Transformation Magazine SPRING CLEANING Issue

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Section Title

SPIRITUALITY 7 Practical Spirituality: Clean Between Your Ears 10 Angels & Inspirations: Soul Intentions 13 The Way It Is: Spring Cleaning Consciousness 22 Crystals & Gems Part 1: Color Your World HEALTHY LIVING 9 Clear Clutter to Improve Energy Flow 12 Natural Spring Cleaning 16 10 Ways to Improve Sleep 20 Spring Into Action: Focus on Greens 27 Night Bingeing No More TOOLS & TIPS 11 Light, Love, Laughter: Cleaning Your Mind 14 Enlightened Relationships: Seasons 18 The Currency of Attention 21 Spring Cleaning Musings 24 Ask Dr. ZZ TRANSFORMATION 4 Awakenings: Spring at Last 23 Earth: Poem 25 Circle of Life INSPIRATION 6 Embracing and Honoring the Seasons 8 Good Enough to Be True 17 Cleaning Out Cultural Beauty Beliefs 19 Be a Symbol of Love 28 Holy Mole Cartoon

Š Copyright 2012 Transformation Magazine. All rights reserved.

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Transformation

Awakening

An Apple Spiritually &OMJHIUFOFE 3FMBUJPOTIJQT Speaking Dr. XJUI UIF &EJUPS aZZ Day Ask

XJUI 3FW .BSMB 4BOEFSTPO /BUBMJF "NTEFO 8JUI % $BSPM 3PCFSUT . % with MarciaBender Natalie, Publisher of Transformation Magazine, has worked with thousands of people seeking to live a life of purpose and genuine relationship with their true selves, others, and their world. She is the former Director of a counseling center for at risk teenagers and their parents. She is also a public speaker and leads workshops and retreats on Practical Spirituality, Finding Joy, Discovering Your Purpose, and Enlightened Relationships.

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Spring At Last

It was February, 2004, in New Hampshire, and I was getting ready to go to work while listening to the morning news discussing the weather in the background. I had lived in this winter wonderland for 15 years and had never experienced such cold temperatures. I spent years of my adult life complaining about the nonsense involved in weathering a snowy winter— scraping ice encasings from around my car, unburying my car from amidst several feet of snow, taking a shower in a bathroom cold enough to substitute as a refrigerator, and wearing an abundance of uncomfortable layers when leaving for the day only to shake like a wet poodle when climbing into and starting my iceladen car. This day, however, I was not complaining about the woes of the snow—instead I found myself singing praises to that crytalized substance I once abhored.

That year was the coldest on record—so cold that the schools closed for COLD. How rediculous! I had never heard such a thing. That morning, the newscasters were discussing how with temperatures at 20 below zero children who would have waited at bus stops could have frozen their hands—not frostbitten but frozen—within 10 minutes. The reason it had been so cold that year was because we did not get any snow. Go figure. So this day, I found myself excited when the weather person declared that they expected a “warm front� to come in tomorrow.

I suppose perspective is everything.

The next day the snow did come, all 5 inches of it, and the weather warmed up to a whopping 17 degrees. Some of my coworkers decided to take advantage of the “balmy� weather and were walking around outside wearing T-shirts without a coat. I questioned their sanity, as it’s obviously insane to believe 17 degrees is warm enough to don short sleeves. Even though I still required a sweater, parka, scarf, and gloves to venture anywhere near the door, I began to question my sanity as well. Why, I asked myself, did I subject myself to this weather nightmare, year after year, when I truly disliked it with every fiber of my being. I was an adult now and I had freedom of choice, so why was I continuing to live in a frozen tundra filled with crazy people who broke out their bikinis as soon as the temperature spiked above freezing?

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I knew there was something wrong with me when I found myself eager for snow.

This year’s unusual weather had snapped me out of my seasonal routines long enough to let my deeper longings bubble to the surface. I did not long for snow, I longed for spring.

I discovered several weeks later that I longed for much more than that. I longed for freedom—including freedom of weather!

I snapped myself out of my daydream of longer daylight and lighter clothes and got back to work, but the ache inside me continued to burn.

Several weeks later we were blessed with a blanket of new-fallen snow and temperatures that remained above freezing. Whoopdidoo. I was standing on my parents’ deck (yes, willingly) overlooking the recently melting river. There was a small amount of snow still covering the ground. One spot, however, had melted and on the bare ground I could make out the faintest hint of green. I had to see this for myself! I ventured down the bank and examined the handful of pitiful little green grasslings poking up through the semi-frozen soil.

They looked so vulnerable, so small, so weak. It was amazing that they had it in them to expose themselves to the bitter cold and the risk of being suffocated by new snow, all because they felt an undying tug to reach toward the sun. I stood in awe of their bravery for several minutes until I realized my parents were watching me from the window, probably wondering what the heck I was doing staring in wonder at a dirt patch. My witnesses broke my moment, but I returned to the house with a deep empathy and appreciation for those little buds. As the evening progressed, I could not stop thinking about the grass. It struck me as odd that I would have felt so moved by, connected to, those blades of grass. What was it about them that triggered this depth of emotion within me?

That evening the weather report declared the next day to be warm with plenty of sunshine. I immediately thought of the baby grass and was so happy to imagine them basking in the rays of the warm sun and feeling their roots expand into an ever thawing earth. It was in that moment that I began to cry. Hard. I just let go. Through my tears I began to see that I, myself, was like those blades of grass. I, myself, was beginning to feel the stirrings of spring, of hope, of light returning. Their plight was my plight—their joy was my joy. It was time to reawaken. It was time to face the sun. Until that moment I had not fully realized the extent to my seasonal hibernation. Many refer to it as seasonal depression or seasonal affective disorder, but to me it had always felt like hibernation. Stay inside, in the darkness, until the snow goes away. This is how I lived for at least four months out of every year—time in which I couldn’t truly live.

That day, I decided enough was enough—I wasn’t going to spend another winter hiding from the world. March 1st I decided I was going to move to Florida, the Sunshine State, and

by April 1st I was here. Ironically, immediately after my arrival the state was pummeled by Charley, Frances, and Ivan—a hurricane phenomenon that was totally unprescidented. Apparently I have an affinity for attracting unusual weather patterns. And yes, I would take an occasional hurricane over a yearly winter of blizzards any day.

The most amazing change I experienced after moving here was the freedom of weather.

In New Hampshire, I would panic every time we had a nice day; I would find myself stuck inside working, missing it, not knowing when another nice day would come. When I first arrived in Florida I found myself feeling anxious as I looked out the window from my office, worried I would miss the glory, however it only took me several days to realize that—to my absolute joy—I had nothing to fear, for tomorrow would be beautiful, too.

Amazing!

I have thoroughly enjoyed the weather in Florida—yes even the hot summers—for the eight years I have lived here. Of course, I do miss the changing of the seasons to a certain extent, especially autumn, but the freedom I feel when facing the day’s forecast every day is very much worth the trade. Besides, I have only experienced relocation amnesia once since moving here.

Relocation amnesia happens when you move away from a location and forget your reasons for leaving shortly after arriving at your new destination.

This happened to me the first winter I lived in Florida.

Come wintertime I found myself dreaming of a white Christmas.

I could not get over the ubsurdity of green lawns with sprinklersa-spraying and five glowing flamingos. I longed for my nostalgic memories of sleigh rides and hot chocolate by an open fire.

Ahhh... those were the days. How quickly memory of reality fades. I learned my lesson, however, when I returned for a holiday trip that winter with the eagerness of a little girl waiting up for Santa Clause. I suffered the same dissappointment when I was faced with the reality that my fantasy wasn’t at all what I had expected.

In that glorious moment when I left the airport and drove down what I had envisioned as snow lined streets, reality struck me. There was nothing more than the dirty, crusty chunks where there were once mounds of plowed snow and a smattering of snow spots remaining beneath the gray and baron trees. I was dissappointed for a day or two—it was like the death of a dream.

But, I was finally able to release my nostalgic attachments and embrace the beauty of the fact that I was blessed to live in a state with absolutely wonderful weather!

I left the airport after arriving back in Florida and was hit by a wall of warm, moist air. Ahhh... now this is what I longed for that day standing by the bare patch by the river.

Spring at last, spring at last...

Lessons of spring: • Embracing vulnerability builds strength.

• As seasons change, life transforms.

• New growth occurs when one chooses to awaken.

• Never stop reaching for the sun.

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Inspiration

By Dolores J. Gozzi We all can tap into nature and learn how the seasons influence our life processes. It can be as easy as understanding the annual cycles of growing and the harvest and how they relate to the questions we should be asking at different times of the year.

Fall

Fall is the time we start to reflect inwards; as the summer fades we look back at the events that transpired in our lives during the year. It is a time where we begin to reap the harvest we had started in the spring and put away for the winter. This is also true in our personal and professional lives.

Questions we can ask ourselves: • Did our crops grow the way we intended them to grow?

• Will we have enough harvest to last through the winter months?

• If not; are there some other methods we could have used to produce a better harvest?

• Did we nurture our harvest or just plant the seeds and expect them to grow?

Winter

Winter is the time when the days are shorter and the nights are longer. Due to this, we spend more time inside than outside. It is the season where we spend the most amount of time reflecting inward and relying on our harvest from summer to keep us going. We start to sort out the events from the year that no longer serve us and start to prepare for the New Year with new hopes and goals. We normally start out with an open mind and full of ambition to assure ourselves of success. Then somewhere between New Year’s and spring we seem to lose the

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fire. So how do we keep this fire going?

Questions we can ask ourselves: • Do we need to make environmental changes to assure a better harvest?

• Do we need to make personal changes to assure a better harvest?

• Do we need to make professional changes to assure a better harvest?

• What do we need to release?

• What do we need to be opened to receive?

Spring

Our current season, Spring, is the one in which we begin to sprout and grow. Ideas and creations we have been thinking about are starting to come to fruition. We become alive and want to go out into the world to share the creations we have been harboring through the winter months. Our personal and professional lives can see this growth—if we have taken the right measures in the fall and winter months. Spring is also about nurturing our harvest and ourselves.

Questions we can ask ourselves: • Are we ready to bring forth ideas and creations into the world?

• Are we ready to step into our own power?

• Will we be able to nurture creations and ourselves?

• Is there anything stopping us from bringing forth our creations?

Summer Summer is the time that our seeds are growing and reach their peak. If we planted right in the spring, with the sum-

mer’s sun full crops abound. We are able to enjoy the warm rays of the sun to feed our soul; and those crops are at their height to nourish our body. We feel the freedom of air moving in and around us, and we have the energy needed to enjoy the longer days that our fiery Sun provides.

Questions we can ask ourselves: • Do we have a full crop that can be harvested for the winter months?

• Are our crops growing to their full potential?

• Can we see where the crops need more nurturing and tending if they are not growing to their full potential?

• Do we have a balance in both our personal and professional lives?

Understanding how similar our own growth and development is to the harvest will give you better understanding and clarity in your life! Enjoy this spring and may your ideas and dreams come alive as they are nurtured by the light of the Sun.

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Dolores J. Gozzi is a nationally certified Licensed Massage Therapist and the founder of Healing Thru Bodywork & Nature’s Cycles (www.naturescycles.com). The company incorporates several modalities including aromatherapy, massage, bodywork, element bodywork, and meditation. Through continued education, Dolores is able to perform holistic therapeutic services and offer classes and workshops that promote healing. The mission of Healing Thru Bodywork & Nature’s Cycles is for each individual to be able to reconnect with his or her inner strength and guidance and create a personal world that is harmonious with the elements and guided by nature. For more information call 239-826-6960.

Spirituality love story, the tale of many failures, or the one on how to lose a fortune in the stock market.

It feels good to replace the old stories with something that reflects who you are today—or maybe who you want to be tomorrow.

Marla Sanderson has been a student of spiritual practice for more than 35 years. She began as Assistant Director of The Next Step, a psychic and spiritual community in a New Mexico ghost town. As workshop leader, teacher, practitioner, and minister, she has led relationship and personal growth workshops, taught psychic development and meditation, Living Love, and the Science of Mind. Marla is available for workshops and speaking engagements. She recently founded the New Thought Center for Creative Living at the Unity Peace Cottage in Clearwater (see ad ). Attend the Mid-Week Faith Lift service, Wednesdays at 7pm. www.newthoughtctr.org

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Cleaning Between Your Ears

There’s nothing like a good cleaning to make your house feel fresh and alive! Clear out the dusty corners, toss the things you don’t need anymore, and replace them with something better. I love spring, and even though I’m not wild about the cleaning part, there’s a sense of newness that makes it all worthwhile.

Just as it’s a good idea to clean your house regularly, it’s good to clean out your mind as well.

Get rid of those old ideas about yourself that don’t work and replace them with better ones.

What are those old ideas that don’t fit? Those that limit you today. Self-concepts like awkward, ugly, shy, and clumsy didn’t look so good back then and there’s no reason to wear them now.

Are there any life stories you can do without? The sad

You may have played some tragic roles in your life and probably given some bad performances too. But that was then; this is NOW. Limiting ideas, hurt, or guilt no longer have to take up space in your head. There’s nothing you can do about the past anyway. Might as well sweep it out and bring in a new thought—one that suits you better today.

You got most of your ideas when you were too young to know better, but now that you’re all grown up, you can pick and choose your own. Would you like to be more … generous, outgoing, secure, fun, supportive, successful, loving, kind, sensitive, powerful, or lovable?

You don’t need to put on an act or have cosmetic surgery to be a more attractive person or a better friend. You, like all of us, are a loving expression of the Divine—perfectly unique— and the more of that you’re willing to express, the better you’ll like yourself.

So it then comes down to asking, “What’s in the way of that?” Worry that people won’t like you? Fear of someone’s disapproval? So what? The need to please others is highly overrated and a lot of work. Give it up. In fact, give up any illusion that says there’s something wrong with you. That’s the point. All you have to do is clean out the disapproving thoughts and the rest of you will blossom.

Only you can take your power back. Only you can change your self-concept. You are a perfectly lovable, capable, and creative human being with much to express in the world— and no one can express that like you can.

Start sweeping.

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Inspiration

By Alan Cohen When I began to teach classes on spiritual principles, I devoted some time at the end of each class meeting to pray for students and their loved ones. One woman asked the group to pray for the continued health of her sister, who had had cancer, but the disease was now in remission. At that time I had not heard the term “in remission,” so I asked her what it meant.

“It means that the disease went away for now, but it might come back,” she explained.

The word “disease” contains a clue as to how to heal it. “Dis-ease” indicates that ease, or well-being, is our natural state, and for the moment we have “dissed” ease with some form of stress or resistance. The answer to disease, then, is to return to our natural state of ease. No “dis-ease” can live in the presence of ease, so restoring ease is the optimal route to healing.

To heal our lives we need to do a radical figure-ground shift on our understanding of how life works. We need to recognize that health, prosperity, rewarding relationships, and the other conditions we value and seek are our natural state, and everything else is the exception. Just as a cloud passing before the sun does not mean the sun has gone away, a momentary condition of disease does not mean that health has gone away. The health is temporarily in remission. It can return as surely as the sun will return when the cloud has passed.

One of my seminar participants reported, “I have had a long string of failed relationships over many years. Now I have been dating a guy for six months and everything is going great. This seems too good to be true.” I told her,

“It’s not too good to be true.

It’s good enough to be true.”

The explanation made no sense to me then, and it makes even less sense to me now. The idea is that the disease is here and real, a prevalent condition, but it has If you have a history of pain or temporarily gone behind a curtain and may pop out again. The notion was jarring to loss, you may come to believe that suffering me because my understanding is that health is our prevalent condition and our natural is your natural state. I assure you it is not. state. When a disease occurs, our health is temporarily in remission, and it will return Well-being is far closer to your nature and when the temporary condition of the disease has been alleviated. destiny than the dismal conditions you and I have been taught to accept.

Modern medicine, for all its wonders and benefits, subscribes to Around the same time I first heard many beliefs that are upside down and inside out. about remission, my mother asked me to go to the supermarket to pick up some appleDisease, for one thing, is not a thing. It does not have a life of its own. Dis- sauce on sale. When I reached the appleease, as illuminated by the ancient science of Chinese medicine, represents a block- sauce aisle, I saw a big sign: “Applesauce age of the natural life flow, or chi, that moves through the body and keeps it alive — 89 cents — natural or regular.” I read and healthy. If the chi is blocked consistently at the same point, and reinforced with the label on the “regular” jar. The contents life-denying thoughts, emotions, attitudes, habits, and lifestyle, the organ will manifest included sugar, food coloring, and preserwhat we call a disease. Yet the disease has no life or power in and of itself; it is simply a vatives. The “natural” jar contained only sign of where life has momentarily not been allowed to flow. When you invite and allow apples and water. the life force to flow once again, through methods such as acupuncture, massage, exWhat is regular is not always natuercise, herbs, diet, attitude upgrade, or cessation of the thoughts, feelings, and habits ral. We have become so accustomed to that created the blockage, healing occurs naturally. things that are regular that we have forgotten what is natural. Health and well-being are at the top of the list of the inherently There is no disease that has not been cured through restoring natural contents of life. To define health as life force. Therefore no disease is incurable. the temporary absence of disease is insane.

That would be like defining light as the temporary absence of darkness. The opposite

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is true: Light has substance; darkness does not. Health has substance; disease is void of substance. Life is made of substance, not its absence. Tom Stoppard declared,

“It’s the best possible time to be alive, when almost everything you thought you knew is wrong!”

If you are happy and healthy and your life is functioning beautifully, you are proceeding from your natural state. If you are ill, struggling, or unhappy, you have subscribed to or inherited beliefs that are out of alignment with how life actually works.

If you want to get to the bottom of “remission,” remember your

mission in life–to live happily and authentically, and re-store your mission. Then your life will be in permanent remission, and you will return to the ease in which you were born to live.

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Alan Cohen is the author of many popular inspirational books, including the newly-released Enough Already: The Power of Radical Contentment. Join Alan for Metaphysics and Miracles, May 30June 3 at the Sunrise Ranch in Loveland, CO. For more information about this program and Alan’s other books and free daily inspirational quotes via email, visit www.alancohen.com, email info@ alancohen.com, or phone 808-572-0001.

Healthy Living

Christina Captain, DOM, AP, SLP, FSC is a board certified acupuncture physician and the founder of The Family Healing Center. She earned her degree in Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine from the East West College of Natural Medicine, Sarasota, Florida, where she is now a senior faculty member and advisory board chairperson. Christina received additional training in acupuncture injection therapy and earned a Masters degree in Speech Language Pathology and Communication Disorders and is an expert Feng Shui practitioner and teacher.

•••••••••••••••••• Clear Clutter to Improve

Energy Flow

Spring is here and one of the ways to enhance our mental, spiritual, and physical health is to clear clutter from our spaces. Removing the disorder that decorates our lives brings up anxiety for most when we consider the sheer volume of the task—yet it holds the potential of truly opening up our lives to new possibilities. As we let go of the materials that have been clogging our spaces, creating stagnation and negative emotion, we literally make space in our lives for new, fresh and vital energy and opportunities to enter.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, our living spaces can be viewed much like the human body. At times, we are very kind to our bodies, taking care to nourish and rest properly. At those times we feel vital and strong, ready to seize the day. And even when we consume substances that we know are not energizing and healthful to us, we still rely upon the body’s own ability to detoxify. The body’s own rhythmical activity of inhalation and exhalation reveals this beautiful dance of taking in and letting go from moment to moment—and it is this dance that

sustains and nourishes us. If we continue to inhale without letting the breath go, we become completely restricted. There is no longer any movement possible. Clearing a space is no less important as allowing the breath to flow outward. In so doing, we release old attachments, obstacles, and stagnation from all aspects of our lives.

Many people seek to balance the energy, or qi, of their spaces through the use of feng shui, a Chinese system of geomancy used to position objects, including buildings and furniture, based on a belief in patterns of yin and yang and the negative and positive flow of qi. Such feng shui cures can be amazing enhancements to one’s own home and one’s life. However, the impact of most cures is greatly minimized by the impediment of clutter. We have to accentuate the positive AND eliminate the negative. Practically speaking, begin by asking yourself the following questions as you review your possessions.

• Is this thing essential? Will I die without it?

• Will I use it, wear it, read it, listen to it, etc., in the next three months?

• Have I read it, used it, worn it, listened to it, etc., in the last six months?

• Do I absolutely love it and does it bring me great pleasure just knowing I possess it?

If the answer to any of these questions is no…LET IT GO. Do yourself a great favor this spring season and allow your space to exhale, to breath again. Let go of those piles of magazines and papers; unload those dead flowers; release that collection of clothes you’ve been saving for that day when they’ll fit again; recycle those plastic bags jamming up your cabinet; donate the piles of old shoes; throw out those stray screws, nails, twist ties, erasers, etc., jamming up the kitchen drawer. Do I dare mention the garage? Pardon the cliché, but when in doubt, throw it out. For you can be sure, there will always be more and more and more where that came from.

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Spirituality

Emily Rivera Andrews is a certified Angel Healing Practitioner, Reiki Practitioner, and an Angel Manifesting Master Practitioner. Emily shares techniques that have helped her become a Gifted Intuitive, Intuitive Channeler, Healer, Manifester, and Angel Communicator. To ask your Angels a question, attend one of Emily’s local events or email emily@LivingtoInspire.com

•••••••••••••••••• Soul Intentions

Life is a beautiful journey that we can all enjoy. Yes, we do face obstacles and challenges at times, but we can find comfort in knowing that we are ALWAYS LOVED and GUIDED by our beautiful Angels and the Divine presence.

Before birth our soul is planted within our precious bodies, and we are gorgeous.

We all came here with beautiful soul intentions that continually desire to unfold. Some of them require more action than others, some fewer lessons than most, and then there are those that may stay sleeping as their soul does it all. You too have a precious soul intention with gifts and talents to assist you along the way.

These soul intentions are your blueprints that are made up of a unique energy and a natural design to who you are. As you started to experience life as a child, you began to be molded by people’s reactions, expectations, and judgments. Soon you started to change, limit, or alter who you really came to be.

Most of us forget, and completely lose touch with, our true nature and soul’s intentions.

Our Angels desire to help us re-connect with our soul’s intentions and realize the precious jewel that lies inside us. As they help us in this reconnection they are helping us connect to peace and joy, since we are realigning to our unique blueprint.

By doing this we are powerfully connecting with our true selves.

We shift into a state of being that releases us from trying to be something we are not; a state of being that releases us from blaming ourselves for who we are, but instead celebrating it.

Release the illusion that if we can fix our imperfections we can fix who we are. Through openness and truthfulness we can begin to fall in love with who we are, and with this love, life falls into place more effortlessly and our journey transforms into harmony and balance. Our Angels assist us in this harmony, and with their Divine guidance we get to a point in which we remem-

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ber to live in alignment with our design. Our Angels help us peel away what is not part of our soul intentions, which reveals the underlying pattern to our inherent energy that has meaning and makes sense. To discover your original design frees your energy and helps you become who you came here to be. Truly look at yourself with love and then you can look at others with love. This love creates a new way of relating with yourself and others.

Our souls are pure and radiant sparks of the Divine. They are energetically and collectively interconnected with everything.

The light that is our soul is never changing; it is the aspect of ourselves which always offers truth and clarity. The energy that fuels our soul is love. As we connect to this love we begin to reconnect to the beautiful essence and gifts of our life journey.

Our Angels are magnificent helpers that commune with us. They know our soul’s intentions and how they powerfully impact everyone and everything. Our unique intentions impact an aspect of the whole, as we are intricately connected and needed.

Our Angels understand our needs and how our individual needs are important links to the whole. They want to help us connect to our soul’s intention, and as we do this they know we can more perfectly connect to the peace and love that is supposed to be part of our experiences.

We all have aspects of ourselves that we desire to hide, but do understand that within these parts of ourselves we can also find the treasures to our soul’s intention.

As you take steps to face these aspects of darkness within, you can then nurture them with love rather than shame them, so that through this love they can be transformed into enlightened gifts for your journey. As we take this empowering step, we allow ourselves to more fully open to loving and honoring our journey as well as the journeys of others.

Choose to open up to the truth and see past the surface.

Choose to see the truth within yourself and all that surrounds you. Through this truth we can see that there is so much more to our life and our surroundings. As you purposely connect to truth you start to see the world differently. In truth, you take off the blinders and get to see the whole truth within yourself and others. Things change and instead of noticing the emotions on the surface you clearly recognize the driving forces to the emotions. For example, instead of seeing anger you see the true cause of this anger being pain and hurt; instead of greed you notice fear; instead of sadness and sorrow you easily know there is more to the story. In truth, you know that we are all people with talents, passions, and with so much to offer. You come to understand that the faces that people show us don’t tell us the whole story, and by looking further into whom they are and where they have been, we can open up to the truth of whom they are with love. To connect to the whole story in truth awakens us to

harmony, peace, and compassion.

In truth, we all clearly see what the Angels and the Divine see – that we are all doing the best we can with our unique talents and gifts, wounds and challenges, and fears and judgments. As the Angels help us through this process we eventually come to see clearly the Divine spark within ourselves and everyone we meet. By recognizing a person’s gifts and light within, we become healers.

We become healers as we love and honor people where they are at, regardless of their journey and the false facets of themselves they choose to portray to the world.

Tools & Tips

An Intuitive, Author, and Storyteller, Staci shows other how to remove the blocks that keep them from knowing who they really are. She’s the author of the novels The Fifth Goddess and Where Fat Girls Haven’t Gone, and created the Out Your ego! book and card deck.

Staci offers messages of Light, Love & Laughter at events and gatherings and can be heard every Wednesday at 4 pm on GSHRadio. com. For more information, visit www.StaciB.com

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Spring Cleaning Your Mind—FTP “I had a plan,” said my friend who admitted to feeling like a failure because she bought a carton of cigarettes this morning.

The plan was to alternate between her new smokeless cigarette and the real thing in an attempt to wean herself from regular cigarettes. She had promised herself the last carton she’d purchased was really the last. The fact that she bought another left the door wide open for her ego to convince her she’d failed.

The problem wasn’t the smokeless cigarette or even the real ones. The problem was the plan. Plans and goals of any kind are nothing but a device created by the ego. They’re opportunities for us to either feel “special” or like a failure, both of which ultimately create chaos.

With plan making and goal setting come expectations.

Whether they’re expressed or not, they are there. By trying to control how you get what you say you want, you’ve set yourself up for either major disappointment, which can torture you for quite a while or momentary elation, which ends as soon as you identify the next thing that needs to be done.

Why not create an intention and see where it takes you? The first stop will most likely be seeing just how much you think you can control things. More ego games. The truth is you can’t control anything except your responses. But if you’re able to let the need for control go and sit in silence, your intuition will guide you in fulfilling your intention.

Instead of madly writing lists, setting goals and making plans, why not spend that energy being still? Meditate. Eyes closed. Your mind set to “receive” rather than “transmit.”

When you let yourself hear what Self has to say, you’ll not only take the next step toward getting what you want, you’ll be at peace with the decision. There won’t be room for “should I have” or “could I have?” There will be no vacillation. There will be no doubts. No open doors for ego to beat you up, call you names or try to convince you that you are anything other than who you really are—love and light.

Forget the plan—FTP. Trust the intention. And enjoy the journey.

Stop setting goals and Making plans.

Form intentions.

And trust you’ll be called.

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Healthy Living

By Deserie Valloreo

It’s time for spring cleaning! While researching and making your own natural products for the care and cleaning of your home can seem overwhelming, the tips below will show you how it is simple and well worth it in so many ways.

Some of these benefits include: • Less packaging waste • Saving money • Less harmful (often not harmful at all) to humans, animals, and the earth • Less obnoxious home smell; homemade natural cleaners always smell better than store bought Here are a few natural ways to address common cleaning needs in your home: Soap Scum/Mineral Buildup Removal. Whether it is in your shower, dishwasher, faucet, or toilet, distilled white vinegar is the solution! (pun intended). You can apply vinegar directly or dilute it with some water. Putting it into a spray bottle works great. For particularly tough build-ups, spray on vinegar, sprinkle baking soda, let both sit and then scrub with a brush.

All-Purpose Cleaner. Mix a few drops of natural liquid soap (i.e., castile), 2 cups water, and 15 drops each of tea tree and lavender essential oil. You can spray this on all surfaces, like cutting boards, counters, toilets, walls. However, it will streak glass. It also gives an all-natural, fresh scent to everything and is anti-fungal (prevents mold).

Window/Glass Cleaner. Mix 1/2 cup vinegar with one gallon water—spray and wipe. If you prefer a glass cleaner that does not smell like vinegar, use straight lemon juice or club soda. If you use club soda, newspaper is the best scrubber to use.

If you use lemon juice then use a lint-free cloth.

Sink Cleaner. Scrub with baking soda and water.

Microwave Cleaning. Place a bowl of straight vinegar or a bowl of water with 15 drops tea tree oil in the microwave, heat for about 2 minutes. The microwave will steam itself and be easy to wipe out with a wet cloth.

Floor Tile Cleaner. 1 cup vinegar, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil-based liquid soap (i.e., castile) 2 gallons hot water. Combine all ingredients, stirring well to dissolve the washing soda. Mop as usual.

cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus, grapefruit, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, spruce, and thyme.

3. Use naturally acidic products, such as lemon juice and vinegar, to clean hard-water scale, tarnish, and other alkaline substances. Follow up with an alkaline cleaner, such as liquid detergent, to neutralize the acid.

4. Test any homemade cleanser on an inconspicuous area before using it on an entire item. While these products are generally safe, it is always better to check before using.

5. The herbs and essential oils that you’ll find most useful for various household tasks include those that inhibit the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi.

These include basil, bay, bergamot, camphor, cardamom, chamomile, cinnamon, clary sage, clove, eucalyptus, fir, ginger, grapefruit, juniper, lavender, lemon, lemon balm, myrrh, orange, oregano, patchouli, peppermint, pine, sandalwood, spearmint, spruce, tea tree, and thyme.

You also can use natural methods for solving other types of common problems.

Below are some suggestions: Unclogging Drains. If you have a sluggish drain, pour a cup of white vinegar plus one cup baking soda into the drain. Let that sit for a few minutes (it will bubble). Flush with a teapot full of boiling water. If you really have issues, use a snake or plunger. Drain cleaner is one of the more dangerous cleaning items.

Removing Rust. Mix 2 tablespoons salt with 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Apply and rub well.

Air Freshener. Springtime is a great time to open windows and dispel the stuffiness of winter. Herbal air fresheners can be varied according to your mood and the oils that you have on hand. You can make a variety of convenient sprays by combining essential oils with alcohol and water.

Here are some general guidelines for natural cleaning: • Total of 12 drops essential oil (if using 1. Write the ingredients or purpose of the cleaner you mixed on masking more than one oil, divide accordingly) tape and place it on the bottle.

• 1 teaspoon alcohol (minimum 80 proof vodka) 2. Add tea tree essential oil to any of the cleansers listed here if you’re combating fungal problems. It is a natural fungicide. Other essential oils • ¼ cup distilled water that you can add, which are both fragrant and known for disinfecting, include

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Mix all ingredients in a spray bottle. To use, spray into the air, avoiding people’s faces. This solution can also be sprayed on your linens or used as a body spray.

Repelling Ants. The use of natural fragrance may interfere with the ants’ ability to communicate through odor trails.

Fragrant plants, such as thyme, patchouli, verbena, and mints may appeal to your sense of smell while displeasing the insects.

Try mixing a few drops of your choice of essential oils of these plants with a vegetable oil and smearing a trail of it wherever you are seeing ants. You can also put the essential oil on cotton balls or scraps of fabric and tuck them into problem areas.

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Deserie Valloreo is a Natural Health Advisor and Clinical Herbalist. She has a Bachelor of Science from USF and completed her herbal studies at the Acupuncture & Herbal Therapies Professional Herbalist Program, where she learned Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnostics and Chinese herbs. She also studied under internationally recognized herbalist Rosemary Gladstar. Deserie is the founder of HerbalWise, a St. Petersburg-based company offering workshops, private consultations, and her own line of herbal remedies. Deserie is the president of the West Coast Florida Regional Chapter of the American Herbalist Guild, a member of the Florida Herb Society, and a member of the Florida State Oriental Medicine Association. Deserie@herbalwise.net

Spirituality How often in life do we confuse preparation with accomplishment?

Gregg Sanderson has a rare view of the metaphysical universe. He traveled the road from Christian Science through Judaism, Agnosticism, Atheism, Living Love, Psychic Development, Spiritualism, Teaching of the Inner Christ, all the way to the International Centers for Spiritual Living where he is a licensed practitioner. He is the author of What Ever Happened To Happily Ever After? and Split Happens – Easing the Pain of Divorce. Gregg’s latest venture is Spirit With A Smile — The Way It Is (Unless It’s Something Else). Email to gregg@spiritwithasmile.com.

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Spring Cleaning My Consciousness Isn’t it interesting how often we think we’re doing things for somebody else and then we wind up getting the most benefits from them? That’s how it was when I got my housemate her requested steam cleaner for Christmas. After the initial oooohs and ahhhhs, it was I who had the benefit of using it whenever something needed steam cleaning.

Not only do I get to use it, I get support and encouragement every time something drops on the kitchen floor (I used to call it “nagging,” but since I achieved my high degree of enlightenment, I now call it support and encouragement).

Today her support and encouragement came at the time to write this month’s column. It’s amazing how those “coincidences” happen.

First step in the steam cleaning process is to haul up the machine, plug it in, add the water, and turn it on. While it heats, I also assemble the attachments.

I haven’t gotten anywhere near the floor yet, but this is necessary preparation.

Yet nothing is accomplished, and while the monster prepares itself, I sweep up the loose debris to get the floor ready.

If we don’t do that part first, all we do is wet the dirt and move it around. “I preparest a floor before me in the presence of mine steam cleaner.” This represents meditation and “being here now,” as I “sweep up” the random debris of negative and limiting thoughts that clutter my consciousness.

Then comes a degree of enlightenment as the indicator on the machine turns from red to yellow and everything is ready to do the job.

Here we must be careful, metaphorically, not to confuse the “ready” light with a “done” signal.

Action! Slowly and carefully we cover every tile in the floor with the steamer as it breaks through the residue to absolute clarity. Well, maybe not absolute since there are some areas with heavy spillage that just aren’t coming up. More steam doesn’t help, as those yellow patches resist it all, and eventually I decide that steam doesn’t do it. It will need something stronger, and have to wait for another day.

So much for full enlightenment, but at least there isn’t nearly as much “endarkenment” as before, so I call the project a success … with reservations. I’ll have to find a stronger solvent for the rest.

Isn’t it that way with consciousness? I do my inner work and get part of it, yet there always seems to be a little residual “stuff” to work on next time. But for now, I release the pressure, put the steamer away, and get on with life with a nice shiny kitchen floor.

That’s an important step, too—graduation. Come out of the cave; leave the Ashram; say goodbye to the monastery; emerge from your personal cocoon and go out and play.

Remember, BOB expresses through you, and It’s just itching for the entertainment only you can provide.

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Tools & Tips

Joeel A. Rivera, M.Ed., Ph.D. (ABD) holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling and is currently completing his dissertation for his Ph.D. in Psychology. Joeel’s extensive career as a relationship coach includes certifications in P.R.E.P, a 30-year research-based program for couples, Nurturing Father’s curriculum, and Parenting 21st Century. Contact Joeel at joeel@transformationservices.org

•••••••••••••••••• People Are Like

Seasons

In the movie Madea Goes to Jail, Tyler Perry sure does a great job in giving us valuable insight about life. Something she said that truly made me reflect is: “Some people are meant to come into your life for a lifetime, some for only a season and you got to know which is which. And you’re always messing up when you mix those seasonal people up with lifetime expectations.”

This is an important life lesson because many people have a problem changing with the seasons, which holds them back from their true potential or from developing other meaningful relationships. This does not mean that we constantly have to change the people in our life, but it does mean that we have to develop an understanding of the purpose for each person that touches us.

Everyone who crosses our path has a purpose, and we also serve a purpose in the lives of others. The objective may be to share the whole journey or to teach a valuable lesson.

Some of us even have more than one person come into our life to teach us the same lesson in different ways until we reach a core understanding or resolve an issue. For example, have you ever met someone who seems to get into the same type of relationships over and over again? Or someone that attracts the same kinds of friends even though they do not serve his or her higher purpose?

The challenge is not only learning the lessons that these people have to teach but also knowing when to let the relationship go.

At the end of the day, it is important to understand that every relationship, whether good or bad, is a reflection of ourselves in some way, shape, or form.

Different Types We are living in an age of rapid change, due to technologies that allow us to meet people from around the world, move to

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new areas, and explore different perspectives. It is important to recognize that people embrace these changes in different ways because they have divergent personality types, belief systems, and life experiences. I believe that everyone can fit into categories throughout the seasons of life. Some of us stay longer in one season than others. I have come up with four descriptions of people in different seasons, and when we can recognize what season a person is in, whether permanently or temporarily, we also can understand our own seasonal changes and how they can impact our lives.

Miracle Growers: These individuals love change and constant growth. A lot of these people will experience major transformations in their life every year, some even on a monthly basis. They may have an identity at their core, but many aspects of it are likely to change in a short period of time. They have no fear of trying new things and exploring different aspects of themselves.

In other words, they can fall flat on their face and are eager to get back up and try again. They are also open to self reflection and making the changes necessary to continually improve their life.

They are constantly seeking information and implementing it in their life. Once people become miracle growers, it is hard to go back into other seasons long term because they have developed a need to live life to its fullest at their core. They also have a deeper understanding of the seasons and are more open to the lessons that people in each season can give them, as well as open to teaching the lessons to others.

A Miracle Grower can serve in your life to inspire passion and true potential, as well as remove fears.

Seekers: These individuals, like the miracle growers, seek information and growth and are open to the changes that they create.

However, this growth happens at a slower pace because they are still overcome by fear of change at times, and they would rather inch along with progress to make sure that their whole identity does not come crashing down. In other words, when rebuilding their internal home they may move one brick at a time or remodel aspects of their house while reflecting if the foundation is still stable. These individuals may have more challenges than miracle growers when it comes to shifting with the seasons or changing relationships in their life that do not serve them. Therefore, they may hold onto a season until they become uncomfortable enough or pushed to make the change. Like a snowball effect, with time many seekers can become miracle growers as they get more comfortable with the change process.

A Seeker can serve in your life by giving you insight and ideas for things you can do and learn as you continue on through a growth process.

Complacents: These individuals, whether happy or not, are comfortable living a life of content, complacency, or apathy. They make sure not to disturb anything in their life that could poten-

tially lead them away from their contentment, even if it may make them happier long term. The fear and belief that “this is how it has always been” and “should be” will make them resist any change.

In fact, they may fight tooth and nail to keep the status quo.

A Complacent can serve in your life by helping you see how much you have changed and in what ways you are willing, or unwilling, to continue to change and grow.

Mules: These individuals remind me of Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh and his statement, “Not much of a tail, not much of a Donkey.” These individuals are the type that drag their feet, embrace defeat, and actually cherish it. They seek situations in life that hold them back to be able to make excuses for their lack of motivation or desire to seek growth in their life. In part, they are content with unhappiness and paralyzed by fear of being able to achieve success in any aspect of their life. Most of these people have to be dragged through life.

A Mule can serve in your life by triggering your fears and acting as a mirror, helping you to see the ways you are holding yourself back from living.

Letting Go One of the biggest challenges that people have is letting go of a relationship, whether it’s an intimate relationship or a friendship. This is, in part, because we are creatures of comfort and habit, and we will stay in situations that do not serve us out of fear of what will happen if we disturb our comfort. There is no easy way to let go, and this process is made easier or harder depending on the time and experiences that we have had with a person. It can create pain on both sides, as two people often will have to make major life changes. However, it is important to be real with ourselves and those around us because they may not only hold us back but, in fact, we might be holding them back as well. A Mule can be in a relationship with a seeker, but long term it will not work because the separation created by the growth, or lack of growth, will become too great for them to have anything in common.

We may have any of these seasonal people come into our lives in various ways to teach us valuable lessons. However, the similarity of our paths, and our seasons, will determine how long the relationships last.

Embrace If you are reading this magazine you are most likely a seeker or a miracle grower, at least most of the time. Because you are open to change and growth you may have more people come into your life to teach you valuable lessons throughout your journey. Embrace what they have to give but also embrace being able to let go if their season in your life has ended so that you can open the door for their growth and yours. Enjoy your seasons and appreciate the change!

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Healthy Living

By Phoebe Jenkins Have you ever been in bed at night tossing and turning and willing yourself to fall asleep? Or have you fallen asleep only to wake up every hour for the rest of the night? If so, you know it’s frustrating and the lack of sleep can make your following day feel like the longest of your life. I’ve been a light sleeper since childhood, and to this day when I don’t get enough sleep I’m irritable. My to-do list feels longer, my exercise routine goes by the wayside, and I feel out of control. No fun! But what if things could be different?

When you improve your sleeping patterns, you are likely to notice higher energy, better mental clarity, improved mood, and better eating habits. You also become much more productive! You need to understand that sleep is a critical ingredient for your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. It is not a luxury, but a necessity. You can eat all the brown rice and kale in the world, but unless you are giving your body time to repair and heal during sleep, you’re not going to feel your best. Research shows that poor or little sleep adversely affects health. If you want to feel amazing, stay healthy, and perform at your highest potential, you have to get regular, quality sleep.

I’ve tried so many things over the years—earplugs, different types of beds, changing my routines, and meditating. From this experience, I’ve been able to identify some of the best and most effective tools for improving sleep, and here is my Top 10 list to help you catch some better z’s: 1. Get your circadian rhythm in sync. Be in sunshine first thing every morning for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Our circadian rhythm, also known as the body clock that cues us to sleep or wake, is reset by morning light, allowing it to tune in with a natural 24-hour rhythm of sleeping and waking. This will allow you to feel tired at the proper time and wake up energized.

2. Be aware of stimulants after lunch. Caffeine, cigarettes, alcohol, and sugar are not a good idea, especially before you go to bed. Caffeine has a half life of six to 12 hours, meaning half the caffeine you drink at 2 p.m. will still be in your system at bedtime.

Many people find that their energy and sleep is improved when they cut back or eliminate caffeine after lunch. Watch out for desserts with caffeine!

3. Get a head start on your melatonin production. Melatonin is a chemical in

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your brain that helps regulate sleep patterns. At night, your body naturally produces melatonin to help you sleep, that is unless you’re preventing it. Your melatonin production is triggered by a dark environment, and its release into your system is slow.

When you surround yourself with bright lights and electronic light, you slow down your melatonin production even more, making it harder to fall asleep. Try dimming your house lights and electronics two hours prior to sleeping.

4. Take an epsom salt bath. Epsom salts, easy to find and affordable, are natural muscle relaxants. They are a great way to de-stress and prepare the body for sleep. Try taking an epsom soak in the tub for 10 to 15 minutes before bed. Remember to dim the lights!

5. Indulge in a delicious cup of chamomile tea 30-40 minutes before bed. It doesn’t have to be a large cup (Mid-night bathroom runs are never fun!), but let the tea bag soak long enough that it becomes potent. Chamomile tea naturally relaxes your system and prepares your body for sleep. It has been known as a wonderful remedy to treat insomnia.

6. Get to bed on time and aim for the same time every night.

According to Chinese medicine, our body is healing and repairing from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. every night. This is one of the most important functions of sleeping!

7. Wind down. Women tend to carry more tension than men and to take that tension to bed. Give yourself time to unwind and de-stress before turning your thoughts and anxieties into a sleepless night. Try writing your to-do list for the next day before going to bed or journaling, listening to soothing songs, giving yourself a neck massage or reading a book for pure fun (no work books).

8. Eat a diet that creates smooth energy levels. Some foods are energizing while others are grounding and settling. Some people notice an improvement in their sleeping patterns when they eat proteins

at lunch and carbs at dinner (protein is associated with high energy and productivity while carbs are a smooth, sustainable form of energy). Experiment with your body and notice which foods give you an energetic boost and which foods calm you. It is also helpful to avoid eating for at least one to two hours before bed.

9. Rest in child’s pose before going to bed. Child’s pose, a yoga posture, is known to relax and prepare your body for rest. Try quietly sitting in child’s pose for 5-10 minutes before sleeping. If you don’t know what it looks like, you can easily find a photo on Google.

10. Use aromatherapy. Lavender, bergamont, sandalwood, and mandarin are all aromatherapy scents that naturally help your body become restful and get a good night’s sleep.

Try using aromatherapy by dripping it into your epsom salt bath, rubbing it on your temples or wrist while sitting in child’s pose, or by rubbing it onto a cotton ball and placing it beside your pillow

while falling asleep.

Bonus tip! Your sleep is directly related to your stress levels and decreasing stress is a direct fix for improving sleep.

Sweet dreams!

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Phoebe Jenkins is a certified Holistic Health Coach, IntenSati Leader, and a member of the American Association for Drugless Practitioners. She received her training to practice Health Coaching at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City, where she studied more than 100 different dietary theories. Her passion for holistic health and nutrition dates back to her childhood, when she lived on an organic homestead, grew her own foods, and practiced alternative healing. Currently, Phoebe lives in Sarasota and works as a Health Coach. For more information or to sign up for a free discovery session, contact Phoebe by emailing Phoebe@ PhoebeJenkins.com or visit www.PhoebeJenkins.com.

Inspiration

Cleaning Out

Cultural Beauty Beliefs

By Satya Winkelman, M.A.

It’s time for some cerebral spring cleaning! This year, we may want to take a good look at our outdated views of cultural beauty and consider a thorough housecleaning: clearing out old ways of thinking and breaking through the bondage of fashioned and fashionable beliefs.

The question of “What is beauty and what must we do to achieve it?” was brought home to me while touring northern Thailand in February. There, I visited a Longneck tribe hidden deep in the jungle. Women, girls, and even the babies in that tribe were shackled with brass rings that elongated their necks along with their heritage. Eventually, the women were no longer able to support their heads on their own necks without the aid of the growing stack of rings. I wondered how the women themselves felt about this tradition and asked a young mother, in sign language and grunts, if the rings hurt her. She raised her metal coils, grimaced, and showed me the bruised and discolored skin underneath. She indicated that it was hard to sleep. But their discomfort did not stop the women from dutifully placing the rings on their daughters’ necks.

Saddened and amazed at what the Longneck society called beautiful, I began to think about how my ingrained cultural habits also cling to the painful brass rings called “beauty.”

However, it was not until I got home and started to paint my impression of the young Longneck mother that I realized we are ALL conditioned to believe that what our society says is alluring, attractive, or sexy is “right,” no matter the cost to our health or well-being.

In my three paintings, Heritage, Perceptual Addiction, and Peer Pressure, I use the symbol of the rings around the neck to represent attachment to cultural dictates of beauty.

Perhaps these paintings will inspire more of us to “clean house,” lifting the chains that bind us to unhealthy habits or practices, and encourage us to contemplate the beauty of self love.

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Satya Winkelman, M.A., P.C. is a board certified Creative Arts Therapist and Corporate Effectiveness Trainer. She is the author of “Through the Fire: A Guide To Transformation” which uses her art to illustrate the stages of psychological development to higher consciousness. www.GuideToTransformation.com.

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Tools & Tips

By Jeff Gitterman Webster’s dictionary defines attention as “a mental concentration or readiness,” but this definition does little to evoke the power of this force as it relates to its economic, political, social, and personal power.

We talk about paying attention. Someone popular is the center of attention. As intangible as it may seem, our attention is the currency of countless transactions we engage in every day.

Why is our attention so powerful? Because what we choose to put our attention on is where we direct our energy in all its forms— including our time, creativity and, of course, our money. More simply put, where attention goes, energy flows.

Let’s take a metaphor from the natural world. The sun provides energy in the form of warmth, and plants and animals have sophisticated systems to capture and convert that energy. Comparatively speaking, sunlight doesn’t have much power because it’s spread out in so many directions. But when it’s focused and concentrated through a magnifying glass, it suddenly becomes far more powerful and can even start a fire. And when the power of light is condensed to a much greater degree, it becomes a laser that can cut through steel.

In the same way, our mind, with its power of attention, acts as a focusing agent for our energy; a magnifying glass through which that energy can be amplified in its impact.

If we learn to train our attention, it too can become like a laser, a powerful tool for cutting through many of the illusions and misconceptions that trap so many of us in our day to day lives.

Let’s look at how the major players in the corporate world relate to our attention. Companies spend billions of dollars on marketing and advertising, the goal of which is to catch our attention. It is in many cases, their biggest expense. Our TV screens often carry one, two, or three additional messages in the space around the picture we’re watching and, as we surf the Internet nowadays, there are countless

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attention-grabbers on almost every page. Companies also spend thousands of dollars researching where people go while they are online, with some software programs even tracking which sites we visit, where we click, and even how long we stay on a page. These days, our kids need even more stimulus and can watch TV, send instant messages, and play a video game all while listening to their iPod. All this seems like it would be exhausting, but have you ever noticed that it’s a lot easier to watch television or surf the web than it is to do something like meditate? That’s because our attention is so accustomed to being distracted and drawn outward that for most of us, the idea of spending time in silence and doing nothing but focusing our attention seems almost impossible.

The good news is that we can regain control over our attention, and not just so that we will feel better at the end of the day. We can begin to harness the power of our attention in such a way that will create much more energy at work and also leave us with more to give when we get home.

The first step is simply to become aware of how our attention moves and what directs it. In essence, this is one of the main purposes of meditation.

The subject of meditation is very vast, too vast in fact to encapsulate here in this article, but nowadays there are numerous books, audiotapes, classes, and discussion forums on the subject, or library. I would encourage anyone who is interested to take the time to find a forum and a technique that seems best suited for you.

As the world continues to move faster and faster, it’s becoming increasingly imperative that we all find some kind of daily practice rooted in silence. From a scientific measure, we’re just recharging our energy. Otherwise we go out in the world and have nothing to share.

I hope I’ve convinced you by now that attention is a commodity—a source of value that you’re being solicited for constantly, a currency that you’re already conducting business with every day, whether or not you’re conscious of, or in control of, it. This seems like a simple concept, but it’s amazing how problems can be created if we’re not aware of what is actually going on in our minds and how we’re directing our energy.

Perhaps this, more than anything else, is the real energy crisis at hand.

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Jeff Gitterman is an award winning financial advisor and the founder and CEO of Gitterman & Associates Wealth Management, LLC. www.gawmllc.com. He is also the co-founder of Beyond Success, www.BeyondSuccessConsulting.com, a consulting firm that brings more holistic values to the world of business and finance. His first book, Beyond Success: Redefining the Meaning of Prosperity, was published by AMACOM, the publishing house of the American Management Association www.amacombooks.org.

Inspiration Don’t create pain in other peoples’ lives.

It’s a dangerous proposition. If we make a person heartbroken, we pay with interest 10 times in this lifetime—regardless of how powerful we are or how closely we are connected with a master teacher.

Become a simple person––a symbol of love––by simply helping, helping, and helping others.

By Chinello and Nadira Haney Jesus is the master of huge love—and that love is incredible. When he was dying, he had amazing powers in his hands. He could do wonders, but he never used these gifts for himself. He was always thinking of others: “How can I help him? What can I assist her with?” He never cursed anybody verbally, even if someone was yelling at him. His answer was simply to smile.

Simply love them, simply accept whatever energy they were sending. Jesus was not selfish. His heart was open, smiling, and accepting. No master teacher sacrificed and surrendered as Jesus did, and we can learn from his examples.

According to Sri Kaleshwar, one of India’s most beloved saints and the head of many charitable activities in the country, we all can access the spiritual practices that Jesus brought to our world. In his book The Real Life & Teachings of Jesus Christ, which focuses on Jesus’ life in India, and through his ashram, Sri Kaleshwar delivers clear teachings on how to follow in the steps of Jesus and practice loving kindness toward everyone we encounter on our life journeys. As we enter the Spring season of renewal, consider the following words of wisdom from Sri Kaleshwar: Jesus taught that we must try to help the people around us and aspire to a state of happiness ourselves. Give food. Cook for the hungry, and listen to the heartbroken.

For example, even if we are extremely busy it’s beneficial to take time out on a Saturday or Sunday to visit an assisted living facility or hospital for a couple of hours. Provide some social service support to those who really need help. It’s advisable to reach out to a minimum of 10 to 15 people per month through voluntary service. Spend quality time with these individuals. There are many patients in need at hospitals. Take care of them by bringing fruits, or perhaps some flowers, and take clothes to give out.

When patients become used to seeing us, they will look forward to our visits. They’re usually very happy, and they feel so touched. Everyone needs this type of interaction.

If we have $100, we should spend $5 to $10 on food for the hungry. When we assist a hungry person, that individual’s heart feels it and blesses us: “Thank you. God bless you.” If someone has a wounded heart, we don’t need to do anything except simply sit and listen to what he or she is saying. Even if we are tired and exhausted, we can just listen. Let him cry. Let her share. If we care, we have to share.

That’s a great blessing for all.

The truth of our purpose is to develop an extremely helpful nature.

Whenever someone needs our help, our presence must be there. We all have a good heart, We don’t need to be miraculous to do miracles. We need and we have to know the right times to open it to othto understand true love and have a forgiving nature. ers. Our compassion develops and grows over time.

That is the message of Jesus. May we embrace it, We must be complete symbols of love. Intentionally or unintention- nurture it and bring more love to the world and its ally, we must not hurt our partners, friends, business partners, teachers, inhabitants. birds, animals, or other sentient beings because we are responsible for that pain in the end. Even if we are extremely angry, we must express it in a way that avoids hostility. If frustrated because somebody cheated us, forgive that Chinello and Nadira Haney are senior teachers of Sri person and walk out. Don’t fight back and create more negative energy.

Kaleshwar and will be in the Tampa, FL, area during We don’t have any right to hurt our partners, even if they make a the month of April sharing the 7,000-year-old teachings from ancient manuscripts of Jesus, Shirdi Sai mistake or hurt us. We are not slaves to each other. We are good friends.

Baba, Buddha, Ramana Maharishi, Babaji, and other When mistakes happen, point them out and ask kindly for changes in bedivine masters. Chinello and Nadira can be reached at havior. If our partner listens that is great; if not, there is no reason to argue. www.thedivinesouls.com.

Instead, try to see when that person is in a good mood and then try to explain your position. When we fight we hurt each other unnecessarily. We all cry in these cases, either externally or internally, and that does no good when all is said and done.

•••••••••••••

19

Healthy Living

By Cylleria Johnson There is a saying that goes,

“You have to get rid of the old to make way for the new.”

If you are feeling stuck or stagnant in your life, try spring cleaning. Throw out some of that stuff, say goodbye to your past, and welcome the new energy of your happy, healthy future.

For good mental and physical health, we actually have two “houses” that need to be spring cleaned: our physical homes and our physical bodies. Just as we accumulate “stuff” in the form of outgrown clothes, magazines, and random keepsakes, our bodies accumulate old food residues and toxins that need to be cleaned out.

To spring clean your body, give it a break from rich and complicated foods by cleansing for a short period of time.

Cleansing means paring down your food to just simple fruits and vegetables, lots of water, and perhaps whole grains. Also, use a good colon cleanser during your cleanse, such as Oxy-Powder, or a good fiber supplement. I personally use Oxy-Powder, but also like Garden of Life’s fiber choices. Cleansing can sharpen your concentration, help you gain insight, and promote spiritual awareness. It can also bring improved immune function and better digestion.

While you’re cleaning out your body and home, don’t forget to spring clean your heart.

Throw away negative thoughts and habits you’ve been harboring that no longer serve you. A clean, open heart will allow you to receive all the good that awaits you each and every day. If your heart and mind are cluttered, there is no room for life’s gifts and surprises to enter.

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Food Focus: Greens Leafy greens are some of the easiest and most beneficial vegetables to incorporate into your daily routine. Densely packed with energy and nutrients, they grow upward to the sky, absorbing the sun’s light while producing oxygen. Some members of this royal green family include kale, collard greens, swiss chard, arugula, bok choy, spinach, and broccoli.

How do greens benefit our bodies? They are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, and zinc. They also are a powerhouse for vitamins A, C, E, and K. Greens are crammed full of fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll, and phytochemicals. They aid in purifying the blood; strengthening the immune system; improving liver, gall bladder, and kidney function; fighting depression; clearing congestion; and improving circulation.

Leafy greens are the vegetables most often missing from the American diet, and many of us never learned how to prepare them. Start with the very simple recipe below. Then each time you go to the market, pick up a new green to try.

Soon you’ll find your favorite greens and wonder how you ever lived without them.

Recipe of the Month: Shiitake and Kale Prep Time: 2 minutes Cooking Time: 10 minutes Yield: 4 servings Ingredients: 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms 1 tablespoon olive oil 1-2 cloves crushed garlic 1 bunch kale, chopped pinch of Himalayan or Celtic sea salt Directions: 1. Warm oil in pan on medium heat with minced garlic until aromas of garlic are released, about 2-3 minutes.

2. Add chopped shiitake mushrooms, stir-fry for 5 minutes.

3. Add chopped kale, stir-fry for a couple of minutes.

4. Add a splash of water and pinch of salt to pan, cover and let steam for 4 minutes.

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Cylleria Johnson is a Holistic Health Coach trained at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Cylleria’s love of spirit and personal development also led her to study energy work with a shaman. Combining her body, mind & spirit experience, she loves to inspire health and wellness in people ready to create powerful changes. While most dietitians dwell on calories, carbs, fats, proteins, and restrictions, she works step by step guiding people in designing a healthy and flexible lifestyle for their most authentic life. You can contact her at Cylleria@yahoo.com to schedule a free consultation or visit her website at www.cylleria.com.

Tools & Tips moved from our prior home two years ago. We realized after four hours of loading the truck we were trapped in a Twilight Zone episode where the house could not be emptied no matter how many trips we made. The thought of working forever was disconcerting so we had a little meeting. I announced that the only way out was to tackle one small area at a time. This insight made all the difference in completing our mission.

Randy owns Triple 3 Marketing based in Sarasota. He’s a long term advocate for positive change having owned a couple community magazines since 1999. Randy sold Positive Change Media in April 2009 and took a year off before launching Triple 3 Marketing. In addition to helping business owners, he also provides private coaching. Randy has a masters degree in communication arts from the University of Wisconsin at Madison where he studied persuasion and attitude change. Contact Randy at randy@triple3marketing.com.

•••••••••••••••••• Spring Cleaning Musings

It’s a beautiful Sunday morning and a perfect time to write my column. I feed Diego and make a fresh cup of coffee.

My thoughts turn to spring cleaning. Not only as a topic for this month’s column, but also as a goal for our home. I start singing a song to Diego, which is part of my morning routine. I tell my son Bryan all the time that he will eventually copy many of my charming habits like singing love songs to the dog. Of course, he protests.

One of my musical refrains goes something like this: “He’s a dog, dog, dog in a people world doing the best that he can.” Trust me, the song sounds cuter than it reads. I love the irony of a dog doing the best he can in a people world. Not everyone is lovable like us. Some people drive their cars recklessly and others are oblivious to the needs and blessings of animals.

Thank goodness for collars and leashes so our beloved dogs can stay anchored to their human protectors.

All Diego has ever known is unconditional love. He lives a simple life gobbling down two fresh meals a day, cleaning up the bottom of my bowl with a couple blueberries in a splash of soy milk and muesli, walking around the house to his seven favorite nap spots, scaring away squirrels in the backyard, playing games with his two alpha dads, and going to the park everyday to sniff dog tails and chase a tennis ball a dozen times.

One of the things I appreciate about dog ownership is these animals age faster than their masters. Diego has gone from a puppy to a senior in just a dozen years, while I’m still inching along in middle age. I used to be the old dude in the house, but that honor now belongs to Diego. I usually introduce him as our 12-year-old puppy. Some dog owners will giggle and others look at me with sympathy. Speaking of dementia, I asked Bryan recently if he would have a talk with me if I started losing my memory or wit. Without missing a beat, he places his hand on my shoulder and says, “Dad, we had this talk last week.”

So what does Diego have to do with spring cleaning?

Not much, but he gets to witness the end of our year-long procrastination. We did most of our major de-cluttering when we

Focusing on one small area at a time is my contribution to the wisdom about spring cleaning.

It’s also easier to get excited about the effort if you focus on the benefits. Just imagine how much living space you will recover and the enhanced clarity that a de-cluttered space provides?

Chaos and order are like dance partners; they work best when they complement each other.

I took ballroom dance lessons about 15 years ago.

Here are some of the tenants of dancing that also apply to spring cleaning.

Stay in your own space. That’s a reminder to assign everyone in the house the room or area that has their goodies and non-collectables. That will help avoid conflicts at the curb when someone discovers their precious junk hiding in the recycle bin.

Posture is everything. For spring cleaning, that’s a reminder to stretch before you start hauling and bend your knees before you start lifting. Play some energetic music when the work is underway to get everyone moving and grooving.

Communicate with a gentle touch. Even though most ballroom dancing requires a man leading a woman, a gentle touch in spring cleaning works for both sexes. It can come in the form of small incentives for progress like a cold beer or a lovingly crafted homemade pizza.

Stay the course. It’s easy to get distracted or flustered if you miss connecting on the dance floor, but experienced dancers know its better to keep moving as if nothing happened. For spring cleaning, this means letting progress occur incrementally.

Don’t fight the inevitable resistance to positive change. Take occasional breaks and eat healthy snacks. You may even want to re-clutter some de-clutter while talking loudly to yourself. Your housemates will be confused by your odd behavior and their sympathy or trepidation will inspire renewed activity.

Music matters. And finally, remember to sing to your dog or cat when you are moving from room to room. That will reassure them that spring cleaning is fun for the whole family.

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Spirituality neck, in the car, or over a doorway of the home, it can make us feel safe and protected.

Crystals come in all shapes, sizes, colors and varieties, and each has its own special meaning and use. For this series, I have decided to focus on certain crystals and their uses and the meaning of the colors of crystals and stones.

Marcia began her career as a school teacher, working with preschool through inner city high school students. She has worked with all aspects of Metaphysics for over 40 years and specializes in Tarot and Numerology. Marcia’s clients and students are in every state and throughout Europe. Marcia has taught over 400 students to “read” the Tarot for the purpose of self-guidance and to use the powerful symbolism of the Tarot to reach higher levels of spirituality.

Her column, Spiritually Speaking, originally ran for 8 years in Attitudes Magazine in the Sarasota area. Email marlou2000@aol.com

•••••••••••••••••• Crystals and Gems, Part 1: Color Your World

Crystals, stones, metals, and their properties have intrigued us from the earliest of prehistoric times. This interest has grown considerably in the past 20 years, as more and more individuals begin to open their minds and become aware of the beauty, power, and mystery contained in them.

Many readers have asked me to devote a column to information about crystals—and I aim to please—so this will be the first of three columns on the subject. My office and home are filled with crystals, and I never plant anything without placing a crystal at its root. People entering my “space” always comment on the “stones”—some on their beauty and those who are more perceptive on the “power” they feel when entering my home. I am often asked if crystals really have “power,” and I usually answer that it doesn’t matter if they do or if they don’t. They are beautiful and make me feel good.

I have studied and collected crystals for many years, and I have come to my own conclusions as to what they are and what they can do for an individual, if that person is open and receptive to their power and has faith to work with them and expect results. I give crystals to my family, students, and friends as the most special of all gifts. Moreover, I always do a blessing and meditations over a “stone” before presenting it to a loved one.

There are many excellent books on crystals and their properties, and I have used two of these in the writing of my columns on crystals: Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem, and Metal Magic, by Scott Cunningham, and Crystal Enlightenment, by Katrina Raphaell.

Early humans wore stones as amulets. Webster’s dictionary defines an amulet as: “something worn, often around the neck, as protection against injury or evil; a charm.” An amulet can be made of metal that may or may not contain a stone or stones. It is often in the shape of a religious object, such as a crucifix or pentagram, but regardless of its shape or consistency, whether it is of fine gold or silver, whether it is hung around the

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Finding Your Color The remainder of this column will be devoted to color, which applies to any crystal or rock, regardless of shape, with a particular color or variation of that color in it. Find one that appeals to you, or that could enhance an aspect of your character that needs to be developed and then carry it, wear it, or keep it with you and see what happens. Trust my advice, but remember faith in a crystal’s powers is necessary to achieve results.

White Stones: Quartz crystal, moonstone, pearl, calcite, mother of pearl, diamond, et al. White stones are receptive and ruled by the Moon. They are linked with sleep and psychism.

They are considered “lucky stones” and are often worn or carried in the pocket to promote good fortune. Many say the white stones are the most powerful of all, as white contains all colors, and a white stone can be a substitute for stones of any color.

Quartz crystal is the most popular and most easily obtainable and affordable of all stones.

Purple Stones: Amethyst, flourite, sugilite, et al. Stones which are purple or indigo-colored are receptive and spiritual.

Ruled by Neptune and Jupiter, they are associated with mysticism and purification. These are excellent stones to wear for meditation, psychic work, or any work being done to “contact” the subconscious mind. Purple is the color of healing and peace.

These stones are said to aid in relieving alcoholism, mental illness, and depression.

Black Stones: Jet, obsidian, smoky quartz, black tourmaline, hematite, et al. Black stones are receptive, represent the earth, and are ruled by Saturn, the planet of restriction. They are symbolic of self-control, resilience, and quiet power. They are viewed as protective and are often used to “ground” a person and aid in the physical/material realities of daily living.

Red Stones: Red jasper, ruby, garnet, bloodstone, et al. Red is the color of blood, of birth, and of death. Red stones are protective, active, and ruled by the planet Mars. Red stones are used to promote courage, to lend energy to the wearer, and to heal the body and ward off illnesses that are linked with the blood.

Pink Stones: Rose quartz, rhodochrosite, some sugilite, pink calcite, et al. Pink stones are receptive and filled with loving vibrations. They are ruled by the planet Venus. Pink is calming, soothing, and used to lessen stress and relax the physical body as well as the mind. They are used to attract love, to strengthen love that is already in the life, to help balance a relationship that may be troubled, and to help one love one’s self. Pink stones are used to promote peace, happiness, joy, and laughter.

Orange Stones: Topaz, tiger eye, amber, red-orange agate, golden beryl, citrine, carnelian, et al. Orange stones have some of the fire of red stones, but are gentler in their effects.

They are ruled by the Sun. These stones are used for protection, personal power, energy, and illumination. They promote an awareness of self-worth and are said to attract success and good luck to the wearer.

physical/material reality and success.

Blue Stones: Turquoise, aquamarine, chrysocolla, lapis lazuli, sodalite, flourite, azurite, blue topaz, et al. Blue stones are ruled by the element of water and the planet Neptune. These are receptive stones that promote peace as sleep, as well as healing and balancing of the emotions. They are said to be good for people who experience nightmares and sleep difficulties.

Yellow Stones: Some amber, sunstones, some flourite, They are often held or worn to reduce or remove pain from the some citrine, yellow diamonds, et al. Yellow stones are ruled body. Blue stones are said to be a stone of purification.

by Mercury and the Sun. They are said to aid in communication.

They can help a person to self-express, aid in mental visualiza- Multicolored Stones: All stones which consist of various tion. Yellow stones also are said to help writers, speakers, and colors, combinations, and hues. Opals are an example of this, performers in their work. These are stones of energy, safe travel, as they contain rainbows and a variety of colors. It is important to and can enhance mental awareness and memory. look at the colors individually, find which is the dominant color in the stone, and then combine the energies of all the colors to find Green Stones: Malachite, turquoise, emerald, jade, green the best use for the individual stone. tourmaline, peridot, green calcite, olivine, et al. Green is the color of nature, fertility, life, religion, money, prosperity, and good My next two columns will be focusing on the shapes of luck. Green stones are worn for good health and to guard the crystals and stones as well as various types of crystals and semihealth and are good for the eyes, kidneys, stomach, and head- precious stones and their uses. aches. Ruled by Venus, they are also supposed to increase fertility and to bring love and balance to the wearer. They are grounding and balancing stones that help with matters pertaining to the

Transformation Once I opened my eyes and saw his little hand reaching toward heaven, I knew he was a winner! At that moment, I knew I’d do anything for him~ My belly now empty and my heart complete, I found within a sense of closure. Practicing yoga strengthens my core, giving me balance and poise.

Before Jamesey, I knew God deeply since I was a little girl.

After Jamesey, I trust God more than ever because my motivation is my son. He moves me toward life anew daily, going

By Paula Timpson through all the emotions it takes to be a Mommy and an Artist.

For God so loved this world, He gave us Jesus. He blessed my husband and I with a very ‘Spirited’ boy~ one who knows what Love is and can be~ Butterflies rise and fall to Earth.

Resting pose in yoga is, ‘Butterfly’. Legs bent open, close gently as This transformation in my life took place at age 40 a time and place where Jesus was in the desert 40 days and 40, being butterflies wings~ a number of completion is a wonderful age to have a child~ Butterflies are messengers of pure grace. Their wings touch us and Resting on Earth in Savasana pose at the very end of yoga, we are free~ takes courage and trust~ The Prophet, Kahil Gibran said the Earth waits to love us in the wind Giving birth also was a process of belief and hope. brushing our hair ~ A butterfly is transformation!~ Butterflies rest on Earth, they fly Before Jamesey, my son, I was ever~ to heaven and share the grace~ lifted above toward heaven in my heart thoughts and ways~ Now I am too~ Paula Timpson is a published Poetess who has been writing since she was a little girl. Her published Poetry books are availAfter I had a son, I was well~ able through Amazon. Her son is her Forever Muse. Living in grounded, so busy, happily to raise him to know peace and love.

Venice, FL, Paula has an M.A. degree in Special Education.

My transformation came about when I gave birth. Carrying a beautiful Visit her online at http://paulaspoetryworld.blogspot.com or email son for nine months in my womb, he knew peace. He knew Joy~ Pastelpoetess@verizon.net.

EARTH

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but I fray around the edges when under stress. I am not usually depressed, but I get depressed around once a year for a month or so. I have more earth shattering good times than anyone you know, but I always feel I have a ho-hum life. I am told I am attractive five times a day, but almost always feel dumpy and dirty. I am not compulsive, but I never feel clean. So there is an overview. Any suggestions?

Dr. ZZ’s bold, upfront, directive style plays an inspirational role in the lives of people she touches. Drawing on a non-traditional Ph.D. in counseling and natural healing, ZZ works in Sarasota with shaman elder Jack Alexander (“Golden Feather”), who offers land blessings, shamanic training, Life Purpose readings, and all-faith, community-based spiritual guidance. This forum proposes potential solutions on health, emotional, and personal matters. For more, see www.shaman.mosaicglobe.com.

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Question: I’m here on vacation and find myself drawn to write.

I’m a high school guidance counselor in a district where a school bus driver sexually molested a number of children when they were in elementary school. Now the kids are entering adolescence, and many of the girls are beginning to relive the traumatic experiences they had. One girl in particular is writing notes and drawing pictures about what took place. She doesn’t fully recall any of it, but she has reconstructed what happened to her from bits of her own memory and from having heard about it via testimony at the trial.

I often refer these cases to the school psychologist or to outside therapists, but I thought I’d ask your opinion on how to deal with these issues as they arise. I’m one of the ones who have working relationships already established. The kids know and trust me and sometimes come to me and want to talk. Besides being supportive and reinforcing that they didn’t do anything wrong, what else can I do? What in particular do I do with the poems and pictures that the girls are sharing with me in my office?

Dr. ZZ: Thanks for writing! You need to be extremely careful.

I fully agree that it is important to stress that these young ladies did no wrong and have nothing to be ashamed of. You need to be empathetic and let them know that the experiences they had were not of their choosing, and that the events do not change their values as human beings. At the same time, you must avoid dramatizing or encouraging false memories of what happened; so be careful not to dig for details or even to discuss the actual events. Be attentive, and stick to present emotions without analyzing the content of the poems or pictures the girls bring you. Simply allow the girls to open up about the feelings this material arouses in them today.

Question: I was raised by a mother who strives for perfection and, just as my mother did with me, I have exaggerated expectations of my live-in boyfriend. I have zero sex drive with the man I love, yet I have fantasies. There are times he cannot stand me, but I cannot change. To others I seem very upbeat,

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Dr. ZZ: You may be right: your mother may have passed along to you an attitude that nothing in life measures up, and if it does you aren’t worthy of it. In turn, you have created an outwardly upbeat, attractive, have-it-all persona, but inside you have lost the sense of what Dr. R. D. Laing calls “a real, alive, whole, and continuous person.” Rather than experience the moment, you keep comparing, contrasting and criticizing it to distraction.

The solution is to risk living and to stop treating life as if it were an intellectual experiment. Of course you will feel anxious and overwhelmed when things are disordered and you can’t control them, but good, bad and imperfect experiences will not destroy you.

Question: How do you know when to leave a marriage? I’m 43 and have been married for 13 years. We lived together for 5 years before that. Our main issues concern my two children from my first marriage. They are ages 18 and 22 and do not live with us, but everything bad that happens with either one of them gets blown out of proportion and is my fault. My husband says I baby them and always take their side. I’m a very reasonable and understanding parent, and the children confide in me a lot, but I don’t see why this is wrong. He is very critical and hard to talk to. Sometimes it seems that the most important thing in his life is money. This is ironic because I work full-time (it doesn’t bother me), and I have the benefits. He just works whenever he feels like it.

Dr. ZZ: With 18 years invested in being a couple, it’s not easy to end it and become a single woman. The fact that you are asking the question, however, is significant. Maybe it was a mistake to marry this man in the first place, yet you have stuck with him despite ample opportunity to observe his character. In other words, you must have been getting some benefit out of the marriage. The issue now is whether your life would be better in the future without him. Many strong, independent women have wonderful single lives, and you may be able to too. In a few years though, the kids are apt to have homes of their own; and it will be just you and your husband. If you choose to leave him, you’d do well to start planning now. Build your own life first, then decide over the next several years whether you want to make such a major change.

Disclaimer: All information provided in this article is intended as general information only and is not to be misconstrued as medical or psychological advice, or as diagnosis, treatment or cure for any condition or ailment. Send queries or comments to askDrZZ@ yahoo.com. All identifying information is kept strictly confidential.

Transformation

By Debjani Mitra I recently visited my cousin to see her newborn baby. What a wonderful feeling to hold a new life in your arms, to feel the warmth of the little body, to see the wonder in its eyes—and to catch that unconditional smile.

A baby brings so much joy into a family because it is the celebration of life in its newness.

While I write this, my 83-year-old grandmother (Dimma, as I call her, or Dimmu affectionately… or Dimmum shona) is in no-man’s land—between life and death—her vital faculties have stopped functioning. Everything is supported by machines. The smile that once warmed the heart is missing. The eyes that once had so much love and kindness are now shut, opening occasionally with a nudge to the body, giving an illusion of life. Her disease-worn body is still warm, blood is still flowing in her veins because of the pacemaker, oxygen still feeding her cells by that pump and ventilator. But doctors say that her brain is dead. She is in a state of consciousness from where there is no turning back— the machines can keep her body running but her being is no more.

What a sinking feeling—to let go of a life—especially of someone you love dearly.

The family has been asked to make a tough decision: Do we want to go the next step and keep the body machine running? More holes poked into her already swollen limbs, and now the throat...more pipes going through her skin... and what for? To trap that vital life force, which no longer has any expression? Will she ever again smile at me? Or call me, or sing for me? The life which had so much vitality, which was born as a baby 83 years ago, has now wilted. It has become bored with being in this body. It seeks a new abode.

Guruji (Sri Sri) once said that everything is made of atoms, and the organization of an atom in a certain way makes it an apple, or a human being, or a tree. Death, decay, or transformation happens when the atoms are bored— bored of being an apple? Then rotting starts.

The atoms in my grandmother’s body have become bored of all the suffering they have undergone in the last few years. Multiple fractures (as she had osteoporosis, multiple steel rods embedded beneath her skin. The mind that once wanted to do gardening and cooking and cleaning—and considered

that eating on the bed was sacrilege or that one had to change clothes every time one used the restroom—was now bound to the bed. Eating, diapers, all on the bed. The mind was still sharp, solving crosswords with the same aplomb that she used to…always. And wanting to write letters to her granddaughters: She wrote me and my cousin letters a few months back, and breaking into that occasional song, she still knew all those rabindra sangeet by heart.

But she had become bored of this life.

She wanted change. Lately when she would be alone, she used to talk to the air “take me away; can’t take this anymore.” If any of us overheard her, we would scold her, and she would be embarrassed. “Oh, I did not know you were still awake.”

I want to tell you the same thing now, Dimma. “I don’t know if you are still awake, but I want God to grant you whatever wish you have now, to have a new life, with or without a body. I know you are bored of this shell of 83 years.”

For whatever journey you have undertaken the last 83 years, I know that you are still that fresh life that came into this body on the 18th December 1928. Beneath that dilapidated shell is the spirit that is undying, fresh as the dew on a blade of grass. And when it is set free from this shell it will sing dance and smile again.

So why do we lament? Why not celebrate your new life out of the mundane, limited existence, into the limitless infinity?

It makes me wonder. When a life blooms into newness, as a newborn baby, we celebrate.

We celebrate the fact that the spirit has now the capability to enjoy the pleasures of the flesh, of the matter. We celebrate every step in life, every birthday, every event. We seem to ignore the bondage that it brings along with it: the sufferings, the miseries. Sometimes so much so that the spirit longs for freedom from the bondage—like my Dimma’s.

We seem to ignore the fact that each one of us is inching towards that end. Which we dread.

But why ? When the spirit is to be set free, to go on a journey where there is only light, no “body” and its miseries to care for—then we lament. What an irony. Why? Is it because it makes us aware of a vacuum that the “body” occupied all these years, and it makes us aware of our own transient nature? Because we identify ourselves with all that is transient, and forget the self, that which is unchanging?

I remember once a little boy asked Guruji at a public satsang, “What is death?” All of us cringed thinking what reply He could possibly give to a child on this topic. But to everyone’s amazement Guruji said, “Death is like sleep. Between two lifetimes. It is nothing to be scared of. When

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you are tired, you sleep and next morning you wake up refreshed.

Similarly, the body dies and the spirit wakes up in a new body— all fresh and rejuvenated.”

And then it starts the circle of life...once again… and again and again.

I have a feeling: Dimma will never be back in this circle of life. She was just too bored of this world of matter. She was a spiritual being all her life, becoming lost in the depth of meditation even when she was very young…going into samadhi. And when she was 73, she experienced the Sudarshan Kriya, which gives a glimpse of the self.

She always gave to the needy, from whatever little she herself had. She never turned away any canvasser, whether they sold utensils, incense sticks, useless gadgets or fake encyclopedias. She used to say, “At least they are making an honest living.”

I feel her backlog of karma from all past lives was burnt in this life with all the penances and all the sufferings that she had.

I just hope, Dimma, that you do not have short-lived memory. Don’t get enticed into the pleasures of this world again.

Your place is with the Divine now. Don’t you let another body, growing somewhere in the world in a womb, beckon you. That race is for other souls who still have unfulfilled desires. You have lived a full life Dimma—many full lives in fact. I bless you now— like you blessed me, with a life.

Or I bless you with a state of being that no fire can destroy, no wind can blow away, no waves can sweep across.

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“Mano budhyahankara chithaa ninaham, Na cha srothra jihwe na cha graana nethrer, Na cha vyoma bhoomir na thejo na vayu, Chidananada Roopa Shivoham, Shivoham.

Neither am I mind, nor intelligence, Nor ego, nor thought, Nor am I ears or the tongue or the nose or the eyes, Nor am I earth or sky or air or the light, I am Shiva, I am Shiva, of nature knowledge.

Na cha praana sangno na vai pancha vaayuh, Na vaa saptha dhathur na va pancha kosa, Na vak pani padam na chopastha payu, Chidananada Roopa Shivoham, Shivoham.

Neither am I the movement due to life, Nor am I the five airs, nor am I the seven elements, Nor am I the five internal organs, Nor am I voice or hands or feet or other organs, I am Shiva, I am Shiva, of nature knowledge.”

••••••••••••••••••

Debjani Mitra is a Teacher of Art of Living Part 1 course and a Strategic Market Research professional. Read more of Debjani’s work at debjanimitra.wordpress.com. (chant and translation courtesy http://www.sankaracharya.org/nirvana_shatkam.php)

Healthy Living

By Rena Greenberg Do you go all day long eating small portions of healthy food and moving your body as much as possible only to find yourself raiding the refrigerator at night? If so, you are not alone. So many people tell me that they are “so good” all day long, only to find themselves glued to the refrigerator from dinner until bedtime.

Does the scenario of over-indulging at night, going to bed feeling bloated and disgusted, only to wake up feeling regretful and remorseful, seem all too familiar?

Sometimes you may feel hopeless when it comes to correcting this self-sabotaging habit, yet baffled as to how you can run other areas of your life so successfully.

If you frequently fall victim to nighttime bingeing, realize that there are two main reasons why this is likely to be occurring— either you are physically or emotionally hungry—and neither is a reflection of your intelligence or innate value. This may seem obvious, but if you truly believed it then you wouldn’t add insult to injury by beating yourself up for the mistakes that you’ve made and continue to make. Until you understand the root cause driving your unwanted behavior and then correct it, you can expect to repeat the same actions that are causing you so much inner pain.

One reason why people overeat at night is physiological. Are you eating enough during the day or are you running around frantically only to realize when you finally get home that you are starving? If you find yourself devouring food right out of the refrigerator, eating from containers instead of at the table from a plate, if you plunge into your food with your hands as opposed to using utensils, then it’s very likely that you are simply hungry— physically hungry.

Your body needs a certain amount of calories each day to operate, and your brain needs a steady supply of nutrients to maintain optimal functioning. One way or another, your body is going to force you to give it the nutrition it deserves.

It’s time to start caring for your body. Many people take better care of their pets or their cars than they do of themselves.

Your body needs a steady intake of balanced meals throughout the day. A balanced meal consists of protein (for many people this must be animal protein to end hunger), complex carbohydrates such as root vegetables or whole grains, and vegetables. Simply put, you must eat regularly throughout the day and include healthy snacks.

Some healthy snack ideas to keep your blood sugar steady are: • Peanut butter and celery • Almond butter and carrots • A slice of fresh turkey or roast beef with romaine lettuce • Tuna fish on a whole grain cracker The second far more common reason why people overeat at night is based on the innate human drive we all have to fill our emotional needs. If we are feeling unfulfilled, with unresolved emotional issues lurking inside, we are likely to turn to food in a futile attempt to meet these inner desires. It is natural for each of us to want to fill our needs for love, companionship, safety, control, and relaxation; unfortunately, there is no amount of food that can fill these very real requirements.

I once worked with a man named Bill who couldn’t stop his night bingeing. It didn’t matter what was in the house— raisins, chips, ice cream—he would sit in front of the TV at night and eat. Using self-hypnosis, he came to discover that stimulation was what he was really seeking. He realized that he was slightly bored and unfulfilled with life, and at night he would turn on an action movie and want to keep eating as a way to keep himself stimulated.

To provide that excitement directly, Bill bought a treadmill and began waking up earlier and running every morning.

He created a CD of some of his favorite music and used the recording as a way to completely lose himself in the activity and, as a result, began looking forward to this special time of day.

Eventually, Bill began challenging himself to run with others, enjoying the comradery, competition, and the opportunity to be outdoors when the weather permitted. Soon he found himself skipping the late night movies and the binge eating because he just didn’t like the way it made him feel. Bill looked forward

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to waking up in the morning, feeling light and energized from a good night’s sleep, his stomach empty and ready for his morning exercise routine.

Once discovering what our underlying needs really are, we no longer need to turn to food in a vain attempt to meet them.

Just take a moment and imagine yourself at home at the end of the day. Picture yourself on a typical evening where in the past you may have been tempted to binge. Then ask yourself, “What is it that I need?” Are you physically hungry? Did you eat enough during the day? Or were you running around taking care of other people’s needs or scrambling to meet the demands of your job, without stopping to care for yourself?

If so, offer yourself compassion and make a decision to begin eating right during the day. Get into the positive habit of planning your meals and taking healthy snacks with you if you know that you will be in a situation where you might not have access to healthy, balanced food choices. Do not let yourself get too hungry because it will increase the likelihood of a binge later in the evening.

If you feel that your physical needs for nutrition are in fact being met, ask yourself if there are unfulfilled emotional needs you may be harboring.

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Maybe you have some pent up anger that can be released by writing in a journal. Perhaps your stress level is high at the end of the day, and maybe you need to take 15 minutes of alone time and practice some deep, abdominal breathing, allowing the oxygen to go way down into the bottom of your lungs.

Deep belly breathing, using positive affirmations such as telling yourself, “breathing in, I breathe in peace....breathing out, I breathe out calm,” is a wonderful way to release some of the day’s tension.

Before your evening meal, be sure to check in to see what you truly need. Select the foods that will nourish you, satisfy your physical hunger, and comprise a balanced meal. Whenever possible, eat natural, unprocessed water-rich foods, and then identify your emotional needs and fill them directly.

Like Bill, if you’re bored or frustrated, physical exercise could be the very remedy you are seeking. If you require more love or relaxation, cuddle up with a special person or a pet, or spend quality time with yourself. Thrill all your senses by soaking in a warm aromatherapy bath. Take up a practice such as meditation, journaling, yoga, or self-hypnosis.

Create your nighttime routine to become a special ritual that you cherish—a time when you can pamper and love yourself and unwind from any stresses of the day. Each time you make a constructive choice, you are installing a new habit and creating positive momentum to turn your life around.

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Rena Greenberg is the author of The Right Weigh: Six Steps to Permanent Weight Loss used by over 100,000 People (Hay House Publishing) and The Craving Cure: Break the Hold Carbs and Sweets Have on Your Life (McGraw-Hill). Rena has a private hypnosis practice in Sarasota and can be reached through her Web site at www.EasyWillpower.com