Spirit of Change Spring 2015 by Spirit of Change Magazine

HOLISTIC NEW ENGLAND

FREE

SPRING 2015

Healthy Aging Conscious Aging • Living Gracefully Through The Years • 17 Healthy Aging Stories Medicine, Hope and Kundalini Yoga: An Interview With Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa A Collective Vision Of Life On Earth • Probiotics 101: Your Brain, Your Gut, Your Microflora

where science & miracles meet “I want you to think of me as someone who can help you flow and grow in all areas of your life.” Judith A. Swack, PhD

Healing from the Body Level Up

™

Developed by Judith Swack, PhD, the Visionary behind HBLUTM Healing from the Body Level Up™ (HBLU™) is a unique, effective and powerful mind-body healing methodology that gets people unstuck and eliminates struggle — even when other therapies have failed — by simultaneously clearing mental, emotional, physical and spiritual blocks to happiness, health and success. HBLUTM HAS HELPED PEOPLE:

Heal Emotional Issues including: Addictions, Anxiety, Depression, PTSD, Phobias, Stress and Burnout, and Traumas Heal Chronic Medical Conditions including: Pain, Headaches, Back Pain, Digestion Problems, ADD, and Physical Injuries

Erase Food Cravings and Create Lasting Weight Loss Ameliorate Symptoms and Extend Life Span in: Autoimmune Diseases, Cancer, Diabetes, Heart Disease, and High Blood Pressure

HEALINg FROM THE BODY LEvEL UP I TRAININg Healing Trauma and Installing Boundaries Thursday, March 12 – Sunday, March 15, 2015 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. in Needham MA HBLU™ integrates the best of biomedical science, psychology, spirituality, applied kinesiology, Neuro Linguistic Programming, and energy psychology techniques, along with original research. Participants will learn how to rapidly transform and heal your clients and yourself by: Accessing information from the soul’s deepest wisdom through muscle testing Using exciting new techniques from the field of Energy Psychology including EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique). Setting boundaries and preventing burn-out

Foster Happy, Healthy Relationships and Marriages or Survive Divorce from an Impossible Ex

28 CE credits for Social Workers, LMHC’s and Nurses

Nurture Spirituality and Intuition Dr. Swack is available for private sessions in person in her Needham, MA office, by phone, or by Skype.

This continuing nursing education activity was approved by the American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA), an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

BOOK YOUR FREE 15-MINUTE CONSULTATION NOW: Call (781) 444-6940 or email info@hblu.org For more information go to www.hblu.org.

“I’ve made more progress in the most important areas of my life in just a few sessions than I did in 5 years of traditional therapy. Judith is amazing! I’ve already referred 10 clients to her.”

“Of the many workshops I have attended, none has compared with Judith Swack’s for sheer intellectual excitement, psychotherapeutic innovativeness, and practical effectiveness.”

Jane U., Teacher, Boston MA

UPcoMing cLaSSeS inSTanT inTUiTion Wednesday, March 11 and Wednesday, March 18, 2015 and again on Wednesday, april 29 and Wednesday, May 6, 2015 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Do you sometimes have a feeling, hunch, or intuition about a situation that you can’t explain? Do you ever suspect you have a psychic ability. Well, now is the time to develop those intuitions! Everyone has some degree of psychic ability, but most people ignore the subtle signals. In this intriguing class, you’ll learn how to read people’s minds, see auras, and feel the energy fields that surround us. You will also discover how to distinguish real intuition from irrational and emotional reactions. Newton Community Education Call (617) 559-6999 to register

2 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

Dr. Nathaniel Brandon, author of “Six Pillars of Self-Esteem”

“Six weeks after taking the first HBLU™ training, my client load and income doubled without any different marketing effort on my part. I now have a waiting list. Instead of having a handful of breakthrough miracle sessions each year, I have that many each day.” Amy St. Hilaire, LMFT

www.spiritofchange.org

SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 3

Departments Features Spring 2015 • Vol. 28, No. 131

Departments

6 Musings by Carol Bedrosian 8 Starspeak: The Cosmic Forecast by Eric Linter 10 A Closer Look At Animal-Based Foods by Mielle Chénier-Cowan Rose 12 EarthTalk: The Skinny On Fat by the Editors of E/Environmental Magazine 14 Feng Shui for Everyday: Cul-de-sac Houses by Karen Feldman

Features

16 Probiotics 101: Your Gut, Your Brain, Your Microflora by Marie Cargill 20 Hope, Medicine and Kundalini Yoga: An Interview with Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa by Carol Bedrosian 24 What Kind of World Do You Want To Live In? by Peggy Kornegger 26 Living Gracefully Through the Years by Katie Cohen 28 Conscious Aging by Vivienne Simon 30 Healthy Aging Stories The Healthiest Patient I Have by Steffi Lewin Shapiro • The Joy of Seniorness by

Jane F. Allard • And Just Who Is the Supermodel by Thea Iberall • Tips on Aging by Loretta Dixon • John Harvey Gray’s Secret to Healthy Aging by Lourdes Gray • Keeping Busy by Brent Higinbothom • Soothing a Broken Heart by Magdalana Siegel • Walking in the March of Time by Mark Mathew Braunstein • Aging Joyfully by Donna Eden • 12 Steps to Invigorated Aging by Sparrow • Finding Strength in Vulnerability by Marilyn Taylor • All Grown Up and Moving In with Mom and Dad by Linda Champagne • People Who Help Me Care by Alex Lemski • I Choose Vitality by Betsy Bragg • My Good Health Recipe by Suzanne Wicks • Well-Aged by Elizabeth Lemke • From Croatia with Love by Vesna Dye

Directories

44 Calendar 49 Holistic Logo Directory 60 Holistic Specialties Directory

Main Office

PO Box 405, Uxbridge, MA 01569 Phone: 508-278-9640 Fax: 508-278-9641 www.spiritofchange.org

Publisher & Editor

Carol Bedrosian E-mail: carol@spiritofchange.org

Business Manager

Michella Brudner Phone: 508-278-9640 x 2 Email: Michella@spiritofchange.org

Advertising Information

Erin Abrams, Advertising Manager Phone: 508-278-9640 x 1 E-mail: advertise@spiritofchange.org

Contributing Columnists

Editors of E/Environmental Magazine, Karen Feldman, Eric Linter, Mielle Chénier-Cowan Rose

Book Reviews

Gail Lord E-mail: SOCBookReviewer@gmail.com Send review copies to 51 North Street, Grafton, MA 01519

Design & Production

Barry Corbett, Janice Nadeau, Amber Routten-Mitchell, Steve Sedam

Printing

Turley Publications, Palmer, MA Visit us online www.spiritofchange.org

61 The Classifieds 62 Advertiser Index 63 Yoga Practitioners of New England

Cover Design: Steve Sedam

Summer Ad Deadline: Friday, May 1, 2015

Upcoming Editorial Themes

Summer ’15 Health Around the World Fall ’15 Embracing Life Change

Winter ’15 Getting Down to Earth Spring ’16 Farms, Food and Freedom

See Editorial Guidelines at www.spiritofchange.org/about-us

4 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

HOLISTIC NEW ENGLAND

Copyright ©2015 Spirit of Change. All Rights Reserved. Spirit of Change distributes 45,000 magazines throughout New England quarterly (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer) and accepts paid advertising as an advertising service. Responsibility for the products, services or claims of our advertisers rests solely with them; advertisers are liable for any claims made against Spirit of Change Magazine as a result of their advertisement. The information in Spirit of Change is intended as a sharing of knowledge about holistic health for educational purposes. Health care decisions requiring medical advice should be made with the help of your health care professional. Subscriptions are $20.00/yr. Article and artwork submissions are accepted for review and will only be returned if accompanied by a SASE. To receive bulk shipments of Spirit of Change to distribute to your clients & customers, please call our office at 508-278-9640.

What I’ve

Learned from

Chickens

A new memoir by Sharon Wallen

Psychic MediuM

“The Energy, The Light, The Connection” Rachel Perry is a spiritual psychic medium and holistic practitioner who relays recognizable information and healing messages from loved ones and spirit guides on the higher side of life. Sessions are highly uplifting and heartfelt. Rachel has studied for many years at the Arthur Findlay College, the world’s foremost college for the advancement of spiritualism and psychic sciences in England. She has trained and worked with some of the most prominent mediums in the US and UK.

Rachel empowers and encourages her clients to:

These blessings came with feathers and four-toed dinosaur feet…

• Develop their own connection with the divine • Hear their inner voice • Fulfill their spiritual destiny Gift s e t a c • Manifest the happiness they desire certifi

Private Readings in Osterville, MA

Phone Readings • Classes & Workshops Tarot Card Readings • Mediumship Demonstrations

www.chickenlessons.com

www.spiritofchange.org

www.RachelPerryMedium.com • (508) 681-0320 • 901 Main St., Suite L, Osterville, MA

SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 5

MUSINGS

BY CAROL BEDROSIAN

Healthy Aging Gracefully

A 7th Annual

Complementary & Integrative Therapies

Expo

Monday, March 30, 2015 3-7pm • Free and Open to the Public

UMass Medical School

Albert Sherman Ctr., 55 Lake Ave. North, Worcester

Exhibitor space is available To reserve space, contact Mike Williams at

Michael.Williams1@umassmed.edu Support for this event provided by:

geless American icon Bob Dylan noted in a recent interview, “Young people can be passionate. Older people gotta be more wise.” I’m discovering that one of the healthiest things I can do as I age is to slow down. This means not rushing around to save a few seconds or minutes in the course of my busy day — risking careless injuries and mistakes — but also scheduling less so my day is not so busy. I read a piece of valuable advice that helps me clarify what’s important on my to-do list. Instead of saying, “I don’t have time for this,” and feeling frazzled or guilty when I am too busy to attend to something, I say, “This is not a priority right now.” My time is a choice and I choose something else to do. With the birth of my first granddaughter Bella Lucy I discovered that holding an infant grandchild is the perfect antidote for too much rushing around. Despite deadlines and way too much to do, I spend hours holding Bella, clearly a priority. Not only is this precious and completely dependent little being rooted in my cells, but she embodies my future now, as well. We protect what we fall in love with, inspiring a fierce hope for making the world a better place now and for the future. In this issue, visionary author Peggy Kornegger asks us to “imagine the impossible” — the birthright of humanity — to transform what appears to be impossible into the possible. That’s how change occurs. If having healthy soil to grow food in now and into the future matters to you, buy organic. If having local shops and downtowns is a priority, support local businesses. If family ties matter to you, invest time in your children, grandchildren and community, since families grow best in supportive communities. Taking responsibility for one’s health — physically, mentally and emotionally — is the common theme running through this issue’s colorful collection of Healthy Aging Stories. Yoga is mentioned most frequently as good therapy for older adults and with good reason. Yoga has been documented in producing many health benefits for all ages and health conditions, and is even finding its way into hospital oncology programs because it works. Forbes.com estimates that in 2013 over 20 million Americans were practicing yoga, a number that only increases annually. I can attest it’s my weekly yoga class that keeps me healthy, and without it, deadline stress would have done me in long ago! While I appreciate the increased flexibility and bone strengthening yoga provides, and can only hope to someday achieve any semblance of mental stillness, it’s really the internal organ work I go for. How else am I going to get my organs cleaned and flushed on a regular basis? Watching Bella effortlessly move into a yogic twist or forward bend reminds me that our bodies are built to naturally flow into these self-healing positions as part of everyday living. With just a little retraining, your body at any age will gratefully remember and revive its initial grace. Carol Bedrosian is the publisher of Spirit of Change holistic magazine. Visit www.spiritofchange.org.

6 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

Presented by:

STARSPEAK

BY ERIC D. LINTER

Psychic Reading Energetic Healing Move Beyond What Is Holding You Back Through Energetic Healing If you are ready to move past the roadblocks of your present to a fuller and richer life, I would like to help. Readings can be in person in the Boston/Cape Cod area or by phone or Skype anywhere in the United States. I want to work with you to see the past limitations of your current situation so that you can move on to new and exciting possibilities. My readings can provide clarity and insight into the energy, patterns and belief systems that are shaping your life. I can help you understand what in your life is working for you, what is not and help you expand the positives. You will come away from our work together with new awareness of the true choices available to you so that you can move beyond your current barriers and create the life you really want. “My phone reading with Dan was lovely. He quickly got down to the core of my issue and how it was presenting in my current life. He has a gift for honing in on the details of a situation. I was literally able to feel the healing portion of the session from hundreds of miles away!”— Emily Ruth

DANIEL GEIST 508-413-9333

www.EngelGeist.com

9\ ?\Xc\[ N_\e [fZkfij Xe[ k_\iXg`jkj ZXeËk _\cg pfl# ZXcc Ifjj A% D`cc\i% Ifjj n`cc gjpZ_`ZXccp [`jZfm\i k_\ iffk ZXlj\ f] pfli gifYc\d Xe[ _\Xc `k% 9p g_fe\ fi `e g\ijfe

IFJJ A% D@CC<I GjpZ_`Z ?\Xc\i & I\^i\jj`fe K_\iXg`jk u ), p\Xij \og\i`\eZ\ E\nkfe# D8 V nnn%K_\Dpjk`ZNXp%Zfd V -(.$,).$*,/* 8 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

Astrology Forecast for Spring 2015 “The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” — ALAN WATTS

vents of recent years have repeatedly shown that reality can be easily contrived, is often not what it appears, and is likely to change in a flash. In this illusory age of video games and digitally manipulated photographs and films, it is increasingly hard to know who to believe and what is real. At the same time, modern technology has also made it possible to see things never before viewed by the human eye. A star being born in deep space, minute anatomical details seen at a hospital radiology department, or rare creatures living in the deepest oceans come to mind. We may question reality for many good reasons but our awareness of the world around us is expanding! Astrologers attribute the root cause of this decade’s technological advances, as well as its volatility, to a persistently stressful, high energy square between Uranus and Pluto, respectively the planets of evolution and transformation. Although their series of seven exact squares concludes this spring, there will be aftershocks throughout the year and far beyond, into the foreseeable future.

March

The unruly winds of late winter and early spring blow away cabin fever and this year March arrives with a mighty cyclone of cleansing celestial energy. It’s out with the old and onward we go! The first days of the month include a waxing Moon and an extraordinary conjunction of Mars, Venus and Uranus grouped around the lunar South Node in Aries. All are a part of a brilliant grand trine to Jupiter in Leo and Saturn in Sagittarius. Life will be anything but dull. The auspices for socializing, making karmic reconnections, meeting new friends, learning and traveling are excellent, although Jupiter’s opposition with mental Mercury cautions against

extravagance, boasting or speaking in absolutes. The full Worm Moon in Virgo is exact at 1:05pm on Thursday the 5th. The stars task us with living according to our highest expectations and translating our ideals into action. Several quiet days follow. We switch back to Daylight Savings Time at 2:00am on Sunday, March 8th. By Tuesday the 10th, activity levels again pick up. Lively debates may give way to heated confrontations at mid-week. On Wednesday the 11th, fiery Mars is conjunct impulsive Uranus and square to Pluto. The world can seem to be a powder keg. The seventh and final in the series of destabilizing Uranus/Pluto squares is exact on Monday the 16th. Practice the art of peacemaking. Start within, meditate, breathe, and stay relaxed. At all times make an effort to be constructive, ready to adapt to changing needs and circumstances. We’re not out of the woods. A solar eclipse accompanies the late Pisces new Moon the morning of Friday the 20th. Secrets may be revealed around this date. A palpable sense of being complete with a situation, lesson or relationship is quite possible. As with every new Moon it is time to set intentions and launch projects, but remain open to adjusting plans as new information becomes available. That same evening the Sun enters Aries, heralding Spring’s arrival. The remainder of the month is comparatively tame and accompanied by welcome energy. The Sun in Aries rejuvenates the fire sign grand trine, which in turn invigorates life forces. Spring returns with gusto! The 25th is an especially good day to make long term commitments.

April

A lunar trine to Pluto assures that some April Fool’s jokes will be, as we say in New England, “wicked funny.” The waxing Moon fuels high spirits and laughter. Auspicious trends give way to trying times as the full Pink Moon in Libra, exact Saturday the 4th at 8:05AM, re-ignites the Uranus/Pluto square. Partners can be quite challenging over the weekend. Cooperation and intelligent planning are keys to translating the powerful energies available into positive actions. Monday the 6th can see giant strides made as the Sun overtakes Uranus. Be daring and innovative. Try out new things. Continue to scrupulously focus on positives during the mid-week period. Jupiter shifts direction this week, too. On Wednesday the 8th the giant planet of optimism and faith resumes forward motion. This is good news for imaginative dreamers, inveterate travelers, teachers, authors and publicists. Senses are hyperactive as Mercury flies past Uranus a minute after midnight on the 10th. Think carefully before you speak. Financial pressures may challenge partnerships as tax day approaches. Venus is at odds with the Moon and Saturn on the 15th. Mixed trends simultaneously give rise to new worries and offer hope through the 18th, while Saturday’s new Moon in Aries quietly boost spirits. With little fanfare the Sun moves on into fertile Taurus the morning of Monday the 20th. The season’s sensual side, with its caressing breezes and fragrant scents, cheerful sounds and vibrant colors is accentuated by a string of planetary alignments. The 23rd, 24th, 28th and 29th are good days for planting early crops. Plan to socialize on Sunday the 26th.

May

The full Flower Moon in Scorpio is exact at 11:42pm on Sunday the 3rd. The Sun is in Taurus. Both stars are testing Jupiter, making these first few days of May lively and at times exuberant. Think big. Make ambitious plans. A solar trine to Pluto on the 6th opens avenues that lead to success. Put your many talents and resources to good use. A Mother’s Day gathering may spontaneously grow into an extended family affair. Then, on Monday the 11th, Mars enters Gemini where he encounters resistance from Saturn. Slow down this week. Friday’s exact opposition between the red planet and stubborn Saturn could warrant a pause in activity, a chance to regroup and come up with a new game plan. Monday the 18th brings conflicting signals from on high. The Taurus new Moon is just after midnight. Ordinarily this is a “go” signal, time to begin anew. However, after the Sun has set, mental Mercury goes retrograde, leading many minds to reflect on the past. The Sun is also moving into an opposition with Saturn so it’s best to move ahead with caution and deliberation. Gemini welcomes the Sun on Thursday the 21st. Fated encounters can be expected and could have a profound impact. Tune in to weather reports and drive safely over the holiday weekend. The same holds true for the last week of May. Stay safe and enjoy the season! Eric Linter offers a complete range of astrological services including readings, classes and his “On Top of the Stars Monthly Guide” for making inspired career and personal decisions. Contact Eric at www.ericlinter.com. Read Eric’s daily forecast on the Spirit of Change homepage at www.spiritofchange.org. www.spiritofchange.org

Welcome Spring Solstice Circle Monday, March 23 7:00 PM Learn about the reasons for the Seasons and receive a message from a loved one in spirit. Requested Donation $10.00 Spring Fair Saturday, March 28 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM Vendors, fun and readings with our church Mediums. Free Admission. Readings: $20 for 15 minutes. Celebrating Life on Both Sides Music and Mediumship Saturday, April 18 7:00 PM Join us for a concert with fun, uplifting music interspersed with platform mediumship readings for audience members. Tickets: $20.00

Healing Arts Festival Saturday, April 25 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM Experience various modalities of healing including chakra balancing, massage, reflexology and more. Church mediums will be available for readings. Free admission. Readings: $20 for 15 minutes. Healing charges vary.

32 Church Street | Watertown, MA 02472 | 617-923-4334

Pur onlin chase e Am from

Azo

Reverend Brad “Little Frog” Hudson Shamanic Practitioner and Teacher Multidimensional Energy Healer Depossessions, Ghost Clearings Life Improvement Coaching Amazon Best Selling Author

SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 9

Sponsored by Canton Spiritualist Church

www.spiritualistchurch.wix.com/canton 1-3 Blue Hill River Rd, off Rt 138N, Canton, At The Blue Hills, Exit 2B off Rt 128

PSYCHICS • MEDIUMS • FREE HEALINGS Private readings for a fee

cF sychi

ai r

Rain or Shine For more information: call 617- 469-2568

• Food & Soft Drinks • Spirit Drawings • Acupuncture • Massage • Yoga

•

• Pet Psychic • Vitamins • Seashells • Naturopath • Jewelry • Crystals

a l th

• Aura Camera • Aromatherapy • Reflexology • Reiki • Chiropractic

•

HEALTHY EATING

BY MIELLE CHÉNIER-COWAN ROSE

10am-5pm/Free Admission

H o l i st i c H e

Holistic H ealth

Fair sychic Saturday, April 25 P &

A Closer Look at Animal-Based Foods “To those who have hunger, give bread. And to those who have bread Give the hunger for justice.” — Latin American meal blessing

ou don’t need to be a sensitive animal lover to be moved by the gruesome violence inflicted on animals by typical farming operations. Even Julia Child, a staunch classical French chef, was moved to renounce veal when she was invited to a farm and saw the conditions firsthand. Most people would prefer to reduce animal suffering, including those of us who still choose to eat animal-based foods.

Reassuring But Misleading Meat and Dairy Labels

Lotus Flower Living Energy Psychology & Guided Journaling NEW LOCATION IN BEACON HILL

Offering mastery level emotional re-patterning practices for the advanced spiritual seeker who desires life-long change. Once you know the subconscious thoughts that feed a particular issue, you’ll never think the same way again. Julie Matheson, MA CSL Trained Practitioner, Reiki Master 617-233-4251 • julie@lotusﬂowerliving.com

LotusFlowerLiving.com 10 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

Many concerned omnivores intend to support animal welfare with their purchases, but would be surprised to learn about standard practices on most “humane” farms. Reassuring but misleading labels such as free-range, humane, cagefree, naturally raised, and even organic allow for conditions that are rarely better than on the average industrial factory farm. For example, most cage-free chickens live their entire lives inside grossly overcrowded barns. The term free-range is not much better; the range can be as paltry as a gravel courtyard accessed by a small door that most of the birds can’t even reach through the sea of excrement and other chickens. Both labels allow painful beak cutting and forced molting through starvation. Organic labels require outdoor access, but the duration, quality, and amount is up to the farmers. There are no regulations for free-range cattle or pork. These, and

organically raised cows, spend much of their lives in severely crowded feedlots, endure painful mutilations, and end their lives at the same high-volume slaughterhouses as conventional cows. These facilities are certainly not the pasture-grazing farms that compassionate consumers are hoping to support. For the time being, pasture-raised, grass-fed, and grassfinished are more reliable labels for decent farm conditions. Grass-finished is important, because as the term grass-fed gains popularity, some farms are using it but finishing their cattle on GMO grains in factory farm feedlots. Certifications are helpful guides too. Animal Welfare Approved has the highest standards for humane practices, and Certified Humane is next best but does allow for beak cutting and indoor only farms. American Humane Certified is fairly misleading, allowing for more painful procedures and small cages opposed by nearly every major animal welfare group in the US. If you buy animal foods and want to make a difference with your purchasing power, do a little research so you can make your own choices about what is acceptable to you. The term natural is one of the most misunderstood and misleading marketing claims on meat. It simply means that no artificial ingredients or preservatives are added, which is true for any fresh meat product. Naturally raised has a little more meaning, limiting hormones, antibiotics, and animal by-products in feed, but makes no mention of living conditions, so this often tricks well-meaning consumers into buying factory-farmed meat.

Truly Natural Animal-Based Foods

More humane farming conditions make for healthier animals, and healthier animal-based foods. Grass-fed and pasture-raised meat and eggs are leaner and contain more nutrients. The unnatural industrial diet of corn and grain — not to mention the unsanitary conditions of overcrowding — requires ongoing antibiotics to ward off disease. Conventional corn, soy, and alfalfa fed to most farm animals are virtually guaranteed to be genetically modified, which is proving harmful to animals and humans. The price of eating cheap, low-quality meat is just not worth it. More humanely and naturally raised animal foods do cost more, but we should eat them less often. In the long run, the health costs of cancers, diabetes, allergies, and other diseases will truly outweigh the grocery bill. The higher, fairer price of better farming conditions should compel us to eat fewer animalbased foods in the first place, which would be beneficial for most Americans’ health. Grocery stores rarely sell truly pastured animal foods, but you can often find them at farmers’ markets, from the farms themselves or online. I still ask about their practices too, because even small farmers often cut beaks, horns, or tails, castrate, and apply third-degree burns for branding. These are painful procedures, all performed without anesthesia. The websites www.eatwild.com and www.localharvest.org can help you locate sources for sustainably grown animal foods. Eggs and dairy products may be the cruelest of farming industries. What could be harmful about taking eggs, especially from a small, pasture-based farmer? To answer this, you must look back to where the chicks come from. Since egg-laying breeds are differentiated from meat chickens, male layer chicks are useless. Commercial hatcheries kill a quarter billion newborn males each year, and the standard practices are incredibly brutal. Farms of all sizes get their hens from these hatcheries, from the largest industrial operations to the smallest backyard farmers. Small, independent hatcheries do exist that sell the males to pasture farms for meat and do not painfully debeak the chicks, but they are rare. Some farmers still hatch their own chickens and raise the males for meat, but unfortunately a certain level of mistreatment is simply inherent to the production of animal-based foods, even despite the eventual slaughter. Milk and cheese production also creates a surplus of male calves, which provide for the notoriously cruel veal industry. Even small farmers with only a few milking goats usually kill most newborn males, because they have no value. Female dairy animals don’t have it any better, living to adolescence so we can exploit their procreative capacity. Within hours or days, CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation, i.e. factory farm) farmers remove calves from their mothers, who bellow and search for their calves after they are separated, just as any human animal would in the same situation. Their lives are spent perpetually pregnant or milking until they are sent to slaughter when they cannot reproduce and give milk anymore. Industry slang crassly refer to the devices used to impregnate cows as rape racks, likely giving a good impression of the experience. Those motivated by compassion for animals will probably want to consider all of this when choosing their diet. www.spiritofchange.org

Follow Your Heart Wish Burgers Yields 6–10 burgers

A wish granted for meat-free burgers. Make these from leftover beans and grains and serve them with all your favorite trimmings. Be sure to read through the entire recipe, including the notes at the end, to become familiar with the whole process before beginning. Combine in a wide pan: 1 Tbsp oil 1 onion, diced 1 rib celery, diced 1 tsp salt Cook over medium-low heat about 10 minutes, until onions begin to color. Add: 2–3 cloves garlic, minced 1–2 cups vegetables, chopped or grated (carrots, mushrooms, corn, peppers, etc.) Continue to sauté until vegetables are cooked. Add: 1–2 tsp seasoning (cumin, chili or curry powder, Italian seasoning, etc.) ¼ cup fresh herbs 2–4 Tbsp water, wine, or juice Deglaze the pan by adding some wine, chopped tomatoes, lemon juice or other acidic liquid to loosen the bits and juices from the bottom and cook a few more minutes until nearly dry again. Place in a bowl with: 1 cup cooked beans, mashed separately 1/2–1 cup nuts or seeds, toasted and ground 1/2–1 cup cooked grains, slightly ground in food processor 1/2–1 cup uncooked rolled oats, partially ground Combine well with a spoon or spatula, using enough oats to make the batter sticky. Adjust salt to taste. Form patties with your hands and fry on the stovetop until browned on both sides, or coat in oil and bake in a 375° oven for 10–15 minutes each side. Additional Wish Burger Notes • You may chill the batter for 1–2 hours prior to cooking to make a firmer patty. • For a crunchy coating, coat the burgers in cornmeal before cooking. • Freely exchange quantities of beans, grains, nuts or seeds, and rolled oats. The oats and cooked grains particularly help bind the batter, but a decent burger can be made without them. • The main purpose of rolled oats is to make the batter sticky, but often the grains are enough to achieve this. You may also use flour or breadcrumbs in place of the oats. • Any beans, grains, nuts, and seeds can work. My favorites are chickpeas, lentils, millet, short grain brown rice, walnuts, almonds, and sunflower seeds. Omnivorous Variation • If you eat them, cheese or eggs may be added to help bind the batter. Mielle Chénier-Cowan Rose has been a natural foods chef and advocate for natural living for over 15 years. Her latest book, Veganish: The Omnivore’s Guide to Plant-Based Cooking, was released in 2014. Visit www.pieceofmyheartkitchen.com.

Pure ~ rAW LoCAL HoNeY Treatment Free Anti Inflammatory Properties Bee Keeper Antiseptic • Aids Health & Digestion w!

Honey Meets Imported Organic Cinnamon

www.AQUIDNECKHONEY.COM

Natural Family Health & Integrative Medicine Dr. Jody E Noé MS, ND Integrative ~ Empowering ~ Individual Cancer Care: Support your body & reduce side effects through integrative naturopathic treatment 101 West Broad Street, Pawcatuck, CT 860-495-5688 www.drjodyenoe.com Dr. Jody E. Noé is a Licensed, Board Certified Naturopathic Physician

WWW.gooDnaturalfooD.net A young, direct sales company with a full line of

all-natural organic preservative free gMo free delicious food products, from appetizers to desserts! Traditional home tasting parties are casual, simple and tasty! Simple, Healthy Meal workshops are productive and fun as we prep meals for that month’s dinners!

Now is the perfect time to give us a test drive.

$49.95 to start! Call Jaclyn Strominger at (617) 529-2092 or email Jaclyn@goodnaturalfood.net

simple. healthy. natural. SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 11

EARTHTALK®

E–THE ENVIRONMENTAL MAGAZINE

Arthur N. Gertler M.D. Holistic Medicine 6 6 6 6 6 6

Holistic Medicine Lyme Literate Chelation Therapy IV Therapies Detoxification Oxygenation Therapies Office located at:

D’Arcy Wellness Center 63 South Main Street, Natick, MA 01760 phone: 781-752-6378 fax: 508-653-3283 agertlermd@yahoo.com www.agertlermd.com

Olives and olive oil are a source of “good” fat, along with avocados, pumpkin seeds, and other foods.

The Skinny on Fats DEAR EARTHTALK: What’s the skinny on fat these days? I saw a major magazine cover image recently that was suggesting fat wasn’t so bad for us after all? — Marcy Bellwether, Taos, NM

oing “fat-free” might seem like an effective, safe way to lose weight when considering that fat contains nine calories per gram, compared to four calories per gram in carbohydrates and proteins. But if you take into account the fact that approximately 60 percent of human brain matter consists of fats, eating reduced fat or fatfree foods high in sugar and refined carbohydrates no longer seems as appealing for our health. “The brain thrives on a fat-rich, low carbohydrate diet, which unfortunately is relatively uncommon in human populations today,” reports David Perlmutter, author of Grain Brain. “Mayo Clinic researchers showed that individuals favoring carbohydrates in their diets had a remarkable 89 percent increased risk for developing dementia as contrasted to those whose diets contained the most fat. Having the highest levels of fat consumption was actually found to be associated with an incredible 44 percent reduction in risk for developing dementia.” Granted, certain types of fats are more beneficial than others. “Good” fats include monounsaturated fats, found abundantly in olive oil, peanut oil, hazelnuts, avocados and pumpkin seeds, and polyunsaturated fats (omega 3 and omega 6), which are found in flaxseed oil, chia seeds, marine algae oil and walnuts. “In the ‘70s and early ‘80s…we were not talking about low-fat diets. We were talking about replacing saturated fat with a healthy fat, polyunsaturated fat,” says Walter Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. “But somewhere in the mid-1980s, we lost that message. It’s perhaps partly because some nu12 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

tritionists felt it was too complicated to talk about different types of fat, and developed the notion we should just reduce all types of fat across the board.” With over five million Americans currently living with Alzheimer’s disease, researchers are examining which dietary fats may help prevent dementia. Olivia Okereke at Brigham & Women’s Hospital tested how different types of fats affect cognition and memory in women. Over the course of four years, she found that women who consumed high amounts of monounsaturated fats had better overall cognitive function and memory. A study by researchers from Laval University in Quebec revealed similar findings: Diets high in monounsaturated fats increased the production and release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is critical for learning and memory. The loss of acetylcholine production in the brain has been associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Unfortunately, canola oil, which is high in monounsaturated fats in its natural form, is often hydrogenated so it can stay fresh longer in processed foods. Partially hydrogenated oils — also known as trans fats — were shown to be detrimental to memory in a recent University of California San Diego study. “Trans fats increase the shelf life of the food but reduce the shelf life of the person,” reports study author Beatrice Golomb. Of course, a well-rounded diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables may still be the best way to stay healthy. But it’s good to know that a little fat here and there won’t kill you. In fact, it might well help you live a healthier, more productive life. CONTACTS: David Perlmutter, www.drperlmutter.com; Harvard School of Public Health, www.hsph.harvard.edu; Brigham & Women’s Hospital, www.brighamandwomens.org. EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E—The Environmental Magazine. Send questions to earthtalk@ emagazine.com. Subscribe: www.emagazine.com/subscribe.

Psychic GPS For Your Life

Pacifica Graduate Instituteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Program in Mythological Studies

Where Myth Meets Depth

is a doctoral program designed as an integrated M.A./ Ph.D. sequence that explores the understanding of human experience revealed in mythology, and in the manifold links between myth and ritual, literature, art, and religious experience. Special Attention is given to depth psychological and archetypal approaches to the study of myth.

An Accredited Graduate School with Two Campuses near Santa Barbara, California

805.969.3626, ext. 305 or visit www.pacifica.edu call

www.spiritofchange.org

SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 13

houses for more chi. The chi can become stagnant as a result and the residents may feel disconnected and isolated.

FENG SHUI FOR EVERYDAY

BY KAREN FELDMAN

A house that sits at the very end of a cul-de-sac has all of the energy from the street pooling in front of it, pressuring the house energetically. This could create the undesirable effect of attracting drama or hardship to the house. The challenge with cul-de-sacs lies in properly capturing the energy that flows down the road toward your house. Attaining balanced feng shui requires that the chi is harnessed before it enters the home so you can effectively transform a negative effect into a positive one.

Cul-de-sac Cures

One of the best ways of transforming chi is to slow it down before it enters a space, much the same way a transformer steps down high voltage energy to a lower voltage so the circuits are not overloaded. Here are some good remedies:

Chi slows down when it encounters a body of water. Adding any kind of water feature to the front of the house will keep the energy flowing in a more gentle manner. Consider using a fountain, a birdbath, or even some creatively designed waterfall. Be sure that the water flows toward the home rather than away from it, as water symbolizes wealth and abundance.

Chi energy will also slow down when it encounters an obstacle such as a wall, trees, boulders or shrubs. A small half-wall or fence with a good working gate will achieve this without stopping the chi altogether.

Cul-de-sac Houses My husband and I found the house of our dreams! However, it is in a cul-de-sac. I have heard that culde-sacs can be an ideal location or areas of stagnant or chaotic energy on the other extreme. What do you think of cul-de-sacs and do you have any remedies for the problems they may pose?

ul-de-sacs are a classic feng shui dilemma and there are literally dozens of factors to consider in determining whether the feng shui is positive or not. A culde-sac is a circular drive off a street with one or several houses facing the center “donut hole.” In feng shui, streets are symbolic of rivers, so the water carrying the chi can either be stagnant or fast-moving and chaotic as it attempts to make its way around the circle. This housing plan became popular in the 1960’s with the large scale use of planned developments and suburban tracts. Today, many city managers and urban planners oppose their use, some with bans in place, as they encourage isolated neighborhoods and an over reliance on cars. 14 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

A well-planned neighborhood with good, nourishing chi acts like a tree with all the houses in the neighborhood serving as branches that interconnect and support each other. Ideally the energy meanders in a gentle and thorough way from one house to another as it infuses life-supporting chi into each dwelling. The flow of house energy within a cul-de-sac neighborhood can be quite variable depending on where it is located, how long the road is and how busy the traffic, just to name few considerations. Because there are so many particulars, a one-size-fits-all generalization may not be correct for your particular situation.

Cul-de-sac Challenges

Living on a cul-de-sac is likened to having a car’s headlights sweep into every house each time a vehicle enters and exits, sweeping away vital chi. Energy entering a cul-de-sac can often act like a sling shot as well, creating chaos and disruption.

The cul-de-sac can generate a continuous recycling of chi looping among three or more houses, starving the

Use landscaping as a powerful tool to adjust and harmonize the intense oncoming energy. Design a curved pathway towards the front door that will attract a gentler, more balanced chi towards the house. If there is an existing straight path, symbolically cure it by planting shrubs and flowers along the sides. Plant a row of evergreens at the back of the house to further retain the chi that enters the home.

Consider landscaping a center island if possible with seasonal flowers and shrubs. This is a beautiful and powerful way to slow down the energy and prevent the rapid entering and exiting of the chi back out into the street.

If the energy appears or feels stagnant in front of the house (and therefore inside), remedy this problem by generating motion. You can achieve this by displaying a flag or decorative banner that harmonizes with the surroundings, or adding a moving sculpture or garden ornament. Chi is always attracted towards what appeals to our senses; the captivating look and feel of something moving brings welcoming energy to the front door. Karen Feldman is a certified feng shui practitioner and interior designer, and the owner since 1994 of Urban Eden, a full-service holistic interior design firm in Providence, RI. Karen helps her residential, commercial and corporate clients to co-create spaces that are beautiful, functional and in alignment with the best interests of their well being along with the planet’s. Send your questions to Karen at urbaneden@cox. net or visit www.karenfeldmanurbaneden.com.

THE REJUVENIZER Phyllis Light, Ph.D & Telepathic Healer

A LIFETIME OF HEALING AND PROTECTION

“Since wearing the Personal Rejuvenizer, I’ve seen a real difference in my health and energy level. When I’m around people who are sick with colds and the flu, I don’t get sick anymore, like I used to. Also, I used to be so tired, I’d practically be dragging myself around, and I don’t feel that anymore.”

THE REJUVENIZER IS DESIGNED TO HELP :

• Protect you from EMFs and other

R.R., Manchester, Connecticut

damaging frequencies

(from computers, cell phones, microwaves, TVs, satellites, wireless internet, etc.)

BEFORE

• Combat fatigue, headaches, and eyestrain

• Protect you from other people‘s negative energies

• Strengthen the

This woman had only a few hours sleep the previous night and felt exhausted at the time this photo was taken.

immune system

• Uplift you spiritually

AFTER

and more!

After wearing the Personal Rejuvenizer for only 20 minutes, she reported feeling more awake, energized and refreshed.

Light Unlimited www.spiritofchange.org

(512) 301-2999

www.lighthealing.com SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 15

Did you know that food sensitivities can cause many different symptoms? Take the LEAP test now!! • Irritable Bowel Syndrome • Fibromyalgia • Auto-Immune Conditions • Migraine Headaches Free 15-Minute Consultation Call 617-232-3073

, CLT DrJudy@NutritionBoston.com NutritionBoston.com Brookline, MA

Most Insurance Accepted

MEDicAL iNtuitivE AKASHic REcoRD tRAvELER pASt LiFE HYpNotHERApiSt J.D. CHt, MPNLP Meditating on a client’s photo, Art Gutkin travels the Akashic Record from the Womb through the formative years and, at times viewing Past Lives, often finding repressed memories which are at the root of adult issues, both physical and emotional. Thereafter, Art utilizes a combination of his several Holistic skills to assist in the resolution of those issues. Art’s unique form of Laying of Hands and Long Distance Healing assists individuals overcome many illnesses within a matter of minutes including acute and chronic pain, depression, cancer, MS, MD, RA. Some issues may require several sessions. Art is a Certified Past Life Regression Hypnotherapist and is a Professional Member of the International Association of Counselors and Therapists (IACT).

Meet Art at the Natural Living Expo in Marlborough MA, November 14-15 SpEciAL DiScouNt RAtES Available through March 31, 2015. Mention the word Spirit.

Art is available for consultations in person, by phone and Skype

215-740-0766 • artgutkin@gmail.com

www.medintuitive.com

16 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

Probiotics 101 Your Gut, Your Brain, Your Microflora By Marie Cargill

here’s frightening news in the health world. We, as patients, have been subjected to such overuse of antibiotics that our guts have been severely damaged. Researchers and practitioners know that taking an antibiotic can permanently damage your gut’s microflora and cause some harmful bacteria to become resistant to treatment. Think of the many times you have been prescribed antibiotics and then think of how your digestive system is currently working. Even trying to replenish good bacteria with probiotics is very often just slightly helpful. Our gut flora is a grand mixture of different strains from food, air, soil, and heredity. We received our flora from our mothers in a vaginal birth and continue to populate bacteria until the age of two. We each have our own special colonies. If these are destroyed by antibiotics, there’s almost no way to recover the loss. If your mother had a healthy gut and hadn’t taken many antibiotics, she passed on to you a healthy beginning. Since antibiotics have been available over 80 years, the flora from your grandmother could have been affected as well. The health of her gut and your mother’s started the colonization. If you came into the world through Caesarean section, you started life at a big disadvantage: babies born of C-sections have higher rates of Celiac disease, diabetes, obesity and other auto immune disorders. These babies grow with the weakest gut flora. Awareness of microflora’s or probiotics importance has blossomed over the last decade. Over 10,000 scientific articles have been published on probiotics since this century began. Our gut flora outnumbers our body cells by 10-1 and the collective microbial genome outnumber the human genome by 100-1. Each of us hosts around 160 microbial species. Partly because of the destruction of flora through medicines, diet and chronic illnesses, new strains are being investigated to replace the older strains. Continued on page 18

Nutritional therapy works best when you can absorb the nutrition.

The digestive system is a huge part of the immune system. If your gut isn’t working, how can you be healthy? Clear out the garbage with a Digestive Rehabilitation Program. Remove the bad. bacteria and fungus with DUT, re-seed the gut with pro-biotics, repair the lining with healing herbs.

Immune Problems • Joint Problems Skin Problems • Stomach Pain • Ulcers Reflux • Constipation • Crohn’s • IBS Celiac Disease • SIBO Knock out a persistent urinary tract infection in 36 hours - with no antibiotics!

Order online at MyNaturesRite.com or call 800-991-7088 The Arvigo Techniques of

Maya Abdominal Therapy™ Water Therapy for Recovery and Wellness

Organic Formulas for over 35 Years . . . . . . . Free Samples for Health Professionals . . . . . . .

8 800-745-0761 abratherapeutics.com www.spiritofchange.org

These Techniques hAve been used TrAdiTionAlly To: • Strengthen digestive organs and functions • Open circulation to the pelvic organs • Encourage flushing of toxins from the abdominal and pelvic areas • Regain prostate health • Reposition the uterus to relieve menstrual and reproductive problems • Support nerve function • Improve blood and lymph flow to pelvic and abdominal areas • Help prevent progression of symptoms to chronic disease

connecticut erica Grossman, LMT Certified Arvigo Practitioner & Self Care Instructor Outer Peace Wellness & Massage W. Hartford, CT • (860) 924-4870 www.outerpeacewellness.com Diane Mullee, LMT Arvigo Practitioner Litchfield, CT • (860) 921-7737 dmullee@yahoo.com new HaMpsHire Diane MacDonald, RN, MSN Certified Arvigo Practitioner, Self Care & Professional Care Instructor Antrim, NH • (603) 588-2571 office@arvigotherapy.com MassacHusetts Kathleen McGilvray, BS, LMT Arvigo Practitioner Cambridge, MA • (781) 640-6450 kathmcgilvray@yahoo.com

Bernadine Kosowicz, OTR/L CLT Arvigo Practitioner NRHN Cedardale Haverhill, MA • (978) 521-1186 ext 2 bkosowicz@northeastrehab.com

Jennifer schafer Schafer Fertility and Massage 32 West Street • Beverly Farms, MA (978) 335-7867 • Jenjschafer@gmail.com www.schaferfertilityandmassage.com

susan cotta, MSPT, CST Certified Arvigo Practitioner 10 Lafayette Street Swansea, MA • (508) 982-1100 www.unlimitedpotentials.com

rebecca r. susi, LCMT Certified Arvigo Practitioner & Advanced Pregnancy Practitioner Bolton, MA • (508) 410-1138 rebecca@rebeccasusi.com www.wellnessinbloom.net

christine Lee, RNCS, Lic. Ac. Certified Arvigo Practitioner & Self Care Instructor Framingham MA • (508) 626-0896 acuchrisrn@aol.com sheila a. Fay, Lic.Ac.* Arvigo Practitioner Watertown, MA • (617) 905-6664 acufay@yahoo.com *Works with women only

noreen cerqua, LCMT Certified Arvigo Practitioner & Arvigo Community Educator Walpole, MA & RI • (508) 397-8287 www.WombCareAndConnection.com chaya Leia aronson, RN, BSN Certified Arvigo Practitioner & Self Care Instructor Northampton, MA • (508) 243-5383

www.purpleroseabdominalmassage.com

The Arvigo insTiTuTe, LLC • PO Box 189, Antrim, NH 03440 603-588-2571 • office@arvigotherapy.com • www.arvigotherapy.com

SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 17

PROBIOTICS 101 Continued from page 16

One current research aim is to investigate and distinguish different strains with their special actions and functions from areas in the world very different from ours. These strains come from people that have never been exposed to Westerners antibiotic and modern food. Their diverse and pristine micro-biomes may be needed for our world if we continue to take antibiotics on such a large scale and eat meat from animals kept in confined food lots. (Eighty percent of manufactured antibiotics are given to these animals.) There are two most common strains of the Lactobacillus species. One is L. acidophilus, colonizing the small intestine with branch strains of L. brevis, L. casei, L. crispatus, L. fementum, L. gasseri, and L.rhamnosus. These produce a number of compounds to kill off bad bacteria such as staphylococci and can thrive in the urinary tract and aid in inhibiting growth of pathogens there. Bifidobacterium is the other important major type of probiotics colonizing the large intestine, which is mainly responsible for consuming fecal matter, protecting against tumors and producing the B vitamins. Among them the most frequently used are: B. animalis, B. bifidum, B. breve, B. infantis, B. lactis, B. longum and B bulgarium. A strain beginning with an L is related to the acidophilus species; a strain beginning with a B is related to bifidodacteria. In a healthy colon there are on average anywhere from 100 billion to 1,000 billion beneficial bacteria per milliliter or 1/5 of a teaspoon. In a typical American colon, the beneficial bacteria count may be as low as 4 or 5 per milliliter! How can the body remain healthy? It doesn’t. Many researchers believe that declining levels of friendly bacteria in the intestinal tract can mark the onset of chronic degenerative disease. Antibiotics are the number one culprit, but other therapies contribute to the loss, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, chemotherapy agents, and hormone replacement agents. Chlorine in drinking water also destroys colonies of beneficial bacteria, as well as some herbal medicines, such as goldenseal, if taken in a large quantity.

What Do Lactobacillus Do?

Lactobacillus species possess important features that make them so valuable. They produce enzymes to digest and metabolize proteins and carbohydrates, help make vitamin K and the B vitamins, break down bile salts, enhance innate and acquired immunity and inhibit inflammatory mediators. They also act as medicines against pathogens. A mix of strains must be regularly consumed to maintain the normal balance of microorganisms, yet 25 percent of people eating the standard Western diet have no Lactobacillus in their intestines. Bifidobacteria populations constitute 95 percent of the gut bacterial population in healthy individuals. They tend to decline with age (research is now postulating that the decline may contribute to aging). The benefits of Bifidobacterium are very extensive: they metabolize lactose, generate lactic acid, synthesize B vitamins, help ferment and digest carbohydrates and make fatty acids. Some species — B. bidicum, B. breve, and B. lactis — protect against acute diarrhea. B. longum and B. bifidum reduce the incidence of antibiotic associated diarrhea. They stimulate the immune system, relieve constipation, alleviate irritable bowel disease, lower serum cholesterol, and reduce intestinal permeability. They even prevent DNA changes, which suggests probiotics may prevent or delay the onset of colon cancer. Healthy gut flora is essential for the normal development and working of the immune system. It’s a powerful fact that gut flora makes up 70-90 percent of our immune system and modulates immune function throughout life. Autoimmune problems have a direct link to lack of or imbalances of gut flora. Celiac disease and leaky gut syndrome are directly linked to gut flora problems. Gut microbes are necessary for normal central nervous system maturation and impact neural circuits controlling motor and behavior functions. Recent studies show that gut flora contributes to neurotransmitter pools and helps regulate the HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal axis) so important in the handling of stress. Stress itself is known to reduce populations of Lactobacillus in the small intestine, and Bifidobacterium in the large intestine. Chronic stress impairs gut barrier function leading to intestinal bacterial cell wall breakdown. Increased intestinal permeability has now been linked with chronic depression, anxiety, hyperactivity, ADHD, and OCD. Affective disorders such as these appear to be helped with probiotics, and should be noted in terms of the gut’s influence on the brain. Probiotics were first proposed as an adjunctive therapy

for depression in 2005 and have been termed psychobiotics, with multistrain probiotic combinations usually conferring greater benefit than single strain preparations. Both animal and human clinical data confirm the role of probiotics in reducing anxiety-like and depressionlike behaviors. Gut bacteria are also responsible for the production of B vitamins, vitamin K, amino acids and fatty acids. These microorganisms cover virtually every square inch of available surface space in your large and small intestines, crowding out harmful bacteria. A probiotically optimized intestinal tract helps lower cholesterol, inhibit cancer, protect against food poisoning, stomach ulcers, lactose intolerance, candida overgrowth and vaginal yeast infection, prevents and corrects constipation and diarrhea, treats colitis and irritable bowel syndrome, and of course, improves absorption of food nutrients. In 2013, the Centers for Disease Control issued data regarding antibiotic resistance. It estimates that about 2 million Americans fall ill to antibiotic resistance infections, and up to 100,000 people die from them yearly. There are now 23 known bacteria that are completely resistant to any medicine. This number will continue rising as long as unnecessary and inappropriate prescriptions are written for antibiotics. They don’t just kill off bad pathogens; some antibiotics permanently wipe out whole strains of beneficial bacteria.

Choosing A Good Probiotic

A good probiotic formula contains super strains, which are the only strains that are highly effective. The strains should be listed on the label or in the company literature. Look for formulas that are full-culture processed, meaning the beneficial bacteria should be together with the supernatant. The supernatant is the medium the probiotic culture is grown in and contains additional benefits such as vitamins, enzymes, antioxidants and immune stimulators. Check the number of live microorganisms in the formulas. The label should read “contains …billions of live organisms per capsule at time of manufacture.” Most formulas will have a die-off of billions within 60 days of manufacture, but there are still enough to colonize. Heat and moisture are deadly to probiotics and accelerate the dying off process. The probiotic formula you buy should have been refrigerated in the store and kept in the refrigerator when at home. Eating yogurt does not really help. First of all, the strains used to make most yogurt are not key beneficial strains (although they may be helpful). Yogurt is also pasteurized, which extends shelf life but usually destroys many of the benefits of yogurt. Much yogurt is flavored primarily with sugar. The first ingredient is almost always an “....ose,” such as fructose, sucrose, etc. By eating this yogurt you actually add fuel (in the form of alkaline) to a damaged gut and encourage the growth of yeast and fungus. So can one recolonize her gut? If your system has been flushed out, you can’t actually replace what you’ve lost. But there are ways to help it recover. An herbal colon activator is a formula that provides both cleansing and healing of the entire gastrointestinal system and might contain aloe, senna, cascara sagrada, barberry, ginger root, marshmallow or slippery elm, to name a few. This formula serves as an intestinal detoxifier to loosen and draw out old fecal matter and toxins, and will heal the mucous membrane lining while relieving gas, increasing bile flow and improving digestion. Next, a strain of prebiotics should be taken to encourage the native flora you once had to grow back. Reduce your sugar intake and bad fats. Vegetables and whole grains are an additional source of prebiotics. The final step is probiotics. Storage and handling of probiotics is important to maintain their maximum activity. The potency of probiotics can be adversely affected by prolonged exposure to high temperature and humidity. Store probiotics in the refrigerator. Avoid handling capsules and putting them back in the bottle. Pour the desired number of capsules in the cap. Use a dry, clean spoon to measure powders. Mixing powders and capsules with hot food or beverages is spelling their death. Probiotics must be regularly consumed to maintain health benefits. When selecting, choose welldocumented probiotics. Use multi-formulas but don’t overload the system as using too many beneficial bacteria in one formula may set up a competition, cancelling out their ability to help. Try prebiotics, first, to help restore the original flora.

Our gut flora outnumbers our body cells by 10-1 and the collective microbial genome outnumber the human genome by 100-1

18 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

Marie Cargill, LicAc, is a Boston-based homeopath, licensed herbalist and holistic health expert for people and pets with over thirty years of experience. Her newest book, Cancer and Your Pet: a Guide to Alternative and Integrated Treatment, is a must read for pet owners. Visit www.mariecargill.com.

Bringing Body, Mind and Spirit into Balance COLON HYDROTHERAPY: Detox with state of the art “Open System” providing complete privacy. I-ACT & National Board certified ENERGY HEALING — in office or long distance via Emotion Code and Body Code release. • Massage Therapy • Q2 Ionic Footbath • Infra-Red TheraSauna • Kinesiology (Muscle) Testing • Energy Work • Herbal Medicine • Ear Candling • Nature’s Sunshine Health Products • Weight loss with homeopathic HCG

www.BodyBalancingCenter.com 70 James Street, Worcester, MA • 508-868-3624

Sacred Song Reiki USUI-TIBETAN ENHANCED, KARUNA & SHAMBALLA REIKI

PRISCILLA GALE, REIKI MASTER/TEACHER 978-897-8846 sacredsongreiki@yahoo.com

www.spiritofchange.org

SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 19

Hope, Medicine and Kundalini Yoga An interview with Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa

By Carol Bedrosian

ike the color white that demurely conceals an entire rainbow of color within, Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa, MD, formerly known as Diane Pingeton, has worn white as a power color for most of her professional life. First as a nurse, then a white-jacketed obstetrician delivering babies, Hari Kirin finally found her true calling as a Sikh teacher of Kundalini yoga and meditation, and now wears white from head to toe. Practicing Kundalini yoga and meditation for 11 years and teaching since 2007, Hari Kirin offers yoga by donation in the greater Worcester community through Kundalini Yoga For All. Retired from her OB/GYN medical practice since 2012, she maintains her connection with the medical community as a volunteer faculty member at UMass Memorial offering a weekly chair yoga class in the outpatient psychiatry department. Hari Kirin recently came onboard as yoga center director at Yoga at the Ashram, located at Guru Ram Das Ashram in Millis, MA, offering a vibrant and diverse selection of events, classes, and trainings to awaken individual healing and nourish community. She also contributes as a curriculum team member for Guru Ram Das Center for Medicine and Humanology in New Mexico in their Kundalini yoga therapist training program. What force could possibly divert a successful obstetrician from a hard earned, rewarding career as an MD onto an unfamiliar and rather exotic spiritual path to wellbeing? With a unique perspective gained through years of medical training and practice, a compassionate heart and the spiritual insight gleaned through over a decade of Kundalini yoga and meditation, Hari Kirin shares the distinctive beauty of Sikh tradition and her optimism for the future of medicine in this interview. Everything you did not know about Sikhism will surprise you! Carol Bedrosian: How did you start your healing career? Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa: Basically, in high school I started in health care working as a nurse’s aide. I went to Saint Peter Marian High School in Worcester and worked at the Sisters of Mercy Infirmary with the retired and sickly nuns. I was a little bit torn about whether to go to art school or go into a helping profession. Once I decided I really wanted to be in a helping profession, I went to nursing school and got my RN degree at Fitchburg State College, then started working as a nurse. I worked at Beth Israel in Boston for many years, mostly in labor and delivery. At a certain point in my career I thought about expanding my practice and becoming a midwife, but then I also liked the operating room and I thought, “Maybe I should just bite the bullet 20 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

and go to medical school.” So I took my pre-med classes at night while I was working during the day and got accepted to and graduated from UMass. I worked locally in Worcester as an OB/ GYN for fourteen years; it was a very rewarding profession. While it was a great profession to be in, it was also exhausting to work those shifts because babies come when they want to. I knew that I needed more skills for stress reduction then I had, so I started searching for something that would work for me. I had tried to practice mindfulness on several occasions, both in medical school, and now at this point in my life, but I found that my mind was so jumpy — they call it “monkey mind” — that I couldn’t overcome the challenges to meditation at that point. Then a friend taught a Kundalini yoga class at a Unitarian retreat. One class and I was really hooked. I knew this was what I needed, that this was the right way for me to conquer my mind and to learn how to meditate. So I started practicing Kundalini yoga. Carol Bedrosian: What is Kundalini yoga? Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa: Kundalini yoga, according to Yogi Bhajan, the spiritual master who brought Kundalini yoga to the West back in the 1960s, is the yoga of awareness. All forms of yoga are good and all are related to each other. They all have the same basic principles that if we can overcome the thoughts of our mind and develop life practices that help us come from our higher self, then we can be better human beings. Kundalini yoga is a fast technology for this, developed for people who have busy lives and who have families. We think of ancient yogis as people wearing a loincloth in a cave, and that’s certainly one tradition of yoga, but Kundalini yoga is designed for people who don’t have all day to perfect a meditation. They need something that they can practice in the morning before they go to work or begin their day to help them through their “full catastrophe living,” as Jon Kabat Zinn says. Carol Bedrosian: Does Kundalini yoga involve the body, stretching, and poses, or is it strictly a form of meditation? Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa: It does involve the body. The basic format of every Kundalini class is the same though the actual content varies. There’ll be warm ups, there’ll be some breathwork called pranayama, and then there’ll be a physical yoga set, or kriya, and that just means “completed action.” Each kriya is different; it has a specific purpose. In Kundalini yoga you’re not necessarily perfecting the same postures again and again in the same sequence. You’re challenging yourself with what you know to be needed right now that is coming up for healing and change. So there’s a physical yoga set, and there are all different levels of challenge to those sets, but

they can be adapted to anyone, even people sitting in a chair. After the yoga set there’s a deep relaxation, or shavasana yoga nap, which all traditions of yoga tend to include. And then there’s meditation. So the whole purpose of the yoga set is to prepare the mind for meditation. It’s really about bringing the whole mind-body awareness together in a way that elevates the individual. Carol Bedrosian: Did your Kundalini yoga practice help you in your OB/GYN work and bringing your mind back into focus? Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa: It definitely helped me with stress reduction because I wanted to keep doing what I was doing at work, but I knew I needed to feel more balanced and more relaxed approaching each day. Kundalini yoga gave me tools and skills to help me with all the challenges in my life. I loved the practice so much that I wanted to share it, so I decided to go to teacher training, which I did here at Yoga at the Ashram in Millis in 2006 and 2007. It’s a commitment of roughly one full Saturday-Sunday weekend per month. I was still working full time as an OB/GYN, so I said to my family, “It’s going to be tough. I’m either going to be at the ashram or the hospital on the weekends a lot over the next eight months, but I really feel strongly that this is something I need to do.” Yoga teacher training is like boot camp; it’s very transformative. It really opens up your mind and your capacity in a new direction. I was very grateful for the opportunity to be able to start teaching yoga. It became the highlight of each week. Eventually, I started to scale back my practice and let the yoga blossom forth more. On a personal level I had other reasons why I wanted to reduce work hours — being more present for elderly parents and opening up more time to match my husband’s retirement schedule. It was a good time for all of these things to converge. So I started to move away from obstetrics, and then gradually worked part time just in the office, and then completely retired from my practice in 2012.

Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa: Just to clarify, anyone who teaches Kundalini yoga wears white when teaching, to increase radiance and better serve as a teacher. They may choose to wear white all the time, or any color at other times. Many Sikhs who do not teach yoga wear a variety of colors. But, yes, once you start wearing the outward signs — the outward signs are called bana — it becomes interesting. The way Sikhs dress is not intended to be a separation. It’s not intended to be a proclamation of “I am this” or not this. It’s really just to reflect the beauty of the soul to the person in front of you, that this is the beauty of your own soul. But it is true that people see what they want to see and the mind will fill in gaps for us. Some people would ask me if I had cancer or people would ask me different questions out of concern and curiosity to see what it was all about. The bottom line with bana is if you’re comfortable wearing it then the people around you are comfortable, too. Yes, it is also like wearing an “ask me” button. Sikhs are committed to being defenders of the defenseless and to being a resource in the community. It’s all about being humbly ready to serve. Carol: What is the purpose of wearing a turban? Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa: All of these practices are meditative tools. It’s an aspiration of Sikhs to come from a meditative mind as opposed to a more animalistic mind throughout the day. So it’s like the insulation on your roof. If you spent a lot of energy heating up your house, you don’t want all that heat to just escape through the roof. By putting a turban on you’re making a commitment to yourself that “I would like come from my meditative mind today and not be trapped in my emotions and not act out of the lower aspects of my human nature.” Carol: I notice all Sikhs have the name Khalsa. What is the significance your Sikh name?

Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa: In Kundalini yoga, if one wishes to request a spiritual name, you can go to the 3HO website and click on Request a Carol Bedrosian: I know that many, though not all, practitioners of Spiritual Name, and Yogi Bhajan’s secretary will do some calculations Kundalini yoga are Sikhs, and I recognize by your white clothing and based on the date of birth and numerology, meditate on it, and send turban that you are a Sikh. When did you make this transformation? you a spiritual name. The spiritual name is a tool to help remind and “Khalsa” means “a Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa: I think we all have a path in life that’s meanguide you on the journey of your soul’s purpose. Anyone who feels person who is trying committed to this tradition can request a spiritual name; you don’t have ingful to us. Some people call that dharma. A dharmic path is a set of guidelines, the truest part of ourselves that says, “Yes, this is for me. to be a Sikh. to live a truthful This helps me be a better human being. This is how I want to practice.” When I requested my spiritual name I was very tearful and overFor some us that might be a religious way, for some of us that might be joyed to receive it from the central office. Hari is one of the names of life.” Really, we’re mindfulness practices, for some of us that might be regular walks in the creative aspect of universal consciousness and Kirin is a ray of God’s all Khalsa, we’re nature. We all have different paths that unlock that greatest compaslight. So, to me, my first name, Hari Kirin, means “to create hope.” Kaur sion of the heart. is the middle name given to all women on this path, and it means “lionall trying to live From the time I was a little child I had a very loving devotion to ess princess.” When the tenth Sikh master had to turn people who were the Creator, to God — whatever you wish to call that infinite energy victims into victors, and turn peasants into people who could defend truthful lives. that we’re a part of. I was raised Catholic and I dreamed about being a themselves from annihilation because they were being attacked due to -Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa priest when I grew up, but then hit up against gender issues as I came their religion, he gave all the men the middle name Singh, which means of age in that tradition. So I joined the Unitarian Church and raised “lion,” and all the women the name Kaur, so that we would be in touch my children in it from my twenties on. Unitarian Universalism is a with our inner power and inner strength. Khalsa is the last name used beautiful path of openness and acceptance of the worth and dignity of all human beings and in Sikh tradition. Khalsa means “a person who is trying to live a truthful life.” Really, we’re all the interconnected web of all existence. These are principals that I very much still adhere to. I Khalsa, we’re all trying to live truthful lives; it’s just whether you want to go to court and change remain both Unitarian Universalist and a Sikh, two traditions that honor all religions. your name to that or not. Khalsa is the last name that you can take on if you wish. Sikh Dharma is simply a roadmap for truthful living. Whether or not one ascribes to Carol Bedrosian: The Sikh Guru Ram Das Ashram is located in Millis, Massachusetts. Can you the Sikh religion, one can be on the path of Sikh Dharma. People who consistently practice tell me about the ashram? Kundalini yoga and meditation, or teach it, choose where in this dharmic path they’re comHari Kirin Kaur Khalsa: The ashram is a community of people whose founders came together fortable. So I started off really feeling, “Oh I love Kundalini yoga and meditation, but I’ll in Dorchester in the 1970s. When Yogi Bhajan brought the teachings of Kundalini yoga to the never cross over into that Sikh thing. That’s too heavy [laughs].” But as I spent more time in West back in the 1960s, it spread like wildfire through the younger generation that were looking it I realized that Sikh Dharma has a vibration that’s purely devotional and completely aligned for a spiritual awakening. So many people throughout the country started practicing Kundalini with what’s infinite within us and all around us. I felt this resonating with what was always yoga and wanted to live together in community. Many of them became Sikhs. true within me, and so I did become a Sikh, and I’m happy to say that this is the practice that The Millis community started in Dorchester and as they married and had children, they deenriches my life and powers me up each day. cided that they wanted a more suburban place to raise families. So they found the property here Carol Bedrosian: Wearing the outward signs of being a Sikh with the white clothing and in Millis and created a beautiful Gurdwara, which is a Sikh temple and residences for people to turban must both open up discussion and erect barriers with people. How did this affect live in. Now the ashram has a great mature vibe from almost 50 years of meditation. It’s a lovely your OB/GYN practice? Continued on page 22 www.spiritofchange.org

SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 21

Ashram friends after the Fall Festival 2014

HOPE, MEDICINE, AND KUNDALINI YOGA Continued from page 21 site on 18 acres with the buildings scrupulously cared for and maintained. The space has been lovingly held by its long term members and continues to grow with new members, both residential and in communities near and far. Carol Bedrosian: Do all Sikhs live together in community or is that optional?

time that when he died both the Hindus and the Muslims claimed him for their own, and the Buddhists claimed him as a Lama, also. So Sikhism began with Guru Nanak, and then his consciousness was passed into the human form of nine other masters, or Gurus, until the tenth Sikh master, Guru Gobind Singh, declared that there would not be any more human Guru, but the Guru would be in the teachings and the writings of the Gurus and other enlightened people who contributed to the sacred book of writings called the Guru Granth Sahib. Sikhs honor this book as a living Guru, as a living teacher. Having the Guru in its place, there for guidance, is what makes the Gurdwara what it is. Sikhs turn to the Guru for all their energy and advice and orient themselves to the teachings of the Guru, which basically say live a truthful life, be the hope of the hopeless, be a light in the world, spread joy. Many holy people have been murdered for their own religions, but in Sikh history the ninth master was martyred for the right of others to practice their religion. He stepped forward at a time of impossible odds to protect people who were being terrorized and allowed himself to be martyred to protect them. In Sikh history there are many stories of people trying to protect a path of truthfulness and equality for all people.

Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa: It’s completely optional and there are many people who don’t live right on site at the ashram but live within a few miles, which is still within the aura of the ashram. There are many people who have done teacher training here, who feel a strong connection, and they come home to the ashram for special events, such as White Tantric Yoga and Fall Festival, and to volunteer in the kitchen and on the grounds. The ashram is committed to the teachings of Yogi Bhajan, and you do not have to practice Sikh religion to practice Kundalini yoga. The yoga center was created to serve all through daily classes, workshops, and teacher trainings. Other You can sit in a traditions such as hatha, Vinyasa, and qigong are offered too. Diversity is strength. There are many concentric circles to ashram life through the chair, you can be yoga center, the Gurdwara, and both. There is a beautiful East-West mix on oxygen, you can of people who have come to Sikhism through 3HO and people who were born into that tradition. Carol Bedrosian: What does 3HO refer to? Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa: 3HO stands for Happy, Healthy, and Holy, a worldwide community that was begun through the teachings of Yogi Bhajan. Carol Bedrosian: Is Yoga Bhajan the founder of Sikhism?

have your leg in a cast, and you can have a Kundalini yoga experience.

Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa: Yogi Bhajan came to the West to teach yoga and create yoga teachers. He was both a Sikh and a yogi. His students were learning yoga, but saw that he was a Sikh with a white turban. They asked him to teach them about Sikhism and how to wear a turban. Sikhism is really only about 500 years old. It was started by a man named Nanak, who was born in the 1400s in India at a time when there was a lot of war over religion and the countryside was greatly troubled. He grew up with this great devotion to God and would hang out with many different spiritual people, no matter what their caste or religious beliefs or practices. At that time there were yogis living in the forest, so he would go into the forest and learn from them, too. He didn’t really set out to start a religion, so much as he set out to start a movement of equality, honest living, and devotion. Upon his enlightenment, the first thing he said is that there’s really no difference in religion among us; we’re all resonating with the same energy and devotion. There’s no difference between men and women; all are equal. There’s no difference between castes, which was a huge thing to be saying in the 14-1500s in India. Nanak spread this word by singing simple songs of love and devotion and people would flock to sing with him because his message was so pure and heart-centered, without religious hypocrisy that he openly criticized. He became so beloved by all the different religions of the 22 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

Carol Bedrosian: So the Guru is not a person, it’s the teachings in the book. It’s not just one person with knowledge, it’s everyone. Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa: Exactly. You bring up the concept of equality and community with your question. This was the tradition started by Nanak. Whether you were a king or a beggar, if you came to Nanak’s court, you would all sit together on the floor at the same level and be served great food. No one is higher or lower. This tradition of eating after Sikh service continues to this day. Also, many people can be ministers of Sikh Dharma; it’s not just one person in the community. Sikhs consider it a great blessing to be in the company of all who cherish this path.

Carol Bedrosian: Since becoming a Sikh and taking on these practices, have you found the meditative mind you seek? Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa: All of this journey in the human life is never a done deal, right? There’s always room for more growth in this journey of the human soul. But for me, yes, the practice of being a Sikh absolutely fills each day with great spirit and joy and optimism and radiance. Carol Bedrosian: You have a foot in both worlds with training in a very spiritual type of wellbeing and the medical training of being a doctor. Having MD initials after your name opens up all types of doors that are not open to spiritual or alternative wellness caregivers. What has been your experience in having that foot in both worlds? Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa: Both worlds and both languages exist within me so I don’t feel any separation. It makes perfect sense to me that we can learn scientifically about how yoga and meditation work for our well-beling. For example, a particular 11-minute Kundalini meditation called Kirtan Kriya has been shown to improve our chromosomal telomere length, which when shortened is a marker of aging and stress in the body. People just know instinctively from their experience that meditation and yoga are healing, but it’s exciting to me when you can

actually document it scientifically. Yoga therapy research is beginning to take off. There is an International Association of Yoga Therapists — IAYT — which supports yoga as a therapeutic tool, and is a licensing body for all traditions of yoga therapy. Kundalini yoga therapy is just getting rolled out this year in 2015, in one site on the East Coast which, I’m proud to say, is Yoga at the Ashram in Millis, and also on the West Coast in Los Angeles through the Guru Das Center for Medicine and Humanology. The director, Shanti Shanti Kaur Khalsa, continues to work with people with all different health conditions, for over 30 years bringing yoga and meditation into diverse health settings in greatly successful ways. Once the graduates from yoga therapy are out in the world, things can really shift because the magical part of Kundalini yoga is you can sit in a chair, you can be on oxygen, you can have your leg in a cast, and you can have a Kundalini yoga experience. You can do an 11-minute meditation and you can change the way your neurons are firing in your brain. So no matter what the physical situation, and no matter what the time constraints, you can have a meaningful effect in a way that’s definitely a huge step toward wellness. As yoga therapy in all traditions continues to unfold, I think it will help to transform how people can feel well and what’s available to them.

CD for KiDs

Carol Bedrosian: Are you frustrated with the slow pace of alternative therapies coming into mainstream medicine and how MDs and insurance companies seem to have all the power deciding what gets funded, what gets promoted, what people hear about? Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa: I don’t feel any angst about that. I think that things have a tendency to unfold as they go. We’re currently in what they call the Aquarian Age, which means that it’s a time of awareness, it’s a time of wisdom. We used to really worship knowledge and would spend years and years acquiring knowledge. Now knowledge is available to us at our fingertips through the tools of the Information Age. We don’t have to do all that memorization; we can instantly access everything we need to know. That’s not to say we don’t need skills and experience and understanding, but the shift is really going towards wisdom, and wisdom can only be gained by experience. Things are changing so rapidly in the current times that when healthcare and alternative medicine are ready to shift, they will without resistance. I am truly inspired by what I learn from IAYT conferences and publications. For example, the Cleveland Clinic in the Midwest appointed a Chief Wellness Officer, which was a powerful statement. Most hospitals have Chief Financial Officers, Chief Operational Officers, Medical Officers, but to raise the status of the Wellness Officer to be on the same level as all the head honchos is a big statement. They actually have a yoga therapy program going not only for their employees, but also for their inpatients and outpatients. That took years to develop, but that’s the type of example that is showing up in Western medicine. There’s also the folks down at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Their Integrative Medicine Program is directed by Dr. Lorenzo Cohen, whose grandmother was a great yogi. So he’s making sure that there’s yoga programming in the oncology programs available to everybody and it’s completely mainstreamed in. As more and more centers have yoga and publish research on it, critical mass is reached and you stand out if you don’t offer these programs. The shift is definitely happening and I really don’t feel any resistance or angst over it or that it should be happening faster or differently than it is. I’m just happy to be at the vantage point where I can understand how both worlds want to be and I’m happy to create any bridges that I can in my small point of the world. I would say that we need all the gifts that science and Western medicine have to offer, but we also need the healing tools that will help get a person through their chemotherapy and surgery. There’s so much that we have yet to discover about the mind-body connection; there’s so many people who outlive their prognoses, and for different reasons, whether they use these practices or not. Maybe it’s just because they have that gene for resilience and they have incredible optimism and a supportive family, even without any practices. There’s so many things that aren’t measurable. I think it’s important that we acknowledge the value of all that a person has available to them so they have many choices and tools for how to get better. Fortunately we’re in a time where people have become partners in their healthcare with their providers — whether they’re seeing an alternative provider or mainstream Western medicine provider or both — they’re partners in that care. For more information on Kundalini yoga visit www.yogaattheashram.org or email info@yogaattheashram.org or call 508-376-4528 to reach Dr. Khalsa. Interviewer Carol Bedrosian is the publisher of Spirit of Change Magazine. Visit www.spiritofchange.org. www.spiritofchange.org

Kundalini classes: Tuesdays (5:45pm-7:15pm) sundays (8am-9:15am)

401-780-9809 • cranston, Ri • www.yogaatsantosha.com

YoGA AT The AshrAM The Baba Siri Chand Yoga and Retreat Center All AGes & shAPes:

We HAve YOgA fOR YOu! $10 Daily Classes, Beginners Welcome Meditate • Deepen Your Practice Workshops • Trainings • Yoga Get-Aways

SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 23

WHAT KIND OF

WORLD DO YOU WANT TO LIVE IN?

Sharon R. Doolittle DVM Holistic Animal Healthcare

By Peggy Kornegger Nutrition Response Testing • Clinical Nutrition Animal Chiropractic • Applied Kinesiology • Alternative Therapies Class IV Therapeutic Laser

357 Putnam Pike #6 • Smithfield, RI 02917

401-349-2668

Fax: 401-349-0944 • www.holisticanimalvet.com

24 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

ost of us don’t believe we have the abilhearts to guide us, thus opening our minds to other possibiliity to change the whole world or even our ties, instead of repeatedly insisting on old brain-based solutions own lives. Day-to-day existence can be that leave everyone alienated and cynical. Cynicism — the very so challenging —physically, emotionally, opposite of hope. Hope, arising from the heart — a slender but financially — that to entertain the possisturdy thread of positive intention pulling us forward out of bility of something better, maybe even something exponentially solidified anger and despair. better, seems beyond us. Yet, if we are to break free from the To hope means to believe that reconciliation and good collective human suffering that holds each of us prisoner, that’s will are possible, that we can live and work together. Within exactly what we have to do: Imagine the impossible. That’s how hope are flexibility and a willingness to sit down with open transformation occurs — through making a dream real within hearts and minds and ask one another: “What kind of world your own life. The energy of that manifested dream, no matter do you want to live in?” And we also have to be willing to give what it is, radiates outward and affects everyone around you. I thoughtful, honest answers. If asked, what would you say? My believe this because I have seen it happen guess is that you would want a world that to others and have experienced it myself. What we are feeling is is peaceful, friendly, abundant, free. One Such miracles are not often reported on where kindness and generosity prevail. unity consciousness, the nightly news, but they do occur. Want I certainly do. I doubt that anyone really to know how? They are powered by the wants the war, poverty, and injustice we oneness, or just plain heart. find ourselves lost in. So how do we get love for our fellow So much of today’s world, at least the out of it, how do we make it different? human beings. one portrayed in the media, is fraught That has been the dilemma that has with political and personal rifts and rupplagued our planet for centuries, and tures, mostly based in ideological differences and the judgments certainly no more powerfully than in the last fifty years or so, and separation that accompany them. Language pulls us apart, when voices for social change rocked this country and the largeven if in theory we speak the same one. Words are usually byer world. I came of age in the late 1960s and was part of many products of the thinking mind and its attempt to establish its of those movements: civil rights, world peace, feminism, Native own “rightness” in any conversation or so-called dialogue. The American justice, gay rights, environmental protection, and rational mind means well, but it is hardwired for analysis, conmore. It was a time of radical awakening. In our youthful introl, and the dominance of the ego self above all else. Without nocence and intense desire for change, we thought the answers the softening influence of the heart, it leads individuals and enwere simple: peace, love, and flower power. Certainly those tire groups of people to repeatedly bang their heads against a were heart-full answers and actually are still deeply true today. brick wall of irreconcilable differences. Yet, many people were not ready for them then, and perhaps The continuing impasses in United States political, ecowe weren’t ready to completely embody those ideals ourselves nomic, and social systems are prime examples. The President, because we still carried some of the old exclusionary ways within Congress, and Supreme Court agree on very little within their us, i.e., if you and I don’t agree, you are the enemy. The dream of own constitutionally framed structures. The 2013 government love, peace, and freedom couldn’t entirely overcome the prevailshutdown was only one symptom of a basically unworkable ing “us vs. them” mentality everywhere outside, as well as inside, and outdated overall infrastructure. The time has come for a of us. Nevertheless, in spite of the odds stacked against us, seeds shift in focus, a flipping of the paradigm, so that we allow our of awareness were planted, and alternatives were created. Those

alternatives have grown and evolved, as have we. Today, the planet is in the midst of monumental, unprecedented change. We had to live to a different point in time, a new millennium, for the full flowering of what we imagined and believed in so passionately: global oneness. A profound and transformative shift in human awareness has been occurring planet-wide in recent years. Mostly unreported in the mainstream media, oneness consciousness is permeating every aspect of world culture. Fed by the breakdown of rigid attitudes based in otherness — as well as by global communication via the Internet — this way of seeing humanity is based in multiculturalism, diversity, and unity, not separation. Difference is to be celebrated, not destroyed. It is a consciousness that is heart-centered: open, expansive, and loving, as opposed to closed, limited, and judgmental. Basically, it’s all about love: global love. Because of the rise of sophisticated technologies such as the Internet, cell phones, social media, and email, we experience the sufferings, struggles, and triumphs of those half a world away as they are occurring. Unlike previous generations who often heard little international news until days or even weeks after an event, today we are present to everything in a very immediate and personal way. Massive demonstrations and uprisings for freedom and human rights within countries such as Egypt, Turkey, and Brazil have drawn support from sympathizers throughout the world. Individuals like 16-year-old Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan, who defied the Taliban and stood up for the basic right of education for women and all children, affect people everywhere. When communities have been devastated by natural or man-made disasters — tsunamis, cyclones, hurricanes, earthquakes, oil spills, or terrorist attacks — people around the globe have responded with compassion and an outpouring of love and assistance. Nationality, race, or religion became unimportant. From New York, Boston, and New Orleans to Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines, those suffering have been held in the arms of nearby strangers and in the prayers of others thousands of miles away. Medical supplies and financial aid have been sent to help those affected. Volunteers have traveled long distances to assist in any way they could, sometimes for many months after the events. The use and misuse of the planet’s resources has brought all of life to the brink of destruction. The very quality of the air we breathe and the water we drink, not to mention the food we eat, is continuously and cumulatively undermined by chemical pollutants from industry and agribusiness. Yet, in the midst of this worldwide environmental emergency we are facing, there are glimmers of hope. Not all humans disregard and destroy the environment they live in. More and more people are coming to realize the sacredness of nature and acting accordingly. As we evolve as a species, dissolve the perception of “other,” and open to the idea of global oneness, we begin to see nature, too, as part of that oneness. Nature is not an entity to be exploited and used up, or an enemy to be feared and beaten into submission. Nature is a living breathing part of us. We are nature. There is no separation. A vision of life on Earth as a web of interconnections is starting to inform the collective consciousness. Scientists have begun to see the world in terms of linked ecosystems that are mutually interdependent. Local/global interdependence is written about more frequently, with increasing emphasis on balance and harmony. Our hearts are being split open by the very personal dramas of individuals beyond our friend/ family circles, beyond our states, countries, and hemispheres. What we are feeling is unity consciousness, oneness, or just plain love for our fellow human beings. Of course, not all conflicts within and between countries and cultures have been healed. Racism, economic disparities, and inequalities still exist, but attitudes are shifting, and rigidities are softening. Cracks in the dense wall of otherness are appearing. Hope is raising its weary head with renewed energy. The flower children of the 1960s (and I was one of them!) called for love as the solution to all the world’s problems. Today, within oneness consciousness, we can see that love shining forth, loving what is as well as what could be. Universal, unconditional love. That love is in our hearts and souls. It is part of our very essence, who we are at our core. And it is what keeps us living and evolving into greater and greater possibilities on this planet. What was once considered a silly, unrealistic rallying cry from beaded, bell-bottomed, young hippies is now the fervent hope for the future of individuals within every generation in every country. We’ve tried thinking of how to create a peaceful planet; why not open our hearts and love our way to the solutions? Sound crazy? Maybe that’s exactly the point. Excerpted and adapted from Lose Your Mind, Open Your Heart (Dog Ear Publishing, 2014) with permission of the author. Peggy Kornegger is a writer, author, and vision weaver. Her writing, which connects spiritual awareness and social consciousness, has appeared in spiritual, feminist, and political publications for more than thirty years. She is the author of Living with Spirit and Lose Your Mind, Open Your Heart. Visit www.spiritflower.wordpress.com. www.spiritofchange.org

SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 25

Gracefully LIVING

THROUGH THE YEARS

These thoughts, beliefs and images keep people away from yoga, however yoga can be done safely and with adaptations for all ages and all bodies! If you can breathe, you can do yoga! Yoga helps to reduce stress and blood pressure, improves range of motion, strengthens muscle tone and lengthens and decompresses the spine. Are you concerned about your balance, posture, focus, or concentration? Do you have arthritis, osteoporosis, insomnia, depression, anxiety? Yoga helps with those too! Yoga can be done sitting in a chair or using a chair for support if getting down on the floor or standing is a challenge. To begin practicing yoga, find a local beginner class in a yoga studio or a senior center or community program. You can even rent, borrow, or buy a DVD. There are many adaptive yoga styles using a chair or other props that can help someone achieve the benefits of a particular pose. Never force yourself or stretch or hold any longer than you are able. Always stop if you experience any pain. Your body has an innate wisdom and will instruct you on what your limitations are, as well as your abilities. Keep practicing and don’t get discouraged; over time, you will see and feel the rewards of your determination.

Seniors Practicing Meditation

Meditation is a practice to calm the mind, relieve worry and decrease stress. Ongoing, long term stress can have serious consequences for our minds and bodies. Our stress reaction raises blood pressure and stress hormones that can lead to illness and premature aging. Meditation is simple to learn and can have life changing effects on the brain and your entire life. Meditation can actually improve your overall mood and sense of well-being immediately and over time. Try these two simple tips to relieve stress and create peace, calm and acceptance in your life.

Yoga can be done sitting in a chair or using a chair for support if standing is a challenge, as Katie Cohen demonstrates with this seated energizing stretch.

By Katie Cohen

ow would you like to live and age with grace and ease? Let’s face it — we are all aging, whether we like it or not, whether we realize it or not. Our lives and our life’s journey is ever changing, evolving, and transitioning us forward day by day, month by month, year by year and decade by decade. As a matter of fact, we have already transitioned through several stages of our lives: from infancy to childhood, from childhood to adolescence, and now through the stages of adulthood that span many decades. We may not have control over time, but we do have control about how we move through that time, how we live, and how we age. Over time we may get stiff and achy. One remedy is to keep moving and to keep our joints lubricated and flexible. Gentle yoga stretching is a great way to gain or maintain range of motion and sooth aching backs and joints. Over time, we may worry or get overwhelmed with our future, our health, our families, etc. Meditation and calming breathing techniques can help with keeping us grounded and in the present moment. 26 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

Over time, we may sometimes lose coordination, balance or focus and concentration. Working the brain by using the body helps to keep both hemispheres of the brain working together and can help balance the mind and the body, improving focus and concentration at the same time as improving physical balance. Taking action empowers you! It allows you to take an active role in how you age. What you do today can have a direct impact on your aging experience and practice 15-20 years from now. Try these very simple and easy tips that you can do now to help in your healthy aging experience. A little bit of yoga plus a little bit of meditation equals a lot of stress reduction (yoga + meditation = stress reduction) and can lead you on a path of enjoyment and embracing your life’s journey. Some even call it the new “fountain of youth.”

Seniors Safely Practicing Yoga

Yoga often brings up images of a young slender body in a position that some people cannot imagine doing at their age, given their physical abilities or limitations. Many people say, “I am not flexible,” or “I cannot twist myself into a pretzel.”

1) The Calming Breath Exhale and blow out all of your tension, worries, troubles. Allow the inhale to be passive and exhale as though you are blowing out a birthday candle. Imagine that the breath is taking everything that you want to release with it. Now inhale. Imagine your next inhale bringing you fresh, clean, clear oxygen. Slow down your breath and imagine breathing in peace, breathing out stress. Breathing in calm, breathing out worries. See if you can increase the length of your inhales and the length of your exhales, slowing down your breathing. 2) Centering Imagery Become mindful of your breathing and your body. Imagine anchoring your mind to your breath. Your breath becomes the anchor to the mind. Imagine a boat on the surface of the water being tossed around by the wind or current. If you drop anchor, the boat stays where you want it and doesn’t drift away. Imagine your mind is the boat and your breath in the anchor. Your breath can keep the mind centered and focused on the breath, mindfully breathing in and breathing out.

The Mind-Body Connection

Since the mind and the body are connected, it is beneficial to work both the mind and the body at the same time. The right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, and the left side of the brain controls the right side of the body. You can learn to improve balance and coordination by cross-

ing the midline of the body or making figure 8’s with your arms and legs. Try this by touching the left knee with the right hand and lifting both a few inches. Then touch the right knee with the left hand and lift a few inches (like a marching action). This stimulates and helps balance both sides of the body and the brain.

Let Me Read You,Then Heal You Ross J. Miller has been giving psychic and past-life readings and healing sessions worldwide for over 25 years. During a reading he communicates telepathically with his numerous angels and spirit guides who read and interpret the client’s aura (the spiritual light surrounding one’s physical body). Ross also communicates with the client’s own angels and spirit guides (most people have several of each).

To improve balance: Stand near a chair, counter, table, wall or other support. Try lifting one foot off the floor for a minimum of 10 seconds (even if you have to hold on). This strengthens the standing leg and over time improves your balance. Slowly work your way up to 20, 30 or 40 seconds or more. Switch and try lifting the other foot off the floor.

These angels and spirit guides then convey the information that is most needed or desired by the client. All of Ross’s readings are positive and constructive in nature. In addition to answering all of your personal questions pertaining to love, health, relationships, soulmates, business, career, relocation, dream interpretation, parents, children, and pets, he covers topics as diverse as: your life’s purpose, your undiscovered talents, as well as your past incarnations and how they relate to this life.

To improve range of motion: Gently rotate and stretch the following joints: neck, shoulders, wrists, finger knuckles, hips, knees, ankles and toes. Move the spine forward and back, side to side and twist to each side. Keeping the spine strong and flexible along with improving range of motion will give you improved mobility. Maintaining or re-gaining strength for independence: Sit to stand. Sitting on a firm chair (not a sofa or recliner), stand up without pushing off of the chair or your legs with your arms. (I like to touch my opposite elbows or shoulders with my hands while doing this, just to make sure). Repeat this as many times as you can in a 30-second period, counting how many times you were able to stand and then sit back down. This exercise strengthens your core, abdominals and quadriceps and is an indicator of a person’s ability to successfully live independently. It has also been dubbed by some the longevity test. Don’t despair if this is difficult for you now; with time and practice, you will progress and enjoy the confidence that building strength and independence gives to you.

Happiness: The Attitude of Gratitude

How we perceive our present situation has a lot to do with our state of happiness and emotional well-being. Some people can be very easy going, grateful, positive and accepting. Other people tend to be negative, complain, and find faults with everything around them. It seems that the aging process often brings these more negative situations to the forefront, however, I am asking you to do a little experiment. Keep a gratitude journal. Write down at least one thing you are grateful for every day. Re-frame negative thoughts or look for the silver lining. Every situation has two sides, just like a coin. Can you flip the coin and see the positive? If it’s a rainy gray day, instead of complaining, imagine the trees, flowers, and grass enjoying the water that they need to grow and thrive. Compliment someone or something every day. Smile as often as possible, even in the mirror at yourself. Smiling tells your brain that you are happy and healthy and can help your outlook and mood. Life is a journey. We are all here to experience the ups and downs, the twists and turns, and the trials and tribulations of wisdom through experiences. Embracing the aging process as part of life can be empowering and rewarding. Breathe into each moment with intention and presence and celebrate your aging with grace and ease! Katie Cohen, LCSW, RYT, is passionate about living and aging gracefully through the years with joy, well-being and peace of mind. She is the owner of Centered Seniors. Visit www.centeredseniors.com. www.spiritofchange.org

Ross can also help you to identify and communicate with your own guardian angels and spirit guides. After your psychic or past-life reading, Ross can then heal the various issues that come up during the reading.

Ross J. Miller

Psychic, Medium Healer

Ross is well-known for healing people of migraines, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety attacks, anger, grief, abuse trauma, drug and alcohol abuse, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, phobias, ADHD, anorexia, bulimia, PTSD and more.

Ross is available for psychic and past-life readings as well as healing sessions in person or over the phone.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit my website at www.TheMysticWay.com or call (617) 527-3583 1075 Washington Street, Newton, MA 02465

Our world is changing. Lead it. M.A. in Holistic Counseling M.A. in Holistic Leadership CGS/CAGS in Expressive & Creative Arts Certificates in Graduate Studies and Certificates in Advanced Graduate Studies available

Graduate-level programs designed to train counselors and leaders who value integration of body, mind, and spirit and who are called to work for social, organizational and global change. Contact our Enrollment Counselor to receive a customized plan of study.

800-637-0002 • graduate_studies@salve.edu • www.salve.edu SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 27

Kundalini classes: Tuesdays (5:45pm-7:15pm) sundays (8am-9:15am) 401-780-9809 14 Bartlett ave., cranston, Ri 02905

www.yogaatsantosha.com

Conscious Aging If nothing were impossible, what would you do with your precious remaining time? By Vivienne Simon

ow that we are collectively living longer, healthier lives, we’ve got a chance for a rich third act that hasn’t existed for the majority of humanity. For most people in the US, our first life chapter was when we discovered who we were as members of our families, schools, and through our first adventures into the world on our own. The second was when we discovered our gifts and preferences as working people, partners, parents, participants in our communities, exploring our creativity, uncovering our core values, and discovering our worth. The third chapter — starting as early as 50’s for some — is just as distinct. We reap the fullness of all we’ve cultivated, open to dreams deferred or the calling of new ones, and take seriously the legacy we wish to leave. With children grown and careers ending, it’s a time of changes and transition in many areas of our lives. These richly fertile years offer the possibility of enormous personal, spiritual and emotional growth and depth to those who seek it. It is inevitable that our bodies, our relationships, our homes, our finances, how we spend our time, and other aspects of our lives will change in some way, eventually. How we engage these events — as opportunities or problems — is up to us. Beyond focusing on living longer, healthier lives, 28 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

the calling is also there to become true elders, one of life’s greatest rewards and honors. Elderhood challenges us to grow in deeply satisfying ways — emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually. We can make the kinds of contributions to the world that we might not have had time for when we were younger. And engage a new found sense of purpose. Rather than experience the aging process as something that happens to you that you must respond to, you can choose to consciously and proactively design the life you want, and how you want to address the life events that will be part of your later years by exploring the eight cornerstones below. Conscious aging is living with full presence and awareness of all that’s coming, and proactively making decisions and plans that honor your dreams and values. Vision. To live the life you truly want, allow yourself to enter a fertile inner space where all is possible, and the words “can’t” “shouldn’t” and “too old or too late” are banned. Dream freely and feel into what’s truly calling you. If nothing were impossible, what would you do with your precious remaining time? While you may not be able to create exactly what you dream of, there are many ways to create the experience you envision. What steps can you take toward creating what you want? What do you need to let go of to make room for something new?

Your Body. Your body will always be your primary home, so invest in making it as inviting, comfortable and functional as possible. As your body ages, take the time to learn what your body needs in order to stay well, and do it. Find a holistic health practitioner you trust and minimize the use of drugs and maximize a healthy lifestyle, especially staying active. No matter how well you care for it, your body will eventually die. Take the time now to decide what your end-of-life desires are and create the documents and conversations needed to let others know. Make Peace With Your Past. It’s time to unpack the baggage you’ve been carrying for too long. Do you want to spend your remaining years reliving the least pleasant parts of your past, or do want to be present for the moments that are still available to you? Find a practice or person who can help you investigate and transform your blocks, regrets and fears. They were teachers you needed at some point in your life. Buried beneath them lie great capacities for empathy, love, compassion, kindness, creativity, intuition and great wisdom. Relationships. It takes a village to do and enjoy every stage of life. We need each other. Prioritize engagements with those you love. Take risks and become more open and vulnerable about discussing your dreams, fears and needs with friends and family. Be the one to start healing conversations where there has been bad blood. Tell the people you love that you love them every chance you get and treat them with kindness. Enjoy lots of time with the young people in your life. Behave toward others the way you are wishing others would behave towards you, and welcome what comes back to you.

Moving the world towards Your Natural Wellness, one person at a time. I am here to help and support you to manage weight and emotional eating, decrease your stress and anxiety, or support you around a medical diagnosis, so that you can move toward your natural wellness. RN, BSN, Certified Holistic Health Counselor • Certified Abundance Life Coach & EFT Practitioner • 30+ years experience as a Psychiatric and Addictions Nurse

InItIal Phone

Consulta tIon

Are you inspired by the work of Dr. Christiane Northrup?

Participate In The World. You have wisdom, talents, experience, insight and maturity that the world needs. Find what you care about most and get involved. Volunteer, perform, mentor, start a business, take a stand for justice, or something else. Whatever it is, make it an act of loving the world. It will bring you pleasure, structure, meaning, people, growth, satisfaction and so much more. It’s one of the great paradoxes of life that when we give from the heart we receive so much more than we give. Money And Finances. It’s important to know what you have. If you don’t know, figure it out. This will be different for everyone. We all know people better off than we are, and many more with far less. Spend time looking at how to best manage your money, and decide how you want to allocate it so that you have the best life possible for all your remaining years. If you don’t have what you need, find a way to create an income stream for yourself doing something you love. Don’t let fear about money stop you from living your dreams. Be open to finding new ways of doing things. A good life doesn’t mean an expensive one. Spirituality. Take time to explore the large questions of mortality and immortality, the meaning and purpose of life, and in particular your life. Spend more time consulting and listening to your heart, your soul and your intuition. Accept your humanness and forgive yourself for all you’ve held against yourself; look instead at what you learned and who you have become because of those mistakes and cherish the life you have lived. All of it. Engage in a practice — meditation, prayer, walking in nature, etc., — that helps you build the mental and emotional resilience and flexibility to be with whatever life brings with openness and freshness. Immerse yourself in gratitude everyday, as often as possible, and see the blessing in being alive, even when it’s challenging. It will open you to miracles. Legacy. Your legacy is the life you have lived. With your remaining years you have the opportunity to be very intentional about what you are leaving behind. What do you stand for? Look deeply into your relationship with the full Earth community — humans, animals, air, water, food, plants and all — and align your values with how you impact the world, how you live, relate, spend, consume, invest, and share. Are you living in harmony with the wellbeing of humanity and the planet? The way you treat people, your footprints on the earth, the accomplishments you have contributed, and the way you model how to live, will be your true legacy. Vivienne Simon, CPCC, JD, is an international author, coach and trainer, who has been working all her life to foster a just and sustainable world. A long-time Buddhist meditator and an ex-lawyer, her work draws heavily on both Eastern and Western teachings, and promotes the sacredness of all life. She can be reached at vivsimon@earthlink.net. www.spiritofchange.org

Free

Are you interested in a home-based business in the health and wellness industry?

JOIN TEAM NORTHRUP Contact Susan Barbera 781-254-0548 healthwisdom@me.com

www.TeamNorthrupBoston.com

Discover The Secrets Of The Health-Wealth Connection

Yoga Therapist Training 200 & 500-hour Teacher Training

YogaLife Institute 200 and 500-Hour Classical Yoga teacher training programs starting the first weekend of each month (open enrollment); weekend intensives, workshops, and daily classes at the Blue Moon Studio. Next Yoga Therapist training begins September 2014. Join our yoga community as we study, practice, and share the transformative benefits of Yoga.

SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 29

Healthy Aging Stories

Who gives better senior health advice than the seniors and caretakers actually living it? In honor of all the seniors in our lives, and the future seniors and caretakers we are becoming, Spirit of Change Magazine shares this storytelling collection of healthy aging wisdom.

“The Healthiest Patient I Have” BY STEFFI LEWIN SHAPIRO

celebrated my 80th birthday in March and I am grateful to be in excellent health. I do not take any medications. My doctor once said, “You are the healthiest patient I have.” I said, “You mean for my age.” She said “No, altogether.” I feel better now than I did growing up or in my early adulthood. I was the most nervous and uptight individual anyone could imagine. My mother was very fearful. She wouldn’t let me have a bicycle or roller skates. Her motto was “Be careful or you’ll get hurt.” My life changed for the better when I discovered yoga in 1967. I saw a phrase in the Newton YMCA catalogue — “Peace of Mind” — that drew me like a magnet. It was part of the description of a yoga class with a teacher from India, Shri Khanna. I finally learned how to relax. Three years later he started a teacher training course that I attended and I am fortunate to have been teaching ever since. I have had a couple of physical conditions since childhood that I have been able to avoid in my later years. One is allergy to mold, which usually causes sore throats and laryngitis. In the last few years I have had a couple of instances of that but have learned to avoid it as best as possible. I sometimes feel like the “canary in the gold mine” because I can usually detect even mild mold by the musty smell in certain old buildings, which I then avoid. The other one is lactose intolerance, which was not detected in my early days. That is no longer a problem since I have been vegan for over 20 years, as well as vegetarian for over 40 years. I continue to appreciate my good health, as well as my ability to teach each week six yoga classes at my studio and 16 classes at various senior facilities. Steffi Lewin Shapiro, MSW, RYT, is a registered yoga teacher, psychotherapist, and the founder and director of The Well Street Station in Watertown, MA. 30 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

The Joy of Senior-ness BY JANE F. ALLARD

hen I was fully entrenched in the years of earning ferociously and meeting the nurturing needs of my young family, I used to glimpse the articles in my parents’ AARP magazine. You know, those seniors’ stories freely expounding upon the self-rescue each had achieved through fitness. The process fascinated me; every story gave me hope. My body was tired then, and I enjoyed reading about those who claimed to be fully alive and excited about it. I heard Oprah advise, “Put your exercise gear on and stride out there: don’t wear that garb all day and never do the action!” That got my attention. In my teens: Biking after school, just to see how far two wheels would take me, I got hooked on the sensation of wind in my hair. I’m a visual person, so the landscapes and observations sumptuously rewarded my efforts. 20s: I’ll never forget my first yoga class in college. How surprised to be freed-up after one session! I never forgot my first steam, sauna, and massage from those years, either. I knew this genre of self-care was more than pampering. 30s: Walk, walk, walk. Easily assimilated into my lifestyle as a mother of school-aged children, walks proved to be an escape from the pressures of my daily responsibilities. I walked while I pushed a pram, and then a double stroller to bus stops, around soccer practice fields, in neighborhoods known and unknown, on beaches and wooded paths, by rivers in northern RI. I later loved solo walks and singing under the nearby Route 146 overpass, my hymns echoing in a way no other surface grants. Thank you muscles and brain, lungs, legs, and feet! Now my 50s: In summer 2012, I started swimming in my large pond, looking forward to late spring dips and floats, even a few laps for good measure. I felt better, looser, connected with nature and my natural self. At 55, grateful that I could gain membership to my local Resource and Activity Center, plus another town’s senior center (go bocce clubs!) where yoga was being offered, I joined the Pilates Stretch and Tone class. Fellow seniors at my center are perpetually kind and friendly. I believe it’s because activity makes them shine inside and out. I’ve discovered a fountain of youth in the attendees. For three bucks a pop, at a wonderful come-when-you-can class schedule, the moving forces of women (the majority are women) who’ve been at it for 12 years together is like my pond swim — natural and rhythmic. These dames’ stamina and dedication to keeping limber and living is a testament to their youth inside. A courteous formula of no competition blended with full-on encouragement — “Keep coming, Honey, you’ll get it!” — sweeps me up in care. Yes, improved circulation and range of motion are our results, but the social support, the smile or wave, the friendly compliment — these are my electrolytes and endorphins. Last night, my Tuesday yoga teacher repeated the invitation to feel the swirl of air in and out of our nostrils. “When else do you EVER get to do such a thing?!” she chirped as we extended ourselves into the air, adjusted consciousness and broke those old body beliefs wide open. When indeed? When I suit up and embrace the wonders of fitness. There I attain a lightness that only comes with my effort to attend, moving in unison with others, laughing at ourselves, lifting our mutual spirits. Jane Allard enjoys the “senior miracle” of the moving, living community of health activists she discovered at age 55.

Advertisement. The below should not be construed as a diagnosis, treatment or prescription.

Tinnitus.

A German New Medicine Case Study. The chime of an inbox email. The ping of a text message arriving. In a time when sounds abound, we’re on high alert for the next communique. But what if this aural state of prairie dog hyper-alertness is doing more harm than good? Tinnitus is a modern day malady that has gone pandemic, and for many it has become the new frustrating norm. We’ve been told the cause is due to aging, air-borne pollutants, ear wax, trauma, infections, tmj and high blood pressure.

The sound, whether it be a ringing, hissing or buzzing is dependent upon the auditory conflict content and the biological purpose is to alert and warn the individual, should that frequency of sound be present again in the environment. Upon resolution of the auditory conflict, there may be some temporary edema in the middle ear, experienced as blocked ears, yet within minutes to hours the specific frequency of the sound you are hearing (tinnitus) will diminish and the ability to hear any lost frequencies will return.

We’ve been told the cause is due to aging, air-borne pollutants, ear wax, trauma, infections, tmj and high blood pressure. With remedies ranging from coenzyme Q10, goldenseal and ginkgo biloba to neti pots and ear candling, this too was my understanding until I observed that tinnitus was independent of the above. German New Medicine (GNM) provides us solid empirical research for understanding not only auditory problems, but so many others diseases as well. GNM reveals that tinnitus is not caused by genetic weakness but rather is initiated by an emergency biological response that assists an individual during times of unexpected auditory distress. The brain scans of clients experiencing tinnitus show without exception the emergency biological response to impact the auditory cortex in the brain. For example, an auditory intrusion within one’s functional environment {listening for, waiting to hear} can be an emotionally distressing event. In nature, the individual needs to be on high alert for any sound indicating danger {I can’t believe I just heard that, it can’t be true what I just heard}; an emergency situation, thus an appropriate biological response is initiated.

Whether the left, right or both auditory centers are affected is determined by the individuals laterality, the ear in which the information was heard or listened for as well as whether the sound “morsel” was desired or wish to be discarded. Protocol in GNM involves a dialogue specifically directed to search the consciousness, unearth and ultimately resolve the emergency biological response. A natural healing begins in the auditory centers as the tinnitus recedes. GNM of course, is so much broader than just tinnitus. GNM is the new science of health based on five biological laws which explain the cause, the development, and the natural healing of disease correctly linking our psyche, brain and organ. A complete system that is verifiable from brain scans. The New Medicine represents a change in our understanding of what we commonly call disease. It reveals that disease is not caused by malfunctions but rather is initiated by a biological conflict that results in an emergency biological response that will assist an individual during times of unexpected emotional distress.

Neal RobeRt SmookleR Dr. Neal Robert Smookler, New England’s first GNM consultant and therapist, resides in Hopkinton, Massachusetts where he consults, in person and via phone both professional and lay persons locally as well as nationally. You may find Kaleidoscope Eyes The New Consciousness Paradigm of GNM at www. gnmnewengland.com

Continued on page 32 www.spiritofchange.org

SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 31

Healthy Aging Stories

And Just Who Is the Supermodel? BY THEA IBERALL, PH.D.

have a picture of my mother last year with Heidi Klum, the blonde supermodel and TV star. We were in Heidi’s trailer on the Warner Bros lot in Burbank watching her prep for a commercial shoot. Heidi and her makeup entourage gathered around my mother who was wearing her “Kiss Me I’m 100” T-shirt. They wanted to know her secret to aging well. My mom laughed and told Heidi about the gin-soaked raisins she eats every morning to ward off arthritis. Then she talked about the raw apple cider vinegar she takes before every meal to overcome gas. And the walnuts and blueberries and probiotics. The classes and crossword puzzles. How she plays bridge and Scrabble. She even mentioned setting a world record in swimming when she turned 90 years old. Helene giving advice to supermodel I sat thinking about all she didn’t say. Heidi Klum She didn’t tell Heidi about the Thomas Carlyle poem we share every morning. Or the way I hug her so hard I stretch out her back. It’s crooked like the letter C. Her heart valves are leaking; she can’t hear much. She has to be kickstarted in the morning — eye drops for dry eyes, a nitroglycerin patch for her heart, hearing aids to hear. But she doesn’t complain and looks and acts thirty years younger. We laugh about her physical state. She finally started using a cane a few months ago because her knees are getting weak. But she never dwells on her aches and pains. When other people in the retirement community talk about their physical problems, she changes the subject and tells everyone to dwell on human kindness. She’s lived a life of community service from Campfire Girls to the National Council of Jewish Women. She tutored Russian immigrants in English as a second language. In 1974, at great risk to herself, she smuggled letters and money to Russian Refusenik Jews in the Soviet Russia. In the 1930s, she picked my father out of the eligible bachelors at a dance hall because she wanted smart children. They were married 62 years before he died in 2002, a marriage that coped with World War II rationing, my sister’s polio, my other sister’s manic depression, my father’s job insecurity, anti-Semitism, and multiple moves. She says her secret is a positive attitude. I say it’s her curiosity and sense of humor. She’s always asking questions. She lives in her passion. At an event last year where she was honored, people got up one by one to tell stories about her. At the end, she only had to thank everyone but instead, she launched into her favorite topic — getting music into the elementary schools. Her younger sister had everything you can think of wrong with her and then some. But she also shared my mom’s sense of humor. The two of them would spend hours telling jokes to each other. I rolled my eyes when they got to the risqué ones. My aunt died at age 93. My mom gave up swimming because of a rotator cuff problem. After that, she walked on the treadmill for exercise. When that got too much, she switched to Wii virtual bowling. She was the first in the family to break 200. Every morning, I go into her bedroom and check to see if she is still breathing. We kiss 32 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

twice on each check and say the Yiddish word for delicious, geschmack. Then she recites the Thomas Carlyle poem she learned in the 4th grade: So here hath been dawning another blue day. Think wilt thou let it slip useless away? She grabs my hands and together we say, “No way.” Heidi Klum may be a supermodel. But when it came to Halloween last year, Heidi dressed up like a 100-year old woman. I think Heidi would agree: It’s my mother who is the supermodel. Dr. Thea Iberall is a writer and scientist, whose novel, The Swallow and the Nightingale (Strong Voices Publishing, 2014) is about a 4,000-year-old secret brought through time by the birds.

Walking in the March of Time BY MARK MATHEW BRAUNSTEIN

became an old man in the blink of an eye. At age 39, I experienced instant old age when I dived off a footbridge into a river and did not land right. The impact broke my back, which injured my spinal cord, which paralyzed me below the waist. A quarter of a century later, I am facing induction into the ranks of senior citizenry yet again, this second time so gradually and so subtly that I barely notice its incremental steps. Deaf to the faint ticking of my biological clock, I also am blind to the wrinkles etching that familiar face that greets me every morning in my bathroom mirror. Perhaps that steamy mirror works like a facial cream that claims to eliminate only the appearance of wrinkles without claiming to actually remove the wrinkles themselves. Attendants at museums and theaters who view me directly nevertheless grant me admission discounts. Unlike my mirror, they now officiate my status as an elder. More poignantly, my generation now is succumbing to fatal illnesses associated with old age, and the pages in my ledger of lifelong friends are dwindling. In recent issues of my college alumni magazine, the obits for my fallen classmates outnumber the entries boasting the meager accomplishments of the living. My senior class has ripened into senior citizens. We can brace ourselves when facing the loss of family members and friends as they age and die. Meanwhile as we age but do not yet die, we must adjust to our loss of bone density and muscle mass. As we learn to act our age, we no longer may be able to ski the Laurentian Mountains or to hike the Appalachian Trail or to run the Boston Marathon. Instead we can walk half a marathon, or halfway around the block. No matter how brief our action or short our distance, we all enlist in the march of time. I do not observe the march of time while seated on the sidelines. In the physical rehab ward, I took a stand against spinal cord injury. I began to creep, then to crawl, then to stand up and inch forward with the aid of a metal walker, then to walk slowly with leg braces and crutches. While I relinquish title as a healthy and sexy sexagenarian athlete, I instead lay claim to being a healthy and fit sexagenarian paraplegic. I use a wheelchair at home, but outside my home wherever I go, I walk. Whereas I previously backpacked the Grand Canyon from rim to river to rim, and ascended several Presidential summits of the White Mountains, I now am happy to go for a walk just down the block or along the woodland trail behind my home. My walking is like your cross-country skiing, all uphill. That I have not suffered from most of the grave health complications of paraplegia, I attribute to my high raw vegan diet and to my full body workout while walking. Often climbing stairs rather than nearby elevators, I embarrass those lazybones who take the elevators. When standing still, I need grip only one crutch, so can employ the other hand

COMPASSION •

WI SD

O M

E• EDG L OW

PHOTO BY LESLIE WATKINS

for chores. Bystanders offer me a helping hand when they see me clumsily bagging produce and haphazardly placing the bags into my cart, but I politely decline and explain that food shopping is an integral part of my exercise program. While my gait with crutches and leg braces is always slow and sometimes unsteady, nevertheless I walk. One of my greatest joys is walking in nature, whether the desert or a forest, whether the seashore or a city park. As a born-again pedestrian, I enjoy walking even in a parking lot. I probably would enjoy even walking the plank. If we were to rank one form of exercise above any other, that likely would be walking. While calisthenics, aerobics, gymnastics, athletics, aquatics, and acrobatics may build greater strength or more agility or longer endurance, we hardly engage in any of those as consistently as we do walking. Indeed, walking is what gets us to the gym or to the track or to the pool and then back home again. Even walking into and out of cars is still walking. Walking is our most ancient mode of transportation, and our most basic. By the time you are one year old, you take your first baby steps. By the time you are two, your walking needs little guidance or assistance. By three years old, you are a master. As a master walker, you do not need walking shoes or running shoes or any shoes. You need only your two feet. The health benefits of walking are well documented. Walking at a moderate pace for merely half an hour daily boosts energy and stimulates metabolism and circulation throughout our day, and can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of diabetes and osteoporosis throughout our lives. Recent studies have confirmed what has long been assumed, that walking is a stimulus for creative thought. (Many of the ideas for this very essay dawned upon me while walking in the woods.) Psychologists further counsel that we can walk our blues away, that going for a walk guards against stress and depression. Just thinking about not walking should be enough to make anyone feel stressed or depressed. No need to weep nor to workout when we can walk. Modern medicine has intervened with new and remarkable ways to prolong our verticality. Thanks to joint replacement surgery, the elderly now can remain ambulatory, whereas previously their arthritic knees landed them in wheelchairs, or their fractured hips delivered them to their graves. Less than 24 hours out of surgery for hip fractures, patients are led out of bed and made to walk, albeit very short walks just around the hospital bed. Expressed in an idiom of the Sixties and apt advice for aging hippies in or past their own sixties: Keep on Truckin’. As we creep toward that final stage along life’s way, if our walking weakens and falters we can resort to mechanical aids to bolster us. First a cane, then a crutch, then two crutches, then a walker. If we become so infirm that we can walk only from bedroom to bathroom to Continued on page 34 www.spiritofchange.org

Schools of Wisdom for Professional Development & Spiritual Enrichment PROGRAMS OFFERED

Now offering extraordinary programs to assist you on your journey! Akashic Soul Mastery with Nancy Smith: Learn new protocols for accessing the Akashic fields of energy to become your own spiritual authority. Starts April 2015

Holistic Professional with Katie Malloy Ramaci: Step into Mastery with advanced tools and techniques to expand your talent exponentially; build a Professional Holistic practice. Starts September 2015

Hypnotherapy Certification with Katie Malloy Ramaci: Intensive program prepares the individual for a rewarding career as a Professional Hypnotherapist. All inclusive. Starts May 2015

Earth Medicine Shaman with Tom Onagazi Frederick: Strengthen your unique relationship with Mother Earth. Learn Woptura teachings from Lakota Tradition, identify your spiritual direction and shamanic path. Starts January 2016

School of Animal Communication Level Two with Karen Daley: Learn more advanced work communicating with our animals, with nature, and how to put it all together to do professionally. Starts June 2015

Holistic Practitioner Certification with Katie Malloy Ramaci: Blends and utilizes energy work, elemental healing, vibrational healing and a variety of Holistic Modalities designed to heal your life. Starts January 2016

School of Mediumship with Liam Galvin: Receive and relay messages of love, hope and healing from your loved ones and spirit guides. Starts September 2015 Angel Alignment Certification with Katie Malloy Ramaci: Strengthen your Divine Connection for healing and Angel Messaging. Become an Earth Angel planting seeds of joy! Starts September 2015

www.WomenOf Wisdominc.com • WomnWisdom@verizon.net (508) 230-3680 • 118 Washington St., North Easton, MA SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 33

Healthy Aging Stories Walking in the March of Time continued from page 33 bedroom, walking will remain the one physical activity to which we glorious elders will cling until the very end of our lives. But if blessed with healthy aging, the more fortunate among us will go walking to our graves. As we age, we may walk and fall, and walk and fall, and walk and fall. But better to walk and fall than no longer to walk at all. Mark Mathew Braunstein is the author of three books and contributor to many magazines, including Backpacker, Natural Health,Vegetarian Times, and the disability monthly New Mobility.

John Harvey Gray’s Secret to Healthy Aging

onto the branch with one hand and with the other seizes the strawberry, eats it, and finds it delicious! The tiger at the top represents the past, to which we can never return. The tiger at the bottom represents the future, which will eventually lead to death. The branch represents the present moment that lies between the past and the future. The two rats, one back and one white, represent the passage of time, night and day. The rats gnaw at the branch, making it weaker, bringing the man closer to death. The strawberry represents all of the amazing beauty and gifts that life makes available to all of us every day. To pick the juicy strawberry is to seize the present moment, to be awake, to be alive and enjoy all of the amazing gifts, big and small, that life brings to each of us every single day, no matter what else is going on in our lives at that time. Knowing how to live in the present moment was truly John’s secret to healthy aging, his gift to me and to all of his students. Lourdes Gray was initiated by John Harvey Gray as a Reiki Master Teacher in 1996 and serves as the director of the John Harvey Gray Center for Reiki Healing in Rindge, NH. John Harvey Gray passed away in 2011 at the age of 93.

BY LOURDES GRAY, RMT, PH.D.

ver our many years together, I watched John Harvey Gray tell our Reiki students about the benefits Reiki self-treatment would provide for a long and healthy life. John would explain, “Reiki helps to bring balance and healing to all aspects of the self … physical, emotional, mental and spiritual.” He would continue, “Practice Reiki self-treatment every day. If at the end of six months you do not feel significantly better, then quit if you want to. I’ve outlived all members of my family by many years, but it is not how long one lives John’s 92nd birthday that really matters. What really counts is the quality of one’s life.” I often heard John say those words and knew they were true. However, John’s many years of practicing Reiki had also brought out another ability in him that significantly contributed to his real secret of healthy aging. It was his practice of being truly in the present. He had learned how to live in the moment, finding delight in all the little things that take place in daily life — working in his vegetable garden, going for a car ride, cooking breakfast, spending time together with me, relaxing around the house, going to the bank and saying hello to the bank teller. Everyone loved him. The bank tellers would later tell me that whenever John walked into the bank, that was the highlight of their day. John truly enjoyed being in the present, finding joy in simple moments. He would bring a smile to anyone he met. John touched many lives; he was not just living, he was truly alive. Of course, life brought challenges, but I never saw John dwell on the past nor worry about the future. Whenever facing a future challenge he would say “Why not think of the future in the way you would like it to be and send that energy forward?” There’s an old Taoist tale about a man who is being chased by a tiger. He comes to the edge of a cliff and jumps. This leaves him dangling in the air, half way down the cliff, hanging for dear life from a small branch. The man can’t climb back up because the tiger is waiting for him at the top. He can’t climb down because now there’s another tiger at the bottom of the cliff, also waiting for him. To make matters worse, two rats appear, one black and one white, and start gnawing on the branch. The man realizes that if the rats keep gnawing, the branch won’t be able to support his weight and he will fall. Suddenly, the man sees a red plump juicy strawberry growing on the cliff, not far from him. He loosens his grip on the branch, hangs 34 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

I Choose Vitality BY BETSY BRAGG

t every moment we’re either living or dying. We can either eat something that gives us life or eat something that takes life away. We can take action that invigorates us or action that deteriorates us. We can have thoughts that inspire, excite and fill us with joy or we can have thoughts that make us despondent. Any decisions we make regarding our eating, exercise, sleep, mindset or surroundings affect our life. As Hippocrates, the renowned 5th century Greek physician exclaimed, “Let food be thy medicine.” He predicted that the future of medicine would be based on natural foods, vegetables, herbs, exercise and a positive mindset to unblock our stagnant mind, body and spirit. I agree with Hippocrates. I believe that our bodies speak to us everyday. A sore throat, headache or tiredness tells us what habits have been holding us back from leading our life with more potential. In fact the leading causes of death are chronic diseases, which are lifestyle diseases, such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Most of these can be reversed by changing our lifestyle. What will your last ten or twenty years be like? Vitality or sickness. I choose vitality. If this sounds simple, it is. All it takes is turning one’s back on a lifetime of advertising and indulging in sugary foods and toxic drugs — yes, I mean prescription drugs. Okay, it may be simple, but it is not easy. However, it can be done. Crippled with arthritis and substance abuse (alcohol, food and prescription drugs), I made my choice in 2006 as a result of a life changing experience at the Hippocrates Health Institute in West Palm Beach, Florida. Twenty-one days of vegetables, exercise, education and a very supportive community reversed the arthritis and lifted my cravings for alcohol, unhealthy food and prescription drugs for the first time in my life. I had never felt more fit, spiritually uplifted and filled with vitality. I returned the next summer and learned to prepare delicious, nutritious raw vegan dishes as an intern in the kitchen. The following summer in 2008, I returned again to Hippocrates for certification as a Health Educator. I was immediately hired as director of the non-profit Optimum Health Solution. Its mission and my passion is to heal myself and heal the world by preventing obesity, chronic disease and malnutrition through the education and advocacy of healthy living, one person at a time. At 80, I have made the choice of good health by paying attention to my spiritual health, mind-body connection, cleansing, nourishing the body through proper eating, juicing, limiting exposure to toxins, exercising, meditating, opening my heart and giving to others. Most

important, however, is the empowerment that results from taking the responsibility for my beliefs. In other words, I believe that the mind or soul is the primary source of optimal health. Through practicing this lifestyle, I am “youthing.” I strive daily to remove any blockages that prevent my ability to tap into my true self and unlock my innate potential to achieve optimal health. How do we begin this journey? We must naturally start with understanding ourselves. Start by writing down your passion or mission for life, three goals for the next ten weeks that will help you to achieve it and make a commitment that you are going to follow through with them. It starts with beliefs, as Mahatma Gandhi said: Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny. Healing requires an outright refusal to remain trapped in negative thought patterns that undermine us. Our thoughts do indeed create our reality, or our experience of reality. The primary element of healing is self-responsibility. When we proceed with positive intention, we reconstitute our resources from within, tapping that deep well of healing wisdom to forge a brighter future.

Transforming Consciousness CoRe SHamaniSm SHamaniC Healing YouTH CampS and adulT ReTReaTS SeaSonal RiTual/CeRemonY 802-447-3895 | 2509 Shaftsbury Hollow Rd. | Shaftsbury, VT

www.spirithollow.org

Betsy Bragg is the Executive Director of Optimum Health Solution in Waltham,MA.

Finding Strength in Vulnerability BY MARILYN TAYLOR

s a massage therapist for many years and a life coach for the last 15, I’ve witnessed many challenging times with people. However, my experience as a caregiver was where my greatest life instruction took place. The journey and the teacher will never be forgotten. That teacher was my sister Joan. Joan was 15 months younger than I and was born with Down syndrome. She always felt to me like she was more than my younger sister; she was my soul sister. At an early age I had heard that people with Down syndrome died young, and as a young child, I didn’t really understand what that meant. So I spent a lot of my early life wondering when Joan was going to die. Sometimes as a child it was paralyzing for me because I was reluctant to be away from her for any length of time, like going to summer camp for a week. Actually, Joan was extremely healthy. She was healthy in body, mind and especially in her spirit. As I grew older, I understood that her death wasn’t imminent, but the fear of losing her kind of stayed with me. I couldn’t bear the thought of Joan dying; I thought for sure I wouldn’t survive. Joan was an incredible person, as many people with Down syndrome are. She was incredibly happy, compassionate, loving, spirited, and lived with a kind of zest most of us would like even a smidge of. And after both of us lived a good 50 years — and we had many great experiences with and without each other — Joan started to decline. I had envisioned for many years that she would just quietly become less of herself, her body and soul leaving without a complaint. Challenging circumstances in life generally have no clear game plan; we have to adapt as the experience unfolds. Continued on page 36 www.spiritofchange.org

SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 35

Healthy Aging Stories Finding Strength in Vulnerability continued from page 35 As Joan’s life was declining, my parents were showing their own signs of growing older. As we had planned years earlier, we decided it was time for Joan to come and live with my family and me. Like many people my age, my family was in constant transition during this time. My daughter and her husband had moved back in with us to save money, my son had also moved back home during a transitional time in his life and within a week our household had increased by 4 more people. Oh, did I say that my daughter was also pregnant with her first child. Such excitement afoot! I didn’t realize at the time that Joan was beginning a slow but very steady decline into Alzheimer’s, and all the sadness and My sister, Joan Marie Egan complications that accompany that disease had arrived at my doorstep. Over the next 3 years it felt like each day brought with it new challenges. She began having seizures that were very difficult to control with medication, her body being taken over in a heartbeat with ravaging force. It tore my insides apart to see her in this state. One minute I had the day all planned out, people in place to help, and the next minute, whoosh, I had to make a new plan. For me, along with losing my sister, I was also losing control over my life, as I knew it. As I started to see the end in sight for Joan, I felt incredibly vulnerable. Beyond what I had already done, I realized I felt powerless to change the course of her life and mine. But Joan had more in store for me. Of all the gifts she shared with me in her life, she was going to part with this final gift. She taught me that my love could get bigger, that I could feel weak and vulnerable, and my love could get bigger. She knew that I needed one more nudge, or maybe I should say push, to let my heart grow bigger. I used to say to my husband, “When Joan dies you will have to scrape me off the floor.” And I was right, but, not because I couldn’t get up. It was because I had to surrender to a place of incredible heartache and pain. My heart grew bigger and I felt stronger, a full participant in the final chapter of life with Joan. I understood that she was calling me to connect with my brightest light within by going to my darkest corner. How did I enter into this space with my dear sister that I loved so very much? I chose to write. This experience was immensely helpful to me because I chose to write about the qualities that I felt were supporting me in this journey and I knew they would empower others: being calm, clear, confident and courageous. ▶Calm. I found ways embrace some moments of calm each day. I really enjoy the music of Deva Premal and would play some of her chant music and chant along. The repetition and toning was extremely calming for me. I found the inner smile exercise to immediately shift how I felt at times. Imagine your heart smiling. Allow a very small gentle smile to come across your face. Repeat as often as necessary! ▶Clear. Clarity came in the form of patience, acceptance and being present with the challenges in the moment. The next moment it would be different. I also decided to use water to help me clear the confusion and cobwebs. Whether I was drinking a glass of water or taking a shower, I reminded myself to let go, get clear. There is a waterfall at the end of my road that I would walk to. Listening to the rushing water, I would envision being grounded, rooted to the earth and finding fluidity in the sound of the waterfall. ▶Confident. I began to invite into my life a deep sense of trust that regardless of what happened in any given situation, I would survive and thrive by being more present to the experience. Self-talk was very powerful for me to build my confidence, so when I would catch 36 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

myself saying, “I’ll never get through this.” “I feel so alone and scared,” I would do my best to replace those with, “Everything will work out for the highest good.” “I am taking good care of myself during tough times.” It was critical for me to surround myself with positive, loving people. There is no place for naysayers, or people who drag you down when you are stressed. ▶Courage. I tried to examine what my fear was all about, how much was real, and what was I dramatizing or imagining. In looking to move past my fear, I often thought of people who have been through incredible hardship and came through offering their message of strength or inspiration. Journaling was helpful in having a place to dump all my worries and fear down on a piece of paper. This practice reminded me to check in with myself, to live from a place of truth within myself, not the opinions of others that I sometimes found very undermining. My actions and decisions were always best when I made them in Joan’s best interest, that voice coming directly from my heart, apart from the word “should.” Vulnerability is a transformative experience and has an energy all its own. The best advice I would have for someone about being a caregiver is to trust your gut, your wise voice to guide you on this journey. There is no one way to follow, but many ways to the final destination. Marilyn Taylor is a certified life coach, workshop facilitator and owner of Confident Directions in Southborough, MA.

All Grown Up and Moving In with Mom and Dad BY LINDA CHAMPAGNE

turned age 65 in May, 2014. I am now considered a senior. Two years ago, I left my professional life and home in Arizona and moved into my parent’s home in Massachusetts to care for them. They have lived in their home since I was in second grade. Moving into my childhood home felt a bit unsettling, but I knew it was the right thing to do at that time in our lives. Little did I know that this job was going to take me on a physical, emotional and spiritual roller coaster ride. Both my mother, age 86, and my father, age 88, had taken good care of themselves throughout their lives and were still mall-walking five days a week until my father got sick at age 82. Dad got depressed after the death of his beloved dog and did not recover in spite of medication and family support. Within a few months, he showed signs of dementia, and as he slowly lost his ability to perform his family responsibilities, my mother resentfully was forced to take over duties she had not done in years. During phone conversations and visits over the next years, I noticed that everything was starting to unravel. The light, love, laughter and care for each other and their home was deteriorating and there was no way, without assistance, they could come back to a level that would meet their basic needs. After months of looking at my choices, I suggested that I move in with them to offer support. My mother was thrilled and relieved. This move would benefit me as well, since I yearned to live closer to my three daughters and granddaughters who lived in New England. So begins the journey of maintaining my life while experiencing the demands of becoming a full time caregiver. Like many people, I have worked on healing habitual patterns stemming from the past and have evolved into a somewhat healthy adult. What I quickly discovered was that healing was a lifetime process and if I thought I was done with it, I was delusional! The first few months were a lot of fun. Mom was starved for socialization (my father stopped wanting to leave the house) so we spent a lot of time going out for meals, shopping and visiting friends and family. My healthy lifestyle was already being tested with lots of restaurant food and with cooking their familiar comfort foods at home. My parents were used to eating lots of beef, bread and potatoes, which I had not eaten much of in years. My exercise routine (which was almost daily) started to slacken as well. I was not finding the time to go to the gym classes that

426 Main Street Sturbridge, MA 508-347-2111

Shop Hours Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri 10-5:30 and Sat 10-5; Sunday 12-5 Treatments and services by appointment For full class schedule and descriptions please check our website

www.alternatives-4health.com Family portrait: Mom, Dad, Linda, Paul and Nancy

Linda Champagne, M. Ed, is a life coach astrologer specializing in awakening the spiritual self. www.spiritofchange.org

The Wellness Roundtable

Holistic Practitioners Network

tRUE NORtH HOLISIC CENtER & REtREAt HOUSE

Merry Cole, Executive Director • Hubbardston, MA www.truenorthholisticcenter.org • (978) 820-1139 Comfortable, welcoming, nourishing. Perfect location for teachers, trainers, and practitioners to bring your groups for daylong or overnight retreats, workshops, classes.

MARY StARR GREEN

Metrowest, MA • (774) 278-0801 www.marystarrgreen.com Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Kripalu Yoga. Group classes, private instruction and custom programs for adults, teens and the workplace.

DEB HALL, LIC.AC.

Marilyn Taylor, LMT, Certified Coach (508) 460-0044 • confident-directions.com Struggles to solutions. Effective, inspired coaching for wellness practitioners.

Wellsprings Acupuncture 30 Lyman St., Suite 7, Westboro, MA www.wellspringsacupuncture.com • (508) 366-0613 Empowering your source of health and wellness with acupuncture, herbal medicine, holistic nutrition, massage therapy and Reiki.

MOUNtAIN BROOK YOGA

MARGAREt S. ARNDt

CONFIDENt DIRECtIONS LIFE COACHING

Eileen Nikopoulos, RYT 500 • Yoga of Energy Flow mountainbrookyoga.com • (508) 591-FLOW Westborough, Marlborough vicinity Personalized Yoga for individuals and couples. Traditional Thai Yoga Massage.

HEARt BASED BOOKKEEPING

Jessica Reagan Salzman • jess@jessrs.com heartbasedbookkeeping.com • (508) 455-2507 We work with small business owners who love what they do, but can’t keep up with managing the numbers side of their business.

YOGA WItH CAROL

Carolyn Waite, CSYT • Grafton, Westboro & Marlboro, MA www.yogawithcarolwaite.com • (508) 662-3763 Yoga for your body, mind and spirit. Svaroopa® Yoga Classes for beginners to advanced students. Yoga Therapy available for individuals experiencing chronic pain or illness.

WALtER RICE, M.DIV., CAGS, LCSW

wrice123@hotmail.com • (508) 450-4230 Shrewsbury, MA • Holistic-spiritual-counseling.com Holistic counseling, stress management, grief and loss, personal and family entanglements, PTSD, Reiki, tuning forks, sound healing, family constellations.

Holistic Financial Consultant www.sageconsultingresource.com • (617) 244-1966 Registered representative, securities offered through Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a Broker/ Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisor representative, Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor.

ENERGY PSYCHOLOGY INtERVENtIONS & PREPARE FOR SURGERY, HEAL FAStER Karen Lilley, MA, LMHC • Northborough and Sterling, MA www.karenlilley.com • (508) 393-0015 Anxiety and stress release with EFT, TAT and Emotion Code.

SOHUM YOGA AND MEDItAtION StUDIO

www.sohum.org • (508) 329-3338 30 Lyman Street, Westborough, MA All styles of yoga, small class sizes, yoga for beginners, yoga therapy, mindfulness meditation, corporate wellness, workshops, free events, community activities.

SPIRIt OF CHANGE MAGAZINE

www.SpiritofChange.org • (508) 278-9640 New England’s largest free alternative health magazine and 9th annual Natural Living Expo, November 14-15, 2015, in Marlboro, MA.

This is a partial list of our members; we have many talented people in our network to meet.

Join The Wellness RoundTable CommuniTy!

I used to enjoy. At the same time, I was aware of all these personal challenges but I thought I would get it together soon. In January, 2013, a friend offered me a 20-hour a week marketing position which I quickly accepted. I was now going to get a little balance in my daily routine. Within six months, my mother’s heart disease and a swallowing problem worsened and she was admitted to the hospital for a week. With this new occurrence, I decided that I did not have the energy or the time to do both jobs. Slightly resentful, I stepped back into the role of full time caregiver to both parents. I also hired a home health company to provide personal care assistance for my parents and some relief for myself. Noticing feelings of resentment and occasional anger, sometimes leading to anxiety, I wondered where I was. People kept telling me how blessed I was to be able to care for my parents in their end years. Somehow I did not feel blessed; I felt persecuted! I knew I had to try to remember all that I had learned throughout my adult personal healing journey. To wake up, come back to the present, get out of victimhood and tune in to the healthy adult that I am, filled with love, honor and respect. Where did she go? How easy it was to lose my footing, to slip back into the past and be the little girl who had no self-esteem or power, whining and complaining about how unfair it all was! It took some time, but I recognized my emotional connection to past drama and realized that the person who was experiencing all of that pain was not me. She was the ghost of the past. I was able to fully accept the present, that is, no longer resist this mission that I had chosen. I began to walk daily — rain, shine or snow — adding yoga stretching at home. I started cooking healthy soups and stews, which I enjoyed while continuing to make comfort foods for Mom and Dad. I was feeling empowered as I took control of my daily life, all of which changed my attitude for the better. I was able to care for my parents with more love and compassion, seeing it all as an opportunity to share this special time. Mom was so grateful that I was living with them and that I was able increase their quality of life. I finally felt blessed! I wrote about the inner peace that I was beginning to feel in my daily journal. I also wrote about periods of fearful emotions and worry over what my future held when caregiving was finished. I would remind myself to come back to the present, look around, feel the sun, hear the birds and trust that the future is based on how I am living life right now. I committed myself to a spiritual practice of living in the present and being grateful for all that I could. I am learning to keep my attention on peace, love and joy as opposed to the continual focus on concerns for career, money, family and relationships, and to trust that my life will fall into place according to a divine plan. My mother passed away in a peaceful sleep in August, 2014. I thought I was all grown up when I moved in with my parents, yet within these past two years, my life has evolved into a higher understanding of what it truly means to experience life as an adult. I am still living with Dad who needs assistance with all aspects of daily living, yet my compassion and love for him fills my heart in spite of the fact that he keeps asking me when I am going home.

Si n

Meetings are held monthly on the second Wednesday from 9-10:30am, in Northboro, MA. Members gather with the intention of creating collaborative relationships and building professional community. Meetings are opportunities to be inspired, stimulated and educated for the greater good of our respective professions. Together, we join to increase the level of well-being, body, mind and spirit, for ourselves, our clients, our communities and our world.

Contact Wellness Roundtable facilitator: marilyn Taylor, marilyn@confident-directions.com

SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 37

Vermont’s Premier Bead store

BEADNIKS Open everyday ~

21 Years

and Growing!

did you know? Beads are pandemic and pulsing with stories; they represent political, social, religious and cultural beliefs. According to Webster’s dictionary, a Beadsman/ woman is “one who prays for another’s soul”. Use yoUr mUse, feed yoUr spirit:

Beads • Crafts • Gems

115 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT

(802) 257-5114 • www.beadniksvt.com

12 Steps to Invigorated Aging BY SPARROW

As you age, your life contains more nouns and less verbs. The books and trophies on your shelves grow heavier, dustier. You must fight the inertia of time. Verbify yourself! I once read that the average housewife walks 2.3 miles a day just around her house. This strongly influenced me. I decided to hike as much as possible in my apartment, to constantly manufacture new tasks for myself. Now I spend my day sharpening pencils, washing two or three dishes, beginning to make the bed then remembering a poem I’ve composed but haven’t transcribed, such as: Heard In A Dream “My scale is worth more than your gold.” — then pacing over to my computer to write it down. Then I hop up again to clear off the kitchen table!

Be willing to look old. Aged faces can be gorgeous. We live in a culture that despises the old but loves antiques. Try to resemble a Victorian lampshade.

Writing palindromes is the secret to mental youthfulness. (A palindrome is a word, phrase or Supreme Court decision that reads the same backwards and forwards.) At night in bed, just before falling asleep, I often practice this genial art form. Here are some recent compositions: Noses on! Tipsy, my spit. No! Help pin a nipple, hon! Do not refer to Nod. Blurt out: “Tuotrulb!” Da, Lassie is salad. In words drown I. No, man; nice cinnamon! Sex is sixes. Thinking in two directions at once strengthens both halves of your brain.

Learn new skills to enhance connection, communication, pleasure and orgasm in your life and relationships. Individual and couples sessions, in person or Skype.

Pleasure as a way of life Sexual Empowerment Coaching & Holistic Healing Call us today for more information on how we can improve your sex and life!

sacredtemplearts.com • 978-309-9399 sacredtemplearts@gmail.com

sacred temple arts

38 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

Cook happy food. Some food is inherently happy. Today I made a salad: Romaine lettuce, sliced red pepper, fresh green beans, black olives, artichoke hearts. This is happy food. (Incidentally, I find that I require at least one salad a day for fine health.)

But also prepare other types of food! Food, like art, should be various. Just as you wouldn’t want to see only orange paintings, you need non-happy foods. Learn to cook solemn breakfasts, envious lunches, zealous suppers.

Vary your walking speed. Walk slowly and thoughtfully, like a rhinoceros, for a while — then skitteringly, like a sandpiper.

One way to stay warm in winter: walk outside. My wife and I keep our house quite cold in the winter — sometimes as low as 50°. But if I’m cold, I just walk outside. I return invigorated, plus the house will briefly seem outlandishly warm. Violet and I get sick much less than other people by living in the cold. Americans drive themselves into illness through heating and air-conditioning. Which reminds me:

4 Want MORE

PHOTO BY VIOLET SNOW

the back, which seems to add an octave. I only use mine outdoors; in my opinion, music should be unconfined by houses. I live in the Catskill Mountains, between a mountain and a stream. The mountain is called Romer Mountain. The stream is called the Esopus. I walk outside, usually in the afternoon, and play my tonette for two or three minutes — quick avant-garde noodlings, or slow songs that sound like exercises for 8 year olds. The notes I play rise up into the alert Catskills air. A bad musician is still a musician. Though I have no “talent,” I am still a tonette player! No one can deny that!)

Strategy for Aging

When I get dementia, my poems will improve.

Touch trees. Humans have faces in the front, but trees have 360° faces. Close your eyes and learn the Braille of a tree’s skin.

Play the tonette every day. (Do you know what a tonette is? It’s a plastic flute-like instrument that essentially anyone can play. My tonette has seven holes, plus one in

Cure a cold with potatoes. Around 1980 I discovered the cure for the common cold: fried potatoes. French fries work best, but potato chips will suffice, if necessary. I have no idea why this occurs, but I passed this remedy on to my daughter Sylvia, who also found that it works.

Do yoga with your hands. Study a book — or website — of yoga postures and reproduce them with your hands. Do the Downward Dog with your left hand while your right hand performs the Sun Salutation. This will add 3.7 years to your life. Sparrow lives in the secluded hamlet of Phoenicia, NY, in a doublewide trailer and on Twitter @Sparrow14. His latest bumper sticker is: Where Is Robin Hood Now That We Really Need Him?

1414

Store Hours: Tues. and Wed. 10-6, Thurs. 10-7, Fri. 10-6 and Sat. 10-5 www.wisdomoftheages.biz • www.Facebook.com/WisdomoftheAgesStore

NCe i

Pyramid Books, Inc.

~Tools for personal growth~

People Who Help Me Care BY ALEX LEMSKI

am a senior and also a paid caregiver, aka, PCA, a Personal Care Assistant. At 71 years old, I have been doing it for 20-some years, now semi-retired with a part-time position. I have no license, but have had exposure to CPR and blood borne pathogens classes when working in group homes for adults, as well as a Sociology degree. There are two adult children in my life in Colorado, one granddaughter, and I am in a darn good personal relationship now, having moved to Cambridge from New Jersey in 2012. My current client in Somerville is a man in his early 50’s with multiple conditions, wheelchair bound, plus a walker. Prior to him, I assisted a woman from Cambridge with multiple conditions, also in her 50’s, and bound by a walker much of the time. And before her, I worked with an 81-year-old gent from Braintree, legally blind and a stroke victim with conditions that ultimately took his life. I have worked with youth, too, but found that my personality and abilities were more compatible with older people, especially seniors. They seem to respond to me likewise. I’ve worked for both private social agencies and independent families. I continue because I am people-oriented, and Social Security plus a modest pension isn’t enough, especially in Cambridge (smile). Continued on page 40

www.spiritofchange.org

The Largest, Most Complete New Age Store in the Salem Area Books Tarot Crystals Jewelry Incense Dream Catchers and Other New Age Gifts Licensed Professional Readers Daily Psychic Phone Readings Available Located at 214 Derby Street in Historic Salem, MA (Opposite Pickering Wharf)

978-745-7171 ~ 978-741-3224 fax SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 39

Healthy Aging Stories

People Who Help Me Care continued from page 39 I’m not necessarily an expert in one or two conditions but exposed to many different ones from which one learns a lot. My philosophy is an equal mix of what can I do (job description) along with human outreach and relationship with a client (and family, never neglected). We can be friends, too, I hope, so let’s see? Gently, gradually. Sometimes I’ve learned a client doesn’t want that, at least in the beginning, though interacting is appreciated, so one keeps on their toes to prevent problems or serious disputes from arising. The person (sometimes in the “industry” they’re called consumers and I despise that) shouldn’t be pressured. Go with the flow since you work for them — you’re not the tax collector. Ultimately you’re trying to create give and take openness as best and easiest as possible, yet respecting the client’s person, space and condition so that they understand you and can appreciate what you have to offer. It’s a learning curve, as the client must eventually come to rely on you for daily or necessary needs, and it’s not guaranteed you’ll be welcomed with confidence when you’re not family. It takes time to learn the ways and means, personality, habits, techniques, needs and desires of an individual. Yet, as a senior myself, and one who is in decent health, on the vegetarian and natural side of life, but older so I have my own health to monitor and take care of, I can be an asset to a senior client because I am of their generation and understand them, sometimes been there, done that, had it. I want them to live well as best as possible and continue to grow. Despite this, it has taken me many months to find work once I needed it again. I’ve been told males do not fit the profile of a caregiver, even with male clients. Then I’m sure my age affects families who review me; being older I can’t lift as much as before, nor do much transferring, nor do I possess the exacting skills required for acute conditions. I take my caregiver experiences seriously and proudly, yet I am informal, too. I’ve been fortunate to be associated with wonderful people and families who help me care.

Keeping Busy BY BRENT HIGINBOTHOM

’m older than I care to reveal, but newly met people tend to knock about ten years off my age. I think their first observation is my fairly full head of brown hair (no gray, for some reason). I’m reasonably trim, stand straight and tall and move about easily. But I suspect the subliminal reason people see me as younger is a youthful energy and attitude. The energy comes from keeping busy. Here at the home I share with my brother, who has yet to retire as I have, I am the “housewife.” I cook, clean up, do the dishes and laundry, vacuum, dust — all those formerly distaff chores — plus I’m Mr. Fixit, with a garage full of tools and a mechanical knack. In the summer I tend to my flower garden and walk. In other words, I am not sedentary. I’ve been a yoga student for a good seven years or more. This keeps me limber and flexible. But equally important is its social aspect. I look forward to my gathering of wonderful friends; being the only male most of these years, I’m happily the class pet. The ladies and I share plants and vegetables in season, recipes, and laughter all year. The rest of the social element includes my vibrant Bohemian girlfriend, an array of bright, upbeat buddies (some of whom comprise a regular dining out group), and one or two nights out per week performing as a professional musician with an R&B dance band (no sleepy background Muzak!), mingling and chatting on breaks. I admit there may be an occasional cigar and bourbon, because I enjoy those solitary, relaxing moments. We are not required to surrender all our guilty pleasures be it wine, fried chicken, caffeine or baklava. Happy is a big part of healthy, as yin is part of yang. As someone said, “All things in moderation — including moderation.” 40 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

Aging Joyfully BY DONNA EDEN

Donna Eden at 71

PHOTO BY DONDI DAHLIN

started the New Year with a weekend workshop showing how energy medicine can be a powerful resource for aging joyfully. It was my first time teaching this topic and it was a wonderful class. I thought I’d share with you, for your Healthy Aging issue, some of the points from the first page of the 40-page handout. To stay vital, four major systems that need extra attention as you age are: 1) You need to be bathing your cells, muscles, organs, and bones in energy that keeps them invigorated. You can stimulate that energy. 2) You need to be bathing your nervous system in energy that keeps your brain vital and body fluent. You can stimulate that energy. 3) You need to be producing hormones that keep your body buzzing at an optimal level. You can stimulate energies that support this. 4) You need to keep your free radicals from running wild. You can stimulate energies that support this. The core techniques of Eden Energy Medicine will work on any body — whether an infant, an adult, or an older person. These techniques can, however, be selected and focused on issues that predictably emerge with age: 1. Staying energetically balanced 2. Keeping your mind sharp 3. Releasing stress and distress 4. Keeping your spirit radiant 5. Keeping your body flexible 6. Managing pain 7. Ensuring restful sleep 8. Preventing or overcoming illness 9. Energizing yourself every day We are wired to become mentors and sages in our elder years, not to become consumed with breakdown of the body. Energy medicine offers tools for staying vibrant throughout your entire life. Donna Eden has taught some 80,000 people worldwide, both laypeople and professionals, how to understand the body as an energy system.

Twenty-one Years of Empowering People to Live Happier, Healthier, Pain-Free Lives with The Energy of Life® Tools for Transformation and Healing! Net-Neutral Ionic™ Tools Acu-Wand – an acupressure tool for the novice and the experienced Rings of Oden – powerful acceleration of healing and spiritual growth Ultimate Water Ring –restores water’s natural blueprint and restorative abilities Wine-enhancing Ring –enhances and improves wine’s flavor, body, aroma

BioMorphic Geometry™ (BMG) Balance Cards – assists in finding/ correcting imbalances in the body and energy fields

Books, DVDs, CDs Nine Simple Laws to Create Joy and Grace: A Comprehensive Guide to Manifestation – provides the missing puzzle pieces to the law of attraction EOL Sound Therapy – attain freedom from anxiety, frustration, depression and learn to embrace the hidden gifts of emotions as your allies Many informative, healing and medical intuitive topics available

Programmed Crystals

Divine Blueprint Cards – helps transform blockages to restore your Divine connection

Super-Charged Quartz Crystals Kit – magnify and broadcast supplements, essential oils, etc.

Happy, Healthy, Healed T-shirt – energizes and heals you and others in your vicinity

Queen’s Chamber Crystals – amplify your intentions to shift belief systems

BMG Companion Cards to the book Nine Simple Laws to Create Joy and Grace

Sarcophagus Crystal – transform consciousness and journey without leaving your body EMF Release Crystals – protect from and release harmful electro-magnetic fields

Sue & Aaron Singleton Retail and Wholesale: (978) 834-0341 • www.TheWayToBalance.com

Large selection of

Gifts, Crystals, Books, Candles, Tarot Decks, Jewelry, Yoga Supplies and more. Large Incense and Sage Selection Psychic Readings Healing Sessions and Workshops Authentic Native American Handcrafts, burden baskets, drums, rattles and flutes

Enchanted Fox Honoring all spiritual paths 174A Main St., Medway, MA 02053 • 508-533-4440

www.enchantedfox.net www.spiritofchange.org

SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 41

K_\iXgp j_flc[ kXb\ _flij# efk p\Xij Ifjj n`cc [`jZfm\i k_\ iffk ZXlj\ f] pfli gifYc\d Xe[ _\Xc `k% Yp g_fe\ fi `e g\ijfe

Healthy Aging Stories

Soothing a Broken Heart BY MAGDALANA SIEGEL

IFJJ A% D@CC<I GjpZ_`Z ?\Xc\i & I\^i\jj`fe K_\iXg`jk u ), p\Xij \og\i`\eZ\ E\nkfe# D8 V nnn%K_\Dpjk`ZNXp%Zfd V -(.$,).$*,/*

’ve had many challenges. I was widowed at 34 with four small sons to raise, found love again at 50 only to have my heart strings pulled up and out by betrayal. We keep going even when we think we can’t. Having begun my spiritual journey at 20 studying Buddhism, I have always felt incredibly blessed to have supportive, loving friends and family. One either shapes fate or becomes its captive. I’m not quite certain what healthy aging feels like at 64. I’m hard pressed to know, but I think it might be being able to make a joke about something that was once breaking your heart. Nothing is worth more than this day.

Tips on Aging BY LORETTA DIXON

y good fortune was to have known numerous elders as I was growing up. As I age, now 84, I am trying to emulate them. Strength training, yoga and walking are my regular routine. Healthy eating with an emphasis on fruit, vegetables and fish help to control my weight. Fortunately I have normal to low blood pressure. Playing bridge weekly with delightful companions, quilting with others, and attending theatre keeps me busy. I try to have a positive attitude toward aging with an emphasis on laughing as often as possible.

Well-Aged What is my life purpose? Why did I choose this life? Nancy Canning was trained by Dr. Michael Newton, author of Journey of Souls and Destiny of Souls, is a certified Life-Between-Lives Therapist The afterlife is not a blank slate. Special

and has taught this work internationally.

hypnosis techniques take you into the superconscious where you access your “soul memories” and recall your spiritual experiences between incarnations. You find your own answers to life’s profound questions. Who am I?

• Phone: (508) 360-9346 • Email: ncanning@capecod.net • Web: www.NancyCanning.com

BY ELIZABETH LEMKE

live with passion. I spend time with family and friends, have an active social life and make new friends. I exercise daily with yoga and walking. For nutrition, I cook healthy food and am careful of my menu selections in restaurants. I see my doctor regularly and take my medications faithfully. I meditate and look for positives in life. I volunteer doing hospice work, resumes for people and collecting stuffed animals for foster children. I believe in myself and others. At 77, I am writing a motivational book. My advice for aging well is to have a good hair stylist and doctor. Thank goodness, I have both!

From Croatia with Love BY VESNA DYE

t almost 62 years old, I am a Croatian woman who has lived for 30 years in America, 15 in California and 15 in Vermont. For the last three years I’ve been living in my first homeland, Croatia, having giving up my rented apartment, a car, jobs and everything else to be with my father in my hometown of Zagreb. He died five months after I arrived. The recent years have been full of hardships, leaving me with occasional depression, arthritis and high-blood pressure. In spite of my doctor’s advice to take pills for my condition, I refused them due to the side effects of various medicines that bring me more problems than my ailments. 42 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

I decided to take my health into my own hands and prescribed myself a therapy. The therapy combined yoga, swimming, walking, meditation, herbal teas, and above all, writing. Writing poems and stories for many years in both Croatian and English, I designed a special cure for my depression. I wrote and published a book of poetry in Croatian entitled Face Against the Window, dedicated to relatives and friends who passed away or with whom I have lost touch. Writing about people who left my life or passed away helped me heal myself. I find great comfort in sharing my poems with people who also lost their loved ones. Not everyone needs to be an accomplished writer to share their personal story with others, as our human problems basically come from the same source. Illness always starts in the soul and affects the body. Old Greeks have a saying, “Healthy spirit in a healthy body.” Nothing much has changed since ancient times; by healing our souls, we also heal our bodies. For me, an important part of the healing process is rituals. In Croatia, we pay respect to our deceased loved ones by bringing flowers and candles to their graves. It is a common practice to visit graves not just for the November 1 Day of the Dead, but also for loved ones’ birthdays, Christmases, Easters and the day they passed away. I developed my personal ritual to visit my parents’ grave on the important days and read a prayer that I randomly choose from a booklet “Prayers for the Dead.” I also recite the poems I wrote for them. I choose candles and flowers to match. Doing rituals helps me heal my sadness and also brings comfort that they are, in spirit, with me again.

Science of Spirituality programs

My Good Health Recipe BY SUZANNE WICKS

choose to love myself and accept myself so that I may better love others. I sincerely feel keeping love in my heart and accepting people exactly as they are helps to keep me healthy. Accepting my relatives is especially important. Even if they do not want to accept me, I choose to love and accept them. Forgiveness is also important to me. I am a Pisces and overly sensitive, in both a good and not so good way. For this reason, I have to be on guard not to get my feelings hurt. This also helps to keep me healthy. As a medicinal herbalist, I have about 30 herbs growing in my yard. I make an antibiotic from comfrey and red clover, an external pain reliever from St. John’s Wort, and an excellent bug repellent from my lavender. I make many different medicinal herbal teas and use culinary herbs from my garden all summer. I was taught that all the important minerals needed for an individual could be found in one’s own yard. The plants draw these minerals, which are then passed on to us. Gratitude helps to keep me young at heart. Almost every night I try to recount all the things that happened that day for which I am grateful. I try to be grateful for the challenges as well as the joys. It is the challenges that help to make me strong. I am grateful for the laughter and the tears. I believe embracing life at its deepest spiritual level is very important to health. I am going to be 70 years old in less than 2 months. In order for me to embrace my life happily, I must know that I am a valuable human being. I am valuable because I am human. I am valuable because I can give love and receive love. I feel that many older adults become depressed because they forget how valuable they really are. We must continually remind ourselves of this truth. I read many years ago that the human body is programmed to live for at least 100 years. I have accepted this as truth and I work at it every day. I do whatever I think I need to do to keep my body functioning at peak level. I try to walk briskly for 35 minutes a day, no matter what the weather. Sometimes I walk seven days a week, sometimes fewer, but I do something every day to keep physically fit. I shovel my own driveway and it’s not small! It is a proven fact that if a person is exercising her brain and concentrating, pain is lessened and sometimes even temporarily forgotten. Those who are depressed or with chronic pain often feel better while doing some kind of research or challenging reading. I do many things to attempt to stay healthy. Though it is a constant challenge and takes a lot of time, it’s worth it. www.spiritofchange.org

Join us for talks, classes, workshops, and retreats on spirituality and meditation with local and national speakers. Always free. Science of Spirituality is an international, spiritual organization dedicated to transforming lives through meditation, under the guidance of Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj.

Integrative Veterinary Care Center for Companion Animals “ You’re using integrative health for yourself and your family…your pets are family too…they deserve the best in comprehensive care.” — Dr Margo Roman DVM

Main St. Animal Services • Margo Roman, DMV 72 W. Main St, Hopkinton, MA

Conventional General Medicine and Surgery Acupuncture Homeopathy Functional Nutrition Herbs Ozone Therapy Hyperbaric Oxygen UltraViolet Blood Therapy Micro Biome Restorative Therapy

SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 43

3/23 — WELCOME SPRING SOLSTICE CIRCLE. Monday. 7pm. Learn about the reasons for the seasons and receive a message from a loved one in spirit. Requested donation: $10. Greater Boston Church of Spiritualism, 32 Church Street, Watertown, MA. (617) 923-4334. www.greaterbostonchurchofspiritualism.com.

SPRING

Calendar of Events MARCH 3/1 — FREE INTRO TO THE MUNAY-KI RITES. Nine sacred energy transmissions from the Incan Shamanic tradition. 4-6pm. Powerful, life changing attunements. Course starts 3/15. Stow, MA with MariePatrice Masse and John Howe (978) 579-0897. MariePatrice@ SacredSpiralLifeWork.com. 3/3 — CRYSTAL MEDITATION. $16. From 7-8:30pm. Arlington Center, MA. Email Kyle@CrystalConcentrics. com to register and confirm details. For sale items site at www.PowerStoneCrystals.com. 3/7 — THE FAMILY CONSTELLATION APPROACH. Jamy and Peter Faust introduce the concepts and teachings of Family Lineage Healing. The seminar is experiential with opportunities to participate in various ways throughout the day. Anyone can benefit, regardless of your relationship with family member. The Fausts have been leading seminars and trainings in Family Constellations since 2002 and incorporate their knowledge of over 20 years in private practice as professional healers. Saturday 9:30-6pm, Waltham, MA. Information and registration: ConstellationApproach.com/seminars

to honor the Divine Feminine in each of us through a series of powerful, revealing and fun activities. Facilitated by Tracey Forest and Deena Chappell. Spirit Hollow, Shaftsbury, VT. (802) 447-3895. www.spirithollow.org. 3/14 — PERMANENT STRESS RELIEF WITH EFT. Learn emotional freedom techniques taught by Tina Marian, RN, EFT practitioner. March 14 at Amethyst Point Wellness Center, Worcester, MA. $40. March 15 at The Center at Westwoods, Westwood MA. $50. April 12 at Tranquility Yoga, Westford, MA. $40. RSVP: tmarian@aol.com or call (508) 523-7132. 3/16 — ST. PATRICK’S DAY JAMBOREE at Body, Mind & Spine, 102 Boston Post Road W, Marlboro, MA. 5-8pm. Free green food, green drinks, chair massages, prizewheel giveaways and animal shelter drive kick-off. Sign up online www.bodymindandspine.com or call (508) 460-0091. 3/18 — ADVANCED SHAMANIC SERIES with Tom Frederick. One Wednesday evening per month, 6-9pm. Series One: Soul Retrieval, 3/18 and 4/8. Series Two: Psycho Pomp. 5/13 and 6/3. At Women of Wisdom, Easton, MA. (508) 230-3680 or www.nativeearthmedicine.net.

3/9 — QIGONG, FOOD THERAPY AND HEALING SOUND. Emei qigong focuses on movement, food therapy and sound to heal specific organs and diseases in a safe and natural way. The qigong exercises are quick, effective, and can be done standing, sitting, lying or walking, making them suitable for people of all ages, fitness levels or experience. Boston School of Herbal Studies. (781) 646-6319. bostonherbalstudies.com.

3/19-3/22 — HBLU TRAINING: HEALING TRAUMA AND INSTALLING BOUNDARIES with Judith Swack, Ph.D. Healing From The Body Level Up 1 Training shows you how to rapidly transform and heal your clients and yourself. 28 CE credits for social workers, LMCHs and RNs. 9am-6pm. Needham, MA. www.hblu.org. (800) 310-6549. info@hblu.org. Register by February 15 for the early bird discount.

3/11 — FREE LECTURE: READ AND PLAY MUSIC. World famous seminars (www.understandingofmusic.com) turns beginners into musicians, revitalizes and inspires even pro musicians. 7:30 pm, 169 Mass Ave., Boston. (781) 599-1476. http://signup.understandingofmusic. com or sallee@dlorien.com.

3/21 — AQUARIAN SADHANA at Santosha Yoga. Practiced by Kundalini yoga communities across the world during the two and a half hours just before sunrise. The 3rd Sunday of every month at 5AM. Cranston, RI. www.yogaatsantosha.com.

3/14-15 — GODDESS RETREAT WEEKEND. Come relax, rejuvenate and nurture your beautiful Goddess self in a safe circle of sister. We will gather in the yurt

44 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

3/21-22 — WOMEN’S GETAWAY WEEKEND. Attend workshops that inform, inspire and enhance your life with Trish Whynot, D.C.Ed, Julie McGrath, LICSW, Kim Ravida, and more. At the Ashworth By The Sea, Hampton Beach, NH. Visit thejoysource.com.

3/26-29 — MOVING THROUGH GRIEF AND LOSS WORKSHOP by Edgebrook at the Notre Dame Spiritual Center, Alfred, Maine. Staff trained by the former staff of the Elisabeth Kubler-Ross Center. Call Paul at (207) 9393948 or paul@edgebrook.org. www.edgebrook.org. A non-profit organization. 3/27-30 — THE ASTROLOGY OF 2015: LEARN TO SHEPHERD THE YEAR OF THE SHEEP. Gahl Sasson visits from California to offer this astrology class where you learn how to surf life’s synchronicities and become a master of your own destiny. He also offers a group past life regression and private sessions. Andover, MA. www. circlesofwisdom.com (978) 474-8010. 3/28 — WEBINAR: MEDICAL INTUITIVE GROUP HEALING with medical intuitives/healers/teachers Aaron and Sue Singleton. A live online group healing experience combining intuition, energy healing, quantum physics, BioMorphic Geometry and cutting edge science. Aaron and Sue Singleton will demonstrate their unique healing abilities, inventions and their Energy of Life Integrative Healing Process. Do you struggle with headaches, neck, back/hip pain, electro-sensitivity, or dental distress syndrome? Are you dealing with allergies, anxiety or phobias? Physical pain, trauma, scar release, spinal and cranial bone re-alignment, emotional patterns of fear-anxiety, loss-grief, anger-frustration, guilt-shame, and more will be addressed during this workshop. Register at www.TheWayToBalance.com. (978) 834-0341. 3/28 — SPRING FAIR. Saturday, 11-4. Vendors, fun and readings with our church mediums. Free admission. Readings: $20 for 15 minutes. Greater Boston Church of Spiritualism, 32 Church Street, Watertown, MA. (617) 9234334. www.greaterbostonchurchofspiritualism.com. 3/28-29 — WESTERN MASS MINERAL, JEWELRY, FOSSIL SHOW. Saturday, 9:30 to 5; Sunday, 10 to 4. Clarion Hotel, Exit 18 off I-91.  Northampton, Massachusetts. $5 admission. Sponsored by Connecticut Valley Mineral Club. www.westernmassmineralshow.org 3/30 — 7th ANNUAL COMPLEMENTARY & INTEGRATIVE THERAPIES EXPO. At UMass Medical School, in the Albert Sherman Center, 55 Lake Ave North, Worcester, MA. 3-7pm. This event is free and open to the public. Exhibitor space is available, contact Michael. Williams1@umassmed.edu. 3/31 — CPR: CONTEXT-PURPOSE-RESULTS. Learn a simple and powerful tool that will support you in creating even greater success in your life: CPR: Context – Purpose – Results. Jacob Handelman. jacob@insightboston.org. $10. 6:45-10:00pm. Lexington Depot, Lexington, MA. http://tinyurl.com/CPR-Training2015. Continued on page 46

VEGWORCESTER

PRESENTS

S U N DAY APRIL 26

2015

WORCESTER, MA

DCU CENTER

11AM - 5PM

FREE ADMISSION

INCREDIBLE SPEAKERS

KIDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ACTIVITIES

FREE FOOD

THE NEW ENGLAND VEGFEST is a free festival that brings the local community together to celebrate vegetarianism: an animal-friendly, environmentally sustainable, and healthy lifestyle.

WWW.NEWENGLANDVEGFEST.COM

www.spiritofchange.org www.spiritofchange.org

@VegWorcester

/VegWorcester

SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 45

CALENDAR Continued from page 44

APRIL 4/1-19 — YOGA AT THE ASHRAM: YOGI IN RESIDENCE. Amandeep Singh. yogiamandeepsingh.com. Experience oneness, non-duality, samadhi, long yogic lineage. Free the mind and fly in the clear sky of your consciousness. Multiple Inspired events. www.YogaAtTheAshram.org. Millis, MA. 4/3 — OPEN HOUSE FOR SCHOOLS OF WISDOM. Meet instructors, learn about these unique intensive programs: Akashic Soul Mastery, Hypnotherapy Certification, Animal Communication, Mediumship, Angel Alignment, Holistic Professional, Earth Medicine Shaman, Holistic Practitioner. For downloadable brochure visit www.womenofwisdominc.com. (508) 230-3680. 4/6-20 — 3-WEEK GROUP WELLNESS PROGRAM BEGINS. 3 Mondays, 6:30-8pm. Take control of your health! Join Groton Wellness’ certified coaches as they lead you through a simple effective group program and experience the difference that a wellness approach makes. Includes a complimentary analysis that identifies your baseline from which to monitor your progress. Attend three consecutive weekly meetings, enjoy professional and group email support and cultivate new friendships with healthy individuals. April 6, 13, 20. Groton Wellness, 493 Main Street, Groton, MA. (978) 449-9919. www.grotonwellness.com.

4/17-19 — LIGHTWORKER TRAINING-GRACE BLESSING SPIRITUAL RETREAT in Dover, NH. Become a pioneer for human evolution and initiated to be a powerful channel of divine grace. Contact Erica Rock: Erica@ericarock.com or visit www.Ericarock.com. 4/18 — CELEBRATING LIFE ON BOTH SIDES: MUSIC AND MEDIUMSHIP. Greater Boston Church of Spiritualism. Concert with uplifting music interspersed with mediumship readings for audience members. 7:00 PM. $20.00. 32 Church Street, Watertown, MA 02472. (617) 923-4334. www.greaterbostonchurchofspiritualism. com. 4/19 — HERBAL APPRENTICESHIP BEGINS. Advanced Program 4/11. Children and adults nature programs, gardens, trails and labyrinth. Retail shop, psychic readings, herbs, apothecary, aromatherapy, gifts. Open Wed-Sun. Meadows Herbal Center, Lee, NH. See class schedule at www.mistymeadows.org. (603) 659-7211. 4/24-26 — READ AND PLAY MUSIC IN A WEEKEND! World famous seminars (www.understandingofmusic. com) turns beginners into musicians, revitalizes and inspires even pro musicians. 169 Mass Ave. Boston. (781) 599-1476. http://signup.understandingofmusic. com or sallee@dlorien.com 4/25 — HEALING ARTS FESTIVAL. Saturday, 11-4. Experience various modalities of healing including chakra

4/25 — HOLISTIC HEALTH AND PSYCHIC FAIR. 10am5pm. Free admission. 1-3 Blue Hill River Road, Canton, MA. Psychics, mediums, free healings. Sponsored by the Canton Spiritualist Church. www.spiritualistchurch.wix. com/canton. (617) 469-2568. Rain or shine. 4/25-26. ADDRESSING AUTOIMMUNITY. Students will learn the pathophysiology of autoimmune disease and how diet, life style changes and specific herbal protocols can successfully address this health epidemic. Boston School of Herbal Studies, Arlington. (781) 646-6319. www.bostonherbalstudies.com.

4/26 — 3RD ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF REIKI CONFERENCE: LIVING REIKI. 8:00am-5:30pm. $90; $15 lunch option. Connect with your Reiki community, deepen your practice. Brookline Holiday Inn, Brookline, MA. www.celebrationofreikiconference.org or contact Elise Brenner at eliseb@rcn.com.

4/11 — THE FAMILY CONSTELLATION APPROACH. Jamy and Peter Faust introduce the concepts and teachings of Family Lineage Healing. The seminar is experiential with opportunities to participate in various ways throughout the day. Anyone can benefit, regardless of your relationship with family member. The Fausts have been leading seminars and trainings in Family Constellations since 2002 and incorporate their knowledge of over 20 years in private practice as professional healers. Saturday 9:30 - 6pm, Waltham, MA. Information and registration: ConstellationApproach. com/seminars.

4/28 — CONSCIOUS AGING: DESIGN THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. Vivienne Simon, JD, CPCC, happily aging international life coach, author, speaker. 7:00-8 :30pm. Brookline Library, main branch. ArtOfConsciousAging. com. vivsimon@earthlink.net. (617) 212-3222. Free. 4/30 — HARMONIZE YOUR INNER VOICES. Replace inner conflict with harmony and peace. Voice dialogue, tools, exercises. A new topic the final Thursday of each month. 7pm. John Howe at Heartbeat Salon-Assabet. http://tinyurl.com/HeartbeatSalon-Assabet. (978) 4433460. PossibilityCoach@HoweToTransform.com. http:// tinyurl.com/JohnHowe-linkedin-2.

4/12 — PERMANENT STRESS RELIEF WITH EFT. Learn emotional freedom techniques taught by Tina Marian, RN, EFT practitioner. March 14 at Amethyst Point Wellness Center, Worcester, MA. $40. March 15 at The Center at Westwoods, Westwood MA. $50. April 12 at Tranquility Yoga, Westford, MA. $40. RSVP: tmarian@aol.com or call (508) 523-7132.

46 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

4/25 — A HEALING SPIRIT EXPO 2015 hosted by Earth Angel Design. 10am-5pm at the Clarion Hotel, Northampton, MA. Wendy Birchall has relocated her successful A Healing Spirit Expo to Northampton, MA, to provide more space for metaphysical businesses, healing practitioners, readers, authors and artists. Live music will be played throughout the day. Roland Comtois (Love is Eternal) is the keynote speaker. Workshops are all free with your admission. See back cover of this issue.

4/26 — NEW ENGLAND VEGFEST. Sunday, 11am-5pm. DCU Center, Worcester, MA. Free admission, incredible speakers, kid’s activities, free food. The New England VegFest is a free festival that brings the local community together to celebrate vegetarianism: an animal-friendly, environmentally sustainable and healthy lifestyle. www.newenglandvegfest.com.

4/8 — INTRO TO SHAMANIC HEALING. 7-9 pm, Roudenbush Center, Westford MA. No experience required. Register at www.roudenbush.org. Taught by Brad “Little Frog” Hudson, www.littlefroghealing.com.

4/12 — THE SCHOOL OF AKASHIC SOUL MASTERY AND PRACTITIONER CERTIFICATION. A seven-month program with Nancy Smith. Registration open. Contact: Women of Wisdom in North Easton. (508) 230-3680 or Nancy Smith: nancy@angelscapes.net. (978) 835-0005.

balancing, massage, reflexology, and more. Church mediums will be available for readings. Free admission. Readings: $20 for 15 minutes. Healing charges vary. Greater Boston Church of Spiritualism, 32 Church Street, Watertown, MA. (617) 923-4334. www.greaterbostonchurchofspiritualism.com.

April 12 — Journey through doors of infinite wisdom offered through The School of Akashic Soul Mastery and Practitioner Certification with Nancy Smith at Women of Wisdom in North Easton, MA. See April listing or email nancy@angelscapes.net.

MAY 5/1-5/5 — LEVEL I & LEVEL II RECONNECTIVE HEALING TRAINING PROGRAMS taught by Eric Pearl at Kripalu, Stockbridge, MA. Learn to become the healing instrument you are. Experience and

discover how to interact with the Reconnective Healing Frequencies™ with expanded awareness. CECs Available. TheReconnection.com 5/2 — COMMUNION OF SPIRIT. An expression of love and gratitude to spirit. 6-8pm. Free. Children welcome. Bring a cushion for seating. North Bennington, VT. Check website for details: www.spirithollow.org and all other future events. 5/3 — CRYSTAL SALE. Free. From 8:30am-12:30pm. Arlington Center, MA. Email Kyle@CrystalConcentrics. com to register and confirm details. For sale items site at www.PowerStoneCrystals.com. 5/4-18 — 3-WEEK GROUP WELLNESS PROGRAM BEGINS. 3 Mondays, 6:30-8pm. Take control of your health! Join Groton Wellness’ certified coaches as they lead you through a simple effective group program and experience the difference that a wellness approach makes. Includes a complimentary analysis that identifies your baseline from which to monitor your progress. Attend three consecutive weekly meetings, enjoy professional and group email support and cultivate new friendships with healthy individuals. May 4, 11, 18. Groton Wellness, 493 Main Street, Groton, MA. (978) 449-9919. www.grotonwellness.com. 5/9 — HYPNOSIS CERTIFIED TRAINING COURSE. This course will give you the expertise and experience to begin your own lucrative hypnosis practice, helping others transform their lives. $2200.00. Newport Center for Hypnotherapy. Newport, RI. (401) 835-1736. www.NewportCenterForHypnotherapy.com. 5/9 — THE FAMILY CONSTELLATION APPROACH. Jamy and Peter Faust introduce the concepts and teachings of Family Lineage Healing. The seminar is experiential with opportunities to participate in various ways throughout the day. Anyone can benefit, regardless of your relationship with family member. The Fausts have been leading seminars and trainings in Family Constellations since 2002 and incorporate their knowledge of over 20 years in private practice as professional healers. Saturday 9:30-6pm, Waltham, MA. Information and registration: ConstellationApproach.com/seminars 5/9 — PSYCHIC DEVELOPMENT, PAST LIVES AND ANGEL COMMUNICATION WORKSHOP with Ross J. Miller, psychic healer, medium, regression therapist. In this unique, experiential workshop you’ll learn how to identify your guardian angels and spirit guides by name and receive their guidance, healing and inspiration; discover your soul’s life purpose; experience two of your past lives and heal the residual karma from them; give psychic readings to others in class and more. Saturday, 10:00AM - 5:00PM, Newton, MA. To register for the workshop or to schedule a psychic or past-life reading or healing session in person or over the phone, visit our website: www.TheMysticWay.com or call Ross J. Miller (617) 527-3583. 5/10-5/14 — BECOME A CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL COACH and make a living while making a difference. This www.spiritofchange.org

May 30 — The Boston School of Herbal Studies offers two Herbal Apprenticeships each year, with the next apprenticeship starting May 30. See May listing for details or www.bostonherbalstudies.com five-day intensive immersion will provide you with the basic skills you need to jump start your coaching practice. Continue learning with an in-depth set of 12 modules and practices that you study at your own pace and a year of weekly supervision classes to fine tune your new skills and market your practice. Cost: $3495. Londonderry, NH. (603) 505-5000. sharon@coachcertificationacademy.com. www.coachcertificationacademy.com. 5/16 — PSYCHIC AND HOLISTIC FAIRE. Women of Wisdom, North Easton, MA. Psychics, tarot, angel readings, Akashic records, mediums, Reiki, crystal healings, IET, chair massage, and more! Call ahead (recommended) or walk-ins available. (508) 230 3680. www.womenofwisdominc.com 5/3-8 — WORKING WITH THE SACRED. With Alberto Villoldo of the Four Winds. Learn to step as a shaman beyond the level of the body and mind, and enter the realm of ceremony, the mythic and the soul. This course offers valuable tools for working in ceremony to bring healing, transformation and balance to our lives. Held at Omega in New York. Registration and info at www.thefourwinds.com. 5/30-31 — HERBAL APPRENTICESHIP. Students get hands-on experience making tinctures, teas, salves and oils, learn to identify medicinal plants in our local environment and are introduced to various herbal traditions. We cover the physiology of each body system and the herbs that nourish and support it. Classes begin May 30 in Framingham and meet one weekend a month through November. Boston School of Herbal Studies: (781) 646-6319. bostonherbalstudies.com.

UPCOMING 6/3-8 — 55TH ANNUAL AMERICAN SOCIETY OF DOWSERS NATIONAL CONVENTION. Lyndonville, VT. Over 50 workshops on dowsing, healing, ancient wisdom and more. Basic and advanced water dowsing schools. Wellness corner and vendor area. Keynote speaker: Stephan Schartz. Keynote Dowser: Aaron Singleton. www.dowsers.org. (802) 684-3417. asd@dowsers.org. 6/12-14 — 12th INTERNATIONAL HERB SYMPOSIUM. Join us in celebrating the healing power of plants. 50 teachers representing 14 countries. 100+ workshops for all levels on the traditional and clinical uses of herbs. Keynote address by Paul Stamets, author of Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World. Herb walks, herbal market place, dance and other fun activities. Vegetarian meals and comfortable lodging available. Cost: $255 until March 30; $295 after March 30, plus room and board. Held at Wheaton College, Norton, Mass. (802) 479-9825. www.internationalherbsymposium.com. 6/15 & 9/15 — PAINTING OUTSIDE THE LINES™ ARTMAKING WORKSHOP. Woodstock, NY. No experience necessary and those who wish to improve existing skills. June in Woodstock, NY and September on Cape Cod. Affordable accommodations available. melissaharris.com. 6/21-27 — ONE WEEK ALL WOMEN’S WRITING RETREAT. Large house, private island, coastal Maine. 10 women limit. Healthy organic meals. Write, rest, renew! All Continued on page 48 SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 47

night meditations. North Andover, MA. Miriam Smith, certified Pranic Healing healer and teacher. mgsenergy@ comcast.net. (978) 807-1634. www.PranicHealingNE.com.

CALENDAR Continued from page 47 levels and genres welcome. Details: ann@spiraljourneys. com. Portland, ME. (207) 899-2606. (Dates tentative.)

LUNCH TIME MEDITATION. Wednesdays, 12-1 pm. Learn Metta, a profound and beautiful Buddhist practice. Led by experienced Buddhist practitioner. 945 Great Plain Ave., Needham, MA. (617) 965-6440. www.bluelotushealingarts.com.

7/10-7/12— ROCKPORT WOMEN’S YOGA RETREAT. 3 days, 2 nights, $400. Early bird by 3/30, $375. Retreat and recharge in a charmingly rustic country-like setting. 5 yoga classes, meditation, arts, meals, lodging, nature walks, close to beach. Contact Nancy (508) 990-6795. gypsysoulyogajourneys@gmail.com.

USUI REIKI CLASSES. Reiki l and ll (2 day class): Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22. 10am4pm. Reiki lll, Advanced Reiki Training (ART): Saturday, April 18. 9am-4pm. Reiki Master. (2 day class): Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26. 9am-4pm. New You Hypnosis and Reiki, Westford, MA. (978) 726-955 or www.newyouhypnosisreiki.com.

7/24-7/29 — LEVEL I & II RECONNECTIVE HEALING TRAINING PROGRAMS taught by Eric Pearl in Philadelphia, PA. Learn to become the healing instrument you are. Experience and discover how to interact with the Reconnective Healing Frequencies™ with expanded awareness. For more information visit TheReconnection.com. 8/6-8/9 — KUNDALINI YOGA RETREAT in Rockport, MA, optional 3 days, 2 nights $400, or 4 days, 3 nights $500. Early bird by 4/15 $375 or $450. Morning sadhana, 5 yoga classes with gong, nature breathwalk, meals, lodging, near beaches. Contact Nancy (508) 990-6795. gypsysoulyogajourneys@gmail.com. 8/26-9/4 — HATUN KARPY PHANA. Initiation throughout Peru’s sacred sites offers practical tools and the profound relevance for growing your Inca Seed (personal potential). Join Juan and Ivan Nunez del Prado, Sandy Corcoran: www.starwalkervisions.com. 9/15-25. HATUN KARPY LLOQ’E. Initiation emphasizes development of intuition and perception required to master personal power. Moray, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, Amaru Muru. Join Juan and Ivan Nunez del Prado, Sandy Corcoran: www.starwalkervisions.com. 10/29-11/12. JOURNEY WITH SANDY CORCORAN AND INDIGO RONLOV THROUGHOUT EGYPT’S SACRED SITES. Includes international flights from JFK, Egypt domestic flights, 9 nights on Nile in private dahabeya, meals, hotel, entrance fees. Private visits to Great Pyramid, Sphinx, and Temple of Isis at Philae. Limit 16. Sandy Corcoran: www.starwalkervisions.com. 11/14-15 — 9TH ANNUAL SPIRIT OF CHANGE MAGAZINE NATURAL LIVING EXPO. Royal Plaza Trade Center, 181 Boston Post Road West, Marlboro, MA. Saturday 9-6; Sunday 10-5. Featuring 225 exhibits, 90 workshops, free natural product sample bar, cooking demos, personal wellness shopping, holiday shopping, mini healing sessions, readings, healthy food and fun. Save the date for New England’s largest holistic health event! Tickets on sale July 1 at www.NaturalExpo.org. See page 7 this issue.

ONGOING ASTROLOGY CLASSES IN CAMBRIDGE. Tuesday evenings, 7-9 pm with Joyce Levine, president of the Boston Chapter of the National Council for Geocosmic Research, who has over 30 years of experience as a full-

48 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

April 26 — Join Reiki practitioners and teachers from across the region for the Third Annual Celebration of Reiki Conference, an exceptional day sharing information, networking and building a sustainable Reiki community. See April listing and www.celebrationofreikiconference.org.

time professional astrologer. Visit www.joycelevine.com or call (617) 354-7075. SEA GLASS YOGA AND WELLNESS CLASSES. In Svaroopa® yoga held Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings; Thursday-Saturday mornings. Guided meditation and intuitive readings on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays; private Embodyment® Yoga and pain therapy sessions and herbal consults by appointment. 8 Main Street, Unit 4 Mini Mall, Henniker, NH. (617) 3203394. www.seaglassyoga.com to register or book an appointment. HB RADIANT HEALTH. Holistic pharmacist/nutritionist consultant and a yoga teacher committed to helping you feel and look your best. Creating wellness plans for your specific health needs. Yoga classes are held Tues. at 7PM and Sun. at 5PM in Marlborough, MA. Contact Helen. (203) 895-6468. helenbaglioni8@gmail.com. CLASSES IN CHANNELING AND SPIRITUAL EVOLUTION with ascended master Vywamus, channeled by Andrea Seiver. Have a personal reading/ Join April Learn to Channel class. Enjoy Evenings with Vywamus April 9, May 7, June 4, July 9. (617) 332-1541. www.andreaseiver.com BOSTON SCHOOL OF HERBAL STUDIES. Arlington, MA. Affordable, evening and weekend classes, Aromatherapy Certification Courses, Herbal Apprenticeship Programs and Advanced Training. Call (780) 646-6319 or see www.bostonherbalstudies.com. PRANIC HEALING. Ongoing private sessions. Level 1 workshop: February 28-March 1. Also April 25-26. Tuesday

THE ECLECTIC INSTITUTE OF AROMATHERAPY AND HERBAL STUDIES OFFERS: The Alchemy of Soap Making, 2-28 Arlington; Certification in European based Aromatherapy beginning 3-7 Sturbridge and 3-22 Harwich; and a 7-month Herbal Certification Course beginning 3-21 Harwich. www.aromatherapyandherbalstudies.com. PRIMAL ECSTATIC MEDITATIVE DANCE. Let go of stress with dance! Join us for an hour of dance with live drumming and didge playing. Mondays 5:45-6:45pm, Living Buddha Nature, 960 Main Street, Millis, MA. (508) 376-2333. SPIRIT ADVENTURE CLASSES FOR CHILDREN! Chakras, auras, law of attraction and more. Classes in Yarmouth, ME. Third Saturday of each month. Classes in Waterville, ME, second Saturday of each month. $15.00 per class. 1pm–3pm for ages 5-8. 3pm–5pm for ages 9-12. Contact: Eva Goulette (207) 680-6942. eva@dancingjaguarinspirations.com. FREE LECTURE SERIES, fourth Tuesday of every month from 6:00-7:00, presented by community herbalist Deb Fate-Mental at Palmer Family Chiropractic,114 Water Street, Bldg #3, Milford, MA. To register and for more info visit www.heartfeltherbals.com. SHAMANIC DRUMMING CIRCLE founded 1993. Usually second and fourth Fridays of every month. 7pm. Quaker Meetinghouse, Cambridge, MA. Open to all, instruction available on website: http://www.friendsjourneycircle. org/. Terrence (978) 952-2704 or Emily (781) 641-3980. OPEN MEDITATION. Advaita Meditation Center, every Wednesday, 7 to 8:30 PM. Please join us for meditation, discussion, and refreshments. Newcomers and experienced meditators both welcome. Instruction provided. 28 Worcester Lane, Waltham. Go to www.advaitameditation.org for more details. WELLNESS ROUNDTABLE HOLISTIC PRACTITIONERS NETWORKING GROUP. Please join us at our monthly meetings, second Wednesday each month in Northboro, MA. Stay inspired and create collaborative professional relationships. A welcoming community working for the greater health and wellbeing of all. Contact marilyn@confident-directions.com.

NEW ENGLAND’S

HolisticDirectory SPRING 2015

Categories Acupuncture and Asian Medicine . . 49

Coaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Healing and Bodywork . . . . . . . 55-56

Readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Astrological Consulting . . . . . . . . . 49

Colon Hydrotherapy . . . . . . . . . 53-54

Healing: Combined Modalities ..57-58

Salons and Spas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Centers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Consciousness Transformation . . 54

Holistic Medical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Spiritual Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Children's Health & Services . . . . . 51

Counseling and Therapy . . . . . . 54-55

Homeopathy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Classes, Certifications & Schools . . 51-53

Crystals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Acupuncture & Asian Medicine ACUPUNCTURE OF WORCESTER Holistic Health since 1974

Dr. Yvonne Chen, Lic. Acupuncturist One of the first practicing acupuncturists in the United States, Dr. Yvonne Chen began her acupuncture practice in Washington, D.C. in 1973, moving to Worcester one year later. Trained in China as a medical doctor, Dr. Chen’s years of study and research included in-depth work with both traditional Chinese and Western medicine. Her approach to health incorporates keen knowledge on the nature of disease, use

Acupuncture Plus Yoga

of energy balancing, nutritional counseling and the promotion of spiritual well-being. Acupuncture is especially effective in the treatment of: • Pain: migraine headaches, stress relief, tendonitis, arthritis, lower back pain, neuralgia, whiplash, accident and trauma injuries and TMJ syndrome • Improving bodily functions: respiratory ailments, insomnia and impotency • Nervous system disorders: Bell’s Palsy, paralysis, multiple sclerosis and stroke recovery • Behavioral changes: weight control and smoking cessation. Located at 110 June Street, Worcester, MA 01602. For an appointment or for more information, please contact Dr. Yvonne Chen at 508-755-5557.

Treatments and classes for healing all stress-related ailments, sports injuries, women’s health issues and more Specialties include: anxiety, mild to moderate depression, back pain, migraines, and infertility, as well as other health issues. We also specialize in facial rejuvenation (micro-current facial) and offer non-needle options. Bryn has over 22 years experience. Available weekdays and weekends by appointment. 481 Great Road #6, Acton, MA 01720 info@acupunctureplusyoga.com www.acupunctureplusyoga.com S 978-266-9889 S

www.spiritofchange.org

Astrological Consulting

Questions? Astrologer Eric Linter has answers. Changes in relationships, career, health, finances or spiritual practice are inevitable. Eric’s clarity will help you stay on the right path. His insights help you better understand and appreciate life’s challenges. His clients say Eric Linter is “profound and enlightening” and “one of the best astrologers on the East Coast.”

Astrology

Esoteric Psychology Monique Pommier, M.A., Ph.DE

Astrology illuminates one’s psychological landscape and journey. It times life developments and reveals their designs for the soul. I offer astrological services and ongoing psychospiritual counseling with astrology, Jungian and esoteric psychology as a comprehensive ground of exploration and guidance

Eric, a professional astrologer for 25 years, works with individuals, couples and businesses. Specialties include career moves, personal creativity and karmic relationships. Consultations are available in person, by telephone, or on cassette. Eric also offers classes, lectures and appearances at parties and special events. For more information and to schedule a private session, contact Eric by email or call: stars@ericlinter.com X 508-541-4115 X

“I learned more from one session than I did from 5 years of analysis.” - J.G., Cambridge, MA

on current issues and lifelong questionings. By accessing the deeper order of your life, you gain transformative insights into the evolutionary meaning of particular challenges and new perspectives to direct your choices. My background includes an MS and PhD in Esoteric Psychology and Philosophy. Jungian psychology, Eastern and Western Traditions are key foundations in my approach. I have been in practice for 25 years. U Astrological Consultations U U Psychospiritual Counseling U www.astrologicalpsychology.com 617-524-7072

SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 49

Offering a wide selection of

Centers

Crystals, Gems and Minerals G Jewelry Candles G Oils and Mists G Sage G Incense Fairy, Goddess and Angel Gifts, and More!

SCHOOLS OF WISDOM

tin Celebra

20 Y

ears!

Women of Wisdom HOLISTIC HEALING CENTER

Usui and Karuna Reiki G Hypnotherapy BARS G Massage G Crystal Healing Integrated Energy Therapy G Ear Coning Inner Child Healing G Akisni

Holistic Practitioner and Professional, Earth Medicine, Mediumship, Angel Alignment, Akashic Soul Mastery, Hypnotherapy, Animal Communication; Training for Reiki, IET, Gaiadon Heart, etc., plus workshops daily

Psychic and Mediumship Readings Classes, Workshop and Events METAPHYSICAL HEALING CENTER

GIFT SHOP

Unique Jewelry G Healing Tools G Statues Crystal Bowls G Ritual Items G Angels Mediums or Psychic Readings

CHECK OUT OUR NEW WEBSITE! Our new Healing Center features a spacious 1000 sq. ft., sun-filled yoga studio, private and peaceful massage and acupuncture treatment rooms, and a serene meditation space that also hosts workshops.

Hours: M-F 10 am-8 pm, S/S 10 am-6 pm 118 Washington Street, N. Easton, MA www.womenofwisdominc.com 508-230-3680

YOGA MASSAGE ACUPUNCTURE SHAMANIC HEALING Natural Healing for Body, Mind & Spirit We are a nonprofit Center devoted to teaching meditation and exploring Advaita, the spiritual tradition of self-realization. To learn more about us, go to our website or visit us at our lovely, historic house in Waltham. Wednesday Evening Open Meditation Introductory Classes Reading Groups and other Activities

28 Worcester Lane, Waltham, MA 02451 info@advaitameditation.org www.advaitameditation.org G 781-647-0020

Full-time, part-time and hourly space available for rent.

9,000 Sq Ft Green Medicine Centre “We help our clients find the cause of their health problems and solutions that allow them to take back responsibility for their own well being.”

www.BodyMindandSpine.com

Acupuncture Chiropractic Colon Hydrotherapy Massage Couples Counseling Hypnotherapy Reiki EMDR Psychotherapy Reflexology

Hot Power Yoga and Gentle Yoga Classes

Private Readings Tarot, Psychic or Mediumship Telephone Readings or Walk-Ins

200 & 500 Hours u 14 Yoga Studio Locations

Huge selection of health-related products, jewelry and metaphysical needs

YOGA TEACHER TRAINING

Dorchester, Roslindale, Easton, Westwood, Canton, Braintree, No. Attleboro, No.Scituate, Plymouth, Duxbury, Hingham, Weymouth, Hanover, E. Bridgewater

50 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

395 Washington Street, Braintree, MA Store open daily, 9 am - 9 pm, 7 days a week www.OpenDoors7.com u 781-843-8224

945 Great Plain Avenue, Needham, MA www.bluelotushealingarts.com

Accelerated Fitness (Power Plate Class) Chiropractic BioPhysics Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) Infrared Sauna Lifestyle and Wellness Workshops Massage Therapy S Personal Training Postural Fitness S RE-SIZE-ME Program Tai Chi S Yoga 201 Boston Post Rd. West, Marlborough, MA 508-460-0091

OFFERING

S Healing with Reiki sessions

LEARN TO LOVE YOUR LIFE

Largest New Age Store in New England

617-965-6440

connection with the Universe, let them help you achieve your goals in life — for love, relationships and finances.

214 Market Street, Brighton, MA 02135 www.marketstreethealth.com 617-787-3511

OPEN DOORS

For appointments and information, please call:

SERVICES

Ample parking and wheelchair accessibility.

SERVICES

Center for Complementary Medicine and Holistic Therapies

122 West Emerson St., Melrose, MA www.zuzushealingarts.com G 781-665-8844

At Bhavna’s Wellness Group, we help you to connect with yourself at different levels. We believe in realeasing and taking care of all of your stresses in every aspect of your life. We help you to rediscover who you really are, to help you to grow and to be happy and loving in life. S Have a thirst for more spirituality? S Do you feel you are an older soul?

S Do you feel you deserve happiness now but

are stuck and don’t know what to do next?

Join our Advanced Spirituality and Goal Achievement Course. Clear your negative karmas from all your past lives and receive

S Spiritual sessions with angels and your

guides/a loved one

S Clearings, food detox programs

S Licensed mental health counselor support S Make more money, save more money

with a financial professional

S Learn Reiki 1 and Reiki 2

Join the weekly unique divine/chakra/angel meditation every Tue. eve. from 6-8 p m . Free monthly support group for cancer and heart patients ~ Free 20 min. Reiki sessions Always welcoming new members! Contact Bhavna at: bhavnasrivastava@bhwellnessgroup.com www.bhwellnessgroup.com S 774-242-2112

AFFORDABLE HERBAL EDUCATION THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

Children's Health & Services

❖ Intensive 7 Month Herbal Apprenticeships

Spirit Camp 2015 Spirit Camp offers children a myriad of ways to explore, express and honor Spirit. This five-day summer program introduces new concepts each day, including chakras, auras, nature spirits, shamanic journeying, and more! Maine locations include Winslow, Unity, Wilton, Northport and more! eva@dancingjaguarinspirations.com www.dancingjaguarinspirations.com SpiritCamp R 207-680-6942 R

HERBAL APPRENTICESHIPS ADVANCED TRAINING

UPCOMING HERBAL CLASSES

ONGOING CLASSES, MEDICINAL PLANT WALKS

Magic of Mead Making: March 7

For more information on all of our classes: www.bostonherbalstudies.com Arlington, MA ❖ 781.646.6319

Touchstone offers:

Touchstone Community School offers a progressive, child-centered approach to education. For more than 30 years, we have nurtured and inspired children to be creative, independent partners in their learning.

Small, mixed-age classes Thematic studies that integrate subjects Dedicated, expert teachers A diverse community and highly positive culture Parent-teacher-child partnership in educational development To learn more about our holistic approach to education for children ages 4 to 14: www.touchstoneschool.com 508-839-0038

relate effectively with others and foster their natural enthusiasm for learning. S Child-centered preschool program

Massage | Aesthetics Polarity | RYSE Ipswich • Plymouth • Westboro You deserve an education that honors who you are and who you are becoming. A great education is spiritually transforming: You overcome your limitations and realize your highest potential, at the same time you learn the foundation and skills to succeed. Excellent education is not by chance; it comes from years of listening to employers, graduates and students to find the best way to teach the most valuable information to make you successful. As a leader in energy medicine and

S Nurturing, small group setting

S Developmentally appropriate, standards-

limited openings available At Small Miracles Preschool the unique spirit of each child is acknowledged and cherished. Our mission is to provide a loving, supportive environment where children thrive in an atmosphere of security and mutual respect. We strive to nurture children’s self-esteem, guide them in learning to

based curriculum

S Ages 2.9 to 5 S Two or three days, 9 am - 1 p m (5-day

option available)

Ellen Kerstein, M.S. in Ed S Holliston, MA ellenkerstein@gmail.com ellenkerstein.com S 508-429-5764

Classes, Certifications & Schools Eclectic Institute of Aromatherapy and Herbal Studies Instructor Linda Patterson offers over 20 years of experience in the science, art and principles of herbalism and aromatherapy.

Ongoing certification courses offered throughout the northeast including: ✴ 7-Month Herbal Certification ✴ 4-Month European-Based Aromatherapy Introduction ✴ 4-Month Advanced Aromatherapy Course ✴ 3-Month Conscious Nutrition Course ✴ Palmistry a tool of diagnoses www.aromatherapyandherbalstudies.com 978-297-4502

Advanced Training with Facial, Tongue, and Pulse Diagnosis ❖ Aromatherapy Certification ❖ Weekend Intensives and Evening Classes ❖ Monthly Medicinal Plant Walks in the Spring and Summer ❖

Like Helping Others? Want to Make a Living While Making a Difference? Drs. Glenn and Sharon Livingston Become a Certified Professional Coach Turn Your Love for Helping Others into a Professional Career Got a burning desire to change the world for the better? Want to share your experience with others so they can reach their goals more easily (with less pain)? Already having an amazing impact on otherswith your conversations and insights? If so, you’re probably a coach! And that’s great news, because coaching is one of the best professions in the world today with very few barriers to entry.

Awakening the Heart: March 5

Qigong and Food Therapy: March 9 Herbal Ecology: March 12

All About Honey: March 19 energy based education since 1980, Nancy Risley recognizes that your education is a transformational healing process. As a successful therapist, author and teacher, her vision is to help you realize your dream of work that is creative and supports all aspects of who you are. Whether you work in a spa, clinic, or have your own business, you gain the required skills to create satisfaction as well as increased flexibility, control and income. The next step to fulfilling your future is to call for a no obligation, information interview with our Career Advisor. We look forward to meeting you and learning about your future. Programs take from 4 to 12 months, depending on your schedule: Full-time, mother’s hours or part-time evenings. Accredited. Licensed. Financial Aid available for qualified students. 800-262-8530 v www.spatech.edu But it’s difficult to have a serious impact on the world if you’re not getting paid what you’re worth... or if you don’t now how to keep paying clients until they achieve their goals and refer others. We’ll teach you best practice coaching skills and give you the tools to make a great income. G CPC – Certified Professional Coach G CHC – Certified Hypnosis Coach G AGCP – Advanced Group Coaching Professional ICCA offers Certification via live inperson programs at The Livingston Center in Londonderry NH, as well as remote, learn-at-your-own-pace online courses. “My expectations were exceeded. I was impressed by both the character and competence of Dr. Sharon Livingston. Her ability to draw people out in unique and creative ways and apply the gathered data to complicated analyses made my experience working with her a memorable and fun one!” – Stephen R. Covey

KimC@CoachCertificationAcademy.com G 603-505-5000 G

Classes, Certifications and Schools continued

www.spiritofchange.org

SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 51

Classes, Certifications and Schools continued their Family Lineage. Each weekend is a complete immersion into the major themes that are universal to all human beings: Father’s Lineage, Mother’s Lineage, Sibling Relationships, Effects of Illness, Disease and Death, Effects of Migration and Immigration, Conflict and War, Religion, Relationships (previous and current). Coming to Peace with your Family Lineage Coming to Peace with your Family Lineage is a healing modality that evolves consciousness in relation to your Family Lineage. The process combines Energy Medicine, Family Constellation methodology and Spiritual Awareness. This approach opens the heart, shifts your perception, and brings about inner peace regardless of your current relationship with family members or knowledge of your family history. “I feel peace in my heart for the first time in months.” ~ Barbara

The FCA Immersion Program is offered over five 4-day weekends (Thursday–Sunday) held between December 2015 and May 2016. Appropriate for those with a serious interest in embarking on a personal journey of transformation in relation to

“My constellation changed everything with me and my mother!” ~ Kathren

Ongoing Saturday Public Seminars are open to participation in the Family Constellation Approach™ and learning about Family Lineage Healing. You will have the opportunity to observe Constellations, be a representative within the Family Energy Field of a Constellation and possibly set up your own Constellation. Space is limited to assure an intimate and sacred experience. See Calendar listings for upcoming Saturday Seminars. “I had no idea of the love that I could feel in relation to my family.” ~ William Private Constellations Sessions available with either Peter or Jamy in person, by phone or Skype. Jamy and Peter Faust F 617-484-4325 www.ConstellationApproach.com

Training Programs to complement all medical and holistic modalities AARON & SUE SINGLETON, FOUNDERS

Internationally renowned Medical Intuitives, Authors, Visionaries, Inventors and Founders of The Energy of Life® (EOL) Integrative and Intuitive Healing Process, Sue and Aaron Singleton offer a diverse variety of Training Programs to complement all medical and holistic modalities, and to empower practitioners and laypersons. EOL I.D.E.A.L. Process for Creating a Life You Love! Workshop Series A totally unique intuitive development and healing process that transforms lives for healers, doctors, executives, and fulltime parents. Apply the EOL Process alone, or to enhance Reiki, Pranic Healing, etc. The EOL Process for Discernment is prerequisite for medical intuitive training with Sue Singleton. EOL Visionary Acupressure System

Offering Transformative, Paradigm-Busting Degrees, Certificate and Coach Training Programs in Emerging Fields of Inquiry MASTER OF ARTS DEGREES: Consciousness Studies F Integrative Health and Healing F Learning and Thinking Writing and Oral Tradition Organizational Leadership Conflict Transformation (Peace Studies)

“This school has brought me to a new level. Simply put, it is the place where I realized my dreams and where I was encouraged, taught, and supported to pursue a creative life. I have made life-long relationships at this institution. I have never worked so hard nor learned so much.” ~ Pierre Sorey, High School English Teacher Master of Arts in Oral Traditions, Class of 2012

Accredited on-site programs w/weekend sessions 171 Amity Road, Bethany, CT 06524 203-874-4252 | info@learn.edu

CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS IN: Ecotherapy and Cultural Sustainability Health Coaching and Patient Navigation Integrative Health and Healing F Story Telling COACH TRAINING IN:

Transformative Coach Training Health Coaching and Patient Navigation TGI is dedicated to creating an environment for learners to pursue their passions and affect changes in their lives and work. TGI has designed unique, integrated, experiential, holistic programs to meet the needs of contemporary thinkers on their paths of personal and professional growth.

Highly Acclaimed Apprenticeship Program

Advanced Herbal Studies

183 Wednesday Hill Rd, Lee, NH 03861 603-659-7211 e www.mistymeadows.org

New England Institute of Reflexology & Universal Studies v Professional Reflexology Certification and Approved Continuing Education in Reflexology, Massage, and Reiki v Integrative techniques give students a strong foundation and create a balanced treatment style v Students qualify as professional therapists upon completion

• 200 and 500 Hour Classical Yoga Teacher Training

Children/Adult Nature Programs

• Meditation Training

66 Acres

• Monthly Workshops

Excellent Facility & Gardens

Experience The Magic of Misty Meadows!

Workshop Series This fusion of ancient and modern techniques makes a quantum leap to address

Retail Herb Shop Celebrating 25 Years of Service

• Yoga classes offered daily • Weekend Intensives

• Yoga Therapy Training

trauma and illness, without relying solely on linear meridian techniques. Learn powerful protocols for deeper, more rapid release of the Root Cause. Our easy to learn 60-point number system includes detailed diagrams; no prior acupressure experience or knowledge required. EOL Rings of Oden™ Net-Neutral Ionic

Technology for Quantum Healing: Revolutionary technology imbedded in The Rings of Oden accelerates light resonance and provides modulating energy frequencies for healing. Users resport rapid resolution of chronic pain, injuries, glaucoma, chronic emotional patterns and illnesses. The Rings combine Crop Circles, and DNA Holographic Re-Patterning to create specific vortices and frequencies for various conditions and spiritual transformation. Powerful for self-healing, as well as helping others. Other Workshops and Programs Radical Hands-On Healing™ F Introduction to Medical Intuition F BioMorphic Geometry™ F Stone Play™ Crystal Matrix Technology F EOL

Classes as online webinars, DVDs/CDs, home-study manuals, and in-person in MA/CT. 21 Water Street, Amesbury, MA 01913 www.TheWayToBalance.com 978-834-0341

v Courses meet state and national standards; CE’s approved from ARCB and NCBTMB. School is licensed by Commonwealth of MA, Dept. of Education Our goal is to act as a bridge between complimentary and conventional medicine through the training of qualified holistic practitioners. Join us! ~ Now teaching Reflexology at ~ Hyannis, MA Cortiva Massage School in Watertown, MA www.walkinbalance.com v 508-317-3044 v

Join our yoga community as we study, practice and share the transformative benefits of Yoga. All levels of ability and experience are welcome to an environment that is safe and open to diversity in body, mind and spirit. Therapeutic, scientific and heartcentered in our approach, we unite in our desire to understand and live Yoga’s five branches. JULIE ROST, Director

6 Chestnut Street, Suite A, Exeter, NH www.yogalifenh.com v 603-969-8968

Classes, Certifications and Schools continued

52 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

Classes, Certifications and Schools continued

John Howe The Transformation Rocket Scientist

more information about our training and our trained psychosynthesis coaches, visit www.psychosynthesiscoach.org.

The Synthesis Center Professional Training in Psychosynthesis The Synthesis Center: Professional Training in Psychosynthesis is a holistic, trans-personal model of human development integrating psychology and spirit in the healing arts. The Center offers two Professional Training programs in psychosynthesis for all helping professionals and students.

The Will to Grow: Transformational Life Coaching is a nationally certified, coach training program, with start dates in the summer and fall of 2015. This program trains people in psychosynthesis coaching and leads to a Psychosynthesis Life Coach (PLC) certification through the Center and to the prestigious and nationally certified Board Certified Coach (BCC). The program is offered via teleconference and independent study formats and prepares people to work in the expanding field of life and business coaching and its many variations. The training process is deep and rich, supporting the coach trainee in stepping fully into the field, through personal and shared processes, didactic training and on-going co-coaching practice. For

The Psychosynthesis Professional Training Program teaches psychosynthesis theory, the principles of holistic psychology and the process of psychological and spiritual development. It provides in-depth theoretical and practical training as well as intensive personal, professional and spiritual growth in a face-to-face setting. This training is open to those actively engaged in or studying the helping professions. This is a comprehensive threeyear program that leads to certification as a Certified Psychosynthesis Practitioner (CPP) as well as Psychosynthesis Life Coach (PLC) and BCC certification. CEU’s for social work and mental health counseling are available. The next Level I training starts in the fall of 2015. Full program information is available on our web site. Synthesis center teaching staff are available to talk in person or by phone as well.

Transformational Coaching Depth Psychology Are you a high functioning professional, ready to move from a good life to great — even into your zone of genius? Come Live in your Sweet Spot! Make more of your life with less stress and anxiety — MORE JOY! Learn to appreciate all parts of yourself for an enhanced sense of Inner Harmony. Live life more fully! Gain more clarity about who you are, what you are here to do – your Life Purpose.

Free Self-Coaching Exercises. For a copy of “Got Self? 4 Great Self-Coaching Exercises,” send us your email!

Cornerstone Therapeutics

The Synthesis Center e Amherst, MA

RADIANT HEALTH, LLC

• Yoga sessions for healing and rejuvenation (for individuals and groups) • Health/Wellness workshops

Contact Helen to schedule your free initial consultation. HELEN BAGLIONI | Marlborough, MA helenbaglioni8@gmail.com 203-895-6468

Colonic Institute of West Hartford Part Therapy, Pure Bliss As pioneers of Colon Hydrotherapy, we established one of the first practices specializing in colon hydrotherapy in Central Connecticut. I-ACT certified and

Constance Jones

find “us” again with Come Back to Love Coach™

Private Coaching, Intimate Puja Circles, Workshops

Rediscover the true connection that ignited your passion for each other when you met. Tantric intimacy coaching and psychotherapy tools will help you find the “us” again in your relationship. www.RobynVogel.com phone/text: 508-380-9254

Align your inner and outer worlds, and thrive in your Sweet Spot! Call John Howe, Your Transformation Rocket Scientist for a no charge discovery session. 978-443-3460 PossibilityCoach@HoweToTransform.com http://tinyurl.com/JohnHowe-linkedin-2

Colon Hydrotherapy & Massage Therapy in a relaxing, professional atmosphere 18 years of experience Support your goals and your health LILA READER, RN, LMT, I-ACT Certified

Coaching HB

“If you find yourself interested and willing to grow and become a better version of yourself, a truer you, John is a tremendous resource and support.” – former client

Call today for more information.

lilareader@gmail.com F 781-775-7352

Founded by a registered pharmacist (holistic approach to health), certified nutritionist consultant and a yoga teacher. Committed to helping you feel and look your best. Creating individualized wellness plans based on your specific health needs.

Improve your intimate relationships. Unfold your life as never before! Change the world and your life in the way only YOU can!

Colon Hydrotherapy

Free Introductory live and teleconference sessions will be offered in the spring and summer of 2015. Dates are available on our websites.

www.psychosynthesiscoach.org admin@synthesiscenter.org www.synthesiscenter.org e 413-256-0772

Replace old limiting beliefs with new empowering ones.

Colon Hydrotherapy Center for Progressive Therapies 192 Hartford Road Manchester, CT 06040

43 Hatherly Road, Rockland, MA 02370 Conveniently located 2 miles from Exit 14 off of Route 3 on the South Shore

with over 10 years of hands-on experience, our lead hydrotherapist, Michelle, is also a Reiki Master providing services on site to help complete your whole body detoxification, including a B.E.F.E. footbath, ear candling, castor oil remedy, chi oxygenating machine and dietary/lifestyle counseling. 43 North Main St.|West Hartford, CT 06107 michelle@colonicsct.com www.colonicsct.com g 860-521-8831

Lead Senior Colon Hydrotherapist in New England, 35 years, over 55,000 sessions. I-ACT Colon Hydrotherapist of the Year 2014 I-ACT Instructor and NBCHT Certified connie@cleanmycolon.com www.cleanmycolon.com G 860-287-4558

Colon Hydrotherapy, continued

www.spiritofchange.org

SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 53

Colon Hydrotherapy, continued

Counseling and Therapy

Experience colon hydrotherapy in a safe, relaxed environment using state-of-the-art FDA registered equipment. Stephanie Dumas

I-ACT Certified Colon Hydrotherapist, Owner

Lexington Medical Building 16 Clarke Street, Lexington, MA

Cleansing for the body, the mind, the spirit

healthyspirit@verizon.net 781-860-5116

Consciousness Transformation Andrea Seiver, Ph.D. Channeled Readings Classes Have you spoken with an ascended master recently? Vywamus, channeled by Andrea Seiver, is a master and teacher who is working to help all humans make the shift into the higher levels of consciousness. Readings with Vywamus cover your life work, relationships, past lives, and other

issues with his characteristic warmth, humor, and practical advice. Channeled Classes and Spiritual Tutoring help you personally evolve and begin to live in a state of higher consciousness. Evenings with Vywamus: Vywamus shares his energy and discusses your questions on topics of general interest. Donation $10.

Body-Centered Psychotherapy Listen to your body…follow your heart. The heart is the first organ to form in the body, and is the organizing factor for physical formation, including brain formation. Trauma, deprivation or neglect creates heart wounds, which keep us from accessing our deepest selves. Emotional-Kinesthetic Psychotherapy (EKP) facilitates an emotional, energetic rewiring, helping us activate and express the power of the heart. Emotional safety,

Holistic Counseling Concepts

Other Classes: Learn to Channel • Advanced Channeling For information, contact Andrea at 617-332-1541 • www.andreaseiver.com

Available Now! The Next Big Bang: The Explosion of Human Consciousness A Vywamus Book Read more at www.andreaseiver.com

Trish Whynot, D.C.Ed. Doctor of C.O.R.E. Education Dr. Trish Whynot’s way incorporates

ASAT™ C.O.R.E. Counseling, meditative

techniques and wise guidance that comes through the Mineral Kingdom.

Hypnosis for Change Change your Mind – Change your Life: Fast, Simple, Powerful Love the Way you Look V Stop Smoking Sleep Well V Relieve Stress and Tension Build Confidence

Free Consultation plus 50% off 6-Session Package (mention Spirit of Change for Discount) SHARON LIVINGSTON, PHD

NGH Certified Hypnosis Consultant NGH Certified Hypnosis Trainer 603-505-5000 DrSharonLivingston@gmail.com

Eliminate the root of physical, social, and financial problems: Discover, address, and release issues blocking health and wealth. G View relationship discord and illness as opportunities for growth and change. G Open to an array of extraordinary futures. G

HOLISTIC PSYCHOTHERAPY Dedicated to the freedom to explore and express the authentic self.

Learn to believe in yourself and your ability to live a free and joyful life.

STONE RILEY Feeling out of place? Unable to grasp your true purpose in life? On an emotional roller coaster, and wanting help, but don’t know where to find it?

Or, do you simply want to add some powerful psychic tools to your toolbox? Don’t look outside yourself, and don’t underestimate your own capacity to find the answers you need. You just have to know where to look for them. Riley’s inspiring Tarot features the innovative and visually compelling work of 30+ years of fame as a Pagan artist. It provides maps for a profound journey of spiritual freedom and practical empowerment. www.stoneriley.com/tarot

Jonathan Chisholm, MA Present moment awareness is the technique and goal of this psychotherapeutic process. Healing begins as you learn to be fully aware of and respectful to your own inner state while being present with another person. In this way, you can learn to let go of old relational habits and the self-limiting beliefs that lead to them. You can genuinely address various addictions and learn to release the traumas and hurts that underlie them. Emotions that were once overwhel-

words, touch, meditation, movement, presence and silence facilitate verbal and non-verbal expression. Meaningful work, fulfilling relationships, self-esteem, purpose and passion, love, intimacy and sexuality follow. Straight, GLBT and poly-friendly. Coaching for soul-centered living. Body psychotherapy groups Sunday nights in Newton. Apprenticeship training. Books: Living with Vision, and Healing the War Between the Genders Blog: www.heartspacecafe.com/blog Mediation for couples and families. Coaching for soul-centered living. Body psychotherapy groups. Apprenticeship training. Newton, MA www.healingheartpower.com LSMHEART@aol.com 617-965-7846

Learn perspectives for living and loving that expect opportunities even during challenging times. You can’t thrive on problems but you can thrive on the wisdom, understanding and compassion gained from them. Dr. Trish Whynot is a holistic counselor, speaker and author of “Why Me? Why Now? WHY NOT? Finding Opportunity in Your Obstacles.” Visit www.TrishWhynot.com for ordering information. “What impressed me about Dr. Trish Whynot was her ability to see through the chaos of life’s web and identify the root cause of any problem.” — Bob Olson, Editor, OfSpirit.com Workshops and Sessions Available In Office, Phone or Skype Middleton, MA G trish@trishwhynot.com www.TrishWhynot.com G 978-314-4545

ming become a guide to who you are and what you need from life. As you begin to respect your feelings and perceptions as valid, you realize you are free to live your life in a way that naturally flows from who you are. You become yourself. This work must be done gently. You will need the guidance of someone who will keep you on task but at the same time allow you to go at a pace that feels safe. You need someone you can learn to trust. We enter into a collaboration that is itself a form of meditation. By learning to be present to each other in the therapeutic setting, a new possibility for being in the world emerges. 100 Lafayette St, Pawtucket, RI 02860 Jonathan@HolisticPsychotherapy.com www.HolisticPsychotherapy.com 401-952-0142 Counseling and Therapy continued

54 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

Counseling and Therapy continued

Helping People Live Better Lives GLENN BIGONET, M.A. Mental Health Counselor Clinical Hypnotherapist Weekly Group and Various Workshops Offered Conveniently located near the commuter rail in Needham. Just a short drive from Rte. 128/I-95

Glenn utilizes heart-centered therapeutic techniques, and at times powerfully combines hypnosis and psychotherapy. This method is safe, effective and faster than using only talk therapy. The results will amaze you! You’ll notice a huge change in your life as he works with you to make your goals a reality. Don’t wait! Call now to set up your FREE initial consultation. It’s time to create the change you desire.

Crystals Crystal Concentrics

KYLE RUSSELL

Barbara Madden Johnson M.A., C.A.G.S., L.R.C., L.P.C. Do you have a belief that, inside of you, you have the potential that yearns to be released? For most, a fleeting glimpse is all they’ll ever have. For others, there is a way. Just imagine…releasing your true potential. Working together, one-on-one, you can over-

LIFE COACHING

Improve motivation, accomplish tasks & more

Holistic Psychotherapy & Life Coaching Lori Miller-Freitas, LICSW Get to the core — Transform your life! You are on this earth to be happy and realize your true potential. EMDR R TAT R Hypnosis R Reiki I use a combination of traditional, body centered and energy therapies to increase the speed and deepen the level of holistic healing.

Center of the Heart Whole Health Integration

Joan Holzman, Psy. D. Lic. Psychologist, Lic. Marriage and Family Therapist Dance/Movement Therapist From the time we are very young we take life’s experiences to heart. Over time we may forget our core, hurts and feelings, but they remain with us. Our heartfelt experiences help shape our sense of self and our interactions with others.

Huge variety of crystals available Monthly meditations and workshops Individual sessions, including long distance

www.GlennBigonet.com 617-462-6642

come problems that have kept you from achieving your goals and desires. Unlock your potential! Restore inner balance! Come alive! Barbara Madden Johnson, M.A., C.A.G.S., L.R.C., L.P.C., a certified master practitioner and licensed trainer in Neuro Linguistic Programming, has over 25 years experience helping individuals with: u Career and identity issues u Immune and autoimmune illnesses u Chronic fatigue syndrome u Depression u Learning disabilities and ADD u Relationships u NLP Certification Training Program u Belmont, MA. Some insurance accepted. For an appointment, call 617-484-1716.

Free consultations

Working with crystals for 25 years

Andara Crystals Raise your Vibration and Expand Consciousness www.Andarawakening.com www.Andaraoraclecards.com G Automatically expands your state of awareness

Kyle@CrystalConcentrics.com Arlington, MA b 617-771-5119 www.PowerStoneCrystals.com

G Increases access to universal knowledge G Activates channeling abilities

G Accelerates the spiritual development process G Creates a bridge between ethereal and physical dimensions

G Manifests and creates by inserting your intention into the Andara Energy Field G Clears and balances chakras

G Raises your frequency of energy, raising your overall vibration

Healing and Bodywork

Holistic Psychotherapy/Clinical Consultation

Using extensive professional experience to resolve issues related to: Trauma, Grief, PTSD, Anxiety and Phobias, ADD.

ReNew, A New Age Spa

Your One Stop For All Your Spiritual Healings

Certifications: LICSW, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, National Board of Certified Clinical Hypno-therapists. Visa/MC acccepted.

294 Pleasant St. R Ste. 103B R Stoughton, MA www.eaglespirittherapies.com 781-297-2003

I offer a variety of modalities such as: EMDR, Sandtray Therapy, Relaxation Techniques, Therapeutic Movement & Psychotherapy to help heal our core issues and attain a more integrated sense of health and well being. I look forward to meeting you. Client Comments: s Sandtray – “Sand tray therapy helped me see my life more clearly.” s EMDR – “I had insights I never had before.” s Therapeutic Movement – “It was great to feel the freedom in my body after working with you.” 42 Thoreau Street, Concord, MA 01742

Reiki o Crystal Healings Angel Card Readings

Akashic Record Readings 351 Main St, 2nd Floor, Oxford, MA 01540 508-865-2600 o www.anewagespa.com

22-Strand DNA Activation

Bring your Divine Blueprint into Physical Plane Manifestation and experience greater empowerment, improved health (mental, emotional physical and spiritual), increased utilization of your brains potential, greater creativity, and increased energy and clarity.

Reflexology o Massage

Prices start at $35. Renew yourself today!

Also, bring forth your greatest talents and abilities, clear many karmic and genetic patterns, hold greater amounts of light in your physical body, and much more. Great for those who feel ready to shift out of those “stuck” areas into tremendous empowerment, improved health on all levels, and living your higher destiny agreements and highest potentials. Rev. Claire Luft Master Teacher/Master Healer Ancient Mystery School Guide & Ritual Master Heart's Singing Healing Center, Woburn, MA 781-281-2888 v www.heartssinging.com

978-369-6138

Healing and Bodywork continued

www.spiritofchange.org

SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 55

Healing and Bodywork continued

THE JOHN HARVEY GRAY CENTER FOR

Reiki Healing

Lourdes Gray, Ph.D. Awaken your healing skills immediately and be a powerful channel for Reiki energy! The John Harvey Gray Center for Reiki Healing was established by John Harvey Gray and Dr. Lourdes Gray in 1996 to empower and develop a student’s capacity for healing. The Center offers the most thorough Reiki healing training available, ‘with no cut corners’, as it was taught by Mrs. Hawayo Takata. John Harvey Gray received his entire Reiki training from Hawayo Takata. He was one of the original 22 Reiki Master Teachers trained by her. He was also the longest-practicing Reiki Master Teacher in the Western Hemisphere until his passing into spirit on January 12, 2011.

Lourdes was initiated by John Harvey Gray as a Reiki Master Teacher in 1996 after intensive one-on-one training by John Harvey Gray. As a Reiki Master Teacher, Lourdes has taught over 700 Reiki workshops and trained more than 8,000 Reiki students to date and serves as the director of the John Harvey Gray Center for Reiki Healing. Each workshop consists of two full days of learning and hands-on practice. You will immediately be able to effectively channel Reiki healing energy for yourself, others and pets. In Reiki First Degree you will: ✴ Quickly and easily develop your natural,

intuitive powers. Within minutes, be able to scan and feel a person’s aura and chakras for analysis. ✴ Effectively treat any condition with Reiki energy— physical, emotional or spiritual, chronic or acute. ✴ Immediately be an effective Reiki healer, confidently bringing comfort and calm to family, friends, clients and pets ✴ Receive a training manual & certificate. The John Harvey Gray Center for Reiki Healing P.O. Box 696, Rindge, NH 03461 Visa/MC Accepted

See Full Class Schedule: www.learnreiki.org ✴ 603-899-3288

Divine Intervention is “Where the Impossible Becomes Possible.”

Divine Intervention

Spontaneous Remission

Rev. Claire Luft is a Master Healer and Master Teacher of Divine Intervention Healing. This healing technique is sacred, powerful, and produces Physical Plane Results.

Advanced Energetic Hands on Healing from the Mayan Lineage. Miraculous Healing for all issues that require attention.

Patricia Warren Reiki Jin Kei Do

Heart’s Singing Healing Center Woburn, MA 781-281-2888 u www.heartssinging.com

Union, returning 13 times, as well as to thousands of people in medical, religious and educational settings throughout the Caribbean, Europe and Middle East since 1989. ✦ ✦

InternationallyExperienced

New Englands most InternationallyExperienced Reiki Master since 1989 Patricia has taught healing techniques of Buddhist, Sikhs and Christians for over 25 years. She is the appointed East Coast representative of Reiki Jin Kei Do ~ Buddho Healing, authentic and advanced teachings of Usui Reiki in the lineage of Buddhist Monk Seiji Takamori. Patricia was the first woman to teach Reiki in the former Soviet

56 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ S

All Levels of Reiki Jin Kei Do Training Buddho Healing (advanced Reiki classes) “His Garments Hem” Christian Healing Touch Gung Fu Chinese Tea Ceremonies Past Life Regression Justice of the Peace Spiritual Director S

Reiki Jin Kei Do CD $16

Libby Barnett, MSW, RMT Awaken Your Healing Touch Libby is a gifted, knowledgeable Reiki Master with 33 years experience. Libby learned Reiki from John Harvey Gray in 1979, and is the longest practicing Reiki Master Teacher on the East Coast. Her book, Reiki Energy Medicine, Bringing Healing Touch into Home, Hospital, and Hospice has sold over 70,000 copies in five languages. Use Reiki to create more joy, ease, and happiness. Let Libby’s warm, heart-centered approach help you take your next step toward self-love and inner peace. Reiki brings balance and harmony, supporting you doing the work you were born to do. Reiki facilitates transitions, promotes creativity and wisdom, and accelerates spiritual growth, helping you manifest your magnificence. Libby has been teaching Reiki at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health for 14 years. She has taught medical and nursing students at Harvard, Brown, Tufts, and Yale, as well as staff at Mass General, Brigham and Women’s, Beth Israel, Mt. Auburn, Emerson, Dartmouth-Hitchcock, Southern New Hampshire, New York Columbia Presbyterian hospitals, and social workers at the University of Maryland. Libby was featured in a Reiki segment for the PBS nationally televised series, Body and Soul. “Libby has a beautiful way of teaching and creates a perfect atmosphere for healing and learning.”

Patricia Warren, Reiki Master Teacher 508-528-5888 ✦ warrenhealing@gmail.com www.patriciawarren.com

In class, a powerful slide presentation captures the essence of Reiki and highlights the latest research. Reiki stories from Libby’s extensive experience will uplift and inspire you, showing how anyone can learn Reiki. You receive attunements and practice giving and receiving Reiki. You leave class with an illustrated notebook, certificate, and Reiki pin, fully trained and certified to do Reiki on yourself, family, friends, and animals. “Hands on, Reiki’s on.”

"My commitment to teach the Usui System of Reiki Healing in the authentic, traditional manner inspired me to visit Japan to retrace the roots of Reiki. I am dedicated to teaching this sacred healing art to promote health and conscious living on the planet. I invite you to give yourself the gift of Reiki. It is an easy, effective self-care tool to love, heal, and empower yourself. I look forward to meeting you and sharing Reiki.” Reiki I, Boston Area Classes: Newton, MA: Mar. 21 or June 6 Concord, MA: Mar. 14 or June 13 Reiki I, Wilton, NH Classes: April 11 or June 27 Reiki II Class: on day following Reiki I Class Reiki Master, Wilton, NH Class: May 16 Graduates of other Reiki teachers welcome. Additional Reiki training dates can be found at: www.reikienergy.com All credit cards accepted. Social Work, Nursing and Massage contact hours/CEU’s available. Reiki Master Teacher Training info available on request. To register or for more information: www.reikienergy.com reiki@reikienergy.com • 603-654-2787

Healing: Combined Modalities

Eye of the Eagle CENTER FOR SPIRITUAL LIGHT

S Reiki Jin Kei Do Level 1 CD S S

One of Libby’s passions is teaching hospice staff and volunteers. Fueled by Reiki energy, their healing touch is enhanced, creating greater effectiveness in calming agitation, soothing pain and providing comfort.

Leontine Hartzell is a trained shamanic practitioner and counselor, Usui and Karuna Reiki Master, certified therapeutic energy healer, crystal and sound therapist, plant spirit medicine practitioner, psychic channeler, and legally ordained minister. With the help of her spirit guides,

Leontine uses soul retrieval, removal and healing of energy blocks, chakra balancing, intuitive counseling, guided imagery, and energy healing methods to heal posttraumatic stress and related disorders, depression, chronic pain and illness, anxiety, grief, and addictive behaviors. Past life issues and current life traumas that affect the client’s physical, emotional, and spiritual health are healed to allow the client to move into a life of joy and fulfillment. Private Sessions Long-distance Healing r Phone Readings Workshops and Classes Andover, MA r info@eyeofeagle.org www.eyeofeagle.org r 978-475-1268

HEARTFELT HERBALS & HEALING

V Herbal Consultations V Shamanic Energy Healing V Health Coaching V Reiki

Classes and Workshops In-person and distance work

As an herbalist and shamanic practitioner, my goal is to help my clients regain their health and bring joy into their lives. I treat each client individually, with specific herbs, nutrition and lifestyle recommendations. A shamanic healing session can help heal trauma, emotional issues and karmic issues, and remove blockages to health and wholeness. D E B FAT E - M E N TA L

Community Herbalist & Shamanic Practitioner 114 Water St. Bldg #3, Milford, MA 01757 heartfeltherbals@gmail.com 774-232-2343 V www.heartfeltherbals.com

R Clear stressful energy from home/office R Balance geopathic stressors

I invite you to refresh yourself with all the benefits Sea Glass Yoga & Wellness has to offer, including:

SUSAN DANIEL, CSYT, CEYT

Henniker, NH SeaGlassYoga.com b 617-320-3394

Vibrational Transformation

Support your intention for change with a Golden Ray Clearing You are intimately connected to your home. As we clear your home, we work with your energetic field to clear areas that are draining your vitality.

NewYou HYPNOSIS & REIKI

Amanda Ferguson Certified Consulting Hypnotist, Usui Reiki Master Hypnosis Works – Transform Your Life Hypnosis l Reiki l NLP l Time Line Therapy ™ l EFT Professional Office Setting Free Consultations l Monthly Reiki shares

Are You Highly Sensitive? SARAH HAGEDORN, PLC, LMT

Holistic bodywork and coaching for the sensitive body, mind, & spirit R Craniosacral Therapy (CST) R Somato-Emotional Trauma Release R R R R R

Dialogue with CST Touch-Sensitive Massage Integrated Eastern/Western Bodywork Master Level Usui Reiki Combined Bodywork and Coaching for Highly Sensitive People (HSPs) Soul-Centered Life Coaching

who have passed R Relocate non-physical beings R Remove draining energetic influences R Prepare your home for sale/rental For more information: www.GoldenRayEnergetics.com/Clearing.php David Dobson: 207-749-9747 Kristine Schares: 207-749-9745

Weight Loss l Smoking Cessation

Stress Management and Relaxation

Overcome Fears l Improve Performance Sleep Better l Improve motivation

Spiritual hypnosis l past-life regression Achieve goals and much, much more!

Servicing Mass. and Southern New Hampshire

We are vibrational beings. Your Vibrational Frequency informs your entire reality. Vibrational Transformation is a process whereby vibrations are introduced into the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and energetic bodies for transformation.

intuitive HEALING

Wendy Marks

M.Ed, C.A.S., FAPA R Medical intuitive sessions, energy heal-

ing and integrative therapy

R 30 years of experience in traditional and

complementary healthcare

3 Littleton Road, Westford, MA

978-726-9558 www.newyouhypnosisreiki.com Be the best that you can be!

Sarah Hagedorn specializes in empowering individuals with a high level of physical, emotional, and/or energetic sensitivity. She works with the nervous system to promote deep relaxation and release pain and stress, while helping her clients address the underlying emotional and mental patterns that have been keeping them stuck. Sarah’s individually tailored sessions draw from more than 1,400 hours of holistic training in massage, holistic bodywork, and coaching. Greater Boston, MA area Sliding scale available for some services www.sarahhagedorn.com 617-982-3492

By increasing your Vibrational Frequency, you’ll transform the denser, heavier energies within your system allowing you to: G

CHERYL WRIGHT

R Clear the energy of past relationships R Clear out the energy of those

Svaroopa® Yoga Embodyment® Yoga and Pain Therapy Juice Plus+™ Wellness Consultation Guided Meditation Intuitive Readings Live Music Yoga workshops Young Living™ Essential Oil Gatherings HMI Healing (Shamanistic Psychology) Herbs, Dowsing, Crystals and more

Light & Love

HEALING

Reconnective Healing,® The Reconnection® & The Reconnection® Healing with Animals

Give yourself, your loved one or beloved animal a Reconnective Healing,® uniquely customized by the intelligence of the universe, whereby you or they will receive what is needed — emotional, spiritual or physical healing, not merely just what you think you should have.

Weaving Serpent

WELLNESS Melissa St. Andrews Reiki Practitioner

Embody and reveal who you truly are Unleash your innate gifts, talents and abilities

G Come back into harmony with your true

desires in all areas of your life

Offices in Watertown, MA and Cumberland, RI Available in-person or by phone Cheryl@WrightHereNow.com 617-448-8749 G www.WrightHereNow.com R Improve your physical, mental, and

spiritual health

R Works with individuals to develop their

own intuitive skills

“As a healer, I work with individuals in a way that consciously promotes a peaceful and healthy planet. Our healing work takes place despite the conflicts that wash over us in our daily lives. By healing ourselves we create changes that have a ripple effect on the world around us.” www.wendymarks.com R 781-449-5368 wlm922@wendymarks.com The objective of The Reconnection® is to return the body to balance, while tapping into the universal healing intelligence. The Reconnection® is the activation of a human being’s innate ability to serve as an instrument of healing, to access a shift in consciousness that allows us to recognize, feel, absorb and transmit an expanded level of the universal healing intelligence. www.lightandlovehealing.com RUSSELL RICCIO r 603-935-9106

Shamanic Reiki S Shamanic Healing Oracle Card Readings Servicing Needham and Jamaica Plain, MA Also available for home visits! melissa.standrews@aol.com S 617-780-6407 www.weavingserpentwellness.com Healing: Combined Modalities continued

www.spiritofchange.org

SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 57

Healing: Combined Modalities continued

Sacred Spiral Life Work A UNIQUE COMBINATION OF ENERGY HEALING AND COUNSELING

Anything is possible. Release old patterns, stories, limiting beliefs. We hold you in unconditional love and acceptance. Relax into your self, your life, your circumstances. Let go of accumulated stress and tension. Get unstuck, move beyond fear. Defuse your triggers. Embrace what is. Receive. Be. Unfold as Your True Magnificence.

Homeopathy

Let go of the accumulated stress and tension that contribute to aging Munay-Ki Rites Mar. 1 Intro Mar. 15 Start of nine session series Illumination Sessions Monthly HeartBeat Salons Feb. 26 Shadow Work Evening Mar. 26 Lessons from the Insight Masters meetup.com/Personal-Growth-Network/events

MARIE PATRICE MASSE, M.ED.

Phone or in-person sessions

150 North Shore Dr. Stow MA 01775 MariePatrice@SacredSpiralLifeWork.com www.SacredSpiralLifeWork.com 978-579-0897

Homeovitality is an entirely new concept in health promotion. For the first time ever, Homeovitality helps everyone to benefit from new cutting-edge discoveries right now using a safe, drug free delivery system.

Homeovitality USA DNA Targeted Homeopathy - microDNA therapy for optimal health! info@homeovitality.us www.homeovitality.us S 617-990-6979

Homeovitality has been developed as a safe and natural way to help everyone to achieve nature’s “super-health” and stay healthy. It is based entirely on the proven principles of Dr. Bernard Marichal’s gene targeting technology.

Safe, effective, non-toxic, no side effects Does not interact with other medicines

Holistic Medical Natural Family Health & Integrative Medicine Dr. Jody E. Noé MS, ND

Dr. Jody E. Noé, MS, ND is a Licensed, Board Certified Naturopathic Doctor, adjunct faculty at the University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine, and is a published natural medicine researcher. Dr. Noé has been in practice for over 20 years and is a specialist in Integrative Medicine, and Naturopathic Oncology. Dr. Noé is the author of the Textbook of Naturopathic Integrative Oncology, CCNM

Press, a first-of-its-kind text, available at her office or on Amazon/textbooks. Naturopathic Doctors (NDs) are trained at accredited naturopathic medical schools, which are 4-year post graduate medical schools accredited by the US Dept. of Education. These medically-trained Naturopathic Doctors are trained as primary care doctors where they can order labs, diagnostics and diagnostic imaging, perform physical examinations, and refer to specialists when indicated. A naturopathic doctor uses natural complementary and alternative therapies, in conjunction with, or in place of, conventional medicine, based on the individual. 101 West Broad Street, Pawcatuck, CT www.drjodyenoe.com v 860-495-5688

Dr. Tishler graduated from both Harvard College and Harvard Medical School and trained at the esteemed Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Massachusetts Medical Cannabis Doctors We’re here to help you feel better, and return to a more productive, enjoyable life. Massachusetts now allows medical cannabis (marijuana) for the treatment of severe, debilitating illness. Examples include Crohn’s Disease, ALS, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, chronic pain, and anxiety. Inhale MD Medical Cannabis Doctors will work with you and your doctors to see if Medical Cannabis is right for you.

Dr. Tishler has a strong interest in alternative medicine, but is also very focused on research data and best practices. He is convinced that cannabis holds significant relief potential for many patients, based on the amassing of good data. Dr. Tishler is well regarded by his staff and peers as a caring and compassionate man, and looks forward to helping those in need. 1035 Cambridge St., Suite 17B Cambridge, MA 02141 www.inhalemd.com R 617-477-8886

VERA VOLFSON, CCH Classical Homeopathy Homotoxicology (FCT CEASE) Pranic Healing

Holistic approach to healing and wellness www.behealthyhomeopathy.com veravolfson@gmail.com T 508.397.6098

Nutrition Integrative Nutritional Solutions

Kristine Bahr, a clinical nutritionist with offices in Brookline, MA and in the Berkshires, specializes in integrative nutritional solutions for her patients. She has an impressive track record for helping people relieve symptoms resulting from chronic digestive disorders as well as diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, heart disease, body weight issues, and more. Kristine’s approach is based on utilizing exacting test procedures that focus on an

individual’s metabolic sensitivities, whether those be to food, hormonal imbalances, or the need to identify genetic predispositions for specific conditions in order to take preventative action. In addition to Kristine’s consultations, most, if not all, of the state-of-the-art testing Kristine has carefully researched and chosen as part of her practice are covered by most insurance plans. She offers an amazing opportunity to patients within the conventional health care system who seek better health. Kristine helps patients break through the confines of the prescription pad ‘bandaid approach’ to treatment, and instead enables them to opt for wellness through healing the underlying factors that are at the root of many health matters. Brookline to Berkshires kbahr.co W 413-528-9838

Readings Nancy Johansen RN, CCH, RMT

Connecting you with your Angelic Dream Team, creating your Happily Ever After Angel Readings S Past Life Regression Angel Therapy® S Reiki S Hypnotherapy

at Angeltouche

Psychic Intuitive S Angel Therapy Practitioner ®

58 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

Brings rapid, gentle balance of the immune system

Private sessions in person or distance by phone and e-mail. Classes and workshops ~ North Attleboro, MA Nancy@Angeltouche.com www.Angeltouche.com S 508-577-4552

GROUP SESSIONS AND CLASSES

…In the presence of loving Angelic energy READINGS AND SESSIONS IN

F F F F F

Spiritual Connection Psychic Mediumship Spirit Portraits of Loved Ones in Spirit Akashic Record Life Readings Session Packages Available

Psychic Reading Energetic Healing

What is a Psychic Reading or Energetic Healing? A psychic reading (or intuitive reading) is an energetic reading performed by a person trained in clear seeing. The reader sees energy systems and pictures in your energtic space, which consists of aura, body and spirit. The reader will look at the energy and pictures around the issues or questions that you bring to the reading. They’ll tell you what they see, how it is affecting you and help you move beyond the things in your life that are holding you back. What do I need to do to prepare for my reading? To get the most benefit from your reading, prepare up to three questions or issues you’d like to focus on.

KELLE SUTLIFF

PSYCHIC MEDIUM | RADIO SHOW HOST NEW AGE AUTHOR Call for Readings: 978-420-8213 Z psychicmediumkelle.com

www.spiritofchange.org

Mediumship and Spirit Art Demonstrations Akashic Records F Meditations Mediumship and Psychic Training Drawing in Spirit and more Connecting to Spirit is your inspiration, sustenance and support for your life’s journey. Nancy gently guides you into a connection with spirit and your soul for guidance, healing and direction. Whether you want to connect with a loved one who has passed, or you have questions and challenges you want to work with, allow spirit to inspire you in a reading session with Nancy. Free inspirational “Wing Tips” on our website.

Jocelyn

Internationally known for her work with people via phone, in person, and radio, Jocelyn has been helping and guiding others for over 24 yrs. Known for her ability to “cut to the quick” Jocelyn gives you information you can use for all aspects of your life.

What happens during my reading? The reading is very much like a one-onone meeting with a counselor or friend. If the reading is in person, you will sit facing the reader. The reader will be in a meditative space with eyes closed. During your reading, the reader will look at the energy (seen in pictures) around the issues or questions you have presented. The reader will tell you what they see, and how these pictures are affecting you. They will look at the origin of these pictures and why you are choosing to continue to react to them. They will help you move these issues out of your life. “What brings the human experience home to me is that we are more alike than we are different. The fact that we all share the same human experience is a beautiful thing.” — Daniel Geist www.EngelGeist.com T 508-413-9333

Kelle’s new book Listen Up! The Other Side Is Talking is available! Get your signed copy through her website (also available on every book source in the Universe!): psychicmediumkelle.com “Kelle is a wonderful evidential medium and radio personality. Her new book is enlightening and entertaining and will open you up to the reality of spirit contact.” – Mark Anthony, the Psychic Lawyer Have you had your Psychic Cup of Coffee today? Join Kelle on Tuesdays at 4 p m EST online at TransformationTalkRadio. com and get your psychic pick me up!

All sessions are recorded on audio cassette. ~ $25 off your first session. ~ For more information, call or email Jocelyn, Intuitive Consultant jocelynintuitive@hotmail.com 978-694-8946

Salons and Spas

North Andover F nancy@angelscapes.net www.angelscape.net F 978-835-0005

What are the benefits? People who experience psychic readings are often able to finally see the things in their lives that are holding them back. With this seeing comes a shift in energy. They can move beyond the limitations of their present and engage in a more present, intentional and happier life.

Intuitive Guidance for Your Life

If you are ready to take a journey into yourself and hear your story with fresh ears, you will come out with options, tools, and choices you may not have seen on your own.

Creative Strands HAIR

&BODYWORKS

Chill Out, Ease Stress & Restore Balance Treat yourself to the ultimate in relaxation!

Enjoy a Thai Yoga Massage or enjoy a softer touch with a Swedish Massage. We also have Deep Tissue Massages and many more. Facials to fit every season. Skin care and hair care products for all skin types and hair care needs. Our whole team continues to keep up with the latest trends and state of the art techniques. 3 Boston Road, Sutton, MA www.creativestrandsllc.com i 508-865-1141

Spiritual Practices The Greater Boston Church of Spiritualism The Greater Boston Church of Spiritualism embraces a religious and spiritual belief blending ancient wisdom with contemporary thought. Conveniently located off Watertown Square at the Masonic Center, 32 Church St, services are held at 10:30 am every Sunday, with mediumship, live music, inspirational talks, and healing by the laying on of hands.

As an evolving spiritual community, The Greater Boston Church of Spiritualism offers weekday evening classes in mediumship, healing and meditation; Medium’s Day the last Saturday of every month; plus seminars and workshops throughout the year. For a detailed brochure, a listing of upcoming events, or to speak with the Pastor call 617-923-4334, or visit our website at: www.GreaterBostonChurchof Spiritualism.com. An affiliate of the Spiritualists United Network (S.U.N.) and the International Spiritualist Federation.

Yoga, Tai Chi and Fitness

Ann Bissanti

Worcester Yoga Center HathaYoga begins with refining the physical body but does not stop there. The exercises involve slow precise stretching, strengthening, and breathing techniques,

which not only tone the muscles but affect internal organs, nerves, skin, and virtually all body systems, making yoga a superior wholistic method for physical fitness and preventive and corrective health care. Certified teacher Ann Bissanti, trained in India by B.KS. Iyengar, has studied yoga and meditation for the past 25 years. She has taught yoga at Leonard Morse Hospital in Natick, at various fitness centers and adult education programs, and privately. For more information call: Worcester Yoga Center, 508-829-6300.

SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 59

DIRECTORY OF

Holistic Holistic Specialties Specialties DIRECTORY OF

ACUPUNCTURE JoyCommunityAcupuncture.com. ACUPUNCTURE Newton, MA. 617-510-0559. Sliding fee $20JoyCommunityAcupuncture.com. Newton, MA. $10 initial.Sliding fee $20-40, $10 initial. 40, 617-510-0559. ANGELS ANGELS

Ross J. Miller, psychic. Meet your angels and Ross J. Miller, Meet your angels and spirit guides. spirit guides.psychic. 617-527-3583. 617-527-3583. Visit www.The MysticWay.com Visit www.The MysticWay.com ANIMAL ANIMAL SERVICES SERVICES Sharon DVM, Inc.Inc. Holistic. Smithfield, RI. SharonR.R.Doolittle, Doolittle, DVM, Holistic. 401-349-2668. Smithfield, RI.www.holisticanimalvet.com 401-349-2668. www.holisticanimalvet.com MASH Integrative Veterinary Care, est 1982. MASH MargoIntegrative Roman, DVM. 508-435-4077. Veterinary Care, est 1982. www.mashvet.com

Margo Roman, DVM. 508-435-4077.

ASTROLOGY www.mashvet.com Eric Linter, over 25 years experience. Readings, classes, ASTROLOGY daily forecast. stars@ericlinter.com. 508-541-4115. Eric Linter, over 25 years experience. Readings,

classes, daily forecast. stars@ericlinter.com. CERTIFICATIONS 508-541-4115. Hypnotherapy, NLP, Reiki, IET and Crystal Healing. 508-539-2885. Clinics and fairs. BODYWORK www.capecodcenterforwholehealth.com Anna Smith, energy healing and bodywork for health and well being. 508-735-3838. CHILDREN’S HEALTH Touchstone Community School. Education for ages CERTIFICATIONS 4-14. Grafton, MA. Hypnotherapy, NLP,508-839-0038. Reiki, IET and Crystal www.touchstoneschool.com. Healing. 508-539-2885. Clinics and fairs. www.capecodcenterforwholehealth.com COLON HYDROTHERAPY CHILDREN’S HEALTH Genesis Alternative Health. 30 years of Touchstone experience. Community I-ACT certified instructor. School. Education for ages NBCHT 603-347-1861. 4-14.certified. Grafton, MA. 508-839-0038.

www.touchstoneschool.com. Bio-Detox Center. I-ACT and NBCHT COLON certified. Westminster, MA. 978-874-6200. HYDROTHERAPY drdeb@bio-detoxcenter.com Genesis Alternative Health. 30 years of

experience. I-ACT certified Body Balancing Center. I-ACT instructor. and National certified. 603-347-1861. NBCHT Board certified. 508-868-3624. www.bodybalancingcenter.com Bio-Detox Center. I-ACT and NBCHT

certified. Westminster, MA. 978-874-6200. COUNSELING AND THERAPY drdeb@bio-detoxcenter.com Joel Perlmutter, Ph.D. Licensed 35 yrs. Stress, Body anxiety, relationships. StowI-ACT & Shrewsbury, MA. Balancing Center. and National Putnam, CT. 978-897-9797. Board certified. 508-868-3624.

www.bodybalancingcenter.com CRYSTAL ENERGY WORK Healthy Spirit. Stephanie Dumas.Meditations, oneCrystalConcentrics.com. Workshops, on-one,certified. distance work. Wide selection of Crystals. I-ACT 781-860-5116. 617-771-5119. healthyspirit@verizon.net DEPRESSION AND Annette ANXIETYCormier. TREATMENT The Natural Path. Healed in 2 MA. Hours.Text: Ross(978) J. Miller, psychic healer. Hudson, 855-3056. ancormier01@aol.com 617-527-3583. www.TheMysticWay.com EMF PROTECTION COUNSELING AND THERAPY Joel Perlmutter, Ph.D. Licensed 35 yrs. The Rejuvenizer®, protection from EMFs andStress, other anxiety, Stow & Shrewsbury, MA. damagingrelationships. frequencies. www.lighthealing.com. Putnam, CT. 978-897-9797. 512-301-2999. FENG SHUI CRYSTAL ENERGY WORK CrystalConcentrics.com. Workshops, Urban Eden. Transform and empower your meditations, one-on-one, distance work. home/work spaces. 401-351-5632. 617-771-5119. karenfeldmanurbaneden.com

DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY TREATMENT GHOSTS REMOVED Healed in 2 Hours. Ross From Your Home/Aura. RossJ.J.Miller, Miller,psychic psychic healer. 617-527-3583. www.TheMysticWay.com medium, healer. Call 617-527-3583. FENG www. The MysticWay.com SHUI

GHOSTS REMOVED From Your Home/Aura. Ross J. Miller, psychic HEALING CENTERS medium, healer. Call 617-527-3583. Forest Circles, retreats, programs in a magical Maine www. The MysticWay.com forest. www.forestcircles.com HEALING CENTERS HOMEOPATHY Forest Circles, retreats, programs in a magical Loretta Butehorn, PhD, CCH. Substance abuse, mental Maine forest. www.forestcircles.com health. Boston, MA. www.lorettabutehornphd.com. INTUITIVE ENERGY HEALING INTUITIVE ENERGY HEALING www.IntuitiveHealingResonance.com. www.IntuitiveHealingResonance.com. Move beyond pain/trauma/anger/regret. 401-466-4901 Move beyond pain/trauma/anger/regret. 401-466-4901 MEDICAL INTUITIVE MEDICAL INTUITIVE Gillian Drake. Diet-related health scans. Candida, toxicity and more. GillianDrake.com Gillian Drake. Diet-related health scans. Candida, toxicity and more. GillianDrake.com Sue Singleton. 20+ years accurately finding Root Cause. 978-834-0341. Sue Singleton. 20+ years accurately finding Root Cause. 978-834-0341. TheWayToBalance.com TheWayToBalance.com Elizabeth Thorson Thorson RN, byby C.C. Myss Elizabeth RN,Certified Certified Myss and andNorman NormanShealy, Shealy,MD. 207-712-9495. 207-712-9495. elizabeththorson.com elizabeththorson.com Intuitive Healing Healing with Marks. Intuitive withWendy Wendy Marks. Over Over2525years yearsofofexperience. experience. 781-449-5368. 781-449-5368. www.wendymarks.com www.wendymarks.com NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIANS MEDICAL TOURISM Dental and surgery beautiful Costa Rica. Dr. Jody Noe, MS, ND.inNaturopathic integrative www.PearlMedcr.com medicine. 860-495-5688. www.drjodyenoe.com

NATUROPATHIC NUMEROLOGYPHYSICIANS Dr. JodyBernstein. Noe, MS,35ND. Naturopathic Kathy years of experience.integrative medicine. 860-495-5688. www.drjodyenoe.com 401-338-1317. www.numerologypro.com NUMEROLOGY PAST LIFE THERAPY Kathy Bernstein. 35 years of experience. Ross J. Miller. Relive past lives and release blocked 401-338-1317. www.numerologypro.com energy. 617-527-3583. www.The MysticWay.com

PAST LIFE THERAPY REFLEXOLOGY Ross J. Miller. Relive past lives and release Marian Kelly. Comfortable and relaxing. 617-733-7409. blockedC.energy. 617-527-3583. Natick, MA. marianreflexology.abmp.com. www.The MysticWay.com REIKI READINGS Libby Barnett, MSW, Reiki Master Teacher. Beth Ann Fisher. Spirit energy consultant. 25603-654-2787. www.reikienergy.com. CEU’s. years experience. www.bethannfisher.com The John Harvey Gray Center for Reiki Healing. REIKI 603-899-3288. www.learnreiki.org Amanda de Rezendes, RM/T. MA and RI 508-612-7083. www.onevoicespiritualcenter.com RETREAT CENTERS Wild Dolphin Atlantean Libby Barnett,Swims. MSW,Yoga, Reikihealthy Masterfood, Teacher. legends. www.wildquest.com. 800-326-1816 603-654-2787. www.reikienergy.com. CEU’s. Brahma KumarisGray Peace Village Center. The John Harvey Center forRetreat Reiki Healing. Haines Falls, NY. 518-589-5000. 603-899-3288. www.learnreiki.org

www.peacevillageretreat.org VISION IMPROVEMENT ROLFING Coleman Natural Vision. Boston/Plymouth, MA. Eric Jacobson, PhD. In www.eyesonyoga.com practice since 1974. Shavasana your eyes. Arlington, MA. ericjacobsonbodywork.com. Rosemary Gaddum. Gordon, MA. 781-643-6874 Cambridge, MA and Portsmouth, NH. VISION IMPROVEMENT www.visioneducators.com Rosemary Gaddum Gordon, MA. Cambridge, MA and YOGA Portsmouth, NH.Center. www.visioneducators.com Worcester Yoga Ann Bissanti, CYT.

30 years experience Iyengar yoga. 508-829-6300. YOGA Worcester Yoga Center. Ann Bissanti, CYT. 30 years experience Iyengar yoga. 508-829-6300.

Add your listing. Next deadline: Feb. 1, 2015. Urban Eden. Transform and empower your Email Bryan@spiritofchange.org home/work spaces. 401-351-5632. Add your listing. Next deadline: May 1, 2015. Email advertise@spiritofchange.org. karenfeldmanurbaneden.com 60 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

56 Spirit of Change | WINTER 2014

Classifieds AKASHIC RECORDS SM

ASTROLOGY

CONSULTANT

HEALING

Business Growth Consultant. After a free consultation and review we discuss whether we have a fit and I can, in fact, help you. The formula is simple. We get you where you want to be quickly, effectively, efficiently. Coastal Consulting, Peter Koslowski Tel: (302) 344-5454. Email: 3cresults@gmail.com

Certified Emotion Code Practitioner. Enable the full expression of your body’s healing intelligence through the noninvasive release of trapped emotional energies that are likely at the root of your health challenges. $35 /session. Contact: Roma Kessaram: www.easeintohealing. com. (617) 259 6450.

DATING/SINGLES

Counseling. Guidance. Hypnosis. Intuitive awareness. Marriages-performed. Appointments and classes available. Call Linda at A Creative Insight (781) 599-8275.

Spiritual Singles. Meet your soul mate, twin flame, poly-partners, friends on the largest, exclusively spiritual dating site on the Internet. Multi-thousands of conscious singles in New England. Join free. www.SpiritualSingles.com

DOWSING

AUDIO CDs Custom audio CDs made from your old records and tapes. LPs, 45s and 78s cleaned and re-mastered without the clicks and surface noise. Cassettes and reel-to-reel tapes professionally converted. www.CustomAudioCDs.com. (858) 346-1520. Mention SOC and get free shipping on your first order!

CLASSES Zentangle Classes and Retreats. Relax, have fun and create beautiful designs through mindful drawing. Anyone can do it. Looks complicated, but it’s so easy. More info: www.jackirose.com or meetup.com/rejuventangle Upper Cape Tech in Bourne, MA near Cape Cod Canal is a leading provider of career training offering culinary arts, technical, trade, nurse’s aide, health careers, computers, nail tech, wellness, flower essence, gemstones/crystal therapy, guided imagery and professional reflexology. 600+ online, healing, real estate, and more. Visit www.uppercapetech.cc or call (508) 759-7711, ext. 211 for details. www.spiritofchange.org

All About Dowsing. Through dowsing discover more about yourself and your health. Self-instructional DVD’s, books, instruments. www.dowsing.com. (805) 649-5721. Catalog: PO Box 30305, Santa Barbara, CA 93130.

FENG SHUI Boston Feng Shui with Lynn Taylor. After decades of studying many different feng shui traditions, as well as teaching and consulting both nationally and internationally, I have blended what I believe to be the best of many approaches. For more information or to arrange a consultation please contact me at 617-924-4205, or e-mail lynntaylor@bostonfengshui. com. www.BostonFengShui.com. Residential, business and staging services.

PYRAMIDS All About Pyramids. Wellness, meditation/experimental tabletop models. Worldwide research. (805) 649-5721. www.dowsing.com. Catalog: P.O. Box 30305, Santa Barbara, CA 93130.

VOLUNTEER Expansive Aging Research Project. Seeking volunteers ages 60 and above. Investigating resilience, change, challenges, and choices. Contact Lois at (617) 232- 3433 or email Marrey at drembers@aol.com.

INTUITIVE ARTS Akashic Record Readings and Mentoring with Debbie Ritter, who will empower you to live your best life and step into your spiritual awakening. www.debbieritter.net.

JEWELRY Gorgeous Exquisitely Detailed Sterling Silver and Gold Jewelry. ~ For You ~ The largest selection of finely detailed metaphysical, energetic, New Age jewelry collection worldwide from one designer. Peter Stone. Retail/Wholesale. www.peterstone.com. Custom design available. Catalog 1-800-397-8787.

OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT Beautiful secluded space in the middle of Brighton near buses and Mass Pike, driveway and easy street parking. Basement with double door entry facing our little forest and meadow backyard. Central A/C, reception area/mud room, adaptable big room, 2 small rooms and bath. Nicely finished. Utilities included. Perfect for yoga classes, therapists. David, (617) 279-6170. Dliberty33@gmail.com. Newton Center Office Space For Rent. Full-time/part-time availability. Inviting, furnished psychotherapy suite includes private office, waiting room, clerical space and bathroom. Contact Chris Gruener (617) 9656552, crossroads-counseling-services. com, chris.gruener@comcast.net.

Make a Difference and Become an Ascend Hospice Volunteer in Massachusetts

Contact one of our Volunteer Supervisors for more information Jami-Lynn Lamy: Ann Brum: Visit our website to learn more about our specialized hospice care and services AscendHospice.com

WILD DOLPHIN SWIMS Swimming with Wild Dolphins. The ultimate human-dolphin connection. Meditative, healing Caribbean Island retreats. Yoga, healthy food, Atlantean legends. www.wildquest.com. (800) 326-1618. SUBMIT YOUR AD - SUMMER ISSUE DEADLINE IS MAY 1, 2015 Classified Line Listings •$1.50 per word, $35 minimum •Add a box around your ad for $10 Classified Display Ad: Send us your PDF ad file or we will design your ad for a fee. 1” high — $80

2” high — $120

3” high — $160

All ads are 2 ¼” wide.

Send payment and listings to Spirit of Change, PO Box 405, Uxbridge, MA 01569. Fax: 508-278-9641. Email advertise@spiritofchange.org Questions? Call (508) 278-9640.

SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 61

Index of Advertisers in this Issue “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

A Abra Therapeutics........................................... 17 Acupuncture of Worcester............................. 49 Acupuncture Plus Yoga................................... 49 Advaita Meditation Center............................. 50 Alternatives for Health.................................... 37 American Society of Dowsers........................ 24 Amethyst Point................................................ 63 Andara Crystals............................................... 55 Angelscapes...................................................... 59 Angeltouche..................................................... 58 Aquidneck Honey............................................ 11 Arvigo Massage................................................ 17 Ascend Hospice............................................... 60 B Susan Barbera.................................................. 29 Libby Barnett.................................................... 56 Beadniks........................................................... 38 Bhavna’s Wellness Group................................ 50 Glenn Bigonet.................................................. 55 Blue Lotus Healing Arts.................................. 50 Body Balancing Center................................... 19 Body Mind and Spine..................................... 50 Boston School of Herbal Studies, The........... 51 Breast Awareness Imaging.................................6 C Nancy Canning................................................ 42 Canton Spiritualist Church............................ 10 Celtic Art Therapy........................................... 24 Jonathan Chisholm...................................... 6, 54 Circles of Wisdom........................................... 35 Colonic Institute of West Hartford................ 53 CommonWealth Ctr. for Herbal Medicine..... 10 Constellation Approach.................................. 52 Cornerstone Theraputics................................ 53 Creative Strands Hair & Bodywork............... 59 Crystal Vibrations Jewelry.............................. 38 CT Valley Mineral Club.................................. 25 Cutting Edge Wellness.................................... 58 D Dancing Jaguar Inspirations........................... 51 Developmental Alphabiotics.......................... 31 Sharon Doolittle............................................... 24 E Earth Angel Design......................................... 64 Eclectic Institute of Aromatherapy and Herbal Studies, The.................................................... 51 Edgebrook........................................................ 43

62 Spirit of Change | SPRING 2015

Enchanted Fox................................................. 41 Engel Geist.................................................... 8, 59 Evoking Alchemy................................................8 F The Fourwinds Society................................... 25 FrogPond Yoga Centre.................................... 63 G Arthur Gertler.................................................. 12 Golden Ray Clearing....................................... 57 Jesse Goldman.................................................. 13 Graduate Institute, The................................... 52 Greater Boston Church of Spirtualism..... 9, 59 Groton Wellness Center.................................. 19 Arthur Gutkin.................................................. 16 H Sarah Hagedorn............................................... 57 Melissa Harris.................................................. 38 Loentine Hartzell............................................. 56 HB Radiant Health.......................................... 53 Healing from the Body Level Up......................2 Healthy Spirit................................................... 54 Heartfelt Herbals............................................. 57 Joan Holzman.................................................. 55 Homeovitality USA......................................... 58 Hope Ethereal.................................................. 41 John Howe........................................................ 53 I Inhale MD........................................................ 58 Inner Traditions............................................... 41 International Coach Certification Academy.... 51 International Herbal Symposium.................. 13 J Jocelyn............................................................... 59 John Harvey Gray Center............................... 56 Barbara Johnson.............................................. 55 Constance Jones............................................... 53 L Light and Love Healing................................... 57 Light Unlimited............................................... 15 Eric Linter......................................................... 49 Little Frog Healing..............................................9 Living Earth, The............................................. 19 Sharon Livingston........................................... 54 Lotus Flower Living......................................... 10 Claire Luft................................................... 55, 56

— Mahatma Gandhi

M M.A.S.H............................................................ 43 Judith Mabel..................................................... 16 Maha Yoga Center........................................... 63 Tina Marian...................................................... 29 Market Street Health....................................... 50 Linda Marks..................................................... 54 Wendy Marks................................................... 57 MetroWest Thermal Imaging......................... 12 Ross Miller.............................................. 8, 27, 42 Lori Miller-Freitas........................................... 55 Misty Meadows Herbal Center................ 33, 52 N Native Earth..................................................... 42 Natural Living Expo...........................................7 Nature’s Rite...................................................... 17 NE Institute of Reflexology............................ 52 New England Veg Fest.................................... 45 New You Hypnosis and Reiki......................... 57 Newport Center for Hypnotherapy............... 39 Dr. Jody Noe............................................... 11, 58 O Open Doors Yoga Studios........................ 50, 63 Opening Lotus Yoga........................................ 63 P Pacifica Graduate Institute............................. 13 Rachel Perry........................................................5 Peter Stone Jewelry.............................................3 Pipal Leaf Yoga Studio.................................... 63 Monique Pommier.......................................... 49 Pyramid Books................................................ 39 R Raising Grace Coaching....................................5 Real Life Yoga Studio...................................... 63 The Reconnection...............................................5 ReNew A New Age Spa................................... 55 Stone Riley.................................................. 28, 54 Kyle Russell....................................................... 55

Kathleen Segura............................................... 60 Sherri Snyder-Roche....................................... 23 Vivienne Simon............................................... 28 Small Miracles Preschool................................ 51 Miriam Smith................................................... 42 Sohum Yoga and Mediation Studio............... 63 Spa Tech............................................................ 51 Spirit Hollow.................................................... 35 State of Grace Yoga and Wellness Center..... 63 Kelle Sutliff....................................................... 59 Synthesis Center, The...................................... 53 T Touchstone School.......................................... 51 U-V-W UMASS Medical School....................................6 Unity Yoga........................................................ 63 Robyn Vogel..................................................... 53 Vera Volfson..................................................... 58 Pat Warren........................................................ 56 Way to Balance, The.................................. 41, 52 Weaving Serpent Wellness.............................. 57 Wellness Roundtable, The.............................. 37 Jane Wentzell.................................................... 60 Westborough Yoga........................................... 63 Trish Whynot................................................... 54 WildTree........................................................... 11 Wisdom of the Ages........................................ 39 Women of Wisdom................................... 33, 50 Worcester Yoga Center............................. 59, 63 Cheryl Wright.................................................. 57 X-Y-Z Yoga at the Ashram.................................... 23,63 Yoga at Santosha.................................. 23, 28, 63 Yoga Healing Trauma...................................... 63 YogaLife Institute................................. 29, 52, 63 The Yoga Studio............................................... 63 Zuzu’s Healing Arts......................................... 50

S Sacred Song Reiki............................................ 19 Sacred Spiral Life Work.................................. 58 Sacred Temple Arts......................................... 38 Salve Regina University.................................. 27 Science of Spirituality...................................... 43 SeaGlass Yoga & Wellness Center................. 57 Andrea Seiver................................................... 54

Summer Issue Advertising Deadline: Friday, May 1, 2015 For info: (508) 278-9640 advertise@spiritofchange.org

Yoga At The Ashram, Millis, MA

Metrowest Yoga, Westboro/Worcester, MA

Maha Yoga Center, Bridgewater, MA

YOGA DIRECTORY

MASSACHUSETTS

Bellingham Yoga Healing Trauma: Empowering You On and Off the Mat. Seminars for YTT, private therapeutic sessions, traditional hatha, Vinyasa flow classes. Tobi Gold. www.yogahealingtrauma.org. 508-631-4841. Bridgewater Maha Yoga Center, 992 Bedford St. (Rt. 18), Bridgewater, MA 02324, 508-697-3273 www.mahayogacenter.com. Yoga all levels, Hatha, Ashtanga, meditation, massage. Yoga teacher training (YA). Gardner Unity Yoga, 205 School Street, Gardner, MA. First class free. Kundalini, Hatha, Yoga For 12 Step Recovery, gong and crystal singing bowl meditations. Healing parlor. Innovative workshops. 978-410-5702 • www.unityyoga.us Holbrook Real Life Yoga Studio, 239 North Franklin St.(Rt 37). Traditional hatha, power flow, Kundalini with meditation, monthly restorative yoga, tai chi, gong meditation. 781-767-1827 • www.reallifeyoga.com. Holden Opening Lotus Yoga. An eco-green studio. Main Street, Holden, MA, 01520. Beginner-advanced. Gentle-vigorous. Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin. Vibrant health courses. Detoxing chronic stress. www.openinglotusyoga.com • 508-829-7435 456 Millis Yoga at the Ashram. 368 Village St. Kundalini, Vinyasa, Hatha, Qigong, Kids Yoga, Tai Chi. Gong meditations, workshops, retreats and teacher trainings. First class free. 508-376-4525. www.YogaAtTheAshram.org.

www.spiritofchange.org

Millis (continued) The Yoga Studio. A tranquil, welcoming healing center. Daily classes for all levels, private yoga therapy, and 200/500 hour YTT. First class free. 508-376-8508 • www.theyogastudiomillis.com. Multiple Massachusetts Locations Open Doors Yoga Studios. 15 Locations in MA. Hot power yoga and gentle yoga, all levels. 200 & 500 hour Yoga Teacher Training. www.OpenDoors.com. 781-843-8224. Metrowest Yoga. Westboro and Worcester locations. Metrowest Yoga is the premiere yoga studio in the Central Mass area. Over 10 years of helping students find peace and feel better. 508-366-5025. www.metrowestyoga.net. Needham Pipal Leaf Yoga Studio, 945 Great Plain Avenue, Needham. pipalleafyoga.com. Yoga for everybody and every body. Kripalu, Viniyoga and hatha skillfully taught in a serene, sacred space. Reiki and wonderful, insightful events! Princeton FrogPond Yoga Centre. Classes in the tradition of Raja Yoga for all levels of practitioners. 200 and 500-hr classes are ongoing. www.frogpondyoga.org. Uxbridge State of Grace Yoga and Wellness Center. Yoga, 200-hour teacher training, massage, Reiki, reflexology, energy healing, channeling, readings and workshops. www.StateofGraceWellness.com 508-278-2818. Westborough Sohum Yoga and Mediation Studio. 30 Lyman Street, Westboro. All styles of yoga, yoga therapy, yoga for beginners, small class size. Corporate wellness workshops. www.sohum.org.

Worcester Amethyst Point. 232 Chandler St., Worcester. Hatha/Iyengar yoga, meditation and tai chi/qigong. All levels. Monday-Saturday. 508-753-3975. www.amethystpoint.com. Worcester Yoga Center. Ann Bissanti. Over 30 years teaching experience. Trained in India by B.K.S. Iyengar. Ambq2@yahoo.com. 508-829-6300.

NEW HAMPSHIRE Exeter YogaLife Institute, 6 Chestnut Street, Suite A, Exeter, NH 03833. Teacher training workshops, classes in many styles and all levels, and mentoring sessions. 603-969-8968 • www.yogalifenh.com

RHODE ISLAND Cranston Santosha Yoga and Holistic Health Center. 14 Bartlett Avenue, Cranston, RI. Our teaching is based in the Amrit and Kundalini Yoga traditions. www.yogaatsantosha.com • 401-780-9809.

MULTIPLE LOCATIONS Spirit of Change’s online Alternative Health Directory offers hundreds of practitioner and studio listings. Search by name or town to find a studio near you. Visit www.spiritofchange.org/directory.

Include your studio. Next ad deadline is May 1, 2015. Call 508-278-9640 or email advertise@spiritofchange.org SPRING 2015 | Spirit of Change 63

Heaven · Earth April 25, 2015 10am – 5pm · $5 N E W LO CAT I O N :

Clarion Hotel · Northampton, MA KEYNOTE SPEAKER: ROLAND COMTOIS Join us in celebrating Heaven on Earth with vendors, artists, authors, healing practitioners and readers from throughout the Northeast Music & dynamic workshops will be offered during the Expo FREE with your admission. Like A Healing Spirit Expo on Facebook and follow us for detailed information about our events. earthangeldesign.com