Awakenings Middle East Dec-Feb 2014

Your guide to holistic and healthy living in the UAE

ISSUE 05 | DEC - FEB 2014

Your guide to holistic and healthy living in the UAE

ISSUE 05 | DEC - FEB 2014

EE FAR NIC COFFEE

BEAUTY WITHOUT E IES UA BUrevNealNthe best cruelty-free

ORG FOR EVERY READER ATEE F ICONS COF E! COUTUR See pg 6

We cosmetic brands in the UAE

Meditation for business Meditate to make more profitable decisions

Beginner’s guide to cord cutting

Drive Green UAE

Just can’t let it go? Maybe you need an energetic cord cutting

Our guide to the lowest CO2 emitting petrol cars in the UAE how does yours compare?

y 2014 Astrolog in 2014?

7-day Extreme Detox in Koh Samui

What’s in store for you

15 ways to balance your hormones

From colonic hydrotherapy to spirulina smoothies, we go hardcore detox

Get back in balance without medication

Feng Shui and wealth

Zen of Eating

How to feed your soul as well as your body

Can moving your sofa make you rich?

Meditation for business Meditate to make more profitable decisions

AED 15

ALTERNATIVE UAE DIRECTORY page 4-5 contents.indd 1

|

UAE WELLBEING CALENDAR

|

NEANDERTHAL MAN ON LOVE 12/2/13 9:24 PM

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11/23/13 10:04 AM

contents 26

8

4 6

Editor’s letter What’s happening?

Recent news and upcoming events

AWAKENED MIND

8

30

!

WIN TAINER

AN ENTER E BOOK MOBIL , E G PACKA See page 48

12

16

22

44

Meditate for More Profitable Business

Evidence shows meditation can improve business decisions and prevent expensive investment mistakes.

12 The UAE’s lowest polluting petrol cars

3

Our guide on which cars available in the UAE emit the least greenhouse gases aka CO2 aka toxic poison.

AWAKENED HEART

16 Beginner’s guide to cord cutting

Is there a person, trauma or memory you just can’t let go of? Maybe you need an energetic cord cutting.

18 Healing troubled children through play

Whether its bullying or divorcing parents, how can children heal?

AWAKENED BODY

22 15 Tips To Balance Your Hormones

Hormone imbalance wreaks havoc on your health and appearance.

Get back in balance without medication.

26 The Zen of Eating

Forget fast food and get eating back to a sacred act that feeds the soul as well as the body.

AWAKENED BEAUTY

30 Beauty without bunnies UAE

Want a mascara that hasn’t been poked in a bunny’s eye? We reveal the best cruelty-free cosmetic brands in the UAE.

36 Spa Review: Luxury organic facial

The Organic Pharmacy’s signature Rose Crystal Lymphatic Facial at Sisters Beauty Lounge.

ERIDOO CRYSTAL DIDGFO R YOU! See page 7 N IO MEDITAT

AWAKENED LIFE

38

page 4-5 contents.indd 3

Can moving your sofa make you rich? We hire a Feng Shui master to turn our home into a money magnet.

42 Astrology 2014

What the planets and stars show is in store for you in 2014.

A week of extreme wellness at in Koh Samui, Thailand.

44 7-Day detox in Thailand 48 Retail Therapy

Chakra bracelets, organic Xmas gifts, and more...

50 Healing vouchers

Get a bargain! Discount vouchers for UAE healers and practitioners.

51 UAE Holistic Listings

The A to Z of local holistic services, products, healers, centres…

58 Neanderthal man goes new age

DECEMBER - FEBRUARY 2014

Attracting wealth with Feng Shui

Diary of how life is changing for a 40-something caveman since he met the Tree Hugger. www.awakeningsme.com

12/2/13 9:24 PM

Awakening.pdf 1 11/4/2013 7:47:34 AM

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editor’s letter

Your guide to holistic and healthy living in the UAE

5

Welcome!

I

Published by

Managing Director TAMARA PITELEN tamara@awakeningsme.com Mob: +971 (0)50 843 3262 Art Director JUN RODRIGUEZ jun@awakeningsme.com Tel: +971 (0)56 754 0837 Subscriptions Manager & Motoring Editor ADRIAN MAUL adrian@awakeningsme.com Mob: +971 (0)56 676 9483 Online Content Manager HASNA RASHED hasna@awakeningsme.com Mob: +971 (0)55 985 0082 Advertising CHIDIMMA EZE chidimma@awakeningsme.com Mob: +971 (0)755 3763

t’s our first birthday! Sounds the bells, drag in the dancing girls and whip up some green smoothies because we’re celebrating. That’s right, Awakenings Middle East magazine is one year old and my goodness what a year it’s been! I’ve done a 30-day Bikram yoga challenge, a 30-day Pilates challenge, a seven-day juice fast, a seven-day detox retreat, and a 10-day silent meditation. I’ve had my villa feng shui-ed, my third eye activated, my aura aligned, my chakras cleansed and my energetic cords cut. I’ve been Reiki-ed, hypnotised, colon hydrotherapy-ed and gonged. I was also lucky enough to be flown to Oman by Porsche to spend a couple of days driving over the mountain roads in the world’s first luxury plug-in vehicle, the hybrid Porsche Panamera S. Even my cat Jake got involved when an animal communicator came round to have a telepathic chat with him. Turns out that even cats have issues. Ah yes, it’s been interesting to say the least and the thing I love most about these amazing and often profound experiences is that they’re all available in the UAE. It’s dizzying how much is happening here now. You can’t swing Jake without hitting a new organic cafe, sustainable business, yoga studio or healing centre. There’s so many workshops and seminars and services on offer; so many brilliant healers, therapists, nutritionists, instructors, so many people exploring new ideas and perspectives... this stuff could blow your mind and change your life. And, ooh, lookee over there, why, if it isn’t 2014 unfolding before us like a wondrous, magical flying carpet that’ll take us anywhere we want to go. Right then, where should we go?

Contributors KATRINA VALENTE, TIM HYDARI, ZOE KINIAS & ANDREW HAFENBRACK, NEHA JAMANI, AMY SHAH Registered at Fujairah Media Freezone Head Office, P.O. Box 4422 Fujairah, U.A.E. Tel: +971 9 224 4100 and Fax: +971 9 224 4101 Printed by UNITED PRINTING & PUBLISHING Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. © 2013 Awakenings Media. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form of advertising without the prior permission in writing from the Editor. Images from www.shutterstock.com

www.awakeningsme.com

Your guide to holistic and healthy living

in the UAE

in the UAE

ISSUE 05 | DEC - FEB 2014

Where to buy a bunny’s eye? been poked inbest cruelty-free We reveal the in the UAE cosmetic brands

Reiki for animals: Are you passing your

Beginner’s guide to cord cutting

Just can’t let it go? Maybe you need an energetic cord cutting

problems to your pet?

gy 2014 Astrolo for you in 2014?

What’s in store

Green motoring UAE UAE cars with the lowest carbon footprint

Zen of Eating

How to feed your soul as well as your body

FREE

CRYSTAL GUIDEDERIDOO DIDG ITATION MED Y FOR EVER READER See pg 7

15 ways to balance your hormones wreaks

Hormone imbalance havoc - get back in balance without medication

7-day Extreme Detox in Koh Samui

From colonic hydrotherapy to spirulina smoothies, we go hardcore detox

Feng Shui and wealth

Can moving your sofa make you rich?

for business Medittoation make more profitable decisions Meditate

‘Like’ our Facebook page (please) www.facebook.com/AwakeningsME Check out our website for stories, events and a UAE holistic directory www.awakeningsme.com Join the Meet-up group and come along to a coffee morning www.meetup.com/AwakeningsME

The Thank You list

Awakenings is a labour of love. Special thanks to Shams Larbi, Hasna Rashed, Aspen Aman, Samad Ahmad, Jun Jualag, Adam Broom, and Adrian Maul - for the advice, skill and support. Thank you as well to our friends in business who stock the magazine for us, Illuminations Wellbeing Centre, Third Eye Centre, Organic Glow Beauty Lounge, SpaDunya Club, The Holistic Institute, and Holland & Barrett.

ISSUE 05 | DEC - FEB 2014

Your guide to holistic and healthy living

BEAUTY WITHOUT UAE BUNNIES mascara that hasn’t

Tamara Pitelen

AED 15

LAST CHANCE! BE QUICK! THE ‘SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE TO AWAKENINGS MAGAZINE’ OFFER ENDS SOON!

Happy birthday to us! This issue marks the first birthday of Awakenings Middle East. When we launched in December 2012, we wanted to get as many people aware of it as quickly as possible so we did a free subscription offer. So far about 5,000 UAE residents have said, ‘send me that mag of yours for free’ but this offer is ending soon (it has to, our postal bill is getting huge!) so new subscribers will need to pay. Get in now before the offer ends, go to www.awakeningsme.com and send us your postal details via the ‘Subscribe For Free’ page.

MAN TALKS TO ROCKS UAE WELLBEING CALENDAR | NEANDERTHAL ALTERNATIVE UAE DIRECTORY |

DECEMBER - FEBRUARY 2014

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11/30/13 11:06 PM

6

happenings&events

What’s happening in your town 3 December, Middle East Natural & Organic Products Exhibition

MENOPE is the region’s only event for organic and natural products. The congress focuses on health and sustainability.

Venue: Dubai World Trade Centre - Hall 4 from 10am to 5pm Tel : +971 4 3322283 or email info@naturalproductme.com www.naturalproductme.com

20 December, Breath, Body & Mind Yoga: Holistic Yoga Approach for a Happier life

A one-day workshop based on the yogic approach to body and mind. Techniques to be taught include physical postures, breathing and cleansing techniques, reflection and relaxation, overcoming the everyday stress and tension. Nutrition will also be a major element with recipes, health guidelines and tips for health issues such as asthma, heart diseases, and diabetes.

Venue: 1101, Third Eye Centre, Saeed Tower II, Shk Zayed Rd Cost: AED 450 inclusive of lunch. Discount price of AED 400 if you pay by 13 December http://thirdeyeonline.com/ae/ COFFEE AT FREE ORGANIC COUTURE EE FF ICONS CO

World’s first no-sugaradded, stevia-sweetened lifestyle coffee chain, Icons is a luxury fashion and lifestyle coffee shop offering organic, healthy living with high fashion. Use this voucher to redeem your free organic coffee.

Venue: 1st floor, Souk al Bahar, Downtown Dubai Tel: 04 321 4330 Voucher valid until 1 March 2014 www.meeticons.com

www.awakeningsme.com

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Bestro – Raw Food Restaurant

Talk about exciting! Dubai’s first Living Raw Foods Restaurant is opening its doors! It’s called Bestro and the menu is vegan, with the exception of Raw Yemeni Honey, which is used in selected items.

Venue: Galeries Lafayette, Dubai Tel. 04 441 6407 www.facebook.com/BeStroUAE

12-26 January 2014, 100 hours Vinyasa Yoga Immersion

Sushumna Yoga is hosting a 100 hour Yoga Immersion in Vinyasa and Yoga Philosophy to develop personal practice in the tranquil surroundings of Goa. For anyone without the time or financial resources to do a full Teacher Training course in India all at once. Completion earns a Certificate of 100 hours towards their 200 hour registration (RYT) with Yoga Alliance from Sushumna.

Venue: Sushumna Yoga School, Pernem Taluka, North Goa, India.

Non-residential 100 Hours Yoga Immersion Cost: Non-residential INR 75,000 (AED 4,350)/ Full residential (double sharing) INR 116,000 (AED 6,735).

Email info@sushumna.in or call +91 9923 219 254 www.sushumna.in

MINGLE WITH AWAKENINGS READERS Meet like-minded people and chat over coffee or breakfast about really interesting stuff. How? Join the Awakenings Meet-up group at www.meetup.com/AwakeningsME and get your invite to our next get-together.

DECEMBER - FEBRUARY 2014

11/23/13 9:17 AM

happenings&events

7

What’s happening in your town 11-13 February, Solar Middle East

Running alongside the leading power event Middle East Electricity, Solar Middle East is the essential event in the solar industry calendar. Register online for your free pass to 100 international Solar exhibitors at Solar Middle East 2014.

Venue: Dubai International Exhibition Centre www.solarmiddleeast.ae

CRYSTAL FREE GUIDED M EDITATION O O ID DIDGER

Find out what happens at a guided crystal didgeridoo meditation. Suitable for beginners and advanced.

Wednesdays at 7pm in Springs 12 at the Inner Self Consultancy Garden Studio. This voucher valid until 15 January 2014. Booking required, to reserve your place email: alexandra@innerselfconsultancy.com. www.innerselfconsultancy.com

13 to 20 February 2014, Orangutans & Yoga

A Malaysian Yoga Retreat in Borneo has it all, for both adventure and nature lovers! Explore jungle trekking at different mountain zones, wild rafting in foaming rivers, and diving in calm seas there are treasures such as rare species of flora and fauna found only at Mount Kinabalu National Park, or incredible geological formations such as Mulu Caves.

Details: 7 days/ 6 nights, AED 5,950 per person (twin sharing) For more information, email livia@yogaretreats.ae or call +971 (5) 1819 527. www.yogaretreats.ae

Take the Orange Pledge to fight obesity

Wellness chain VLCC has launched an anti-obesity initiative in Dubai called the Orange Pledge.

Represented by an orange dot, it is a global call to action to urge people to achieve their health goals.

Signing up for the Orange Pledge at any VLCC center or online on www.orangepledge.com gets you a free start-up kit as well as free health check-ups and consultations at VLCC. For more information on the Orange Pledge initiative, call 800 8522 (VLCC), visit www.vlccwellness.com/UAE/ or www.facebook.com/VLCCME

18 January, Soulmates Revisited Workshop

Looking for love? This workshop will help increase your chances of finding a fulfilling relationship and bring clarity about who your ideal mate is and how to select him/her from a place of strength and awareness versus a place of weakness and loneliness.

Due to the intimate and interactive nature of this workshop, limited spots are available.

To reserve your space, email sushma@thirdeyeonline.com Cost: AED 200 (early bird price AED 150 if payment made before 12 January 2014) Venue: 1101, Third Eye Centre, Saeed Tower II, Shk Zayed Rd. 11am to 2pm. http://thirdeyeonline.com/ae/

DECEMBER - FEBRUARY 2014

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8

awakenedminds

Meditate for

More Profitable Business www.awakeningsme.com

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DECEMBER - FEBRUARY 2014

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awakenedminds

9

It’s a practice rooted in Hinduism and adopted by those seeking spiritual guidance. Now evidence shows meditation can improve business decisions and save your company from expensive investment mistakes, writes Zoe Kinias and Andrew Hafenbrack of INSEAD Knowledge.

M

editation has become an increasingly popular practice amongst the C-suite elite. With CEOs such as Rupert Murdoch (News Corp); Bill Ford (Ford Motor Company); Rick Goings (Tupperware); and Marc Benioff (Salesforce.com) all touting its benefits, executive coaches are picking up on the trend introducing mindful techniques to programmes to calm the mind’s ‘chatter’, assist focus and manage stress.

But new empirical evidence suggests it’s more than just a ‘feel good’ exercise, and as little as 15 minutes of meditation can actually help people make better, more profitable decisions, by increasing resistance to the ‘sunk cost bias’.

The sunk cost bias - also known as the sunk cost fallacy or the sunk cost effect - is recognised as one of the most destructive cognitive biases affecting organisations today. Put simply, it’s the tendency to continue an endeavour once an investment has been made in an attempt to recoup or justify ‘sunk’ irrecoverable costs. The phenomenon is not new; psychological scientists have been studying the ‘escalation of commitment’ since the mid-1970s, noting its ability to distort rational thought and skew effective decision-making. Often it’s a subconscious action, which can result in millions of dollars being invested into a project, not because it’s a sound investment but because millions of dollars have already been spent.

DECEMBER - FEBRUARY 2014

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AVOIDING THE TRAP

But it’s a mind trap you can avoid as suggested by the paper Debiasing the Mind Through Meditation: Mindfulness and the Sunk Cost Bias by Andrew Hafenbrack, INSEAD PhD student in Organisational Behaviour, Zoe Kinias, INSEAD Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour and Sigal Barsade, the Joseph Frank Bernstein Professor of Management at The Wharton School.

Their research shows just 15 minutes

of mindfulness meditation – such as concentrating on breathing or doing a body scan – helps raise resistance to this problematic decision process, and open the way to more rational thinking.

“Prior research shows the more we invest in something (financially, emotionally, or otherwise), the harder it is to give up that investment and the more inclined we are to escalate a commitment,” Hafenbrack notes. “In many cases negative emotions; fear, anxiety, regret, even guilt or worry over cont. overleaf

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11/23/13 9:18 AM

10

awakenedminds cont. from pg9

past decisions, subconsciously play a part in the decision-making process.”

Most noted examples include the U.S. military campaigns in Vietnam in the 1960s, and more recently in the Middle East, when mounting casualties made it increasingly difficult for the U.S. government to withdraw.

On the business front companies regularly fall victim to the bias when faced with decisions on whether to pump money into a product after being scooped by a competitor, or to continue an investment as costs skyrocket beyond initial estimates.

Sometimes it’s a matter of a product just not selling as well as expected, as was the case with the Concorde supersonic jet when France and Britain continued their investment long after it was known the aircraft was going to be unprofitable.

The sunk cost bias can also be exacerbated by anticipated regret, the result of thinking too much about what may, or may not, occur in the future.

BUILDING RESISTANCE

It is the result, says Kinias, of both emotional and temporal processes. MRI brain scans show the mind’s natural state constantly jumps around, flicking between ideas, switching from the past to the future to the present in seconds.

Through a series of studies Hafenbrack, Kinias and Barsade hypothesised, and found that mindfulness meditation, by focusing on the present, quiets this mind-wandering process, diminishing the negative feelings that distort thinking, thereby boosting resistance to the sunk cost bias.

They began the research with a correlational study demonstrating the link between trait mindfulness and an individual’s ability to resist sunk costs.

As people vary in how mindful they are by disposition, volunteers were first assessed for this trait. They were then asked to make decisions based on ten scenarios. Some were business-related;

All volunteers were then given a sunk-cost dilemma and asked to make a decision. In each study – whether it was online or in the laboratory - volunteers who had undergone mindfulness practice were significantly more likely to resist the sunk cost bias.

LETTING GO

others were simple choices like whether to attend a music festival that had been paid for when illness and bad weather made enjoyment unlikely. As expected, the results indicated that higher trait mindfulness in volunteers translated into their having more resistance to include sunk costs in their decisionmaking process.

In subsequent studies the team looked at the causal relationship between mindfulness meditation and the sunk cost bias in both laboratory and online settings. In each case, one group of volunteers was led through a breathing meditation (a form of mindfulness meditation) while another (the control group) underwent a mind-wandering induction, a simple procedure replicating the normal mental state.

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What was surprising, says Kinias, was the magnitude of the affect that came after such a short period of meditation. “In one of our experiments more than half the participants in the control condition committed the sunk cost bias whereas only 22 per cent committed it following the 15 minute mindfulness meditation - that’s a pretty dramatic effect.”

“There may be cases when processing of the past can be useful for making decisions,” she concedes, “but what our research suggests is that people make better choices in the present moment when letting go of sunk costs is required to make the best decision.”

ZOE KINIAS, INSEAD Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour, and Andrew Hafenbrack, INSEAD PhD student in Organisational Behaviour with Jane Williams, Editor, Knowledge Arabia. This article is printed courtesy of INSEAD Knowledge, INSEAD Abu Dhabi campus, Copyright INSEAD 2013.

DECEMBER - FEBRUARY 2014

11/23/13 9:18 AM

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12

awakenedlife

Revealed!

The UAE’s lowest polluting petrol cars You can’t afford one of few hybrids available in the UAE but you want to reduce the amount of toxic CO2 you’re pumping into the air (you know, the deadly greenhouse gases that are contributing to climate change) – what do you do? Read our guide on which cars available in the UAE produce the lowest amounts of CO2…

Words by Adrian Maul.

www.awakeningsme.com

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awakenedlife

consumption figure I have used is the combined figure which is an average of the urban and extra urban parts of the test, weighted by the distances covered in each part. Both parts of the test are run on a rolling road as follows: w The urban test covers a distance of 4km with a series of accelerations,

I

n the last issue of Awakenings (SeptNov 2013), we looked at hybrid cars in the UAE and I concluded that the most eco-friendly cars available in the Emirates were high-end luxury brands such as the hybrid Porsche, Lexus, Fisker Karma, and soon the Maclaren P1.

However, many people can’t afford a high-end hybrid so now and in future issues, I reveal the most environmentally-conscious, lowest CO2 emitting vehicles available from petrol and hybrid cars in all classes, from superminis to SUVs. That’s a lot of cars so for this issue, I look at the most efficient cars in the following classes: w Superminis w Small, medium and large saloons w Small, medium and large prestige These cars may be hybrids or exclusively powered by petrol engines that have good fuel efficiency and low CO2 emissions. I have excluded diesels as the manufacturers claim that because the quality of diesel available in the UAE is poor and it’s significantly more expensive than petrol, they do not tend to supply diesels for this market.

I have only taken into account cars and engines that are available in the UAE, and graded them for their economy and emissions, but if there’s a car just outside the top three that’s worth a mention for some reason, I’ve highlighted it.

Where available, I have used the European standards for fuel consumption (Directive 93/116/EC) and CO2 emissions since these statistics are not formalised for the UAE. The fuel

DECEMBER - FEBRUARY 2014

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13

steady speeds, decelerations and idling. Maximum speed is 50kmh, average speed 19kmh. w The extra urban test covers a distance of 7km, again with a series of accelerations, steady speeds, decelerations and idling.

Maximum speed is 120kmh, average speed 63kmh.

Superminis

This class of car falls between the very small city cars such as the Fiat 500 or Smart car. There is a wide range available across the manufacturers, and for this survey I considered 21 different cars. The Mitsubishi Mirage wins the Supermini class. It has a 1.2 litre 3 cylinder engine mated to a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) wide ratio gearbox to keep the engine speed optimal for performance and fuel economy. Not the quickest car on the block, well actually fairly slow. For those wanting a little more agility and style then the Audi A1 would make a good option, still with very impressive fuel economy and emission figures, but with a bit more oomph to get you along that little bit quicker. One to also consider would be the Alfa Romeo Mito, which is a little quicker again than the Audi A1, but still returns good economy and emissions at 5.6l/km and CO2 of 129g/km.

1 2 3

Car

Engine 1.2

Top Speed 0-100 kph Economy l/100km 167 13.8 4.7

Mitsubishi Mirage Hyundai i20 Audi A1

96

41,900

1.2 1.4

168 203

114 118

36,900 90,400

12.7 8.9

4.9 5.1

CO2 g/km Price AED

Small Family Car

The small family car class are between 4.1m and 4.75m long, they sit four adults in relative comfort. Again this class includes a large number of vehicles and for this survey I considered 36 cars of which the iconic VW Golf is the winner. VW have made great advances with petrol engine technology, their TSI engine range which are turbo-charged and sometimes super-charged as well, combined with direct fuel injection have proved to provide a very small engine capable of great economy, low emissions and remarkable power output. For those on a smaller budget then the Toyota and Kia are also a good option.

1 2 3

Car

Engine 1.2

Top Speed 0-100 kph Economy l/100km 192 10.2 4.9

Volkswagen Golf Toyota Yaris Sedan Kia Rio

CO2 g/km Price AED 115

79,900

1.3

175

11.7

5.4

123

48,600

1.4

183

12.5

6.4

150

42,000 cont. overleaf

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11/23/13 9:20 AM

14

awakenedlife

cont. from pg13

Medium\Large Size Family Car

I have combined the medium and large family cars as there are so few large family cars to stand-alone. This size of car comfortably seats four to five adults, they tend to have much more luggage space than their smaller counterparts. I considered 25 cars in this class.

The winner for this class with impressively low economy and CO2 emission figures was the Mazda 6. The Peugeot is another good example of how smaller engine development has come along in recent years, with the ability of a smaller engine out-performing on speed and acceleration much larger engines. Peugeot uses variable valve technology combined with a high pressure turbo and stop start technology to produce smaller highly efficient engines that can effectively compete on performance with much larger engines, whilst reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

Car 1 2 3

Engine

Mazda 6 2.0 Peugeot 508 1.6 Nissan Altima 2.5

Top Speed 210 220 223

0-100 kph Economy l/100km 10.5 5.9 9.2 6.2 8 7.5

CO2 g/km Price AED 129 144 173

75,000 87,000 77,000

Premium Compact

The premium compact class of cars is fairly exclusive; I only found 12 cars to compare here across a number of manufacturers that were primarily European. This class of car is aimed at two adults sitting in the front. Rear seats could fit children but may be a little cramped for larger adults. The winner here is the first hybrid to be encountered, and as a result the Lexus with its hybrid transmission produces extremely good figures that beat its competitors hands down. The Lexus CT is not a plug-in hybrid, so relies on using the engine and regenerative forces from coasting and braking to recharge the batteries. For those of you that feel the Alfa or BMW in second and third place are a little too small then there is a choice of the BMW 3 Series or Audi A4 which are a very close joint fourth with identical fuel consumption and emissions.

Car

Engine

Top Speed

0-100 kph

Economy l/100km

CO2 g/ km

Price AED

1

Lexus CT

1.8h

182

10.3

3.8

87

138,000

2

Alfa Romeo Giulietta

1.4

218

7.7

5.2

121

105,000

3

BMW 1 Series

1.6

210

8.5

8.5

129

99,000

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ADVANCES IN PETROL ENGINE ECONOMY Petrol engines have advanced significantly over the past few years as a result of stricter worldwide emission standards.

Many manufacturers are now producing smaller more efficient engines with the same power of much larger engines.

This is achieved through a number of techniques: Compressing the air prior to combustion, thus increasing the amount of oxygen available to burn. This can be done with turbochargers, superchargers, or in some cases a combination of both.

Direct fuel injection where the petrol is pressurised and the amount of fuel injected into the cylinder accurately controlled depending on the engine load.

Improved transmission by using gearboxes, which maintain the engine at its optimum efficiency for more of the time.

Using tyres with low rolling resistance.

Tyre manufactures like Bridgestone have also made great improvements to tyre technology recognising that reducing the resistance between the tyre and the road surface contributes significantly to a car’s overall performance.

Reducing the resistance between moving parts by using highly machined and polished moving parts, combined with efficient lubricants in the engine and transmission of cars.

Improved aerodynamics of cars reduces their resistance to moving through the air and consequently the load on the engine, ultimately improving fuel efficiency and emissons.

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Executive Car

This class of car is probably the most popular class of the premium brands with cars that can transport up to five adults in comfort.

These again are primarily from Europe with a few Japanese marques in there also. I looked at 13 different cars in this class.

All of these cars are very close to one another for economy and emissions and there is very little to separate them, though the Mercedes is the winner. The Audi and BMW are very close joint third place, but the car also well worth a mention is the second placed Lexus as through its hybrid technology it is significantly more powerful, yet with very favourable economy and emissions figures.

1 2 3 3

Car

Engine

0-100 kph Economy l/100km 8 6

CO2 g/km

Price AED

2.0

Top Speed 240

Mercedes E Class Lexus GS450 Audi A6 BMW 5 Series

140

174,692

3.5h 2.0 2.0

250 226 235

5.9 8.3 7.9

141 145 149

275,000 162,400 198,000

6.1 6.4 6.4

Large Executive Cars

This is the crème de la crème of luxury motoring – very important for the UAE due to the number of affluent residents. For this class of car I looked at 17 different vehicles from manufacturers across the globe. All of these cars sit five adults very comfortably and are often used as limousines or chauffer-driven private vehicles.

In the large executive class it is interesting that the top three are all German manufactured, the top two of course are hybrids. The winner though, by a very long way, is the Porsche Panamera S Hybrid.

Its plug-in hybrid technology beats every other car in the survey for fuel efficiency and emissions. This class of car tends to be plagued with vehicles with large engines although BMW are launching a 4.5l 7 Series hybrid and Lexus produce a 5.0l hybrid in this class, which are efficient cars for their performance, but unfortunately do not make the top three here.

Car

1 2 3

Engine Top Speed 0-100 kph Economy CO2 g/km l/100km Porsche Panamera 3.0h 270 5.5 3.1 71 S Hybrid Mercedes S Class 3.5h 250 6.8 6.3 147 BMW 7 Series 3.0 250 7.4 8.6 199

SUMMARY

The overall winner is the Porsche Panamera S Hybrid. The Porsche benefits from plug-in hybrid technology so it can be recharged from a domestic or commercial style electric socket making recharging the batteries much cheaper and more efficient than relying on the engine and brake regeneration alone. When asked

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Price AED 485,600 410,306 359,000

about Porsche’s policy on environmentally friendly cars in the Middle East Christer Ekberg, the Managing Director of Porsche Middle East and Africa FZE, stated, “Porsche engineers are continually looking for ways how to lower fuel consumption, further reduce emissions of pollutants and CO2 and incorporate more recoverable materials.”

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The manufacturer with most cars in the top three is BMW, their efficient twin turbo engines produces high power whilst maintaining good economy.

BMW is about to start supplying hybrid cars to the UAE so may well perform even better next time round.

The manufacturer with the most hybrids on offer in the UAE is Lexus with four models, two of which made the grade into our top three of class.

With the exception of the CT, Lexus interestingly use hybrid technology to make larger engines able to compete with their smaller counterparts on economy and emissions, but as a result have significantly more powerful cars offering a solution to the environmentally-minded driver who likes a little bit of performance in their car.

Out of the 19 cars listed here, nine are manufactured in Germany, which could give the impression that premium German brands are leading the way on environmentally-friendly cars, however the reality is that none of the mainstream manufacturers that produce hybrid cars, such as Toyota, Nissan, Peugeot, Chevrolet etc. have made them available in the UAE yet; all claiming that the infrastructure necessary is not in place to support them. I feel that this is a fairly feeble excuse, if the high-end brands such as Porsche, Lexus, Mercedes and soon BMW can do it, why can’t they? Had I written this article for the UK then it would have a completely different set of results, check out www.cleangreencars.co.uk to see what is available there.

Interestingly though, Toyota has supplied 20 hybrid Camry to the RTA following a three-year trial, which were found to have saved around 33 per cent on fuel and emissions over their petrol counterparts. Nissan has also announced at the Dubai International Motor Show that it will be supplying hybrid Pathfinders in the UAE shortly. Manufacturers are starting to realise that there is a market for eco-friendly cars in the UAE, they just need that little extra push from buyers.

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awakenedheart

Beginner’s guide to

cord cutting

Is there a person, trauma or memory you just can’t let go of? Maybe you need a cord cutting. Awakenings magazine sat down with intuitive energy healer Seda Goksel to get a lesson in cords and cutting them. Words by Tamara Pitelen.

E

ven the most non-spiritual person can usually accept the idea that humans form attachments to each other. The ‘ties that bind’, ‘tying the knot’ or the ‘bonds of love’ are old terms used to describe these types of emotional connections.

Whether it’s your friends, siblings, parents, or children, we all create emotional or energetic connections to others and many believe this doesn’t only happen between people but that we also create connections to animals, habits, emotional patterns, money, belief systems, and so on.

While it’s natural to form these attachments, it’s not always in your best interest, says Seda Goksel, Dubai-based Hypnotherapist and intuitive Energy Healer.

“Cords to and from others drain their energy and ours. Detach those cords and people can again take responsibility for their lives and use their energy for their own growth and evolvement. Cutting cords enhances our relationships and brings more happiness into our lives.”

Are these cords real things that can’t be seen with the naked eye or are they metaphorical cords that just exist in our minds? That depends on your belief system

but in fact it doesn’t really matter whether you think they’re real or not. Whether you believe it’s an imagined connection or a real attachment, cutting these cords can be beneficial and it’s a technique that clinical hypnotherapists often use to free a person from a disturbing memory.

So, what’s it all about? Awakenings magazine asked Seda to give us an introduction for beginners.

Let’s start with the basics; what are energetic cords or attachments?

SG: “When I see cords on a client, they can appear in different forms. Sometimes I see them as a rope, sometimes I see them as pins stuck in people or perhaps a sword in someone’s heart because they have had their heart broken. The sword is attached to a cord from the other person.

I’ve also seen attachments appear as leeches or splinters on people. There are two kinds of cords, those that others have attached to you and those that you have attached to others.”

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Do we only have these cords between important people in our lives?

SG: “No, an energetic cord is automatically formed with every person or situation in your life, even people sitting next to you in a cafe. I believe we also have cords with past lives partners, memories and

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Can you describe how these negatives cords effect us?

SG: “The attachment is holding you back.

Imagine that someone has put a ball and chain around your ankle, would you be able to move forward with ease? No, it’s the same with energetic cords. Or maybe your hands are tied but your feet are free so you are still moving but you get the sense of being limited. If I see the attachments as leeches sucking your blood that shows me that your energy is being drained.”

Does it ever go wrong?

traumas. For example, let’s say you can’t move forward in life because when you were young you were left traumatised by a very bad car accident so now whenever you get into a car to drive somewhere you get this sense of anxiety or a panic attack but you’re not sure why. It’s a cord to the trauma.

“Even with relationships, say you’ve been in a relationship and this former partner used to emotionally abuse you.

Now, every time you get in a relationship you put a wall up because you are afraid that the next person will do the same thing. This is because you have cords attached to these past relationships so what we do is cut all the negative cords so you can move forward. Cutting cords is basically helping you move forward.”

So basically, we’re all absolutely covered in energetic cords to all sorts of situations and people?

SG: “Yes and you have positive cords and negative cords so when we do a cord cutting we only cut away the negative cords. I believe that some people have attachments because they need to learn a lesson in this life so when I do cord cutting I ask that only those cords be cut that do not serve you in your highest good, in other words I let God decide what goes and what stays.”

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SG: “It can’t really go wrong although I did have a client who came to me for a cord cutting and the next day he texted that he had to see me urgently because after the cord cutting he’d had lower back pain that was so intense he couldn’t sleep. So he came to me for Reiki and I saw that we hadn’t healed the area where the cord had been cut so I gave him

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Reiki healing and after that he was fine.

So it’s very important to heal where the cords are cut.”

But surely there are millions of people who go through life never getting any cords cut? They don’t seem any worse off than those who do. Can cords be cut naturally without any effort?

SG: “Yes, if you’re doing any of the hundreds of healing modalities available – from counseling to hypnotherapy, Reiki... even just a good cry with a close friend, that can also break off attachments that no longer serve you. But if someone never does anything to get rid of whatever issue is holding them back, then they can spend their lives repeating the same patterns and getting ever more bitter because they don’t understand why they can’t find a partner, or never get promoted, or can’t stand up to a bully in their life, whatever it is.”

HOW TO GET YOUR CORDS CUT So you want to try cord cutting? There are many approaches that fall into two categories, Do It Yourself or Hire a Professional. You can get someone else to do it for you, for example, a hypnotherapist or an energy healer who practices a modality like Theta Healing, Reiki, or Spiritual Response Therapy. To find a therapist in the UAE, see the Listings directory in the back pages of this magazine or go to the Holistic Directory at www.awakeningsme.com.

To make an appointment with Seda Goksel, email sedagoksel@hotmail.com (see page 50 to get your discount voucher for a session with Seda).

For the DIY approach, here are some suggestions: Guided meditation: Go to www.youtube.com and search ‘cord cutting meditation’. There are countless videos that will guide you through the process. Play a few till you find one you like.

DIY cord cutting: If you’d like to try it yourself, here is a summary of the process as described by Clinical Hypnotherapist Katherine Zimmerman (www.trancetime.com): w Get relaxed and turn your attention inward or drop into a state of hypnosis w Imagine standing behind your body w See or feel a “cord/s” running into your body along the back w Trace the cord to its source. Who or what is at the other end? w If you have anything to say to this person, express yourself fully. w When the dialogue is complete, pull the cord out of you and the other person/event and send the person/event away. w Dispose of the cord (burn it, bury it, send it to the sun) w Fill in the opening where the “cord” was attached to you with a colour that feels good. w Imagine standing in front of your body and repeat the sequence. w Notice how you feel physically, emotionally and mentally. Imagine yourself in the future. What is possible now that hasn’t been possible before?

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awakenedlife

Healing

troubled children through play Whether its bullying or divorcing parents, where do children turn when they’re experiencing psychological difficulties? Play therapist Tim Hydari explains Play Therapy.

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icture this. You’re struggling with a problem but your loved ones can’t understand what’s bothering you. Maybe you can’t explain it clearly, as mental and emotional states can be hard to pinpoint.

So you seek professional help. You look for a counselor, a psychotherapist, psychologist or psychiatrist and during your first session with this person, you nervously describe yourself, your life, and the difficulties you are facing. You hope that this information will be received without judgment and that it will be professionally analysed and reflected back.

Now imagine the same scenario but with one modification. You are not an educated, experienced and articulate adult. You are instead a child who is still developing physically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually. Suddenly this scenario, aimed at facilitating healing is counterproductive. This is because most young children don’t have the cognitive skills necessary to verbalise their thoughts and feelings and therefore their inner world. So it begs the question, where do children turn when they’re experiencing psychological difficulties?

Anxiety, attention deficit, disruptive behaviour, developmental delay and persistent feelings of sadness are just some of the mental health problems that 20 per cent of children worldwide suffer from, according to The World Health Organisation. Some of the stressors that lead to mental health concerns include (but are not limited to) peer problems, bullying, struggling with schoolwork, death in the family, illness of a parent, family financial problems, parents’ separation or divorce and natural disasters.

method that builds on the normal communicative and learning processes of children. The aim is to alleviate a child’s mild, moderate and severe psychological difficulties whilst preventing the opportunity for new ones to form. The field has roots stemming back almost a century. Luminaries such as Anna Freud, Melanie Klein, Margaret Lowenfeld, Virginia Axline, Violet Oaklander, Carl Moustakas and Gary Landreth have all significantly contributed to its growth as a viable and worthwhile treatment modality in Europe and North America.

More recently Play Therapy United Kingdom (PTUK), an organisation aimed at furthering good practice of therapeutic work with children as well as improving children’s emotional literacy and alleviating their behaviour and mental health problems, has worked with the Professional Standards Authority (PSA), to have play therapy registered as an accredited and essential health and social care occupation.

While there are other treatment methods available to children struggling with mental health issues, play therapy is now accepted and understood

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internationally as an effective and crucial mental health intervention choice for children. Recent studies, including a meta-analysis of 94 research studies, have proven its clinical effectiveness and efficacy across modalities, settings, age and gender. This is largely because play is the natural world of the child and it is through play that children learn about themselves, others and their environment.

CHILD’S PLAY

To understand play therapy we need to be clear about the concept of play. Play is a child’s natural form of exploration and communication. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has identified play as a right for all children to achieve optimum development. The American Academy of Pediatrics identified its significance in a child’s overall wellbeing. Some examples are motor play (integrating muscles, nerves and brain functions), social play (reciprocity, cooperation and sharing), constructive play (controlling and mastering their environment), fantasy play (flexible thinking) and games with rules (social contracts).

TROUBLED CHILDREN

Thankfully, there is hope for troubled children. An effective treatment option continues to develop worldwide and is now available in the UAE. Called Play Therapy, the treatment is an interpersonal, non-invasive and non-judgmental psychotherapeutic

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cont. overleaf

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awakenedlife cont. from pg19

However children experiencing psychological difficulties tend to limit themselves or completely eliminate certain types of play, usually to the detriment of their development, or engage in solely egocentric or even antisocial forms of it. It is a play therapist’s role to watch for patterns and themes in children’s play so as to create responses that produce therapeutic movement.

Play also provides children with a safe psychological distance from which to address their problems. Why is it that occupational therapists, speech therapists, physical therapists and other human service providers use therapeutic play with toys and games to facilitate treatment goals? This is because children, in a non-threatening environment, are more willing to engage in the therapeutic process and express their thoughts and feelings, as well as assimilate information and ideas, without fear of being judged.

Essentially this engagement helps the therapist avoid fighting an uphill battle.

PLAY AS THERAPY • Play therapy has helped children: • Become more responsible for their behaviours; • Develop safer, more adaptive and more successful coping strategies; • Develop new and creative solutions to problems; • Change the way they think about, feel toward and resolve concerns; • Improve their social skills; • Develop respect and acceptance of self and others; • Learn to experience and express emotion; • Cultivate empathy and respect for others; • Develop self-efficacy and thus a better assuredness about their abilities; • Enhance cognitive development through the removal of dysfunctional thinking.

ART AS EXPRESSION

The difference between play and play therapy is the presence of a therapist.

During a play therapy session, the therapist is able to analytically deliberate on what is verbally, non-verbally and symbolically occurring in the child’s play and creative activities whilst facilitating an environment for healing through the implementation of psychotherapeutic principles. Toys, for example, allow for creative and emotional expression, testing of limits, and role-playing reality and play therapists have a sound theoretical rationale for selecting and placing toys and material in the Play Therapy playroom. This symbolic play allows children to express the unmanageable in manageable ways.

Play therapists watch for patterns and themes in children’s play so as to create responses that produce therapeutic movement. So in a way the therapist is facilitating a supportive environment for communication.

As mental health professionals, play therapists are specifically trained to use children’s play as the basis of therapeutic interaction, strategically using it to help children express what’s troubling them. Play Therapists attempt to facilitate a healing environment by drawing out the therapeutic powers of play through the adoption of particular therapy principles and the use of unstructured and structured games and activities. One of the therapeutic powers of play which are accessed include catharsis, a purging of undesired or stuck feelings.

When a child has experienced a stressful or traumatic event, the trauma often remains

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stuck in the nonverbal parts of the brain (the amygdala, thalamus, hypocampus, or brain stem). However the ability to think through and process these events takes place in the frontal lobes. So how does a child move the trauma from a place where it is doing more harm, to a place where it can be resolved? Essentially the treatment needs to incorporate the sensations and actions that have become stuck. Playing out the event assists the brain in moving the memory from the non-verbal parts to the frontal lobes and therefore giving the child an opportunity to process, organise and integrate the traumatic sensations and actions.

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LANGUAGE OF TOY

There are many other therapeutic powers of play, including but not limited to attachment formation (forming a trusting, accepting, respectful, reliable and consistent relationship with an adult role model), abreaction (playing out and resolving through play, past traumatic experiences), wish fulfilment (expressing desires possibly unacceptable or unattainable in a non-judgmental and safe environment), and mastery of thoughts, feelings and fears (usually through the use of metaphor). For the therapeutic powers to be safely and

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fully accessed, a play therapist will apply principles to facilitate healing. At the same time, toys allow for creative and emotional expression, testing of limits, and role-playing reality and Play Therapists have a sound theoretical rationale for selecting and placing toys and material in the Play Therapy playroom. Play Therapy International (PTI), an affiliate of PTUK, has a prescribed toolkit, which includes sand, art, clay, music, storytelling, puppets, creative visualisation and drama.

Children benefitting from play therapy typically range from age three through to 13, however adolescents and adults can benefit as well, mainly from the creative arts aspect of play therapy. Whilst some interventions have lasted for six weeks, with one or two sessions a week, others have gone on for as long as six months to a year. The length very much depends on the child and the severity of the difficulty he or she is facing and is therefore decided by the therapist on a case-by-case basis. Importantly, outcomes of the process are measured through the collection of qualitative and quantitative data at the beginning, middle and end of the intervention. Remember that, by the age of around three, children are able to imbue symbolic meaning onto their play, which reveals that while the toys they use are like their words, the play itself acts as their language. Your child might be communicating his or her inner world to you right now and if there is a problem it is essential you begin to listen so that you can seek out appropriate help. The best way to listen is to play. What is your child telling you today?

An accredited Play Therapist and Trainee Supervisor, Tim Hydari trained with the Academy of Play and Child Psychotherapy (APAC), he has a postgraduate Diploma in Practice Based Play Therapy and a Masters degree in Developmental and Therapeutic Play. He is a member of Play Therapy International (PTI) and the Association of Therapeutic Playwork. Tim’s aim is to enlighten, empower and heal children, parents and families. To enquire about Play Therapy, contact Tim through Breath and Health Alternative Medical Centre on 04 348 9940. www.breathandhealth.net

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awakenedbody

Tips

to Balance your Hormones

(without taking hormones!)

Hormone imbalance can wreak havoc on your health, appearance and life enjoyment. Dr Amy Shah gives her top tips for getting back in balance without medication.

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strogen, progesterone, testosterone, thyroid, cortisol, insulin etc. We’ve heard the names and we may even know how some of them function, but let’s be honest: This stuff is complicated! I wrote this to make it easy for you.

I’ve been trying to figure hormones out for years (college, medical school, and beyond) and during my journey, I’ve learned some solutions that keep coming up in the literature and from the experts.

I found that these often mitigate the need for exogenous hormones.

Let me say it a different way: Do not take hormones if you haven’t tried some or all of the natural methods below!

Even healthy women and men who follow a good diet may find issues with fatigue, weight gain, brain fog etc. Balancing your hormones is not that difficult and can boost your personal and professional life in ways you never imagined.

muffins, bagels, pasta, pretzels and other snack foods. I’d go further and suggest you do a trial off of wheat completely for one month. When you reintroduce it, journal your symptoms to see if you should stay off of it permanently.

2 3

things. Examples of oils to avoid: vegetable oil, peanut oil, canola oil, soybean oil, margarine, shortening, or other chemically altered fats. Choose fats/ oils like coconut oil, real butter, olive oil (don’t heat!) and animal fats (tallow, lard) from healthy sources instead and eat lots of high Omega-3 fish (if you eat fish).

4

Supplement with omega-3 fatty acids.

Getting more polyunsaturated omega-3 fats is one of the easiest ways you can balance your hormones. This can be in the form of oily fish or for vegan algae oil.

Chia seeds, flaxseed and walnuts all have alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is more difficult to convert to usable omega-3.

Steer clear of commercial oils Many commercial oils contain omega-6 fats that lead to heart disease and hormonal imbalance, amongst other

23

Sorry to say this but... limit caffeine Excessive caffeine raises your cortisol and slows down your thyroid. This leads to chronic fatigue, weight gain around your abdomen, vulnerability to colds and flu, and craving unhealthy foods, to name just a few symptoms. That’s not to say that you can’t ever have caffeine, but try to pair it with good fatty food for a slow release of the stimulant. (For tips on how to healthify your coffee, cont. overleaf

1

Here are the top tips: Avoid ‘white’ foods.

In Dr. Christiane Northrup’s HormoneBalancing Food Plan (check it out at www.drnorthrup.com) she asks patients to eliminate refined carbohydrates, such as sugar, white rice, bread, alcohol, and foods made with white flour, such as

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awakenedbody cont. from pg23

Dave Asprey has invented a recipe for Bulletproof Coffee, which uses a similar concept. Get that recipe at www. bulletproofexec.com/how-to-make-yourcoffee-bulletproof-and-your-morning-too/)

5

Eat coconut oil and avocados And other healthy sources of saturated fat. This is the best way to boost testosterone or female hormones.

Cholesterol is needed for formation of healthy cell membranes and is a precursor to all steroid hormones (progesterone, estrogen, FSH, etc). We cannot have proper hormonal balance without adequate amounts of saturated fats.

6

Fix your leptin Leptin is a hormone that regulates hunger and metabolism. We can create a deficiency in our leptin levels by consuming too much sugar or processed foods, or by skimping on sleep—and as a result, we can experience more food cravings and a slower metabolism. The fix? Eat whole foods, steer clear of sugar, and get some sleep.

7

Consider supplementing with Vitamin D Vitamin D acts like a hormone in our bodies, and deficiency has been linked to allergies, asthma, weight gain, fatigue, food allergies and even cancer. It’s best obtained from the sun but often sunlight

is not enough. Vitamin D levels can be tested by your healthcare provider, and supplemental vitamin D can be found in various forms.

8

Consider maca root Maca root is tuber in the radish family that has a history of boosting hormone production and libido. Many women notice fewer PMS symptoms, increased fertility, and improved skin while men notice increased sperm production, libido, and

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better sleep. Maca is also high in minerals and essential fatty acids, making it great for hormones. It tastes good in a smoothie and is also available in capsule form.

9

Get your fibre on Get more fiber into your diet with raw fruit, and raw vegetables. Fiber binds itself to old estrogen, clearing it out of the system, and leading to better overall balance. This is good for men and women who suffer from estrogen dominance.

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include cosmetics, cleaning compounds, baby and children’s toys, food storage containers, furniture and carpets, computers, phones, and appliances.

13

Manage your stress.

Even if you’re doing everything else right, if you’re stressed out, high levels of cortisol will throw all your hormones off balance. While high levels of cortisol are typically thought of as something that affect only people struggling with weight gain, even thin people have to worry about cortisol: researchers at Yale University, for example, found that slender women who had high cortisol also had more abdominal fat.

10 11

Eat more phytonutrients I’m talking raw, green plants, three to five servings a day. That’s a lot but it’s not hard if you incorporate vegetables into a smoothie at the beginning of the day and then eat a salad later.

Do eight sprint exercises a few times a week I am a sucker for long, slow cardio so this one was hard for me, but it works. It gives you an endorphin high and slows down aging. My favorite take on this is to warm up for two to three minutes on the treadmill, then increase the speed to a 30-second sprint. (That pace that works for me is about 8.0 to 8.5 mph or 12.5 to 13.5 kmh.) Then decrease the speed to a comfortable jog (in my case, about 6 mph or 9 kmh). Do the sprints eight times and you’re done! It’s quick but exhausting.

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Recognise the hormone disruptors in your bathroom We just know the tip of the iceberg with regards to chemical hormone endocrine disruptors. It’s too hard to avoid everything but try to avoid these:

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w Parabens w Phthalates w Bisphenol-A (BPA) The comprehensive list of endocrine disruptors is about 1000 and we don’t even know all of them. To see the full list, go to TEDX at http:// endocrinedisruption.org. TEDX is an international non-profit dedicated to compiling and disseminating the scientific evidence on the health and environmental problems caused by low-level exposure to chemicals in every day products that interfere with development and function, called endocrine disruptors. These products

14 15

Consider weaning off synthetic hormones such as birth control pills.

Unless it’s absolutely necessary for birth control or another condition, I suggest you read an excellent post on the Mind Body Green website at www. mindbodygreen.com called ‘14 things I wish all women knew about the pill’.

If you have menstrual or menopause issues, try chasteberry.

Chasteberry (aka vitex, monk’s pepper) is believed to work by suppressing the release of prolactin from the pituitary gland. Elevated prolactin levels can also cause an irregular menstrual cycle or even the absence of periods. Chasteberry is also included in many herbal combinations to help with PMS or menopause symptoms.

For more information, go to http://nccam.nih.gov/health/chasteberry

AMY SHAH M.D. is a practicing physician in Arizona, US. She is Board Certified in both Allergy/Immunology as well as Internal Medicine. She has a special interest in alternative health, hormones and fitness.

Dr. Shah’s academic credentials include training at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, Beth Israel Deaconness/Harvard Medical School in Boston, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Cornell University. www.amyshahmd.com This feature is reprinted with the kind permission of Mind Body Green – ‘Your Guide to Wellness’, go to www.mindbodygreen.com.

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awakenedminds

The Zen of Eating Forget fast food and instant gratification, eating should be a sacred act that nourishes the soul as well as the body. So, where have we gone wrong? Neha Jamani explains.

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ncient yogis from many traditions considered eating to be a sacred act, where one living part of nature integrates into another living being. In stark contrast, eating seems to be anything but sacred in our fast-food age. For many, eating today has devolved into a purely physical act to provide sustenance for the body -- but definitely not for the soul.

The start of a new year is a traditional time to reevaluate your life and health so you might be contemplating improving your diet in 2014. Perhaps you’re facing a health crisis or some sort of spiritual awakening that involves taking more care on how what you eat impacts you and the planet; or maybe you are in a new relationship and just want to feel and look better for your partner.

Whatever your motivation, you’ve decided to eat in a healthier or a more ethical way but sooner or later, you’ll probably realise that ‘improving’ your diet is not as straightforward as you imagined.

Buy any book on diet or nutrition and you will find plenty of persuasive advice on what you ‘should’ and ‘should not’ eat. Pick another book and you’ll find equally convincing advice contradicting the first.

FAT CHANCE

Many mainstream books on nutrition advise us to limit our intake of fat, yet an increasingly prominent minority contends that traditional animal fats are good for us.

One diet may push honey as a superfood; another says it’s just as harmful as any other sugar. Some experts say supplements are absolutely essential for good health, while others contend they just give you ‘expensive pee’. You’ll discover that there are diets based on religion, ethics, nutritional philosophy, anthropology, cleansing, the seasons and even blood types.

The health food explorer is faced with a bewildering range of contradictory advice all coming from seemingly authoritative sources. Choose rightly: you

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will be saved! Choose wrongly: you will land in health hell. How do you navigate correctly through these choices? You can choose a nutritional trend and follow it -- with all that such a choice entails. Or, instead of trusting any outside authority, you can go down the path of self-directed dietary exploration and experimentation with your food choices. This way, you learn to trust your body and senses while choosing how to eat wisely.

But how can you trust your body when it often seems to lead you astray with unwise food choices because of an apparent lack of willpower?

LANGUAGE OF CRAVINGS

As a society, we from the misleading idea of not having enough willpower when it comes to eating. How else can we explain destructive dietary patterns when we fully know the consequences of poor eating choices? How else can we justify bingeing after a week of regimented eating? We incorrectly blame poor dietary choices on ‘weak willpower’ - which then leads to an internal conflict over what we ‘should’ and ‘should not’ eat.

When it comes to food, we think that what we want must be ‘bad’ or indulgent. Therefore, we believe we need strong willpower to enforce ‘better’ behaviour. This constant reliance on willpower reveals a profound distrust of our natural ability to make good food choices intuitively.

Craving certain foods can be seen as our body’s way of signaling nutritional imbalances. It is also well documented that in times of high stress we use food to fill in voids or to mask deeper issues. In these cases, our body is communicating to us in a language we might not understand -- or even recognise as a language.

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We need to stop seeing the body as the enemy but rather listen to the messages encoded in the language of cravings, appetites and food preferences.

Instead of second-guessing what our bodies need, why not tune into the language our body is speaking? Through these messages, our body communicates its physical and emotional needs.

One of the ways we can understand the body’s needs is to create a quiet internal space in which we can tune in to the cues given in our cravings and appetites. By using a Zen approach to eating, we can create that quiet space within.

You might ask, ‘What is Zen eating?’

In brief, Zen eating is a practice of eating thoughtfully, mindfully and in a state of gratitude.

The tips below are designed to help you create this mindful space within, each time you sit down to eat. cont. overleaf

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9 TIPS FOR ZEN EATING

Breathe. Before you tuck into your meal, take three deep breaths to clear your energy and come into the present moment with gratitude.

Contemplate. Observe a moment of silence. A good exercise is to reflect on how your food got to your plate.

Think about the people involved in the production, processing, transportation and preparation of your meal.

Chew and Taste. Devote your attention to the physical act of biting, chewing and swallowing your food. Fully experience and enjoy each bite. Notice the aromas, textures, tastes and temperature of each dish. Through this practice, you may discover new flavors or evoke memories connected to the taste and smells of your food. Paying attention gives you the opportunity to fully know what you’re eating and opens up a direct channel of communication with your body.

Eat meals in a peaceful setting. Be it your table at home or a quiet spot in the office cafeteria, choose a peaceful space.

You may feel you rarely have the ‘luxury’ to devote your attention to fully enjoying your food or finding peaceful spaces to eat. In reality, this should not be a luxury, but a necessary part of your meal. As you start a practice of Zen eating, take small steps to integrate this practice into your routine. Have just one meal a day in a peaceful setting, if it is too difficult to do this practice for each and every meal.

Go device-free at mealtimes. Ditch the multi-tasking while you eat. Stay away from the phone, television and the computer at mealtime. Focus on what’s on your plate and engage in conversations with your dining companions. Or just be with yourself and your food.

Be patient. You cannot expect to gain instant understanding of your body’s messages. Be patient while you learn the language your body speaks.

Distinguish appetites from cravings.

Pause and ask yourself: “Am I really hungry or am I just trying to change my emotions?” Is my body calling for

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sustenance? Or do I simply crave a specific taste?” As you become more fluent in your body’s language, you will become more able to distinguish between appetite and craving.

Eat food close to its natural state. In our fast-paced society, we depend a lot on processed and ready to eat foods, which are loaded with additives. By choosing foods that are as close to their natural state as possible, we can keep our choices simple and more healthful. As food writer Michael Pollan advises, “Don’t eat anything your grandmother wouldn’t recognise as food.”

Don’t be dogmatic. People often feel wonderful on a special diet for a short time, but that great feeling of wellbeing doesn’t always last. Cleansing diets such as veganism, raw foods or juicing bring great short-term results but cannot sustain the body’s long term and changing nutritional requirements.

Be flexible in your food philosophies rather than feeling that you must become a hardcore adherent of any one “diet.”

You may struggle with this at first but with practice Zen eating becomes natural and pleasurable. While there is a lot of conflicting information out there, listening to your body will guide you towards a way of eating that’s right for you.

This practice allows you to come into alignment with what you need, what you crave, and what you actually eat. The Zen of eating enables you to honour your body’s authentic needs and lovingly nurture your soul through mindful eating.

NEHA JAMANI, the founder of The Sacred Kitchen, is a therapeutic and holistic chef. A graduate of Bauman College of Holistic Nutrition and Culinary Arts in California, Neha aims to raise awareness about the importance of food choices and reconnect people with their bodies and the food they eat. www.thesacredkitchen.com

DECEMBER - FEBRUARY 2014

11/23/13 9:24 AM

Ayushkamy Ayurveda and Yoga Retreat Kerala, South India At Ayushkamy, Ayurveda and yoga are the cornerstones of a healing practice dedicated to body and soul. We hold morning and evening yoga classes for beginners or advanced with oneon-one lessons available on request.

We also offer the entire range of genuine and traditional Ayurvedic medicines and treatments as outlined in the ancient Ayurvedic texts. All treatments are under guidance of an Ayurvedic doctor and include Panchakarma therapy, Elakizhi, Abhyangam, Pizhichil and Dhara.

Our eco-friendly cottages right on the beach are your home away from home. Let us design your individual holiday, whether you want yoga, Ayurveda, fishing, boating, swimming, or to just relax in the natural peace and beauty and enjoy the local culture and food.

Ayushkamy Ayurveda & Yoga Retreat Lekshmi Puram Beach Kollam, Kerala, South India Tel. +919 4 468 76876 Email. welcome@ayushkamy.com www.ayushkamy.com

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awakenedbeauty

Cruelty-free cosmetics in the UAE Where in the UAE can you buy a mascara or eye-shadow that hasn’t been rubbed in a bunny’s eye to make it ‘safe’ for humans?

Awakenings investigates… words by Tamara Pitelen and Katrina Valente.

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W

e’re typical women who love make-up. We love how a new lipstick can make us feel like a million dollars and we love how mascara can make all the difference when we mean business with our eyelash fluttering.

We don’t, however, believe that some poor little animal has to be tortured and killed in the name of safety testing to create our beloved beauty products.

Happily, parts of the world are coming round to the same idea. In March this year, the European Union finally banned animal tested cosmetics after a long battle waged by groups like Cruelty Free International, the British Union for Abolition of Animal Vivisection (BUAV) and The Body Shop. But the fight still goes on, more than 80 per cent of the world still allows animal testing for cosmetics products and ingredients. Worse, with the rapidly rising wealthy middle-class in China, global corporations are falling

...more than 80 per cent of the world still allows animal testing for cosmetics products and ingredients. over themselves to sell to Chinese women – unfortunately China is the one country in the world where the government actually insists on animal testing so some companies that did have cruelty-free status, have now gone back on this in order to sell into China. This includes companies like Estee Lauder and Avon.

There is a glimmer of hope though. On 6 November 2013, the Chinese Food and Drug Administration proposed to abolish the requirement for animal testing for cosmetics and domestic products such as shampoo, skincare or perfume from June 2014. Instead it proposes that industry

“Sorry, run that by us again? They do WHAT to bunny rabbits with lipstick?”

should now have the option to assess the safety of a substance based on the toxicological profile of ingredients, similar to the Cosmetic Product Safety Report under the EU Cosmetic Regulations. A definite and gratifying breakthrough but it’s not enough.

Happily, while we wait for all cosmetic companies to embrace cruelty-free, many cosmetic manufacturers are sticking by their belief that animals don’t need to suffer so women can have lipstick.

We’ve compiled some of the brands and stockists that are available here in the UAE but if you know of any others that we haven’t mentioned, let us know. Email the information to tamara@awakeningsme. com, we’ll put this list on the Awakenings website (www.awakeningsme.com) and keep adding to it when we find new cruelty-free products. For this article, we’re dealing with cosmetics only, in future articles we’ll look at skincare, hair and body care, and so on.

H! S A L F NEWS t tests lifted for beauty products Lab ra

cosmetics to be ber, laws requiring em ov N in ed nc relaxed. Soap and CHINA: Annou be sold are to be n ca ey th re fo be , the Food and tested on animals animals from 2014 b la on ed st te be t welcomed by shampoos will no e was cautiously ov m e Th . led ru n The Body Shop, Drug Administratio nies, such as the pa m co l ca hi Et . ps ics worth animal rights’ grou a - where cosmet in Ch to in ll se to will now be able sold annually.

AED 51 billion are

cont. overleaf

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cont. from pg31

NEALS YARD REMEDIES

This company gets a big gold-star for its commitment to cruelty-free cosmetics. NYR owner Peter Kindersley is committed to creating products that don’t harm the planet or the beautiful, sentient beings we share it with. Traditionally more focused on skincare, the really good news for animal-loving beauty queens is that in 2013, NYR launched a cruelty-free, organic range of cosmetics in the UAE that includes eye and brow liner, eye-shadow, eye make-up remover, lipstick and lipgloss, foundation, bronzer and more. In addition, NYR recently added mascara to the range that will be available in the UAE first quarter of 2014 (this took longer to develop because NYR found it difficult to source a recyclable wand, bless them).

Buy it: NYR has outlets in Dubai at Wafi Mall, Sun, Level 1 (04 324 5141); Dubai Mall, Level 1 near Nayomi (04 325 3154); Dubai Marina Mall (050 189 3191); coming soon to Town Centre Springs.

Sharjah locations: Sahara Centre, Sharjah (06 554 6702) Abu Dhabi locations: Fatouh al Khair Mall (02 628 9044) and Al Wahda Mall extension, unit E239 Second Floor www.nealsyardremedies.ae

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TOO FACED COSMETICS

A cruelty-free brand stocked by Sephora, Too Faced is super glam, gorgeous and fun. The range has everything you need for day and evening looks. We love the Lip Injection for lip plumping.

Awakenings contacted Too Faced to check their cruelty free credentials, here’s what Juli Jones, Regulatory & International Compliancy Manager for Too Faced told us: “Our cruelty-free statement includes all individual ingredients as well as the finished goods. Our cosmetics brushes are also synthetic (no animal hair) and many of our products are vegan friendly (absolutely no animal derived ingredients at all).”

So, go and buy Too Faced products from Sephora with a clear conscience.

Buy it: Sephora has outlets at Dubai Marina Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Mirdif City Centre, Deira City Centre, Citywalk Al Wasl, Dubai Festival City, and Abu Dhabi Mall. www.sephora-me.com

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DR. HAUSCHKA

This is the official line: “Dr. Hauschka Skin Care opposes animal testing. We neither perform nor commission animal testing of our products or ingredients. Compliance with the European ban on animal testing of cosmetics and cosmetic ingredients is verified during certification of our products as Natural and/or Organic Cosmetics according to the BDIH and/or NATRUE standards.”

Products include eyeshadow, mascara, eyeliners, lipliner, lipstick, lipgloss, foundation, concealer, face powder, rouge, bronzer, brushes, etc.

Buy it: Dr. Hauschka is stocked at Holland & Barrett, The Organic Foods and Cafe, The Change Initiative, Life Pharmacy, and The Nutrition Center. www.drhauschka.com

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THE BODY SHOP

We still feel cheated about L’Oreal buying Body Shop but as a brand Body Shop is staying true to its cruelty-free principles and was a driving force of the campaign to ban animal testing for cosmetics in the European Union.

In 1993, led by it’s founder the late Dame Anita Roddick, Body Shop was the first beauty company to take action on animal testing by enlisting the support of its customers across Europe to support the ban. After a twenty year campaign, the EU banned animal testing on cosmetics in March this year. Next stop, the world. At the end of October, Body Shop presented the Cruelty Free International pledge to governments and regulators calling for a global ban on animal testing in cosmetics.

Buy it: The Body Shop has outlets in Sharjah, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Ajman. For your nearest store, check the website or call the head office on 06 530 22 27. www.thebodyshop.ae

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MARKS AND SPENCER

We already love Marks & Spencer for so many reasons, their undies, their food hall… now there’s another reason. M&S are loud and proud on cruelty-free cosmetics. This is what they state on their website: “We don’t test any of our M&S beauty or household products on animals. We guarantee that none of the individual ingredients in our beauty or household products is tested on animals either, starting from a fixed cut-off date of January 2006.

“This covers more than 1,200 products and, more importantly, their individual ingredients, from lavender laundry liquid to tea tree face wipes. All these products have the stamp of approval from Cruelty Free International.”

Thanks Marksy, we’ll be in your make-up section very soon.

Buy it: Marks and Spencer have stores in Dubai at Al Ghurair Mall, Deira City Centre (04 294 3242), Dubai Festival City (04 206 6466), Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates (04 395 8977), Mirdif City Centre, and Wafi (04 324 5145). In Abu Dhabi at Dalma Mall, Fatouh Al Khair (02 621 3646), Marina Mall Abu Dhabi. In Al Ain at Mazyad (03 784 0900). http://global.marksandspencer.com/ae

CRUELTY-FREE MYTHS – BUSTED

There’s a lot of misinformation out there about animal testing that’s just plain wrong, often stupid. Here are some of the common misconceptions…

Myth 1: A product that says ‘Cruelty-Free’ or has a bunny on it, hasn’t been tested on animals.

Not true sadly, the devil is often in the details. Designation as ‘cruelty-free’ or ‘not tested on animals’, or even the image of a bunny on a label may only refer to the finished product, when in fact, most animal testing occurs at the ingredient level.

Furthermore, while a company may claim, ‘We do not test on animals,’ it could still contract other companies to do the testing.

The only way to be 100 per cent certain a company is crueltyfree is to buy products from companies that have been certified by the Leaping Bunny Program, which requires that no new animal testing be used in any phase of product development by the company, its laboratories, or ingredient suppliers.

Myth 2: If a product isn’t tested on animals, it might not be safe for humans.

Utter rubbish. There are many reliable alternatives to animal testing, including cell and tissue cultures and sophisticated computer and mathematical models. Companies can also formulate products using ingredients already determined to be safe. Cruelty-free companies can use a combination of methods to ensure safety, such as employing in vitro tests and/or conducting clinical studies on humans.

Myth 3: It’s hard to find products that really are cruelty free.

No, you just need to do a little research. Resources include the Leaping Bunny Compassionate Shopping Guide (www. leapingbunny.org/shoppingguide.php) or download the free Leaping Bunny app from iTunes (www.iTunes.com/apps/ cruelty-free) or Android Marketplace to have your shopping guide right on your smartphone. You can also download or order a free pocket-sized Compassionate Shopping Guide from www.leapingbunny.org.

Source: Information reprinted from the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics’ (CCIC) Leaping Bunny Program website at www.leapingbunny.org. cont. overleaf

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ILLAMASQUA

Champions of creativity, edgy British make-up brand Illamasqua is about individuality. The brand takes its inspiration from members of the ‘alternative scenes’ for whom self-expression is paramount.

This is what Illamasqua says about animal testing: “Illamasqua products have NEVER and will NEVER be tested on animals. As such we don’t support or permit animal testing on any of our products, and only work with suppliers who uphold these principles. Bringing you high quality products that meet strict consumer health and safety regulations is our priority, so the only alter egos we’ll ever test on are our own!”

Buy it: Illamasqua has its own stores in Dubai Mall (+971 4 3398208) and Mirdiff City Centre (+971 4 3398208). The brand is also sold through Bloomingdales in Dubai Mall (+971 4 3505395), Harvey Nichols in Mall of the Emirates (+971 4 4098609), and Areej stories in Mall of the Emirates, Mercato Mall, Marina Mall, Mirdif City Centre, Al Wahda in Abu Dhabi and Ajman City Centre. www.illamasqua.com

Here are some great resources to start with if you want to know more about the campaign for beauty without cruelty: Cruelty Free Dubai Dubai-based expats Michel Dos Santos and partner are passionate supporters of cruelty-free products, they’ve set up a Facebook page to provide information and a forum in order to share information about where to buy cruelty-free products in the UAE. Website coming soon. www.facebook.com/CrueltyFreeDubai Cruelty Free International Started by the BUAV (see below) CFI is the only global organisation working solely to end animal testing for cosmetics and consumer products. They are calling on governments and regulators around the world to introduce a ban on the testing of animals for cosmetics and consumer products and ingredients. Ambassadors include Ricky Gervais, Joss Stone, and Sir Paul McCartney. www.crueltyfreeinternational.org Leaping Bunny The Leaping Bunny Program is the international gold standard for non-animal tested cosmetics and household cleaning brands. Look for the Leaping Bunny Logo. www.leapingbunny.org www.gocrueltyfree.org

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GLO-MINERALS

A professional make-up range, Glo-Minerals is committed to creating the smartest and safest formulations with only superior pharmaceutical-grade vitamins and minerals. Their base formulations don’t have any perfumes or chemical dyes and are 100 per cent talc, paraben and gluten-free as well as not tested on animals.

The cosmetic line has comprises lipsticks, eyeshadows, primers, concealers, various base make-up such as tints, pressed base, liquid foundations and camouflage kits. There is also a great range of five different mascaras, brow shadows and a full range of make-up brushes.

Price range from AED 95 for a lipstick, AED 110-130 mascaras, AED 256 foundations, AED 105 blushers and make-up brushes from AED 90 to 200.

Buy it: Glo-Minerals make-up studio and retail outlet is at 205B Falcon Building, Al Mina Rd, Bur Dubai. To book an appointment with a make-up artist, call 04 354 2905. www.glo-minerals.com www.mineralmakeupmakeover.com/

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WANNA KNOW MORE?

PETA The website for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has masses of information on living a cruelty-free life including a Cruelty-Free Shopping Guide. www.peta.org British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV) Launched by a women’s rights activist in 1898 who was deeply disturbed by the suffering of animals during scientific experiments she witnessed while travelling around Europe, the BUAV has been peacefully campaigning for over 100 years to create a world where nobody wants or believes we need to experiment on animals. www.buav.org

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awakenedbeauty The Organic Pharmacy Back Detox Facial

Tried and tested: The Organic Pharmacy’s Signature Rose Crystal Lymphatic Facial Top UK skincare brand’s signature organic facial treatments are now available exclusively at Sisters Beauty Lounge’s flagship branch at The Dubai Mall

B

efore I headed to the Sisters Beauty Lounge in Dubai Mall to try this facial, I’d never heard of this particular salon chain. Well I have now! This is a pampering sanctuary for women needing some self-nurturing, a little stress relief, a special pampering treat, or, of course, expert luxury skin care. One detail I love about Sisters is the in-house café where you can relax with a cuppa and magazine. However, it’s the treatments that are the speciality and I was there to try out one of the four new Organic Pharmacy signature facials (available exclusively at Sisters flagship branch at The Dubai Mall), namely the Rose Crystal Lymphatic Facial. It’s an hour and 30 minutes or so of total bliss with the bonus of knowing you’re supporting an ethical brand.

So far so eco-good but how was the facial? Absolutely wonderful. First, Carrot Butter Cleanser is applied to soften and decongest the skin, followed by a complexion brightening flower petal exfoliation. Three separate masks of seaweed, honey and jasmine were applied before my therapist used rose crystals to decongest my lymphatic system. I was deeply cleansed, steamed, scrubbed, massaged and rubbed. I had my skin analysed, advice given and my blackheads extracted. Finally, I had an acupressure massage to firm my facial muscles because, aside from using pure and potent organic products, the treatments also incorporate massage techniques, lymphatic drainage and acupressure massage to support the skin’s ability to heal itself.

TOXIN-FREE

The Organic Pharmacy is a leading British brand dedicated to organic health and beauty. Founded by husband and wife team Margo and Francesco Marrone, it offers sustainable and ecologically-sound premium products and treatments free of the toxic ingredients found in mainstream cosmetics and health products.

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It all felt amazing and my skin looked fantastic by the end of it all. Fine lines had vanished or decreased, my skin looked more youthful and smoother. I felt refreshed and looked younger, which is, ultimately, the whole point of having facials.

SISTERS BEAUTY LOUNGE is offering The Organic Pharmacy’s four signature treatments, namely: Rose Crystal Lymphatic Facial for re-energised, glowing skin; Vitamin C & Papaya Enzyme Peel Facial, which targets pigmentation and uneven spots; Solution Facial for Combination Skin, a deep-cleansing facial and, Back Detox Facial. To book, call Sisters Beauty Lounge, The Dubai Mall, +971 4 3398500.

Sisters also carries The Organic Pharmacy products for skincare, body, and mother and baby.

Sisters Beauty Lounges are located at Al Bateen in Abu Dhabi, The Village Mall in Jumeirah, The Dubai Mall, Mirdif City Centre, and the Mall of the Emirates. Opening soon in St. Regis Hotel in Abu Dhabi. www.sistersbeautylounge.com.

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awakenedlife

Attracting wealth with

Feng Shui Can moving your sofa make you rich?

Tamara Pitelen hires a Feng Shui master to turn her home into a money magnet.

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ike most people, my knowledge of Feng Shui did not go very deep. I knew it originated in China and had something to do with channeling the flow of energy. If energy got stuck it was bad and the right energy had to be flowing properly if you wanted harmony, health

money, love… that sort of thing. I had a vague idea that by moving your furniture or putting a few plants around the house, you could change the flow of energy in your home to attract more money into your life – and it was the attracting more wealth theory that I wanted to test.

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So, I called up one of Dubai’s best Feng Shui consultants, Cristiano Falconi, and asked him to pop over and assess our villa in The Lakes, Dubai, for attracting more financial abundance. Heck, it was worth a try.

When he came over the following

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awakenedlife

weekend, the first thing Cris corrected me on was the belief that there are certain across-the-board rules in Feng Shui that everyone could apply, like putting plants in the corners or not hanging mirrors up in certain rooms.

“In Feng Shui, every house is like a person, it has a different soul so it’s very difficult to give generic rules.” So just moving my sofa would not, unfortunately, make me rich. Unless someone had hidden gold bars beneath it. Unlikely.

Feng Shui teaches that a person’s life is influenced by three forces; their astrological chart; their home and surroundings, and their destiny. It is only the first two forces that can be changed. Feng Shui is to a building what acupuncture is to the body.

It ensures there are no blockages in the meridians of your premises.

“Your house can affect 33.3 per cent of your life so the right Feng Shui done in line with your horoscope can affect 66.6 per cent of your life. The other third is your karma and destiny, this we cannot affect,” Cris says.

HOME AND HEART

According to Cris, your home represents your life and each part of your home represents a part of your body as well as an aspect of your life such as health,

career, money, relationships, children, etc. in some homes, he said, certain aspects are missing perhaps due to the layout of the house, for example an L shaped building, which impacts the lives of the people living there.

“If a house is missing the children part, this is not such a problem for a 55-year-old couple but if you’re a couple in their 30s who want children, your home is not supporting this.”

Cris wants to make it clear though that there are no good or bad houses. “There is no bad luck or good luck, there are just energies that support what you want in life and energies that don’t, so the question is, ‘is this house supporting what I want?’

“In May I worked on a big villa in Arabian Ranches. The owner told me, ‘I’ve sold my business, I’m moving into the his villa for two or three years and I don’t want to work, I want to relax.’

“So I checked the energy of the house and I told him, ‘sorry, you will not sit doing nothing in this house, the energy for new projects is just too strong… I give it six months before you are once again very busy with work.’

“The villa was highly charged with new project energy. A new project could be a business, a child, a marriage, and so on. A month later he called me and told me that

39

since he moved into this house, he had already started three new businesses.”

ENERGY WORK

The next weekend Cris comes round for our initial consultation. In all, Cris came to our house three times, the first to take an exhaustive list of measurements, the second to tell us what changes we needed to make in our home based on those measurements, and the third time to review the changes we’d made.

On that first day, he noted down our dates of birth and then starting walking around outside the property, taking measurements with a Chinese compass.

“I take my compass, which is called the Luopan,” Cris explained. “I take measurements all over your property, from your main door, back door and so on, so the combination of the energy that is entering from the main door and exiting from the back door that is pushing you towards your future, will give me the idea of the energy that you have inside the house. The outside always affects the inside, so during a consultation it is extremely important to check outside your house.

“First I check around your villa, do you have another villa attached? Do you have an empty space or a garden? Is it blocked cont. overleaf

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awakenedlife cont. from pg37

or an open view? Then I pay attention to the form and shape, which kind of plants do you have and what shapes are your plants? From which direction is the energy coming? If you have a road outside, is the traffic coming from the right or the left?

Then I have to check if there are any big lights pointing onto your main door, and how is the access and size of your main door and which energy is entering from your main door because the energy that is entering your house will combine with the inside energy as well as with your personal energy, which I get from your date of birth. From this I can see if this house is auspicious for you or which portion of the house is extremely important for you. It’s an in-depth study.

“Once I have all this information, I know the strong points and the weak points of the house. Every house has some aspects that are positive, or let’s say strong, and some aspects that are weak so we try to increase health, harmony, money and try to slow down all the bad energy that sometimes attacks the house.”

FENG SHUI VERDICT

On Cris’s second visit, he told us what the numerous measurements and calculations he’d taken had revealed about how our home was affecting our lives as well as what we needed to do to attract more wealth.

For a start, he said, the layout of the villa was not ideal. The wall between the kitchen and lounge was blocking energy but since we were renting our villa, there’s not much we could do about that. And it was nothing to worry about he, said, there is no such thing as the perfect Chi home and no matter what the issue, a good Feng Shui practitioner will find a solution.

In our home, he said there were several things that were not supporting the flow of wealth, Cris said, including the flower bed at the front door, the aloe vera plants we had in the flower bed (too spikey) and the size of the door – it was too small. “The door is the mouth of the house,” Cris said, “it must be big enough to feed the home with energy.”

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OUR VILLA DIAGNOSIS We had Feng Shui Master Cristiano Falconi come round to our villa in The Lakes, Dubai, to see what could be done about our increasing wealth and abundance. Cris carried out a consultation in accordance with Chue Style Feng Shui. This knowledge can be traced back to the Imperial Courts of China and to the Chan family of the Song Dynasty in 960AD. OUTSIDE

1. The outside flowerbed is blocking the flow of Chi (= energy) into the house. It will be

very helpful to remove it. If not possible, remove the aloe vera and put some coloured flowers. Cactus is strictly forbidden. Suggested flowers are: a. Tecoma Smithii b. Hibiscus c. Jatropha Integerrima 2. In this corner by the front door it will be extremely auspicious to have a water fountain.

3. The small garden in front of the main door must be rich with coloured flowers.

4. In the backyard, in the direction discussed, you must organise a small temple with a stone Buddha.

5. Trim the big palm tree as discussed.

INSIDE Ground Floor:

1. In the office and in the entrance hall you need to have some green on the walls.

2. In the living room it will be very auspicious to add some purple, burgundy or, if you prefer some green as well.

3. The window’s wall in the kitchen must be navy blue.

4. The stairs are facing the Main Door. You MUST put a curtain before the stairs to stop the money energy flowing out the front door.

1st Floor:

1. Try to use the third bedroom as much as you can. Add green or black. If possible also paint the ceiling in a light tone of green.

2. In the upstairs bathroom it will be auspicious to add four to five stones, like river stones, around the toilet. Definitely not crystals.

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awakenedlife

The main points he made were that we had two rooms supporting money and new projects, these were the downstairs study and the bedroom above it on the second floor. Cris said we had to use these rooms as often as possible and to paint them in shades of green and blue – colours of the sea. He also told us that our villa did not have an aspect that supported children.

Luckily, we had no problem with that.

In addition, we needed to put a water fountain by the front door and a curtain at the bottom of the staircase – because money energy was flowing down the stairs and straight out the front door – and we needed a small Buddha temple erected in a certain position in the backyard. He also wanted us to severely trim back one of the big palm trees in our back yard because it was, he said, blocking my feminine energy.

So, we got to work. We filled the entrance of the house with pretty flowers

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SCHOOLS OF FENG SHUI Shivani Adalja explains the different schools of Feng Shui.

The Chinese science of Feng Shui is thousands of years old and was originally available only to Chinese royalty. There are many different Feng Shui schools, all with different viewpoints.

Feng Shui is divided into two main branches – modern and classical. The modern school of Feng Shui is popular in the Western world and started getting a foothold in early 1960s. However there is no strong scientific basis to this school and it is mainly based on general rules and assumptions. Modern Feng Shui methods are based on the layout of a space such as house or office and the arrangement of the furnishings and decorative objects to maximize the flow of energy within that space. Modern school is further subdivided into various branches; Black hat feng shui based on Tibetan Buddhism, Intuitive feng shui based on intuition and Ba Gua school based on eight directions.

On the other hand, Classical Feng Shui (aka Chue style) has two main branches; Form school and Compass school. Form school Feng Shui focuses on landscape forms such as the shapes of hills and watercourses. It focuses on locating auspicious sites for buildings and burials. The aim of Form school Feng Shui is to benefit from the energy generated by these landforms. This school is effective for external structures only and does not help with the interior layout.

The second branch, which is known as Compass school of Feng Shui, is the most powerful. The compass school uses tools including the Luopan, a Chinese magnetic compass, the Lo Shu square and the Ba-gua. This type of Feng Shui further divides into several schools. Eight Mansions is a type of school that focuses mainly on directions of a person based on the date of birth. While Flying Star Feng Shui is based on detailed formulas and takes into consideration the element of time.

To introduce Feng Shui principles in your home or workplace, take care in choosing a practitioner who understands the science behind this ancient discipline.

Founder of The Alignment Institute in Abu Dhabi, Shivani Adalja is a Feng Shui and Wellbeing practitioner for groups or private consultations. Email align@shivaniadalja.com. www.shivaniadalja.com

and plants and moved the aloe vera into the backyard. We installed a water fountain out front, got our palm tree cut back, repainted the study and second bedroom in greens and blues, put a curtain at the bottom of the stairs, put up a small Buddha temple in the back yard, changed the colours in the lounge to white and got rid of all the red accessories.

It all took a few weeks and cost us a few thousand dirham. The result? It feels 100 per cent better. Our home feels lighter and more welcoming and a nicer place to be. We’re really happy with the changes. Has it made us rich? Not so far but we’ll need a few more months before this experiment can be called a success

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or failure. As Cris said though, we need to make some effort as well because the energy can support you and help things flow but it can’t act for you.

“It’s up to you to catch the right energy, you cannot sit on the sofa waiting for the Feng Shui to bring you good luck.”

CRISTIANO FALCONI FENG SHUI & INTERIORS for residential and corporate Feng Shui interior design consultancy.

Tel. +971 (0)55 362 9027 or email info@ cristianofalconi.com. www.cristianofalconi.com

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astrology

Astrology Trends 2014

How will Jupiter in Leo affect your horoscope? The astrological patterns in the heavens in 2014 see Jupiter changing signs to Leo for the first time in 12 years.

It’s also the final full year of Saturn’s stay in Scorpio. What does it mean for your horoscope? Astrologer Jessica Adams reveals…

ARIES

It took ages to get off the ground, but the plans you made for your house, flat, family, household, home town or homeland in the middle of 2013 will take you further than you dreamed by the middle of 2014. As each welcome change appears, use it to to create a further one – you can’t lose. The ongoing issues you are having with your money, property, business, possessions or charity will be over by 2015 but in the meantime, use a relative’s position, the plus factor attached to your home or a real estate advantage. This will make or save you money.

TAURUS

Right time, right place. Your big project or idea may take off online, or in the real world, but there is no doubting the massive potential, over the long-term. Your way with words, ideas or images is your passport to something very special by mid 2014. The technology is here to help you. Are you still wondering what strategy to pursue with your former, current or potential partner? Or even an enemy or rival? Take your time in October and November as the story will change. Yet from that point forward, do work on an approach that will see you through 2014 before the cycle ends.

GEMINI

The trick to your most powerful financial position in years, is to take each opportunity and make sure you stretch it to its maximum potential. This applies to your money, house, possessions, company or apartment, as between now and the middle of 2014 you could eliminate debt or accumulate wealth. If only your daily workload was so simple! You can make it easier by taking a second position where you get to escape from reality, or by building projects into your regular job which are like a mini-holiday. Difficult people and situations will end by 2015 in any case.

CANCER

Your relaunch will make you look better on the internet, and in the real world too, with substantial results by Christmas 2013 and a far bigger share of popularity

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or respect by the middle of next year. You may change your look or shape more than once, to your definite advantage. The situation with your children, godchildren or young relatives will disappear in around a year, but until then, try to come up with a strategy you can stick to. This also applies to any work or part-time involvement with younger people. You need a practical, proven plan.

LEO

The secret you have been keeping since 2013 will bring success by June. From your birthday you will spend time and money on your face, body, style, image and online reputation. This is the start of an amazing relaunch which will take you through to 2014.

You have one more year of challenges involving your family, house, home town, household, homeland or apartment. By 2015 you can put one difficult situation or person behind you and be grateful you had a good strategy.

VIRGO

You will make fantastic new friends by this time next year and also join, or start, a group project that will enrich your life.

An existing friend will turn out to be your guardian angel more than once, and a team or tribe around you, which has been wallpaper for so long, is destined to reward you in amazing ways. The only issue for you is the internet, the media, publishing, language, written work or your voice. This is where you desperately need a management strategy.

LIBRA

You are halfway through the toughest financial, property and business cycle in 29 years so congratulations on making it this far. Skip October and November for final plans but have your 2014 strategy ready in December. By Christmas 2014 you are almost at the end of the challenges. The wonderful possibilities for success now will take around nine months to fully reveal themselves.

Your award, promotion, outstanding personal achievement or covetable new job will come to you because of your own proactive approach to a genuinely lucky break.

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astrology

SCORPIO

Dealing with all the image, personal appearance or reputation issues becomes easier in 2014 as you have already tackled two challenges. You will be completely free of this cycle in 2015 but until then use September or December this year to come up with a mindset and plan that works. You should be thrilled with the results of your efforts on the internet, in another country, with a foreign nationality or in a university by 2014. One success follows another and you will have more than your fair share of lucky breaks. A distant place on the map holds good karma for you.

SAGITTARIUS

Ifyou can sidestep control issues or power plays, you will be richer by 2014, thanks to a chain of opportunities involving your money, house, business, charity, possessions or apartment. You have already seen what is possible since August. Now you can look forward to the best opportunities in 12 years to save or make more. You will be pleased to know that your secret will no longer burden you, or a role behind the scenes will cease to bother you, within one year. To get there from here, avoid October and November for firm plans, but from December, create a strategy.

CAPRICORN

If you are looking for a partner then one really good candidate will present himself/herself by the middle of 2014. A happy relationship or marriage will go to the next level by mid-2014, thanks to a pregnancy, property decision, ambitious trip or new business.

If your partnership is unhappy then there is a way out, to your advantage! Did you know this is the toughest cycle in 29 years for friendship, group commitments and social media? The life lessons stop by 2014 but until then you need to give more thought to the mental attitude that you can lean on, to help you.

43

AQUARIUS

Even though your career as a whole is very hard work, there are everyday lifestyle benefits for you until the middle of 2014.

If you don’t work this applies to your volunteer role or your student position.

Try to use every opportunity you get to make the details of your day happy and easier, even if the general picture is tough. You should be thrilled to know that the biggest and best cycle for your love-life in 12 years begins halfway through next year. Any partnership problems will be fixed, one way or another. Single people have options. Happy matches will skyrocket.

PISCES

You may have a professional or parttime involvement with younger people.

Alternatively the good news this year may be associated with your child, godchild or young relative. Build your plans in stages and there will be some fantastic twists of fate which help you to your goals. You are halfway through the toughest cycle in 29 years for travel, foreign connections, the internet, education and publishing. It does get better, mainly because of the useful lessons you’ve learned.

THE UAE’S DESTINY IN 2014 The UAE’s character is her destiny. And her character is Sagittarian, as she was born at 10am on 2 December 1971 when she became independent from Britain. Sagittarius is the sign associated with travellers and migration. With Dubai leading the way, the UAE is famous for her cosmopolitan atmosphere and expat population.

Tourism and aviation are among her biggest industries. Sagittarius also rules anything big – thus, Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall. This sign also rules horses, hence the Dubai World Cup. What does this year hold for the Emirates? First of all, a tourist boom, resulting in a massive increase of visitors starting at the end of July, which continues into the first half of 2015. A successful bid for a major world event will occur by mid-2015.

This year also sees an economic boom, with a miraculous revival for some industries in September 2014.

JESSICA ADAMS is a best-selling author and astrologer for Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, Star Times, Australian Women’s Weekly. Follow her on Twitter, @jessicacadams www.jessicaadams.com

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wellnesstravel

Extreme detox in

Thailand

For a short-cut back to wellness, Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa in Koh Samui offers a comprehensive detox programme.

Tamara Pitelen tried it out.

“I

t’s my job to find the poo poo; I am the poo poo hunter,” said Aor, my Thai therapist, as she vigorously massaged my stomach and kept a close eye on a see-through tube to see if any of the desired “poo poo” was in fact coming out of me.

Along with my other therapist, Wailuka, Aor gave little cries of glee when the “poo poo” did emerge. These women were serious about their work.

For those not familiar with the joys of colon hydrotherapy, you are essentially hooked up to a machine via a tube up your bottom through which litres of distilled water are used to flush out your large intestine in order to remove anything that shouldn’t be there, eg, impacted fecal matter, parasites, candida spores, harmful bacteria…

It was the first of three colon hydrotherapy treatments I was having as

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part of my seven day Comprehensive Detox programme at Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa in Koh Samui, Thailand.

I HEART DETOX

My husband Adrian and I had turned ourselves over to the expert hands of Kamalaya’s team of therapists and health practitioners in the hope they could help us reverse the effects of the so-called ‘good living’ that’s prevalent in Dubai. Essentially

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this means high stress jobs, social lives that revolve around all-you-can-eat-and-drink affairs, too much coffee, sugars, bread, meat and processed foods. It had left us bloated and pudgy with sluggish, overloaded systems, bad skin, dull eyes, and digestive issues such as constipation and acid reflux.

Most of the time we could kid ourselves that we generally ate well and exercised just enough, but the truth was becoming very evident in the stomachs hanging over waist-bands and the appearance of extra chins. We were not shining examples of health. So, off to Kamalaya for seven days of extreme, take-no-prisoners wellness.

On your first morning, you get a full body analysis which even tells you how hydrated your cells are followed by a wellness consultation with the therapist who will work out your plan for the week based on your goals. My plan involved a vegetable-based detox diet (forget any hope of clapping eyes on coffee, sugar, alcohol, or the ‘whites’ like bread and pasta if you’re detoxing at Kamalaya) and several therapies a day.

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BOTTOMS UP

Which brings me back to the joys of colon hydrotherapy. Who on earth came up with such a bizarre concept? The Egyptians apparently. In the 5th Century BC, Herodotus, an ancient Greek historian, wrote: “The Egyptians clear themselves on three consecutive days, every month, seeking after health by emetics and enemas for they think that all disease comes to man from his food.”

What’s it like? That varies from person to person. I’ve heard some people find colonic irrigation no problem at all; they skip out afterwards like they’ve been reborn.

This was not us. For me, the first of the three was the most uncomfortable. It’s the releasing of trapped wind that can bring the most discomfort but when your therapist tells you that a great deal of very old, dried poo poo is being dislodged, getting rid of that is worth the minor discomfort.

But it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.

My husband Adrian described himself as “traumatised” after his first colonic, vowing to never ever repeat the “horrific and humiliating” experience, although he cont. overleaf

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wellnesstravel cont. from pg45

was happy to weigh a kilo less afterwards.

So why, you may ask, do people submit to this? Thanks to the modern diet of highly processed foods, the traditional and natural method of eliminating foods is often overwhelmed which is why so many of us suffer constipation, bloating, gas, flatulence and other delightful side effects of a dodgy digestive system.

A course of colonics is like an internal spring clean. The primary benefit is, according to Kamalaya’s detox booklet, “the elimination of toxins and accumulated waste from the colon, thereby relieving stress on the liver.” This can lead to benefits ranging from natural weight loss to improved lymphatic and liver function as well as that intangible overall sense of wellbeing.

SAUNA AND SUPPLEMENTS

What else does a Comprehensive Detox at Kamalaya entail? As well as the colon hydrotherapy, a busy schedule of daily therapies includes Chi Nei Tsang aka stomach massage, lymphatic drainage, Thai massage, and a daily sit in the Farinfrared (FIR) sauna.

Not like a traditional sauna, a FIR sauna uses a narrow band of energy produced by the sun that is responsible for photosynthesis. Invisible to the human eye, these rays penetrate much deeper than a regular sauna in order to accelerate healing and release toxins. According to the Kamalaya information pack, “studies have shown that most people have between 400 to 800 chemical residues stored in their fat deposits. It is the chemical load stored just below the skin that is the main area targeted by FIR rays. At 43.3 degrees Celsius, fat deposits become water soluble and can be disposed of via perspiration… a single sauna session of 30 minutes can burn up to 600 calories.” Bring it on then!

But that’s just the therapies. In addition to the daily treatments you also follow a detox diet that’s basically vegetables (prepared with amazing creativity – from pumpkin and coconut curry to juices, smoothies and herbal teas) supplemented with protein

shakes, coconut water and a total of 31 supplements taken every day, throughout the day. This cocktail of supplements are specifically designed to support the detox pathways and the liver as it gets on with the job of putting out the rubbish that you’ve been storing in your cells. They include vitamins C and E, magnesium, zinc, chromium, selenium, lipoic acid, lecithin, fish oil, probiotics, turmeric, milk thistle, dandelion, schizandra, globe artichoke, psyllium husk and flaxseed.

Not to mention daily shots of wheatgrass and homeopathic detox medicine.

TOXIC WASTE

They did warn us that the first two or three days would be the worst. As your body is chucking off the toxins as fast as it can, you can suffer a number of symptoms such as headaches, flu-like symptoms, depression and weepiness, low energy and fatigue, restlessness and irritability, to name just a few.

I suffered all of the above to a greater or lesser degree. One of the greater degrees was the headaches, that very first night I had a pounding, killer headache. A little man on the right side of my brain banging away at the inside of my skull with a sledgehammer. He carried on into the next day but he was clearly getting weary because the pounding did get weaker until on day three it stopped.

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Day two was also the climax of the lethargy attack. Kamalaya offers a host of optional activities throughout the day, walking, yoga, cardio classes, cooking workshops, spirituality talks… but I had no energy for anything but reading and sleeping. Happily, the Kamalaya library is a welcoming haven of calm. I settled in on the sofa and read for hours between therapies and meals. Or I would take my book poolside or beachside to alternate between reading and relaxing in the sunwarmed waters. It was all pure heaven.

For anyone living the Dubai dream, life is a non-stop whirl of busy-ness. So the opportunity to be completely cared for in the lush, tropical beauty of Koh Samui is blissful. I was told that most of Kamalaya’s business is repeat; people who’ve been and then go back again and again. This is no surprise to us. We’re already talking about going back next year.

By the end of the week, I was two kilos lighter, my skin was noticeably clear (acne is one of my issues), my eyes were brighter and whiter and I felt 100 per cent better than I did on day one.

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also KAMALAYAgramme, offers a yoga ppro gramme, a weight-loss rerojuvenate a relax and stress and programme, a gramme, burn-out prohancement and a sleep en me. program com www.kamalaya.

IN A NUTSHELL: KAMALAYA COMPREHENSIVE DETOX What’s included during a seven-day comprehensive detox programme at Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa (nine and 14 day packages also available): w Accommodation and full board (three Kamalaya meals per day, à la carte or set detox menu) w All beverages, excluding imported drinks and alcohol w 1 x Body Bio-impedance Analysis (BIA) w 1 x Initial Wellness Consultation w 1 x 90 minute Vital Essence Oil Massage w 1 x 90 minute Traditional Thai Massage w Detox Herbal Remedies and Supplements w 3 x 60 minute Chi Nei Tsang (Taoist abdominal massage) w 6 x 30 minute Far Infrared Sauna w 3 x 60 minute Colon Hydrotherapy w 3 x 90 minute Lymphatic Drainage Therapy w 1 x 60 minute Oriental Herbal Detoxifying Body Scrub and Wrap w Use of steam cavern, swimming, plunge pools and fitness centre w Complimentary attendance to scheduled daily holistic fitness activities w One wellness gift pack and round-trip airport transfers For further information, email info@kamalaya.com Tel: +66 (0) 77 429 800 Fax: +66 (0) 77 429 899 Addresss: 102/9 Moo 3, Laem Set Road, Na-Muang Koh Samui, Suratthani 84140 Thailand www.kamalaya.com

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awakenedlifestyle

Retail

therapy

AINER WIN AN ENTERT GE! MOBILE PACKA We all love the books that give us those great buy-one-get-onefree vouchers for dining, leisure and pampering experiences but how often have you been out at a restaurant and realised you’ve got a voucher for it back at home? No more! The Entertainer has launched its mobile app, which means you can redeem vouchers on your smartphone. Better yet, Awakenings has one Dubai app package and one Dubai Kids app package to give away.

To win, email which package you’d like to win and why to ‘win@awakeningsme.com’. Put Entertainer app in the subject head. More information is at www.theentertainerme.com/app

Chakra Nuit by Daisy London

A more refined version of the iconic Daisy Chakra Bracelet, Chakra Nuit has been launched in the Middle East. Themed Love, Compassion and Altruism, the new bracelets feature the seven ancient Buddhist symbols that form the Chakra range to help in gaining mental and physical alignment.

Buy it: Burj Al Arab Hotel, Dubai, Eastern Mangrove Hotel and Spa, Abu Dhabi and the Four Season Hotel, Doha. AED 152 to AED 8,150 depending on the material used.

Figs & Rouge lip and body balm

Pull your most perfect pout with the new Rambling Rose lip, face and body balm from Figs & Rouge.

100 per cent natural, petroleum and paraben free, the soothing new balm moisturises and nourishes in a dry skin emergency. Rambling Rose is the latest flavour in the range that includes Wild Cherry, Pomegranate, Lemon Berry and Coco Vanilla.

Buy it: AED 30 at outlets including Boots the Pharmacy, Organic Foods & Café, and Make-Up Etc.

Louis Vuitton teddy bear

Love this little guy! He doesn’t come cheap though because only 500 of the exclusive Teddy Bear DouDou have been made in the whole 150 years of Louis Vuitton history.

Buy it: About AED 32,670. He was recently seen for sale at the Dubai-based online boutique for pre-loved luxury, www.theluxurycloset.com but we can’t promise this incredibly rare little bear will still be there.

White Wellness Box

Here’s a great gift idea for any occasion, the White Wellness Box from Spadunya Club contains White Face and Body Oil, Perfume, and Scrub, all of which Spadunya is offering with a gift certificate for a 60 minute Colour Harmonising Massage.

Buy it: AED 650 from Spadunya Club, SHAMS 1, Plaza Level, The Walk at JBR. Tel: +971 4 4393669. www.spadunyaclub.com

NEW! 25% OFF WITH SPADUNYACLUB PHONE APP

Make a booking at Spadunya Club on their new mobile phone app and get 25 per cent off your treatment*. The Spadunyaclub app can be downloaded free of charge on any iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry and Android platforms. The app gives information about Spadunya’s services, offers, bookings... all at your fingertips. * T&Cs apply.

S!

CONGRATULATION

The winner of the competition in the last issue of Awakenings where one lucky reader won 10 organic lip-glosses by Neal’s Yard Remedies was Tia Jones who suggested that NYR consider developing an organic hair serum to beat the dusty windy weather of UAE. There were loads of other great suggestions (non-toxic nail varnish, products for dogs…), we’re sorry we couldn’t give out more prizes, thanks to everyone who entered.

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awakenedlifestyle

49

My Magical Garden by Terri Allen and Jacqui Gray

My Magical Garden Written by Terri Allen & Jacqui Gray A book for children A guide for parents.

Includes Meditation CD

A self-help book for children, My Magical Garden is a collection of illustrations and poems to help children aged five and up work through their emotions and express them in a safe and loving way. The child is invited on an enchanted journey through a magical garden where, on each page, they choose their surrounds. For example – the tree they want in the garden or who they’d like to join them – a fairy, a phoenix, a mermaid, an alien, a wizard or a wise knight. An appendix at the back of the book explains what the decisions may mean.

Authors are Terri Allen and Jacqui Gray, the founders of Dubai-based Holistic Healing 4 Children centre. Book comes with a complementary meditation CD. Buy it: AED 60 from Jashanmal and Kinokuniya bookstores, online through Amazon. www.holistichealing4children

Lush fresh handmade gifts

Beautifully wrapped and ready to give, Lush has a selection of festive gifts from stocking fillers and secret Santa gifts, to traditional tins and luxurious hatboxes of bath and body products. Our faves, just because they’re cute, are Mr and Mrs Frosty, each containing three best selling bath products.

Buy it: AED 100-170, at Lush stores. Dubai: Dubai Mall, Mercato Mall, Deira City Centre, Mirdiff City Centre. Abu Dhabi: Al Wahda Mall, Dalma Mall. www.lush .ae

The Human Regenerator, AED 2 million!

For the wealthiest of the wellbeing audience, at this year’s World Luxury Expo, B5 Art of Living presented The Human Regenerator, the most expensive piece of equipment in the world and the kind of thing you could imagine Michael Jackson might have had at home. An innovation from human biophysical medicine, the technology uses quantum physics to regenerate and recharge the cells in the body – making you appear rejuvenated, while strengthening the immune system. Does it work? We don’t know but for the price, it better do a lot more than just go ‘ping’.

Buy it: AED 2 million from B5 Art of Living, Sidra Tower (Fraser Suites Dubai), Sheikh Zayed Rd, Dubai. Tel. +971 4 447 3973. www.b5living.com

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Organyc women’s sanitary products

Recently launched in the UAE, the Organyc female hygiene range is certified by the Soil Association and uses only 100 per cent organic cotton wool grown without the use of artificial pesticides and is not bleached with chlorine. Here is the UAE, we’re only getting offered the light flow panty liners to heavy flow sanitary towels with wings even though the full range, available in 26 other countries, covers organic tampons, pads, beauty care, maternity and baby care items. Maybe we’ll get the full range later if the pads sell well in the UAE. Organyc is clinically and dermatologically tested but not tested on animals.

Buy it: From all leading retail and pharmacy outlets. www.organyc-online.com

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50

VOUCHERS

We heart therapists!

Want to try a few new things without laying down loads of cash? The UAE has an army of amazing of alternative healers, complementary therapists, yoga and Pilates teachers, exercise and fitness experts, diet and nutrition specialists... and more all helping people transform their lives. This page is where you get to hear about them and bag a discounted deal through an Awakenings ‘We heart therapists’ voucher.

Do you have a service that you’d like to offer for a discounted rate through an Awakenings ‘We Heart Therapists’ voucher? To get your voucher in the next issue of Awakenings magazine, email tamara@awakeningsme.com for a rates pack.

Sabine Poncelet for Reiki, hypnotherapy and Theta Healing.

50 %

discount!

50 per cent off a session with alternative healer Sabine Poncelet. Book through French Medical Services in JLT on 04 451 5575 or KUUR Physiotherapy Centre in Burjuman on 04 386 8999.

www.animalreikidubai.com

Valid until 1 August 2015

Terms and conditions: Offer only available to new clients and only valid for one session. Voucher valid until 1 August 2015.

50 %

Intuitive energy healing

50 per cent off when you buy a healing discount! session (two hours duration) with alternative healer, Samad.

Email him for more information, or to book, on samad.k.ahmad@gmail.com Valid till 1 March 2014

Katrina Valente Holistic, anti-aging beautician

15 %

discount!

15 per cent off a bespoke collagen facial.

Normally AED 700, this voucher gets you this premium facial for AED 595.

www.katrinavalente.com

Terms and conditions: Offer only available to new clients.

Voucher expires 1 February 2014.

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50 per cent off a session for Hypnotherapy, Positive Psychology, EET and NLP coaching with Alexandra Salkova at Inner Self Consultancy.

To book, email Alexandra@innerselfconsultancy.com

Valid till 1 February 2014

50 %

discount!

www.innerselfconsultancy.com

Terms and conditions: Offer only available to new clients.

Voucher expires 1 February 2014.

Seda Goksel for Reiki, cord-cutting, and Theta Healing

50 %

Intuitive Reiki healer Seda Goksel is discount! offering the following discounts for the first 10 new clients to book: * 50 per cent off a cord-cutting session * 25 per cent off when you buy a four session package of Reiki healing or intuitive readings Valid till 1 March 2014

Terms and conditions: Offer only available to new clients for their first session only. Voucher expires 1 March 2014.

Valid till 1 February 2014

Alexandra Salkova Inner Self Consultancy

Terms and conditions: Offer only available to new clients. Offer is limited to 10 of each package and voucher expires 1 March 2014 or when all packages are sold.

Elite Mind Solutions Gastric Mind Banding Therapy

50 %

Psychotherapist and hypnotherapist Anna discount!

Yates offers gastric mind banding therapy to tackle obesity. This voucher gives you 50 per cent off a package of 14 hours of therapy to build a healthy relationship with food. Normally AED 7,000 - with Awakenings just AED 3,500!

Valid till 1 March 2014

www.elitemindsolutions.com

Terms and conditions: Offer only available to new clients.

Voucher expires 1 March 2014.

DECEMBER - FEBRUARY 2014

12/2/13 9:21 PM

listings

UAE listings

51

Alternative, complementary and holistic products and services available in the UAE.

Dubai Herbal & Treatment Centre Conventional (allopathic), complementary and alternative medicine plus wellness treatments. Ayurveda, Beauty, Gynaecology, Homeopathy, Nutrition, Psychology, Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Za’abeel, Oud Metha Rd. Tel: 04 335 1200 Email: admin@dubaihtc.com www.dubaihtc.com Dubai Physiotherapy & Family Medicine Clinic Comprehensive family medicine and physiotherapy. 1st Floor, Town Centre Jumeirah, Jumeirah Beach Road.

Tel: 04 349 6333 www.dxbphysio.com Holistic Healing Medical Centre Eastern and western medicines.

Ayurveda, acupuncture, colon hydrotherapy and Homeopathy. Al Wasl Road, Umm Suqeim 3.

Email: doctor@healthholistic.com Tel: 04 348 7172 www.healthholistic.com Synergy Integrated Medical Centre A clinical acupuncturist, Martine (Dip. AC clin. Ac (China) Certificate in Paediatric Acupuncture) specialises in fertility, pregnancy and post-natal treatments.

She uses a combination of traditional Chinese therapies including acupuncture, massage, cupping and moxibustion.

Email: synergy8@eim.ae Tel: 04 348 5452 www.synergyctrdubai.com Wellbeing Medical Centre Complementary conventional and alternative health care, cosmetic surgery.

DECEMBER - FEBRUARY 2014

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DUBAI DUBAI

Beijing Tong Ren Tang Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic that offers acupuncture, cupping, therapeutic massage.

Tel: O4 349 8188 www.trtgulf.com

Breath & Health Alternative Medical Centre Dubai’s premier wellness centre offers cupping, ear candling, Aromatherapy Massage, Ayurveda, Colon Hydrotherapy Cupping Therapy & Hijama, Diet & Nutrition, Ear Coning & Candling, Electromagnetic Wave Therapy, Hair care (Organic), Play & Creative Arts Therapy Pranic Healing, Quantum Biofeedback Therapy, Sand Tray Therapy, Stress Management, Tai Chi, Thai Massage & Therapeutic Stretching, Unani Yoga & Fitness. Villa 1080, Al Wasl Road, Umm Suqeim 2.

Email: hello@breathandhealth.net Tel: 04 348 9940 www.breathandhealth.net Dubai Herbal & Treatment Centre Conventional (allopathic), complementary and alternative medicine plus wellness treatments. Ayurveda, Beauty, Gynaecology, Homeopathy, Nutrition, Psychology, Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Za’abeel, Oud Metha Rd. Email: admin@dubaihtc.com Tel: 04 335 1200 www.dubaihtc.com Dubai Mall Medical Centre Complementary and alternative medicine with Naturopathic Medicine Practioner Dr Heather Eade. 7th Floor, Dubai Mall, Downtown.

Tel: 04 449 5111 www.tdmmc.ae Holistic Healing Medical Centre Eastern and western medicines.

Ayurveda, acupuncture, colon hydrotherapy and Homeopathy. Al Wasl Road, Umm Suqeim 3.

Email: doctor@healthholistic.com Tel: 04 348 7172 www.healthholistic.com Dr Parviz Rashvand, Synergy Integrated Medical Centre Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine, Dr Parviz combines natural modalities and specialises in cancer, MS, autism and other severe auto-immune and degenerative conditions.

Email: synergy8@eim.ae Tel: 04 348 5452 www.synergyctrdubai.com

ANGEL THERAPY

Angel Messages by Stella Angel therapy, intuitive guidance and more. T: +971 50 8703639 E: stella@angelmessagesbystella.com www.angelmessagesbystella.com Angels of Light Founders Terri and Buddy are certified Angel Therapy Practitioners from the Diana Cooper School of Angels, and Angel Crystal Healers.

E: angels@angelsoflightonline.com T: 050 655 4814 www.angelsoflightonline.com Angel Therapy with Coomi Vevaina and Sharlaine India-based therapists who regularly visit Dubai to conduct workshops and private sessions.

Contact Illuminations Wellbeing Centre Tel: 04 448 7043 www.illuminationsworld.com

AROMATHERAPY MASSAGE

Spadunya Club Award-winning holistic and wellness spa for women using the 100 per cent organic, French colour therapy spa range called Altearah Bio in holistic vibrational and energetic treatments. Hammam, hydrotherapy, beauty room and steam, sauna and showers. [See also Colour Therapy, Beauty, and Yoga & Fitness] Shams 1, The Walk at JBR, Plaza Level.

Email: info@spadunyaclub.com Tel: +971 4 439 3669 www.spadunyaclub.com

ASTROLOGY

Third Eye Centre Miyan is a Jyotish Maharishi (PhD equivalent research degree in Vedic Astrology) and holds a DMA (Diploma in Medieval Astrology). Private readings and group workshops.

Email: info@thirdeyeonline.com Tel: 04 326 6539 www.thirdeyeonline.com Vedic Astrologer & Numerologist, Lalit Soonderji Private readings and group workshops

Aura Alternative Medicine Centre Three kinds of treatment Ayurvedic medicines, diet and lifestyle management and Panchakarma for detox, rejuvenating and relaxing. Office 201, Al Faisal 1, CBI Bank Building, King Faisal Road, Sharjah Email: info@aurahealth.ae Tel: 06 575 7001 www.aurahealth.ae Balance Wellness Centre, Ayurvedic Dr Chandy George Ayurvedic assessments and wide range of wellness services, organic and ayurvedic therapies, energy healing. Third floor, Oasis Centre Email: chandy.george@cplmg.com Tel: 04 5151 4051 www.balance-wellness-centre Breath & Health Alternative Medical Centre Dubai’s premier wellness centre offers cupping, ear candling, Aromatherapy Massage, Ayurveda, Colon Hydrotherapy Cupping Therapy & Hijama, Diet & Nutrition, Ear Coning & Candling, Electromagnetic Wave Therapy, Hair care (Organic), Play & Creative Arts Therapy Pranic Healing, Quantum Biofeedback Therapy, Sand Tray Therapy, Stress Management, Tai Chi, Thai Massage & Therapeutic Stretching, Unani Yoga & Fitness. Villa 1080, Al Wasl Road, Umm Suqeim 2.

Email: hello@breathandhealth.net Tel: 04 348 9940 www.breathandhealth.net

Organic Glow Beauty Lounge Eco-friendly, organic salon. Organic hair treatments, ammonia-free colour, aromatherapy massage, formaldehydefree mani-pedis, fresh fruit facials, homemade scrubs and more. Stocks Simply Organic products for purchase.

E: eco_lounge@yahoo.com T: 04 380 4666 www.organicglowuae.com DUBAI

Dubai Mall Medical Centre Complementary and alternative medicine with Naturopathic Medicine Practioner Dr Heather Eade. 7th Floor, Dubai Mall, Downtown.

Tel: 04 449 5111 www.tdmmc.ae

DUBAI

DUBAI

ACUPUNCTURE

Aura Alternative Medicine Centre Three kinds of treatment Ayurvedic medicines, diet and lifestyle management and Panchakarma for detox, rejuvenating and relaxing. Office 201, Al Faisal 1, CBI Bank Building, King Faisal Road, Sharjah.

E: info@aurahealth.ae T: 06 575 7001 www.aurahealth.ae

AYURVEDA SHARJAH

ALTERNATIVE MEDICAL CENTRES & CLINICS

Email: info@illuminationsworld.com Tel: 04 448 7043 www.illuminationsworld.com

DUBAI

Melany Oliver, Access Bars Practitioner and Facilitator Release unhelpful judgement, beliefs and perceptions easily and effortlessly.

Private one on one healing sessions as well as classes to become a certified Access Bars practitioner.

Tel: 050 794 7695 Email: olivermelany@gmail.com www.melanyoliver.com

Wellbeing Medical Centre Complementary conventional and alternative health care, cosmetic surgery and laser treatments. Jumeirah 3.

Tel: +971 4 348 4406 Email: info@wellbeingmedicalcentre.com www.wellbeingmedicalcentre.com

DUBAI

Tel: +971 4 348 4406 Email: info@wellbeingmedicalcentre.com www.wellbeingmedicalcentre.com

SHARJAH

DUBAI

ACCESS CONSCIOUSNESS (BARS)

Dubai Herbal & Treatment Centre Conventional (allopathic), complementary and alternative medicine plus wellness treatments. Ayurveda, Beauty, Gynaecology, Homeopathy, Nutrition, Psychology, Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Za’abeel, Oud Metha Rd. Email: admin@dubaihtc.com Tel: 04 335 1200 www.dubaihtc.com

BEAUTY & ORGANIC COSMETICS

Katrina Valente Holistics A facial therapist and holistic aesthetician/healer with more than 20 years experience in the beauty industry Email: Katrina@katrinavalente.com Tel: 050 565 7679 ww.katrinavalente.com Tanamera 100% natural hair and body care products from earth-friendly ingredients not tested on animals. Outlets in MOE, Deira City Centre, and Dubai Mall in Dubai. Al Wahda Mall in Abu Dhabi.

Email: info@spret-me.com Tel:04 399 0422 www.tanamera.ae

www.awakeningsme.com

12/1/13 12:26 AM

DUBAI

Aromera - Martina Hakim Holistic Healing for skin and soul Organic skin care and Happiness Coach, Systemic/Family Constellations (Bert Hellinger) Tel.: 050 141 8790 Email: mhaki@aromera.com www.aromera.com

DUBAI

Green Car Rental A range of hybrid to 100 per cent electric vehicles to hire. From the Nissan Leaf to the BMW X6 Hybrid and Tesla Roadster.

Tel. 04 321 7478. Email: info@ greencardubai.com www.greencardubai.com

Spadunya Club Award-winning holistic and wellness spa for women using the 100 per cent organic, French colour therapy spa range called Altearah in holistic vibrational and energetic treatments. Hammam, hydrotherapy, beauty room and steam, sauna and showers. Shams 1, The Walk at JBR, Plaza Level.

Tel: +971 4 439 3669 Email: info@spadunyaclub.com www.spadunyaclub.com

DUBAI

Abeer Ayash, Art Healer Abeer creates Soul Paintings for clients using colour for its therapeutic value.

Email: info@thirdeyeonline.com Tel: 04 326 6539 www.thirdeyeonline.com

CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE (see Acupuncture) COUNSELLING (see also Life Coaching)

www.awakeningsme.com

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DUBAI

COLOUR THERAPY

Pamella Pierrepont, Colour Therapist Colour mirrors Dubai and Bio-Altearah Ascension through Colour. Tel. 0558097445 or email starlightpathways@ gmail.com

CAREER TRAINING

Clinical Reflexology, The Holistic Institute IFPA and ITEC accredited for diplomas in Clinical Aromatherapy and Reflexology.

Email: info@theholisticinsitute.org

Breath & Health Alt. Medical Centre See Alt. Medical Centres for details.

1080, Al Wasl Road, Umm Suqeim 2.

Email: hello@breathandhealth.net Tel: 04 348 9940 www.breathandhealth.net

Breath and Health Alternative Medical Centre Villa 1080, Al Wasl Road, Umm Suquim 2 Email: hello@breathandhealth.net Tel: 04 348 9940 www.breathandhealth.net

EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE (EFT)

Andrea Tosatto, Clinical Psychologist, Synergy Medical Centre Specialising in teens and children, Dr Tosatto uses Cognitive Psychotherapy with Jungian analysis as well as yoga and music therapy as needed.

Email: synergy8@eim.ae Tel: 04 348 5452 www.synergyctrdubai.com

Katrina Valente Holistics A facial therapist and holistic aesthetician/healer with more than 20 years experience in the beauty industry.

Email: Katrina@katrinavalente.com Tel: 050 565 7679 www.katrinavalente.com

CAR HIRE

EAR CONING AND CANDLING

Pamella Pierrepont, Starlight Pathways - Thinking into the Future Therapies and Learning Solutions for Kids, PIDDS, The Listening Programme, The Learning Breakthrough.Tel. 0558097445 or email starlightpathways@ gmail.com

Dubai Herbal & Treatment Centre.

See Alt. Medical Centres for details.

Email: admin@dubaihtc.com Tel: 04 335 1200 www.dubaihtc.com

Kay Vosloo, Talise Wellness Polyclinic, Al Qasr Hotel Flush out impacted fecal matter, toxic wastes, yeasts and other undesirable matter that build up over time and contribute to a variety of illnesses.

To book, Email: Mona at MJWellness@ jumeirah.com or call +971 4 366 6810

Detox Delight Dubai Detox juices delivered to your door and bespoke detox programmes.

Email: info@detox-delight.ae Tel: 055 5568 318 www.detox-delight.ae

Helen Williams, Life Works Counselling and development. Helen is a Gestalt Therapist. 996 Al Wasl Rd, Umm Suqeim 1 Email: Helen@lifeworksdubai.com Tel: 04 3942464 www.lifeworksdubai.com

Melany Oliver, Emotional Empowerment Release unwanted emotions and get to the core of the issue. Private one on one healing sessions as well as group workshops.

Tel: 050 794 7695 Email: olivermelany@gmail.com www.melanyoliver.com

Tarnia Chapman, Spiritual Counsellor A graduate of the UK School of Metaphysics for the Expansion of Consciousness, Tarnia offers private sessions available to know yourself, be yourself and express yourself.

Email: Tarn.chapman@hotmail.com or call 050 2754 571

Third Eye Centre Clinical Hypnotherapist Monisha specialises in EFT and Hypnotherapy.

Offers workshops such as Taking Charge, Self Hypnosis, Karma and Forgiveness.

Contact Monisha at The Third Eye Centre.

Email: info@thirdeyeonline.com Tel: 04 326 6539 www.thirdeyeonline.com

CRYSTAL THERAPY

Pranic Healing Centre Encorporates pranic with crystal healing. www.pranichealingmea.com

Cosmic Healing Centre (see Holistic Centres)

DORN METHOD (Spinal therapy)

FENG SHUI

Cris Falconi Feng Shui Residential and corporate feng shui, interior design and consultancy.

Tel. 055 362 9027 Email: info@cristianofalconi.com www.cristianofalconi.com

Karima Nanji at SpaDunya Club See ‘Holistic Centres’

DIET & DETOX

Art of Detox, Malcolm Slyper A free online service dedicated to preventing disease through natural cleansing and detox and raw food. Detox retreats hosted.

Tel: +12024079737. Email: info@ artofdetox.com www.artofdetox.com Generation Nourished Holistic Health Coaching Programs for women and teenagers looking to lose weight, gain energy, have blood sugar imbalance, or want to overhaul their diet & lifestyle.

Tel: 055 106 7511 www.generationnourished.com

Third Eye Energy clearing and space management for corporates and individuals.

Email: info@thirdeyeonline.com Tel: 04 326 6539 www.thirdeyeonline.com ABU DHABI

DUBAI

Herbline Essentials Ayurvedic face, body, hair, acne and slimming treatments made from natural ingredients sourced in the Himalayas.

Available through Namshi.com and Mumzworld.com, UAE pharmacies including Boots, Bin Sina, Health First and United Pharmacies. www.natural.ae

Clinical Aromatherapy, The Holistic Institute IFPA and ITEC accredited for diplomas in Clinical Aromatherapy and Reflexology.

Email: info@theholisticinsitute.org Tel: 04 450 3535 www.theholisticinstitute.org

Integrated Clinical Hypnotherapy, Illuminations Well-Being Centre Certified by the Universal School of Integrated Clinical Hypnotherapy Middle East. Five stages. For more information, go to www.usich-me.com or call Illuminations on 04 448 7043 www.illuminationsworld.com

COLON HYDROTHERAPY

Neal’s Yard Remedies Organic Natural Health and Beauty. Dubai locations: Wafi Mall, Sun, Level 1 (04 324 5141); The Dubai Mall, Level 1 near Nayomi (04 325 3154); Dubai Marina Mall (050 189 3191); coming soon to Town Centre Springs. Sharjah locations: Sahara Centre, Sharjah (06 554 6702) Abu Dhabi locations: Fatouh al Khair Mall (02 628 9044) and Al Wahda Mall extension, unit E239 Second Floor www.nealsyardremedies.ae Organic Supermarket and Café Stocks organic skincare and cosmetics. www.organicfoodsandcafe.com

Tel: 04 450 3535 www.theholisticinstitute.org

DUBAI

Snowberry Organic Cosmetics Available at Spadunya Club, Shams 1, The Walk at JBR, Plaza Level.

Email: info@spadunyaclub.com Tel: +971 4 439 3669 www.spadunyaclub.com

DUBAI

Organic Glow Beauty Lounge Eco-friendly salon offering organic treatments. Email: eco_lounge@yahoo.com Tel: 04 380 4666 www.organicglowuae.com

DUBAI

listings

DUBAI

52

Brenda Margaret, B&C Wellness Ctr Offer Home Alignment, an energetic method to make your home a sacred space. Tel - +971 55 9743607 Email: brendacharu@gmail.com www.brendacharu.com

To get your business listed here as well as online at the UAE Holistic Directory at www.awakeningsme.com, email the details to listings@awakeningsme.com For the full UAE Holistic Directory, go to www.awakeningsme.com

DECEMBER - FEBRUARY 2014

12/1/13 12:26 AM

listings

FLOATATION THERAPY

Point Zero Floatation Center, Abu Dhabi Floatation Therapy, Ayurveda and Body Works are on offer at this HAAD registered spa centre for relaxation, recuperation and rehabilitation. Khalifa City A, Abu Dhabi opposite Al Forsan Sports resort and next to Berlitz Language Center. Street #12, Villa 3.

Call +971 (2) 445 5775, email bookings@ pointzerofloatation.com www.pointzerofloatation.com

The Miracles Center Icon Tower, office 306, next to Byblos Hotel Tecom (Dubai Internet City Metro) Tel: 056 148 5118 Email: info@miraclesworldwide.com

Aspen Aman, The Gong House Private and group sessions for healing mind and body through sound meditation as well as gonging classes. Special classes also held for children. www.meetup.com/The-Gong-House

Cosmic Healing Centre Services, treatments, events and training in various healing modalities, self-empowerment workshops and meditations, plus alternative and complementary therapies. Pranic, Theta, Reiki, Vastu and Feng Shui, Crystal, KriyaShakti, EFT, Hypnotherapy.Office No: 402; Montana Building, Home Options Building, GPO, Karama, Dubai.

Email: info@cosmichealingcentre.org Tel: 04 357 6676 www.cosmichealingcentre.org

Lawrence Enderle Lawrence hosts Gong Bath Meditations and Sound and Vibration sessions and workshops at The Third Eye Center (see Holistic Centres). www.thirdeyeonline.com

Illuminations Well-Being Centre 409, Fortune Executive Towers, Cluster T, Plot T1, JLT (next to Dubai Marina Metro).

Email: info@illuminationsworld.com Tel: 04 448 7043 www.illuminationsworld.com

Zarine Dadachanji Various weekly times and locations around Dubai. Go to www.meetup.com/ Gong-Bath-Meditations

The Third Eye Centre 1101 Saeed Tower II, On top of Nandos/ KFC, next to Four Points Sheraton, Sheikh Zayed Road. Financial Centre Metro.

Email: info@thirdeyeonline.com Tel: 04 326 6539 www.thirdeyeonline.com

GASTRIC MIND BANDING (see hypnotherapy) GONGING AND GONG BATH MEDITATIONS ABU DHABI

Discover Nirvana Self-discovery workshops, yoga for kids, space clearing and feng shui for the home, Ayurvedic cooking, wellness for pets, crystal healing, Reiki, Theta healing and online shopping.

Email: info@discovernirvana.org www.discovernirvana.org

HOLISTIC CENTRES

The Alignment Institute Aura alignment, Feng Shui, guided meditation, Tarot, NLP. P.O. Box 114350, Abu Dhabi Tel: 050 6811728 Email: align@shivaniadalja.com www.shivaniadalja.com

The Holistic Institute A variety of holistic therapies, studies and career training. Tel: 04 450 3535 Email: info@theholisticinsitute.org www.theholisticinstitute.org

B&C Wellness Centre Be the Change offers SRT therapy, corporate and individual packages for anger management, personal growth and stress management.

Tel. +971 55 9743607 Email: info@brendacharu.com www.brendacharu.com

Balance Wellness Centre Ayurvedic treatments, diet, counselling, meditation, therapeutic massage, herbal therapies, yoga and Pilates. Third floor, Oasis Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road Email: info.balance@cplmg.com Tel: 04 384 7010 www.balance-wellness-centre.com

SpaDunya Club Holistic Wellness Consultants offer therapies that include Reflexology, Iridology, Holistic Nutrition, Theta Healing, Quantum Reading, the Dorn Method, PIDDDS (Personal Integrated Dynamics, Diet and Determination), Breuss Massage, and Reiki. Shams 1, The Walk at JBR, Plaza Level.

Tel: +971 4 439 3669 Email: info@spadunya.com www.spadunyaclub.com

HOUSEHOLD MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR

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Green Facilities Management (Green FM) Environmentally-friendly home maintenance and repair, from water tank cleaning to pest control, renovations, air con service and repair, 24/7 emergency call outs and more.

Tel. 04 440 8929 or 050 5520 150 Email: info@green-fms.com www.green-fms.com

HYPNOTHERAPY

Awakened Soul, Rachel Beavan Healer and psychotherapist Email: beavanrachel@mac.com www.rachelbeavan.com

Soul mapping, Stephanie Hamilton Get help understanding your life’s purpose. Tel: 050 870 1927 Email: connect@nektar.ae www.nektar.ae

Elite Mind Solutions Anna Yates is a psychotherapist, clinical hypnotherapist, licensed NLP practitioner, gastric mind band therapist, pause button therapist, and smoking cessation specialist.

Tel: +971 (0)50 6512145 www.elitemindsolutions.com

Livia Anzaldo, Liv 2 Lead Individual lifestyle coaching plus corporate coaching, wellness and adventure travel retreats, yoga classes.

Email: livia@liv2lead.com Tel: 050 1819 527 www.liv2lead.com

Rachel Foy Clinical and cognitive behavioural hypnotherapist, EFT, NLP, homeopath and nutritional therapist. Offers inner repatterning, hypno-birthing, gastric mind banding. Rachel offers a free 20 min session for new clients. Call 04-4503525 www.rachelfoy.com

Sushma, Third Eye Certified Life Coach, Sushma conducts coaching workshops and sessions Email: sushma@thirdeyeonline.com Tel: 04 326 6539 www.thirdeyeonline.com

Sabine Poncelet Healer and hypnotherapist. Private sessions at KUUR Physiotherapy Center.

Hypnotherapy for: anger, stress, anxiety management. Self confidence,self esteem, past life regression and more.

Tel. 050 81 44 529 www.animalreikidubai.com Inner Self Consultancy Alexandra Salkova offers hypnotherapy, NLP coaching, Theta healing, EFT, Reiki, De-stress programme. Email alexandra@ innerselfconsultancy.com.

Tel. 050 698 4612. www.innerselfconsultancy.com Graca Ward Hypnotherapy for addictions such as smoking, phobias and sea-sickness.

Email: gracaward@yahoo.com

IRIDOLOGY

Stephanie Niazi, Spadunya Club Stephanie uses iridology to evaluates wellness imbalances through tissue markings in the eyes which are addressed with holistic nutrition and food solutions. www.spadunyaclub.com

KINESIOLOGY

Osteopathic Health Centre Malcolm Gregory and Nargis Raza give self-help and support to people suffering from pain. Umm Suqueim and Mirdiff Email: clinicsinfo@osteopathydubai.com Tel: 04 348 73 66 www.osteopathydubai.com

LIFE COACHING

Inner Self Consultancy Alexandra Salkova offers hypnotherapy, NLP coaching, Theta healing, EFT, Reiki, De-stress programme. Email alexandra@ innerselfconsultancy.com.

Tel. 050 698 4612. www.innerselfconsultancy.com

Lucy Mackintosh , Law of Attraction Dubai Tel: 050 358 2004, www.changing-lives. net and www.lawofattractiondubai.com

MASSAGE

Dreamworks Spa Dubai Balinese foot reflexology and massage centres in various locations Email: mail@dreamworks.ae Tel: 800 6277 243 www.dreamworks.ae Feet First Reflexology and massage centre.

Services include deep tissue massage, de-stress massage, shiatsu massage, acupressure facial, slimming massage Email: info@feet1st.com Tel: 04 366 9956 www.feet1st.com Naturopathy Touch Building Lake City Tower, opp JLT metro station, JLT. Email: info@naturopathytouch.com Tel: 04 452 6969 www.naturopathytouch.com

MAID & CLEANING SERVICES

Eco Maid ME The region’s first and only toxin and carcinogen-free, eco-friendly cleaning service using primarily citrus and mineralbased cleaners imported from Europe and New Zealand.

Tel: 050 158 2192 or 04 388 1292 www.ecomaidme.com

RAS AL KHAIMA

Cosmic Healing Centre (see Holistic Centres)

53

MEAL DELIVERY SERVICES

Kcal Extra Healthy calorie-controlled monthly meal plans delivered daily to your door.

Tel: 04 3395 316 or sign up at the website www.kcalextra.com HealthTrendz Healthy food to go.

Email: healthtrendz@dwtc.com

www.awakeningsme.com

12/1/13 12:26 AM

54

listings

Lively UAE Live’ly team of clinical dieticians and specialized chefs join efforts to offer you a convenient solution to weight and disease management through tailored meals delivered to your doorstep and continuous follow ups and body assessment. Branches in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Email: info@lively.ae for Dubai or infoad@lively.ae for Abu Dhabi. www.lively.ae Right Bite Healthy calorie-controlled monthly meal plans delivered daily to your door.

Tel: 04 338 8763 Email: info@right-bite.com www.right-bite.com U’ve Got Meal Affordable daily meal delivery services for weight-loss and well-being, international cuisines available. Call 600 544402 or SMS “FIT” to 052 877 2174​for a call you back within 24 hours​.

Email: info@uvegotmeal.com www.uvegotmeal.com

MEDITATION

Cosmic Healing Centre - See ‘Holistic Centres’ for contacts.

Illuminations Well-Being Centre Various regular weekly meditations. See ‘Holistic Centres’ for contacts.

The Third Eye Centre - See ‘Holistic Centres’ for contacts.

Discover Nirvana - See ‘Holistic Centres’ for contacts.

Carol Unterhorst is a Dubai-based doula with a degree in Psychological Counselling and skills in acupressure.

Contact her through http://ca-doula. blogspot.ae

until 3pm. Where: BS4, Al Seef 2, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai Tel: +971 4369 5209 Email: info@bpgpuae.com www.blueplanetgreenpeople.com

Placenta Passion For placenta encapsulation, Elizabeth Bain is a midwife, public health nurse, certified birth doula, hypnobirthing practitioner and an independent Placenta Encapsulation Specialist.

E. bettybain23@hotmail.com. T. 050 4215180/ 050 456 1333 www.dubaidoulas.com

Down to Earth Organics Supplies organic food and groceries in Dubai. Store at G11, Sheikh Hamdan Awards Complex, Opposite Union Flag, Jumeirah 1, Dubai.

Email: info@downtoearthorganic.ae Tel: 04 386 3391 www.downtoearthorganic.ae

NEURO LINGUISTIC PROGRAMMING

The Farm House The Farm house brings to you daily the local, seasonal , organic and fresh producuts of the farms in UAE; beef, lamb,camel, chicken, fresh organic chicken egs, fresh organic quail eggs, organic cow milk, goat milk, sheep milk, camel milk. All seasonal organic local vegetables and fruit.

Souk Al Manzil, Down Town Dubai Daily 8am until 10 pm Email: bob@thefarmhouse.ae www.thefarmhouse.ae

Carol Talbot, Matrix Training Solutions Leadership, Neuro-linguistic programming and accelerated learning techniques.

Mazaya Centre, Entrance A, 3rd Floor, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai.

Tel: (04) 3432-55 www.matrix-training.com Comar Fowler & Associates, Beryl Comar Using a combination of techniques ranging from traditional classroom teaching, group and pair work and NeuroLinguistic Programming.

Email: info@changeassociates.ae Tel: 050-655 4523 www.changedubai.com

NATUROPATHY

Stephanie Niazi, Spadunya Club Holistic nutrition and iridology to evaluates potential wellness imbalances.

Uses Reflexology, Pranic healing, Colour Therapy, Quantum Reading and Dynamic Phyto-Therapy. Shams 1, The Walk at JBR, Plaza Level.

Tel: +971 4 439 3669 Email: info@spadunya.com www.spadunyaclub.com

Sahaja Yoga Meditation A method of meditation based on achieving ‘thoughtless awareness’. Free weekly sessions, Tel: 050 295 3571 Email: uaesahajayoga@gmail.com www.sahajayogauae.com

NUMEROLOGY

Vipassana Meditation Offering courses in Vipassana Meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka. Ten day silent meditation retreats held in RAK. Email: vipassana.dubai@gmail.com www.dhamma.org

ORGANIC PRODUCE

MUMS & BABIES

Andrea Balazs, Holistic Health Coach & Yoga Teacher Pre and postnatal nutrition, women’s health, and weight management. Hatha and pre/postnatal private and group yoga classes across Dubai.

T: 050 584 2934. E: andrea@ yoganutrition.com www.andreabalazs.com Dubai Doula

Lalit Soonderji, Vedic Astrologer & Numerologist Private readings and group workshops Email: info@illuminationsworld.com Tel: 04 448 7043 www.illuminationsworld.com Balqees Honey Raw Yemeni Sidr Honey is top quality for nutritional and medicinal value. Outlets in Dubai Mall and Festival City. Free delivery around Dubai.

Tel: 050 655 2023 www.balqees.com Be Super Natural A UAE online shop for raw, vegan, organic, fairtrade, ethical foodstuffs and groceries. www.besupernatural.com Blue Planet Green People Organic and eco-home, body-care and health foods, along with fruit and veggie produce from local producers at this JLT store plus a farmer’s market on Fridays between 11am

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Greenheart Organic Farms Freshly harvested organic produce from UAE farms sold to Dubai residents, via designated collection points or through home delivery (minimum order Dh100). All the produce on offer is chemical and pesticide-free. The farms practise bio diversity, crop rotation and companion planting. A website and online ordering system is in place and you can pop in to the shop in Arjan, Al Barsha 2, close to the Arabian Ranches roundabout. www.greenheartuae.com Organic Supermarket and Café Fresh organic and biodynamic food, supplements, skincare, cosmetics, baby items and household cleaning products.

Stores in Greens and Shk Zayed Road just past Oasis Centre.

Tel: 04 4340577 www.organicfoodsandcafe.com Milk & Honey Gourmet and premium organic brands and produce. 24/7 delivery. Tel: 04 432 8686 for Palm Jumeirah and 04 435 6363 for Meadows Town Centre.

Twitter #milkandhoneydxb www.milkandhoney.ae Ripe Middle East Supplies local organic produce in Dubai.

Farm fresh fruit and vegetables delivered to your door or for purchase at the farmers markets. Warehouse 11, 6A Street, Al Quoz behind Times Square Ctr. Email: info@ripeme.com Tel: 04 380 7602 www.ripeme.com The Green League, Dubai Garden Centre Fresh organic fruit and vegetables. Every day at Fresh Corner in the Dubai Garden Centre, Sheikh Zayed Rd and every day at Lafayette Gourmet, Second floor Dubai Mall. On weekends at Down to Earth, Jumeirah 1. Tel: 056 176 2992 or email: info@thegreenleague.ae.

PILATES

Real Pilates Contemporary Pilates and STOTT PILATES(r) teacher training courses.

Over 130 group classes per week.

Private and Semi-Private Sessions also available, including Rehab Pilates. Two locations: Palm Strip Mall, 1st Floor, Jumeirah. Tel: +971 04 345 3228 JLT JBC2, Tower, Cluster V, Tel: +971 4 458 5399 www.real-pilates.com

PHOTOGRAPHY

Soul Photography with Nektar Lifestyle Stephanie Hamilton specialises in photography projects that heal and celebrate your life.

Tel: 050 870 1927 Email: connect@nektar.ae www.nektar.ae

PRANIC HEALING

The GMCKS Pranic Energy Healing Center Pranic healing courses of all levels and group meditations. Encorporates pranic with Arhatic Yoga, KriyaShakti, crystal healing and Feng Shui.

Tel: 04 3688067/ 3688104 or mobile 050-6566547 www.pranichealingmea.com Yogi George, The Third Eye Yogi George teaches Pranic Healing and conducts private sessions at Third Eye. Email: info@thirdeyeonline.com Tel: 04 326 6539 www.thirdeyeonline.com

QIGONG

Meihua Li Tai Chi Group or private lessons available weekly. See website for times.

Tel: Anmarie 050 4698589 Email: anmarie@mltaichi.com

To get your business listed here as well as online at the UAE Holistic Directory at www.awakeningsme.com, email the details to listings@awakeningsme.com For the full UAE Holistic Directory, go to www.awakeningsme.com

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12/1/13 12:26 AM

Feet First Reflexology and massage centre. Services include deep tissue massage, de-stress massage, shiatsu massage, acupressure facial, slimming massage.

Email: info@feet1st.com Tel: (0) 4 366 9956 www.feet1st.com

REGRESSION THERAPY

ABU DHABI

Awakened Soul, Rachel Beavan Healing, guidance and psychotherapy.

Email: beavanrachel@mac.com www.rachelbeavan.com

REIKI

Seda Goksel Healing Reiki Master and Theta healer. Private healing sessions and Reiki classes.

Tel: 050 600 6968 Email: info@reikitouchdubai.com www.facebook.com/SedaGokselhealing Awakened Soul, Rachel Beavan Healer and psychotherapist Rachel offers

Sparklefairy is Dubai’s first online boutique for crystal gemstones and jewellery, go shopping at www.sparklefairy.com

REIKI FOR ANIMALS

Animal Reiki in Dubai Sabine Poncelet helps heal your animal and yourself with energetic care.

Tel: 050 814 4529 Email animal.reiki.dubai@gmail.com www.animalreikidubai.com Diane Taylor, Tibetan Usui Reiki Diane uses Reiki on horses to help heal their issues. Tel: 050 749 2566 or book through the website at www. whitelighttherapydubai.com

RESTAURANTS & CAFES

Bestro – Live and Raw Dubai’s first raw food restaurant, Bestro’s menu is all vegan apart from the raw Yemeni honey that’s used in selected items. Galeries Lafayette, Dubai.

Tel. +971 (0)4 441 6407 www.facebook.com/BeStroUAE Baker & Spice Salads, handmade wild bread, cakes, breakfasts and mains, all made from locally sourced ingredients where possible. Location: Souk al Bahar and Dukkan al Manzil, Downtown Dubai.

Marina Promenade. Maps on website.

Tel: 04 425 2240, 04 427 9856 and 04 362 4686 www.bakerandspiceme.com Balance cafe Vegan and vegetarian dishes as well as non-vege. The menu shows the calories, fat, carb, fibre, cholesterol and sodium content of each dish. Cooking classes also on offer, plus take-away. Third floor of the Oasis Centre on Sheikh Zayed Rd Tel: 04 384 7010 www.balance-wellness-centre.com The Farm Located out on Emirates Road, this newbie to the Dubai food scene promises local and organic ingredients, where possible. Location: Al Barari, off Emirates Road - driving directions on website www.thefarmdubai.com Tel: 04 392 5660 Icons Coffee Couture World’s first ‘no sugar added’ stevia-

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Sophie’s The motto is Eat well. Live well. Be well.

A ‘gastro-café’ offers homemade healthy food, local and organic when possible.

Location: Lower Ground Floor, Building 8, The Shoreline, Palm Jumeirah Tel: 04 451 5982 www.sophiesme.com Saladicious Fresh and healthy salads a speciality. Location: On Jumeirah Beach Road going towards Jumeirah Mosque, take a right turn at The One. There’s also a deli on JBR Walk. Tel. Jumeirah 04 345 5822 or JBR Walk 04 423 0855 www.saladicious.com

Noviplus Noviplus offers members discounts on health and fitness services, tips and advice, news, fitness tools and more.

Tel: 050 585 6948 Email: info@noviplus.ae www.noviplus.ae UAE

Dreamworks Spa Dubai Balinese foot reflexology and massage centres in various locations.

Email: mail@dreamworks.ae Tel: 800 6277 243 www.dreamworks.ae

Ornament Gifts Angels, crystals, art and handmade jewellery. Shop owner Birgit Schurenberg is a certified Refelxologist, Reiki Master, Crystal Healer. Contact Birgit on 050 795 9916 prior to your visit and for consultations and directions Email: bes@emirates.net.ae Tel: 04 388 4483 or 050 795 9916 www.facebook.com/Ornament-GiftsAngels-Jewelry-Crystals-Art Sparklefairy Dubai’s first new age and wellness online boutique, buy anything from crystals to dream-catchers, oracle cards, incense, and jewelry. www.sparklefairy.com

Zest restaurant Natural, fresh and nutritious food and drink using the highest quality ingredients, organic when possible. We do not use sugar, additives, preservatives or colouring. Location: Tunisia Food Court, Ibn Battuta Mall.

Tel: Call 800 ZEST (800 9378) for delivery. www.zest.ae Nathalie’s Cafe Right Bite founder Nathalie Haddad is serving fresh, low-fat meals in Abu Dhabi media zone, Twofour54 in Khalifa Park.

T: 02 441 1330 www.facebook.com/NathaliesCafe

SHOPPING

Elements Fengshui Candles, crystal rocks and jewellery, aura cleansers, pendulums, singing bowls and bells, new age music and more. Outlets in Al Khaleej Centre, Bur Dubai; Deira City Centre; Level 1 Mall of the Emirates; Dubai Mall.

Email: elementsfengshui@gmail.com Tel: 04 295 0988 www.elementsfengshui.com Laughing Buddha Stalls within various Dubai malls selling new age products such as crystals, jewellery, incense, CDs and oils. Ibn Battuta, Dubai Festival City.

Green Bags UAE The first company to introduce the concept of eco-friendly bags in UAE & leading provider of jute ,cotton and juco bags. These ethically-produced

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reusable bags are an ecologically-friendly replacement for plastic.

Tel. 04 370 5277 Email: enquiry@greenbagsuae.com www.greenbagsuae.com

Organic Supermarket and Café Organic eatery with outlets in the Greens and Dubai Mall. www.organicfoodsandcafe.com

Melany Oliver, Reiki Master & Teacher Private one on one healing sessions as well as Reiki workshops from beginners to advanced for people wanting to become Reiki Masters.

Tel 050 794 7695 Email: olivermelany@gmail.com www.melanyoliver.com

DUBAI

REFLEXOLOGY

Tibetan Usui Reiki Diane is a spiritual trance healer and Tibetan Usui Reiki healer.

Tel: 050 749 2566 or book through the website. Women only. www. whitelighttherapydubai.com

based luxury coffee chain. Combining high fashion and healthy living, ICONS sells a selection of ‘guilt-free’ cakes and desserts as well as savoury items such as protein tofu wraps, fitness salads and healthy sandwiches. Location: Souk Al Bahar, Downtown Dubai. Tel. + 971 (0)4 312 4330 www.meeticons.com

OMAN

healings as well as classes in Reiki.

Email: beavanrachel@mac.com www.rachelbeavan.com DUBAI

www.mltaichi.com The Third Eye Qigong Instructor Ania gives personal classes and group workshops in Qigong as well as healing sessions to remove blocks from meridians and energy channels.

Email: info@thirdeyeonline.com Tel: 04 326 6539 www.thirdeyeonline.com

ABU DHABI

listings

Third Eye Centre Sells books, crystals, herbal products, oracle cards, incense, essential oils, meditation CDS and more.

Email: info@thirdeyeonline.com Tel: 04 326 6539 www.thirdeyeonline.com to shop online The Little Fair Trade Shop Products and foodstuffs made by artisans and farmers in developing or disadvantaged countries.

Email: thelittlefairtradeshop@hotmail. com. Tel: Sabeena on 050 105 2813 www.thelittlefairtradeshop.com The Change Initiative, Barsha Sustainable products, from household to fashion and appliances.

Email: info@tci-mail.com Tel: 800 824 www.thechangeinitiative.com

SPAS & RETREATS

Mizan at Rocco Forte Hotel Abu Dhabi Traditional massages, Hammam rituals and tailor-made treatments using the worldrenowned brands Maroc and Natura Bisse www.roccofortehotelabudhabi.com Zayna Spa, Abu Dhabi Well-being treatments and traditional massages in this spa hotel based in the Grand Millennium Al Wahda Hotel, Abu Dhabi. From a Tropical Salt Mousse Glow to re-energise and repair the skin to a caviar facial for advanced facial treatment against aging.

Email: zaynaspa@grandmill-alwahda.com Tel. +971 2 495 3822 www.grandmillenniumalwahda.com

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listings Sisters Beauty Lounge, Dubai & Abu Dhabi A high-end chain of salons for women that offer organic facials and brands including Cowshed, Eminence and Shiffa.

Various locations around Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Go to the website for details. www.sistersbeautylounge.com

Natural Healing Spa Villa 1183, Al Wasl Road, Dubai.

Tel: +971 4 3483896 www.naturalhealingspas.com

Six Senses Spa, Zighy Bay, Oman Holistic and pampering combining east and west therapies.

Tel: +968 2 6735 555 www.sixsenses.com/sixsenseszighybay

OMAN

SPIRITUAL RESPONSE THERAPY

eSSensuals Aromatherapy Centre Holistic women’s spa using Decleor and Organic Neal’s Yard Remedies products.

Treatments include massages, Facials, body treatments, reflexology, Aroma Manicure, Pedicure and more. First floor, Jumeirah Centre, Jumeirah Beach Road (next to Spinneys and Magrudys).

Email:essensuals1@gmail.com 04-3448776

ABU DHABI

Spadunya Club, JBR Various holistic techniques from an international team of therapists and healers. Treatment suites, hammam, hydrotherapy, beauty room and steam, sauna and showers. Adjacent is Fitness@ Spadunya offering personal training, Aerobics, Pilates, yoga, dance. Shams 1, The Walk at JBR, Plaza Level.

Tel: 04 439 3669 www.spadunyaclub.com

UAE

Anahata Spa Beauty, health and holistic wellbeing.

Manicures with organic nail varnish and facials and body massages with healing crystals. Khalifa City A, Abu Dhabi. Tel: 02 557 7722. Email: info@anahataspa.ae www.anahataspa.ae.

SHARJAH

Charu Mathur Charu is an SRT practitioner and the co-founder of B&C wellness centre. Tel: +971 55 5662219, email brendacharu@ gmail.com www.brendacharu.com

STRESS MANAGEMENT DUBAI

Kalm Holistic Beauty, Palm Jumeirah A One Stop holistic shop offering women facials, manicures, pedicures, eyelash extensions, massages, waxing, threading, hair treatments, haircut and blow drying.

Palm Island Jumeira, Riva Beach Club, between Shoreline Apartments 7 and 8.

Tel: +9714 451 9988. www.kalmbeauty.com.

Lukas Putz An SRT practitioner and teacher, Lukas works out of Illuminations Well- Being Centre (see Holistic Centres).

For SRT information, www. spiritualresponse.com www.illuminationsworld.com Brenda Margaret Brenda is an SRT practitioner and the co-founder of B&C wellness centre. Tel - +971 55 9743607. Email brendacharu@ gmail.com www.brendacharu.com

Lotus Wellness Spa, Dubai Marina Holistic treatments for men and women.

Lotus Hotel Apartments & Spa, Marina Tel: 044402805 Email: spa@lotus-hospitality.com www.lotus-hospitality.com Talise Wellness Spa, Madinat Jumeirah Blends integrative medicine and diagnostics with holistic therapies.

Features 26 treatment rooms, including couples suites and a variety of facials, massages and body treatments using top range spa products. www.jumeirah.com

Samad Ahmad Using SRT, SpR and other energy healing modalities, Samad gets to the root of what’s not working in your life and clears the way for healing, abundance and happiness. Powerful and life-changing work from this gifted healer.

Email: samad.k.ahmad@gmail.com

Supreme Chi Energy Spa, JLT Energised water therapy spa for problems like asthma, angina, hypertension, migraines, headaches, back pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, high cholesterol, morning sickness, etc. Swiss Towers, Y3, opposite Carrefour & Damas, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai Tel: 04 3605806 / 055 8742129 Email: acarroll@supremechi-energyspa.com

Well Woman Clinic, Melanie Schlatter Psychologist Melanie Schlatter specialises in anxiety, panic attacks, depression, grief, sleep difficulties, pain, changes in body image, the initial shock of a disease or illness diagnosis, and medical treatments and tests. She also offers stress management programmes.

Al Dhiyafah Street.

Email: wwc@emirates.net.ae Tel: 04 332 7117 www.wellwomanclinic.ae Dubai Physiotherapy & Family Medicine Comprehensive family medicine and physiotherapy. 1st Floor, Town Centre Jumeirah, Jumeirah Beach Road.

Tel: 04 349 6333 www.dxbphysio.com

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UNANI (CUPPING/HIJAMA) Dr. Amr Farouk, Ajman Clinic at GMC Hospital. Call during business hours on +971 (0)6 746 3333.

Al Hijama Alternative Medical Centre Drs. Fatima Shaheen and Syed Asaduddin Ahmed are Unani and Hijama specialists in Sharjah, 306 DeltaTower, Corniche Street, Sharjah.

Tel. 050 804 9107 or 06 556 0500.

Email: docsaab@hotmail.com

TAI CHI

Meihua Li Tai Chi Group or private lessons available weekly.

See website for times.

Tel: Anmarie 050 4698589 Email: anmarie@mltaichi.com www.mltaichi.com

TRAVEL (see ‘Wellness Retreats) THETA HEALING

Illuminations Well-Being Centre Several Theta Healers including Master Healer Vanya Silverten work out of New Illuminations (see Holistic Centres) www.illuminationsworld.com or www.thetahealingmastery.com Sabine Poncelet Theta Healing session & Mediumship 050 81 44 529 www.animalreikidubai.com Theta Healing Universe Part of Third Eye Centre, offers Theta Healing courses and sessions.

Tel: 04 326 6539 www.thetahealinguniverse.com Mariam L. Yasin Holistic professional conducting one-on-one sessions and facilitating certified courses; Master ThetaHealer, Intuitive Healing, Clinical Hypnotherapy, Law of Attraction & Manifestation, Reiki, Colour Therapy, Past Life Regression, Pranic Healing, Crystal Healing, Tarot Card Reading.

Tel: +971 4 384 7010 Mobile: +971 50 636 1218 Email: info@mariamyasin.com www.mariamyasin.com Melany Oliver, Theta Healer Private one on one or group healing sessions.

Tel: 050 794 7695 Email: olivermelany@gmail.com. www.melanyoliver.com

VASTU see ‘Feng Shui’ WELLNESS EQUIPMENT

Om Life High-end wellness, fitness and physiotherapy equipment for spas, clinics, gyms and private clients. Eg, float rooms, mild hyperbaric oxygen chambers, acupressure mats, instant reusable heat packs, speed fitness EMS, and pulsed electromagnetic field therapy.

Tel: +971 4 368 0994 Email: infoweb@omlifeme.com www.omlifeme.com

WELLNESS RETREATS

B-Wellness Retreats Three-day retreats designed to help women jumpstart into healthy living through distressing, relaxing, and focusing on themselves and their health.

Email Bernadette@bernaciseme.com www.bernaciseme.com

Yoga Retreats Groups taken on yoga and personal growth retreats in the UAE and abroad. T: 050 1819527. E: livia@yogaretreats.ae www.yogaretreats.ae Six Senses, Zighy Bay, Oman Holistic and pampering combining east and west therapies.

Tel: +968 2 6735 555 www.sixsenses.com/sixsenseszighybay

YOGA & FITNESS

(see also ‘Pilates’, ‘Tai chi’, ‘Qigong’) Bodytree Studio, Abu Dhabi Yoga, Pilates and dance classes to help find your individual potential for greater wellbeing, from the inside out. Coming from the Corniche on 26th /Al Nahyan St, turn left at 11th Street/Sheikh Hazza Bin Zayed St and take the first right. Bodytree is the front cream villa directly across the road from the ADNOC station.

Tel: +971 2 443 4448 Email: info@bodytreestudio.com www.bodytreestudio.com Raw Yoga Abu Dhabi A group for raw food and yoga fans. www.meetup.com/Raw-Yoga Aura Alternative Medicine Centre Ayurvedic medicines, diet and lifestyle management and Panchakarma for detox, rejuvenating and relaxing. Office 201, Al Faisal 1, CBI Bank Building, King Faisal Road, Sharjah.

Email: info@aurahealth.ae Tel: 06 575 7001 www.aurahealth.ae

To get your business listed here as well as online at the UAE Holistic Directory at www.awakeningsme.com, email the details to listings@awakeningsme.com For the full UAE Holistic Directory, go to www.awakeningsme.com

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listings Balance Wellness Centre Yoga and Pilates classes including Hatha, Yoga Therapy, Vinyasa Flow, Dynamic, Pre and Post Natal, Pranayama and Meditation. Third floor, Oasis Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road.

Email: info.balance@cplmg.com.

Tel: 04 384 7010. www.balance-wellness-centre.com Bikram Yoga Middle East Single class AED 70 and one month unlimited classes, AED 700. Icon Tower, 4th Floor, TECOM. Tel: 04 368 6287 www.bikramyoga-me.com Bharat Thakur Artistic Yoga Yoga for flat abs and improved stamina.

Group classes in various locations through Dubai, Ajman, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. Book your free trial class on 800 9642 www.artisticyoga.com Exhale Fitness Ladies-only studios providing quality Yoga, Pilates, Body Toning and Dance Fitness. Motor City and JBR. Tel; +971 4 4243777 Email: info@exhaledubai.com www.exhaledubai.com Club Stretch Bikram Yoga and Pilates studio. Al Mina Road, Satwa and Dubai Marina.

Email: info@clubstretch.ae Tel: 04 345 2131 www.clubstretch.ae Fitness 360 Locations at Mazaya Centre (04 330 7711), Arabian Centre (04 236 2111) and International City Email info@fitness360.me www.fitness360.me Fitness@Spadunya Spadunya Club’s fitness centre offers Personal Training, Aerobics, Pilates, Yoga, Dance, kids classes and more.

Shams 1, The Walk at JBR, Plaza Level.

Tel. +971 4 439 3669 www.spadunyaclub.com MMA Fitness Centre, Hot Yoga Hot yoga is held at this multi-discipline fitness centre. Location, Pacific Bldg. 2nd Level, TECOM, Dubai, UAE Tel: 04 367 5077 Email: info@mmafitcenter.com www.mmafitcenter.com Yogalates Bliss Yogalates (fusion of Yoga & Pilates) at Fraser Suites, Noura El-Imam hosts Yoga Workshops and Teacher Trainings as well as Adventure & Wellness Retreats.

Tel: 050 3289 642 www.yogalatesblissindubai.com Irina Yoga Private and group Hatha Yoga at venues across Dubai.

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Email: info@irinayoga.org www.irinayoga.org Chakra Yoga, Third Eye Centre Specialised Chakra Yoga programmes and courses as well as regular yoga classes.

Email: info@thirdeyeonline.com.

Tel: 04 326 6539 for a schedule www.thirdeyeonline.com Naturopathy Touch Hatha, Power, Ashtanga, Yoga Nidra, Therapeutic Yoga, Pre and Post-natal.

Lake City Tower, opp JLT metro station, JLT. Email: info@naturopathytouch.com Tel: 04 452 6969 www.naturopathytouch.com Livia Anzaldo, Yoga Alliance Instructor Email: livia@liv2lead.com Tel: 050 1819 527 www.liv2lead.com Phoenix Rising Pilates, Yoga, AcroYoga, Thai Yoga Massage and Dorn Body Alignment.

Various weekly locations including JBR, Jumeirah and Open Air yoga in Safa Park.

See the website for details or call Sandy on 050 735 9683 or email info@phoenix-rising.me www.phoenix-rising.me Talise Spa Yoga, Madinat Jumeirah Hatha, Astanga, Advanced Yoga, Fitness Yoga, Vinyasa Fit Yoga, Meditative Yoga.

Also monthly full moon yoga sessions.

Email: MJtalise@jumeirah.com Tel: +971 4 366 6818 www.jumeirah.com Rawr Bikram Yoga Dubai Al Sufouh Rd, 713 Concord Tower, Dubai Media City (same building as Lime Tree cafe and Mini Cooper showroom) Email: info@rawryoga.com Tel: 04 4232 808 www.rawryoga.com Yoga Room, JLT Ashtanga yoga studio. Swiss Tower, Cluster Y, JLT. Tel. 050 518 9966 Email: info@yogaroom.ae www.yogaroom.ae Zen Yoga Various forms of yoga at several locations in Dubai including Dubai Media City, Springs Town Centre and Jumeirah. www.yoga.ae Rocket Yoga with Dharna Ashar Rocket yoga held at Yoga Om Studio at Dubai Investments Park, The Market Level, near Courtyard Marriot. Classes are every Tuesday 10.30am and Fridays at 10am.

T: Dharna on 050 556 6740.

E: ashardharna@yahoo.com

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WELLNESS IN THE GCC DO YOU KNOW ANY GREAT WELLNESS FACILITIES OR PRACTITIONERS IN THE GCC? LET US KNOW! EMAIL TAMARA@AWAKENINGSME.COM BAHRAIN Namaste Bahrain Holistic wellbeing centre offering treatment that targets physical, mental and emotional issues. Offers feng-shui, yoga studio, Reiki, and meditation. Located on Budaiya highway in the “Tariq Pastries” building, next to Ruyan Pharmacy.

3rd Floor, Apartment 22. Tel: +973 38855999 or +973 17591565 Email: info@namastebh.com www.namastebh.com KUWAIT The Yoga Centre Kuwait Warm Vinyasa flow, Hot yoga, Athletic yoga, Yin yoga, Hatha yoga, Yoga balance, pre-natal, Power yoga and more.

Basement, Burj Jassim, Al Sour St. Kuwait City Tel. +965 2296 0602 Email: info@theyogacenter.me http://theyogacenter.me Ayurmana Yoga Studio Offers yoga and meditation classes for women in Kuwait.

Al Bishr & Al Kazmi Tower B, Street 65, Bneid al Gar, Kuwait City Tel. +965 22402535 Email: ayurmana@gmail.com www.ayurmana.org OMAN Muscat Energy Healing Centre Offers pranic healing, meditation, esoteric studies.

3rd Floor, Flat no 23, Al Hajir House, Rex Road, Opposite Golden Oryx Restaurant, Above IBN SINA Pharmacy, Muscat, Tel: +968 24788685 Mob: +968 92784492 / +968 99442768 Email: pranichealing.oman@gmail.com www.pranichealingoman.com QATAR Anaadi Yoga, Doha Prenatal yoga, mum and baby yoga, and raw food preparation workshops.

Tel: +974 (0)50 189 156 E: anaadiyoga@gmail.com www.anaadiyoga.com Yama Yoga Studios, Doha Yoga for children and adults, parental and pre-natal yoga, Mysore Yoga, Restorative and Yin yoga, Pilates, Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Jivamukti yoga.

Tel. +974 617 5802 www.yamayogastudios.com Six Senses Spa, Sharq Village, Doha Dedicated areas for yoga, meditation, Tai Chi and other eastern practices as well as relaxation and prayer rooms. Also massage and beauty therapy.

Tel. +974 4 425 6999 www.sixsenses.com/spas/spa-at-sharq-village Kalakshetra, Doha Dance, music, arts, craft, karate and yoga Villa 27, al Nualja, PO Box 47522, Hilal (W), near Medical Commision signal Tel. +974 44660084 E-mail: kalakshetraqatar@gmail.com www.kalakshetraqatar.com Skills Development Centre, Doha Fine arts, martial arts, fitness, yoga Tel. +974 446 55433 Email: sdc@qatar.net.qa www.sdcqatar.org SAUDI ARABIA Aerial Yoga KSA, Jeddah Pesonal trainer and yoga instructor Tel. +966 54 420 8500 Email: afullmoonpilgrim@gmail.com www.baderalbahiti.com

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neanderthalman

Oh this

perfect world Neanderthal Man is a forty-something, ex-British soldier who collects exotic knives and can strip down and re-assemble a semi-automatic rifle blind-folded. Until recently, he thought ‘chakras’ was a Latina pop star who sung about her hips not lying. But things are changing for the card-carrying caveman, ever since he met the Tree Hugger…

T

he other night the Tree Hugger was sat with me and she asked one of those leftfield, curve ball questions. ‘Babe, how do we make the world better?’

Yes, she was serious. Why was she asking me? Surely Obama and the Dalai Lama have that covered. Let’s put this in perspective. That day, we’d been at a posh day spa where we’d both had a

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90 minute massage followed by lots of strenuous laying by the pool alternating between slipping into the silky waters to cool off and reading a book (me, Jeffrey Archer; her, something about the Law of Attraction). That evening we’d dined at one of those restaurants where the chefs have their own TV shows and now we were settling in at our local pub. I had a yeast-based beverage in one hand and had strategically positioned myself so should the conversation get too ‘new age’ I could watch the footy being shown just over the Tree Hugger’s left shoulder whilst grunting at intervals. For me, life couldn’t get any better! Not unless Bernie Ecclestone came over and said, ‘Jenson’s sick; can you take his place in the Formula One?” Of course, Tree Hugger wasn’t talking about the perfect little world we had created for ourselves that day. She was worried about melting polar caps, war orphans, child labour, oppression, poverty, racism, sexism, and bunnies being forced to wear lipstick. Anyway, there she sat, all earnest and sincere, with Man United scoring and the crowd going wild on top of her lovely head, “Babe, how do we make the world better?”

That’s when bloke brain kicked in and I said, ‘Another bowl of potato wedges with sour cream would make it better.’

Her expression made it clear that wasn’t the right answer.

Truth is, I don’t know. I love you Tree Hugger but I don’t know! Buy Fair Trade coffee? Start a charity? I don’t know! Yes, I get it; people are doing horrible things to other people and animals all over the world but it’s all too big and overwhelming.

I need it breaking down into bite-sized chunks for my man-mind to cope. What I think though is it starts with asking the question. If we keep asking, ‘How we can leave our world better and kinder than when we left it?’ maybe we’ll all start coming up with our own answers.

Finally, Bernie, the answer is ‘OMG yes!’ I can start immediately and I’ll be faster than Jenson, promise. Can I have a red car please?

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