The Glowing Hive January 2012

The Glowing Hive Health and Healing from Waterloo Region’s Holistic Community:

“Sedona of the North”

Issue 1: January 2012

Welcome to The Glowing Hive

Welcome to the very first issue of the e-magazine dedicated to providing information on all aspects of holistic wellness, coming to you from the Waterloo Region. Issued quarterly, The Glowing Hive will offer articles on different aspects of health and healing, including physical health, emotional balance, mental clarity, business success, energy clearing, reviews and creative inspiration. As The Glowing Hive is a complimentary publication, there will be no paid advertising, although we are happy to support our contributors in the wonderful work they do in their own holistic practices and businesses.

This little project was born out of a realization that there are so very many of us in this Region who are doing such wonderful and healing work in a great variety of modalities. I have long been amazed by the energy of this region. As one who moved here about 10 years ago, I was sensitive to what makes this particular area so unique and special.

Local history shows that Kitchener itself was originally established in 1798 as a settlement for German Mennonites seeking freedom from religious persecution, becoming the Town of Berlin in 1854. It has long had an association of being a company town with businesses such as Schneiders, Arrow Shirts, Kaufman Footwear and Krug Furniture having long, long histories in the city, many dating back to some of the first families to settle here.

Perhaps it is the energy behind what brought the settlement into being. Perhaps it is the many familyowned businesses. Perhaps there is some other, yet-unknown cause. Regardless, I have always found Kitchener to be firmly rooted in a commitment to community. From the personal gathering of friends to the neighbourhood associations to the offering of so many opportunities to gather (usually in Victoria Park) to celebrate some event or another. I have lived in many places, from small towns to huge urban centres, both in Canada and the U.S. I have never experienced the kind of drawing together that happens in Kitchener. It is wonderful.

When you look at the “flavours” of this region, it is a pretty remarkable place in which we live. Waterloo, with its cutting edge technological research and future vision-building, is known as “Silicon Valley of the North”.

Stratford is world-renown for its connection to Shakespeare and the arts. Guelph has its dedication to the natural sciences and Cambridge, the beautiful meeting place of the Grand and Speed Rivers, with its balance of several towns and a hamlet from the past seems to speak, by its very makeup, of how to create synthesis. All these different areas of focus, so close together, contribute to the experience of a Region that is forward-thinking, community-driven, artistic, innovative and expansive. A place where positive change for the future can be explored, take root and grow!

I know it is a stretch. I know we have no red rocks or natural cathedrals. I know some may giggle at my proposition. But I say, this area has the feel of a “Sedona of the North”. Perhaps not in the landscape (though the Grand is very grand). But in the underlying and supporting energies. There are more bodyworkers, lightworkers, social workers, mental health professionals, naturopaths and therapists here than I have been witness to in other places. There is something that inspires so many in this area to explore health and healing and energy. And how exciting that is. I had a vision of a place that one can come to, from anywhere in the world, and know that they are stepping into a place where many healing hands are available, from any type of modality one would wish to utilize, ready to gently guide to a place of balance and wholeness. And I say, celebrate. Come together in support of all of us who are doing this work, knowing that we are making a difference not only in this region but with ripple effects emanating out. As we change ourselves, we change the world. So, giggle if you will (and I will giggle along) but I say, hurray – “Sedona of the North”.

I hope you enjoy reading The Glowing Hive as much as I have enjoyed putting it together.

~ Tiffany Lazic

CONTENTS

Opening Pages: Seasonal Ponderings: The Dark before the Light…

Health and Happiness: That Gentle Touch: Emotional Deposits in the Body Bank Food for the Soul: Cozying Up with Comfort Foods Of the Earth: The Healing Benefits of Salt The Body’s Breath: Honouring the sun: Sun Salutation

Abundance and Flow: Creating a Legacy: The secrets of Living a remarkable life: Making an Impact Dream Weaving: It Begins with a Dream

Peace and Serenity: Sorting out the Psyche: Teachings from the Bee Mind Fabulous Fifty…and Beyond: The Winter of My Life is Upon Me (Oh Joy!!)

Enlightenment and Inspiration: Those Awesome Archetypes: A Tarot exploration: The Fool Energetic whispers: Energetic Secrets for the Abused Soul Miracles: Define: Miracle Between the Worlds: The Mind Body Spirit Connection

Quirks and Creativity: Within these Pages Book Review: Red-Robed Priestess Special Feature: Essay by Elizabeth Cunningham The Spirit Sings: Winter’s Embrace Dance of the Bees: Various Contributions Upcoming Events at The Hive

CONTRIBUTORS

Nicole Ferrill is an art educator and business owner. She received her degree in Secondary Art Education from St. Xavier University in Chicago, IL. With a concentration in digital art and silk screen printmaking, Nicole teaches independent art studio classes as well as digital solutions for small business owners. Her company, Kelsey B Presents, co-produces the SPARKS Symposium and hosts a monthly podcast on its website with local and international musicians.

Nicole contributes “The Body’s Breath” and “The Spirit Sings” articles.

Brent Fraser is the Salt Spa and events coordinator at Kitchener’s Stonebridge Imports.

Brent contributes the “Of the Earth” article.

Cecilie Lacey has a Master of Arts degree from The University of British Columbia. She has been in private practice with specializations in abuse trauma; addictions; grief and loss; and Employee Assistance programs for over thirty years. She currently has a private practice in Kitchener. Cecilie is the Practitioner’s Treatment Room Coordinator at The Hive and Grove and holds a bi-weekly study group in A Course in Miracles.

Cecilie is a world traveller and has lived abroad in both Mexico and China. She has a gift for “finding the miracle” in all situations and contributes the “Miracles” article.

Tiffany Lazic is a holistic psychotherapist, spiritual counselor and owner of The Hive and Grove Centre for Holistic Wellness and Gifts for the Soul Shop. She is thrilled to continue her association with Toronto’s Transformational Arts College of Spiritual and Holistic Training by teaching the Discovering the Total Self Program at The Hive and Grove in Kitchener.

Tiffany is a Celtic Reiki Realm Master and serves as the Global Community Director for Celtic Reiki. She has a passion for facilitating personal growth and healing and for building community. She is a cofounder of the SPARKS Symposium.

Tiffany is the creator of "The Glowing Hive” and contributes through “Seasonal Ponderings”, “Sorting Out the Psyche”, “Those Awesome Archetypes” and “Between these Pages Book Review” articles.

Martyn Pentecost is a pioneer of more than fifteen forms of therapeutic practice and personal development systems and the originator of Celtic Reiki. His vast experience in ancient energy arts, progressive science theories and modern perspectives on psychology is combined with a distinctive humour and deep compassion for all forms of life. He is the author of many books including his newest “The Key to Business and Personal Success”. He lives in London, England, writing, teaching and developing the mPowr Realm Experience, an immersive "living storybook" that is changing the way people achieve personal excellence.

Martyn contributes the “Creating a Legacy: The Secrets of Living a Remarkable Life” and “Energetic Whispers” articles. He is also the creator of the “5-minute Right Brain VAEO Primer”

Dana Rourke is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist. As a child she experienced undiagnosed food allergies/sensitivities which she discovered was outside the scope of the medical care she was receiving.

A search to find answers for herself led to formal education at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition.

Dana has a strong desire to help others become more aware of their relationship with food and to naturally easing the pain and frustration of health issues such as fatigue, stress, digestive issues, emotional eating, weight loss, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Dana contributes the “Food for the Soul” article.

Born and raised in Romania, Mihaela Stamate graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor of Engineering. After moving to Canada in 2001, she became increasingly connected to the world of holistic and alternative medicine to the point where in 2009 she felt that it was time for a career change. Within 2 years she graduated with honours from the Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy, became an Usui Reiki Master, a Celtic Reiki Master and opened her own practice in Cambridge as a Registered Massage Therapist. Although not a professional photographer, she welcomed another life changing experience when she was offered the opportunity of capturing the earth’s beauty for The Glowing Hive. She feels honoured to be involved in this project, and she looks forward to expanding her skills as a photographer.

Mihaela contributes many photos, including section heading images.

Chris Tennant is a Registered Massage Therapist, graduating from the Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy with a practice in Kitchener and retreat centre programs in Mount Forest, as well as internationally.

Having received training and certification in advanced myofascial assessment, advanced pelvic assessment, Reiki, Therapeutic Touch, Reflexology, Acupuncture he continues to pursue Osteopathy as well. Chris’ focus is on posture, tissue health and stress management with a strong interest in the practice of honouring of Mind, Body, and Spirit and the balance between these aspects.

Chris contributes the “Between the Worlds” article.

Robynne Tennant is a CCMH graduate and practices out of Kitchener, Ontario. She has continued along the path of learning throughout her career and incorporates Reflexology, Therapeutic Touch, Reiki, Acupuncture, and Hot Stone Therapy in her treatments. Robynne is a faculty member for CCMH in Professional Development, Law and Ethics and Business, and also lectures provincially for the CMTO on Professionalism.

Believing that the body-mind-spirit is complex and ever changing, Robynne feels it’s important to constantly be assessing and evaluating the techniques and tools a therapist uses with a given client, to ensure they are offering them the best possible facilitation towards health they can. Incorporation of new techniques and the utilization of our full scope being highlights of her education process with therapists in their ongoing development.

Robynne contributes the “That Gentle Touch” article.

Cheryl Weber-Good is a freelance hand lettering artist who paints heartwarming, colourful messages, quotes and verses. She produces large hand painted banners and signs for institutions as well as fine art and calligraphic treasures for personal gifts and home décor. She is passionate about communication across the millennium connecting humanity through quotations, then capturing and elevating the power of those texts on various artists’ mediums. Much of her inspiration comes from hiking the fields and forests where she lives at her farm, close to New Hamburg, Ontario.

Cheryl contributes Inspiration banner artwork in the Dance of the Bees section.

Julie Wise is a motivational coach who helps people navigate change in their lives and reach their personal and professional dreams. Julie is the author of Dream BIGGER: Reclaiming a Life of Joy and Ease. She in an intuitive, trained in Advanced Energy Awareness and Healing, a Celtic Reiki Realm Master and a practitioner of Karmic Regression Therapy. In her workshops and one-to-one sessions, she combines her gifts to help people find the answers they seek to create the life they desire.

Julie contributes the “Dream Weaving” and “Fabulous Fifty…and Beyond” articles.

Special thanks to Amanda Clark for allowing use of her beautiful art for the cover.

To see more of Amanda’s work visit: www.earthangelsart.com To purchase prints, visit her Etsy shop at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/earthangels arts

Seasonal Ponderings Message from Tiffany Lazic THE DARK BEFORE THE LIGHT… We are in for a cold one, they say. It’s going to be the worst winter in a long time, we are hearing. You can almost hear the windows being battened down as people hunker in.

Place that beside recent economic world events with news coming from Greece and Italy in particular and Germany most shockingly, there is a definite feeling in the air. Some of us heard the Black Friday outbursts (pepper spray for a holiday sale?) as some struggling people went to extremes to try to make do with the little they have. And, of course, there are the 2012 speculations. The dire news seems a daily event.

For many, these are very challenging times. It is tempting to resort to “bunker mentality”, keep one’s head low and just get through the days. But I would like to offer a twist on the familiar old saying “it’s always darkest before the dawn”. I say, in true Celtic fashion, what is born in the Light has its beginnings in the Dark.

We are feeling the very real repercussions of dramatic change all around us. And that can be a very uncomfortable place to be – even scary. If we focus on the dark, that is all we will be able to see. That is all that will be informing our experiences. That will affect our choices, our interactions, our relationships and our Spirits. The dark is not an end but a passage through. At the risk of receiving a flood of emails bewailing my triteness, there is always Light at the end of the…well, you know how it goes.

The dark gives us an opportunity to focus on what’s going on within. It serves to eliminate a lot of extraneous outside noise and dial in to what is most key. What is at the core of importance and significance for us.

What we are least willing to let go of. Dark times are an opportunity to explore what is not working for us. It is an opening to stretching gifts we weren’t really aware that we had. It is a chance to choose a different future.

But, at the same time, we need support in getting through the dark times. Something to serve as a beacon to insure we are not at risk of feeling completely lost and disoriented. There is always wisdom in threes and in these times I offer these. Firstly, spent restful and restorative time with yourself. Bears are not that far off the mark. In the dark days of winter, lots of sleep and hearty sustenance are a gift we give ourselves. The energy stores allow us to move into the Light with vigour. Secondly, reach out to others. Do not isolate, but share with those who are close and you trust. Share your joys or share your burden to lighten its hold. Knowing we are not alone and sharing of ourselves is a gift we give ourselves and others. Thirdly, strengthen your connection to the Divine whatever your experience of that may be. Create a vision for what you would like to see come to fruition in the months ahead. Light a candle, quiet your mind and know that guidance is there for the receiving, if one has the openness to hear. Choosing our best future is a gift we give ourselves, others and the world!

Health and Happiness

That Gentle Touch: Article by Robynne Tennant EMOTIONAL DEPOSITS IN THE BODY BANK I had an interesting talk with someone in the counselling field recently about the miracles of the body. We were discussing the correlations of high stress emotions and tension development in the body. You see, an emotionally stressed event (an argument with a sibling, family holidays, a crazy deadline at work, being cut off while driving…) any event of heart pounding adrenaline leaves the body with a decision to make; How do I cope with this?

It comes down to the weakest link. A weak stomach may develop ulcers, an irritable bowel may refuse to absorb nutrients, and old injury may act up. Someone who tends to “carry the weight of the world on their shoulders…” you guessed it: shoulder tension.

The body chemically takes the emotion (carried in hormones thought the body between the brain, nervous system and other areas) and makes a deposit in the body bank. It has “dealt with” it, in a crisis sort of way.

The body is essentially stuffing it haphazardly in a box to take it out and deal with it properly later, when it’s got time to worry about it. You know, like your first day of vacation. You’ve got time then, so the body goes into repair mode. Unfortunately, many of us have such a back log of boxes, we succumb to opportunistic viruses right about them too, and “enjoy” some bed rest on the first few days off.

Incidentally, shoulder or muscle tension in general is way easier to address compared to internal organ deposits. So for those of you who “feel it” in for tissue spots, here are some thoughts to help prevent box build up: WORK IT OUT! Exercise! Pump out those toxins Soak in a hot tub or sauna and sweat it out Massage it out via a therapist, spouse, or yourself at home with a tennis ball, thumper, golf ball or knuckles Increase your water intake to assist the purge Add one to two cups of Epsom salts to a bath and osmotically move the toxins out faster Stretch and flush areas the body is locking down Be regular about assisting your body in these ways Don’t wait for toxic build up to slow you down: preventive maintenance is WAY more fun than crisis intervention. Often, less costly too, as you have a plethora of options available to you, rather than only one or two extreme ones, since the issue is so far gone.

Be proactive: it’s cool to look after yourself!

Food for the Soul Article by Dana Rourke COZYING UP WITH COMFORT FOODS

As the days get colder and the nights get darker I find myself craving more of those comfort foods. Something to take the chill off and warm me from the inside out. It's this time of year when our energy (like the earth’s) is drawn down, inside, protecting us from the elements by keeping our embers glowing. Naturally, it's stews, soups (or stewps as I like to call them) and spice that come to mind. Here are two of my favourite things that I like to indulge in to keep me warm, comforted and healthy over the cold, quiet and introspective winter months. I hope you enjoy!

Jamaican Red Bean Stew Ingredients:

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil ½ tsp dried thyme 2 cloves garlic, minced ¼ tsp red pepper flakes 2 cups peeled and sliced carrots 3 scallions, chopped 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced 2 tsp curry powder 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained ½ cup brown rice Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 cup of water 1 (14 oz) can unsweetened coconut milk 2 (16 oz) cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed Instructions: 1. Pour the oil into a 4-quart slow cooker and set the cooker on high. Add the garlic and put the lid on the cooker while you prepare the rest of the ingredients 2. To the cooker, add the carrots, scallions, sweet potato, and tomatoes.

3. Stir in the curry powder, thyme, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste 4. Add the beans, coconut milk, water and rice 5. Reduce heat, cover, and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours Ginger and Cinnamon Tea Ingredients: ¼ - ½ tsp ginger powder (depending on desired spice) ½ tsp ground cinnamon 1 tbsp organic cane sugar (a must) 3 parts hot water 1 part vanilla almond milk

Instructions: 1. Boil water 2. Put ginger powder, cinnamon and sugar into mug 3. Add hot water then almond milk, stir and enjoy!

Of the Earth Article by Brent Fraser THE HEALING BENEFITS OF SALT

In the early 1840’s, hundreds of feet underground, miners in Poland worked hard to provide salt for the people around them. Polish health official Felix Botchkowski took notice of the worker’s health and realized a very interesting similarity in all of them. None of the workers suffered from any respiratory illnesses no matter what their lifestyle was outside of the mine. The salt miners also remained healthy from natural salt in other ways: absorbing it in through their skin, keeping skin and hair soft and most impressively (as discovered by Botchkowski) inhaling the salt powder into their esophagi and lungs. With further study, he wrote his findings in 1843 in his book O Wieliczce Pod Wzgledem Historyi Naturalnej: Dziejow I Kapieli (1843) (About Natural Mines: History and Bath). Soon after, Mstislav Poljokowski founded the first Salt Spa in Velicko, still open today.

The healing abilities of this earthly gift is phenomenal and non-invasive. Unlike processed table salt, natural salt contains up to 84 minerals, the very same minerals that we need in our bodies every day. The salt is a natural saline solution that has negatively charged ions. The negative ions move at a higher vibration and therefore don’t stick to the walls of the throat as much, allowing them to get deep into the lungs. When the salt is in contact with an infection’s bio film (protective wall), the negatively charged ions penetrate the bio film with no resistance at all, allowing the salt to shrink the bacteria. The shrunken infection can then be removed by the body through mucus and phlegm. Respiratory problems such as asthma, bronchitis, sleep apnea are often alleviated through salt therapy. Singers and athletes also benefit by clearing out the pathways to the lungs to ensure maximum oxygen intake. Snoring, smoker’s cough and allergies are other ailments that are relieved.

Himalayan salt lamps are also growing in popularity in North America. The negatively charged ions cleanse the air which is often filled with an abundance of positively charged ions, often from electronic devices.

People often keep them near televisions and computers or near their bed.

Sole (so-lay) is a blend of salt and water. The word sole came from the latin word ‘sol’, meaning ‘sun’, also thought of as light energy. The positive ions of the water are matched with the negative ions of the salt and create a perfect balance for metabolization in the body. Sole can be used as a bath to be absorbed through the skin or by drinking. To make your own sole for drinking, add Himalayan salts to a glass container and fill with pure spring water. Allow at least 24 hours for the salt to dissolve in the water. If the salt crystals are completely dissolved, add more crystals to ensure homeostasis. The solution is ready when the salt crystals will no longer dissolve. From this solution it is recommended to take one teaspoon with 250ml of water every morning on an empty stomach. Benefits of drinking sole are dental hygiene, sore throats, balancing the body’s PH factor, and more. Soaking in or rubbing sole on affected areas will benefit ear infections, acne, foot fungus, psoriasis, and headaches.

From the beautiful earth to our bodies’ skin, stomach and lungs, natural Himalayan salt can heal imbalances and lift us back up to our naturally healthy state allowing us to live our best, healthiest lives.

The Body’s Breath Article by Nicole Ferrill HONOURING THE SUN: SUN SALUTATION In the coldest depths of winter the longest night of the year occurs, the Winter Solstice. This is the day when ancient peoples honoured the sun and celebrated the prospect of its return with festivals, food and family.

Today, we still recognize the solstice and celebrate through the winter traditions we hold individually. We can also honour the return of the sun through our Yoga practice. Sun Salutation is the Vedic honouring of the dawn. By implementing Sun Salutation into our daily Yoga asana practice, we can develop our discipline as well as pay tribute to an ancient devotion.

In the article, Here Comes the Sun, Richard Rosen tells us that Sun Salutation or Surya Namaskar comes from the Sanskrit words surya meaning “sun” and namas which means “to bow” or “to adore”. We begin and end our sequence of asanas in Sun Salutation with our hands in prayer position (Añjali Mudrā) held at the heart. In the Yogic tradition the heart is believed to be the seat of consciousness or the “inner sun”. As we honour our inner sun with Añjali Mudrā, we honour the universal sun with Sun Salutation.

For the beginner, Sun Salutation can be challenging. The quickening pace that often accompanies the repetition of the asanas may be a bit confusing or even stressful for a body that is not used to the practice. It is here that I encourage you to take your Sun Salutation slowly. Take the time to relax and breathe in each posture, feeling comfortable in the stretch. At this time of the year, really make the process about honouring the returning sun and execute your moves and meditation with intention.

To perform Sun Salutation 1. Stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose) with your hands in Añjali Mudrā (Prayer Position) 2. Raise your hands up over your head with your elbows even with your ears and a slight bend backward in Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute) 3. Fold forward into Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) palms on the floor 4. Step back with your right foot into a (Lunge) head up and chest open 5. Bring your left foot back to meet the left foot for (Plank Pose) head facing the mat 6. Slide your body forward and along the ground, arching your torso up as you straighten your arms into (Upward Dog)

7. Lift your hips toward the ceiling into (Downward Dog) 8. Step your right leg forward followed by your left and straighten into Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) palms on the floor 9. Pushing the arms straight out, pull them up slowly, extending them as you round up, exiting Forward Bend.

Raise your hands up over your head with your elbows even with your ears and a slight bend backward in Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute) 10. Pull your hands back down to your heart in AĂąjali MudrÄ (Prayer Position) Once you are finished, begin again, stepping back with your left foot first at step 4. Once you are finished with the left food leading, you have completed one set of Sun Salutation. I recommend you begin with three sets, moving slowly and intentionally as a beginner, quickening the pace and increasing the sets for more advanced practitioners.

The versatility of Yoga asanas can improve your body, mind and spirit. Yoga can help us honour ourselves and the world around us by giving us a way to slow down, meditate and find intention. At this time of darkness and cold weather, let Yoga help you look within and find the fires that burn bright within your heart. Spring is on its way!

Abundance and Flow

Creating a Legacy: The Secrets of Living a Remarkable life Article by Martyn Pentecost MAKING AN IMPACT Imagine your life as a stroll along a magnificent beach… As the sun is glimpsed over the horizon, there is an air of expectancy at all the wonders to come. Then follows the vibrant power of the morning waves. The refreshing and warming heat of midday, where the waves crash upon the sand with majestic power. The gradual slowing of a hazy late afternoon leads us onwards to the peaceful serenity of evening and a poignant sunset at twilight. Finally, the gentle, comforting lapping of waves, guides us into the darkness beyond the day. And all the while, as you walk, you leave footprints behind you in the sand.

The footprints you create in the sand are not made in the past. They are not the memories of a morning spent in play, or forgotten moments before the sunrise. They are not created in the future from the desire to witness the crimson glory of the setting sun. The footprints we leave upon a beach are made in the present, the result of lifting our legs and pushing them forwards.

Your legacy is like these footprints made upon a beach - it is an indelible mark in time and history that expresses a very definite message to those who are yet to be born. Your legacy calls out to the world “I was here” and is the herald of your own unique greatness. Your legacy is not made in the past. It is not what you did or should have done. It is not created in the future; the result of what you want to happen or dream of doing. Legacy is a spark of the here and now, produced by the actions you take in this moment.

Understanding the notion of legacy, as well as the fragile way in which it is created is the key to leading a remarkable life. For when you are inspired to make an impact on others through your own legacy, you are automatically compelled to lead a joyous and inspiring life! Yet, for many of us, the concept of legacy does not enter our awareness until we encounter a glimpse of death - through bereavement, dis-ease, or aging. This fleeting moment, when we comprehend our own longevity is the point when we understand life as the blink of an eye, a transitory glint of time, precious and made to be cherished.

A grain of sand is so reviled by an oyster that it spends a lifetime wrapping the sand up in layers of mucus; a pursuit that forms a beautifully translucent pearl. Our own death is that grain of sand, which we wrap our life around, thus developing the most wondrous legacy… the heritage of those who follow in our footsteps.

Every day we are driven to make sense of life and to create meaning from the chaotic, complex nature of the world. We are so enraptured by the distractions of our wants and bound up in the regrets, pains, or reminiscences of the past that we create our legacy by ‘default’. What people leave behind, in the majority of cases, was never planned or thought out, it just happened as a random collection of moments - a lifetime of fragments.

When you decide to design your legacy and create strategies for how to live it, you are connecting to a powerful magic - the alchemy of an iconic message. The bigger your plan, the more inspirational your mission, the greater degree of detail in your blueprint, the longer your legacy will last. And the most profound element of this process is that for very specific reasons, you are destined to succeed in the creation of your legacy...

Dream Weaving Article by Julie Wise IT BEGINS WITH A DREAM

The year begins anew this month. Are you filled with eager anticipation for all the wonders, delights and potential ahead? Or are you afraid of looming disaster and disappointment? I like to think of the new year like a big blank canvas. I’m the artist, holding a brush in one hand, a palette of glorious colours in the other, knowing that I can create whatever I wish.

Does that sound too fanciful to you? Am I just another dreamer who has no grip on reality, and no understanding of the practical demands you face every day – bills to pay, groceries to buy, car to maintain, dental work for your kids, and credit cards maxed out?

What if … you could take care of your practical needs and enjoy some of your dreams as well?

We all have dreams for our lives, although we may have tucked them away for “a rainy day” or for “when I retire”. Your dreams don’t just disappear even if you’ve stopped paying attention to them. They continue to whisper to you in your sleep, nudge you during the day, and tug at your heart in unexpected moments.

“Come, play with me,” your dream urges. “We could have so much fun together.”

But your grown-up practical mind steps in, “You don’t have time for this nonsense. It won’t pay the bills.

Get back to work.”

And so, with a wistful glance at your dream, you sigh and refocus.

What if I told you that allowing yourself to dream again, and taking steps toward one of your dreams, could   

reduce your stress level give you greater satisfaction with your life and make you a much more enjoyable person to be around?

Just imagine how much better your relationships would be! And what an inspiring role model you would be for your children! A parent who is enjoying life by pursuing a dream shows, by example, the value of nourishing the heart as well as the mind and body. And then there are all the dreams you can create and explore as a couple or as a family …

It all starts with a dream. Your dream. In the quiet moments just before falling asleep, or upon waking, allow yourself to reflect on what you’d love to do this year. If your mind tries to kick in a few unsupportive comments, tell it that you’re just dreaming, so there’s nothing to be afraid of.

And as the dream grows, and the pull toward it becomes stronger, take a step or two in that direction.

See what you can do to make one of your dreams part of your reality this year!

Peace and Serenity

Sorting out the Psyche Article by Tiffany Lazic “TEACHINGS FROM THE BEE MIND”

Who’d have thought that an “aha” moment would come during a family viewing of “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” movie? For those who haven’t seen it, the plot follows a familiar Indiana Jones theme: a precious ancient object is found that is coveted by those who wish to use it for nefarious purposes but who are thwarted by Indiana Jones. After many close calls, Indiana (and those up to no good) find the place from whence the object came and are privy to ancient perception-changing information. In this case, the object is a crystal skull which, as it turns out, is actually part of the skeletal structure of a race of “interdimensional beings”: one in particular who is missing that integral part of the overall structure.

Snakes, killer ants and wild car chases aside, there was one moment at the end that was truly revelatory.

Upon entering a chamber in an ancient temple, a circular room with 13 skeletons of these interdimensional beings is revealed. When the found skull is placed upon the one headless skeleton, the beings connect through what Indiana Jones refers to as “the bee mind”. (At this point, knitting gets lowered and ears prick up.) Communicating through their minds, these beings have the ability to transfer all their collective knowledge, an unboundaried connection which is further underscored when the skeletons combine to form a single living interdimensional being, the container of all knowledge and wisdom. (Shouts of “This is unity consciousness!!!” are pointedly ignored by teens) Through group consciousness, we are all connected. We are all one. And we have access to information beyond what is accessible in ‘normal’ consciousness in which we perceive ourselves as separate. That is pretty significant metaphysical stuff. The “bee mind” is that state when we know ourselves to be absolutely interconnected. When my thought is all thought and when my knowledge serves to enhance the wisdom of the whole.

I follow a psychological map I refer to as “eco-mythic psychotherapy”: a way of approaching inner understanding and growth from the perspective of our connection with the rhythms of the seasonal cycles which has been eloquently and extensively explored in the myths and tales, rituals and traditions across all cultures throughout history. From this perspective, this time of year is very connected to concepts of family and clan, our roots which inform so much of our adult experience: our beliefs, our ‘parent tapes’, our sense of community and our position within that. There is a “unity consciousness” that begins in the home: that which reflects the family unit. We may grow up and leave home (the hive), but that particular “bee mind” is always with us, buzzing away with messages on what choices we should make, what we feel we are and are not capable of, how to interact in a group, including groups of friends, work situations, our own families if we marry and have children. The sticking point is that not many of us grew up in completely healthy households. The foundation upon which we are creating our adult lives is a bit (or very) shaky ground to begin with. As we connect in larger and larger groups, are we even aware of what consciousness we are bringing to the table? Many of us speak of the beauty and wonder of “unity consciousness” from a higher vibration perspective. But have we looked at (and healed, if necessary) the “unity consciousness” we experienced in our very first exposure to community: our family-of-origin.

There are many different ways to approach exploring our family-of-origin. But a good place to start is beginning to understand whether the environment in which we were raised was a healthy or an unhealthy one. As children, we absolutely assume that our family is like other families. That how we are being raised is basically how others are being raised. As our world expands and we begin to interact outside of our own home (for example, beginning school), we may start to get inklings that perhaps not all families are like our own. But, as the larger influence is our own home environment, that is what becomes ‘normalized’ in us and it is that we carry into our adult lives, either recreating the same environment or reacting against it by creating a polar opposite.

As a general rule, healthy families are described as “open”. They allow for each person’s individual personality to be fostered and encouraged, while recognizing the need for respect of others and the whole.

Differences of opinion and experience are honoured, emotions are allowed expression, growth and change is supported and privacy is respected. This is not an environment of ‘everyone can do as they like’. In a healthy family, there are rules and guidelines, but they are clearly communicated and they are consistent (though not rigid and inflexible). A healthy family system will encourage the best in all members, yet recognize that no-one (including parents!) is perfect.

In contrast, unhealthy family systems create an environment of shame. Rules are either absolutely rigid or random and confusing. Emotions, especially hurt, sadness and fear, are not tolerated. Neither are differences in experience (i.e. the family trip that one child enjoys but the other child is bored to tears on). The term “family trance” is often used to describe families in which, on some deep level, the members recognize that what is happening in the home doesn’t ‘feel right’, but everyone silently agrees to ignore. Defenses to protect against confusion, fear and shame are created by the necessity of survival. It is this type of environment that causes an inner split, resulting in our innate sense of self to be replaced by a core of shame (which we learn to mistake as our truth).

I enjoyed the silly fun of the latest Indiana Jones movie. But more than that, I took in a vision of a community of individuals, each having access to their own healed (i.e. “replacing the skull”) strength and knowledge, coming together as a whole to create a being of integrated wisdom. Doing our own work, without a doubt, creates significant and lasting change in our lives. Healing the pain of the past frees up our present and allows us to connect with others authentically and courageously. But, almost more than that, it impacts on the “bee mind”. We are all interconnected: socially, economically, emotionally, vibrationally. As we shift ourselves, without a doubt, we change the world. And in our current world environment of the ‘global village’, you can’t get more “clan” than that!

Highly recommended reading:

Bradshaw on: The Family: A New Way of Creating Solid Self-Esteem

By John Bradshaw Is any family "normal"? According to Bradshaw, an expert in family relationships, the answer is probably "no." However, in “The Family”, Bradshaw kindly and cleanly explains the factors that shape an individual and define how a family functions Available at “Gifts for the Soul Shop”: $17.50

Fabulous Fifty…and Beyond Article by Julie Wise THE WINTER OF MY LIFE IS UPON ME (OH JOY!!)

Last November, I turned fifty-five. It was yet another in a series of milestone birthdays, with many yet to come. However, this particular birthday was different. The closer it came, the more excited I became, unlike many of my friends for whom fifty-five ushered in images of a downward slide toward the dreaded senior years.

I could hardly wait to be fifty-five because it would mean I’d finally be a senior, albeit a junior senior! I began to gather information on specials for seniors (55+) several weeks before the big day. It felt like I’d been waiting all my life for this moment, as if my world was about to expand in unknown directions.

And it has, due in part I imagine, to my eagerness to greet this age with joy and curiosity. One of the things I did in preparation was to create a list of 55 things I’d like to do in the coming year. Ranging from challenging (hot air ballooning, rock climbing, fencing lessons) to more mundane (getting a makeover, trying new recipes, having a mid-afternoon bath), it’s much more than a “bucket list”. These are activities that intrigue me, push me out of my comfort zone at times, or just plain make me smile.

I took the idea one step further and created a public blog about my list, promising to update with photos as I crossed off each item. Just knowing that other people are reading it inspires me to keep going.

The whole experience has me thinking about how we, as a society, generally view age. Especially people in the category we label as “seniors”. As you read that word, what picture comes to mind? I’m betting that you see someone with gray hair, a stooped back, walking with the aid of a cane or walker, someone who needs assistance with meals, bathing, and is very forgetful.

It’s true, there are people who, as they age, do fit that description. But lumping everyone over 55 into that category is as silly as believing that all teenagers have tattoos, do drugs, flunk out of school and have criminal records. Or that all thirty-somethings are married with two cars, two careers, two children, a dog and a cat and live in the suburbs.

We’re all unique at every age, aren’t we?

So, as I approach the winter of my life, my joy expands. What new adventures lie ahead? What mischief can I get into? The older I get, the more liberated I feel, free to explore, express, and experience.

Age is just a number. Zest for life, that inner exuberance, it’s ageless!

Enlightenment and Inspiration

Those Awesome Archetypes: A Tarot Exploration Article by Tiffany Lazic THE FOOL The Fool is the unique card that begins the journey through the Major Arcana, standing both within the passage through the cards and outside of it. Referred to as “the card that dances”, The Fool represents our own selves standing at the edge of the precipice of experience. It is numbered “0” as an indication that it is somehow beyond the progression of the other cards. The emptiness that can be filled by the encounters of the other Archetypes met along the journey. At the beginning, The Fool is the vessel to be filled.

The significant aspects of The Fool which are present in most deck imagery indicate that he is outside of worldly influence, following his whims and dreams. He is often dressed in ragged clothes carrying a bag presumably containing all his material possessions. His attention is often illustrated as being somewhere up in the clouds, rather than on the path before him with his only source of warning a small animal (usually a dog) nipping at his heels. Often this inattention speaks of imminent danger as he is pictured teetering on the edge of a cliff, with distant mountains towering in the background.

The saying “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread” is applicable here. It is precisely the Fool’s inattention to the landscape or circumstances around him that allows him to enter into the very situations that will cause his greatest experiences. How many of us have said “If only I had known….”? And what gifts of growth would we have lost in the rejected opportunity? There is a naiveté and innocence to The Fool which afford openness to the unusual and, most likely, transformative experiences. As William Blake said, “If a man would persist in his folly, he would become wise”.

When looked at through the lens of history, The Fool has moved from being part of community to being marginalized and ostracized from community, illustrated in “Madness and Civilization” by French philosopher, Michel Foucault. In centuries past, The Fool was often part of village life, accepted and cared for by the larger community. Court life codified The Fool into an integral part of court life, providing entertainment and ribaldry.

Shakespeare’s “King Lear” illustrates a deeper perspective on The Fool, as the only one in Court who can actually speak the truth as he sees it without fear of kingly retribution. After all, it is just a joke. The passage of time moved ‘fools’ from community to institutions, placing them behind closed doors and ‘protecting’ us from their different perspective on the world. The Fool instead became The Comedian. The Fool speaks of higher truths more often, perhaps, than we give him credit for. Comedians make us laugh because we know, on some level, that they speak the truth. They offer us a vision of our society that we recognize and, in the moment, can laugh at how absurd it is.

The Fool is truly the Hero at the heart of the Journey, moving from innocence to wisdom. He is not afraid to try new things. He proceeds with a simplicity that speaks of Faith that he will be taken care of. There is a spiritual connection with The Fool who has his head in the clouds. Danger may be close but what Hero becomes such without entering into dangerous realms. The Fool seems to recognize, even if not prominently displayed, that

all things are possible. If danger is indeed present, dreams too are within reach. He is an innovator and risk-taker, if only from the mere fact that he doesn’t acknowledge the risk or innovation. He follows where his heart leads.

The Shadow aspect of The Fool is, of course, foolhardiness. The absolute disregard for the little dog nipping at one’s heels can lead to carelessness and irresponsibility: approaching the world without a care in the world, including caring for effects on others, consequences and repercussions. The Fool does teach us that life is to be celebrated for its own sake and lived in the moment, but that this is not at the cost of others.

I like to imagine that as The Fool moves through each life experience with a truly open heart, he takes the essence of that experience and adds it to his bag. If one looks closely at the bag as pictured on the Rider-Waite deck, it is closed by a clasp in the shape of an eye. As Paul Foster Case stated “It suggests, also, that through the development of a higher type of vision we may gain access to the treasure of stored-up experience in the universal memory” (The Tarot, pg 34) The Fool does not just have experiences happen TO him. He engages WITH them and gleans from them fully. He moves through the experience of all the cards of the Major Arcana so fully in the moment of each card that he is able to grasp its full meaning and incorporate it.

The culmination of this journey is Card 21 or “The World”, pictured as a figure hovering in the centre of a circle. The end of the journey takes The Fool’s “0” of potential and places him in the very centre: the Journey fulfilled. The Fool has moved from naiveté to wisdom and Wholeness through the lessons gained from incorporating the messages from the other cards of the Major Arcana.

Encountering The Fool, we are encouraged to ask: Am I open or closed to new experiences? Do I operate from trust or mistrust? From innocence or cynicism? How can I embrace the experience of my life in this moment?

Am I ready to embark on the adventure of my life?

Highly recommended reading:

Rachel Pollack's Tarot Wisdom Spiritual Teachings and Deeper Meanings Offering an abundant array of new ideas mixed in with enlightening discussions about Tarot’s checkered past, this tarot guidebook features innovative ways to interpret and use Tarot, and a wealth of original spreads to try for yourself— including spreads for predictive, psychological, magical, and spiritual readings.

Available at “Gifts for the Soul Shop”: $28.95

Energetic Whispers Article by Martyn Pentecost ENERGETIC SECRETS FOR THE ABUSED SOUL

For those of us who know the flick of switch that tolls our darkest moments; when those we love and reach out to for care and nurture turn against us. For those of us who know that place within - that place we retreated to (and still do) when the lights went out upon our childhood. For those of us who have touched the pain, fear and loneliness of abuse, how do we find the strength to overcome our traumas and live the life divine?

These little lives we lead; seemingly insignificant sparks of some mysterious fire that rages ever onwards.

Humankind has created a rather turbulent relationship with its spiritual source over the millennia. Sacrifice in the name of the divine, be it through ritual, war, or social stigma, is the legacy left to us by our ancestors. The journey from innocence to a deep understanding of the suffering that can take place in life often results in the questioning of this Universal source - if she, he, they or ‘it’ are so omnipotent, why is there so much hatred? Why does a force so benevolent not put an end to the terror and abuse that taints our lives?

The abuses and hurts of the past are in the past, however, for many of us, we can still perceive the effects in our everyday lives. The twinge of emotion at the odd shadow, a hint of sabotage in our actions when we near completion, an unquestionable dread at certain thoughts, or the frustration we feel when inexplicably unable to understand why we feel and think the way we do. Nonetheless, in each of these moments we are never closer to the divine - not out in the world, but inside of us. When we are in the presence of our fears and darkness, we can literally step onto our path to healing and utter joy.

People have always had a sense of something greater than themselves. For many this incomprehensible force is perceived as the divine. For others it is known as ‘the Universe’ or simply ‘energy’. Whatever your personal view of the entity from which we are all created and within which we experience the entirety of our fleeting lives, there is no denying that there is a force that is essential to our very being.

With a shift in perspective and paradigm we can learn to connect, once again, with the divine - and when we do, we touch something so deeply profound and exquisitely loving in essence that it changes us forever. This transformation is not something we experience ‘out there’. It does not happen in the world beyond ourselves - the world of action and reaction - our enlightenment is a state of innately personal experience.

This experience for many of us is one of ‘synaesthesia’ - light, sound, vibration, and other forms of energy (most of which defy the limitations of language). It is these fleeting glimpses of something more - something enchanting and delightful beyond measure that pervade our lives when we choose to notice them. It is when those fragile and capricious glimpses catch our attention that we truly begin to understand that we are never alone.

Any adult who was taught to feel damaged or worthless as a child and brings those internal ‘programs’ with them into maturity, knows how the ‘bigger picture’ of abuse translates into the little things we do in life. It is our behaviour, beliefs, and what we choose to focus upon in daily situations that affect our health, wellbeing, and

emotional integrity. We literally filter out the wonder and joy, because we have learnt that we are somehow ‘not good enough’.

It is in these little things that we also glimpse the divine - in the minute changes that permeate our lives.

And for many, these changes are brought about in the discovery of ‘energy work’ - literally ‘working with the divine’! Practices such as Tai Chi, Yoga, Celtic Reiki, and the Viridian Method can shift us to a place of enchantment and delight, where the hurts of the past (which manifest in the moment) are altered. Here we see the amazing power of energy - for the past is never ‘washed away’ or ‘wiped from memory’ - why would we want to spend so much time hurting from the past, unless it was an investment in some awe-inspiring future?

Energy therapies change the ‘tapes we play’ in our heads so that we glimpse a view of our past from degrees of greater expansion. Teaching us to recognise the context and dynamics at play, whilst learning to forgive - not only our abusers, but ourselves. Contained within the synaesthesia we experience in the use of energy practices are wisdom, strategies, and methods of change, all of which combine to help us through those little moments of sabotage.

Creating a closer connection through energy work is like a conversation with the divine, through our inner-world. This in turn floods out, into the outside world around us. The hunched stagger through life becomes a dance and we can learn how to celebrate life as the precious gift it is. And just as somebody, somewhere flicked a switch that cast us into darkness - you too can learn to flick that switch back on, casting a light on yourself and from yourself to the child that you once were.

Miracles Article by Cecilie Lacey DEFINE: MIRACLE

There’s a lot of confusion and controversy in the world today about this topic. People are nervous when it comes to discussing the issue of miracles. If they expect anything at all, it is something big like world peace, or the end of cancer, AIDS, hunger and poverty. The continuation of these tragedies is enough to preclude the belief in a greater power which is miracle-producing. More often than not, people are so consumed with these problems that they fail to even venture to ask questions such as: What is a miracle?

Do you have to be a Christian to have a miracle?

Does anyone deserve a miracle?

Do miracles even happen today?

The Bible has many examples of miracles which have prompted these questions. We are still waiting for a burning bush; a parting of the Red Sea; water being turned into wine; a man rising from the dead or things like these to prove the existence of miracles. We need a modern up-to-date perspective to realign our thinking.

A Course in Miracles is a self study mind-retraining program which focuses on forgiveness as the path to inner peace. It offers the definition of miracles as ‘a shift in perception.’ When we perceive from the truth of our being which is spirit as children of God, miracles are our natural birthright and we experience them in abundance.

Most of us, however, are aligned with a false sense of self or ego which is limited and small. From this perspective, we experience a fear-based, harsh reality creating the opposite of miracles. This is why most people even doubt the existence of them.

Forgiveness is the manner by which we shift our perceptions of ourselves from small, limited, frightened, lonely physical beings to expansive, unlimited, joyous spiritual co-creators of a loving God. Our three dimensional existence has conditioned us to be unlike our true selves and needs a reconciliation of attitude. We forgive our parents, society and ourselves for buying into this world-view for so long. It has required our co-operation to function as it has, but we can change our minds about everything now and begin to live anew today.

This, in itself, is a miracle.

Wait, you say. This predisposes a person to believe in a greater power in the first place. And you would be right about this. A Course in Miracles does not view this as a problem because the practice of retraining your thinking in the way that is outlined results itself in a different view. Do the work and experience the difference directly. Why are you even seeking, if your life is working so well to begin with? If it is not, then why not keep an open mind about everything? This is the only requirement for spirit to enter our lives  the willingness to perceive differently! As part of our inheritance as children of God, we were given free will. We are free to live a messed up life and we are free to alter it. When we ask for help, help is given. But we must ask.

An amazing thing then happens. We start to experience the liberation of being miracle-minded and we now see them everywhere. Our physical bodies are miracles in themselves. If we had to focus on only one aspect of our survival (such as beating our hearts, for example), we could do absolutely nothing else! Beat, beat, beat, beat….we’d have to spend every nanosecond of every moment concentrating on beating our hearts ….and we could NEVER sleep or it would stop!!! Just to do that thing alone, we could do nothing else. How miraculous is that!!

But not only that is given to us: breathing, digestion, elimination, reproduction, mental activity, circulation, healing etc. is all going on all the time mostly without our conscious attention. We are then able to live and move and have our being in the awesome world around us. Where even bumblebees are scientifically not supposed to be able to fly but miraculously do!!

The Biblical times focused on physical anomalies which were so out of the ordinary as to be called miracles. Many attempts have been made to explain them away or at least into irrelevance. The past 100 years has raised the degree of physical wonders to a new level with the invention of radio, television, telephones, cars, microwaves, lasers, space travel, satellites etc. such that we need a different arena for our amazement now. That arena is the level of the mind and computers have brought us to an experience of connectedness as a Global Village worldwide that is unparalleled. Electricity, for example, was always there as were television, radio and microwaves but until humans learned how to harness these forces, it was as if they did not exist! Gravity operated, thank you very much, just fine even before we had a name for it and ‘discovered’ it!

If God is the electricity, then we are the instruments for conducting that force much like a lamp or a toaster or television. Marianne Williamson, in A Return to Love, states that neither electricity without a channel nor a channel without electricity can produce light. Together they light up the world!

Now we find that computers connect us instantly to each other and we can affect outcomes enormously with the click of a mouse. We are discovering how powerful we really are as well as some of the conflicting consequences of that power.

As we alter our attention more and more to the mental level utilizing this power, the vibration of the entire planet speeds up. Bills are paid in an instant so you better have money in the bank to cover them. A rowdy night out with the boys can show up on Facebook within minutes so it behooves you to watch out for your

behaviour. A star can be discovered singing in his bedroom with a Youtube posting by receiving millions of ‘hits’ so you might want to be ready for success. All the votes for the X-Factor contestants can make or break them without ever knowing who ‘they’ are!!

This is heady stuff and it is just beginning. We are finding out on a daily basis what the magnitude of these tools we now have at our disposal is capable of. We are feeling the immediacy of co-creating our reality which is our divine right as children of the Creator. This is miraculous momentum, moving us potentially towards abundant, joyous lives. The Internet has given us unlimited possibilities to explore in a fifth dimensional world of cyberspace.

It is the closest we have ever been to a realization of our divine, spiritual truth which according to A Course in Miracles entitles us to them.

Unfortunately, our fast-paced, privileged lives tend to result in the opposite view. We no longer find wonder in these things: we have expectations that they always work. We are annoyed when they don’t. A power failure can ruin our day! I had the delight of living in two villages in Mexico for an extended period of time which had no electricity. The pace was slower and the mood was calmer. The joke was “the world could end today and we wouldn’t know about it for two weeks here.” People took as much time as they wanted to gather to do laundry on a sunny day or sit by a fire at night. We watched the stars, stunned by a sunset or an electrical storm because with no manmade lights, nature was awesomely entertaining. You could hear the crickets or marvel at the silence without the blare of TVs or radios.

While I am not suggesting that we go back to that kind of existence, I am expressing a need for us to appreciate the gifts that technology provides. It is allowing us to know the phenomenon of oneness and connectedness which we decide how to use for good or evil purposes. Fundamentally it is offers direct knowledge and manipulation of the creative force called LIFE which is the biggest miracle of them all.

Highly recommended reading:

A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles in “A Course in Miracles”

By Marianne Williamson Back by popular demand -- and newly updated by the author -- the mega-bestselling spiritual guide in which Marianne Williamson shares her reflections on A Course in Miracles and her insights on the application of love in the search for inner peace.

Williamson reveals how we each can become a miracle worker by accepting the “God” within us and by the expression of love in our daily lives. Whether psychic pain is in the area of relationships, career, or health, she shows us how love is a potent force, the key to inner peace, and how by practicing love we can make our own lives more fulfilling while creating a more peaceful and loving world for our children.

Available at “Gifts for the Soul Shop”: $16.95

Between the worlds Article by Chris Tennant THE MIND BODY SPIRIT CONNECTION: MAINTAINING THE BALANCE

How can body awareness and awareness of self help you reach your goals, whatever they are? In today’s hectic go, go, go, life little things like eating right, exercise, relaxation and good rest are luxuries we don’t think we can afford and as such, many of us are very good as disassociating from our bodies. A key to overall health is to respect your body as part of you, not just a vessel to carry your intellect around in. Think about it, without our body this version of reality, would suck. Not much to do here without a body.

Likewise our mind doesn’t just hold our memories for us, nor is it just there to relay neurological information, nor do I believe that only a small percentage of it is used. I feel it is the organ that holds our very essence. Our personality and our experiences are more who we are than our physical appearance.

Moreover, the illusive who “we” are, or the evidence of our life, or the spark of creation, or the thing that separates the dead from the living, that illusive “it” is our everything. Without it, in the right here and right now we don’t exist. In fact, without any one of these three aspects of life, being who we are becomes very difficult. So why don’t we value these aspects of ourselves? Maybe it’s because no one can make you do it? You have to do it on your own, and you have to want it with everything you have. Balance between these aspects is so illusive, and life is constantly changing and evolving. It is the reaction to this change that tests our ability to maintain a balance between these aspects. Honouring the value of these 3 aspects and respecting their gifts helps to guide us in maintaining balance.

Honouring the Mind

Our mind is a truly awesome organ; it records our life, holds our experiences and helps to form our personality. It can’t however maintain itself all alone. It needs the help of our spirit, or our conscious thought. It is this that helps organize and filter through all the things we experience in our lives.

Honouring the Mind can be done with meditation. Meditation is a good way of helping our mind organize itself. Often when people begin meditating they say “It’s so hard! All these things keep coming up”. This is a good example of the things our mind is trying to get confirmation on and if you don’t process it and just push it off it can really begin to bother you. By becoming aware of these things, your mind is better able to process new experiences. This is why meditation is key. By practicing meditation you learn to control your stress and to respect your sense of self. Being able to clear the mind through learning to meditate will make you less rash about choices (such as bad food choices), or over indulging to compensate for the stress held within it. By having a clear mind we can listen better to our bodies, making smarter choices about what it is our body needs.

Honouring the Spirit

For some, honoring the Spirit can come from attending and having faith in a guided religious spiritual experience. Honouring spirit can be simply taking the time to sit and breathe. Take that bubble bath! Or close the door to the world and take a moment to sit and read that book you have put off. Relaxing your inner-self enough to begin breathing deeply. For those who choose to honour their spirit with organized religion, there is a lot of singing: that singing can really get you breathing right.

Honouring the Body

Honouring the Body can done through eating right, drinking enough water, exercising, and taking the time to respect sleep. Better breathing will help you come out of the “fight or flight� response we live in, triggering our brain to release hormones, decreasing stress held in muscles and organs, and improving digestion. Breathing diaphragmatically especially increases the mix of digestive enzymes, giving you more nutrition from even less food.

Also, the diaphragm, when fired properly, assists in pumping lymphatic fluid, as well as assisting in the drainage of the venous systems below the diaphragm.

These are not new concepts and the health benefits are well documented. By doing these things we learn what it is our bodies are really capable of. Our bodies and brains take a lot of daily abuse and they really can take a beating before asking for help. How many of you have a 30-year-old car, computer or batteries? We need to learn how to respect our bodies’ needs, listen to its cues , not give in to the cravings mental stress can bring on and to give our spirit the room it needs to be itself.

This is why meditation is key. By practicing meditation you learn to control your stress, empowering you to respect your sense of self. Being able to clear the mind through learning to meditate will make you less rash about bad food choices over indulging to compensate for the stress held within it. By having a clear mind we can listen better to our bodies, making smarter choices about what it is our body mind and spirit needs.

By becoming aware of these things your body will confidently carry your awakened consciousness to new frontiers with your mind being better able to process these new experiences that will grow your spirit stronger increasing your life force, extending your ability to continue expanding your sense of self.

Quirks and Creativity

Within these Pages Book Review RED ROBED PRIESTESS by Elizabeth Cunningham. Review by Tiffany Lazic

I have missed Maeve. It’s been 2 years since Black, Dark Madonna, but many times in those years Maeve’s voice rang in my head. Maeve Rhuad, otherwise known as Mary Magdalen, the daughter of 8 Celtic weather-witches, wife of Jesus, mother of Sarah and daughter-in-law to “Ma” (that would be Mary, mother of Jesus) is a strong voice, even if at times (and increasingly as she gets older) she knows her actions will lead to trouble and is aware of her own contradictions. Feisty, irreverent, proud and strong-willed with an ever-open and loving heart, Maeve stands as a woman who can bridge worlds and see the humanity on both sides.

This is the last of Maeve’s stories. We have seen her raised by her weather-witch mothers and trained at the Druid School on Mona (Magdalen Rising) where she meets her love, Esus. We have followed her through slavery in Rome, the reunion with Jesus and the inexorable unfolding to his tragic end (The Passion of Mary Magdalen). We have struggled with her as she tries to disengage from the embryonic beginnings of Christianity in order to raise Sarah, her child with Jesus (Bright, Dark Madonna).

In all these stories, her wonderful ‘Celtic-ness’ is ever-present: fearless, questioning, rebellious, and vocal. Now we come full circle, returning to the place of her birth to search for her lost child, the one born out of a terrible incident, wrenched from Maeve’s arms at birth.

In Red Robed Priestess, Maeve, Sarah and their 2 companions travel to Pretannia (Britain) around 60 AD. Anyone with knowledge of Celtic history will shudder at that date: the period of the Roman slaughter of the Druids on the island of Mona and of the infamous Iceni Queen Boudica’s rebellion. On the night of their crossing, Maeve encounters a haunted stranger. Touched by an otherworldly affect at their meeting, the 2 are drawn into a liaison.

When the stranger turns out to be none other than the newly appointed Roman Governor, General Gaius Suetonius Paulinus and Maeve learns shortly after that her daughter is none other than the Iceni Queen Boudica, Maeve is caught once again between worlds colliding.

Maeve is now in her 60’s. At the heart of tragic historic events unfolding, she is simply a mother trying to reunite with a daughter who never left her heart. Each action to try to curb the inevitable draws us in, wishing it could be so, knowing it never can be. In all the stories of the Maeve Chronicles, that is the power of her voice. In the midst of paradigm-shifting world events, she offers a picture of what could have been and the hope that perhaps it is not too late after all.

I have already told many of the tales that will weave their way into this story. But there is one new strand, one new twist that binds all the stories into an impossible Celtic knot, one that with all my blinding flashes of second sight I never saw coming. ~ Maeve Rhuad

Available at “Gifts for the Soul” Shop: Red-Robed Priestess by Elizabeth Cunningham $29.95

Special Feature: Essay by Elizabeth Cunningham, used with permission by author IN WHICH I RUIN MY SHOES BUT FIND (I BELIEVE) BOUDICA’S LAST BATTLEFIELD

My shoes are great for walking, perfectly shaped to my foot, low in back so that they don’t rub my heels. I have never had one blister in them. My feet don’t sweat when I wear them as they are aerated with little pin-sized holes. They are perfect, as long as I don’t come into contact with any moisture whatsoever. When I do, the little holes that allow them to breathe turn the shoes into sponges. When they absorb water only, they eventually dry (albeit stinking in the process). But when they encounter mud, they suck that up, too.

I have dried the shoes and aired them and taken a long, moisture-free walk in them to see if they can be rehabilitated. Still their ingenious, treacherous little pores are clogged with caked mud—mud from the hill overlooking the battlefield where Boudica’s army met the Roman forces that defeated her rebellion. Mud from the ground where Governor Suetonius Paulinus might have stood, directing the battle his outnumbered troops won.

Mud that I brought through US customs and all the way home.

“Atherstone!” The railway official I had managed to pigeonhole in busy London Euston Station seemed affronted.

“Why do you want to go to Atherstone? There’s nothing there.”

I was taken aback, as his was the first direct question anyone had asked me in London. I had begun to think that the English regarded curiosity as rude, and perhaps that is so. I was clearly being rebuked. But being a polite well-brought-up Anglo-American I explained that I was looking for Boudica’s last battlefield that scholars believed might be in a small village near Atherstone called Mancetter, which I spelled for him in case I was pronouncing it wrong.

“Mancetter!” he almost snorted. “Never heard of it.”

Which clearly made it an even more undesirable destination than Atherstone. Nevertheless, he led me to the Midlands Line information booth and snatched up a schedule from another official who did not even know where Atherstone was.

“You see this dotted line?” he said menacingly, pointing to Atherstone on the railway map. “That means that Hardly Any Trains Go There. But if you must go, there is a train leaving at 12:49. Watch the signboard for Crewe.”

Leaving me with the schedule and due warning, he stalked off. I retreated to an upstairs pub called The Britannia where I downed a Bloody Mary while watching Crewe move across the signboard with no platform announced till the very last minute.

The hour and a half train ride gave me a brief respite from active anxiety. I looked out the window and watched the countryside swell from barely rolling to round and curvaceous, as if the Midlands, still incredibly green and lush, were more mature and buxom than the eastern counties.

Soon after the train left the solid line for the sketchy dotted bit, I stepped onto the platform in Atherstone, the only passenger to disembark. My hopes that I would find an information booth at the train station were immediately dashed. The station was not only closed, it was boarded up. So I walked down the steps and turned in the direction that seemed like town, keeping a sharp eye out for a tourist information sign. Eventually I saw an office with an open door inviting people to sign up as volunteers and discover the joys of helping others.

That would be me—an other.

No, the woman at the desk told me, there was no tourist information in Atherstone, but I could go to the library.

At the library they were very keen to help me—especially to do online research on a library computer for three pounds an hour. They also produced a leaflet about Roman discoveries at Mancetter and a list of local accommodations. But, they cautioned me, there were no museums, no ruins, and certainly no one knew anything about where Boudica’s battlefield might be. Moreover, The Blue Boar, the only hotel with a Mancetter address, was a fifteen or twenty minute walk to the very outskirts of Atherstone! Despite their cautions, I went on a miniquest to find a pay phone and booked a room at the Blue Boar, address Watling Street, the name of the Roman road that stretched across Britain from the Southern coast where the Claudian invasion began, all the way to the druid stronghold on Mona (Anglesey).

After checking my email and doing some desultory research that told me nothing new, I set out for Mancetter. Atherstone with its shops and numerous pubs dwindled to dreary housing developments. Finally The Blue Boar beckoned in the distance. Once an old inn, it had been rebuilt in the 1940s and now looked more like an overgrown diner with an expanded parking lot hopeful of tour buses. A barmaid with a very juicy cold greeted me and checked me in, while I explained my purpose (once more) to her and to a man who might have been on his third or fourth pint of stout. He was the first person who was certain he knew where the battlefield was, and he managed to write me directions to a place called Bosworth Field some five miles away.

“And if you want to know about Roman things,” he added, “just go up the road to St Mary’s and find the vicar.”

When I wondered aloud if the vicar would welcome a total stranger knocking at his door, the drunk replied with confidence, “Oh, vicars, they always want to natter on about things like that, don’t they?”

It was about 4:30 in the afternoon (slightly too early to start drinking myself, which I was sorely tempted to do) so I set out for St Mary’s, hoping the vicar might still be in his office. The large, old stone church (don’t ask me to date it) stood next to a pub called The Plough, and these two traditional buildings marked the end of the town and the beginning of the countryside, which in itself I found heartening. The church and adjoining buildings were locked up tight, but I was pleased to find a sign that invited those who wished to see the church to go to the vicarage on Quarry Lane. I got directions from a man clipping grass at the pub and set off to see Adrian, as the man referred to the vicar with obvious affection.

Adrian, an older man about to retire and in the midst of packing up his house, did not seem entirely pleased to see me on his doorstep asking about things Roman. But he invited me in and gave me an edition of the Mancetter News which reported historical events like Boudica’s battle as if they were current. But, he cautioned again, there were no museums, no reconstructed ruins, and of course, nobody knew where the battlefield was. I thanked him and told him that I had visited many museums and read many books, and what I really wanted was to walk in the countryside and get a feel for the place.

“Oh, well,” he said, seeming relieved. “If you want to walk, then go back down Quarry Lane, cross the main road and look for Mill Lane. Part way down you’ll find an historical plaque about the Roman fort that used to be there.”

I followed his directions, found the plaque and discovered that it was not only the site of a fort but that th the 14 legion had been stationed there, the famous 14 , nicknamed The Tamers of Britain, one of the two legions that had defeated Boudica’s army. I kept walking down Mill Lane, which crossed a stream (where presumably the Mill had been) and then became a foot path leading across the edge of broad open fields towards the A5. I walked on, encouraged. The scholars in their wisdom and vagueness described the possible location of the battlefield as being near Mancetter somewhere between the A5 and the Hartshill Ridge, so I had found one of the parameters. th

At a hedgerow about halfway to the A5, I stopped and had some conversation with a man walking an enormous dog bred to be not a herder but a cattle guardian. The man was a truck driver by day but his real passion was raptors. He had made houses for owls’ nests along this hedgerow and had a pet owl, a buzzard, and a falcon that he hunted. He didn’t know anything about Boudica but he knew how to walk from village to village by footpaths. He knew all the birds and animals in the area, many as individuals.

“Oh, look,” he said, pointing towards the river, “that’s the young heron born just this year. He doesn’t like to go too far from the river yet.”

When I headed back to the Blue Boar (where the man assured me accurately I could get a good meal— wild boar is on the menu but I had Scottish salmon) I reflected again on how different times seem to coexist side by side in Britain, and if you are wary—or unwary—you can slip out of one time into another just by crossing a field or stepping from the road into a wood.

The next morning, an unabashedly beautiful one, I asked the breakfast host about the directions I’d been given to Bosworth Field.

“Oh, no,” he said before he went off to make me the best cooked breakfast I had in my whole time in England. “That’s a battlefield of the War of the Roses. Or Shakespeare said so anyway, but he was probably wrong.”

We agreed that five miles away was also too far to match the description I had. Glad at least not to have to hire a taxi, I resolved to wander more locally. The morning barmaid suggested I walk to Hartshill, the next village, and she drew me a map.

“Don’t turn on Quarry Lane,” she said. “Keep going on the main road and take the next right.” There followed more detailed description involving a railroad bridge, an S curve, and a road called the Clock Tower leading up a hill from the village. Perhaps there I would find the narrow valley that Tacitus cited as the place of the fatal battle.

I set off blithely into fresh air that was the perfect mixture of warm and cool, under a blue sky dotted with the kind of puffy clouds that echo the shape of hills or make you think of fat contented sheep. When I got to the church, I clearly remembered being told not to turn on Quarry Lane, and yet the map, in contrast, seemed to insist that I turn right there by the church graveyard. I don’t know exactly what decided me, maybe only impatience to be off the main road, but I turned onto Quarry Lane, waving at the vicar who tooled by in his car, looking somewhat alarmed to see me walking in the direction of the vicarage again. Not long after I passed the vicarage, I left all houses behind and found myself on a road that seemed deeper in the countryside than it really was. Traffic noise fell away and sounds of birds, insects, breeze made the silence of the rich, loamy land more distinct. I crossed the railroad bridge and stared into the distance but could not see another crossing. I told myself that I had taken the right road after all, but soon I couldn’t help noticing the complete absence of the other landmarks and of any indication that I was nearing a village. Just as I was wondering if I should turn around, I came to a farm and saw a woman outside tending some piece of equipment.

“Excuse me,” I said, “I think I may be lost. I am looking for the village of Hartshill.”

“No,” she said, straightening up. “You’re not lost. You’ve done right.”

I was struck by her turn of phrase, as if I had inadvertently made a moral decision.

“There’s a footpath to Hartshill,” she hesitated, eyeing me dubiously. “If you’re game to walk.”

I assured her I was. Then I told her about my search for Boudica’s battlefield, repeating Tacitus’s description of a narrow valley backed by a ridge.

“Oh, well, that could be anywhere around here, couldn’t it?” she said warily, turning away and bending to her task again. “But you’re welcome to walk. The footpath begins at our farm. It’s over there.”

I thanked her, and she softened a bit.

“The view at the top is worth the climb, anyway.”

I opened and closed a farm gate and began to walk up a steep hill, one of those round voluptuous breasts of land. Though the day was sunny and becoming warm, the dew was still thick on the grass and the path was more than muddy, a little rivulet of water ran down it. I stepped gingerly wondering if I could manage to walk between the dewdrops and more or less preserve my shoes. For a few moments, negotiating the steep muddy incline took all my concentration. Then near the top I stopped and turned to look at the view.

And there it was: A narrow valley backed by a ridge and opening onto a broad plain, the very plain I’d walked on today and yesterday when I crossed the fields to the A5. And the ridge must be the Hartshill Ridge. So I was standing exactly where scholars suggested the battlefield might be.

This called for further investigation. Though I was at the highpoint of the footpath, the fenced pasture rose higher. A stray sheep waited to see what I would do. In a foolish hope of keeping my shoes semi-salvageable, I took them off. Barefoot I climbed a six foot barred fence and dropped down to the other side walking to the top of the hill through the very cold dew on the grass. (The sheep sensibly decided to join the rest of the flock in a neighboring field of clover).

From the crest of the hill, I could see and hear a quarry on the ridge (hence the name of the road) but its presence did not change the fact that the Romans would have been well-protected by having the then thicklywooded ridge at their back. The hills on the other side of the valley were just as steep. From the opening of the valley, the plain stretched out uninterrupted for miles. I could imagine Boudica’s army, foot soldiers and chariots sweeping across it. As for the hill where I stood, it was a perfect vantage point. Suetonius could easily have controlled and directed his troops with the coded trumpet blasts that told them when to turn, fall back, replace one line with another. According to Tacitus, Suetonius chose his position so that Boudica’s far more numerous troops would be funneled into the valley and thus could not overwhelm the Romans with their numbers or surround them. Unlike the Romans, Boudica’s troops had no shelter at their back, no place to retreat. They could easily be pursued across the plain, though they had obstructed that escape route with their own wagons and spectators.

Historians and scholars ancient and modern tend to depict the Romans as having superior military tactics and discipline. The corresponding implication is that the Celts, and Boudica as leader, were hot-headed, undisciplined, and well, perhaps not very bright to have walked into a trap like that. But two things occurred to me there on that ground that I don’t think I have heard anyone else mention. If Mancetter was indeed the site of the th last battle, the 14 legion was on familiar turf; their fort was only a mile or two away from the ridge. They knew all the nooks and crannies of a landscape very different from the much flatter countryside that was home to the Iceni.

Perhaps even more significant, when you approach from the plain, as I just had, you can see the ridge, but you cannot see the narrow valley until you climb the hill. Coming from the plain, you wouldn’t even know the valley was there until it was too late.

I wandered over the field, trying various vantage points, looking at the valley and the plain again and again, amazed to think that I might actually have found the place where that decisive battle was fought almost 2000 years ago. At last I just stood for a long time, my bare feet on the soft earth, doing my best to be in two times at once—the peaceful, sunny morning with the farm yard below and the sheep in the next pasture fattening themselves on clover, and the day of the battle with all the din and terror, desperation and carnage that I have never experienced in my own life.

I found myself praying for all the people who fought that battle, for the land itself that holds the memory. Finally I asked for a message about the story I hope to write. These are the only words that came.

“Just tell the truth.”

I tried to think what the truth might be and realized I couldn’t yet. I have to keep walking, I have to keep writing, and maybe the truth will tell itself to me.

I climbed back over the fence and continued on the footpath to Hartshill, carrying my damp shoes for a little while.

But I had already stepped on some nettles and the odd rock here and there was slowing my progress, so I finally gave up, put them back on and squished on in them for miles along the Hartshill Ridge. Though I kept looking, I found no other valley that opened onto the plain.

Hours later I walked down the steep incline to the farm, the mud joining the dew and sealing up the pores of my shoes. The woman was still outside, and we both walked towards each other.

“It’s here,” I said, and before I could quote Tacitus, she answered quietly.

“I’ve always felt that.”

We talked for quite awhile. She had watched me standing in the field. I confessed to her that I had said a prayer. We talked about all the reasons why it was likely that the battle was here, and she told me that someone from the BBC had come poking around but had never spoken to her or her husband or asked permission to walk on the land—which I guessed explained her initial chilliness.

“I suppose we may never know for certain,” I said at one point. “But I will always think of it as here.

Maybe in some sense we all choose our last battlefields.”

I am not sure even now exactly what I meant, but she seemed to understand.

“Yes, that’s right,” she said. “We do.”

I asked for her name so that I could acknowledge her help when I write the book. Angela Evans of Quarry Farm, who is raising the fat happy sheep, wished me the best. I wished the same to her and walked back over the plain in my ruined shoes, turning again and again to look back at the valley I could no longer see.

View from Hartshill

The Spirit Sings: Article by Nicole Ferrill WINTER’S EMBRACE Throughout my education and career as an artist, I have yet to find a style of art that has touched my spirit more than Art Nouveau. The flowing line, feminine strength, and captivating themes never fail to draw me in for closer examination of the subject and medium. My search for a piece to highlight in this edition of The Glowing Hive lead me not only to my favourite style but also to two works of art that are chalk full of symbolism; symbolism that speaks to the commanding power of nature and reminds us that we are indeed part of its cycle. th

The Art Nouveau movement began in Europe at the turn of the 20 Century. Although the movement encompassed architecture as well, its fine art was expedited into mainstream consciousness by the artist Alphonse Mucha. It was Mucha’s good fortune to find himself in a position to create a poster for a play starring the actress, Sarah Bernhardt. Bernhardt’s enthusiasm for the poster he created lead her to commission Mucha as the exclusive artist in marketing her image. Being commissioned for Bernhardt’s marketing showcased Art Nouveau and Mucha’s name. Soon, commercial ventures were hiring him to advertise their products. Of all the artists who worked in the style, it is Mucha’s name that is synonymous with Art Nouveau.

The style of Art Nouveau commands a use of the natural environment. Mucha’s , Snow Queen and Child, is a stunning example of this. Here we see the Goddess of Winter sitting on her wooded thrown, her son, nude as nature intended, is the Oak King – born again as the promise of Spring. He holds out a bouquet of roses. The rose, a symbol of renewal, promises the continued cycle of life – the color pink, the symbol of innocence and healing. This offering is juxtaposed by the twigs of thorn held in his opposing hand. A symbol of passive defence, the thorn may represent the usurping of leadership from the Holly King at the Solstice. Thorn may also represent sources of food that are produced by thorn bearing plants or the promise of food to come during the Oak King’s reign. The hint of green on the reverse side of the Queen’s majestic cape reinforces the idea that on the other side of winter is spring.

Mucha’s contrast between the realism of his human subjects and the flat, outlined elements of the natural world are a repeated style choice in his work.

The realism of the main subjects of this piece as well as the stark blue hue of the Snow Queen’s eyes support an intense focus for the viewer. Nature’s elements are instantly understood by the viewer through shape and context.

Color is a powerful leading element in this piece. The flesh-tone browns are used to lead the spectator’s eye down the right side of the image. Beginning at the top with the natural rock formations in the background, our eye is lead to the human form tying into the bits of brown in the Snow Queen’s cape. This leads us to the brilliant blue which is picked up in the snow flakes that lead up the left side of the image to the tree, which circles our eye back around to the rock formations once again. This circle never lets us exit the piece but encourages further examination.

In Erté’s, Winter, the viewer’s eye is also led around the piece, however, it is form over color that directs us. Erté, (Romain de Tirtoff) was a Russian-born French artist and designer. Although he was best known for his Art Deco work, his piece Winter falls under the definition of Art Nouveau.

Supporting natural elements, Winter possesses a line quality that flows with the feminine form. The theme of this piece is also the cycle of life and its symbolism is similar to that of Mucha’s Snow Queen. In Winter, we find ourselves, once again, in a wooded scene. This time, the Goddess representation is the Earth herself, slumbering under a blanket of snow. The waning moon represents the end of a cycle and tells us that Spring is near. This idea is reinforced by the flower blooming forth from the Goddess. The flower’s promise is that of the cycle of life or rebirth. Trees are also the promise of renewed life as they slumber through winter to find new life in the coming season of the Sun. Erté’s tree remains true to the Art Nouveau style in mimicking the female form. The falling snowflakes, as in reality, are totally unique to each other. This symbolizes the perfection and individuality of nature. When snow falls, there is a natural serenity that comes over the Earth. People and animals seek shelter and nature quiets itself. This is true of Erté’s scene as a there is a certain tranquility experienced through the images present as if all is frozen in time. This idea is reinforced by the icicles dripping from the curvaceous tree limbs.

Our eye is directed by the natural elements themselves. We begin at the face of the Goddess, travel up the tree to glance at the waning moon, the tree limb takes us around and deposits us at the tip of an icy branch to the blooming flower, the promise of renewal. It is an excellent example of shape and line execution. The rich blue hues in the background give us a dimensional feeling as if the tree is the frame and we are looking off into the distance to the moon far away.

Both Mucha and Erté give us works of art that upon first glance take us into the icy grip of winter.

However, the further we examine these pieces the more we understand that even in the depths of a frozen landscape comes the promise of warmth and rebirth. As we venture past this Winter Solstice, take a moment to honour the season and the possibilities that are brewing in this time of quiet contemplation.

Dance of the Bees Ode to the Bath (written on admittedly water-smudged pages) Oh ye humble instrument of cleanliness Tucked in a corner of a corner room.

Not the exalted hub of home Not the cherished hive of hearth But glanced over function of duty (and don’t forget to wash behind your ears) Let me sing praise to your gift to Soul.

As my body enters the corner of the corner room Weighted with dirge of dust of the day You glow, Softly white as the Moon Your cup, an invitation.

Dim the lights As cascading water fills Your empty vessel.

Artwork (above & below) by Cheryl Weber-Good

~ by Tiffany Lazic (originally published in the Sisterhood of Avalon Datebook 2010)

Upcoming Events

at The Hive

January January 7

Dream Bigger: Create the Life You Want Now! : Julie Wise

January 10

Marseilles Tarot (5 weeks) : Norah Nasturas

January 11

Beginners’ Astrology (5 weeks) : Norah Nasturas

January 12

Moving Through Fear (8 weeks): Melba Amos

January 13

Introduction to Photoshop: Nicole Ferrill

January 14

Relationship Magic (5 weeks) : Julie Wise

January 16

The Key to Success (6 weeks): Tiffany Lazic

January 21

Crystal Applications in Therapy: Chris and Robynne Tennant

January 23

Conscious Awareness (6 weeks): Lisa Theodore

January 23

Money & Me: Creating a Healthy Relationship with Prosperity (5 weeks): Tiffany Lazic

January 28

Empowerment Banners: Cheryl Weber-Good

January 29

“Marketing Clinical Health Care” Book Launch and Party February

February 4

Animal Totems: Sheilagh Jackson

February 5

Cranial Sacral for Newborns: Jules Hare

February 10

Create Your Own Website: Nicole Ferrill

February 10-12 Postpartum Doula: Beth Murch February 12

Red Tent Event

February 18

Dream Bigger: The Next Step!: Julie Wise

February 18

Elemental Life: Chris and Robynne Tennant

February 25

Business 101: Robynne Tennant

February 26

Complicated Birth: Beth Murch

March March 2 – 4

Celtic Reiki Master Class : Tiffany Lazic and Julie Wise

March 17

Introduction to The Rubenfeld Method: Melba Amos

March 18

Welcome the Buds Party

March 19:

Journeys into Past Lives: Chris Lee

March 23-25

Kabbala and the Tree of Life: Nancy Elias

March 21

5 Step Marriage Prep (5 weeks): Julie Wise

Transformational Arts College of Spiritual and Holistic Training’s Discovering the Total Self Program at The Hive and Grove Each course is 8 weeks. Start date is indicated beside each course.

Exploring the Spiritual Realms of the Non-Physical (January 10) Transformation: Meeting Your Inner Selves (January 12) The Multi-Dimensional Being: Spiritual Healing and Energy Transfer (March 6) Living Your Higher Self (March 8) Meditation and the Mystical Path of the Chakras (March 9 – morning) Being Human: The Path of Emotional Healing (March 9 – afternoon) Gifts of Spirit: The Intuitive Arts (May 1)

Facilitated by Tiffany Lazic

ONGOING MONTHLY EVENTS 1st Friday……………………….Little Sprouts Kids Club (By donation) 1st Saturday…………………..A Course in Miracles Study Group (By donation) 2nd Tuesday…………………..Hive Book Club (By donation) 2nd Wednesday……………..Reiki Share (By donation) 2nd Saturday…………………..Magickal Living (Complimentary Hive course) 3rd Wednesday………………A Course in Miracles Study Group (By donation) 3rd Friday……………………….Magickal Kids Club (By donation) 4th Wednesday………………Celtic Reiki Share (By donation) 4th Friday……………………….Healthy Living Series ($15)

Monthly Hive Celebrations…

Not to be missed!

January 29 “Marketing Clinical Health Care” Book Launch

February 12 “Loving Ourselves” Red Tent with Journey Dance

March 18 Welcome the Buds Party

The Hive and Grove is very fond of our monthly celebrations, each with its different special energy and offerings. Great food, pamper treatments, the energy boost room, silent auctions, special ceremonies and more.

Be Uplifted.

Friends of the Glowing Hive THE HIVE AND GROVE Centre for Holistic Wellness & Gifts for the Soul Shop The Hive and Grove is a sanctuary for the mind. Facilitating classes that introduce the spirit to new avenues of introspection, The Hive is a wonderful place to begin your journey.

Meditation Holistic classes Training courses Magickal Kids Club Self-development Groups Special events Individual counselling and much more…

The Grove is a personal space of safety and inner work. Therapeutic services are conducted with a holistic approach to healing. Many journeys to well-being begin here, in The Grove.

226 Frederick St. Kitchener, ON N2G 2S9 519-578-5683 (LOVE) www.hiveandgrove.ca hiveandgrove@gmail.com

The Hive and Grove…experience a life in full bloom!

The Gifts for the Soul Shop offer a wide selection of products and resources to support healing, empowerment and self-insight.

Julie Wise Consulting Create the Life You Want Now! Life's greatest gifts are often well disguised by unattractive wrapping! As a coach, my goal is to work with you to discover the hidden potential in your challenges. Together we will:

   

Healing Arts Learning Organization The Healing Arts Learning Organization is a motivated team of dedicated holistic health care professionals committed to providing quality education, business opportunities, personal growth and healing.

Discover and clarify what you want to achieve Explore your vision for the future Develop solutions and strategies Create and implement an action plan

www.juliewiseconsulting.com www.fabfiftyfive.wordpress.com

Diversified training programs to meet your individual needs

www.healingartslearning.org

519-570-1040

Dream BIGGER: Reclaiming a Life of Joy and Ease by Julie Wise

mPowr Ltd is delighted to be a close partner of The Hive and Grove, the international community hub for Celtic Reiki.

Martyn Pentecost, the Creative Director of mPowr, is the originator of Celtic Reiki and is the developer of many of mPowr’s range of innovative titles and training courses, embracing: Personal wellbeing: Celtic Reiki, Karmic Regression Therapy, vReiki, Viridian Method Personal empowerment: Synaesthesia Symphony and PsyQ Business development: ‘The Key: To Business & Personal Success’ and www.therightbrainforbusiness.com Author training: Immersive Publishing, Creative Writing Therapy, Book Coaching Though based in the UK all our titles and training programmes are available worldwide.

food naturally At Food Naturally not only will we provide you with a plan to alleviate the above health concerns, but we do so in a way that is achievable and sustainable for you. Living a healthy, happy and balanced lifestyle is within your reach! * Nutritional coaching * Prepared meals * Meal planning * Cleanses and detoxes The Creative Healing Clinic 148 Weber St E Kitchener, ON

Contact: Dana Rourke 519-590-6525

www.foodnaturally.ca

Discover a 100% natural non-invasive drug free healing properties of Salt to find relief from respiratory ailments and skin conditions. Escape from your daily routine to an invigorating salt oasis with a full suite of alternative therapies for body, mind and spirit, featuring the Salt Room.

396-B Victoria St. N., Kitchener, ON 226-444-0176 www.therockspa.com

Artisan Cheryl Weber-Good composes hand painted calligraphy masterpieces on many surfaces: wall hangings, wedding lettering art, church banners, personalized gifts and mural writing. www.writehand.ca

THE SHOW that informs educates and enlightens The WHOLE Family towards a Healthy Lifestyle with fun and celebration while PAYING IT FORWARD within our communities.

Ticket prices support local charities and non profit organizations within the area. th

CAMBRIDGE: Sunday, March 25 (10:30 to 4:30) at the Holiday Inn th GUELPH: Saturday, April 28 (10:30 to 6:30) at the Best Western Conference Centre For show information or requests for vendors please contact Lee Pryke Show Coordinator at 519-623-7402 TH

MARCH 25 SPEAKERS FORUM

* EAT Natalie Lauzon: HD(RHom) DHHP, Doctor of Homeopathic Medicine of Cambridge Homeopathy * BREATHE Tiffany Lazic: Holistic Psychotherapist, Educator, Owner of The Hive and Grove * DANCE Kirstie Smallman: Nia Blue Belt Teacher, Philosophy and Education, B.A. * CELEBRATE Alex Hourahine: Activator of Active Cambridge, Active Cambridge Online

fanning YOUR spark into flame retreat: “Goddesses and Pirates Retreat™” Isla Mujeres, Mexico OCTOBER 27 – NOVEMBER 3, 2012

Presented by The Hive and Grove Contact Tiffany Lazic for more information THE ISLAND: Isla Mujeres has a long and colourful history. In Mayan times, the island served as the sanctuary for the goddess Ixchel, the Mayan Goddess of fertility, reason, medicine, happiness and the moon. The Temple was located at the South point of the island.

In March of the year 1517, Francisco Hernandez Cordova discovered the island. When the Spanish expedition landed, they found many female shaped idols representing the goddess Ixchel, thus Isla Mujeres got its name. The remains of Ixchel’s temple can still be visited today, a particularly beloved spot to watch the morning sun rise as most eastern point in Mexico where the sun first touches the land.

THE RETREAT (Sunday – Thursday) Have you lost connection with your special, unique self? Do you dream of feeling empowered, but are not sure how to get there? Are you weighed down with past baggage? Do you have a vision of yourself and what your life could be, but are unsure of the tools to make it happen? The “Fanning Your Spark into Flame Retreat” will get you there!

For the next three centuries Isla Mujeres was uninhabited. The only visitors were fisherman and pirates. Famous pirates like Henry Morgan and Jean Lafitte walked the shores of Isla and as legend goes, buried their stolen treasure under the white sands. The hacienda of the pirate, Mundaca still remains on the island and, with a keen eye, one can find his tomb in the local cemetery, complete with skull and crossbones.

Beginning on Sunday afternoon with the “Igniting the Spark” ceremony, each of the 5 days will delve deeply into the areas and issues that stop one from living fully, unconditionally and authentically. Prebreakfast meditation will set the daily intention.

Morning lecture and afternoon practicum will allow each participant to apply new concepts to one’s own life and situation, activating immediate change.

Located just off the coast from Cancun, Isla Mujeres maintains its own serene and beautiful energy, away from tourist bustle. A place of peace and wonder that never leaves the soul, be you goddess or pirate at heart!

Isla information can be found at: www.isla-mujeres.net

Day 5 begins with a Dawn “Harnessing the Flame” Ceremony by the Temple of Ixchel: an opportunity to anchor the inner shifts and truly begin a new approach to one’s life. This Retreat takes place during the time of the Mexican Festival “Dia de los Muertos”: a perfect time to identify and release that which we no longer want to hold us back and allow vibrant new energy to carry us forward.

Evenings and all day Friday, explore Isla!!!

THE ACCOMMODATIONS: The Retreat will be held at the spectacular Avalon Reef, Isla Mujeres which includes:  1-bedroom villa or condo, each with king-sized bed, living room (with pullout couch), kitchen and 2 bathrooms  Pool with in-water chaise lounges  The awesome natural reef “King’s Bath”  Spa and Fitness Center  Private pier

These luxurious accommodations will embrace both participants and non-participants. But if you can drag yourself away from secluded Avalon, golf carts (the island transportation mode of choice) are available for rent, allowing access to all the Isla’s offerings: Sea Turtle Sanctuary, Garrafon Natural Reef Park, Sculpture Garden, Dolphin Discovery, Underwater Sculpture Museum, Pirate Mundaca’s Hacienda and more.

A la carte activities (scuba lessons, deep sea fishing, swimming with sharks and more) for those not participating in the “Fanning Your Spark into Flame” Retreat (our adventurous “pirates”) can be arranged. A list of options will be provided with your “Welcome Package”.

Embrace the Glow‌ Look forward to future issues of The Glowing Hive, distributed online seasonally on a quarterly basis.

Spring: April 1, 2012 Summer: July 1, 2012 Fall: October 1, 2012 Winter: January 1, 2013 For comments, feedback and suggestions, please contact Tiffany Lazic at hiveandgrove@gmail.com