relationships that Work

FREE

Ease ADHD Healing the Heart Naturally Nine Ways to Help Restore Calm and Focus

Helpful Aids for Emerging from Grief

February November 2015 2014| Rochester, | Location-Edition NY Edition| NaturalAwakeningsMag.com | RochesterAwakenings.com natural awakenings

February 2015

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letterfrompublisher

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contact us Publisher Kelly H. Klein Editors S. Alison Chabonais Sara Gurgen Lauressa Nelson Contributing Photographer Vesna Sanders Contributing Writers Michelle Bense Hilarie Mae Dahl Sandra Yeyati Design & Production Chelsea Rose Printer Trumbull Printing Multi-Market Advertising 239-449-8309 Franchise Sales 239-530-1377 Natural Awakenings of Rochester, NY P.O. Box 201, Penfield, NY 14526 Phone: 585-298-9294 Fax: 585-672-9115 RochesterAwakenings.com © 2015 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved.

Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing.

Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. It is available in selected stores, health and education centers, healing centers, public libraries and wherever free publications are generally seen. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business.

We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised.

We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.

SUBSCRIPTIONS To sign up for a copy of our monthly digital magazine, email Publisher@RochesterAwakenings.com.

Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soybased ink.

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Rochester, NY

his month’s themes of Enlightened Relationships and Healing Grief hit close to home. I’ve thought about these ideas a lot in recent years.

It’s taken me a good part of my 30s to finally understand that in order to love others well, we must first love ourselves well. Like so many, I have spent too much time chasing a dream of a knight in shining armor. I realize now that I am my own “knight,” able to generate inner happiness and take responsibility for saving myself from feeling I need another to love me first in order to feel loved. Confident in this, I am able to be and give love more generously.

Last year, my husband and I hit a rough patch and spent six months doing major soul searching and giving each other space to do necessary inner work. We nearly called it quits before we awoke to the idea that for us to each feel fulfilled enough to express love more deeply, we needed to start by taking better care of our own needs rather than incessantly focusing on the other person. The transformation turned our old concept on its head.

Like many, I was brought up believing that to have a successful, happy partnership, it’s imperative to sacrifice one’s needs. Now, we’re trying it a different way and seeing our love grow in glorious ways. When mindfully done, we’re experiencing no detriment to either one of us and healing benefits for us both. It’s fun loving yourself for all you are and finding fresh ways to share that love.

Healing from grief is another life experience with which I’m all too familiar.

My own beloved parents both passed within the last eight years. It rocked my world, forced me to grow and inevitably changed me. People often remark that they are inspired by how positively I have moved forward even while missing their conversation, advice and hugs. The healing process may never end; however, I am heartened by newfound strength, a more secure sense of self and greater appreciation for every single day of life.

I am also learning how vital it is to be kind and patient with ourselves. Overcoming anger, pain and sadness over the loss of anyone or anything we hold dear is a process that takes time. We can choose not to crumble and blame the universe and instead turn loss into gain. My mom always said that happiness is a choice, and I have chosen to be happy and grateful that I have had the gift of having Donna and Dave Huggins as parents and that their unconditional loving care continues. I feel their influence guiding me in magical ways every day. This magazine is my homage to them and to all of you that have embraced natural awakenings into our community.

I wish you all love and light,

Kelly H. Klein RochesterAwakenings.com

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inspiration

coverartist healthbriefs

Natural Awakenings is your guide to a healthier, more balanced life. In each issue readers find cutting-edge information on natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green living, creative expression and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle.

ecotip globalbriefs

Remedies to Heal the Heart

healingways therapyspotlight wisewords community spotlight

by Kathleen Barnes

14 LOVE MAGNET

Katherine Woodward Thomas on Drawing True Love Our Way

by Debra Melani

16 HAPPILY COUPLED Creating Loving Relationships that Thrive

naturalpet healthykids calendar

by Judith Fertig

19 FULFILLING SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTENMENT

Through Yoga’s Physical Gifts

resourceguide

advertising & submissions HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 585-298-9294 or email Publisher@RochesterAwakenings.com.

Deadline for ads: the 10th of the month.

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Publisher@RochesterAwakenings.com.

Deadline for editorial: the 5th of the month.

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Email Calendar Events to: Publisher@RochesterAwakenings.com.

Deadline for calendar: the 5th of the month.

REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets!

Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets call 239-449-8309. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.

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12 GENTLING GRIEF

by Sandra Yeyati

20 WHAT’S IN

YOUR WAY?

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by Deborah Shouse

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Obstacles Point the Path to Wholeness and Healing

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BEFRIENDING OURSELVES

How to Reconnect with the Soul

by Hilarie Mae Dahl

23 WHEN YOUR

PET PASSES

A Guide to Mourning, Remembering and Healing

by Julianne Hale

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24 EASE ADHD

NATURALLY

Nine Ways to Help Restore Calm and Focus

by Jenna Blumenfeld

RochesterAwakenings.com natural awakenings

February 2015

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newsbriefs Horse Show in Pittsford Benefits Therapeutic Riding Program

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eritage Christian Stables, a program of Heritage Christian Services, will host the 11th annual Winter Classic Horse Show at Lehman Farms, in Pittsford, on March 28. The event is a collaborative horse show that brings together local stables, individuals and riding programs in a benefit for Heritage Christian Stables’ therapeutic riding program for people ages 2 and over with disabilities.

“Connecting horses and people provides many benefits, not only to the riders but to the volunteers that assist with the program,” says Lorrie Renker, director of Heritage Christian Stables, which is located on 13 acres in Webster.

Heritage Christian Stables is accredited by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International. With the assistance of certified therapeutic riding instructors and more than 85 dedicated volunteers, 13 horses provide 100 adult and child riders with positive, safe and exciting opportunities for physical, mental, emotional and spiritual growth throughout the year.

Event attendance: free. Location: 161 S. Wilmarth Rd., Pittsford. To enter a horse or enroll as a rider or to make a donation or become a sponsor, visit WinterClassic.

Kintera.org. To volunteer, call 585-872-2540 or visit HeritageChristianServices.org.

Core Rhythm Pilates Studio Opens Second Location

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fter a successful first year in Victor, Core Rhythm Pilates (CRP) opened a studio in January in downtown Canandaigua, where owner Tracy Janczak, a Stott-certified Pilates instructor and former professional dancer, will offer private and small group Pilates Reformer sessions.

The reformer is a classic, versatile, non-motorized apparatus that uses spring tension to create resistance. Clients sit or recline on a bed-like frame with a moveable carriage to safely perform Pilates exercises without joint stress, first building the muscles of the core (abdominals and back) and then strengthening and toning the entire body.

Tracy Janczak Other group classes scheduled at the Canandaigua location include Pilates Mat, Burn at the Barre and Core Interval. The studio holds classes appropriate for all fitness levels Monday through Saturday and offers lunch-hour fitness options to conveniently serve the downtown business community. Class sizes are limited to assure personalized attention.

The schedules, descriptions and registration for classes at both locations are available on the CRP website. Multi-class packages may be used interchangeably at either location.

Locations: 88B S. Main St., in Canandaigua (entrance is behind Main St., in the Canandaigua National Bank main branch parking lot) and 10 E. Main St., Ste. 105, in The Place in Victor Village. For more information, call 585-729-8015 or visit CoreRhythmPilates.com.

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Perinton Family Acupuncture and Tribe Wellness Open in Fairport

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erinton Family Acupuncture and Tribe Wellness has opened its new office at 6800 Pittsford-Palmyra Road, Suite 350, in Fairport, and will celebrate its grand opening from 5:30 to 8 p.m., February 24. The two private practices have partnered to offer families and children natural approaches to wellness featuring specialties in acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and nutrition.

Open house attendees will enjoy a meet and greet with licensed acupuncturist Renee Nearpass, owner and primary practitioner of Perinton Family Acupuncture, and Amy Nadelen, president and founder of Tribe Wellness, as well as the facility’s other practitioners. The event will also include a ribbon-cutting ceremony, informative and interactive demonstrations and displays, a tea bar and refreshments.

“Renee and I are both very excited for our new partnership,” says Nadelen. “By combining our different areas of expertise, we will now be able to offer our clients a more comprehensive approach to family health and wellness.”

Event attendees will have the opportunity to tour the office space and learn about acupuncture procedures and tools.

RSVP by email to Info@PerintonFamily Acupuncture.com or Amy@Tribe Wellness.com by February, 17. For more information, call 585-598-3866 or visit PerintonFamilyAcupuncture. com or TribeWellness.com. See ad, page 26.

Group Counseling for Traumatic Loss Survivors

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10-week group is now forming in Brighton for adults seeking healing from any traumatic loss, including the loss of loved ones, health, identity, employment or other. Group members are encouraged to share their stories in a safe, confidential space facilitated by Lee Ann McAvoy, a licensed mental health counselor.

“Traumatic loss keeps one frozen in time, often unable to move forward in ways essential to forming healthy relationships and leading a fulfilling life,” says McAvoy, who has more than 20 years of experience working with traumatic loss.

Participants will be given optional writing exercises Lee Ann McAvoy designed to support the healing process. Time will also be spent sharing creative solutions for moving toward a more fulfilling life.

For more information, call 585-301-6196, email LMcAvoy@rochester.rr.com or visit LeeMcAvoyLMHC.com.

BioMat Benefits Autistic Children at Healthy Alternatives

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ealthy Alternatives Wellness Center, in Rochester, which provides therapeutic massage, integrated energy therapy, sound healing and other modalities, is offering BioMat far infrared ray (FIR) therapy to detoxify and heal the body. According to owner Carol Scheg-Morissette, the BioMat can be safely used to help autistic children as young as 2 years old.

“Research has found mild elevations in core body temperature positively affect behavior in autistic children,” says Scheg-Morissette. “FIR waves increase circulation. Children with autism may have diminished blood circulation in certain areas of the brain, which means that nutrients and oxygen aren’t getting to where they need to go. The BioMat will increase core body temperature, increase circulation, help the cells’ detoxification process and even help nutrients get into the cells.”

Scheg-Morissette also notes that the BioMat is also helpful for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. She also believes that BioMat can reduce pain and boost the immune system in people with fibromyalgia or cancer.

breathe

Location: 458 Stone Rd., Rochester. For appointments and more information, call 585-787-6954, or visit Healing4U.TheBiomatCompany.com or Antioxidant1.com.

See ad, page 24.

Grief can be the garden of compassion. If you keep your heart open through everything, your pain can become your greatest ally in your life’s search for love and wisdom. ~Rumi natural awakenings

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newsbriefs Varsity Team Dinners Get a Makeover

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olleen Flaherty, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and owner of Awakened Athlete, is offering nutritional advice and tips to student athletes ages 9 through 21 in the Rochester area. In her Team Dinner Makeovers, she will attend a team dinner in one of the player’s homes, with groceries in tow, and teach varsity athletes nourishing meals that they can create on their own.

“Team dinners are usually pasta, meatballs, bread and iceberg salad before big games, but we can fuel athletes so much better so their bodies can optimally perform,” says Flaherty, adding that her course is especially helpful for high school seniors that are ready to move out and make all of their own food choices.

Awakened Athlete offers supportive and educational services in the East Rochester area to encourage athletes to be their best on the field and off using tools that include empowerment circles, meditation, stretching and more.

Cost: $350 per team (less than $20/player). For more information and to schedule, call 585-261-3743 or email AwakenedAthlete@gmail.com. See ad, page 25.

Conscious Beauty Relocates to Webster

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onscious Beauty Natural Market has relocated from Fisher’s Landing Plaza, in Victor, to Baytowne Plaza, 1900 Empire Boulevard, in Webster.

“We’re very excited about the move,” says Miranda Lawler, store manager. “We’ll be expanding the beauty supply section of our inventory at the new location, but will maintain our focus on providing an outlet for quality natural supplements and beauty and health care products. We’re looking forward to beginning a new chapter with a greater emphasis on the beauty and supplement products we offer.”

Conscious Beauty Natural Market offers vitamins, supplements, herbs, natural skin care, mineral makeup and more.

For more information, call 585-924-9311 or visit Facebook.com/ConsciousBeautyLLC.

Yoga from the Heart Workshop at Molly’s Yoga Corner

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olly’s Yoga Corner, in Rochester, will offer Yoga from the Heart, a chest opener, backbend and heart chakra workshop from 1 to 3:30 p.m., February 7. The workshop is sponsored by Fabletics, a women’s sportswear and workout clothing company, and all attendees will receive a complimentary Fabletics swag bag.

The workshop is designed to teach attendees about the heart chakra, anahata, and to help them experience the joy, love and healing benefits of backbends and chest openers designed to stimulate, energize and awaken the heart, body and spine. Students will be exposed to a variety of backbends and chest openers, and will learn important elements of alignment to ensure that their practice is both safe and rewarding.

The practice of a full yoga sequence will be followed by a discussion of the properties and benefits of the heart chakra, as well as other ways to help balance and heal anahata, such as a pranayama (breathing), meditation, mudras (hand configurations), aromatherapy and crystal therapy.

Cost: $30/pre-registration, $40/ day of. Location: 713 Monroe Ave., Rochester. For more information, call 585-202-1347 or visit MollysYoga. com. See ad, page 21.

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BRINGING MORE THAN HOMEWORK HOME

By Ryan Hogan It’s the time of year when we send our kids back to school from the holidays. Unfortunately, while schools are good places to learn they are great places to catch a disease. In fact, children’s Upper respiratory illnesses (URI’s) cause more doctor visits and missed school days than any other illness in the US. Luckily, there are a few things you can do at home to help reduce the chances of your child getting sick at school this year.

sanitizer before eating snacks, lunch and after using a shared computer mouse, pencil sharpener, water fountain or other community objects.

Now, most people know we need to wash our hands, but one thing most people don’t really relate their health to is nasal hygiene. Using a saline spray with xylitol, such as Xlear Nasal Spray, is safe for all ages. Research has shown this natural sweetener is useful in preventing bacterial otitis media (ear infections), among other upper respiratory problems that are most likely to occur in fall and winter months. Additional xylitol studies have also shown a significant reduction in asthma attacks when a xylitol nasal spray is used on a daily basis.

Xylitol affects nose and throat bacteria in two ways:

HOW? Before we talk prevention, we need to know how infection spreads. Many childhood illnesses are caused by viruses and bacteria that are transferred from person to person. URI’s increase in fall and winter as we spend more time crowded indoors. All it takes is one sick child, going to school for the spread to begin. Small droplets from a child’s cough or sneeze travel through the air and land on surfaces like desks, doorknobs and people. These germs are easily spread when someone touches the contaminated object and then proceeds to touch their eyes, nose or mouth. Children’s immune systems are less mature than those of adults, so they’re more vulnerable to these germs. Washing your hands and your nasal passages and also keeping their hands away from their nose, eyes and mouth are the most preventative habits to form at a young age.

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Decreases the adherence of harmful bacteria on their surface cells.

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Stimulates the body’s own natural defense system

Since the average American child has six to ten colds a year, using a xylitol nasal spray is a safe and effective way to promote better upper respiratory health, year round.

FINAL HEALTHY TIPS In addition to frequent hand-washing, teach your child some other school health basics:

WHAT CAN YOU DO? Our best defense is to stop cold germs where they breed.

Good hand-washing is the most effective way to prevent bacteria and viruses from spreading. Wash your hands after using the bathroom, blowing your nose, handling trash and prior to touching food to help eliminate germs. Soap and water should be used for 20 seconds (about as long as it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice). Using alcohol-based hand cleaners is also effective. Remind your child to use the

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Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.

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Give your child a package of tissues to keep in his or her desk.

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Encourage your child not to share water bottles, food or other personal items.

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Ask your child’s teacher to include hand-washing time before lunch or snacks.

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Have your whole family practice nasal hygiene and the use of xylitol saline spray like Xlear.

Even with all of these tips, your kids are bound to come down with something over the course of the school year. We all get sick at some point or another, forming healthier habits and maintaining a positive attitude is all we can do as parents.

For more information, please visit www.xlear.com.

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coverartist

healthbriefs

Mind-Body Therapies Stimulate the Immune System

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Four Hearts Mac Worthington Born and raised in Canton, Ohio, cover artist Mac Worthington cites a number of powerful influences on his bold art, from a creative upbringing to his experiences in the military.

Worthington’s father, John “Jack” Worthington, was well-known for his bronze sculptures; specifically, busts of movie stars and sports figures in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in Canton.

His mother, Marion Worthington, was skilled in enameling and silver work.

Serving in the jungles of Vietnam at age 19, Worthington interpreted the emotive experiences of war into powerful expressions of art, further influenced by the music of the 1960s.

A self-taught welder, Worthington uses steel, iron and aluminum to create massive outdoor sculptures.

Worthington has participated in more than 100 exhibits across the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain and Germany. He maintains a prominent gallery in the arts district of Columbus, Ohio, as well as a sculpture park at his private estate in rural Delaware County.

large statistical analysis of multiple studies on body-mind therapies such as meditation, tai chi, qigong and yoga found that the practices effectively reduce inflammation and show promise in modulating the immune system. Scientists at the Tufts University School of Medicine analyzed the results of 34 controlled scientific studies that collectively assessed 2,219 people.

Each study involved the use of at least one mind-body practice for between seven and 16 weeks and measured immune system health using multiple biological markers. Eighteen of the studies specifically examined inflammation factors, while seven evaluated antiviral-related immunity. Nine of the studies measured C-reactive protein (CRP) levels—an indicator of cardiovascular-related inflammation.

The analysis revealed that mind-body therapies reduced CRP levels in subjects with high risk factors for cancer, diabetes, depression and cardiovascular disease. The scientists added that some of the research suggested that mind-body therapy may also increase immunity against viral infections.

Calcium and Vitamin D May Help Prevent Dental Decay

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study from Argentina’s Buenos Aires University has linked dental caries to low levels of calcium and vitamin D. Dental status and caries risk were assessed by determining the number of decayed, missing and filled teeth, the amount of plaque and the sugar intake of 106 women of the average age of 24.

Calcium levels were deficient among nearly 60 percent of the women, 70 percent had low blood levels of vitamin D, 72 percent consumed soft drinks daily and all of them presented gingivitis (gum disease). The third with the highest caries scores and decayed or missing teeth had significantly lower calcium intake and vitamin D levels and significantly higher intake of protein and soft drinks, plus significantly higher plaque and sugar intake compared with the rest of the women.

The researchers concluded that low calcium intake is associated with a high risk of dental caries and a greater severity of oral disease. “Adequate nutritional status of calcium and vitamin D could be an additional factor that may help preserve good oral health,” they state.

View the artist’s portfolio at MacWorthington.com.

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February is National Children’s Dental Health Month

ecotip Eco-Fireplace Tips

Best Ways to Enjoy Greener Indoor and Outdoor Fires Our inclination to position ourselves near fire is a year-round lure nationwide. Yet, the traditional ingredient in both indoor fireplaces in the north and outdoor fire pits in the south should give shivers to the eco-minded. In addition to causing considerable air pollution, wood smoke contains carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and fine particulates that can aggravate asthma, allergies and other health conditions.

Eco-friendly firelogs—many made of recycled biomass products like compressed wood sawdust, ground nutshells and other ingredients—provide low-emission and petroleum-free alternatives to cordwood. According to GreenAmerica.org, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends manufactured logs over wood to cut air pollutants. Major manufacturers noted by ApartmentTherapy.com include Java, which uses coffee grounds; Energy Log briquettes made from recycled mill waste; and TerraCycle, ShredMaster Ltd. and CleanFlame, all of which use recycled and repurposed cardboard. In addition to producing greater heat, some of these logs even produce a natural crackling sound without throwing sparks.

Inserts—basically a stove that fits into existing fireplaces—

provide a genuine fireside feeling, but with green benefits. An EPA-certified stove or insert is built to burn cleaner and more efficiently, dramatically reducing fine particle emissions and pollution over older models. However, while a propane gas stove insert burns even cleaner and is easier to operate, it uses nonrenewable fuel. Consider wood pellet models that burn ultra-compressed wood and biomass of olive, corn and cherry pits.

Outdoor steel fire pits that can burn firelogs have grown popular in warmer regions, and equipment manufacturers have responded. Tripods suspend swivel and free-standing grills over the pit for direct cooking or to hold cast iron kettles. Special outdoor tables also afford a gathering spot around friendly flames. Avoid gas and electric models as eco-no-nos.

If real wood is a must, be selective. Firewood that looks a little rough is more likely to come from over-mature trees of the kind that can be removed without affecting the health of its forest (WoodHeat.org). Product packages of Pioneer Processors firewood attest that it “never uses endangered wood species and always purchases from well-managed forests.”

Women of Focus Trade Show A Trade Show of Elegance

The Women of Focus Trade Show was created to help showcase and promote women entrepreneurs and women-owned businesses in the Rochester, NY area. The 2014 event was a huge success, with more than 200 guests attending.

The 2015 event will be held March 5th from 4pm to 8pm at the Century Club, 566 East Avenue, Rochester, NY. Join us for an evening of browsing, shopping, and networking; experience a wealth of elegant products and services from the women of Rochester, NY. For ticket information: WomenOfFocusTradeShow.com natural awakenings

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globalbriefs News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all.

Greenwashing Conundrum Biodegradable Plastic Bags Are a Hoax

In 2010, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) proposed recommendations for environmental marketing claims. The agency has sent warning letters to 15 marketers informing them that their claims may be deceptive, and requested more scientific evidence that plastic bags labeled as biodegradable, or “oxodegradable”, implying the bag will break down in time when exposed to oxygen, were true to the claim. Because many bags are dumped in the lowoxygen environment of a landfill, the FTC considers those advertised benefits as dubious.

Joseph Greene, a professor at California State University, Chico, points out that oxodegradable should be amended to “oxofragmentable” to be more accurate, because the plastics just break into smaller and smaller pieces. Chemically, they don’t break down into anything less hazardous. In fact, if these plastic bags disintegrate in the ocean, the fragments will be about the right size for sea creatures to mistake them for plankton.

Source: Rabble.ca

GMO Pushback Hawaii Lobbies for Anti-GMO Laws

The Aloha State enjoys a year-round growing season, with multiple harvests annually. Last year, the Hawaiian island of Kauai passed genetically modified organism (GMO) farming restrictions, but they were overturned in court.

Now, Maui County, which includes the Hawaiian islands of Maui, Lanai and Molokai, has approved a moratorium on the cultivation of genetically modified crops.

The majority of Monsanto’s GMO corn seed sold to farmers in Argentina, Brazil and the U.S. comes from its Maui operation. If the law stands, Monsanto and Dow AgroSciences, another biotech firm with operations in Maui County, will need to seek alternatives.

Lawsuits have already been filed by both opponents of the ban and proponents that want rigorous enforcement built in. Michael Lilly, former attorney general of Hawaii, expects the new law to be struck down like the previous Kauai attempt on grounds that state law supersedes it, although appeals in that case are underway. Meanwhile, an injunction has stalled the whole process.

The message from anti-GMO forces is that although giant firms have deep pockets and many options, staunch determination to stem the tide of GMO crops worldwide may eventually bear the sweet fruit of victory.

Source: Grist

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healingways

the flood of adrenaline; Star of Bethlehem, for shock and loss; and Mimulus, for fear and anxiety. “Combining a few drops of each of these in a water bottle or tea several times a day helps you regain a feeling of balance,” Erwin says.

She also likes drinking bloodcleansing noni juice to help wash adrenaline out of the body, and taking salt baths enhanced with lavender essential oil to literally “wash away the darkness.”

Gentling

GRIEF Remedies to

Emotional Aids

Heal the Heart

by Kathleen Barnes

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rief can arrive suddenly with the death of a loved one, serious illness, loss of a job, parental dementia or decaying relationship. In any case, it takes a toll.

“Grief encompasses all of our thoughts and feelings. Mourning is when we put them into action by talking, crying, perhaps doing rituals,” explains Tracy Riley, a licensed clinical social worker and grief counselor in Jacksonville, Florida.

“Grief isn’t something that’s over when you wake up one day,” Riley counsels. “It’s ridiculous when an employer gives you three days off and then expects everything to be fine.” She notes that time helps heal all wounds, but even a decade after losing a loved one, the pain can remain and life is never the same, although most of us learn to live with loss and move forward.

“Some things can’t be fixed,” concludes Megan Devine, a psychotherapist in Portland, Oregon, and author of the audio book, When Everything is Not Okay, who blogs at RefugeInGrief. com. After witnessing the drowning death of her fiancé, she says, “I didn’t need to hear platitudes that everything would be OK. I needed something solid to hold onto when my whole world exploded.”

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Physical Aids

An unexpected death and any emotional shock is an extreme stressor that causes the adrenal glands to release a flood of adrenaline. Tina Erwin, La Mesa, California author of The Lightworker’s Guide to Healing Grief, explains, “If you get a shock when someone close to you dies, your adrenal glands are blown out almost instantly and you are overwhelmed with adrenaline, much like we often see in people with post-traumatic stress disorder. You need to rebalance your body chemistry.”

Intense grief can sometimes show up as chest pain, a classic sign of heart attack, due to a temporary disruption of the heart’s normal pumping action from a surge in stress hormones, according to the National Institutes of Health. Yet Imperial College London scientists now have found that a recognizable “broken heart syndrome” may temporarily protect the heart from being overwhelmed with adrenaline.

“Healing the physical side of grief ultimately helps healing on an emotional level, too,” says Erwin. To assist herself following the death of her 6-yearold niece from a sudden infection, she uses several Bach flower remedies for trauma—Rescue Remedy, to rebalance

RochesterAwakenings.com

Riley views art and music therapy, plus journaling (a “personal roadmap” that helps chart her progress), as powerful healing tools. She’s also seen firsthand how animals can play a key role through the mourning process. Her miniature schnauzer intuitively approaches her clients that are anxious and grieving and gives them permission to pet him. “It puts people at ease,” she says. “Then they can talk more freely about their pain.” Numerous studies, starting in the 1980s, show that stroking a furry pet lowers blood pressure.

Charting a Personal Course

For the bereaved (literally defined as “torn apart”), the symptoms of grief are meant to slow us down, advises Alan Wolfelt, Ph.D., director of the Center for Loss and Life Transition, in Fort Collins, Colorado, and author of numerous related books, including Understanding Your Grief: Ten Essential Touchstones for Finding Hope and Healing Your Heart.

Society expects bereaved people to “carry on, keep their chins up, be glad they had him/her as long as they did or else be grateful that our loved one’s pain is over”—all platitudes that are more hurtful than helpful, says Wolfelt. Mourning takes time, but it also requires a social context, he explains. “It’s the shared response to loss.

If you isolate yourself, you are grieving, not mourning. You can’t do this on your own. It’s bigger than you.”

For those that feel stuck or unable to move forward, experienced grief counselors may be able to help.

Kathleen Barnes is the author of numerous health books, including Ten Best Ways to Manage Stress. Connect at KathleenBarnes.com.

therapyspotlight

Easing Grief with Aromatherapy

by Sandra Yeyati

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t some point in our lives, we all encounter grief, a natural human experience that surfaces when we lose someone we treasure. How we cope with this complex emotion and difficult journey is largely up to us.

Fortunately, there are a number of aids to help us along the way. Aromatherapy is one tool that can be used on its own or as a complement to other modalities, like psychotherapy, acupuncture, journaling or yoga.

Mindy MacLaren and Beth Hornak joined forces to create a line of aromatic products for people that are grieving after both of them lost important people in their lives. Their new venture is named Shantiprema, which is Sanskrit for healing, peace and comfort. For MacLaren, a nationally certified aromatherapist, losing both her parents to an airplane crash prompted her to rethink her life goals and find a more meaningful purpose.

“The thought was, ‘How am I going to live with this grief for the rest of my life?

I can’t be in a tragic state forever,’ so I thought maybe Beth and I could work together, since we were both going through a major loss, and try to help other people,” she says.

Among the products the women created is an inhaler composed of several essential oils. “If you’re depressed or anxious, inhaling is the fastest way to get the benefits,” explains MacLaren, who is also enthusiastic about their lotion, which she uses daily. For her, the aromatics are like a gentle caress. “It catches your attention,” she says. “You are dealing with your feelings, but you are also backing that up with a beautiful smell. It’s a time to reflect. It might be very short—just a few minutes—but

it’s a nice thing to have.”

Other products in development are lip balms, incense and a spray mister, which together with the inhaler and lotion, make a thoughtful gift basket and an attractive alternative to flower arrangements or food baskets when paying our respects or offering condolences. “The person would know that you were thinking of them. It’s like an aromatic hug,” MacLaren says, adding that certain aromas are well suited to alleviate grief. “Lavender, for example, is known for its calming effects; it helps with panic attacks, fear, anxiety and depression,” she offers. “Another good choice is frankincense, which can help us feel centered and assist with meditation. Citrus oils, like orange, grapefruit and lemon, are energizing and can impart a brightness that also helps with depression. Mints are stimulating. If someone is having a hard time getting out of bed or dealing with their day, peppermint oil might boost their energy and clear their mind. Conifers, such as pine, can impart a peaceful feeling and help us reconnect with nature.”

Two popular scents are chocolate and rose. “Chocolate makes everything better. Who doesn’t like chocolate?”

MacLaren says, describing how this aroma can remind us of happier days and inspire pleasant thoughts. “And rose goes even deeper than lavender, in terms of soothing the heart and being very gentle. It’s such a gorgeous scent that it makes you inhale, relax and feel warm all over,” she notes.

According to MacLaren, essential

oils affect people differently. While someone may respond very well to citrus scents, another might find it off-putting and prefer the rose or lavender options.

When MacLaren chooses a scent for her own use, she closes her eyes, takes in an aroma and waits to see how that scent affects her or what thoughts it generates. The response is usually immediate. To cater to different tastes and offer something for everyone, the Shantiprema gift baskets come in several different combinations.

Shantiprema does not use any synthetic ingredients. “We’re surrounded by harmful chemicals, and it makes sense to use natural ones, which, although they may seem much more subtle, do work,” advises MacLaren.

“They’re enjoyable, and you can feel good about using them because you know that you’re not being exposed to something that may harm you or your kids immediately or down the line.”

All of the Shantiprema products come with usage instructions. It is important to always blend an essential oil into a carrier, such as a lotion, rather than taking them internally without the guidance of a professional trained in that practice.

MacLaren adds: “The blends have a purpose behind them. They’re not just whatever smells good. The oils that I choose for the blends exhibit certain healing properties. We’re not just throwing things together; they definitely have a purpose.”

For more information, call 585-7555511 or visit Tinyurl.com/Shantiprema.

Sandra Yeyati is a frequent contributor to Natural Awakenings.

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We Hold Your Well-Being In Highest Regard

wisewords

LOVE MAGNET

Katherine Woodward Thomas on Drawing True Love Our Way

by Debra Melani

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fter years of experiencing love going sour, Katherine Woodward Thomas set a goal: She would marry her soul mate within a year. Her quest inspired a surprising awakening that spurred her to look deep inside for the key that would unblock love.

Thomas realized the transformation that enabled her success involved clear steps that could help anyone. Today, the licensed psychotherapist and relationship expert has guided thousands toward successful relationships via her national bestseller, Calling in “The One”: 7 Weeks to Attract the Love of Your Life, and subsequent books and seminars.

What catalyzed your Calling in “The One” professional journey?

I was 41, a card-carrying member of one of America’s largest-growing groups—the never-marrieds. I had bought into the cultural belief that a woman my age had little chance of finding a great husband. I felt anxious and resigned, trying to come to terms with it, but sad inside.

Fortunately, at the time, I was part of a small group supportive of each other’s intentions. So I set the outrageous intention that I would be engaged by my next birthday. I also recognized my longstanding pattern of attracting unavailable men who were engaged, married or alcoholics. A woman in the group said, “Katherine, I will hold that intention with you if you permit me to

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hold you accountable to be the woman you would need to be in order to fulfill it.”

Her wake-up call turned my focus from running out to find love to going within to discover the barriers I had against it. Thus I began what became the Calling in “The One” process.

How does it differ from other approaches to finding love?

Many approaches focus on the external reasons love is elusive, such as all the good men are taken, men don’t like powerful women or just not having met the right person. This approach focuses more on the internal reasons—going within to discover and release one’s own conscious and unconscious barriers. For most of us, a gap exists between how much we think we want love and how much we are actually open and ready to receive it. Until we bridge that gap, we will covertly keep love at bay, and won’t even realize we are doing it.

What are the most common hidden barriers to love?

One hidden barrier is resentment. We only resent people to the extent that we’ve given our power away to them.

Uncover your role in what happened.

Even if it was 97 percent their fault and 3 percent yours, zero in on that 3 percent, because you’ll only be able to trust yourself to love again once you’ve taken that responsibility. If you still feel resentful, you have not yet evolved beyond the person you were before.

Another centers on old agreements—the spoken and unspoken, agreements we make, usually in an emotional time—such as “I’m never going to let myself get hurt again” or “I’ll never love anyone the way I love you.” Such agreements live in our lives as intentions. They may no longer be conscious, yet still set our course.

Another has to do with toxic relational dynamics. To find the best partnership, you need to be your best self. Maintaining a toxic dynamic drains personal power, making it hard to move forward in life. It’s vital to evolve out of this debilitating dynamic so you are in the center of your power everywhere in life.

The fourth area, and probably the most important, revolves around the core beliefs you hold about both yourself and others. You might have a reasonably clear sense of yourself around money, career and friendship, but your core love identity might cause you to believe yourself unworthy of a quality partner. Identifying and challenging these beliefs is critical in learning how to break free from them, helping to raise your value in your own eyes and thus in others.

You believe the best way to find a needle in a haystack is to become magnetic and allow that needle to find you. How does one become magnetic to love?

Being centered in the truth of your own value and the real possibilities you hold for true love is wildly attractive. Love yearns to embrace us, but can’t come to us if it can’t come through us. When we shift into this place of possibility, we can become profoundly magnetic to love.

Learn more at CallingInTheOne.net, ConsciousUncoupling.com or KatherineWoodwardThomas.com.

Explore the qualities possible in an enlightened mate at NaturalAwakenings Singles.com.

Freelance journalist Debra Melani is from Lyons, CO. Connect at DebraMelani.com. natural awakenings

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Happily Coupled Creating Loving Relationships that Thrive

by Judith Fertig

“To be fully seen by somebody… and be loved anyhow— this is a human offering that can border on miraculous.” ~ Elizabeth Gilbert

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t the conclusion of her bestselling memoir, Eat Pray Love, author Elizabeth Gilbert had fallen in love with Jose Nunes (called Felipe in the book), a Brazilian living in Indonesia. The divorced Gilbert, reluctant to have her heart broken again, had vowed never to remarry… yet ultimately changed her mind when U.S. immigration law presented her with multiple choices: marry so they could live together in this country, stay single and live as ex-pat partners or say goodbye to Nunes.

Gilbert chose a marital partnership that suits the shared life they want: honest and, after years of travel, settled in one place. She says, “For the first time in my life, living in a small town with a lovely husband in an old house with

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a big garden and several pets, I feel absolutely rooted in a way I have never experienced before and never would have imagined even desiring. But it is what we want—at least for now—and we’re relishing that stability.” Gilbert records the process of going from two global wanderers falling in love to a married couple sharing domestic chores in her follow-up memoir, Committed: A Love Story.

Love Science

The spark that ignites such a partnership is love, which is “primarily about connection,” says Barbara Fredrickson, Ph.D., a positivity expert and author of Love 2.0: How Our Supreme Emotion Affects Everything We Feel, Think, Do, and Become. “It’s vital to our health

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and happiness, affecting our brains and bodies at the cellular level.

“We were born to love,” emphasizes Fredrickson, who also serves as a psychology professor and director of the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Laboratory at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “The evidence comes from research that shows how our brain and nervous system are designed to enhance our chances of experiencing it.”

When we share positive emotions with another person, experience a synchrony between their biochemistry and behaviors and ours, plus exhibit mutual care, love can bloom, whether we stay happily single or decide to pursue a committed relationship. She calls this triple-action sequence “positivity resonance”. Love, she observes, is less a smooth, solid path than momentary experiences of connection.

Making Love Last

The more areas of connection we have with our partners, the more opportunities we have to positively resonate every day, adds Frederickson.

Thomas G. Plante, Ph.D., a psychology professor at California’s Santa Clara University and adjunct clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine, agrees. “Long-term relationships, like marriages, are partnerships in living,” according to Plante.

“The vast majority of the time couples are together they’re not having hot sex, but are sharing a practical day-to-day life together.”

Shared activities aren’t always exciting or glamorous. Raising children, working, managing a home, cooking and cleaning, shopping, being with friends and family and the rest of regular daily living is where the rubber meets the road in relationship satisfaction, observes Plante. “If couples aren’t compatible in these areas, then the connection and attraction will inevitably atrophy, tensions emerge and too often, relationships fracture and fall apart.”

Compatibility means different things to different people, and requirements can change as individuals in a romantic partnership change over time.

Compatibility also means agreement

that the relationship is worth the effort to nurture and sustain it.

Partnering Life’s Dance

Five couples in different stages of loving partnerships share how they make their special relationships work. The key to them all is shared values.

Doing everything together. For newlyweds Drs. Josh and Chelsea Axe, of Nashville, Tennessee, a mutual commitment to vigorous wellness and physical fitness keeps them together. Says Josh, “The healthy lifestyle I have chosen to live is so important that I need someone who is able to not just agree, but also partner with me.” Married in 2012, the two chiropractic physicians went on to co-found the BurstFIT interval training program and meld their professional, as well as personal, lives.

Chelsea notes, “There is truth to the phrase, ‘Couples that sweat together, stay together.’ When working out together, you share a specific energy you create while pushing yourself to your mental and physical limits. You have your partner right there doing it alongside you, knowing they’re supporting you; so when you each break through a mental or physical barrier in your workout, you step over together into a strength and confidence that carries over into your marriage. Being a part of each other’s goals and the struggles to reach them unifies us.”

Remarks Josh, “I feel like we can both be successful individually, but when we’re a team, the outcome is synergistic.”

Chelsea adds, “It’s never a mindset of ‘me.’ It’s always ‘us.’”

Balancing work and play. Barbara and Bob Unell, of Leawood, Kansas, dated as teenagers, went their separate ways in college and then found each other again in their early 20s. “We went on a blind date in 1968 and both belted out songs on the car radio,” recalls Barbara. “I thought he had a great sense of humor and was fun to be with. All these years later, it feels like we’re still dating. We’re crazy about each other.”

Both Barbara and Bob describe themselves as enthusiastic, playful, entrepreneurial, altruistic and geared toward creative projects, whether un-

“Seventy-five to 80 percent of all chemistry evaporates within six to eight months unless the relationship is significantly undergirded by deeper and more durable compatibility.” ~Neil Clark Warren dertaken together or separately. “We’re both, ‘Let’s try this,’ sort of people,” says Barbara with a laugh.

When the Unells had twins, now grown, they realized there was no national publication addressing how to parent multiples, so they launched Twins magazine in 1984. Bob founded and managed an advertising agency while Barbara wrote bestselling parenting books, but the whole family traveled together on her speaking engagements.

In response to becoming a breast cancer survivor, Barbara founded the nonprofit Back in the Swing in 2000 to support survivorship care at cancer centers.

When they needed additional staff, Bob joined the team in 2009. One of the biggest things that Barbara has learned from Bob is, “You can make work fun.”

“Although we come from different backgrounds, Bob and I know the power of mutual respect, trust and kindness,” reflects Barbara. “Part of our connection is that we have shared history and never take each other for granted.”

Making long-distance work. Lisa Ekus, who runs the full-service culinary talent agency The Lisa Ekus Group, in Hatfield, Massachusetts, had been married twice and already raised her two children when she met Atlanta Chef Virginia Willis. They got to know each other through culinary events and to their surprise, fell in love. Over the past six years they’ve evolved a relationship that works for them—keeping a deep personal connection, but maintaining separate residences.

Cookbook author Willis gardens, develops recipes and writes for her Food Network blog, “Down Home Comfort,” at Ekus’ New England compound in the summers; Ekus travels to the South during cold months. They also meet up as often as they can at conferences, food and wine festivals and other events during the rest of the year.

“We are both smart, professional women who love what we do, have strong ethics and a high level of self-expectation in how we work,” says Ekus.

“We are also best friends and work together professionally. The respect we have for each other and our work is instrumental in our relationship.”

“We often joke about the North/ South, fast/slow cultural difference,” Ekus notes. “I’m more spontaneous; Virginia is more thoughtful in her responses. I tend to move fast and focus on checking off items, while Virginia is more about the journey and being in the moment. It often makes us each take stock and consider what we’re doing and saying.”

They make the geographic separation work despite its inherent longdistance complications via consistent communication, saying good morning and good night every day by phone and texting often. They hold regular agent/author meetings to make professional plans and personal calendar meetings at least weekly, recognizing and respecting what is important to each of them.

Bridging the age gap. Karen and Dick Eagle, from St. Louis, Missouri, are 16 years apart in age, but are close in the ways that count. Both are strongminded and still vie to get their own way even after 30 years of marriage.

“We argue over the stupidest things, natural awakenings

February 2015

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and then resolve our “Marriages based on back and easy to be with, I can relax,” says disagreements and a mutual desire to Susan. Michael, on realize how good we have it,” says Karen. serve and inspire grow the other hand, always seemed to fill a room.

What first atcontinually in richness Jake helps Susan with tracted them to each other—and keeps and beauty, and are chores around the property and she is them together—is a a benediction to all always there cheering love of playful fun and good times with who know of them.” him on from the front row when he performs friends. Karen reat local venues. marks, “I knew Dick ~ Meher Baba was ‘the one’ when he jumped flat-footed over a wingback Cultivating Care chair at a friend’s house. That showed Working out as a couple, sharing a me that he was young at heart.” creative project or making a gour Making ends meet. Eleven years met meal together can do more than ago, when family therapist Susan Frankkeep partners feeling connected. lin lost her husband, Michael, a univerShared activities also keep the positive sity college professor, she felt bereft and experiences ongoing and resonating. overwhelmed. The pair had owned a “That special bond and the commitcountry property near Cleveland, Ohio, ments people often build around it where they boarded horses. Susan realare the products of love, the results of ized, “I couldn’t keep the many smaller moments in which up with everything on love infuses you,” mainmy own,” and Jake tains Fredrickson. Such Marshall, a musician moments not only friend of Michael’s, accumulate, but offered to help. Over can also be stored time, Susan and Jake in memory and became close, and banked to feed a they now live relationship during together. the tougher times.

Although “Love is someJake is a great thing we should supporter in many re-cultivate every ways, he’s not in day,” she says. A a position to help loving partnership financially. Susan is always a work depends on her late in progress. husband’s insurance and pension benefits, which Judith Fertig is a freelance writer from she would lose if she Overland Park, KS. remarries. “Jake is so laid

Conscious Compatibility

N

eil Clark Warren, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and co-founder of the eHarmony relationship website, believes there are at least 29 personality dimensions—such as anger management skills, intelligence, feelings about children, energy and ambition—that comprise who we are and play a role in maintaining a relationship. Key personality dimensions include interests and activities, guiding principles and philosophies, expressions of emotional experience, tendencies toward togetherness and separateness, goals and familial and other relationships.

Warren suggests categorizing desired qualities in a mate into three lists: non-negotiables, qualities that are top priority and deal breakers; semi-negotiables that are important, yet flexible secondary priorities; and negotiables that are subject to tradeoffs for more important qualities.

F ind joy in

everything you choose to do. Every job, relationship, home... it’s your responsibility to love it or change it. ~Chuck Palahniuk 18

Rochester, NY

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communityspotlight

Spiritual Enlightenment Blossoms from Yoga’s Physical Gifts

by Sandra Yeyati

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olly Huff, owner of Molly’s ever get it?’ Esther looked at me and Yoga Corner, was a successsaid, ‘Well, when you figure out what it ful runner and triathlete in is that you need to get, then you will.’ the height of her career in 1994 when That has stuck with me forever. I think hip and hamstring issues threatened we’re all trying to find ‘it,’ and what ‘it’ to end it. A friend and colleague sugis changes all the time,” Huff says. gested that she try a yoga class at a

In March 2014, the owner of the studio in downtown Rochester. Yoga downtown Rochester studio where Huff was not as popular as it is now, Huff began her yoga career passed away sudrecalls, but she was desperate to find denly, and his family decided to close a solution to her physical problems. their downtown location. Great Lake

After just two classes, Huff was T’ai Chi Ch’uan, a group that shares hooked, and she started going twice the space on the second floor of the a week. “I could feel a shift in my Genesee Center for Arts and Educabody,” she affirms. The hip and hamtion building, asked Huff if she would string problems quickly disappeared. consider opening a second location of Then she began to experience Molly’s Yoga Corner there. By Septemdeeper changes and improvements. ber, she had done just that, in a sense “It opened my mind and calmed me. completing a circle by returning to the I was very competitive and hard on place of her yoga birth. myself. Yoga allowed me to be more

For Huff, what began as a physical Molly Huff grounded and centered, and more acpractice to relieve pain and help her stay cepting of who I was within, even if I didn’t win a race or hit strong for competition became a lifelong emotional, mental and my time,” Huff says. spiritual practice. “That’s what yoga has been for thousands of

A year-and-a-half later, her instructor at the downtown years,” she explains. “The yogis developed this physical practice studio invited her to teach yoga. “He gave me the keys to so that they could train their bodies to sit in deep meditation.” the school and said, “Here you go. Teach Friday nights,” she

Through perseverance and study, Huff’s teaching skills have recalls fondly. Huff had just one student in her first class. evolved, too. “It’s a very authentic teaching style,” Huff says. “I

In 2000, the sudden passing of her mother was a terrible keep it as close to the roots as possible and teach from the heart. blow to Huff. She shares: “My mother was a very independent It’s not about how fast you can do the poses. It’s about what woman. She said to me, ‘You have a voice, and you need to use the poses do for you inside and out. Eventually, you come to a it.’ She taught me how to be a strong, independent person.” place of quiet and peace, like a meditation practice.”

Huff had been teaching yoga for a couple of years by

In addition to teaching the postures and keeping people this time, and the Friday night class now regularly saw 20 safe, Huff likes to remind her students that there will always be students. In honor of her mother, Huff decided to open her disturbances around us, and how we channel those troubles own studio in Fairport. “My practice deepened after she when they come into our lives is a choice. Do we react or repassed away,” she notes, adding that yoga helped her accept spond to them? She says, “Yoga has allowed me to respond to the loss of her mother, as well as subsequent family tragedies. those disturbances in a gentle, accepting and embracing way.”

Wanting to further her practice and hone her teaching skills, Huff enrolled in the training program at the Esther MyMolly’s Yoga Corner is located at 1000 Turk Hill, Ste. 220, in ers Yoga Studio, in Toronto. After three years and 700 hours, Fairport; and 713 Monroe Ave., in Rochester. For more inforshe became a certified yoga instructor, and Myers became mation, call 585-202-1347 or visit MollysYoga.com. an important mentor. “I remember having a conversation with her when I was new to training,” Huff relates. “We were Sandra Yeyati is a frequent contributor to Natural Awakenings walking down the street in Toronto, and I asked her, ‘Will I Rochester. natural awakenings

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inspiration

do you feel a fist in your solar plexus or an elephant sitting on your chest?

These are indications that you’re aligned with some struggle. By softening and breathing into the tight places, you can open into life and better align with ease and grace.

Strengthen the Curiosity Muscle

Whenever O’Malley experienced inner gnawing, she tuned into her body and inquired about the dread: “How big is it and how deep does it go? Does it have a flavor?” The more she questioned, the more curiosity and attention she brought to the emotion and the freer she felt.

What’s in Your Way? Obstacles Point the Path to Wholeness and Healing

by Deborah Shouse

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ince childhood, Mary O’Malley always thought that something bad was about to happen and experienced a continuous dread that gnawed her insides. Over the years, she tried to eat, drink and medicate away the anxious feelings plaguing her, and sought help from group therapy, hypnotherapy and psychiatrists.

Then in 1972, in her late 20s, O’Malley attended a yoga workshop that helped advance her quest to let go of struggles and embrace life. Later, when she met Stephen Levine, whose teaching is influenced by Buddhism, he conveyed, “There’s nothing in you that needs to be

fixed,” and invited her to view her own issues with curiosity and compassion.

The transformational insights learned along her journey shared in her book, What’s In the Way Is the Way, include simple tools for those that need to move beyond struggles to live in the present with more peace, ease and joy.

Train as a Tightness Detective

Ask this internal question when feeling stressed: “In what aspect of life am I holding on for dear life?” Is your breath short, are your shoulders tight;

By softening and breathing into the tight places, you can open into life and better align with ease and grace.

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Turn Curiosity into Compassion

O’Malley learned to more accurately self-report her feelings. Instead of, “I am afraid,” she learned to assess; “Dread is here.” Then she cultivated compassion, treating the dread as her friend signaling the need for a solution.

She acknowledged and listened to the stricken and paralyzed parts of herself, knowing they were separating her from joy because they needed to be heard and understood.

Step Outside Struggle to Embrace Humility

O’Malley believes that struggle is humanity’s core compulsion. We develop a story about the difficulty of life and heroically fight against myriad injustices. Yet making a U-turn in perspective to see them as challenges is tailor-made to help us recognize and achieve separation from our individual struggles in favor of a better way of experiencing life.

“The dictionary misses the full meaning when it defines humility as ‘lowliness, meekness, submissiveness,’” O’Malley believes. “True humility is a state of great availability, and from this kind of openness we can reconnect with the joy of being fully alive.” She now discovers gifts embedded in every single challenge.

Deborah Shouse blogs at DeborahShouseWrites.wordpress.com.

Befriending Ourselves How to Reconnect with the Soul

by Hilarie Mae Dahl

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hroughout our lifetime, relationships ebb and flow. We forge new bonds and grieve the loss of others. However, our relationship with ourselves is one that never ends.

It provides a foundation for all other relationships and often determines their quality. A combination of self-love and knowing our own heart sets a course for other healthy, fulfilling relationships.

Feeling disconnected from ourselves can be disheartening and challenging.

Here are five ways to go deeper and know the soul better.

■ Spend intentional time alone. Intimacy and closeness naturally flow from time spent with ourselves. We should carve out time with ourselves as carefully and regularly as we would for a spouse or close friend. This practice might feel uncomfortable at first, especially if we usually avoid being alone.

We should honor ourselves by staying with the discomfort until it passes.

■ The body has much to say. Breakouts, heartburn, sore muscles and digestive issues all express distress, while strong muscles, deep sleep, smooth digestion and plenty of energy express emotional and physical health. The body talks constantly, repeatedly inviting us into the conversation. The closer we listen and the more information we gather, the easier it is to tap into the true cause of pain, discomfort or wellness and respond accordingly. Even when we are in the midst of making a big decision, we can ask the body for the answer and

pay attention to how it feels.

■ One way to demonstrate self-care is to guard and treat our time as if it is precious. We must set boundaries that show others we value our time. Often, this means saying no and adjusting to the idea of not pleasing everyone.

■ We must identify and ask for what we need; help, support and love. Although the people around us might know that we are experiencing stress, they don’t necessary know how to help unless we tell them.

Only do what your heart tells you. ~Princess Diana

■ When we identify exactly how we want to feel and free ourselves to pursue those longings, desires and cravings, the magic begins. That often involves risking our fear of being “too much;” too boisterous, too opinionated or loud, too loving or bold, too strong or weak, too thin or fat. When we choose the courage to be free and feel good over the safety of the status quo and of keeping other people comfortable, miracles happen.

Knowing our own soul is a lifelong pursuit. Spending time creating a relationship with ourselves changes the way we see the world, make decisions, work, love and care for ourselves. Fueling our inner life with time and attention opens us up to a new consciousness of deep self-understanding.

Hilarie Mae Dahl is an energy therapist, body image coach and equine massage therapist, as well as a wellness supervisor at Hart’s Local Grocers, in Rochester. Connect at Hilarie@HartsLocalGrocers.com. natural awakenings

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naturalpet

When Your Pet Passes A Guide to Mourning, Remembering and Healing

by Julianne Hale

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pet’s love is extraordinary because it is unconditional.

It doesn’t have expectations, pass judgment or try to leverage guilt. It is rich in loyalty, trust and adoration.

Domestic pets provide warmth, companionship and love, as well as purpose, fun and conversational gambits for family members. For lonely hearts, they are a lifeline, providing a physical, emotional and spiritual connection to life that may prove critical to survival and happiness.

Loving pets seem like an endless source of happiness while with us, but few outlive their owners. Loss is as much a part of having a pet as potty training. For some, the loss of a dog or cat is debilitating and the grieving process can take months.

Rev. Gary Kowalski, author of Goodbye, Friend and a Unitarian Universalist minister in Santa Fe, New Mexico, contends that the depth of the relationship that we develop with pets emerges from the time we spend with them every day—exercising, feeding, grooming and even sleeping with them. The relationship is pure and uncomplicated, and the pain of separation can be especially intense and profound.

The challenge of pet loss is often complicated by the difficult decision to euthanize an aged or suffering animal.

“One of the hardest things about having a dog is that sometimes you have to decide to end its life,” says Jon Katz, of upstate New York, a New York Times bestselling author of

many books about dogs, including Going Home: Finding Peace When Pets Die. “Our job as pet owners is to be an advocate for our pets, making sure they do not suffer. Don’t poison the joy that you shared with your pet with guilt over your decisions,” he says. Katz recommends taking photos of pets and making intentional memories in the time leading up to parting to encourage closure.

The same kind of rituals we use to honor and say goodbye to other family members can likewise help ease the pain of a pet’s passing. Owners can gather with loved ones and friends to celebrate the life of their pet with a burial ceremony or memorial. Kowalski likes adding meaningful words. His book includes a variety of readings that pet owners can use in their rituals taken from poems, literature, the Bible and other sacred texts.

When a human friend or family member dies, compassion and empathy flows from everyone we meet, but many may not be aware of, or understand, the depth of grief associated with a pet’s death. “Some people feel embarrassed or don’t understand that mourning a deceased pet is a normal process,” explains Julia Harris, a pet bereavement counselor from Ellijay, Georgia, and author of Pet Loss: A Spiritual Guide.

Support is essential during times of grief, and it can be difficult to find an understanding friend to discuss it with. Several online communities are devoted to providing support. An Internet search of “pet loss support” yields a wealth of online resources.

In the same way that the belief in an afterlife comforts people of many faith traditions when a person passes, the possibility of the same destiny for pets can offer comfort. “Perhaps one of the most common questions I am asked is whether or not animals have a soul,” explains Harris. “I encourage people to know that the soul, like love, is eternal. It leaves the physical body, but the loving relationship continues.”

While there’s no standard timeline for the grieving process, it’s important to keep perspective. Excessive grief can lead to depression. “If the grief is interfering with life and your work, then you may need to seek professional help,” advises Katz.

Not even a parent is capable of providing the purely unconditional love we receive from pets. Kowalski views it as a sacred connection, observing that through the unconditional love and acceptance that we receive from our pets, we get a little glimpse of what God’s love must look like.

Julianne Hale is a writer and editor for Natural Awakenings and blogs about family life at AnotherGrayHair.WordPress.com.

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healthykids

fatty acids, a nutrient vital for brain health. Children’s daily diets should contain omega-3-rich foods, such as chia, hemp, nuts and fatty fish. For children 12 and older, supplement with fish oil containing 1,200 milligrams (mg) of (DHA) docosahexaenoic acid and (EPA) eicosapentaenoic acid combined.

Try magnesium. Low levels of magnesium, also known as the calming mineral, are associated with restless legs, anxiety and irritability—all of which can exacerbate ADHD. For kids ages 4 to 8, start with 130 mg of magnesium in the morning. If the child has trouble sleeping, another dose before bed may help.

Reduce the dose if loose stools occur.

EASE ADHD NATURALLY

Nine Ways to Help Restore Calm and Focus

by Jenna Blumenfeld

A

lthough experts aren’t certain why it occurs, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects 3 to 5 percent of school-age children, causing symptoms such as inattentiveness, frenetic activity, anxiety and forgetfulness. Kids with ADHD typically respond to drug prescriptions designed to provide calm and focus, but some carry unpleasant side effects like appetite changes and muscle spasms. Experts suggest

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considering these natural options to complement an afflicted child’s integrative treatment plan.

Nutritionist Sara Vance, owner, Rebalance Life, San Diego, California.

Up omega-3s. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that recent studies show kids with behavior problems have low blood levels of omega-3

RochesterAwakenings.com

Boost B vitamins. Vitamins B6 and B12 are important building blocks for brain neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. Deficiency can impair nerve cell communication, hindering memory, focus and attention. Encourage a child to eat B-packed organic foods like eggs, poultry, bell peppers, yams and spinach, and sprinkle B-vitamin-rich nutritional yeast on dishes like noodles and soup.

Naturopathic Doctor Laurie Brodsky, e-consultant, DrLaurieND.com, New York City.

Give up gluten. Gluten is a complex, gooey conglomeration of many proteins that sticks to the digestive tract, often stimulating behavioral issues. When gluten inflames a child’s digestive system, brain inflammation likely occurs, as well. Look for gluten-free pasta, bread, crackers and cookies made from rice, quinoa, flaxseed and non-GMO (genetically modified) corn.

Pair fats with food. Healthy brain function requires a proper ratio of antiinflammatory omega-3 fats to the more common inflammatory omega-6 fats (found in canola, soybean and corn oils).

Encourage balance by eating omega-3 foods at mealtime, when the gallbladder releases bile into the digestive system, allowing better omega-3 absorption.

Avoid processed foods. High-fructose corn syrup and artificial colors such as Yellow 5, Blue 1 and Red 40 are linked to increased hyperactivity in children.

Choose whole, real foods like whole grains and organic meats, vegetables and fruits. Use maple syrup rather than white sugar to sweeten foods—it’s fullflavored, so a little goes a long way.

Behavior Specialist Margit Crane, educator, GiftedWithADD. com, Seattle, Washington.

Lead by example. Parents have more power to handle their child’s ADHD than they think. Model the desired behaviors—if children are not allowed to eat in the living room, the rule should apply to the whole family. Maintaining consistent rules is vital.

Set boundaries. Many parents and teachers believe that boundaries for ADHDladen kids, that are often sensitive by nature, may be harsh or limiting. But these children actually thrive with boundaries.

Rather than offer kids unlimited choices, give them two or three options. This helps a child feel safe. Regard a troubled child as scared, rather than angry—this will enable parents and caregivers to speak to them with compassion.

Work with teachers. Some children with ADHD may have trouble fitting into traditional schools. When speaking with teachers, use collaborative words such as “partnership” to obtain healthy cooperation. Teachers have an entire class to attend to, not just this child; address them with respect and understanding, and everyone will ultimately benefit.

Jenna Blumenfeld is the senior food editor at New Hope Natural Media, in Boulder, Colorado.

Copyrighted 2014. Penton Media. 114554:1214BN.

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calendarofevents NOTE: All calendar events must be received via email by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Email Publisher@RochesterAwakenings.com for guidelines and to submit entries. No phone calls or faxes, please. Or visit RochesterAwakenings.com to submit online.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4 Wellness Wednesday – 6:30-8:30pm. This month’s class welcomes Julie Domaratz from Big Inspired Life as she talks about being our own superhero. Experience different ways to empower yourself to be your own advocate for health & wellness. Wellness Wednesdays are held on the first Wed of the month. $5. ROC City Wellness, 1598 Penfield Rd, Rochester. 585-210-2412. Roc CityWellness.com.

New Year, New You – 7-8pm. Learn how to incorporate essential oils into a healthy everyday routine, including the history of essential oils, the difference in quality and their ability to help with many everyday ailments. $5. LA Shear Designs, 1726 Long Pond Rd, Ste 1, Rochester. 585-426-5944. Linda@ LAShearDesigns.com.

DIY Valentine Event – 7:15-8:30pm. Learn to make perfume, bath salts and massage oil to keep or give to someone special. Make and learn about each while moving around fun and interactive stations. $20, $18 with class pass. Cost includes all materials. Yoga DrishTi, 159 Caroline St, Rochester. 585-270-5927.

YogaDrishTi.com. YogaDrishTiWell@gmail.com.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7 Yoga from the Heart – 1-3:30pm. This workshop

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teaches attendees about the heart chakra using backbends and chest openers. Sponsored by Fabletics; all attendees receive a Fabletics swag bag. $30.

Molly’s Yoga Corner, 713 Monroe Ave, Rochester.

585-202-1347. MollysYoga.com.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8 Aromatherapy Basics – 1-3pm. Join aromatherapist Mindy MacLaren to learn the pertinent basics about the practice of aromatherapy. Discuss what essential oils are and what to look for when buying them, how to blend safely, learn the properties of three popular essential oils, as well as make a product to take home. Classes are held on Sun afternoons. $10. East Side Wellness Center, 625 Ayrault Rd, Fairport. 585-755-5511. SweetAndWoodsy.com.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9 Releasing Toxic Beliefs: Part 1 – 6:30-8:30pm.

Learn to move into freedom and find true purpose.

Includes sound healing meditation. Second part held February 23. $15. Healthy Alternatives Wellness Center, 458 Stone Rd, Rochester. 585-787-6954.

Antioxidant1.com.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10 Enhance Healing and Sports Performance – 4-5pm. Renee Nearpass, licensed acupuncturist,

RochesterAwakenings.com

teaches techniques to treat pain, increase mental focus and enhance healing. She’ll also cover qigong for balancing energy for performance and mental clarity. Nearpass will lead a monthly educational session in a community-style treatment setting. $15.

Awakened Athlete, 349 W Commercial St, Ste 1980, Rochester. 585-261-3743. AwakenedAthlete.Co.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11 Stress Management – 1pm. Lecture on ways to manage stress. Surviving Naturally, 75 W Main St, Webster. 800-664-0613. SurvivingNaturally.com.

Patagonia Documentary Screening & Discussion – 7-8pm. From 2011-2013, Pittsford native Catherine Tuttle traveled to and developed a fascination with the Patagonian region of Argentina. She channeled that interest into filming and produced a documentary about the unique travelers’ mystique surrounding the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia. Registration required. Pittsford Community Library, 24 State St, Pittsford. 585-248-6275.

TownOfPittsford.org/home-library.

Yoga, Wine & Chocolate – 7:15-9:45pm. Artisan chocolate pairings with award-winning wines are the perfect ending to a warming, active, all-levels yoga practice in a candle-infused setting. Pre-registration and pre-payment required. $40. Finger Lakes Yogascapes, 4923 Butler Rd, Canandaigua. 585362-6715. FingerLakesYogascapes.com. Leslee@ TuneYoga.com.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12 Art and Story Stroll – 11am-noon. This story read-

ing and art viewing experience is for children ages 2 to 5 and accompanying adults. Delores JacksonRadney will read Max Found Two Sticks by Brian Pinkney. $5/adults, free for children. Memorial Art Gallery, 500 University Ave, Rochester. 585-2768971. MAG.Rochester.edu.

Labyrinth Quest – 7-9pm. Begins with an orientation to the labyrinth, free Reiki and sacred music. The Labyrinth Quest aims to bring the experience and benefits of labyrinth walks to individuals and communities. First Unitarian Church of Rochester, 220 S Winton Rd, Rochester.

LabyrinthQuest.org.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13 Burn at the Barre – 11:30am-12:30pm. Barre workouts sculpt and tone major muscle groups, creating a long, lean physique while improving stamina and increasing flexibility. Offered on various other days and times. Core Rhythm Pilates Studio, 88B S Main St, Canandaigua. 585-729-8015.

CoreRhythmPilatesStudio.com.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14 Heart Opening Hatha Workshop – 11am-3pm.

Special Valentine’s Day event consisting of meditation/relaxation, asana, guidance to help develop a personal mantra and an intro to mudra. Free to the public; donations accepted. Must RSVP to Events@ Assisi-Institute.org. The Assisi Institute, 1400 N Winton Rd, Rochester. Assisi-Institute.org.

Lori’s Kitchen Vegan Tasting for Valentine’s Day – Noon-4pm. Enjoy tastings of vegan main dishes, veggies and desserts. Lori’s Natural Foods Center, 900 Jefferson Rd, Rochester. 585-424-2323.

LorisNatural.com.

Valentine’s Day Prix Fixe Dinner – 5-9:30pm.

Celebrate love with a four-course, vegan and gluten-free meal. Menu includes coconut sweet potato bisque, pink peppercorn cashew cheese, pesto tofu ricotta stuffed portobella mushrooms, almond brown rice risotto, apple cherry turnover and chocolate heart. Wine bottle specials available. Call to make a reservation. $40/person. The Red Fern, 283 Oxford St, Rochester. 585-563-7633. Info@ RedFernRochester.com.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18 Restorative Reading – 7:15-9pm. Bring a book and join in the community vibe of reading. Tea will be served as participants get into a comfortable restorative yoga pose. Essential oil will be diffused for concentration. $5. Yoga DrishTi, 159 Caroline St, Rochester. 585-270-5927. YogaDrishTi.com.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21 Conscious Healing – 1-2:30pm. This conversational style class helps break through unwanted behavioral patterns and emotions by exploring them through the refreshing new perspective of the conscious spirit.

Five-week course held Saturdays from February 21 through March 21. Register in advance. $55.

Awakenings, 625 Ayrault Rd, Fairport. 585-6156427. Spiritual-Awakenings.org.

Essential Oil and Yoga Workshop – 2-4pm.

Make the connection between an open heart and a quiet mind with a combination of essential oils and yoga poses. We will focus on chest and shoulder openers that will leave one feeling energized and more spacious from the inside out. $30. Molly’s Yoga, 713 Monroe Ave, Rochester. 585-202-1347.

MollysYoga.com.

Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love. ~Mother Teresa

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Meditation-Asana with Nicole – 2:45-4pm.

It’s been said that Savasana is one of the hardest asanas. Not for its movement of the body, but of the mind. In this class, connect mind with matter by combining soothing movements with slow and steady poses. Deeply interact with senses and selves using restorative poses, direct use of essential oils and guided meditations. Yoga DrishTi, 159 Caroline St, Rochester. 585-2705927. YogaDrishTi.com.

ongoingevents range of motion and joint mobility, reduce pain and the effects of stress. $10. Qi Gong Institute of Rochester, 595 Blossom Rd, Ste 307, Rochester.

585-732-7012. VesnaSanders.com.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23 Releasing Toxic Beliefs: Part 2 – 6:30-8:30pm.

Learn to align with your true purpose and balance the chakras. Includes sound healing meditation. First part held Feb 9. $15. Healthy Alternatives Wellness Center, 458 Stone Rd, Rochester. 585-787-6954.

Antioxidant1.com.

Filling in the Nutritional Gap – 7-8pm.

Learn about authentic supplements that are not isolated nutrients, but whole-food based, making healthy living simple and easy. Awakenings, 625 Ayrault Rd, Fairport. 585-615-6427.

Spiritual-Awakenings.org.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24 Lunchtime Pilates Mat – 11:30am-12:30pm. Spend the lunch hour doing Pilates. Core Rhythm Pilates Studio, 88B S Main St, Canandaigua. 585-729-8015.

CoreRhythmPilatesStudio.com.

Perinton Family Acupuncture & Tribe Wellness Grand Opening – 5:30-8pm. Meet the practitioners, attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony, and enjoy informative and interactive demonstrations and displays, a tea bar and refreshments. 6800 Pittsford-Palmyra Rd, Ste 350, Fairport. 585-598-3866. PerintonFamily Acupuncture.com. TribeWellness.com.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25 Manifest: Creating the Life You Really Want – This class outlines the concepts that are crucial to manifesting your goals and turning dreams into reality. Call to register. $10. Awakenings, 625 Ayrault Rd, Fairport. 585-615-6427. SpiritualAwakenings.org.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28 Bullying: Intervention Strategies for Parents – 10am-noon. This workshop seeks to introduce participants to definitions of bullying, how to recognize it and how to deal with it both at home and in school. Email or call to register. Happiness House Canandaigua, 5415 N Bloomfield Rd, Canandaigua.

315-789-6828, x7158. TheAdvocacyCenter.com.

JMundy@HappinessHouse.org.

sunday Athlete Meditation & Stretch – 4:30-5:30pm.

Colleen Flaherty supports athletes’ active recovery with a guided meditation to keep them focused while learning how to deeply care for their bodies. $15.

Awakened Athlete, 349 W Commercial St, Ste 1980, Rochester. 585-261-3743. AwakenedAthlete.co.

Couple’s Floatation Therapy – 9:30am-7:30pm.

Discover the healing power of zero-G in the only couple’s float tank in New York. Available every day of the week, except Mondays. Bodymind Float Center, 622 Park Ave, Rochester. 585-413-0616.

BodymindFloatCenter.com.

Holistic Moms Network – 6:30-8:30pm. Second Mon of the month. Christ Episcopal Church, 36 S Main St, Pittsford. HolisticMomsRochester. blogspot.com.

tuesday Bradley Natural Childbirth Classes – 7pm. Every Tues, starting February 17. Fairport. Email Ahaas@ rabn.org for more info. HealthyBirth.net.

Face 2 Face – 6pm. A peer-to-peer friendship group, supporting each other when having faced a miscarriage, stillbirth or infant loss. Second and fourth Tues of the month. The Legacy, 40 Willow Pond Way, Penfield. 585-454-9299. F2FRochester@gmail.com.

Rochester Public Market – 6am-1pm. 280 N Union St, Rochester. 585-428-0907.

Long Seasons Winter Farmers’ Market – 1-4pm.

Brookside Community Center. 220 Idlewood Dr, Brighton. 585-269-8918. BrightonFarmersMarket.org.

wednesday

Open Flow All Levels – 5:30-6:30pm. Setting the practice to music, poses are linked together in a graceful and flowing sequence, promising to be a fun, energetic way to welcome the upcoming week.

Molly’s Yoga Corner, 713 Monroe Ave, Rochester.

585-202-1347. MollysYoga.com.

Awareness Yoga with Vesna – 6:30-7:30pm. Learn how to enhance awareness of body and mind through a series of basic and intermediate yoga poses, as well as simple yoga breathing and meditation techniques.

Appropriate for both relatively new and more experienced students. $13. Nu Movement, 716 University Ave, Rochester. 585-732-7012. VesnaSanders.com.

Rochester Home Birth Circle – 2:30-4:30pm.

Learn about and support home birth. Fourth Sunday of the month. Locations vary; contact for meeting location. RochesterHomeBirthCircle. com/meetings.

Yoga for Athletes – 9-10am. This heated athletic yoga class is designed to burn calories while improving strength, agility and flexibility. Real Life Food and Fitness, 1290 University Ave, Ste C, Rochester.

585-441-9441. RealLifeFoodAndFitness.com.

monday Alignment Yoga with Noreen – 9:15-10:30am.

Molly’s Yoga Corner, 713 Monroe Ave, Rochester.

585-202-1347. MollysYoga.com.

Gentle Yoga – 6-7pm. This class is appropriate for all students seeking the benefits of a gentle and relaxing yoga practice. Gentle yoga poses improve

Lunch Hour Yoga with Molly – Noon-1pm. Spend your lunch hour stretching, relaxing and energizing with yoga. Molly’s Yoga Corner, 713 Monroe Ave, Rochester. 585-202-1347. MollysYoga.com.

University of Rochester Farmers’ Market – 3-6pm. Medical Center, Flaum Atrium, 601 Elmwood Ave, Rochester. Gary Jones, 585-273-3786.

thursday Cesarean Birth Support Group – 11am-noon.

Open to all women and their families, to give support, share stories and encourage growth. Led by birth doula Kim Guck. First Thurs of the month.

Eastside Wellness Center, 625 Ayrault Rd, Fairport.

585-729-2278.

Fluid Motion Exercise Class – 6-7pm. A movement class designed for people returning to exercise after

W e’ve got this gift of love, but love

is like a precious plant. You can’t just accept it and leave it in the cupboard or just think it’s going to get on by itself.

You’ve got to keep watering it. You’ve got to really look after it and nurture it. ~John Lennon 28

Rochester, NY

RochesterAwakenings.com

surgery, cancer treatment or that just want to get moving. Taught and created by physical therapists, the class includes warm-up, breathing, balance, range of motion and stretching, all set to upbeat music. $60/six classes. Callan-Harris Physical Therapy, 1328 University Ave, Rochester. 585-4825060. chptusa.com.

Intro to Gluten-Free Baking – 6:30-7:30pm. This intro class demonstrates the basic principles of gluten-free baking. Instructors Blossom Fox and Calvin Eaton make gluten-free baking easy and fun.

Ages 10 and up. $15. Pieters Family Life Center, 1025 Commons Way, Henrietta. 585-487-3500.

TheGlutenFreeChefBakery.com.

Max at the Gallery Tapas Night – 5-8pm. Enjoy half-price admission to the gallery, listen to live music and enjoy wine, beer and tapas plates available for purchase. Every Thurs evening. Memorial Art Gallery, 500 University Ave, Rochester. 585-2768900. MAG.Rochester.edu.

Rochester Public Market – 6am-1pm. 280 N Union St, Rochester. 585-428-0907.

Tea-Licious Trendz – 3-7pm. Tea-rific Thursdays. Participate in weekly events and informational sessions. Topics include essential oils, rain drop therapy, massage, reflexology and more. Learn while enjoying organic loose-leaf teas. 489 Plank Rd, Webster. Cynthia Evans, HealthyTeaz@gmail.com.

The Rochester Doula Cooperative – 7-9pm.

Offers information and support in order to make informed decisions and have the best birth experience possible. Second Thurs of the month. Luvaboos, 683 N Winton Rd, Rochester.

DoulaCooperative.org.

friday Unwind Yoga with Noreen – 4:45-6pm. Kickstart the weekend with an unwind yoga class that will leave you refreshed, relaxed and rejuvenated.

Molly’s Yoga Corner, 1000 Turk Hill, Ste 220, Fairport. 585-202-1347. MollysYoga.com.

XTX Elite Class – 12:15-1:15pm. This class is designed for the athlete or trainee that wants extreme adventure in his or her workout, which may include running an obstacle trail or pushing a tire. Great for those interested in Tough Mudder and Spartan Race events. Real Life Food and Fitness, 1290 University Ave, Ste C, Rochester. 585-441-9441.

RealLifeFoodAndFitness.com.

saturday All Levels Yoga with Molly – 9:30-10:45am.

Spend the morning doing hatha yoga with Molly.

No experience necessary. Molly’s Yoga Corner, 1000 Turk Hill, Ste 220, Fairport. 585-202-1347.

MollysYoga.com.

Family Yoga – 1-2:30pm. Teaching of alignment will be brought through not only poses, but philosophy, breathing and unique family activities.

Taught by Melanie MacDonald, RYT and Reiki master, along with her two daughters. First Sat of the month. $20/pair, $5/each additional. Yoga DrishTi, 159 Caroline St, Rochester. 585-270-5927.

YogaDrishTi.com.

Rochester Public Market – 5am-1pm. 280 N Union St, Rochester. 585-428-6907.

communityresourceguide Connecting you to the leaders in natural health care and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide, email Publisher@RochesterAwakenings.com to request our media kit.

CHIROPRACTIC

ACUPUNCTURE PERINTON FAMILY ACUPUNCTURE Renee Nearpass, LAC Cedarwood Office Park 6800 Pittsford-Palmyra Rd, Ste 350, Fairport • 585-598-3866 Renee@PerintonFamilyAcupuncture.com PerintonFamilyAcupuncture.com

As a licensed acupuncturist, expertise includes Chinese Herbal medicine, tui na (Chinese medical massage), qigong and Eastern dieter therapy. Other services are pain management, women’s and pediatric health care and much more.

See ad, page 26.

AROMATHERAPY SWEET & WOODSY AROMATHERAPY Mindy MacLaren, Certified Aromatherapist 625 Ayrault Rd, Fairport SweetAndWoodsy.com Info@SweetAndWoodsy.com

Offering a line of natural essential oil-based products for home and family as well as consultations to address a wide range of health issues through aromatherapy, with a focus on pregnancy and children.

Classes also offered. See ad, page 27.

ATHLETICS AWAKENED ATHLETE

Colleen Flaherty 585-261-3743 • AwakenedAthlete@gmail.com AwakenedAthlete.com Injury prevention and support is on the mind of every parent and coach.

Busy lives means you can’t do everything. Let Colleen empower you and your athletes. See ad, page 25.

DERLETH CHIROPRACTIC

East Side Wellness Center Drs. Phil and Paula Derleth 625 Ayrault Rd, Fairport 585-598-3535 • DerlethChiropractic.com DerlethChiropractic@gmail.com Chiropractic services that focus on pregnancy, pediatrics and athletes, as well as many other ailments. The goal is to assist patients in achieving optimal health and wellness through the use of chiropractics.

See ad, page 21.

EDWIN VEGA JR, DC & YASELLYN DIAZ-VEGA, DC

1732 E Ridge Rd, Irondequoit 585-266-2782 Info@VegaChiropracticWellness.com VegaChiropracticWellness.com Dedicated to analyzing, correcting and improving the nervous system health and committed to educating and providing quality chiropractic care to families so as to achieve optimal wellness. See ad, page 6.

CONSULTING CRYSTAL CLEAR CONSULTING Jill Bates 585-385-0074 Jill@CCConsulting.biz CrystalClearConsulting.biz

Do you want to make more money in 2015? With the right business consultant, you have the ability to melt obstacles and facilitate possibilities. Call today for your free business consultation with Jill Bates @ Crystal Clear Consulting.

DENTIST

BIRTH EDUCATION ROCHESTER AREA BIRTH NETWORK Amy Haas and Dianne Cassidy Ahaas@RABN.com DianneCassidy@Rochester.rr.com • RABN.org

Rochester Area Birth Network is a resource that advocates health, safety and informed options in childbearing. Rochester Area Birth Network supports the MotherFriendly Childbirth Initiative, a wellness model of maternity care issued by the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS), a group of individuals and national organizations with concern for the care and well-being of mothers, babies and families.

CONTEMPORARY DENTISTRY

Dr. Arlene Messer and Dr. Anna Belous 2052 S Clinton Ave, Rochester 585-244-3337 DentistryWithAHeart.com At Contemporary Dentistry, we care about your total health, offering an individualized approach for cavity prevention, including saliva testing, bio-compatible materials, safe mercury filling removal, laser and minimally invasive dentistry. See ad, page 10.

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HYPNOSIS

ENERGY HEALING LIGHT & INFORMATION MEDICINE

Monica Manni 585-218-0766 Monica@LightAndInformationMedicine.com LightAndInformationMedicine.com Offering Reconnective Healing, The Reconnection and Spiritual Response Therapy to reconnect you with your true essence and facilitate a return to balance, allowing physical, mental, emotional or spiritual challenges to dissolve.

ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES ROCHESTER GREENOVATION

1199 E Main St, Rochester 585-288-7564 • Info@RochesterGreen.org RochesterGreen.org Services include, deconstruction (disassembling and collecting material for reuse), green clean out (reusing and recycling items left behind after a move), event hosting (rent affordable space for an event) and recycling (keeping items out of the landfills).

ESSENTIAL OILS DOTERRA ESSENTIAL OILS

Michele Rueckwald VanAuker 585-202-6358 • EssentialTouch@gmail.com As a wellness advocate, Michele educates on the uses of essential oils. See ad, page 10.

FUNCTIONAL NUTRITION

MONROE HYPNOSIS

Samuel Sanfratello, MS 3380 Monroe Ave, Ste 208, Pittsford 585-678-1741 • MonroeHypnosis.com Sam@MonroeHypnosis.com

INTEGRATIVE PSYCHIATRY ROCHESTER HOLISTIC CENTER

Mahipal Chaudhri, MD 890 Westfall Rd, Ste C, Rochester 585-690-3782 • RochesterHolisticCenter.com Dr. Chaudhri is an integrative psychiatrist offering alternative treatments for mental health, including Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. He uses supplements, nutrition and metabolic workups in addition to a traditional medicinal approach. See ad on back cover.

INTERNAL MEDICINE

Salon, Spa & Wellness Center Linda Allen, Owner/Cosmetologist 1726 Long Pond Rd, Ste 1, Rochester 585-426-5944 • Linda@LAShearDesigns.com LAShearDesigns.com Offering full beauty, health and fitness services, including massage, Reiki, wellness consultations, health coaching and personal training. The safest, most natural, non-toxic products are used, caring for the client’s overall well-being.

PARENTING

With over 30 years experience in treating patients, using a combination of Western methods that include progressive and holistic protocols. He treats both acute and chronic conditions. See ad on back cover.

The mission of HMN is to generate national awareness, education and support for holistic parenting and green living by providing nurturing, open-minded and respectful local community networks that encourage families to share these ideals and learn from each other.

HolisticMoms.org Facebook.com/RochesterNYChapter

REIKI

MINDBODY

With more than 20 years experience, Kim helps patients by identifying and correcting nutrition deficiencies that have resulted in chronic health maladies. Specialties i n c l u d e d e p r e s s i o n , a n x i e t y, a r t h r i t i s , Autoimmune conditions and many more. See ad on back cover.

Floating offers various ways to relieve many conditions, such as joint and muscle pain, reduces stress, soothes pregnancy discomfort, depression and sleep disorders, enhances creativity and much more. See ad, page 5.

GLUTEN-FREE

NATUROPATHIC

622 Park Ave, Rochester 585-413-0616 • BodymindFloatCenter.com Info@BodymindFloatCenter.com

LAURA SLEGGS, ND

2425 Clover St, Rochester 10773 Poags Hole Rd, Dansville 607-661-5497 • DrLauracs@gmail.com DrLauraND.com

The Gluten Free Chef is a glutenand dairy-free bakery and a glutenfree general store. Custom wedding cakes, pastries, cookies, muffins and much more. Open Tues-Fri; 11am-7pm (closed Sun & Mon). See ad, page 24.

Rochester, NY

ORGANIC SALONS LA SHEAR DESIGNS

HOLISTIC MOMS NETWORK

Shivender Thakur, MD 890 Westfall Rd, Ste C, Rochester 585-690-3782 • RochesterHolisticCenter.com

BODYMIND FLOAT CENTER

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Surviving Naturally provides services in the areas of integrative family health; natural skin, nail and hair care; and counseling services for individuals and families.

See ad, page 23.

ROCHESTER HOLISTIC CENTER

Kimberly Kavanagh 890 Westfall Rd, Ste C, Rochester 585-690-3782 • RochesterHolisticCenter.com

Calvin Eaton, Owner Blossom Fox, Owner 181 Monroe Ave, Rochester TheGlutenFreeChefBakery.com

Sandra Miceli, RN, FNP 75 W Main St, Webster 1-800-664-0613 Thriving@SurvivingNaturally.com

Offering a variety of services designed to help our clients lead happy and healthy lives.

All hypnotic techniques empower you to reach your goals, overcome fears, and live the life you want to live. See ad, page 27.

ROCHESTER HOLISTIC CENTER

THE GLUTEN FREE CHEF

SURVIVING NATURALLY

RochesterAwakenings.com

Dr. Sleggs is a NYS licensed naturopathic doctor. She uses applied kinesiology and provides nutrition counseling and supplements to help individuals improve health in a natural way. See ad, page 5.

AWAKENINGS

Lori Smith 625 Ayrault Rd, Fairport 585-615-6427 • LPSmith@Awakenings.cc Spiritual-Awakenings.org Offers a variety of energy healing services including Reiki and Integrated Energy Therapy.

Provides an authentic approach to wellness through Energy, Whole Foods Nutrition and Self Awareness. Classes also offered. See ad, page 23.

THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE MICHAEL BIANCHI, LMT

500 Helendale Rd, Ste 155, Rochester 585-739-3575 MichaelBianchiLMT@gmail.com MichaelBLMT.MassageTherapy.com Committed to providing in-depth, personal, customized care and healing. Specializing in acute and chronic pain relief, deep tissue, and sports massage, headaches/ migraine relief, TMJ, aromatherapy and relaxation.

ONONDAGA SCHOOL OF THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE

YOGA WITH VESNA

THERMAL IMAGING

Tom Gallagher, Director of Admissions 302 N Goodman St, Ste 200, Rochester 585-241-0070 RocAdmissions@OSTM.edu • OSTM.edu Committed to providing students with training in the science of massage. OSTM has helped hundreds of individuals get training, qualifications and professional support. See ad, page 15.

ROCHESTER HOLISTIC CENTER Sara Jones, LMT Sara@RochesterHolisticCenter.com

With a goal to encourage the body to heal itself naturally while increasing blood flow and eliminating toxins, we offer a wide variety of painrelieving techniques to accommodate individuals with different levels of discomfort. Specialized treatment plans are created for those with fibromyalgia, digestive issues, trigger points, lymphedema and other chronic or acute concerns.

Carol Knapp, CCT, Office Manager 550 Latona Rd, Bldg D, Greece 585-734-6083 • NYDTI.com

Vesna Sanders, certified yoga and prenatal yoga teacher, offers ongoing yoga classes at two different locations, as well as regular and prenatal yoga privates. Her classes are accessible and well-rounded, appropriate for both relatively new and more experienced yoga students. See ad, page 27.

Provides radiation-free, noninvasive body scanning for monitoring overall health and wellness. This 100% safe and FDA approved system is available to men, women and children. With the use of infrared imaging technology, minute changes in the skin due to cancer can be found years in advance. See ad, page 18.

O bstacles are what

YOGA MOLLY’S YOGA CORNER Molly Huff 585-202-1347 Information@MollysYoga.com MollysYoga.com

you see when you take your eye off the goal.

With two locations—in Fairport and on Monroe Avenue, Molly and her staff teach an array of yoga styles in a fun, relaxed, non-competitive atmosphere. See ad, page 21.

Publish a Natural Awakenings Magazine in Your Community Share Your Vision and Make a Difference • Meaningful New Career • Low Initial Investment • Proven Business System • Home Based Business • Exceptional Franchise Support & Training

Natural Awakenings recently won the prestigious FBR50 Franchise Satisfaction Award from Franchise Business Review. To learn more visit: franchisebusinessreview.com

Vesna Sanders 585-732-7012 Vesna.Sanders@gmail.com VesnaSanders.com

DYNAMIC THERMAL IMAGING

~Chris Burke

Natural Awakenings publishes in over 95 markets across the U.S. and Puerto Rico • • • • • • • • • • • •

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Central OH Cincinnati, OH Toledo, OH Oklahoma City, OK Portland, OR Bucks/Montgomery Counties, PA* Harrisburg/York, PA Lancaster, PA Lehigh Valley, PA Pocono, PA/ Warren Co., NJ Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, PA Rhode Island Charleston, SC Columbia, SC Grand Strand, SC* Greenville, SC Chattanooga, TN Knoxville, TN Memphis, TN Austin, TX Dallas Metroplex, TX Dallas/FW Metro N Galveston, TX Houston, TX San Antonio, TX Richmond, VA VA’s Blue Ridge Seattle, WA Madison, WI Milwaukee, WI Puerto Rico Existing magazines for sale

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For more information visit our website NaturalAwakeningsMag.com/mymagazine or call 239-530-1377

natural awakenings

February 2015

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Rochester, NY

RochesterAwakenings.com