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™

y r t e Po of n o i t Mo

v i e w p o i n t

by Brennan Lagasse

eyond the great human leaders of our time, those who’ve created poetry of thought, words, and action to promote justice for humanity and the earth, I have found no greater inspiration in life than moving amongst the nonbuilt environment. Whether it’s walking my dogs through a tree-lined trail, or riding my bike along a thickly layered riparian corridor, when I think about the poetry of motion I’m immediately brought to visions of human beings using their own power to travel outdoors. Sometimes I take as much enjoyment in watching a person catch a wave in the ocean or pull through a tricky crux on a rock climb as much as I do engaging in these mediums myself. Watching others be in the moment and immerse themselves in activities that at the core would not exist without the ocean, mountains, or forest is oftentimes the most beautiful sight I’ve ever witnessed. Some runners seem to move so effortlessly on a trail that it looks as though they belong there. They’re meant to be there at that time, and the way in which they move is fully absorbed into the given backdrop as though without them the picture wouldn’t be quite so brilliant. However, when I seek a total understanding of what causes me to return to a diversity of outdoor activities on a regular basis, I’m constantly brought back to my own feelings during these activities. For a long time I wondered what kept me going back, as truth be told a great deal of outdoor activities take time in order to properly engage with the particular medium. No surfer will tell you it was easy to develop the skills necessary to understand the current conditions of the ocean, what the tides meant that day coupled with the given wind conditions, intensity of swell, and time period between each waves. Never mind what it takes to be able to paddle out, read, catch, and surf a wave. Sure, the action of actually surfing the wave is incredibly fun. Just as sliding through fresh snow on skis is, as well as finding a perfect hand-hold on a rock climb that you can lift your whole body from. But there’s something else to these activities that makes them special, that makes them poetry. When you finally catch a wave after you’ve tried so many countless times with failure, something clicks. When climbing up a rock face changes from an obstacle to overcome to feeling more

like you’re just doing what the rock is telling you to do, it becomes something different. In both of these activities I can vividly recall these moments for myself when I felt so keyed into the wave coming to me I didn’t even think about what I was doing; I just moved into position, turned, paddled, and was sliding down its face. With rock climbing, watching someone who knows what they’re doing is like watching live art be created. Most beginners or climbers just trying to develop their skills to the next level might look as though they’re fighting their way up a route. But watch a graceful climber ascend something within their skill level and they just seem to dance their way up. The first time I stopped searching for foot or hand-holds and just moved to where I thought they might be was one of the most Zen experiences of my life. Everything just felt right, and the smoothness of my moves created a continued on page 44

d e t a e r c u o y y r t “The poe y a d t a h t n io t o through m r e h t o o t in y a w then finds its ...” e f li r u o y f o s t c aspe

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The Poetry of Motion As a Chef Embracing Composting and Volunteerism by Pia Hagan

was at a point where I had to look at what I could do on a daily basis to help the earth. The amount of waste produced in one professional kitchen daily is quite disheartening. Then I saw a flyer at my library to take a three-month Master Composter class. Our teacher, Alane Weber, has 35 years of professional horticulture experience. She is a certified advisor for Dr. Elaine Ingham’s company, Soil Foodweb, Inc. Her expertise and passion for her work was infectious, and I was hooked. I felt a deep connection to her and a reconnection with the cycles of life as I was learning and working amongst others who care about the earth as much as I do and who also want to make a difference. Over the course of the next few months I learned so much about composting. We were split up into groups of five and we made our piles of compost using different combinations of yard waste and kitchen waste. The lyricism of composting is very much like that of creating a recipe. It was amazing to see our compost pile climb to 120 degrees over the first week. As a chef and a lover of food, it is important for me to work with farmers, to shop through local sources, and to eat seasonal foods. These actions are in alignment with my beliefs. People would ask why I compost when I am not going to get paid for this work. The payback is obvious. Within three months I was able to compost much of the daily waste from a catering kitchen. I also experimented with a local café’s coffee grounds. Part of this class taught by Weber required 50 hours of public outreach within a year of graduating. (Community service for this class often involves volunteerism and outreach at farmers markets, libraries, county fairs, and schools.) Having to be accountable to the county to do public outreach, my “hours” added up at the

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h o l i s t i c h e a l t h end of two years to over 100 hours. Now I am a member of the exclusive “Red Wiggler Club.” The gift in my life was that this newly discovered passion of mine led me to be a part of so many wonderful adventures. I was also fortunate to meet the amazing Lynn Adams of the Pacifica Beach Coalition, right here in my hometown. We met while assisting workshops at our local library. She helped me gain confidence in doing demos and encouraged me to start my worm bin. Two years later, a sheet composting project that I helped with in a community garden is still thriving. This involved taking a large amount of green waste, in this case a large industrial size of food from the school, digging a large 8-by-8 foot area and covering it with soil. A year later it is ready to plant, and there is now a beautiful garden in this site. I also participated in the San Mateo County Fair Master Composter’s Garden where I made five stepping stones out of recycled auto glass. I worked at a composter’s booth at farmers markets, the Makers Fair, and Earth Day at Coyote Point Museum. I was thrilled to create functional living art of a working garden for the Masters Composter Competition in the prestigious San Francisco Flower Garden show in 2009. Our entry was fondly named, “Actinomycetes, Fungi, and Worms, Oh My!” Another project I started on was when Alane Weber pointed me to a huge pile of plum whips in her backyard and asked me to make a circular trellis with sweet peas and a moss heart hanging from the top. My fingers were guided and I wove, three hours at a time, and then I’d walk away, take a break, and come back and continue, to be once again guided. At one point Weber said “Nice Pia.” I answered, “I am not [the one] doing this.” When the first one was done it was huge—over 10 feet tall. Then Weber said, “I had a dream that the next one was a spiral tipi shape.” I came back the next week and started weaving; and as it came together I said, “Your dream is my reality.” This piece was done in two three-hour sessions. To be a part of this project was in alignment with my wildest creative dreams. Our garden had a budget of $500 and everything was recycled and reused. This was a many-handed venture as we came together and created a beautiful garden. This demonstrated how simple it could be to turn a lawn into a functional vegetable garden. Through it all, Weber’s design, vision, and passion continued to inspire us all. It was exciting to see the faces of the public saying, “I can do that at home,” was continued on page 40

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ho l i s t i c

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Do You Still Have Hypothyroidism Despite Treatment? by Joni Labbe, DC, CCN, DCCN en years ago doctors diagnosed Alaina*, 45, with hypothyroidism. Despite taking thyroid hormone medication, her symptoms of fatigue, depression, weight gain, and brain fog increasingly worsened over the years. To make it through her days as a flight attendant she drank caffeinated tea and energy drinks, even though they gave her migraines. On her days off, she spent all night and day in bed sleeping. Her memory was slipping, and she found it increasingly difficult to concentrate. Alaina happened to be working during a flight I was on when she spied some nutritional supplements in my bag and asked me some health questions. I told Alaina that hypothyroidism was extremely common, affecting an estimated 27 million Americans, most of them women. I also told her that 90 percent of hypothyroid cases in the United States are caused by Hashimoto’s, an autoimmune disease that attacks and destroys the thyroid gland. Although thyroid medications are often necessary to maintain thyroid function, they do nothing to address the immune system’s relentless attack against the thyroid gland. As a result, thyroid function worsens and people such as Alaina wonder why they feel worse even though they are taking thyroid medication. A month later, Alaina came to see me as a patient. The first thing I did for Alaina was to run some lab panels to verify an autoimmune disease was responsible for her low energy, depression, and weight gain. I approached her autoimmune disease from several different angles, using natural medicine. The first was to address her diet. Numerous studies from several different countries show a strong link between Hashimoto’s and gluten,

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the protein found in wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt, and other wheat-like grains. Researchers believe this may partly be a case of mistaken identity; the gluten molecule closely resembles thyroid tissue. When the immune system attacks gluten, it inadvertently attacks thyroid tissue as well. Studies also show that those with a gluten intolerance are genetically more prone to Hashimoto’s disease. Add to this that gluten has been shown to be very pro-inflammatory, damaging to the gut, and linked with numerous other autoimmune diseases, and a gluten-free diet quickly emerges as an integral part of the protocol. Alaina cried for two days after I told her to give up gluten. She had just lost her mother and all her favorite comfort foods contained gluten. Nevertheless, she followed my advice and was amazed to find she felt significantly better within three days of going on a gluten-free diet. “Dr. Labbe told me I would feel like a million bucks, and I was like, ‘Yeah, right,’” says Alaina. “She was right! Going gluten-free is a drastic diet, but I was very shocked how quickly I started to feel better.” A gluten-free diet is necessary to quench Hashimoto’s, but other steps are vital as well. They include getting adequate amounts of vitamin D and fish or krill oil and loading up on glutathione, the body’s most powerful antioxidant. I gave Alaina glutathione in a cream as it is better absorbed applied to the skin than if taken orally. Next I had to figure out how specifically to balance Alaina’s immune system. An autoimmune disease, such as Hashimoto’s, indicates the immune system is wildly out of balance. I use lab tests and other evaluations to determine the specific nature of this imbalance, and then restore that balance with specific nutritional compounds. As she adapted the protocol, Alaina quickly lost seven pounds, her migraines diminished, and her high blood pressure returned to normal. Though she had been taking the same dose of thyroid medication for ten years, she found she needed to lower her dose after just one month of working with me. Most importantly for Alaina, the problems she had been having with fatigue and depression disappeared. “Since turning my health around I have picked up a lot of overtime,” says Alaina. “At the end of a ten-hour work day my coworkers are all exhausted, but I’m like the Energizer Bunny, ready to keep going.” *Name has been changed. Dr. Joni Labbe (luh-bay), DC, CCN, DCCN, is a San Diego-based chiropractor and clinical certified nutritionist specializing in science-based nutrition with a focus on women’s health issues. Visit www.labbehealthcenter.com or contact 858.483.4770 service@labbehealthcenter.com.

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PELICANS

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oetry, I imagine, is one of those topics of interest I will ultimately get to at some as-yet-undefined point in my life. I will have ceased to live actively and withdraw to a place where I engage all those things I’ll do when I’m too old to do anything else. In other words, it’s a default choice. When I mention this to my Uncle Tasso, I expect him to launch into an explanation of Aristotle’s “Poetics” and the uses of speech in drama, comedy, rhetoric, and song. Instead, all I get is a reference to an old man from Nantucket with an affliction that really isn’t one at all. Then, when I contemplate the added aspect of poetry as it relates to motion, I get brain-freeze. Like I’ve just ingested too much intellectual ice cream and I am left dangling, waiting for the thrumming numbness to subside. Being blessed by living in close proximity to the ocean, I decide to go out for a walk. I venture out onto the pier that juts into the cove where I live. It’s a weekday and the only other living being there is a brown pelican. Oddly enough, I’ve never seen one on the ground before. It has got to be one of the most ungainly creatures imaginable, looking like it stepped from the pages of a Dr. Seuss book into my life. An impossibly narrow head droops into a rapier-like beak, sitting atop a neck that curls into an inverse question mark, which drains into an egg-shaped body standing on swizzle-stick legs attached to feet that look like they’re dressed in avian Totes. It is sitting on the rail, resting tranquilly, oblivious to me even when it’s clear that I’ve gotten too close. Then it deigns to look at me as if to ask what I could possibly want. A mere stone’s throw from a megalopolis of just under 4 million people, and this poor bird has the misfortune of getting stuck on a pier with a featherless interloper who wants a little quality face time. Nuh-uh. Then, out of nowhere, I experience one of those whipsaw interludes that take a banal picture like that of a grounded pelican and invert it with such alacrity and force as to jackhammer me into seeing the divinity of that image—the pelican has suddenly taken flight. And in so doing, he is transformed. His head and beak streamline seamlessly into his neck, melding into a body that has sprouted regal wings that carry him aloft with such grace I expect to hear harps accompanying his climb. I watch him join a squadron of his peers. As they fly in formation, flapping and coasting in unison, they become Mother Nature’s answer to the Blue Angels, swooping and soaring with a precision that rivets me to the ground. Later that evening, I am lucky enough to witness them feeding—the Blue Angels become kamikazes. They cruise over the ocean’s surface, scouting for schools of fish, and when they spot one, dinner is served. One by one, they ascend perpendicular to the water, reach a lofty height, and then nosedive headlong into the sea. As I watch them, I think of that bird on the pier: then so ordinary, now, anything but.

t o

m e

On Wednesday, April 20, 2011, Tim Hetherington was killed by a rocketpropelled grenade in the besieged Libyan city of Misurata when the rebel group he was with came under fire from pro-Qaddafi military forces. You may not know who Mr. Hetherington was; I first became aware of him after watching the Afghan war documentary, “Restrepo.” He directed and produced that film, a harrowing piece that chronicled the deployment of a platoon of American soldiers to one of the most dangerous locations in Afghanistan, the Korengal Valley. The soldiers’ job was to build and maintain a 15-man outpost that was named after a platoon medic who was killed as they fought to secure the land the outpost stood on. Mr. Hetherington made it his job to document their efforts without outside commentary to present war as it was lived by the soldiers, through their eyes and in their own words. It was as heroic an effort as that of its subjects. He became what is known as “a conflict reporter,” a photojournalist who embedded himself deeply within his subject so as to be able to shed light on the darkest corners of their world. After reading of his tragic death, I saw a video clip of him discussing his work in war-torn Liberia. Watching and listening, I was struck by how ordinary he seemed, almost common. This titan of bravery, compassion, and pro-activity reminded me of that pelican on the pier—absolutely unremarkable. Until he took flight. And when he did, I understood the poetry of motion—it is the animating force of an activity on the person held in its thrall. Mr. Hetherington could no more refuse to go to places that chilled the blood than that pelican could refuse to dive for its sustenance—in each instance, it was what fed them, what nourished them. And in each example, the person who is lucky enough to witness the poet in motion is transformed, too. By the time you read this, Mr. Hetherington’s name will have in all likelihood faded from contemporary news. Hopefully, though, through his shimmering example the poetry of his life will continue to soar long after the movement has ceased. Tim Hetherington December 5, 1970 - April 20, 2011 Michael Raysses is a writer/NPR commentator/actor living in Los Angeles. E-mail him at MichaelRaysses@hotmail.com.

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Dear Dr. Toni: I am a 47-year-old woman who is educated and has been a professional in my field for 20 years. Recently I started feeling very anxious. Every time I see something on the news about radiation poisoning from the earthquake in Japan I start to feel a lot of fear. I also notice it when people talk about other climate disasters happening right here in our country. My anxiety levels are most pronounced at night after work when I am having a stressful day. I don’t know why this sudden burst of panic attacks is happening to me now. Please tell me what to do, Dr. Toni. Desperate in La Jolla Dear Reader: One of the problems in the paradigm of psychological counseling is that when an individual is presenting symptoms of panic disorder, we tend to focus strictly on the psyche and immediate stressors of that individual. If I were working with you as a coach or as a therapist I would certainly ask in-depth questions about your work, your relationships, and your family history. However, there is another factor here to consider. Carl Jung, the father of Transpersonal Psychology, broke off from Freud in his belief that it is not just our individual psyches that create neurosis. In early 21st century Vienna, he wrote of how we are all connected as a collective unconscious. Therefore, what has been happening in Japan is affecting us. The recent storms across the southern United States are affecting us on the West Coast. As we are now in an accelerated evolutionary shift, we are feeling the physical impact of things happening half way around the world. One of the ways that I determine how much of what an individual is experiencing is internal and how much is global is by assessing their astrological blueprint. When certain planets are affecting us personally, we are meant to learn certain lessons. Jungian based astrology helps to contextualize your life’s challenges so that you hold everything you experience with higher meaning and purpose. On a global level, the day the tsunami hit Japan, the planet Uranus which rules crisis, radical change, and earthquakes was leaving Pisces which rules water into Aries which rules explosions. The planet of radical change will be moving through the sign of Aries for seven years. The keyword associated with this transit is AWAKENING. For each individual, that awakening will take place in a certain area of life based on your personal soul blueprint. The electromagnetic energy fields of the planets in our galaxy interact with our own planet, and since we know from quantum physics that everything is connected,

we also manifest events in our personal lives that reflect this vibrational exchange. You, dear reader, may be having the planet Uranus affecting the area of your chart that rules the workplace, so the disruption and demand for change and authenticity may be showing up there, or it may be, given your age, that the area of your chart that governs the physical body may be impacted and is accelerating hormonal changes as you enter peri-menopause. I would suggest that right now you spend 15 minutes a day in the morning and 15 minutes at night in meditation. Allow yourself to accept the feelings of panic as they emerge, breathe into them, and set an intention for their release. An affirmation that may help along with this is, “I am safe and secure, surrounded by love.” As the feelings emerge during the day, breathe right into where you are feeling them and ride the wave of the emotions and then let go. Once you feel the release, then return to the affirmation articulated above again. Lastly, one way to move beyond fear is to then expand your awareness to all of humanity and instead of feeling fear of radiation, send out a field of pink light to the people of Japan or whomever is experiencing climate disasters, wars, etc. We have a choice to either be at the affect of our fears or to use them as a catalyst to transform ourselves as well as the world. Note to all my readers: Take a moment and bring your awareness into your heart. Think of all the people in your life that you love. Send them divine love. Now extend that love to the people of Japan with an intention that this crisis will bring great transformative energy to the planet at the highest level of manifestation. For those seeking personal guidance from Dr. Toni, she can be reached through her Web site, http://www.lifequake.net, by e-mailing DrToni@LifeQuake.net, and calling her office at 310.890.6832. Discover a new passionate life direction through a soul blueprint reading or her career repurposing coaching called The LifeQuake Method. Contact Dr. Galardi today and give yourself the gift of a special offer for Vision Magazine readers to work with Dr. Galardi so you can expansively move into spring and summer.

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lmost 25 years ago, Jodi Hershey and Adnan Razack’s paths crossed to form a friendship that seemed to propel each other through adversities and into dreams. They both came from quite different backgrounds. Jodi was a teacher and was very involved in her family’s prestigious and historical restaurant business in South Florida; Adnan, who came from the Caribbean and grew up in a legal and political family, was an artist who had come to South Florida to teach. They soon realized that they had much in common, a drive to do something creative and service-oriented and focus on the essence of a positive thoughts and joyful experiences. This initial awareness led to their first endeavor, using Jodi’s writing and Adnan’s visuals: a small book called “Thoughts To Consider With Love.” Some 20 years later, through life’s journeys and an even stronger friendship, came JOY, Journey of You. Joy is found through the process of unveiling the essence of your individual spirit, encouraging the personality to bring forth what the soul has come here to express and experience. Through this process you will begin uniting with the universal source of divine consciousness allowing you to live in joy. Joy is the journey of you. At JOY you can find creations that speak to the heart, mind, and spirit of who you are and how you feel, jewelry that can enhance your own positive energy flow, as well as items you place in your home that have meaning to you and that nurture and uplift your spirit. Jodi believes your home is best when it reflects your inner being, your intuitive self. Jody and Adnan’s belief in living a healing lifestyle means assembling a collection of products that support you physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The books they provide will help guide you on your spiritual path, and their collection includes choices for beginners as well as options geared to those who are further advanced on their spiritual journey. Jodi and Adnan are teachers, writers, and artists combined and are committed to providing tools, books, and products that will help parents bring nurturing and guidance into their homes. They look at a holistic approach of learning for children and young adults—mind, body, and spirit. The company’s approach to fashion is to adorn you with a style that is true to you, using colors that resonate with who you are. The clothes represent a special consumer who seeks comfort and glamour, style and elegance, and also strives to maintain a personal sense of unity that reflects harmony with the world around them. JOY carries items in the domain of home, fashion, and healing lifestyles. JOY also provides spiritual counseling services and will hold different events during the year. As the company expands, it will carry artwork with a similar consciousness and provide artistic services that will provide a way of enlightenment, beauty, and vision. Jodi and Adnan’s hope is to grow and expand their vision into an energy that is sure to give you a reason to return again and again. Please visit our online store at www.joyjourneyofyou.com and join our Facebook page to start uniting and sharing with one another. E-mail joy@joyjourneyofyou.com or call 800.656.0720 for more information.

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early every day, poetry saves me. Some favorite line or surprising image will rescue my vagrant attention from the careening bandwagon of my thoughts and redirect it to the path of my soul. My mind quiets, my breath deepens, and I remember what matters most to me. For many years, poetry was not a big part of my life. Though I wrote poems as a child and went to college hoping to become a great poet, the intellectuality of the academic approach I encountered as an undergrad disheartened me. Suddenly poetry became a foreign language, and I couldn’t crack the code. So I turned away. Then, 25 years later, in the midst of a suicidal depression, poetry flooded back into my life—and literally saved it. The healing did not come through writing poems or even through reading them. It came when I discovered a kind of poetry I’d never been exposed to in high school or college. I call it the poetry of the inner life. Poems by Rumi, Mary Oliver, Rilke, and Naomi Shihab Nye—to name only a few—flooded into my life. I discovered when I spoke them aloud, a profound integration of every aspect of me—physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual—took place. I felt a wholeness I had never before experienced. I felt like I was flying. I was speaking the truth, and the truth was setting me free. Many people have confessed to me, “I want to like poetry, but I just don’t understand most of it!” I know what they mean. For most of my life, I felt the same way. Now I realize that the language of poetry, like the “language” of music or art, is not (usually) about the kind of understanding I had been taught. Most Western education focuses on analytical thinking, much of which happens in the left hemisphere of the brain. But, while poetry happens in both sides of the brain, it primarily calls on the holistic, intuitive, and imagistic functioning that is the work of the right hemisphere. And, since it arrives in words, poetry can be deceiving. The left brain, which is the primary processor of language, can mistakenly perceive the poem as part of its own domain and apply its highly tuned rational capacities—often to no avail. When asked how to help young readers appreciate poetry, the poet Mary Oliver said, “Emphasize their response in terms of feeling. We give far too much focus to understanding in our educational systems. Don’t ask them what the poem is about. Ask them, ‘How does it make you feel?’”1st. Billy Collins wrote a poem about this dilemma called “Introduction to V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

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m i n d Poetry.” In it, he talks about how, even though he invites people to look at the light through a poem like a color slide, or “press an ear against its hive,” all they want to do is beat it with a hose to “find out what it really means.” In order to enter poetry’s language, your grip on habitual, left-brained ways of processing information needs to soften. Somehow we know how to do this with music and art. You probably wouldn’t try to figure out the exact meaning of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony or Ella Fitzgerald’s scat singing. Nor are you likely to do a pragmatic analysis of an abstract painting by Georgia O’Keeffe or Jackson Pollock. You feel these art forms. You allow associations Kim Rosen to play through your awareness. You let your linear mind relax and go for the ride. As you read poems, listen to them, and speak them aloud, try meeting them as you would a piece of music or a prayer. In this world of iPods, e-mails, cell phones, and spam, where opportunities for distraction are thick and fast, it can be lifesaving to return to the sanctuary of a favorite poem. Whether it is a mystical song by Kabir asking, “What is God?” or a poem by June Jordan about being homeless in New York City, you are called into presence by the resonance of truth. Like singing a song you love or blasting it on the stereo, like reading a favorite Psalm or the Heart Sutra several times a day, it is a choice to fill your thoughts with what you hold precious and believe in, instead of the plethora of commercial jingles, self-criticisms, or anxieties about the past and the future that usually overrun the mind. When I focus on a poem I love, my thoughts stop spinning and become quiet. My body relaxes. My breathing finds the rhythm of the poem. Whether I’m in the car, on the subway, walking on the beach, or sitting on a meditation cushion, that poem becomes as real a refuge as any church, synagogue, or mosque. In the “Aha!” that happens when the mind bursts open—at a breathtaking metaphor or an insight or a chiming among the words—any and every boundary line we humans draw around ourselves instantly disappears. It is holy without being denominational, political without being sectarian, intimate without being bound by gender, age, or culture.

Use your mind… EMPOWER YOUR FUTURE

Kim Rosen, MFA, is the author of Saved by a Poem: The Transformative Power of Words and the co-creator of four CD’s of spoken poetry and music. Combining her devotion to poetry with her background as a spiritual teacher and therapist, she gives performances, lectures, and workshops in the United States and abroad. 1st. Excerpted with permission from Saved by a Poem: The Transformative Power of Words (Hay House, 2009)

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The New View Is At Hand by Ketti Kupper

e all know that a shift in perspective can instantly soothe a soul, re-vitalize energy, or correct thinking. And since we are each prone to replaying ego-based false scripts over and over again when weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not tuned in and turned on about life, the value of accessing a new view cannot be underestimated! What is it that catapults us out of our usual sense of reality and brings us to an experience of peace, tranquility, and enlightened thinking? This inspired thought arena is where we begin to define who we really are to ourselves and to others. Needless to say, the view in front of our eyes and at our fingerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reach has the power to literally shape our thought. And we know that thought shapes experience. Landscapes can function as a fabulous platform to get us to a place of inspired thinking. Landscape, as an immersive and experiential art form, has the capacity to shape internal perspectives. Landscapes and gardens can change a world view and at the same time provide a place for outdoor living, relaxation, and plant and wildlife cultivation. A connection with the land is also an opportunity to experience poetry in motion. A distinctive style, rhythmic compositions, imagination, and elevated thinking are all part of the poetic picture. We create a healthier life for ourselves and for others through our landscape connections. The poetic gardens of Conscious Living Landscapes are based on years of teaching design fundamentals to university students, a lifetime studying nature and horticulture, and a carefully developed 14 Point Stress-

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Reduction Design methodology. We create outdoor spaces with data collected and spaces molded to represent each client’s unique tastes and creative sensibilities. Everyone is so much more comfortable when we feel like we’re presenting the best version of ourselves. And when we frame our lives with surroundings that more accurately reﬂect our changing sense of self, we are more clear and have a sense of purpose. Earth-connected landscapes that function as a gate to the inspired thought arena offer tremendous powers for personal healing and enlightenment. It’s an optimal place to access our unique blend of regenerative energy and to sense our place in the context of larger life. We continue to ask ourselves how our choices affect future generations, and what we can create to improve our lives and personal experiences by deepening our connectivity to our outdoor spaces. An evolution that I experienced from traditional landscape design to a designer of experiential spaces allows me to go deeper into mutual collaborations that interpret and incorporate visions, dreams, and feelings for the land and resulting retreat spaces that are site appropriate, easy to care for, and environmentally responsible. continued on page 44

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l i v i n g

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Reduction Design methodology. We create outdoor spaces with data collected and spaces molded to represent each client’s unique tastes and creative sensibilities. Everyone is so much more comfortable when we feel like we’re presenting the best version of ourselves. And when we frame our lives with surroundings that more accurately reflect our changing sense of self, we are more clear and have a sense of purpose. Earth-connected landscapes that function as a gate to the inspired thought arena offer tremendous powers for personal healing and enlightenment. It’s an optimal place to access our unique blend of regenerative energy and to sense our place in the context of larger life. We continue to ask ourselves how our choices affect future generations, and what we can create to improve our lives and personal experiences by deepening our connectivity to our outdoor spaces. An evolution that I experienced from traditional landscape design to a designer of experiential spaces allows me to go deeper into mutual collaborations that interpret and incorporate visions, dreams, and feelings for the land and resulting retreat spaces that are site appropriate, easy to care for, and environmentally responsible. continued on page 44

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M AY 20 11

c u l t u r e

Red Lotus Society Sit-A-Thon: A Living Poem T

here is poetry in every spiritual culture: “This is love: to fly toward a secret sky, to cause a hundred veils to fall each moment. First to let go of life. Finally, to take a step without feet.” —Rumi Huìnéng asked Hui Ming, “Without thinking of good or evil, show me your original face before your mother and father were born.” —Zen Koan “You can mould clay into a vessel; yet it is its emptiness that makes it useful.” —Tao Te Ching “What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night. It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.” —Crowfoot, Native American orator Poetry is about living, but how do we bring that effortless rhythm into each breath? Red Lotus Society, an educational non-profit organization in San Diego, believes one way is through meditation. Meditation, contemplation, or prayer is a common thread running through all faith and non-faith traditions. The Sit-AThon celebrates this truth. On May 22, Red Lotus Society will host its 3rd Annual Sit-A-Thon, a day-long meditation retreat for peace celebrating eastern and western traditions from around the world. They have gathered leaders from eight authentic world meditation traditions to lead eight consecutive meditation sessions—Buddhist, Taoist, Hindu, Jewish, Christian, Islamic Sufi, Zen, and Native American. Last year, over 400 hours (16 days) of meditation were clocked by more than 150 people. It’s simple. Attend what meditations interest you—one, two, or all eight! Each meditation is one hour long followed by a 15 minute break. Each session offers a 15-minute introduction to the tradition, a 30-minute guided practice, and a 15-minute Q & A. The session is facilitated by an experienced leader from the highlighted tradition. Leaders reign from local spiritual and faith-based organizations such as Taoist Sanctuary, Sweetwater Zen Center, Deep Yoga, and Swedenborgian Church of North America. The Sit-A-Thon is open to everyone. Online fundraising for the event is optional. Participants can fundraise by approaching friends and family to sponsor a dollar amount for each session they plan to attend. All proceeds benefit Red Lotus Society’s programs and projects in San Diego.

The Red Lotus Society is an educational non-profit organization founded in 2006 that creates environments for the study and practice of inner, communal, and global peace. They are not bound by any tradition but embrace the values of wisdom, compassion, respect, and gratitude. They envision a more peaceful, sustainable, and compassionate world in which mindfulness is a common practice of everyday life. The society operates the Historic Ideal Hotel, a multicultural peace practice center in Downtown San Diego. They restored the 99-year-old, 8,000 square foot building from the brink of condemnation. It now welcomes over 300 visitors each week. The center is for seekers of peace. It commonly referred to as an oasis in the busiest of downtown life. Old or young, rich or poor, from East or West, the Ideal Hotel is truly redefining community. It offers a variety of daily services such as meditation, yoga, healing arts, tea, music, art, and culture. All classes and events are open to the public and most are donation-based. For more information on the Sit-A-Thon and other Red Lotus Society programs, please visit www.redlotussociety.org or contact peace@redlotussociety.org. The Ideal Hotel is located at 546 3rd Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101, at the corner of Market Street in the Historic Asian Pacific District.

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The Door Opens for Theosophy Through Science and Spirituality by Garrett Riegg and Sally and James Colbert, Ph.D. he theme of the International Theosophy Conference, which will take place August 11-14 in the mountain resort town of Julian, California is “The Heart of Wisdom, A Concurrence of Science and Spirituality.” The conference will demonstrate how leading-edge science elucidates and verifies the ancient wisdom of the heart. One of the conference’s presenters is Rollin McCraty, Ph.D., Director of Research at the HeartMath Institute. The institute carries on experimental research on heart and brain interaction. For example, such research shows how the heart sends out magnetic waves that entrain other bodily organs and even affect other people’s brains within a range of 12 feet. Other areas of focus include holistic health, meditation and the mystical, plus a coming together of many Theosophical traditions. Venues in Julian will be at the Julian Meadow View Inn and the Julian High School. The conference starts Thursday evening with the leaders of most Theosophical tradtions so as to set a tone of unity. Friday morning represenatives from Theosophical publications will present. There will be an afternoon presentation by Helena Kerekhazi, Ph.D. Cand., on health, neuroplasticity, and natural remedies. Evening presentation topics include education and ethics. A former Teacher of the Year for the United States will present, along with a professor from Stanislaus University in Northern California. Saturday morning Rollin McCraty, P.h. D., will demonstrate evidence that the magnetic power of the heart is driven by an independent heart brain. In the afternoon, focus will be given to meditation and mysticism. Eugene Jennings, M.D., from the East Coast, will present. Later that evening, Julian Apple Pie will be served at the home of Sally and James Colbert. Finally, Sunday morning, with breakfast at the Julian Meadow View Inn, is a wrap up. The conference will build bridges of understanding and collegiality as we strive to understand the consequences and deeper meaning of meditation, extrasensory perceptions, healing touch, heart-to-heart connections, holistic healthcare, and global consciousness. What were once considered metaphors we now test scientifically. “Hard” material mechanisms are now seen to be more like expressions of energy and even consciousness. The “solid” atom has dozens of subatomic particles which often act like waves and are affected by our observations and even our emotions. The idea of a static, unchanging universe has been replaced by vibrating Super Strings and a Big Bang that unfolded space and all of the material universe out of no – thing, which contains more invisible dark matter and dark energy than the physical matter we observe. The ideas of Theosophy, perhaps not yet mainstream, are permeating the current scientific thought. Centuries ago, the Masters of Wisdom sowed the seeds of many of these transformations in science and spirituality. This Theosophic Movement towards freedom and enlightenment was spurred on by the Templars, Freemasons, Rosicrucians, Transcendentalists, and the numerous branches of Theosophy. As a result, Theosophic ideas of karma, reincarnation, mental telepathy, and Gaia are gaining popularity. A new global culture is flowering through the

c u l t u r e Internet with instantaneous worldwide communication of life-changing information that easily mixes scientific findings and transcendental insights. The teachings of Theosophy go back to its “modern” founding in 1875. The first object was and is universal unity, “without distinction of race, creed, sex, condition or organization.” The second object is to show the fundamental similarity between the deepest teachings of Rollin McCraty, Ph.D. various religions and the findings of science. The third object is the exploration of psychic and spiritual powers latent in humanity. The emphasis is on the ancient or esoteric wisdom, including everything from ESP and psychic phenomena to mysticism and spirituality. So this August, come join us as we explore these wonders, mysteries, and heart-felt inspirations. Sunday morning study classes are held in Theosophy at 3766 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego, CA 92105 from 10:45 a.m. to noon. There is also a Bhagavad Gita class on Fridays from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Call 619.283.0142 for more information. A study class in Julian is being planned as well. Call Sally or James Colbert for this and conference reservations at 760.765.1090. Also please visit www.theosconf.org and www.theosophysandiego.org or e-mail theosophy@theosconf.org.

Helena Kerekhazi, Ph.D. Cand

Eugene Jennings Ph.D.

The presentations for the conference will be held in the Julian Town Hall and the high school. An Internet live broadcast is planned for Saturday. Transportation between sites will be facilitated by volunteers. Registration is $25 and meals at the Julian Meadow View Inn are $10 per meal, in addition to registration.

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may b y

forecast

A d r i e n n e

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Adrienne Abeyta presents a unique forecast blending the tarot with astrology. A gifted reader of intuitive arts, she offers private consultations and psychic entertainment for parties and events. AdrienneAbeyta.com. To set up an appointment, she can be reached at 619.917.0998 or Adrienne@AdrienneAbeyta.com. (See her ad at the bottom of the page.)

Aries: Lovers (4 of Wands) 3/21 – 4/19 It’s celebration time for you this month! A special relationship has put a big smile on your face and a warm feeling in your heart. Potential was brewing in April, now there are some exciting feelings, and in the near future, things may get even more serious. The end of the month could bring a proposal that’s too good to pass up. If not relationship oriented, a recent change in another part of your life has brought about significant and beneficial results. The sacrifice you made in April has paid off, and you’ll receive considerable recognition. Taurus: Sun (6 of Pentacles) 4/20 – 5/21 A joyful event will bring sunshine to your recently dark life; and, likewise, you can offer the same blessing for someone in need. This month you’ll receive a gift that is unbelievable. You will not only feel appreciative—you’ll feel like a changed person. Similarly, this would be a great time to make a difference in the life of someone else, deserving or not. An experience with a child on the weekend of the 14 inspires you to take a chance on something very silly. If you do, you won’t regret it. Open up and express yourself! Gemini: Devil (Page of Pentacles) 5/22 – 6/21 Let go of your inhibitions; now is the time to show others who you really are on the inside. Though you may still feel a bit introverted, don’t retreat. Use your talents to free yourself from self–imposed restraints. Seek comfort through an active form of expression like writing, hiking, or cooking. As you connect with the countless forces within, you give birth to several new aspects of your being. A mistake around the 1st will be corrected by the end of the month, so don’t jump to any conclusions until then. Cancer: Hermit (Ace of Swords) 6/22 – 7/22 Your mind is sharp enough to cut through the toughest of problems, yet to wield this sword skillfully, you must rely on wisdom gained from past experience. No amount of force will be as effective as mental discipline and discernment. Use this time to take a hard look at the direction of your life, because a struggle from your past will creep back into the picture and challenge your sense of certainty. The week of the 9 is likely to present you with the first of three riddles, each providing a clue for the next and each bringing you closer to the answers you’ve been searching for. Leo: Hanged Man (8 of Wands) 7/23 – 8/23 A fresh perspective in a certain area of your life is emerging after an extended struggle or delay. Through this trial of inactivity, you may have realized that sometimes what you expect doesn’t come true, and other times, you simply need to relinquish your position enough to see the bigger picture. If you can apply this concept to all areas of your life, you’ll see that anything is possible. If you’re in need of a special dose of inspiration, you may want to go on a vacation; a change of scenery can open your eyes to the brilliance in your life and in yourself. Virgo: Strength (Page of Wands) 8/24 – 9/22 Rather than being so strict with yourself, why not listen to those little urges and impulses? The impatient, immature, footloose, fun-loving child in you needs to get out and enjoy life. Of course you shouldn’t recklessly abandon all your responsibilities, but live a little more on the edge. It’s important to be connected to all the parts of yourself, or those ignored aspects will attempt to steal the show. Be sure that by the middle of the month you have involved yourself in at least one pointless activity, even if it’s simply calling friends to do something amusing.

Libra: World (2 of Swords) 9/23 – 10/23 Feeling a little split lately? It could be because you’re sitting on the fence! It’s time to make up your mind and find some closure, or your perpetual analysis could cause paralysis. Rather than looking at things in black and white, discover the connections within the conflict. The final piece of this puzzle will be revealed in a most unusual way. However, if you are caught in an “either or” mind-set, you may easily pass it off as unimportant. Around the 16, there’s a promise of reconciliation for a bruised relationship. Be sure to express gratitude for what you have. Scorpio: Magician (10 of Cups) 10/24 – 11/22 An emotional situation in your life begins to settle into something more realistic and manageable. New options suddenly reveal fresh potentials. If you are newly separated or on the verge of separation, this period is designed for you to re-discover who you are as a single person. For you singles, hold off getting too serious this month as there’s more to appreciate about being on your own than you might imagine. A synchronistic encounter around the Full Moon on the 17 is the message you’ve been praying for; pay attention and don’t brush it off as a coincidence! Sagittarius: Moon (9 of Cups) 11/23 – 12/21 If you’re willing to be in the dark, then you’re more than up to the challenge. Don’t let uncertainty be your downfall—trust your instincts. Although you may consider fear as an instinct, look beyond it before you withdraw. Your dreams are not all that unattainable, but an unbiased second look will help you take steps in the right direction. Support and positive energy will bring you closer to your goals. Beware of people who promise too much as their intentions are not as pure as you think! You may feel the need to escape; be sure to do so in a healthy way. Capricorn: Temperance (Ace of Wands) 12/22 – 1/20 Your timing couldn’t be better as you seize the perfect moment for starting over. A seemingly unsuccessful project you’ve been involved with is primed and ready to be revisited. It is as if the missing ingredient falls out of the sky and into your hands. Notice your creative insights and allow them to move you without judging them. Most importantly, express yourself as if all eyes are on you. A surprise awaits you at the end of the month; a passionate heart may lead you to venture into territory you were once afraid to explore. Aquarius: Empress (10 of Pentacles) 1/21 – 2/18 Family matters are front and center this month, particularly those involving women and grandparents. This may be related to a pregnancy or birth, or even property or inheritance. Around the 23, the subject of financial security will be revisited by your partner. It’s not a good time to put off anything that is important, so be sure to carefully evaluate your responsibilities. Don’t be too proud to reach out and ask for help. Take time to nurture yourself and, equally important, to nurture those around you. Be generous with your expressions of kindness and give something special to someone who least expects it. Pisces: Judgment (Queen of Pentacles) 2/19 – 3/20 The ability to look at a situation clearly and objectively doesn’t always come naturally to you. However, this month you may find it easier to assess your position. Your current job situation may not be providing you the type of fulfillment you desire, but the security keeps you attached. Be honest about your intentions and remain confident that you will find a well-paying job that you love. The problems you are experiencing are more within your control than you realize. You must be willing to acknowledge the part you played in creating them before you can solve them.

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AdrienneAbeyta.com • (619) 917-0998 V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

M AY 20 11

Press by Erin Tagan

Pau

c u l t u r e back the entire peace of mind which existed in our youth. By opening our minds and learning the things we haven’t, we work slowly toward retrieving it. Analyzing and breaking down the significance in the moments that make up our lives, we discover the grace that is poetry of motion. Highway 5 Innocent blonde bangs whip wildly, Hand outstretched to catch the passing wind. Eyes clenched to a squint, you’re blind to the speed of the world. Hold on tightOne day you’ ll long for the freedom of flying past traffic on the passenger side and photofl ash sunlight between infi nite trees.

onstantly in motion, we rarely catch up to our lives enough to capture and measure what we’ve learned over the years and how much we’ve grown. Since time won’t stop for us, we’re the ones who should stop, take a step back and appreciate the significant people and moments in our lives to help us better understand the method behind motion in the world. As fast as time flies, we at least have access to the moments we remember- our favorite five minutes of daylight just before the sun sets, a song whose lyrics ring true to our existence, and the lessons we take from conversations with friends, family, or even perfect strangers. There’s a pattern to eternal movement, and we experience the effects of it daily. Taking time to make sense of these patterns illuminates their beauty. The fleeting seconds when things seem simple and clear and we think we understand all there is to know about our human condition are followed shortly by the realization that we don’t. In the midst of confusion and the speed of time, we find moments of peace in which we piece together the patterns of motion. With time we begin to understand others in terms outside of our own relationships with them, when we realize that the innocence of childhood could never be permanent and that we will never get

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Reminder Poem for Mom In the habit of Hot chocolate mornings, Soft ball snacks, And mini-van carpools, I sometimes forget The woman in the white convertible, Top down, Blaring the Go Go’s album. Who let me draw on her pregnant belly while I awaited my baby brother, and Danced with me to “under the sea.” In the heat of Loud discipline, Words misunderstood, And rational “no’s,” I sometimes forget Her face, puff y with tears When I disappoint her, Or even when she disappoints me, That has the power To throw me into tears. The face I see in the mirror when I move mine a certain way. In the hurry of Rushed visits home, Worried phone calls, And too many text messages, I sometimes forget She drinks wine From a jelly jar, Bought me birthday margaritas, And compares nursing equipment to drug paraphernalia. Distracted by Work uniforms, Cleaning anxieties, And the smell of fresh laundry or dish soap, I sometimes forget The woman whose college roommate pierced her ears, Unevenly. Whose mouth is open, shouting with excitement In all of her old pictures. Who existed before me, Without me, Independently.

M AY 20 11

Poetry of

Universal Lawsh e a l i n g

a r t s

n o i t Mo

by Rev.Katherine Torres, Ph.D., D.D. hen you are flowing with conscious awareness of Universal Laws, you realize you are Poetry of Motion. The beauty and richness of the universe and your emotional drive clarifies intentions. You ebb and flow with ease and comfort while you create and manifest. You also effortlessly complete your quest and release of what is no longer useful as you progress to the next desire of your life to be fulfilled. During the month of May, four Universal Laws surface in strength as the Sun

V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

regenerates the energy of Taurus and Venus as well as Gemini and Mercury. To know these laws allows you to refine your ability to work with the grace of the laws, rather than unconsciously “take what you can get.” Universal Laws are in constant and consistent motion throughout the Universe and are used by every human being. They are unchangeable and released from Divine Mind and Heart as Divine Intent. They are the ‘goo’ that keeps the Universe intact and in motion for maintaining the flow of existing and building, transforming and rebuilding and manifesting all individuated aspects of Source. As Source released itself into individual qualities of living, It also released the laws that govern and contain everything. Each law is whole as well as a dichotomy. Each law reveals What Is, What Can Be, and What Directs It. For instance, we are all familiar with the Law of Cause and Effect. It is one of the most noted laws in metaphysical language, as well as scientific language. It is the causal vibration of Creation and is directed by heart and mind (desire and focus). Its intention (cause) is to form a vision as a matrix, and send it forth to manifest with passion and allow a form to shape for expression. The expression, as you know, is the Effect. This law is the foundation within all laws. As each of us think of a Universal Law, we might assume that it is nothing but the harmonious field of thought-form energy. To Source, it is. However, to each individual, though it is harmonious, it may not seem so when a limited or distorted manifestation occurs. For instance, what is occurring when someone wants to create from the power of Cause, and forms dreams and wishes of a

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desire that appears to be delightful, exciting, and rich with possibilities? It would seem as though all will manifest in harmony. However, if the person is holding a shadow of negativity, the outcome is something less than what the person wants to produce. What happens? During causal moments, a person may then create from fears, disbelief, and perhaps jealousy. The manifest outcome is ultimately distorted by the subterfuge of the unconscious. According to the Universe, however, everything is in Divine Right Order: What was given in thought, emotion, and action was naturally flowing through the field of energy and produced an outcome, even if the outcome is not the original positive thoughtdesire. The Universe is not in judgment of this reality, it just is the reality, based on the perfectness of the law. “What you put out, you get back,” is a simple statement of the Law of Cause and Effect. However, it demonstrates that all laws are simply nonjudgmental and work within the power you give to it when using each law. When an individual is congruent in their mental and emotional creative moment, expressing without fear, doubt, or other negative beliefs, the perfect use of the Law of Cause and Effect produces the desired outcome in a full and positive formulation through a successful manifestation. In the month of May, as we connect with the cosmic vibrations and the strength of the Law of Life Mastery (Taurus) and the Law of Creative Imagination (Venus), the energy of these laws increases and is most easily usable. We then have an increased desire to create and master our lives. Most certainly the Law of Life Mastery holds the power to do just that—master our lives. However, if our focus is on the ills we carry emotionally, mentally, and physically, we will master the illnesses. Our dysfunctions become stronger. Yet, if we turn our focus to the power of health, the vitality of our mind and emotions, and the willpower to change the shadow of our being, we master life with the more positive realities. The focus we

h e a l i n g a r t s give is, of course, the creative imagination we use. It is important that we choose to be alert and aware so the focus is the positive and the outcome is the mastery. Later in the month of May, as the Sun moves into the zodiac sign of Gemini, the Law of Union is strengthened. As the power of the planet Mercury arises as ruler of Gemini, the Law of Expression exudes through our psyche. In the power of these laws we can see that we can form a union with others and express our thoughts and feelings with more strength and purpose. Again, we must know what is going on in our inner-being through our sub-thoughts and sub-emotions. If we have formed an alliance with separation and an inability to express ourselves, then the union we do form is isolation and the lack of self-expression. All of the laws of the Universe require our full attention to fulfill the outcome in positive and successful manifestations. What we need to do is form a healthy team. Our TEAM is our Thoughts, Emotions, Actions, and Manifestation. Our thoughts and emotions need to be congruent in order for our actions to set the pace, construct the design, and fulfill the manifestation. Any time a thought directs a positive outcome but the emotions stir the fears, our actions will sabotage our desire and our manifest will be distorted, or nothing happens at all. A healthy TEAM are thoughts and emotions in sync, our actions positively creating from the inner desire, and the manifestation concrete and usable. How is your TEAM? Is it set up for success? If not. I can help. Be the poetry of your own life. Rev. Torres is the President and Founder of SPICA – Way of Light University of Divinity. Her latest book, Be The Living Tree, From Roots to Fruit You Are Divine, brings many Universal Laws to Light. Be sure to visit the Web sites, www. spicawayoflight.com and www.facesofwomanspirit.com.

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Poetry in Dancing by Shannon Nies ast Saturday morning at work I got the sudden urge to do ballet. Specifically, a waltz turn. (When I’m not editing or writing for Vision Magazine, I work as an on-call merchandiser for a department store.) I was just stepping out of the freight elevator after taking back a few empty clothing racks when I got this urge. I looked ahead of me, behind: no one. So I waltzed. The boredom and dissatisfaction I felt at work started melting away. I immediately thought of the beauty and poetry in that one seemingly simple movement that I so desired to make. I then thought back to a time, or several times actually, when my best friend, Emily, and I did waltz turns in a grocery store. Usually she would be the one with the idea to start dancing in the store, but I tended to follow. And I do this standing in lines, too. They’re the perfect place to dance, especially tap. For example, while waiting in line for a ride at Six Flags Magic Mountain the other day, I started tapping. It made the wait time go by so much faster and improved my mood. An ordinary snapshot of me standing in line, or sitting on a rail rather, changed to me enthusiastically tapping away, seemingly unbothered by the fact that I would have to wait an hour in line for a one-minute ride. Never mind the bipolar weather, loud and obnoxious teenagers, and couples making out. I was in my own little dance world. Although I’ve been dancing since age 3½, I’ve had to take time off for health reasons, sometimes for months or a year at a time. And it’s when I’m not taking classes that I realize how important of a role dance plays in my life. When I tell people about my dance experience and how many hours a week I used to practice it, they would often say, oh wow, you must be a pro by now, you must get a lot of exercise, you must be in really good shape, it keeps the weight off, etc. For me, that’s not what it’s all about. For me, it’s poetry. It’s a release. It’s about expressing myself in a way that words simply cannot do. Sure, I write poetry every now and then—what people think of when they hear the word “poetry”— but written poetry isn’t the only poetry out there. Dance can fall under the category of poetry as well. Dance in general, especially ballet, makes everyday motion seem so much more exciting and poetic. Why not, instead of simply walking at a moderate pace from one room to other, we waltz? Or turn? Or leap? Many times, when I get a sudden burst of energy, I’ll do this; I will make some grand entrance into the family room, starting from my bedroom. My favorite? Tombé, pas de bourrée, glissade, saut de chat. (This literally translates to “fallen, step of the drunken lady, slide, jump of the cat.” It is essentially a series of traveling steps that leads to a great leap.) Yes, I may confuse my parents, or maybe even scare the cats, but just that simple motion puts a little more poetry and positivity into my day. And though I focus on the poetry of ballet, this style isn’t the only poetic dance form. I’ve tried many different dance disciplines—tap, jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, swing, Latin dance—and each has its own poetic form or style. Take tap dancing, for example. Much like poetry can have, it has rhythm and repetition. It’s all about keeping the rhythm and making good sounds with each tap. There can be pauses (kind of like using punctuation or line breaks in poems) or continuous movement (similar to lack of punctuation or diction that deals with movement). Every motion and sound matters. Dance can be more rigid and perfectionistic (much like a sonnet, with its rhyme and meter restrictions), but it can also be more free-form and expressive, closer to what many call “lyrical.” (Think of a free verse poem where pretty much anything goes.) This is one of my favorite styles. When I do lyrical, I am not really thinking of anything else. All of my emotions and struggles I may have in my life outside the studio, I bring into my dancing and let out. I am conscious of my body—what it is doing and how I am using it to express myself—all the way from my pointed toes to my fingertips, and everything in between. I encourage anyone who has never done dance before to try it; if you danced in the past, get back to it. It’s never too late to start a new activity or return to an old one. Many dance studios and some college campuses offer adult classes, especially beginning ballet, tap, and jazz classes. And if you do start a beginning dance

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For more information or to register for the retreat, please contact Samantha: phone: (888) 288-3735 e-mail: samantha@Louix.org To register online, go to: www.LouixOC.org All attending these three events consent to having their names, voices, images, and likenesses recorded and used for commercial purposes. All proceeds from these events will be used to support the Louix Dor Dempriey Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization.

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class, don’t be discouraged when you make mistakes or struggle; give yourself some grace. If you’re not going to be a professional dancer, forget perfection. It’s about the poetry of it all. Shannon Nies graduated from UC San Diego with a bachelor’s degree in Literature/ Writing. She currently resides in Simi Valley, CA and is the Copy Editor and a contributing writer for Vision Magazine. Contact her at snies88@gmail.com.

The Dance lying on our backs, feet propped up on the pool table listening to old records the doors joan jett and the blackhearts fleetwood mac jefferson airplane until they became jefferson starship partnered with my dad i put my little feet on his as he walked around the room with my arms around his waist i tilted my head back to look up at his smiling face as we waltzed around the room, more like waddling back and forth, right leg to left right, left until he got dizzy and his feet sore from the weight of my feet on his

“A divine universal plan exists and... it is beautiful and full of joy.”

years later i would dance to magic carpet ride a go-go dance with a hip-hop blend funky, surreal

—Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda

years later i would dance to white rabbit a sultry hip shake with a male teacher who wore black nail polish (An excerpt from Shannon Nies’ poem, “Everything tastes better with a glass of wine.” June 2009.)

S e l f - R e a l i z at i on F e l l o w s h i p F o u n d e d 1 9 2 0 b y Pa r a m a h a n s a yo g a n a n d a

w w w . y o g a n a n d a – s r f . o r g V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

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Joe Perez Soldier Ride, San Diego

Soldiers Re built

by Amanda Hinds

or centuries, brave men and women have served this country, expecting nothing in return. To no avail, soldiers are left wounded both physically and mentally with no help in sight. Until recently, mental issues such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) were pushed aside. Instead of addressing these problems, service members were told to buck up and act like soldiers. Act like soldiers? Throughout the hardest and most intimidating of situations soldiers do not hide; they stand strong against all odds. So telling them to oppress something that will cause them future distress seems a radical overhaul to say the least. 26-year-old veteran Rick Collier was one such soldier, left behind, abandoned. Collier served in the Marines, First Light Armored Reconnaissance (LAR) Battalion Infantry from 2003 to 2007. He was there for the initial Iraq invasion, and throughout his years experienced severe trauma, mentally and physically. Among his injuries were PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), a blown out shoulder, and a compressed spinal injury. Upon returning from deployment, Collier explained that normal protocols were not met, such as debriefing, a span of therapist visits, and appropriate paperwork. “We didn’t have that,” Collier explains about the lack of help that was offered. “We came home, set up our gear, took leave, and then you just return to work. So none of the therapy was there.” At the time of Collier’s return he had never even heard of PTSD. It wasn’t until he was discharged that he learned the term. “So, PTSD was not an issue for us when we returned from Iraq,” says Collier. Collier was Iraq V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

struggling with depression, alcohol addiction, and insomnia; even his unit was aware of these very apparent issues. “It felt horrible,” Collier explains. “When they don’t offer programs and then when you reach out, you don’t get help, that is what really pushes you to the edge, thinking, ‘Wow, I am alone.’” This lack of support and the loss of his good friend who was Killed In Action (KIA) in Iraq eventually led Collier to his suicide attempt. Instead of helping Collier attain psychiatric treatment to assist in his readjustment process, his Commanding Officer discharged him from the Marine Corps and proceeded by putting him in the brig for two months. So, instead of lending him a helping hand, his Commanding Officer thought it appropriate to throw him into a military prison. Receiving a bad conduct discharge, Collier was unable to utilize any of the Veterans of Foreign War benefits. “Nobody will help you unless you have an honorable discharge,” Collier explains. It wasn’t until seven years later that Collier found a Veteran Service Officer in Oregon City that would help him. His claim was put in and the proper paperwork was completed, requesting his benefits back based on his service. Collier explained that any Veteran Service Officer could have helped him, but no one did. “I walked into dozens of VA Hospitals all over California asking for help, and they told me they couldn’t help because I was discharged,” Collier says. Within six months after he filed, Collier had his benefits back and was finally able to start his mental health treatment. Collier’s life after war was still a battle. Not only was he struggling with emotional and mental issues due to combat, but his job status was shaky and he had lost his newborn girl. “I have been married for seven years, so not only did I lose out, my family, did too,” says Collier. Due to his firsthand experiences and the pure satisfaction of attaining betterment, Collier founded No Soldier Left Behind. As a nonprofit organization based out of Oregon City, No Soldier Left Behind (NSLB) is dedicated to providing financial resources, assisting veterans through donations made to NSLB for financial hardships, mentor programs, physical recreation, and homeless veteran assistance, along with guiding veterans discharged with less than honorable discharge for discharge upgrades, VA benefits, and disability claims. “I am here to walk them through all of these processes,” Collier says. “I fully believe, despite of a veteran’s situation, if he or she was a combat veteran and comes home with PTSD, it must be addressed regardless of discharge.” This organization is a huge healing aspect for Collier, which is another reason he started NSLB. “To help a comrade, well, there is no greater feeling,” he says. Currently Collier is running NSLB out of his home. The organization’s goal for next year is to have an office and a recreation center where veterans can come relax, play pool, or read a book. Their five-year goal includes opening 10 locations across the United States and a 10-year goal of 25 offices. NSLB is run by combat veterans, so when branching out, they plan to keep the veteran staff. “This gives them a sense of purpose in life and gives them healing and moving forward and being successful,” Collier says. “That’s what our mission is, to promote success and healing within the veteran community.” NSLB is also focusing on building programs such as health programs, addiction recovery programs, and their mental program, Project Phoenix, which is scheduled to kick off July 1, 2011. Collier is also looking forward to Comrade Camp this summer, where NSLB will take veterans on camping trips. “We will hike out to the location, just like in the military, camp out, conduct therapy sessions around the fire, and get these guys back into what they use to do,” says Collier, “getting them motivated and back into society.” Along with the many exciting happenings within NSLB, Collier recently began participating in the Wounded Warrior Project’s Soldier Ride. “I have looked up to the Wounded Warrior Project. I look up to them to take direction,” he says. “A lot of my success is because of their success.”

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The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is a nonprofit organization founded in 2003 and headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida with several locations throughout the United States. According to their Web site, WWP began when several veterans and friends, greatly moved by the stories of the first wounded service members returning home from Afghanistan and Iraq, took action to help others in need. The program started providing comfort items to wounded service members and grew into a complete rehabilitative effort to assist warriors as they recover and transition back to civilian life.

“You can still do the same things, you just do them differently,” -Kraus Through the WWP, Soldier Ride was started in 2004 by Chris Carney, Nick Kraus, Peter Honerkamp, Reggie Cornelia, and Tek Vakalaloma. Like the founders of the WWP, these men wanted to help injured soldiers. What began as concert fundraiser grew into cycling across country. After raising $10,000, Carney began the ride, with Honerkamp and Kraus in charge of logistics. While trekking across country, Carney was recognized by two soldiers stationed at Fort Carson in Colorado—Heath Calhoun and Ryan Kelly—who, with one leg between them, joined the efforts. “It was really inspiring,” Kraus says. “It showed the newly wounded in hospitals that you can lose both your legs and still go out and ride mountains in Colorado on a bicycle or handcycle.” This spread so much awareness and by the next year all three men, two soldiers, one civilian, rode 4,600 miles together across the country, joined in different cities by groups of other wounded veterans. “It just took off from there,” explains Kraus. “We raised millions of dollars and started giving it to the WWP, which at that time was a small operation.” Eventually the two melded together, now spreading awareness wherever they go. Soldier Ride has gone across the country three times and has completed approximately 100 regional rides. “We have done hundreds of rides,” Kraus explains in regards to program rides and registered rides. Program rides will not be found on their Web site, for they are available for the warriors only. These rides focus on the rehabilitation of the soldiers, letting them bond with one another, get out of the hospital, and see what they can still do now that things are different. “You can still do the same things, you just do them differently,” Kraus says. “As one warrior put it, ‘It’s the new normal.’” Collier was introduced to the WWP Soldier Ride by another veteran nonprofit. “I thought, this would help me break out of my shell and get me comfortable with my service, my discharge, and what I am doing now,” he says. Collier admits to not being too involved in ‘fun’ situations since his return from Iraq in 2003. “This was a breaking moment for me,” he said. After arriving at the race, Collier met Kraus. “The next morning I get out there and Nick Kraus introduced himself, thanked me for my service, and we shared a few stories,” Collier says. “What blew my mind is that Nick, who is not even a veteran, started Soldier Ride to help raise funds for Wounded Warriors, and create events for guys like me to come out, get healthy and motivated again.” “I told him, ‘Wow, you did all of this for me.’” 25-year-old Dave Smith, Miami Soldier Ride former Marine, who served V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

f e a t u r e with Alpha Company, First Battalion, Forth Marine Regiment in Iraq from 2003 to 2007, was also empowered by the WWP Soldier Ride. Former Marine, Clay Hunt, who committed suicide March 31, 2011, was responsible for getting Smith involved in the San Diego WWP, along with the San Diego Soldier Ride. “I was trying to help him get readjusted to civilian life and he actually ended up helping me out more than I was helping him,” Smith says of his relationship with Hunt. Upon his return home, Smith, like many soldiers, thought little of any issues that needed to be dealt with. “People don’t really realize they have issue to take care of,” he says. “When they come home they are angry or upset, they can’t hold relationships together, they have depression, anxiety, or they can’t sleep at night. They think it’s Soldier Ride San Diego normal, which is what I thought for a longest time.” These reactions are normal, but dealing with them immediately, before they escalate, is a must. This is where the WWP can help. “What I see, is that the biggest way to really get help, get things off your chest, and become comfortable talking to people, is to be around other veterans and other people who understand,” Smith says, referring to the WWP Soldier Ride. “I was able to go on the ride and meet a lot of great people and make a lot of friends. These people, since the ride, have called and e-mailed me asking how I was, offering help.” Kraus became speechless and somewhat emotional when touching on how the WWP actually affects soldiers. “Whether it’s a 72-hour trip or a week-long trip together, you can see the difference within the day,” says Kraus. “I have seen people that didn’t smile for the first five hours they were there and you couldn’t take the grin off their face by day two.” The WWP Soldier Ride helps soldiers reclaim their confidence and strength through the rapture of cycling. “When I finished the ride I felt amazing,” Smith says. “I was actually able to sit down and talk to my girlfriend for the first time about Iraq.” According to Kraus, the WWP Soldier Ride is trying to do something that has never been done before: run a program that is rehabilitative; raise awareness; and also do fundraising. Wounded Warrior, Soldier Ride, and No Soldier Left Behind are advocates for helping soldiers mentally, physically, and even financially gain their lives back and readjust within society. Most will never know the horrors soldiers have known, will never feel the pain they have felt, and will never be able to relate to the agonies they have gone through, but listening and raising money can make a difference in their lives.

For more information on how to get involved in any of these inspiring organizations, check out Soldier Ride at www.sr.woundedwarriorproject.org, Wounded Warrior at www.woundedwarriorproject.org, and No Soldier Left Behind at www.no-soldierleft-behind.org. Amanda Hinds Doyle is a graduate from Kent State University with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications. She is currently a staff writer for Vision Magazine and the Go Green blogger for Examiner.com. Contact her at 330.858.0445 or amandahinds@visionmagazine.com.

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To Write Love on Her Arms A conversation with Jamie Tworkowski Founder and Creative Director by Sydney L. Murray uch a poetic name come out of a terrible situation. A friend of Jaime’s cut on her arm a self-directed profanity and later on he thought, I just want to “Write love on her arms.” Out of him helping his friends out when he could not find medical assistance, an organization was born. This very heartfelt organization writes on their Website, “You were created to love and be loved. You were meant to live life in relationship with other people, to know and be known. You need to know that your story is important and that you’re part of a bigger story. You need to know that your life matters. We live in a difficult world, a broken world. My friend Byron is very smart – he says that life is hard for most people most of the time. We believe that everyone can relate to pain, that all of us live with questions, and all of us get stuck in moments. You need to know that you’re not alone in the places you feel stuck. We all wake to the human condition. We wake to mystery and beauty but also to tragedy and loss. Millions of people live with problems of pain. Millions of homes are filled with questions – moments and seasons and cycles that come as thieves and aim to stay. We know that pain is very real. It is our privilege to suggest that hope is real, and that help is real.”

Vision Magazine: How has creating this organization changed your life? Jamie Tworkowski: It has changed in a lot of ways. This week I have been on an airplane every single morning and I have been speaking at colleges every single night and so there are some practical and simple examples like that. I have been able to see the whole country and [have] been to Australia and the United Kingdom and Canada, places I never thought I would go though this organization. So many surprising doors have opened and I have gotten to meet some incredible people and I have been invited to some really unique gatherings. The biggest way my life has changed is that I am so grateful that I get to do a job I believe in and I get to bring my heart to work and I know not everyone feels that way about their job. I love that I get to talk about things that I believe in very much. I also appreciate that I get to be creative. I was in sales before and this is a much better fit for me. It’s also fair to say there’s more that falls on me now in terms of responsibility, attention, and criticism, but it’s more than worth it. The good far outweighs the bad. VM: How has delivering your message given you hope? JT: We are definitely motivated and encouraged to keep going by the stories of lives changing. They come in over e-mail, Facebook or Twitter or even handwritten notes. I get to experience more of these stories in person by meeting people at V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

events. If we didn’t get to see the flip side of people taking those steps [to change] and [see] lives changing it could easily get discouraging. We also hear the stories of people who are in the middle of very trying situations, as well as families who have lost someone to addiction or suicide. I have learned that this work is a marathon, it’s not a sprint, so if I am really committed to this work and this conversation, I think you learn about boundaries and you learn how to be healthy and you learn how to take care of me. You can’t be on all the time every day. I am totally an introvert so I have to have some time to recharge and I have to remember my own story and my own health. VM: What is one thing that people could do to create positive change in their life? JT: I think just to pursue honest relationships. Sometimes we call that a support system, sometimes we call that community, but a lot of people live very much alone. Especially when it comes to issues like depression, addiction and selfinjury and suicide, and a lot of that is based on the stigma and the shame and the confusion that keeps this stuff silent. But we really believe that if people would be willing to take that first step to open up or just be honest and they would realize that they are not alone. These issues are often born in secret and they continue on as secrets. We all need a support system, other people who know us, other people who share the weight of our struggles and questions. Often times, these are friends, and sometimes we need to lean on professionals such as counseling and drug treatment. VM: How do you think we can transform pain into something meaningful? JT: I think pain allows us to relate to other people’s pain because we have been through something and maybe that is the short simple answer. I think healing, especially when it is difficult and deep, takes time and maybe in some ways there are some wounds that will always be there to some degree. Like a parent who has lost a son or a daughter to suicide, it’s not something that will every completely go away. Our pain allows us to relate to other people’s pain. For example, someone that has experienced heartbreak can use experience to relate to someone else walking through something similar. It doesn’t make things easier, but it’s good to be reminded we’re not alone when it comes to pain. VM: Poetry of Motion is our theme this month. Is there poetry in the work that you do? JT: I think for me, from where it came from and an inspiration for poetic languages is from music and from that it is primarily lyrics The only poet that I am aware of is Anis Mojgani. He is a guy that has become a friend that we really love; you can find him on YouTube. For me music is poetry and that is where it came from.

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f e a t u r e We hear from people who say they’re still alive because of TWLOHA, (To Write Love On Her Arms) whether that’s something they read on one of our Websites or something they heard at one of our events. I can’t imagine hearing anything more rewarding. VM: Your life is a poem and the lyricism of living. You running from plane to plane offers so much. JT: I am not a doctor or a counselor and I didn’t grow up wanting to run a charity so all of this has happened by accident. There has been a lot of freedom to communicate in the way that we want to and I love to write, and that comes kind of naturally. I am not going to write in a way that is clinical; that is not me and not my perspective. I just try to write with my [own] voice. Often times, we feel stuck in a moment or experience that’s painful. The idea of letting go feels impossible. And I think it’s also true to say we run from our pain. We use motion or distractions to avoid dealing with the stuff that’s hard. In my own life, it’s often easier when I’m away and busy on the road for events. When I come home, there are less distractions and I have to deal with my pain. VM: Why do you think there is stigma about depression and self-injury? JT: People have a hard time with things that they don’t understand and people have a hard time with things outside our comfort zone. I think we tend to repeat what we know to be normal. Or what we know to be okay, and for most of us we haven’t seen it modeled where we are allowed to be vulnerable and allowed to talk about things that are difficult. That’s why I think that continues to play out. I think the stigma comes from the fact that most people don’t understand it and so depression for a lot of people is this mysterious thing that’s hard to define, because it’s not something we learn about growing up. And there’s this unspoken lie that it’s not something you talk about. And so we associate it with these heavy labels and because of that, people are afraid of being misunderstood or judged. The reality is it’s something that millions of people struggle with. It’s part of being human. VM: What is the best way to reach out to someone that you know is in pain or is hurting themselves? JT: I think it depends on the relationship, but in friendship you can lean on the fact that there has been trust built. And we just encourage people to be honest. We have a counselor friend that we do a lot of work with and he talks about a balance of honesty and compassion and how you really need both in most situations. And how you need to be compassionate even though you might need to say something that is really difficult. Or even something that they don’t want to hear. But we just encourage people to be honest. If you are concerned, say that you are concerned. If you have questions, ask those questions. I think it is okay to break the silence. I don’t think there’s an easy answer but I believe that we can find that answer if we pursue honest relationships, as well as professional help such as counseling and V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

To Write Love on Her Arms is a non‐profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self‐injury and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery. treatment if our past is something that’s controlling our present. VM: What is your vision for a better world? JT: I think that the vision and the hope is that people will begin to talk about these things and to connect with other people. And that people pursue relationships that are honest so that people wouldn’t have to feel alone in their pain. There are a lot of problems on this planet and a lot of complex situations and for me I don’t have the answers to everything but I feel that it is a privilege to spend time working on these needs and this conversation, as it is related to the problems of mental health and emotional pain. The hard part is that we can’t control the response of the people we care about. Their choices are theirs to make. All we can do is love them in a way that is both honest and compassionate. We have to continue to express our concern and ask the hard questions, while letting them know our love is unconditional. We want people to stay alive and we want people to experience true freedom, to be free from the life-controlling issues that we’re talking about. We’re not saying it’s easy but we’re willing to say it’s worth fighting for. VM: Why is loving someone the easiest and the hardest thing we can do? JT: It is easy when it is easy [laughs] and it is hard when it hard. We can’t control the response that love is met with, like when you are talking about someone struggling with depression or addiction, those situations are really painful. Even with my friend Renee, who I wrote about, there were people who loved her for months and months before I met her and they did their best to help her. For whatever reasons she pushed them away and I think a lot of it was just timing and for some reason she wanted to get help when my friends and I met her. There were a lot of people who loved her and probably felt really discouraged because they didn’t get to see the results right away. I think that is a hard one because we want continued on page 41

M AY 20 11

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Classes and MASSAGE. Also check for BUDDHA SUTRA Studies, HATHA & ASHTANGA Yoga going on every week.Call for info. 619-296-1150.4247 Park Blvd.S.D. CA 92103. 08.11 RETAIL & SERVICE CENTER THE IMAGINE CENTER in Tarzana, CA offers intuitive readings, aura photographs/ analysis, and retail merchandise for spiritual enrichment and personal empowerment. Offering includes books, candles, incense, jewelry, statuary, tarot/oracle cards, plus an extensive collection of crystals and stones. Retail store hours: Tuesday-Friday 10am to 7pm; Saturday and Sunday 11am to 5pm; closed on Monday. Call 818.345.1100 or visit online at www.theimaginecenter.com for info on classes and special events and to schedule services. The Imagine Center is located at 18635 Ventura Boulevard, Tarzana, CA 91356. Walk-ins welcome. SALES ASSOCIATE VISION MAGAZINE IS CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR TALENTED/ENTHUSIASTIC SALES ASSOCIATES. This is a commission based position. Excellent money making potential for the right Holistic minded person. Please send resumes to sales@visionmagazine or call Sydney at 866-804-8444.

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WELLNESS PSYCHIC SUPPORT SOMETHING MISSING IN YOUR LIFE? Assistance may await you at The Imagine Center, the West Valley’s premiere metaphysical and spiritual service center. Our psychic readers act as a bridge to the authentic you, empowering self-knowledge, conﬁrmation and afﬁrmation. We help you make wise choices to manifest your dreams and goals by serving as a conduit to your Higher Self, delivering messages from your soul to your conscious mind. Our spiritual healers hold the space for your natural healing power to emerge to cleanse, purify, rebalance and renew your mind, body and spirit. Use our online appointment calendar at http://www.theimaginecenter.com or call 818.345.1100 to book an appointment, today! Service hours are Tues-Fri 10am7pm, Sat & Sun 11-5 (closed Mondays). The Imagine Center is located at 18635 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, CA 91356. Walkins welcome.

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Rejuvenation Festival: Conscious Music, Wellness, and Eco-Fair by Jahred Namaste’ hat do you get when you add two stages of amazing music, rows and rows of eco-vendors, all-day free yoga classes, an alternative healing village, a 30-foot dome, several tipis, a beautiful Santa Cruz park, and a deep intent for global healing and transformation? Santa Cruz Rejuvenation Festival, that’s what! How can we make it even better? How about adding in some Native American storytelling, a tea garden, carnival games by Sustainable Living Roadshow, and delicious organic food, AND offer free admission to all! Thanks to our wonderful sponsors, Rejuvenation Festival, or Re-Fest as we lovingly call it, is a free, community-supported event, and you’re invited! The main stage will feature music by master kora player Youssoupha Sidibe, reggae artist Jah Levi and the Higher Reasoning, the 80-voice Inner Light Choir, Shimshai, Diane Patterson, Love Eternal, Eric and Oriana of Soul Majestic, Ap-

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preciation Nation, and The Mystic Truebudoors. The Duck Island stage will kick things off with an amazing performance by Watsonville Taiko and have several other performances throughout the day including Singing Wood Marimba and Yabas Dance Company. But the entertainment/inspiration doesn’t stop there. The park will be alive with games, booths, sound healers, live artists, information tables, and so much more, including a special offering by Sustainable Living Roadshow and opening words by Rev. Deborah L. Johnson of Inner Light Ministries. Rejuvenation Festival features something for everyone, whether it’s the all-day free yoga classes, the incredible music, the healers village, the aisles of eco-vendors, including some festival favorites like Synergy Clothing, Coco Loco jewelry, Lydia’s Lovin’ Foods, and Nectar clothing, or just the healing vibration of gathering together with like-minded folks under the beautiful Santa Cruz sunshine to celebrate the goodness of life. You could even win a raffle for an electric scooter courtesy of Green Station. No matter what your interest, Santa Cruz Rejuvenation Festival has you covered. So much love and community support has gone into making this event what it is. Our sponsors are not only helping make it possible, but each and every one of them is also helping in their own way to create a better world through their products and services. Among the many sponsors are Klean Kanteen, New Leaf Community Markets, Green Station, Connection Magazine, DiviniTree, Vision Magazine, Coconut Bliss, Pacific Domes, EcoTeas, Harmony Festival, and the Lotus Guide. Please show them some love, as they have shown us much. The Rejuvenation Festival will take place on Saturday, May 14 in San Lorenzo Park, Santa Cruz, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is an after party planned with Rocker T and the Mor Luv Band that evening at DiviniTree Art and Yoga Studio, located at 1043B Water St., Santa Cruz, CA 95062. More information about the festival can be found at www.RejuvenationFestival.com. You can also RSVP to the official event invite via Facebook. If you would like to volunteer or have something you want to share with us, e-mail rejuvenation@loveeternal.org. Jahred Namaste’ is the event coordinator for this event as well as a member of the musical collective, Love Eternal. More information about Love Eternal can be found at www.LoveEternal.org or by e-mailing loveeternal@loveeternal.org.

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M AY 20 11

The New World F.E.S.T. Opens Summer Season at Santa Monica Beach: A Celebration of Cool Science, a Smart Future, and the Greening of the Planet Santa Monica is a city known nationwide for its commitment to sustainability and the environment. So it is no surprise that The New World F.E.S.T. will be held in Santa Monica on June 24-26, 2011 at a beachfront location. The New World F.E.S.T. is an outdoor festival and exposition that celebrates eco-friendliness and forward-thinking science and technology. There are 150 exhibitors and six stages of entertainment, with live music, innovative demos, lectures, seminars, and panel discussions from experts and authors, plus natural cooking workshops and product showcases. There is an eco-theater screening environmentally focused films, a series of sustainable art exhibits, a “spiritual oasis” with healing techniques, yoga, and therapeutic massage, and futuristic technology such as virtual reality and car-planes, which will appeal to all ages. The New World F.E.S.T. is a family-friendly event, with children’s art, a spotlight on high school science fair winners, and, of course, robots. “The real goal of this show is helping people behave as a singular community focused on building toward ‘a smart future,’” says event producer Howard Mauskopf. “And since we are a festival, it is done in an entertaining way. Our goal is to expand the market for green, which means we cannot just cater to the converted. There are so many people on the cusp of embracing sustainability, so we’ve designed the F.E.S.T. for them, too—lively, interactive and full of illustration, in the hopes that all those attending become more proactive.”

“The real goal of this show is helping people behave as a singular community focused on building toward ‘a smart future”

Dean Kubani is the Director of the City of Santa Monica’s Office of Sustainability and the Environment. He sees The F.E.S.T. as an important addition to the city’s commitment to eco-awareness. “In Santa Monica, sustainability is of paramount importance and the protection of our environment of paramount concern,” says Kubani. “The New World F.E.S.T. will be an important event, further expanding awareness in our community. We are pleased to see it happen here.” Sponsor and exhibitor positions are currently being filled, with additional information available on the event Web site. “Everyone taking part will benefit on many levels,” says Director of Exhibits, Kacy Palmieri. “We’re providing a platform for not only companies and brands that offer eco-friendly products and services, but also for those who embrace community outreach and have demonstrated other levels of social responsibility. It is a fun, festive, and educational environment and will reach tens of thousands of attendees.” The New World F.E.S.T. will be located south of the Santa Monica Pier at the intersection of Ocean Park and the beach. The hours are: Friday, June 24 from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, June 25 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, June 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adult admission is $12; children 14 and under $8; infant and toddlers free. Admission includes all music, speakers, seminars, stage activities, and access to all exhibits. For more information on the event, visit www.thenewworldfest. com or call 855.500.FEST(3378).

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M AY 20 11

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The Poetry of Transformation with Irene Margolis he poetry of transformation is a potent step within us all. Irene Margolis has been teaching transformation and changing lives at the Chopra Center for many years. Her vision for her teachings, entitled Transformation Circles, illuminates the concept of transformation. The poetic struggle to change one’s thoughts and therefore one’s life begins with the concept of transformation that has often been used to define someone or something seeking a different form or ways of being. If you dissect the word itself you will find that the word means something or someone in transit or on their way to a different formation, hence trans-formation. It is not the same as change; change is temporary whereas transformation is permanent and evolutionary. If you change yourself or a way of being you have the possibility to go back to being the way you started. When you transform there is no turning back. It’s as though you were a worm and all of a sudden you have metamorphosed into a beautiful butterfly. “It’s the action that nourishes you and everyone else that is influenced by that action,” says Margolis.

As we are all aware, karma derives from a set of actions we put into motion. When we act upon something, we are giving our karmic patterns the structure they need to manifest. Making each decision in our life comes with a set of outcomes unique to that decision so when you choose an action that you are not in alignment with, you will see less than appealing results. Act upon the things that resonate with the things that make sense and feel good for you. This action will create harmony and focus in your life, and you will be able to breathe easier, for all of life has created itself in the reflection of your actions. You are a wondrous creator and are here to act in a harmonious and blissful manner so you can attract more of those moments that create the life you desire. Margolis continues, “Think about your options and choose those that will serve you and bring you the most joy and then release all doubt or hesitation. Act upon that which will be an abundance of both good and beauty within your heart and mind. It is such an honor to be alive during this lifetime because it gives us the chance to be free and to make choices and act upon those choices in order to view life from many different perspectives. Those perspectives allow us to learn many life lessons in which we grow from and ultimately keep with us for all life times to come. So be the hero or heroine in your personal movie and create amazing karmic patterns.” For more information on Transformation Circles and Irene Margolis, visit www.mytransformationcircles.com or contact tony@mytransformationcircles.com or 858. 997.9911.

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Finding The Sweet Life by Bernadette Luckett pirituality is like ice cream. There are a multitude of flavors, but it’s all ice cream. Some people like Mint Chocolate Chip, and some like Butter Pecan. Find the flavor you like, and stick with it. I first attended a More Truth Will Set You Free workshop in Spokane, Washington six years ago. My friend had told me about this Irish guy, Derek O’Neill, who did these incredible spiritual healing workshops. The timing was right so I decided to check it out. The workshop took place in a hotel that had several events going on simultaneously: a banking convention; a meeting of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas; and a fundraiser for a local children’s charity. I weaved my way through a maze of welcome desks and found the More Truth Will Set You Free table. They seemed way too friendly, something that, at the time, instantly aroused my suspicion. I signed in and took a seat near the back, happy to just observe the goings on from a safe distance. A hushed quiet came over the room as Derek O’Neill entered. A handsome, sturdy-looking Irishman with short-cropped white hair, he took the stage in silence, slowly pacing back and forth, looking intently at the audience. We held our breath as the tension built, waiting to hear some poignant, life-changing, spiritual wisdom pour forth. He opened his mouth and with a lyrical Irish brogue chimed, “Welcome to the Catholic Daughters’ Society.” The room erupted in laughter and I was sold. He had me with a

h o l i s t i c b u s i n e s s joke. This spiritual guy had a sense of humor about it all. He was down-to-earth, personable, extremely entertaining, plus was full of wisdom. This wasn’t going to be some dry, over-our-head, holier-than-we-can-ever-attain offering that would leave us dazzled, overwhelmed and confused. I had found my flavor of ice cream. What happened in that workshop was incredible, divinely orchestrated, written by the Master Poet. There was discourse, questions, music, and meditations. During one particular meditation, a song was played to bring the Father energy into the room. Feelings of rejection from my own father rose to the surface and the dam burst; a flood of emotion poured out of me and I cried like I never had before. In a second, a cold breeze blew through my entire body, followed by a hand placed on my back, and one on my upper chest. And with these motions, I felt supported, strengthened. It soothed the hurt and quieted the weeping. The hands were removed and Derek O’Neill walked away. Something shifted in me that day. All the hurt and sadness I had felt about my father left me. I still recall events, but it’s like telling someone about a movie you’ve seen. It’s just a story now. The emotional pain connected to that story has been eliminated. I’ve had many more profound experiences in Derek O’Neill’s workshops since that first one in Spokane, and like ice cream, I’m sticking with the same flavor. The taste has never been sweeter.

V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

Bernadette Luckett is a writer and member of SQ Wellness, an organization of like-minded people from all walks of life who believe that through personal development, unity, consciousness, and service to others, we can transform lives. Please visit the SQ Wellness Web site, www.sq-wellness.com. Also visit www.21daysofenlightenments. com to learn about Luckett’s and Ian Hoge’s workbook, 21 Days of Enlightenments: A Guided Journey of Service.

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The Dance of the Snail by Daphne Carpenter he was stuck to a concrete wall next to a drinking fountain when I first saw her—the little snail. I noticed her when I bent down to get a drink of water. She had left a shimmery trail of slime all the way down to the ground and over to the flower bed. I was all alone by the pool in Palm Springs, with no other humans in sight. It was just me and the creatures. That weekend I felt particularly susceptive to the animals. The sun had dissolved most of the mental debris I’d accumulated that year, and the solitude of the desert was my friend. I kept myself hydrated (as tanning and lounging can be quiet draining)—going from pool chair, to drinking fountain, to the bathroom, to take a quick dip, back to the drinking fountain. I enjoyed having no company. Well now there was this little snail. With child-like curiosity, I wondered what she was doing up there (she was at the height level of my face). I looked closer to study the detailed design in her spiral shell—what perfect symmetry! And her black markings were so meticulously drawn (dripped and woven it seemed) over a delicate bed of a honey-colored shell. It was art perfected. I was entranced, and this is going to sound silly, but also I just felt drawn to her quietness and how she exhibited such a Zen-like sense of just “being,” without even knowing she was doing so. I pried her off the concrete wall. I know I totally invaded her world and her moment, but I just couldn’t resist. I wasn’t thinking kindly. It’s just that I wanted to get a better look at those weird little eyes! Those

protruding little eyes—like tiny antennas! Holding her in my clutches, she soon realized she was just hovering in mid-air, no longer glued to the cool, scratchy, secure concrete wall. So instinctively, her tiny eyeballs began their smooth and effortless descent downward into the little antennas. Then the antennas rolled down into the mush head, then the mush head into body. Next thing I knew her whole body was in its shell. I was sad that I made her go away. But that sequence of movement was poetry in motion—you should have seen it! So now the snail was gone, but still there at the same time. I didn’t mean to intrude, really I didn’t. But I realized that her going away was a consequence of my insensitivity. I called out to her. “Snaily (the best name I could give her), please come back.” My tone was soft and kind, but she didn’t respond. I waited though. ™ Still nothing. She Energetic Cosmetic™ Skin Spray just stayed up in her protective layer as if she was nice and comfortable Revitalizes “water of youth” in skin in a little cave, and it didn’t Restores luster and smoothness Improves skin elasticity by up to 50% seem like she was planning to reemerge any time soon. But I just had to have my way. I’d have to gain her trust first though. Age Defying Youthful Then I remembered that around that time I had read an Beauty That Improves article that discussed animals’ susceptivity to mantra (under with Every Bottle the pretense that mantra is rhythmic and consistent, and if not, soothing). Hmm… I’m eccentric like that, why not OR Your chant to a snail? Then I started to chant a chant I had on Money Back! CD. Asato maa sat gamaya.The first verse came out strong. Tamaso maa jyotir gamaya. THE AGELESS SECRET is the Energetic Cosmetic Giant birds danced in the air. They called out, I called that helps recreate that healthy, youthful glow. back. Mrityor maa amritam gamaya, I continued. This all natural and organic product restores skin luster and smoothness and reconditions and tones Rust-colored lizards scampered across the ground under muscles to give long term results. my feet. They darted around the pool, the chairs, and into and around the flowerbeds. Results further enhanced by LED Beauty Light. Asato maa sat gamaya, I repeated. For more information about THE AGELESS SECRET I didn’t know why, but I felt like this could work. The Call Paula or Jim at energy level of the area seemed to stabilize through my own 888.424.4247 or 760.341.2255 calmness (chanting can be meditational, you can chant www.AgelessSecret.com anything, it’s not a religious thing, just a focusing of energy).

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I felt as though I was somehow summoning the forces of nature. A slight, warm breeze passed through and I felt more centered. Then guess what? After about a minute, amazingly, the snail was back! I couldn’t believe it!Through her iridescent bubbles she began to extend outward and her crazy little eyes were the last things to appear. They seem to have rolled out of her head as smoothly as silk unfolding. Now she was six inches away from my face and we were staring right at each other. I started to laugh because communication barriers between human and mollusk had begun to dissolve and her little face looked funny. I kept chanting under the assumption that this creature must have, liked the chant. Asato maa sat gamaya. I was transfi xed. I felt like I was singing an alien song to an alien being, and now she was my little friend. I twisted her around to get a better look at the spiral, and then strangely enough, we began to understand each other on a different level—now there were no pretenses. The symbolism of the cycle of life suddenly became very clear in my mind, life as an infinite spiral—non-linear, never ending, always transforming. It was as if the snail, with her intimate knowledge of the spiral, was enlightening me about it. The Golden Ratio (1.61803399) governs the geometric patterns in the natural world on Earth and extends out into the galaxy systems. It’s a mathematical constant that’s precise in all of nature. Known as the Fibonacci number (Phi), this ratio reveals evidence of this symmetry. We see it in spirals, leaves, faces, body proportions, etc. It’s a universal constant of natural design. Evidence of Phi in an object indicates that the object has evolved naturally, alluding to the concept of One mathematical blueprint in the natural world. The snail owes its spiral shape to this equation. By this time my little desert friend continued to respond to me by rising up further out of her shell. Her eyes extended higher up and out and began to oscillate in the breeze. She was dancing, yes, dancing! And singing! The song of nature was the soundtrack—the breeze, the mountains in the background, the cerulean blue sky. With slow, fluid-like movement, the snail became a grand, giant creature. She was one hundred feet tall! Meanwhile, the stamp of infinity continued to hypnotize me. Then wham! It was as if my spirit returned to the orbit of my body and I came out of my trance. I was exhausted. I placed the little alien back onto the wall, where she anchored herself knowingly. I knew she’d find her way back down the kaleidoscopic trail of mucous she had left, where she could make her descent back down into her elaborate garden and eat flowers again. What an experience. I’m always very careful and conscious not to step on snails on the sidewalks after the rain. You should be, too. Always remember the dance of the snail. For Miguel, whose sweetness and love for animals only makes me love you more. Daphne can be reached at daphnestree@hotmail.com and at http://paintzflwrs. blogspot.com/. V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

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and see them envisioning the worms, the hot compost, and the shitake mushrooms that grew each day before their eyes. It is in the food we eat and our relationship with the living soil in which it is grown that all life is supported. Connecting with others who care about the earth gives me hope on a daily basis. Whenever I feel helpless I return to nature and I am nourished and feel reconnected. Through these motions, I find the poetry in living each time I go into a garden. My relationship with nature reinforces that I am a part of a living and human link to all life. In this time of superstores, prepackaged meals, and cheap fast food, we can change our perception as we honor the plant world and give back. Something so very simple as composting in our backyards is a very efficient way of doing our part. It takes less room than you would think. The connection to the living soil can create the impetus to take better care of ourselves and those we love. Our connection to Mother Earth enhances our connection to our bodies. It is a wonderful task to encourage others and that what we put in our mouths can come from our own hands. Cooking and composting go hand in hand with gardening. We are what we eat. Try a small batch and a few plants at first and see what you can harvest in your life. Recycle and grow veggies. We can all do our part in helping give back to the earth, one backyard at a time.

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Pia Hagan is a chef and is available to do workshops in Step by Step Composting for Your Backyard. She is dedicated to sharing her knowledge with others. Let’s save our planet, one kitchen at a time. Please visit www.piahagan.com. Contact her at piahagan@gmail.com and 650.738.1377. Reasons for Composting: 1. Saving landfills. By using what we have in our own backyards and kitchens, we save the landfill and turn kitchen scraps and yard waste into valuable living resources for our gardens.

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“To Write Love On Her Arms” continued from page 27

the best for the people we care about and sometimes we have to watch people live in ways that are really destructive. Because love doesn’t mean control, we don’t get to make the choices for the people we love. We can simply choose to love them. And that means we’re exposed to pain. VM: If you had one hope for the world what would it be? JT: That people would learn to find common ground and would learn to accept

each other. And obviously in a perfect world they would learn to love other people. We need to look at the pain and the terror of war in so many places around the world, as well as poverty, things that aren’t fair or aren’t even right. I think it comes down to the fact that we believe that every life on the planet matters as much as our own and that every life matters equally. I guess for me it would be to see people live out their potential. We wouldn’t let people starve to death, we wouldn’t let people die of diseases that are preventable. We hear that 20 people die in Iraq and we don’t think twice about it, but if 20 people died in this country, we stop everything. I would hope that we would do our best to understand and accept each other instead of trying so hard to be right. For more information or To Write Love On Her Arms visit www.twloha.com or e-mail info@twloha.com.

V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

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focus, more libido? Call 619.814.5500. Planet Earth! Saturday, May 14, 2011 www.chwbonline.com. For LA/SF info about events & on from 1 – 4pm at The Imagine Center, 18635 CORRECTING POSTURE THROUGH Transmission Meditation groups Ventura Boulevard, Tarzana, CA 91356. $45 in advance, $60 at the door. Register YOGA THERAPY Learn alignment in other cities: online at http://www.theimaginecenter. techniques for postural problems & muscle com or by phone at 818.345.1100. imbalances. Open to all levels. San Diego, www.yogawell.com LA: (818) 785-6300 AUSTRALIAN MASTER HEALER MARISA RUSSO DEBUTS FORENSIC MAYSF: 11 –www.sharingforpeace.org WEDNESDAY HEALING SYSTEM in America an FREE SOUL HEALING EVENING & TAO PRACTICE with Master Zhi Gang Sha 6-8pm. www.share-international.org Experience the realm of soul over V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

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SATURDAY MAY 14- SUNDAY MAY 15 TAO HEALING & REJUVENATION WORKSHOP 10am-6pm. Learn the true secrets and practical techniques of healing and rejuvenation with Master Allan Chuck $75 one day. $125 both days. Ventana de Sabino clubhouse, 5345Paseo del la Terraza. For more information 520.576.2424, cpaninja@aol.com. DrSha. com

MAY 16 – MONDAY One-Day Introduction to Pacifica Graduate Institute, Monday, May 16, 2011. This special program has been designed to give prospective students a comprehensive introduction and orientation to the unique educational features of the school. Please visit the Public Programs page at www. pacifica.edu for information about pricing and registration. Or call 805.969.3626 ext. 103. MAY 21 – SATURDAY MAY 21 – YOGA FOR THE PLUS SIZE & NEGLECTED BODY 2:00-5:00 Yoga is for everyone! Learn how to modify poses & a class for practice. San Diego www. yogawell.com MAY 26-29 THURSDAYSUNDAY NLP PRACTTIONER TRAINING – Reserve Your Seat Now! Newport Beach, May26-29. Seats are limited Enroll Today! www.nlp.com or call 800.800.MIND. JUNE 4 JUNE 4 HIMALYAN YOGA TRADITION JOINTS & GLANDS Learn the amazing practice of this subtle yet powerful art. Open to all levels. San Diego, www. yogawell.com JUNE 19 SUNDAY JUNE 19-SATURDAY JUNE 25 TAO HEALING & REJUVENTIONS RETREAT WITH MASTER ZHI GANG SHA 10am-7pm each day. Learn profound ancient secrets and powerful practical techniques to reach the health and purity of a baby with world-renowned healer, divine servant and Tao grandmaster, Master Sha. $350 before May 25, $700 thereafter. The Wigwam Resort, Lichtfield Park. For more information 888.339.6815, customerservice@drsha.com, Dr.Sha. com. JUNE 25 – SATURDAY SAVE THE DATE! IMAGINE CENTER’S SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT & WELLNES FAIR. June 25 10am to 5pm under canopy in rear of 18635 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana 91356. 10 minute readings, live Yoga session by yogaworks, face painting for kids, handwriting analysis by Hypnosis Management Institute, guest author Susann Taylor Shier, hourly discounts on retail merchandize, raffle and much more. Call 818.345.1100 for additional information. JUNE 24-26 FRIDAY-SUNDAY THE NEW WORLD ECO-FEST – SANTA MONICA BEACHES – A celebration of Eco-Friendliness, Innovation and forward thinking Science and Technology. www. thenewworldfest.com/santamonica/ AUGUST 11-14 THURSDAYSUNDAY 2011 INTERNATIONAL THEOSOPHY CONFERENCE The Heart of Wisdom, A Concurrence of Science and Spirituality from the Theosophical Perspective. $25 Registration. All are welcome. Call 760.765.1090. www.theosconf.org www. TheosophySanDiego.org.

SEPTEMBER 8-11 THURSDAYSUNDAY 3RD ANNUAL BHAKTI FEST – 80 HOURS OF KIRTAN, 72 YOGA CLASSES, 40 HOURS OF WORKSHOPS. Joshua Tree Retreat Center www.bhaktifest.com 866.992.4258.

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Escondido, CA www.harmonygrovespiritualist.org SUNDAYS FIND THE CENTER OF DIVINITY WITHIN! Inspirational prayers, metaphysical teachings, music, social hour to follow. 10:30a.m.-11:30a.m. Teaching of the Inner Christ 1100 N. Second St. Suite 1114 El Cajon, CA 92021. 619.447.7007 04.11 ONENESS MEDITATION SERVICE –Led by Goddess Light and Ordained Metaphysician Tauheedah Shakoor-Curry. Expanding Light means expanding abilities. Step into your vaster self. Align, Renew. Give, Receive higher light. Join us for inspiration and meditation 11am-1pm at The Imagine Center, 18635 Ventura Blvd, Tarzana, CA 91356. Each participant receives a higher light reading. $10 minimum donation. Register at 818.345.1100 or online at www. theimaginecenter.com. (Note: Group does NOT meet on the fourth Sunday of the month.) SUNDAYS SPICA – WAY OF LIGHT INSPIRATIONAL SERVICES 2nd Sunday of the month at 10am, 4th Sunday at 9am. Myztic Isle Bookstore, 8036 La Mesa Blvd, La Mesa, CA. 619.588.6483 for information. MONDAYS FREE PSYCHIC READINGS every FIRST Monday 7:30p.m. by students in Vessa’s INTUITIVE INSIGHTS Clairvoyant Program, 4455 Morena Blvd. #108, 858.509.7582 www.MyIntuition.Net 06.11

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COMPASSIONATE COMMUNICATION TELESEMIAR. 6:30pm. Enhance fulfilling relationships, self-connection and spiritual qualities with innovative compassionate communication skills. Ongoing 45 min. teleseminar $12 All experience levels. Rick@walkyourtalk.org www.walkyourtalk. org 805.898.9336. $8 BEGINNERS YOGA CLASSES Monday @ 6:00p.m. Tuesday @ 5:30 p.m. 2333 Camino del Rio South #240 92108 www.yogawell.com 619.917.0998 MIRACULOUS MONDAYS Complimentary Holistic Health classes 6-7, 7-8 or 6-10p.m. Zen-Touch & Massage sessions 8:15-9:15p.m. (by donation or Massage CEUs available $15/hr). School of Healing Arts, 1001 Garnet Ave. #200, Pacific Beach, 92109. Contact Joy to register. 619.316.6714. joy@zen-touch. com. 05.11 TUESDAYS CLINICAL NUTRITION (CNC)™ Full Certification. Special Discounts. Most comprehensive training from nationally honored Nutritionists. Revised! 7:009:55p.m. Natural Healing Institute, 760.943.8485, www.naturalhealinginst. com. AROMATHERAPY CLASS Every Tuesday 7-9pm Amrita Wellness Center, 7820 Ivanhoe Ave., La Jolla CA, 92037 858.779.9120. $25 per class www. drmatea.com WEDNESDAYS MIRACLE CIRCLE MEDITATION Connect with your inner divinity through deep meditation, inspirational prayers, and group discussion. 7p.m.-8p.m. Teaching of the Inner Christ 1100 N. Second St. Suite 1114 El Cajon, CA 92021. 619.447.7007 08.11 THURSDAYS FREE DETOXIFICATION AND WEIGHT LOSS CLASS 1st Thursday of every month. 6:30p.m. Easy and successful program. Register @ Body Basics Health Center, San Diego. 619.296.7390 06.11 FRIDAYS HAPPINESS CLASSES - Based on the lifehealing teachings of VERNON HOWARD, Fridays - 8p.m.; Sundays - 10a.m. New Life Foundation, 5779 Westminster Blvd., Westminster, CA. 714.899.9300 Conquer stress, handle difficult people with ease, banish problems. Donation basis. 06.11 SATURDAYS PSYCHIC SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES WITH CORRINE – This practice circle meets on the first and third Saturday of each month. All levels are welcome. The focus of this circle is spiritual growth and healing. We work with various objects and meditations during each session. We also share practical exercises to enhance your intuitive abilities. Come share your Light on 5/7 and 5/21from 1-3pm at the Imagine Center, 18635 Ventura Blvd, Tarzana, CA 91356. $15 minimum donation. Register at 818-345-1100 or online at www. theimaginecenter.com.

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“Poetry of Motion” continued from page 6

buzz unique in that, for me, I’ve only found such feelings by immersing myself outdoors and moving amongst it. My favorite such activity is sliding through snow, down a mountain. Not just in the traditional sense of using a ski area’s lift services to access that feeling, but in the human powered sense of hiking up to ski down. Sure you put in a lot more effort, sometimes hiking for hours on end just for one little “run” down a mountain. But that’s what helps lock in the experience. When I find myself taking step after step ascending through a forest covered in snow, only to emerge on the top of a peak some time later, the time and action it took to walk for that period of time is just as profound as the different feelings I get from going down. With each step, your body settles into working in a way that you can continue gaining verticality. You notice the snow conditions a little more. You notice the lake beaming off in the distance, the sun’s intensity and reflection off the snowpack, and the bird chirping just a few hundred feet away. By the time you’ve crested to the point of where you plan to stop, there’s already a special feeling that’s been generated by your continuous movement. It feels smooth, as your steps just were, and the simplicity in going for a walk and moving along these natural features is almost as beautiful as the words our great leaders for peace have spoken in the past. On the way down, you fly. Not like a bird, not like a plane—like a person. All snow types elicit a different sensation, but when the snow is light, fresh, and deep, you’re fully moving down a suspended cushion of air. It feels like you’re flying, or rather, it just feels good. Watching my friends and others who are studied in this craft partake in this activity is sublime. Each turn they make is like the verse to a beautiful poem, and when it’s my turn I’ve never felt more like an artist drawing my own track through a fresh canvas of snow. When the work is done and you look back up to see how your piece came out, you’re fortunate to judge if indeed the physical end product of your tracks looks as good as it felt to create. The greatest gift lies in the choice to go back up and do all again. It’s nothing but the chance to take on another work in progress through the poetry you create in motion. But perhaps the true gift lies in what went into creating your poetry on the way up as well as the way down. That feeling is so special that it wouldn’t make sense to just keep it to yourself for personal pleasure. So it stays with you throughout your day. The poetry you created through motion that day then finds its way into other aspects of your life, sometimes focusing other forms of epics you are connected to in life in ways unimaginable had it not been for the short time you spent moving amongst the earth and all its many gifts just a few hours earlier. Brennan Lagasse is a writer and environmental consultant living in Lake Tahoe, CA. His book, Waiting for the Snow to Fall: First Nations, Federal Policy, and Environmental Justice, explores the tenets of holistic sustainable land-use policy applied and understood through critical examination of the plan to expand the Arizona Snowbowl ski resort near Flagstaff, AZ. He can be reached at brennanlagasse@ hotmail.com. “The New View Is At Hand” continued from page 15

Sustainable design can be architectural, abundant, and even lush with creative attention to microclimate conditions. Our connection to the land is a sacred connection that deserves mindful consideration in order to sustain our ecosystem and nurture individuals, which in turn nurtures the community and our planet. I invite you to read about my 14 Point Stress-Reduction Design on our Web site and to contact us to learn more about how we can work with you from afar or from our own town of Los Angeles, California. Our landscape designs provide many benefits. Some of the wellness benefits include: meditative sanctuaries; ambient water sounds; connection to geography and place; inspiring environments; multi-sensory therapies; outdoor living and soV I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

cializing; experiential destinations in the garden; cognitive and memory care gardens; all-age playscapes; and transcendence through fire features. Our ecological benefits are: conserved water and power resources; reduced water run-off pollution; reduced maintenance efforts; healthier soil; and restored native ecologies. Other benefits include: potential income from event rental; reduced maintenance and water costs; and claim added living space. Conscious Living Landscapes is the vision of Ketti Kupper, MFA, artist, designer, educator and philosopher, well known for her work in a number of creative fields. Ketti’s award-winning gardens and all-weather art have gained national attention by managing all aspects of the design-build process, from the initial concept and space planning to the hand-selected materials, art, and imagery. These unique solutions and “green” options come with over a decade of garden making experience, and 30 years in fine and applied art production and leadership. Please visit www.KettiKupper.com or www.ConsciousLivingLandscapes.com, or call 323.868.3558.

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Elen Alosa was born in the Ukraine and attended art school there during childhood. Although she began playing basketball professionally, art was still and continues to be her passion which she enjoys creating in her free time. For her, art has expanded her knowledge and imagination. Elen loves bright colors in artwork because they contribute to a more positive mood and make her feel better as a whole in her daily life. She mostly creates images on moods of particular moments or experiences. Elen especially enjoys playing with lighting and colors that create a special atmosphere. She has many areas of expertise, including: digital art; painting; photo manipulation; design; book covers; illustration; CD design; collage; and digital painting. She uses Photoshop, Corel, and graphics tablets to create her pieces. For more information on Elenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s artwork, please visit her Web site, www.alosa.daportfolio.com. Contact her at alosae@gmail.com. V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

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Ode To the Thyroid The thyroid is such a funny thing wrapped inside your neck I’m strong I’m tough I’m young and bold so thyroid…what the heck It won’t stop me from doing well and living life in full It’s such a tiny little thing who said it had to rule I don’t see why I feel so cold my fingers hurt like mad I don’t see why I feel fatigue why is it so so bad Why is that I fall asleep at every given chance The muscle cramps the tired legs the sickly looking stance I would get help for all these things but my memory lets me down I’m going mad it’s just not fair I forgot the way to town My mind’s a fuzz my hair is thin my nails are breaking fast The lack of hair around my eyes gives everyone a laugh Please doctor can you help me now as I really feel so sad You call me in and look away you think I’m going mad The test are taken all sent off, now its time to wait At last there is a reason something I can hate And hate you very much I do for months of grief and strife For all the days you made me bad to both my kids and wife You will not win this battle now as I have all the facts But hell it’s hard to fight this thing and get myself on track So all of you both young and old take heed and listen good You can’t ignore your body’s voice even if you could Oh so fast things slow down you don’t see what it is Your thyroids got you by your throat yes you! Not mine, not his. Jack Frost

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