September 2011 Vision Magazine by Vision magazine

New Science • Health + Healing • Spirituality • Ancient Mysteries • UFO • Panels • Exhibit Hall

Expo 2011

Los Angeles

Conscious Life

The Visionary

Conference

SEPT 30 - OCT 2, 2011

LAX Hilton

www.consciouslifeexpo.com

John Major Jenkins

William Henry

George Noory

Terri Amos Britt

Bashar

Laura Eisenhower

Sen. Mike Gravel

Marisa Russo

We are at this moment, in this age, witness to the cataclysmic transformation of consciousness that is apparent everywhere. At the Conscious Life Expo we explore the myriad forms this transformation takes - in alternative health, in science, in spirituality, in media, in art, in personal relationships - while as a community we help synchronize a common intent and give grounding to the evolutionary force. We are all a part of it. Join us at the October 2011 Conscious Life Expo.

Don Tolman

Giorgio A. Tsoukalos

17 Sep 2011: Evening with Louix:

7:30 p.m. Louix will offer a discourse, followed by a Q&A session, wherein you can receive direct personal guidance from Him.

First Christian Church of North Hollywood 4390 Colfax Avenue, Studio City, CA

14 Oct 2011: Darshan:

7:30 p.m.

To receive the blessing of this spiritual Master can have profound transformational effects, and even, at times, healing of physical ailments. Center for Spiritual Living 25782 Obrero Drive, Unit D, MissionViejo, CA

12 Nov 2011: Evening with Louix:

7:30 p.m.

Seaside Center for Spiritual Living, 1613 Lake Drive, Encinitas, CA

New Year’s Eve Retreat — Sedona, Arizona Thu., 29 December 2011 - Tue., 3 January 2012 During this residential retreat at world-renowned Enchantment Resort, you will experience the transformational power of Louix’s darshan, ecstatic singing, direct personal guidance, gourmet vegan cuisine, and nature hikes over the course of six love-filled days with this spiritual Master. * All events, except the retreat, are by donation *

To register for the retreat or for more information, please contact Samantha: phone: (888) 288-3735 • e-mail: samantha@Louix.org To register online, go to: www.LouixNYE.org All attending these 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.

C ATA LY S T F O R C O N S C I O U S L I V I N G September Theme: Unsung Heroes ®

Cover art Michael Vincent Manalo michaelvincent_manalo@yahoo.com

1281 University Avenue, Suite G • San Diego, California 92103

www.visionmagazine.com Voice 619.294.2393

866.804.8444

community resources

vision café erhard vogel open taste–university heights

holistic review dreaming bhutan

ask the lifequaketm doctor advice about life transitions

holistic people giving life

11-15 mindstates nominated heroes from facebook friends undress your mind mentalphysics

calendar

visionary artist Michael Vincent Manalo michaelvincent_manalo@yahoo.com

viewpoint louella

holistic living equine therapy iRest yoga nidra

greek to me in praise of shit

Fax 619.296.1910

www.visionmagazine.com e-mail: comments@visionmagazine.com Executive Editor & Publisher Sydney L. Murray sydney@visionmagazine.com editor@visionmagazine.com

Copy Editor Shannon Nies

Graphic Design Sloan Gomez Dave Sheehan

Social Networking & Blog

16-17 culture all things that grow 150th anniversary of Kriya yoga

Amanda Hinds Doyle

Intern Erin Tagan

Contributing Writers

Adrienne Abeyta, Dr. Toni Galardi, Michael Raysses, Amanda Hinds Doyle, Daphne Carpenter, Kaci Christian, Stacy Cohen, Lara Eisenberg, Isabella Leigh Stoloff, Jody Curtis, Burt Lo, Alberto Villoldo, PhD, Shannon Nies, Pam Reed, Merry Street, Donna Corrado

Sales

sales@visionmagazine.com Sydney L. Murray, Terra Mays, Terry Nielsen, Amanda Hinds Doyle, Sloan Gomez, Lisa Peterson

Listings: Online & Print Sales

astrology september 2011 forecast

culture courage dreaming invisible children

20-23 healing arts all things that grow 24-27 features patricia bragg grameen bank

listings@visionmagazine.com

If you have a comment on any of these articles e-mail us at editor@visionmagazine.com or visit us on Facebook or Twitter!

Vision Magazine® is a ® registered trademark of Vision Global, Inc. published on a monthly basis and distributed free of charge. Subscriptions are available for $27 for 12 issues (one year). All rights reserved. Advanced written permission must be obtained from Vision Magazine for partial or complete reproduction of any part or whole of Vision Magazine, including advertising material contained in its pages. Opinions expressed in Vision Magazine do not necessarily represent those of Vision Global, Inc., its employees or representatives. Vision Magazine disclaims any responsibility for claims made by its advertisers. Artwork, fiction, letters to the Editor, and manuscripts are welcome, however, unsolicited manuscripts without SASE will not be returned. Copyright © 2011 Vision Magazine

FD 1788

page 37

October 2011 Theme: Desperadoes

Specializing in In-Home Funerals Also Offering Direct Cremation & Burial Options

Honors a Rite of Passage • Holistic & Earth Friendly • Alternative Approach Creates Healing & Closure • Increases Family Involvement

Serving San Diego Communities

Phone 619.358.9254

Email info@thresholds.us • Web www.thresholds.us V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

™

v i e w p o i n t later than my brothers. We’d sit in the dark, watching the flickering black and white TV, and she’d stroke my hair as I leaned against her. She called me “baby girl” and I could tell her anything. She’d listen and nod and love me no matter what I said. I’d stroke her soft cheek and she’d rock me, sometimes singing quietly until I fell asleep in her arms. Louella loved to sing. She told me she sang in her church choir. Sometimes I’d arrive home from school and I could hear her warbling in the back of the house. by Kaci Christian She’d sing in front of me, but never when my parents were home. She also loved her soap operas. She’d have them playing in the background while she was cleaning. Sometimes I’d come upon her, transfi xed, waiting with breathless anticipation as the characters experienced some high drama on “The Edge of Night,” “One Life to Live,” or “The Secret Storm.” We kept in touch when I went away to college. She’d write me letters in her scrawling cursive penmanship, and I’d call home, long-distance, during the day so I could talk with her. I’d tell Louella about school irl, what am I gonna do with you?” and the classes I was taking and the people I was she said, chastising me gently as she meeting, and she’d listen to every word. peered under the bed and pulled out “Girl!” she’d exclaim at the end of our conversations. the clump of clothing I’d stashed there when ordered “You be good now. Study hard. Do me proud. I love to clean my room. “You can’t be stuffin’ these nice you.” clothes under there!” she clucked, as she tucked She beamed through my college graduation, and them all under her arm and headed to the laundry through just about every family celebration I can room to wash, dry, and iron them, then hang them remember. She was the family member who worked up neatly in my closet. through every occasion, putting out food, wiping the Louella Mae Ross worked for my family, cleaning tables, straightening up. She’d finally sit down hours the house in Houston, Texas where I grew up. later, exhausted, waiting patiently for my father to My father never met a stranger and will talk to give her a ride home. anyone. One night, my parents went out for a nice About 10 years ago, Louella finally retired. She was dinner, leaving me in the care of my grandparents. 75 and the physical effort had become more than she Dad asked the server, a woman named Pearl, if she could handle. Fortunately, my parents had withheld knew of anyone looking for work as a housekeeper. social security from her weekly paycheck and Pearl said her daughter might be interested. continued to pay her after she stopped working, so Pearl’s daughter was lovely and slender, with she didn’t have to worry about money. Her sons had smooth dark skin, and wore her hair neatly pinned Kaci and Louella made her a grandmother and a great-grandmother, up in a twist. I was six months old, the only child when Louella joined our household. She’d arrive in street clothes, then disappear into and besides enjoying family, she was still singing in the church choir. By this time, the bathroom. When she’d emerge, she’d be wearing a clean, neat uniform. She’d I’d long since grown up and was handling my own housekeeping using tips and do the laundry, vacuum the carpet, wash the dishes, empty the trash, whatever techniques she’d taught me when I was young. A few weeks before her 80th birthday, I surprised Louella with a plane ticket needed to be done. Within six years, there were four young children in our home, and there was and invited her to come stay with us in California for 10 days. I made sure the never a lack of things to clean. My mother was a stay-at-home mom, but she guest room was immaculate, just as she’d taught me. I tidied up a few odds and needed the support in order to do the community service and charitable and civic ends, and put out fresh towels and flowers. She was, after all, a very special guest volunteer work that she valued. It was Louella who taught me how to make my of honor and I wanted her to know she’d raised me right. It was her first trip to California, and I was eager to make her visit memorable. bed, but on the days when I was running late and left it a mess, she’d still fi x By this time, I’d been working as a TV and radio news anchor and was able to it with perfect corners. It was Louella who showed me how to use the washing call a few friends to make some plans that I knew would please her. We saw a machine, but still made sure my clothes were washed and neatly folded. It was Louella who explained how to load the dishwasher and demonstrated how to hand play starring actress Charlene Tilton and took Louella’s photo with Charlene after the performance. Louella had been a fan of “Dallas” and “Knots Landing” years wash the fine china my mom used once a week for family dinner. I was aware that Louella had children—four sons, Oliver, Jr., Frank, Robert, before and was thrilled to meet “Lucy Ewing” in person. I called Karen Slade, the vice president and general manager of KJLH 102.3 and Vincent, who was just six months older than me—but I didn’t see them very often. They lived on the other side of town. It never really dawned on me until FM in Los Angeles, to see if I could bring Louella by to meet her. Karen treated years later just how much she had sacrificed by working outside the home to earn Louella as a VIP, generously taking us to lunch, then leading us on a tour of the the money she desperately needed to raise her boys as a single, widowed parent. I radio station’s studios. Though Louella didn’t get to meet station owner Stevie never remember her complaining, whether it be about the physical intensity of the Wonder, the highlight to her was the opportunity to witness a woman of color in work, about the long bus ride to and from her home to ours, or about how we’d the senior management position at the station. The parting gift of several station logo t-shirts for her grandchildren was the cherry on top. mess up an area she’d just cleaned and she’d have to straighten it up again. We ate out several times during Louella’s visit, and at each restaurant, I’d Some nights, when my parents had a social event, they’d add babysitting to her whisper to the waiter that it was Louella’s birthday, and she never failed to be duties. Louella would stay at our house until late at night, sometimes even sleeping overnight on the sofa. As the eldest child in her charge, she would let me stay up

I’m Singing Her Song:

A Ballad to an Unsung Hero

She smiled, even as she shook her head and rolled her eyes.

“G

continued on page 46

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

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

h o l i s t i c

Equine Heroes

with loss and how to manage their feelings. In crime-ridden areas, a different form of equine therapy is coming together. Local stables are letting kids who may otherwise turn to drugs or gangs ride the horses in exchange for working in the stables. These kids feed and clean stalls, learn to tack and untack horses, and clean all the equipment in exchange for lessons and riding time. A few hours a week these kids are surrounded by adults who care and horses who need them, learning more about themselves as well as developing ties to their communities. Studies show that victims of abuse also benefit greatly from equine therapy. They develop confidence and better communication skills and redevelop their trust in others and self-worth. However, it’s not just the disabled, abused, or mentally handicapped who gain from equine therapy. Many avid, lifelong horseback riders reap the benefits without being involved in organized equine therapy. Some of the many benefits of riding include: improved problem solving; greater confidence; better posture; stronger muscles; increased self esteem; better balance; improved socialization skills; and greater control of motor functions. Young children also learn leadership skills which will greatly benefit them as they get older and enter the work force. There are many ways to become involved with organized equine therapy. You can volunteer, raise money, or, in some cases, different groups will even accept horses (limitations do apply, though, as not all horses are suited to this work). The horses used, especially with children or the physically disabled, go through extensive training and respond to verbal as well as physical commands. They tend to be very calm and relaxed, and for this reason, older horses are generally a better fit for the programs, as are horses used in parades and theme parks because they are used to loud noises and people making sudden movements. Many therapy horses come from rescues and are rehabilitated and allowed to work again. Occasionally, show horses and retired racehorses also get repurposed and trained for therapy, allowing them to live the remainder of their lives being loved and appreciated for all they can do. The Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Int’l) is a great resource for people all over the world looking to get involved as a volunteer, be trained, or take part in equine therapy. Visit them at http://www. pathintl.org/ to read more about equine therapy or to find a licensed therapeutic barn near you. Another fantastic resource is the National Center for Equine Facilitated Therapy (NCEFT). Not only do they offer programs for children and veterans, but they also work with their local sheriff’s department and a specialized equine vet and rehabilitation center. Visit them at http://www.nceft.org/index.html. Stacy Cohen graduated from California State University, Channel Islands with a bachelor’s degree in English. She is currently a freelance writer in her spare time.

by Stacy Cohen

ave you ever felt alone? That no one cares? You’re invisible? Or that it hurts too much to go on? When these feelings threaten to overwhelm you, therapy is usually the first line of action. You can go and sit and talk to a therapist and perhaps take medication, but there is a more unconventional therapy taking place every day that helps with not only depression, but also with eating disorders, anxiety issues, and even muscular problems and with the mentally handicapped. It is called equine therapy. Equine therapy can take a few different shapes, from just working with horses to riding them. Both offer benefits for a wide range of problems. Horses are both a herd animal and a creature of prey, as they like to have companionship and read body language very well. A horse’s attitude and mood greatly mimics that of the person handling them, which is why they make great therapy animals. By being able to focus on the calming of a horse, those with anxiety disorders can begin to relax and forget many of their worries. Those with depression find the love they receive from their equine partner to be a great benefit and, in turn, start to break out of their shell. Those with eating disorders find they aren’t judged by these animals and are accepted for who they are, which can help begin the process of accepting yourself for who you are without all the conditions placed upon you by society. On the other side of the spectrum, each year, equine therapy helps tens of thousands of kids diagnosed with muscular issues and mental handicaps. Much like swimming therapy provides a low impact way to strengthen muscles, so can horseback riding. Horses respond very well to spoken cues as well as physical, so with little pressure you can do what it is you want the horse to do. As you get stronger, you rely less and less on the verbal cues. Those who suffer from mental handicaps learn patience, self-confidence, and self-worth by working with these majestic animals. The bonds that are formed with these horses can reshape their lives by teaching them that they are as good as everyone else. It also gives them a unique skill set that many of their peers do not have, and lets them excel. The Aspen Ranch in Utah is one example of a place that offers equine therapy. Besides having this service, Aspen Ranch is also a licensed private boarding school where children can go to earn their high school diploma. During their stay at the school, children provide equine hospice and even work with wild mustangs and are taught how to tame them. Pairing rebellious teenagers with wild horses teaches the teens patience, trust, and valuable communication skills. In the equine hospice, teens are paired with old, sick, and dying horses and learn to treat them and help make decisions involving all aspects of their care. This teaches the teens how to cope

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

h e a l t h

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

ho l i s t i c

h e a l t h

iRest Yoga Nidra: Discovering the Unsung Hero As You Journey Inward by Lara Eisenberg

The Origins n 2008 one of my closest friends, Michelle Larson, died of cancer. She was 34. I am someone who has devoted her life to understanding trauma and various diseases of the body and mind, but I have never personally witnessed anything as debilitating and painful as my good friend’s long battle with cancer. Supporting her through this illness and eventually having to say an early goodbye to such a beautiful person shifted my perspective on life and taught me something invaluable: the art of “welcoming.” Michelle and I loved to dance. We went dancing often and developed many friendships within the dance community. Dancing was a shared passion and a powerful way for us to express our joy and also to release our sadness. A few days after Michelle’s funeral, I decided to honor something we both loved and go dancing. When I arrived, I saw several people that knew Michelle but were not yet aware of her death. Fear and dread coursed through me at the thought of being asked about Michelle and her health. I questioned whether I should have come and spent most of the evening trying to make myself invisible. But as the music lured me onto the dance floor, I consciously stepped out of the shadows and let myself become visible to all. Almost immediately, the person I most dreaded seeing tapped me on the shoulder. This person had been in love with Michelle and I knew he wanted to inquire about her. As soon as our eyes locked, all of the fear I had created in my mind disappeared and I experienced a fully embodied state. In place of fear and avoidance, a calming sadness pulsated through my veins. We embraced and there was no fumbling with awkward words or condolences; speech was both meaningless and unnecessary. It was a moment of pure sensation—no toxic repression, rejection, or dismissal of anything. I felt liberated and fully alive. I had to welcome the sadness and fear before I could journey to a place of trust and surrender. In reality, this awakening probably took place in a matter of a minute or two, but I traveled miles and miles in that time. And once I did, I returned to the dance

floor and danced for Michelle. My entire being danced with the infinite sadness, love, and ecstasy of what lies beyond when we accept, welcome, and embrace all of life. A year later, I discovered a technique called iRest Yoga Nidra. This practice gave language to my experience, as well as a path to help guide me through the various challenges and experiences of life. Learning about this practice prompted me to ask myself, do you believe that ecstasy and peace are present amidst all of life’s circumstances? Do you believe you can be your own hero as you navigate through life? I said “yes” to myself and began on this path. Yoga Nidra Yoga Nidra (“yogic sleep”) is a meditation practice derived from the ancient teachings of Yoga and Tantra. These practices are designed to lead us to an experience of who we truly are beyond psychological, cultural, and social conditioning. Yoga Nidra teaches us to dis-identify from our habitual patterns, and opens us to our essential self that is ever calm, at peace, and informed by the grace of each present moment in life. With heightened awareness, we learn to acknowledge and welcome emotions, thoughts, sensations etc., as opposed to resisting, withdrawing, or projecting what arises in our life and consciousness. With correct understanding, we begin to fully embrace life and experience our true nature in the midst of all life’s circumstances. From this realization, we move into the world with dignity and grace. As the individual and universal meet, we discover there is no separation and the unsung hero that lies within each of us is revealed. Integrative Restoration Integrative Restoration (iRest) is a modern adaptation of Yoga Nidra. It is a transformative process that leads to psychological, physical, and spiritual healing. iRest teaches skills that assist you in utilizing your inner resources when encountering difficult life experiences. The practice is integrative in that it heals the various unresolved traumas and issues in the body and mind, and restorative in that one experiences a sense of ever present peace in the midst of life’s constant changes. Whether you desire to decrease anxiety, improve sleep, free yourself from addictive tendencies, or improve an aspect of your health, iRest can support your healing process and give you a direct experience of your true nature as inherent joy and well being.

continued on page 40 V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

g r e e k

“I’ve yet to see a fertilizer salesman go belly up.” — my Uncle Tasso on the topic of shit

hese are tough times. I don’t care where you sit on the socio-political spectrum; it doesn’t matter what your economic station in life is—this is a rough-and-tumble era. If you’re a Tea-bagger (sorry, if the epithet fits, wear it), there are just way too many crazies out there who care about hare-brained notions like the environment and the sanctity of the individual in the face of an ever-burgeoning corporate kleptocracy to go around. If you’re a member of that slightly less-crazed bunch that I refer to as the Radical UnLeft (there is nothing ‘right’ about them), the same broad criticisms will no doubt apply. And if by some long shot you’re a member of that class of people that is rapidly qualifying for inclusion on the endangered species list known as liberals, lefties, commies, etc., you will arguably agree that things have devolved to such a place that the phrase “It’s all gone to shit” has taken hold with hermetic strength. All of which I’d find alarming if it weren’t for one simple fact: I love shit. You know, crap, cow pies, road apples, poop, stool, doodie, that shit. I know what you’re thinking—Raysses has gone bat-shit, which, given the point I am making here, strikes me as perversely congruent. But in a time and place in which nothing and no one seems to be what they represent themselves to be, I find, um, relief, in dung’s unalloyed nature. More than anything I know of, it is exactly what it seems to be. And if you’re not moved by its physical traits, just take a deep breath—if that doesn’t bring a tear to your eye, step on it and go for a walk. The court of public opinion will let you in on the obvious. If pressed, though, I suppose I don’t actually love shit. I love the idea of it: that there is something in this world that is so purely what it is as to banish all discourse of what it might otherwise arguably be. Which, to me, is the shit. Linguistically speaking, though, shit is a word of a thousand feces. What other item can be taken or given with such relative ease? It can be little, deep, or tough. You can get it together, lose it, shoot it, or have it for brains. It can fly, sometimes hitting the proverbial fan. It can put a pig into a state of delirium, though you wouldn’t want to be upstream on any creek that shares its name without a paddle. And woe to the person who can’t distinguish it from Shinola, a brand of shoe polish that was popular in the mid-20th century. This is actually where for me shit loses its charm and takes on its most feculent state. For all of its conceptual malleability, its greatest misuse has been as a tool for agents of what I like to call the Anti-Shitfor-Shinola conspiracy. This group seeks to deceive people by overexposing them to metaphorical shit, causing them to suffer what I call “fecal fatigue,” losing the ability to tell the difference between shit and its opposite. As dated a reference as it must seem in this age of the ephemeral, I think the

t o

m e

years 2000 to 2008 are key. For my money, that was an eight-year blizzard of dung bunnies, started by an act of unprecedented political thievery, from which only more dung flowed. Governmental programs whose titles were abject lies (think “No Child Left Behind”) gave way to military strategies aimed at inappropriate targets cloaked in names that aspired to shock and awe, but only gave way to shame and disgust. But even in the wake of the political cow pie that was the Bush administration, one could arguably point to shit’s ability to fertilize the ground it fell on. For the first time in history, the party that rose to oppose those who had been in power offered up not only a woman but also a man of color as its primary candidates. Wasn’t that progress? As it turns out, shit no. The President seemingly took office on a mandate of desired change from a status quo that was poop personified. But he has proved all too willing to take the crap his ideological opponents proffer, all of which has resulted in the governmental dump embodied by the recent issue of the debt ceiling and its theoretical resolution. For the first time, our government was reduced to using a tactic I used as a desperate teenager—the use of the word ‘super’ to mask efforts that were anything but. When I was guilty of some misdeed, I would be super-contrite, pledging super-attention to not repeat my infraction, all offered with super-sincerity. Seeing the powers that be offer up a super-congress to address an issue as pressing as the debt ceiling, knowing it was there all along, is nothing short of super-shitty. A steady diet of figurative excrement can’t help but inflict long-term damage. George W. Bush begat Sarah Palin, who begets Rick Perry and Michelle Bachmann. For me, this isn’t President George W. Bush about liberal or conservative, or left versus right. It’s about shit from Shinola. It’s about being deluged with crap to such an extent that we’ve lost the ability to tell the difference anymore so that when someone places a steaming bowl of something in front of us and invites us to eat it, we do because we don’t know any better. Or because we no longer think we have any choice in the matter. But we do. I, for one, am sick of this crap—I know shit from Shinola, and you do, too. So next time someone or some entity tries to pawn off some symbolic Shinola on you, push back and tell them you President Barack Obama know shit. It’s your doodie. Michael Raysses is a writer/NPR commentator/actor living in Los Angeles. E-mail him at MichaelRaysses@hotmail.com. Specializations Include:

SPICA - Way of Light UNIVERSITY OF DIVINITY

End Mental Blocks and Soar Freely

Spiritual Counseling Spiritual Coaching Spiritual Healing Spiritual Education

Achieve a higher education in the New Thought - Transpersonal Approach field.

Order this powerful Vernon Howard compact disk today!

SPICA - Way of Light UNIVERSITY OF DIVINITY provides degrees in Spiritual Philosophy on the Bachelor, Master and Doctorate levels. This professional program offers an easily accessible distance learning format.

Exciting lessons on CD include: the way to change; time & space; what to do with blockage; the reason you have problems; how to live a carefree life; comparative thinking and much more.

For further information, the Prospectus and Curriculum Catalogue, please contact:

SPICA - Way of Light UNIVERSITY OF DIVINITY 800-499-2353 • WWW.SPICAWAYOFLIGHT.COM

Two rewarding talks totaling more than 74 minutes Send $10 to New Life • PO Box 2230-TQ • Pine AZ 85544 www.anewlife.org V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

L i f e Q u a k e ™

Ask the

husband in spite of the fact that I keep telling her that she is cheating on him because she is not in love with him and has said she is in love with me. I have tried breaking it off but she has become my best friend. I just cannot give her up. I am considering moving away so I am forced to give her up. What should I do?

LifeQuake Doctor ™

Dr. Toni Galardi

utumn is the season of change. Trees provide us with a great metaphor for the circle of life. As the leaves change color, they are also dying. What is it that is needing to change color in your life? Further, what is passing away within you so something new can emerge? I will be giving a new teleclass in October on The LifeQuake Method for change mastery. Come join me and step into 2012 with a powerful vision! Dear Dr. Toni: My husband is very unhappy with me. We once owned a company together and then we had to close it because it wasn’t making enough money. I have been producing a radio talk show for two years and now it isn’t making any money. He feels my entrepreneurial endeavors are hobbies and is not happy. We have an 11-year-old daughter who is a handful and I am the hands-on parent. My husband does not understand how much time I spend being the parent when he is working. We have been to marriage counseling and are going nowhere. Oh, and our sex life sucks too. He feels very stressed by his new job as well. Should I try and find a job in this awful market? I am 50. Harried Mom Dear Reader: I am going to take a leap here, but what the hey! I think your husband is envying you for not being the primary breadwinner. I think he wishes you two were working together again. I also think that he feels you may not be having enough sex for his liking given your focus on your child. I would talk to him about his needs and I would spice things up in the bedroom. Find out if he would like the two of you to create a business together again. Was it fun to work together? Did he like it? Did you? How can you make life with the two of you more juicy when he comes home? It may inspire you to find something you both can get involved in but you can start on first. Begin with energizing your relationship and the rest will follow. Dear Dr. Toni: I am a gay woman in love with a married woman. We have been seeing one another for two years but have never had sex. She does not want to cheat on her

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

Dear Reader: My first question to you is, what is your payoff for being involved with someone you cannot have? Two years is a long time. What happened in your love life before you got involved with this woman? Did someone dump you? Are you afraid of getting hurt again? Before you decide about moving to a new place, go deep inside and look at your own love pattern. If you go back to your very first attraction to a woman, what has been your pattern in relationships? Are you the pursuer or the pursued? How long do you stay in relationships? What is your bonding pattern once the relationship has been consummated? Are you a committed lover or do you keep one foot out the door? Once you have examined your pattern, ask yourself if you are willing to take a risk to be completely authentic. Once you’ve done that, then put the sword in the ground and invite her to step out of the closet and live in integrity. If she refuses, then break it off, and if you still want to move, give it three months. Living authentically produces great rewards, but we must first excavate our own closet of its skeletons. Dr. Toni Galardi is a licensed psychotherapist, career coach, public speaker, organizational consultant, and the author of the book, The LifeQuake Phenomenon: How to Thrive (not just survive) in Times of Personal and Global Upheaval. To submit questions for “Ask the LifeQuake Doctor,” or if you would like to consult Dr. Galardi for phone coaching, she can be reached through her Web site at http://www.LifeQuake.net or by calling 310.890.6832. Dr. Galardi is extending an offer to her readers at 20 percent off her normal phone coaching fees through September 30. There is also a free audio recording available of one of Dr. Galardi’s teleclasses on her Web site.

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

m i n d

s t a t e s

Natural Health • Personal Growth • Psychics

Vision Magazine’s Facebook Heroes Sunshine OBgal: My hero has to be the Divine, God, The Great Spirit, or whatever you want to call that all-knowing, all-loving, all-compassionate spirit of the universe. Never has this Spirit let me down, never has this Spirit lied to me or betrayed me. Never has this entity deserted me. It is un-manipulatable by me (thank God) and allows me to freely speak the songs in my soul. This spirit has held me up in raging waters and laid me down in fields of flowers to rest. God is my hero. Timothy Kelley: My hero is Neil Peart, voted one of the best drummers of all time. He kept playing after his wife and daughter died, and goes and takes lessons to improve the way he plays. Total inspiration to any drummer or musician. Sipho CryzïMïllz Reaper: My hero is Jesus Christ Himself, the King of kings, The Great I Am. No one on Earth has or will ever achieve what He has achieved. Jesus is my role model. I place no other standard for myself and I can only hope to come close to what He attained: a pure, honest relationship with Jehovah.

OCT 8-9 • SAN DIEGO DOUBLETREE MISSION VALLEY

Ciarra NoelElf Briesch: Daniel Hawk Moon. He is a Native American

7450 HAZARD CENTER DR SAT 10-7, SUN 11-6 WEEKEND ENTRY JUST $12

medicine man who has healed thousands of people and helps them (and me) come closer to their personal truth and spirituality. He’s also a Vietnam veteran and an amazing public speaker. HERO!

Hetty Matthijssen: My (unsung) heroes are the sherpas in Tibet and Nepal that set up the climbs for all the rich Westerners that want to climb Mount Everest. They climb and rig the mountain four times a year to feed their families and go through great danger to facilitate the paying clients’ journey up the mountain. Those guys get frostbite, too, but they don’t complain. Real heroes. :)

SPECIAL EVENTS! DAVE MARKOWITZ

Self-Care for the Self-Aware

Jenette: I would like to see an article dedicated to Julia Butterfly Hill. She is an environmental activist who tree-sat in a tree named Luna for over two years and saved redwoods from being cut down in Northern California. She has devoted her life for the past 11 years to spreading awareness about the environment and spiritual awakening. She is a hero and inspiration to many. Here is a link to a short biography of JBH: http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/ encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=2947.

VESSA RINEHART

Read the Aura & Heal Yourself

JAMES GOI, JR

Manifesting Made Easy

KATHY DARLENE HUNT

Mini Readings

Hannah Alexandra Achenbach: I look up to

BARRY HELM

people who manage to live spiritual life combined with this modern life all around us. That is a real hard task to manage.

Vickie Lynn Smith: Ellen Burstyn, Dr. Jeanne Hubbuch, Dr. Penelope Morrow, Sally Rise, Patti Smith, Ursula Le Guin, and ALL female astronauts.

Channeled Healing Meditation

ANNIE RADZUS

Your Own Akashic Records

$2 Off One Entry with Ad

SPONSORS

www.bmse.net

America’s First Class of female astronauts, 1978.

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

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

541.482.3722

m i n d

s t a t e s

K riya

yoga

Celebrating 150 Years 1861-2011

“K

is the divine exemplar of yoga in the East; Christ was chosen by God as the exemplar of God-union for the West. . . . As a matter of special divine dispensation, through Christ, Krishna, Mahavatar Babaji, Lahiri Mahasaya, and Swami Sri Yukteswar I was selected to spread the Kriya Yoga science worldwide through the united original yoga of Krishna and original Christianity of Christ as represented in the teachings of SelfRealization Fellowship.” rishna

his year marks the 150th anniversary of Lahiri Mahasaya’s meeting with the deathless guru Mahavatar Babaji, near Ranikhet in the Himalayas, where he was initiated into the sacred science of Kriya Yoga. Paramahansa Yogananda first brought this blessed event to the attention of the world, and explained its significance, through his Autobiography of a Yogi.

Undress Your Mind by Isabella Leigh Stoloff

y father, Victor Stoloff, once directed a movie entitled, “300-Year Weekend.” It was about a therapy group that was together in a room for a whole weekend. The poster read, “Undress your mind.” I was too young to see the fi lm, but the saying always stuck with me. What does it mean to ‘undress your mind’? For me it means to step away from the mind chatter, the endless suffering we are all so addicted to, this mind of ours that has been told what to do and what to think, who to vote for, and what to eat. This mind of ours that replays a scenario over and over, thinking of ways we could have done something better, this perpetual state of needless thought, thoughts that no longer serve us. When was the last time someone asked you how you truly felt about something, or what you really thought? It is time to take our power back, the power of our thoughts. We have the control. It is actually the only thing we do have full control of—our minds. Since we do, then why don’t we begin by using creative thought to manifest the best life ever for ourselves and our families? My life has been an extremely interesting one. I spent the first 20 years as a wounded warrior and the past 20 years as a seeker of truth. During the last five years, my life has taken a turn I would never have expected. I am now a shaman energy healer and just finished writing my life story. My mind has been freed, I have released the role of victim, and I teach others to step outside of time and release thoughts that have held them back, so they can find the beauty in their lives. We exist in an abundant universe, one with access to all we could possibly hope for, so why not allow it to serve us?

— Paramahansa Yogananda To learn more about this anniversary and the Kriya Yoga path of meditation taught by Yogananda, please visit our website.

Self-Realization Fellowship F o u n d e d 1 9 2 0 b y P a 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

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

m i n d

s t a t e s

If we can choose our thoughts—and we can—then what are we choosing? What are we saying to ourselves, or about ourselves, on a daily basis? Are we being kind, supportive, loving? Or are we tearing down our beings? Can you imagine if our parents had taught us how powerful our words were, or that our thoughts were things? Oh the lives we could have created! Well, guess what? It’s not too late! It’s never too late. Start today, right this very minute. Anything you think that is not in alignment with your true self, toss out. Trust your intuition, as it will always serve you. You know better than anyone else what is right for you. If we can choose our thoughts—and we can—then what are we choosing? What are we saying to ourselves, or about ourselves, on a daily basis? Are we being kind, supportive, loving? Or are we tearing down our beings? We can be so hard on ourselves. Are we complaining about the economy and how little we have? Or are we grateful for every moment? Do you have any idea how powerful your mind is? Allow it to work for you instead of against you. I work with all different types of people, from many different religious backgrounds. It does not matter where you come from. All that matters is that you feel this shift that is happening, and stay positive throughout it. It is not the end of the world. It is just the end of what we have been brought up to believe. It is the end of fear, it is the end of separation. It is a time of oneness. We have so much support right now, so all we need to do is believe—believe in yourself, and believe in whomever you see as Creator. See it in the trees, see it in the animals, see it in the stars, see it in yourself. We have tremendous access to this universal power, and the more you trust it, the more you will have access to it. Begin by honoring yourself and the planet you walk on. Make a space in your home that reminds you to trust. Creating sacred space and ceremonies can be as simple as lighting a candle and some incense, or gathering around a fire with friends to release the old and embrace the new. Talk to other like-minded people about the concept of undressing your mind and how to create constant positive thoughts. My parents were visionaries. I see them as my unsung heroes, for they made me who I am today: a woman with an open mind and a heart filled with love. I know my love heals. So does yours. I believe we teach that which we need to learn the most. One of my greatest lessons has been to love myself and to notice my thoughts. In the past, when I would think negative thoughts, my life became challenging, and I would become very hard on myself. Now that I am in the flow, my positive thoughts bring me freedom and joy. Today I am manifesting faster than ever before, and my clients are as well. I am able to assist them in clearing old ways of thinking so they can make the shift with ease and grace. Many of them experience tremendous positive change in a very short amount of time. All of them have grown and have more control over their thought patterns and, in turn, over their lives. If you are ready to step out of the old way of thinking and create a new path for positive thoughts, then I encourage you to find a practitioner you connect with, and change your world. Remember, your words + thoughts + feelings = your reality, so what kind of life are you creating? We are living in an amazing time—a time of change, a time of choice, a time of undressing the mind. Isabella Leigh Stoloff is a shaman, speaker, and spiritual guide. She is available for one-on-one healing sessions at the Orange County Healing Center in Fullerton, CA, or over the phone at 714.603.8624. In October, Stoloff will be teaching a five-week class, Manifesting From Your Core, which will give you tangible, transformative tools you can use on a daily basis. She is also guiding a group to Peru for a spiritual journey, November 1-15, 2011. For more information about OC Healing Center and other upcoming events, please visit www.ochealingcenter.com. V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

GROW

TRANSFORM

CELEBRATE

Located at Los Caballeros Health Complex (Main building / 2nd floor)

17272 Newhope St., Suite J Fountain Valley, CA 714.963.3516 www.occsr.org Rev. Paula Swavely

Founding and Senior Minister

Sunday Gathering 10am

m i n d

s t a t e s

Mental physics Through the Ages by Jody Curtis

In the early 1900s, Dingle traveled to China, held several jobs including that of a journalist, and in 1914 published his “New Map of China” in Shanghai. The publication of this unique and unprecedented bilingual map was an unqualified success that immediately established his reputation as a geographer. While in Asia, Dingle noticed certain individuals were given great reverence. When in their presence, Dingle felt as if they had some source of unknown power. One of these thought-provoking individuals worked in the printing plant. There seemed to be something mysterious about him, as if he were a great man in disguise, occupying his humble position only for a time. The young Englishman found himself extending to this sage an involuntary respect, an unconscious reverence. One day the sage asked young Dingle to come to a nearby temple at a certain hour in the evening, to witness an important ceremony. In a corner of the temple courtyard, Dingle observed the sage going through breathing exercises such as the young man had never seen before. As Dingle later said, “It was the first time I had ever seen a man really breathe.” From this day forward, Dingle became a disciple of the Sage of Singapore and was instructed in certain methods and practices. Dingle continued seeking knowledge of the teachings of the East wherever he could find it—in books,

n the late 1800s, a young Englishman by the name of Edwin J. Dingle was fascinated by everything pertaining to Asia. Dingle became intrigued by the books describing amazing tales about Asian temples. At that time rulers of Asian countries forbade the presence of white men in any of its sacred cities so a limited number of books were the only means for anyone to know about “Forbidden Tibet,” the name the world had given the mysterious land of mountains and mystery. Dingle’s destiny was to journey to that foreign land and bring a new teaching to America via the desert land of Joshua Tree. Tibet was a land which had enjoyed peace for thousands of years where the people and institutions developed simply and naturally, pursuing the better things of life, probing the riddles of the ages, without the gains of one generation being destroyed in the next. Its leaders were wise in keeping unsympathetic strangers away. Their leaders were selective Great Souls whose humble lives had shown their worthiness to be admitted to the mysteries, preserved through countless ages through the dim beginnings of man’s enlightenment. For twelve hundred years, one group succeeded another in the land of Tibet, each passing along to the next the potent, sacred wisdom, the answers to the riddles of the Universe. On the other side of the world, during Dingle’s youth in England, the latest group of these wise men was looking forward to the return of the brother Lama who had just passed away. We can only speculate that in their meditations and studies they could foresee that this foreign boy would visit their land to be welcomed as the reincarnation of their deceased brother Lama.

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

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

m i n d in manuscripts, from well-known mystics, and in temples. However, after Dingle reached a certain point, the sage refused to teach him further unless he made a pilgrimage. A caravan was hastily assembled and Dingle set out upon the journey where he found scenes vaguely familiar. To Dingle it seemed as if he had traveled this route before. His pilgrimage was a long and arduous one, filled with great hardships. Dingle had many hair’s-breadth escapes from bandits and twice from tigers, suffering broken limbs and tropical diseases. He was near death when at last he arrived in Upper Burma, before the entrance of a temple. Dingle felt as if after many years he had arrived at the memory-cherished home of his boyhood. There he again encountered his teacher who simply said, “They are waiting for you in Tibet.” As he entered the temple, Dingle’s overwrought body collapsed and for four days and four nights he remained unconscious. On the fifth morning he awakened, and there stood, between him and the doorway, a benign old man who was to become his Master Teacher. There in Tibet, Edwin Dingle saw many amazing feats. The mental and spiritual attainments of these wise men are almost beyond belief. Dingle witnessed many strange occurrences referred to in his book, “My Life in Tibet.” He tells of men living more than 200 years in excellent health, controlling the heat of their bodies with the power of thought—men sitting naked in below zero weather for hour upon hour, maintaining the entire body at such a high temperature that snow and ice around them are melted. He tells of men running from one place to another at a speed apparently impossible by physical means, holding fierce wild animals at bay with a glance. Upon completion of his teachings Edwin J. Dingle was renamed Ding Le Mei by his Tibetan teacher. (Ding means Great Man—a sign of highest respect.) Wise men in Tibet recognized that it was time for the sacred teachings to be brought to the West and Ding Le Mei was the one to do it. In November 1927, Mentalphysics was born, fulfilling the prophecy of Ding Le Mei’s Master that he would become a teacher. Mentalphysics methods have been used by wisdom seekers for thousands of years in the search for Universal Truth. Mentalphysics is an experiential method of self-realization that teaches the oneness of life embodied in all substance, energy, and thought, and offers methods and practices for the development of body, mind, and spirit. Breath, without which there is no life, is used to bring the body into balance, revitalizing every cell and increasing well-being with life-force energy. Breathwork techniques are taught as a major key in physical development, emotional stabilization, and expansion of mental power. The 8 Key Breaths, alongside the Harmonic Breath and their affirmations, not only help us master our self and our life, but also energize and exercise key organs and adrenal glands. Systematic application of these techniques can lead to rapid transformation of consciousness and the realization of our highest capabilities. In the original teachings, and in a step-by-step manner, Ding Le Mei shares 21 years of knowledge given to him in the Temples of Asia. “It is not just information; we are building a new consciousness,” he says. It is a way of life, of deeper awareness and methods for purifying the mind (in thought) and body (in radiant health). The 8 Key Breaths, along with unique lessons, meditations, and affirmations, have been, and continue to be, the means of revolutionizing the lives of hundreds of thousands worldwide. Currently, The Institute of Mentalphysics offers The Initiate Group Course online classes as well as mail order classes for home study. The Breath of Life class, covering the 8 Key Breaths, is every Monday evening at 6:30 p.m. in the Lotus Meditation Building at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center. For more information, please visit www. mentalphysics.info. Much of this information was compiled from Edwin J. Dingle’s book, My Life in Tibet, published in 1939. Jody Curtis is a freelance writer, web designer, and a teacher of the science of Mentalphysics and the 8 Key Breaths. V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

s t a t e s

c u l t u r e

Remember That All Things Grow

by Burt Lo

have to say that I had a preconception of what an “unsung hero” looked like: a person in uniform quietly walking away after having performed an act of heroism that no one would acknowledge. I realized that there are many other examples, though, of people embodying that same spirit—people who overcome personal tragedy and hardship, people who strive for self-improvement, and people who support others, just to name a few. While they may not receive recognition or popularity, they all demonstrate the spirit of service. My mission has become one of helping people grow various aspects of their lives, some of which occur through trauma or discomfort. I deliberately use the term “grow” because I’ve found it to be the most accurate description for the process. In a very elementary example, plants don’t simply grow bigger or stronger. With sufficient nourishment, plants will simply grow, but they will also adapt to environmental influences. Too much sun, and a plant will seek shade; place a planter rod next to a vine, and the vine will climb along the structure. Humans, though, are vastly more complicated and sophisticated. Our environments are as complex, if not more so; yet, this process of growth applies at all times. To use a more familiar quote, “Change happens.” Personally knowing this has given me, and the people I’ve supported, a reliable path upon which to address issues that have been baffling or even deadly. Some of the issues that have been addressed include PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), sexual abuse, alcoholism, divorce, and mental illness. Each of these issues require appropriate treatment plans, many of them requiring the well-educated skill and knowledge of trained professionals. Yet, the healer’s work consistently works best when coordinated with the patient and the patient’s support group, along with a common understanding that “this too shall pass” and that “more will be revealed.” Presuming these edicts allows reassurance and provides structure upon which healing can happen. This dynamic can be seen as nurturing, loving, and accepting of a person—qualities that are often underdeveloped in a person’s life due to poor education, abuse, trauma, or neglect. One of the many struggles patients may encounter during treatment is miscommunication with their significant other, often leading to difficulties in developing healthy intimate relationships. For communication with our significant others, using the analogy of each gender having different planetary contexts, or different languages, is a powerful means to break through preconceived notions or hardened perspectives. An essential aspect to utilizing that paradigm comes from the larger view of the relationship and its participants, growing, maturing, being more “fit” and able to accomplish even more amazing things in concert. The net

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

result can be well-developed individuals fully fluent in the language of their partner, and people communicating well can live in harmony. An example of growth I hold dear is in the manner of supporting victims of PTSD. My experience with PTSD was not as a professional providing treatment; I was only acting as the support person. Before I gained proper knowledge of the confusion that it causes in those suffering from it, I tried to support it from my personal frame of reference, primarily based on my own experiences. That was clearly not enough, and without acknowledging my need to grow in that regard, I could have caused harm to another person as well as to myself. By gaining the proper education, and in keeping a broader view—that a person suffering really could grow through their painful stricture—I was better able to provide support with patience and understanding. A caveat to this paradigm is when a person denies the intrinsic nature of change. There are people that strive to attain a particular level of development in their lives, then work very hard to maintain that, sometimes vigorously avoiding change. This can be a delicate approach to life, one that can cause harm. If this is recognized to be the case, caution is advised. Another important note is to rely on expert professional guidance. Many people will be diligent in finding a competent mechanic; the same effort (or more) seems appropriate for help in human development. Learn of the potential pitfalls, and be prepared to call in more knowledgeable help, always searching for the best of the best. Supporting growth is not about earning a badge of achievement, but to be available for the person healing—to be of service. Erring on the side of conservative choices is a sensible attitude, as prematurely encouraging growth can have negative effects. As our medical professionals constantly state, “First, do no harm.” Change is absolute, and growth can be affected by choices. Maintaining and championing a vision of growth, even when another person can’t, is a powerful framework for support. Sometimes the most supportive thing to do is to allow a person that is suffering to be where they are while simply letting them know that they are not alone. Inevitably, as with all things, even those feelings of discomfort will pass. Growth is the result. Burt Lo is a technology consultant, project manager, photographer, counselor, coach, and father. He assists people in achieving their goals through enabling technology in life and business. He also supports addiction recovery with dual diagnoses. His home is in Encinitas, CA.

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

c u l t u r e

The 150th Anniversary of the Revival of Kriya Yoga:

When I broke the news of my plans to Father, he was utterly taken aback. To him America seemed incredibly remote; he feared he might never see me again. “How can you go?” he asked sternly. “Who will finance you?” As he had affectionately borne the expenses of my education and whole life, he doubtless hoped that his question would bring my project to an embarrassing halt. “The Lord will surely finance me.” As I made this reply, I thought of the similar one I had given long ago to my brother his year marks the 150th anniversary of the Ananta in Agra. Without very much guile, I added, “Father, resurrection of Kriya Yoga, the royal system of perhaps God will put it into your mind to help me.” Yoga, for the modern world. In autumn of 1861, in “No, never!” He glanced at me piteously. a remote cave in the Himalayas, the great yogi householder I was astounded, therefore, when Father handed me, the Lahiri Mahasaya experienced his first encounter with his guru, following day, a check made out for a large amount. Mahavatar Babaji, and received Kriya Yoga from him. It was at “I give you this money,” he said, “not in my role as a father but as this seminal meeting, immortalized in the pages of Paramahansa a faithful disciple of Lahiri Mahasaya. Go then to that far Western Yogananda’s “Autobiography of a Yogi,” that Babaji instructed land; spread there the creedless teachings of Kriya Yoga.” Lahiri Mahasaya to teach Kriya openly—for the first time—to One early morning I began to pray, with an adamant all earnest seekers, and later requested that Yogananda be trained determination to continue, even to die praying, until I heard the to give this soul-revealing technique to the West. Below are voice of God. I wanted His blessing and assurance that I would excerpts describing Lahari Mahasaya’s meeting with Babaji, and not lose myself in the fogs of modern utilitarianism. My heart was Babaji’s instruction for Yogananda to go West to establish his set to go to America, but even more strongly was it resolved to society, Self-Realization Fellowship, to spread the Kriya Yoga hear the solace of divine permission. teachings. The selections are from Yogananda’s “Autobiography Paramahansa Yogananda I prayed and prayed, muffling my sobs. No answer came. At of a Yogi.” (Copyright © Self-Realization Fellowship. All rights noon I reached a zenith; my head was reeling under the pressure reserved.) of my agonies. I felt that if I cried once more, increasing the depth of my inner In the following passages from the chapter, “I Go to America,” Paramahansa passion, my brain would split. Yogananda recounts his plans to go to the West: At that moment there came a knock on the door of my Garpar Road home. My head in a whirl, I sought out Sri Yukteswar in Serampore. Answering the summons, I beheld a young man in the scanty garb of a renunciant. “Guruji, I have just been invited to address a religious congress in America. Shall

The Science of God-realization

I go?”

continued on page 46

e Your Mind Introdutoc your body.

“All doors are open for you,” Master replied simply. “It is now or never.”

They just might like each other.

“But sir,” I said in dismay, “what do I know about public speaking? Seldom have I given a lecture, and never in English.” “English or no English, your words on yoga shall be heard in the West.” I laughed. “Well, dear Guruji, I hardly think the Americans will learn Bengali! Please bless me with a push over the hurdles of the English language.”

Study with a Master, Learn from the Best

September 17 - YOGA for Writers and Writing Enthusiasts with Lucie Simone, RYT-200 October 8, 15, 22 - Intelligent Anatomy for Inquiring Minds: a workshop series with Russ Pfeiffer 2012 Teacher Training OPEN HOUSE Meet your future teachers and fellow trainees. Join us on Friday, 9/16 • 7-9pm. Become an RYT200 or 500

For workshops, register online, by phone or drop by. New Student Special: 10 Consecutive Days for $30! With this Ad...Can you do it? YOGA AT THE VILLAGE 1306 Sonora (at Kenneth Rd.) Glendale, CA 91201 • 818-265-9833 • www.yogaatthevillage.com V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

september b y

A d r i e n n e

forecast A b e y t a

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.

Aries: Magician (King of Wands) 3/21 – 4/19 The grass may be greener in other pastures, but all grass requires consistent care to flourish. Your restlessness will overcome your better judgment if you’re not careful. All of the extra work you’ve been doing the past few months is bound to catch up with you, so be patient! Your passion is likely to fizzle out if you don’t give equal attention to other areas of your life. Instead of feeling pulled in opposite directions of adventure and responsibility, learn how to unite the two. Make your work an adventure and act responsibly, not recklessly.

Libra: Emperor (8 of Wands) 9/23 – 10/23 The journey into self-discovery is a lonesome one, but accepting that fact can soothe feelings of abandonment and rejection. You must first tend to your soul before you can allow another into your world. Although we all come from the same paradise, we must each forge our own paths through life. Your greatest source of anguish will begin to diminish as you learn to nurture yourself. Go within to find comfort and your grief will be calmed. Be patient with others and allow them to discover their own paths. You don’t have the right to take responsibility for someone else’s sadness.

Taurus: Death (2 of Pentacles) 4/20 – 5/21 Have you ever noticed that when you change, the people around you also change, sometimes even literally? When old relationships drop away, new ones replace them. People in your life reflect an important component of who you are, and, as you get to know yourself better, you either let go of them or look to deepen the connection. Currently you are experiencing a transitional phase that will affect your relationships. There may be an influx of new people into your life or you may discard present relationships or gain greater intensity within intimate ones. For those on the verge of a change, this is a “make it or break it” time.

Scorpio: Devil (5 of Cups) 10/24 – 11/22 To dream the impossible dream—a beautiful song perhaps, but as for your life right now, you may want to be a little more realistic. This is not a month to be seduced by possibilities. Prepare yourself, because something you’ve been working on is about to hit a speed bump when someone or something you’re depending on does not come through as you expected. However, if you have a “Plan B,” this may only be a small detour. In regards to finances, look for miscalculations or red flags. It’s likely that you or someone else overlooked an important detail. Sagittarius: Star (9 of Swords) 11/23 – 12/21 When you ask evocative questions, expect provocative answers. A small tornado may blow the roof off your humble abode as someone tells you words you’re not prepared to hear. Something you’ve been itching to know, yet too afraid to ask, will finally come to the surface. However, what you learn is more unsavory than you expected. Consequently, a virtuous intention to help someone could inadvertently backfire. Check your motivations before delving into loaded situations. Where there is smoke, there is fire. To avoid arguments, be conscious of what you say and how you say it.

Gemini: Judgment (3 of Cups) 5/22 – 6/21 The whole world is in the palm of your hand, and yet, you raise your fist in contempt when something goes wrong and thank your lucky stars when something goes right. As the architect of your reality, what you think and do affects your life. Notice whether fear or confidence has become the stronger motivating factor in attaining your goals. Even in moments of loss and deprivation, remember that anything of real value cannot be lost or taken. Open your eyes and see what you already have. All that you need is laid out before you.

Capricorn: Temperance (Queen of Wands) 12/22 – 1/20 Be prepared to encounter a rather perplexing challenge: to do or not do. Though circumstances feel limiting, there’s a solution that lies just beyond your normal rationale. Be mindful of how your resistance is preventing you from living fully. You must tap into your wise mind if you’re to steer a clear course. Ask yourself what is needed and be honest about your fears. Let go of the excuses for now and listen to your inner warrior. Wisdom is not gained from knowledge as much as it is from experience. Ready or not, the course of your life is about to take a dramatic turn.

Cancer: Empress (4 of Pentacles) 6/22 – 7/22 Beware, there are hidden influences coming that threaten to undermine your current circumstances. Before pointing the finger of blame, look beyond others at your own reflection. Your uncertainty reflects more of your secret fears than you realize; those silly conflicts with others are really about your own limitations. Stop projecting your problems on others and acknowledge your flaws. Focus on the potentials present in your struggles, and you’ll find both creative solutions for your problems and insights into who you really are. A disagreement at the end of the month will prove a ripe opportunity for such awareness. Leo: Sun (10 of Pentacles) 7/23 – 8/23 Sometimes the bright light of consciousness is too much—it can blind you from seeing a situation from another person’s point of view. The truth of any situation has different angles, none of which is better than the other. You’ll discover something this month that validates one of your strongly held convictions. However, this awareness could be at the expense of a relationship. Think twice before proving your point. Something true for you may not match the truth of another. Keeping an open mind helps solve personal problems that will free your mind of unnecessary stress.

Aquarius: Fool (Knight of Cups) 1/21 – 2/18 Ambition is only one side of the coin when striving for personal goals; the other, perhaps even more valuable, is self-confidence. Self-confidence comes from connecting your faith in life with your own abilities. It is through this practice that you are granted deeper insights. At the beginning of the month, you will encounter a prospect so promising that you’ll be inundated with inspiration. Find the connections to what you’ve been working on (personally and professionally) and don’t waste energy going down unproductive paths. By the end of the month, you should be able to attend to your projects more consistently.

Virgo: Chariot (7 of Swords) 8/24 – 9/22 Humans are the most domesticated of all animals. With social congenialities and painted-on pretenses, people lose sight of their true nature or, even worse, they fear it. Most behavior involves either avoiding pain or seeking pleasure. The brain is to blame for this instinctive drive. To live from a place of spirit is to honor both your human and animal nature. This requires the courage to be open to life’s experiences, even the sorrow and the fear. You’ll be faced with an unavoidable ending this month. Be courageous and use the wisdom of your heart to endure this challenge.

Pisces: Justice (Knight of Swords) 2/19 – 3/20 With affairs of the heart come choices; the stronger your attachment, the harder these choices seem. In the same way that others act as a mirror, so too do your decisions reflect your values. Some of your recent decisions are beginning to reveal the cracks in your façade: you’re avoiding issues and upholding pretenses for the sake of security. Pretending that you’re happy, compromising your feelings, and dancing around the big elephant in the room will only cause problems. An honest conversation with someone you trust can help expose the truth behind your charades and the purpose for pretending.

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

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

c u l t u r e

Courageous Dreaming An Excerpt from “How Shamans Dream the World into Being” by Alberto Villoldo, PhD

We are what we think. Everything we are arises from our thoughts. With our thinking we create the world. —Buddha

hether you realize it or not, we are all dreaming the world into being. What we’re engaging in is not the sleeping dream we’re familiar with, but the waking dream we craft with our eyes open. When we’re unaware that we all share the power to co-create reality with the help of the Universe itself, that power slips away from us and our dream turns into a nightmare. We begin to feel we’re the victims of an unknown and frightening creation that we’re unable to influence or change. Events seem to control us and trap us. The only way to end this dreadful reality is to awaken to the fact that it, too, is a dream, and recognize our ability to write a better story, one that the Universe will work with us to manifest. The nature of the cosmos is such that whatever dream you have about yourself and the world will become reality. As soon as you awaken to your power to dream, you begin to flex the muscles of your courage. Then you can dream bravely, letting go of your limiting beliefs and pushing past your fears. You can begin to create truly original dreams that germinate in your soul and bear fruit in your life. Courageous dreaming allows you to create from the source, the quantum soup of the Universe where everything exists in a latent or potential state. Physicists understand that in the quantum world nothing is “real” until it is observed. But quantum events do not occur in the laboratory only. They also happen inside our brain, on this page, and everywhere around us. When you access any part of the dream, the great matrix of energy, you can change reality and alter the entire dream. Modern physics is describing what the ancient wisdom keepers of the Americas have long known. These shamans, known as the Earthkeepers, say that we are dreaming the world into being through the very act of witnessing it. Scientists believe that we are only able to do this in the very small, subatomic world. Shamans understand that we also dream the larger world that we experience with our senses. Like the Aborigines, the Earthkeepers live in a world where the dreamtime has not been pushed into the domain of sleep like it has for us. They know that all of creation arises from, and returns to, this dreamtime. The dreamtime, the creative matrix, does not exist in a place outside of us. Rather, it infuses all matter and energy, connecting every creature, every rock, every star, and every ray of light or bit of cosmic dust. The power to dream is the power to participate in creation itself. For the Earthkeepers, dreaming reality V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

is not only an ability but a duty, one we must perform with grace and love so that our grandchildren will inherit a world where they can live in peace and abundance. We went into extraordinary detail to dream our universe into being. The Big Bang had to be so finely tuned, so perfectly orchestrated and calculated, as to produce only one part of matter in 10 to the 50th power of stardust. This is 10 followed by 50 zeroes, no more and no less. What’s even more baffling is the fine tuning of the parameters of the universe that occurred, particularly here on the surface of the earth, which has maintained a perfect temperature balance between the freezing and boiling point of water for more than a billion years. The unlikeliness of these ratios that permit life to appear Alberto Villoldo, PhD suggests the presence of an intelligent force. The Earthkeepers call this the Infinite Source, or Infinity. The shamans I have studied with in the Andes and the Amazon believe that we can only access the power of this force by raising our level of consciousness. When we do so, we become aware that we’re like a drop of water in a vast, divine ocean, distinct yet immersed in something much larger than ourselves. It’s only when

continued on page 44

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

c u l t u r e

Invisible Children by Amanda Hinds Doyle

n 2003, the founders of Invisible Children, Laren Poole, Jason Russell, and Bobby Bailey traveled to Uganda seeking truth. When adventure went awry, they happened upon a rebel army murdering its way through northern Uganda, and without the world’s notice. Abducting children during the night and forcing them to fight aided leader Joseph Kony in the growth of what is now known as the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). This hidden secret drove Laren, Jason, and Bobby to the creation of the Invisible Children movement in 2005. Using film, creativity, and social action, Invisible Children aspires to end the use of child soldiers and restore LRA-affected communities in central Africa to peace and prosperity. “We really value the importance of story telling,” says Invisible Children office manager Cherliza Jimenez, “so our media is how we tell the story of northern Uganda and what we are doing there.” Kony/LRA History In the 1980s, a woman by the name of Alice Lakwena began the separation of people versus the Ugandan government. Spiritually possessed, Lakwena declared the government corrupt. This knowledge came to be known by Joseph Kony, acclaimed cousin of Lakwena and leader of the LRA, a guerrilla group spreading aggressive and violent campaigns in efforts to overthrow the government in Uganda and establish a theocratic government, based on the Ten Commandments. What began as a spiritual quest to overthrow the government turned into a massacre of the Ugandan people. With little to no supporters for their cause, Kony and the LRA resorted to abducting children to add to their ranks. Invisible Children estimates that more than 90 percent of soldiers in the LRA’s troops were abducted as children.

three filmmakers fell upon three boys living underneath the hospital where they were staying. Although they didn’t realize it at the time, by befriending these boys, Laren, Jason, and Bobby became heroes to thousands of men, women, and children in Uganda. The boys they befriended—Anthony, Tony and Boni—were living in fear of being abducted and forced to kill in the LRA. So, each night they took to the streets, traveling to the damp, underground cellar they called home. These children are known as night commuters. Without parental guidance, each night Anthony, Toni, and Boni began the chore of mopping the water-filled cellar, readying themselves for a night of hopes, prayers, and homework.

Night Commuters On their journey, Laren, Jason, and Bobby discovered the terror-stricken lives of children running from Kony and the LRA. After noticing many children walking the streets at night, and a huge congregation of them in the city, these

Creation of Invisible Children Documenting their findings, the three men came home with a mission: to spread the awareness of the terror afflicting these night commuters and child soldiers. Creating the documentary, “Invisible Children: The Rough Cut,” in 2003 (one of nine documentaries) was the first step in educating the public of the tragic realities facing children in northern Uganda. Since “The Rough Cut” aired, night commuting has ended in northern Uganda. Through this documentary and other forms of media, Invisible Children has facilitated the increase of awareness, education, and fundraising for programs helping not only children, but communities affected by the LRA. Condemned by the United States as a terrorist organization, the LRA is accused of widespread human rights violations, including mutilation, murder, abduction, sexual enslavement of women and children, and forcing children to participate in hostilities. The LRA has operated in northern Uganda, South Sudan, Central African Republic, and most recently has moved into the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Spiritual Counseling Your Inner Journey

Becoming Who YOU Are! Adrienne Abeyta, Sacred - Self Coaching

Getting To Know Your Self And God

Using Astrology, Numerology, & Tarot to discover the hero in your life story. Answering the questions:

You will learn to...

x Witness and transform old patterns x Connect to a higher awareness x Live your life’s purpose Phone sessions are available

760/634-1390 revdebv@yahoo.com debvogelspiritualcounseling.com

Contact Adrienne for consultations, events, and private lessons.

Deb Vogel is an ordained Metaphysical Minister and has an advanced degree in Pastoral Psychology. She has been in private practice since 1992. V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

• What is my purpose • What is the lesson of this challenge • When will my life look different • Where do I go from here AdrienneAbeyta.com • (619) 917-0998

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

Communities fled these LRA-afflicted regions until the Ugandan government evicted thousands of Ugandans from their homes, relocating them to crowded camps in hopes of protection. With overcrowded accommodation, disease, poverty, and starvation grew. Nearly a decade later, roughly one million people still reside in these camps. This is one of the ground efforts that Invisible Children is working on—helping restore these areas affected by the LRA. The Mission To date, widespread attention has been given to assist in bringing the LRA down and returning Uganda to peace, due to Invisible Children spreading media across the world. In May 2009, President Obama signed into law the Lord’s Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Ugandan Recovery Act. The bill passed unanimously in the Senate and House of Representatives, and on November 24, 2010, President Obama delivered the strategy to disarm Kony and the LRA. Through movies, benefit events, international tours, conferences, and education-oriented programs, Invisible Children, along with thousands of advocates around the world, is able to raise funds for the development and work in central Africa. According to Invisible Children, their mission is to initiate and maintain the international programs in Uganda, allowing for necessary change in war-affected areas. The Tour One way of spreading this awareness and assisting in raising funds which, in turn, go into ground efforts currently in the works in Uganda, is the biannual tours. “The tours are The Movement, that show The Movie, all to fund The Mission,” says Invisible Children. Twice a year, in the spring and fall, teams of roadies, volunteers in support of the cause composed of both Ugandans and US volunteers, spend three months traveling the United States, spreading awareness and raising funds. “Roadies are the face of the organization,” says Invisible Children. “They are motivating fellow young people to value volunteerism, sacrifice, and creativity.” The support received from the tours is then implemented into programs through the ICU, a branch of Invisible Children on the ground in Uganda. This branch is run by a 95 percent Uganda staff, which Invisible Children finds imperative in getting these war-affected areas the help they truly need. Currently, Invisible Children’s programs in northern Uganda, primarily focusing on education and micro-finance initiatives, serve 10,941 war-affected individuals. In preparation for long-term change Invisible Children and ICU created six essential programs: The Legacy Scholarship Program: Provides northern Uganda’s best and brightest students the opportunity to attend secondary school and university. Schools for Schools: Rebuilding war-affected schools in northern Uganda, raising the standards of education and challenging young people to actively participate in their changing world. The Bracelet Campaign: Connecting local markets to a global economy through the power of a personal story and a product. Mend: Changing the way fashion is consumed and offering a story behind every bag. The Teacher Exchange: Advancing classroom learning by connecting international educators. Invisible Children Cotton: Aiming to generate an entire organic supply chain in Uganda and bringing the most value to local farmers. Grasping the totality and advancements due to these programs can be seen in the large number of daily participants. According to Invisible Children, 9,048 students attend the 11 Schools for Schools partner institutions, 590 secondary students and 200 university students receive school funding and mentorship V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

c u l t u r e through the Legacy Scholarship Program, and over 1,000 community members participate in the Village Savings and Loan Associations, a micro-finance program that launched out of the bracelet-making program. In addition to these programs and with the movement of Kony and the LRA into the Congo, in 2010, Invisible Children launched a rehabilitation center in the Congo, which is expected to serve and rehabilitate 300 rescued child soldiers and their families each year. The Protection Plan, as it is called, intends to expand community-based early warning systems, reach out to potential LRA defectors and affected communities through FM radio, sensitize communities to encourage peaceful LRA defection, and holistically rehabilitate formerly abducted children in an innovative rehabilitation center. Through the Invisible Children headquarters in San Diego and the ICU on the ground in Uganda, change is happening. Every day, week, month, and year, individuals in these war-affected areas are moving toward a better life. The entirety, including the whole Invisible Children staff, the ICU, the roadies, the interns, and the families and friends around the world, are all unsung heroes. These individuals are making real change, change that came from three kids, a camera, and a thirst for truth.

For more information on Invisible Children, please visit www.invisiblechildren. com and make sure to look for their upcoming tour, to kick off September 7, 2011. Amanda Hinds Doyle is a graduate from Kent State University with a BS in Journalism and Mass Communication. She is currently a staff writer for Vision Magazine and the Go Green blogger for Examiner.com. Contact her at amandahinds@ visionmagazine.com.

Miele Vacuums

The leader around the world for Power ~ Durability ~ Clean air. Imported from Germany and without equal. For people who demand the best quality and

Rated #1 by Independent testing

performance. Must be seen to be believed! Many special features. Extra quiet. Miele offers a unique and unequaled combination of high power (143 cfm), tight fitting seals, and a particularly effective filtering system. The

labs.

vacuum actually retains the allergens, lung damaging particles and the other unhealthful substances. Other vacuums blow them into the air and can make you sick! According to independent testers, the Miele is THE ONE vacuum which actually does what it claims. The Miele really does make your home a safer place to breathe! 12 models starting as low as $299. Call for a free, no obligation, low pressure, in home demonstration anywhere in San Diego County. If you prefer, you can visit our showroom and service center at 3670 #2 Clairemont Drive, San Diego 92117. Best prices, excellent parts availability, professional service. Store hours: Mon. - Sat. 10:45am - 7:00pm, Closed Sundays. In your home 7pm-11pm. Trades accepted - dozens of used vacuums for sale.

858/270-7532

Seagull Distribution Company seagulldistribution.com

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

h e a l i n g

a r t s

A Determined Walk n’ Roll for Ataxia—Today’s Heroes by Donna Corrado

he 2007 movie called “The Cake Eaters” featured Kristen Stewart playing a young teen girl named Georgia suffering from a rare and debilitating disease called ataxia. Her life expectancy was short, and she lived the life of a teen that stumbles and falls when walking and doing daily tasks. It was a

hard movie to watch, for the struggles of this seemingly normal girl were intense. She had a keen mind and able to use it and even had a love for boys, but couldn’t handle all the normal tasks that a teen can do. Ataxia isn’t a new disorder and has actually been around since Nikolaus Friedreich first described it in 1863 as an inherited disease of the central nervous system. It is known as Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), and is the most common form of the disease to date, but there are over 50 variations of ataxia affecting more than 150,000 people in the country. Earl McLaughlin, a San Diego resident and leader of the San Diego Ataxia Support Group has experienced FA since he was 22 years old, and he is now 52. “I’ve had a full life serving my country, getting my MBA and working as an accountant for a major corporation,” Earl expressed. “Over the years, my mind functions at 100 percent, but with the progression of the ataxia, I have speech, eye, hand, and muscle problems, as well as being confined to a wheelchair and needing help all the time.” Earl’s mother, Patricia Ward of San Diego, told the story of her son Charley’s struggles with the hereditary disease by saying, “Charley started his battle with ataxia at age 13, which left him unable to function like the other kids his age.” Ward told of a heart-wrenching story about one of Charley’s experiences. “One day he was walking behind a group of kids and I could only imagine he was wishing he could be just like them when his odd gait drew attention to a police officer. [He] stopped, looked at him and thought he was a drunk teen, cuffed him, and put him in the police car and took him to his middle school where he was reported drunk to the principal.” With tears in her eyes, she expressed, “Charley wasn’t intoxicated. He was a teen whose mind was sharp, but because his body movements didn’t appear normal, they assumed he was drunk.” Charlie passed away at the age 45 and Mrs. Ward now has to deal with the devastating effects on her oldest son, Earl. Ataxia is caused by the dysfunction or degeneration to the cerebellum, which is

Sogyal Rinpoche Inspiring a quiet revolution in the whole way we look at life

San Diego, CA November 12th - 20th Three Options • Public Talk // Saturday, November 12th at 7:00pm

Aug. 26-28, Sept. 23-25, Oct. 28-30, Nov. 25-27

• Two-Day Option // Saturday evening, November 12th Monday evening, November 14th

Enjoy a casual weekend of yoga, meditation, group activities, nourishing meals and devotional singing/kirtan in the pristine wilderness of our sanctuary. Camping available.

• Nine-Day Retreat // Saturday evening, November 12th - Sunday afternoon, November 20th

Sunburst, founded by Norman Paulsen, direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda, is located on a 2,000-acre ranch 40 miles north of Santa Barbara, CA. Please call for reservations and suggested donation.

A rare opportunity to receive teachings directly from Sogyal Rinpoche, world-renowned Buddhist teacher from Tibet and author of the acclaimed spiritual classic, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. Register now at rigpaus.org, or call 619.906.4291 for more information. V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

www.SunburstOnline.org • Email: ContactUs@SunburstOnline.org • 805.736.6528

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

h e a l i n g

located at the back and lower part of the brain that controls the very complex functions of walking, speech, swallowing, hand coordination, and eye movement. The word “ataxia” is derived from the Greek word “a taxis,” meaning “lack of order or coordination.” It is a rare movement disorder which is often hereditary and caused by loss of function in the part of the brain that serves as the coordination center. There are no treatments for ataxia or cures for the disorder, but everyday living can be made easier with the help of genetic counseling, caregivers, family members, physical therapy, and in some cases, surgeries, braces, etc. Unlike muscular dystrophy, whose spokesperson is Jerry Lewis, and Parkinson’s disease with Michael J. Fox, ataxia doesn’t have anyone famous to represent them, but is just as devastating of a disease. Barbara Doogan, an Oceanside resident who was a productive Industrial Chemical Salesperson for 25 years, was diagnosed three years ago with progressive sporadic ataxia. She had to quit work, go to a more affordable apartment, and adjust herself to having the disease. She has problems with hand movement/ jerkiness and lack of coordination, and she now needs a walker to get around. She spends most of her days online researching compounds to help with balance and other symptoms. “My life has been altered drastically and I hope one day to help another person in the future,” says Barbara. She is so determined that she is donating her tissues to ataxia research. To determine the disorder, a neurological evaluation including an MRI is done, and the physician will look at the medical history and family background, as well as complete some blood tests which need to be completed to rule out any other disorder that may have similar symptoms. The mind is sharp, but the body doesn’t go in conjunction in the case of a person that has ataxia. Rocy Wu of Danville, California has lived with the ataxia for the last 15 years. She is confined to a wheelchair and has three caregivers who come in during the week to help her. Rocy’s mind is so sharp, but her body does not move in the same way. “I fall and have…scratches all over and even bumps on my head and it hurts,” she says. Rocy is now 51 and has lost her dad and uncle to the disease, but lives to live. She exercises to keep her limbs strong and takes vitamins to increase her resistance. The ataxia support group in San Diego started an event to raise funds for research and development. This will be the fifth year they are hosting an annual Charley McLaughlin 2K Walk n’ Roll on International Ataxia Awareness Day, September 24. Earl started this event in honor of his brother who died in 2007. This year Barbara Doogan is the honorary person noted for her strength and personal dedication to the organization and the cause. This event has been so successful that 13 other chapters adopted the Walk n’ Roll and are now also walking for the cause on the same day. “With all the research around the country being done on ataxia and all of us sticking together to make sure the future generations have hope, maybe we can make a difference in some way,” McLaughlin said. These are our heroes—those who really don’t have the ability yet still find a way to make a difference.

Hay House, Inc. proudly presents

PA S A D E N A was “The energy of this event to end, ing inn profound. From beg ed.” orm inf d an I was challenged NV s, ga Ve s La –B. Cook,

October 14-16, 2011 Pasadena Civic Auditorium and Convention Center LOUISE L. HAY

Inspiring Keynote Lectures and Workshops with Over 20 of Your Favorite Hay House Authors on a Wide Range of Enlightening Topics! Opening remarks from Louise L. Hay!

DR. WAYNE W. DYER

MARIANNE WILLIAMSON

DOREEN VIRTUE

CHERYL RICHARDSON

CHRISTIANE NORTHRUP, M.D.

GREGG BRADEN

The ultimate weekend conference for your mind, body, and soul Register Early—Space is Limited! Call 800-654-5126 or visit www.icandoit.net

Please contact the following people for further information on ataxia: Donna Corrado at dmacorrado@yahoo.com or 858.461.0963; Ann Foster at AnnFoster@ cox.net or 619.787.3435; and Earl McLaughlin at emclaugh@cox.net.

www.hayhouse.com® www.healyourlife.com®

For more information on the 2011 San Diego Walk n’ Roll for Ataxia, please visit https://naf.myetap.org/fundraiser/11SDWnR/. V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

a r t s

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

f e a t u r e shallow breathers—breathe deep! That doesn’t mean smoke. Next is ‘think.’ Oh my, your beautiful brain—it’s a miracle computer! Memories are precious. Garbage in, garbage out. Guard what you put in your memory. Next, what you do—[you have] 640 muscles; you either use them or lose them. Walking is the key of exercise. Get out and stretch your legs and your arms, and swing them when you walk. Each one of you are a miracle. You treat your miracle body with respect. This is what Paul Bragg taught the world, to respect and honor your body, your home while on Earth. Also, what you say—words can be loving, they can be killing. Paul Bragg said, put your words to a test: Are they good, are they kind, are they necessary? My father, Paul Bragg, was my mentor, my teacher. I [also] remember [a teacher] Mrs. Ellen Driscoll. She taught me [so much, including] penmanship; I got an award for my penmanship in second grade. She taught us right from wrong, she taught us manners. She would go to every class and have time with us every day. She was a wonderful teacher. And she taught me when I was in plays which she helped direct. And that’s why they call the little school there in Piedmont, California, The Ellen Driscoll Playhouse. And little did I know, when I was in my twenties, that I’d be having a TV show five days a week out of Hollywood called, “Health and Happiness.” And [other heroes were] teachers in my life, ministers at church, even the mailman that would deliver our mail. He would just greet us so beautifully: “Good morning! Good morning!” He was always cheery and bright, never down, never a mean word out of him. People don’t realize that—even as a child—people from the garbageman to the mailman to any of the deliverymen can make [a difference] in your life with a smile and a greeting. We all have heroes in our life. It might be a neighbor. It might be a dear friend. But we all need heroes and heroines and friends. That’s very important, because they can be guides in our life.

Heroes for Health An Interview with Patricia Bragg by Shannon Nies

any of us here at Vision Magazine have been enjoying Bragg products for years, so I was absolutely delighted to speak with Patricia Bragg for the first time. Her enthusiasm for health and vitality is truly an inspiration for people worldwide. Here is the conversation I had with this incredible health crusader:

Vision Magazine: What does being a hero/heroine mean to you? And who have been your heroes, past and present? Patricia Bragg: I know that we all have heroes in our life, mentors, and people that we admire for what they’ve accomplished and what they mean to us, how they’ve affected our lives. I’d say that my father is my biggest hero. What he’s accomplished in his lifetime will go on forever. My father [was] the originator and founder of health food stores. He named them and started them all over America. And what a difference it made. [Because of his health movement, people] realized they are what they eat, drink, breathe, think, say, and do. That’s the Bragg Healthy Lifestyle in a nutshell. Bragg Healthy Lifestyle keeps you healthy and fit because you realize what you eat and drink walks and talks tomorrow. Food is fuel, and liquids are so vitally important. Oxygen is the invisible staff of life. They used to say Americans are V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

VM: How have these people influenced your work and involvement in the health field, as well as your lifestyle? PB: As a child I loved flowers. I started growing flowers and vegetables from the age of 5 on, and it mushroomed into a passion. Roses, my father said, are “God’s autograph of beauty, fragrance, and love.” And now [because of his influence] I have one of the most outstanding rose gardens in California, with over 650 varieties. I have what they call a “green thumb.” My father started J.I. Rodale [founder of Rodale Press] in organic gardening. When young Rodale attended my father’s lectures in Pennsylvania, he came backstage and said that he’d like to be a health crusader like my father, Paul Bragg. Dad said, well what are your hobbies? And he said, I love gardening. And Dad said, have you heard about organic gardening? [Rodale said,] I think so. Dad said, young man, when I get back to California, you will come and be my guest, and I will teach you organic gardening. So he came out, spent time learning all about organic gardening, and he went back and started Organic Gardening magazine [in 1942] and Prevention magazine [in 1950].

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

f e a t u r e [There was] another young man who was 15 years old, puny and sickly and out of school a year and a half, and had to have a back brace to sit up straight. That was Jack LaLanne. One lecture in Oakland, California (from my father) changed his life. He said, “Patricia, I would have been dead in two years if I hadn’t heard Paul Bragg that night in Oakland, California.” Jack lived to be almost 97 years young, and he was active until almost the last. Just remember, the message of health is priceless. But you have to follow it. You have to live it; it’s a lifestyle. I love it, live it, and preach it—healthy lifestyle. So as a child, my first impressions [were] my teachers—the one that taught me penmanship, how to print well, do numbers well—and then the teachers through life, the little plays that I was in. I played the piano from 5 on, and at 7, I started the organ. I did all types of dancing and then I also sang. I enjoy music to this day. I have been a nutritionist to the Beach Boys for over 40 years. I also have helped the new singing sensation, Katy Perry. I bought her first guitar at 12, paid for singing lessons, and I got her first big singing performance at the LA Stadium for the 4th of July halftime, singing “God Bless America” when she was 13. Now she sings at Madison Square Garden and around the world. Her parents were my ministers in Santa Barbara, California. So I’ve learned to not only love my heroes and heroines, I’ve learned to be a mentor to thousands, and with the Bragg books, millions. I love to give them encouragement and love and guidance, not only in their health, but spiritually and mentally and physically. VM: How does your Apple Cider Vinegar work in the body? PB: Our humble little book, “Apple Cider Vinegar: Miracle Health System,” is just amazing. Dad was using it [apple cider vinegar] on the farm in Virginia and he saw what it did for the whole family and the animals. It would take an old chicken and make her a young chicken. Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, used apple cider vinegar in 400 BC. He treated his patients with it, and they got well. It’s a powerful, naturally occurring antiseptic and antibiotic.

“Patricia, I would have been dead in two years if I hadn’t heard Paul Bragg that night in Oakland, California.” Jack [LaLanne] lived to be almost 97 years young, and he was active until almost the last. V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

Bragg Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar has been the number one vinegar in American now, going on three years. It’s sold in every health food store and grocery store in America, and not only that, but also around the world. We have people that use it for everything, you name it. They use it for bites; it kills the venom from the bite. If you get sunburned, you pat it on your sunburn. If you have athlete’s foot or fungus, you soak your feet it, your toes in it, your hands in it, wherever you have the fungus. Apple cider vinegar is a miracle. We have people who get rid of GERD, indigestion problems. George Noory, who is the host of the famous radio show, “Coast to Coast,” the number one talk show at night, says, “I start my day with the Bragg vinegar drink every morning.” We have Bette Midler. She was on national radio recently and said, “Oh what that Bragg vinegar drink has done for me! I have more energy than I’ve ever had!” We have people from all walks of life that follow our teachings. VM: Could you talk about some of your products? PB: My father started the first vitamins and minerals in the United States. He started whey powders, he started the first health cosmetics. Dad introduced juicing to America. He brought the first canned juice from America to Germany. I traveled with my father eight months out of every year. For years we traveled the United States and the world, lecturing on health. When we first went to Australia over 55 years ago, [there was] one health food store in Sydney, one in Melbourne, one in Brisbane. Now there are thousands of health food stores throughout Australia. He [Paul Bragg] introduced pineapple juice. In the old days, they thought pineapple juice was too acid and it would kill you. He talked Mr. Dole into canning the pineapple juice. Dad, for three years, introduced pineapple juice at the Bragg Health Crusades, and people loved it.

VM: What is the easiest thing a person can do to change his or her life? PB: Well, Jack LaLanne started the next day by eliminating white bread and continued on page 41 S EP T E M B ER 20 11

f e a t u r e necessities of life—clean water, food, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information, and access to services. Why is this? Does the planet not have enough resources to provide for its own inhabitants? Does the guy pumping a hundred dollars at a time into his mega SUV deserve what he “has” because he’s “worked hard for it” and the poor people “haven’t?” “Poverty is not created by the poor people. Poverty is created by the system that we have built,” says Dr. Muhammed Yunus, a Bangladeshi Professor of Economics and a 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. His efforts to eradicate poverty through microloans with the Grameen Bank have reached one out of every thousand people on the planet. Founded in 1976 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, the Grameen Bank’s mission has been to assist poor families “help themselves” overcome what might have seemed like an endless cycle of poverty. Initially lending $26 (from his own pocket) to 42 people, Yunus, and what eventually became the Grameen Bank, have provided loans to 8.37 million borrowers worldwide in the past 35 years. The instrument is microcredit—small, long-term loans on easy terms. One distinction of this kind of credit versus conventional bank credit is that it’s not based on legally enforceable contracts or collateral. It’s based on trust—not on the system. The borrowers are poor and usually have no “credit history,” but rather, a solid desire for the opportunity to become self-sufficient. “Poor people are bonsai people. There is nothing wrong in their seeds. Simply, society never gave them the base to grow on.” Dr. Yunus compares poor people to bonsai trees in the sense that “when you plant the best seed of the tallest tree in a flower-pot, you get a replica of the tallest tree, only inches tall,” he says. “There is nothing wrong with the seed you planted; only the soil-base [is] inadequate. In this case, that inadequate soil base translates to a rugged terrain and history of military dictatorship, post-colonial collapse of infrastructure, nationalization, economic mismanagement, greed, etc.

Starting Small The Heroic Mission of Lending Money to the Poor

by Daphne Carpenter

hy are there so many impoverished people in this world? Is it because they are lazy? Is it because it is their so-called “karma?” No, neither explains the global phenomenon of poverty. In today’s world, where the rich dominate and control the banks and the money, so many people don’t have a fair share at entrepreneurship. Or more precisely, they don’t even have their fair share of resources—the ones needed just to survive. In countries like Bangladesh, Bolivia, Madagascar, Burundi, Guatemala, Ethiopia, The Congo, Haiti, and Mozambique, more than half the people live below the national poverty threshold. Can you imagine the natural landscape (minus corporate grime and capitalistic infrastructure) in these resource-enriched countries? When I was in Guatemala, I nearly overdosed on the density of the tropical air there. And have you seen pictures of, or been to, Mozambique? Endless…tropical…fill in the blanks. People that live in poverty-stricken areas “lack” resources because the resources there are unfairly distributed—not because they don’t exist. According to the “World Bank,” extreme (or absolute) poverty means the equivalent of “living” on less than $1.25 a day, and 1.4 billion people can’t even do that. They’re deprived of the basic

Microcredit

Many people assume that poor people are poor because they don’t have any skills, or because they are lazy and lack ambition, says Yunus. “It’s always about that person; there’s something deficient about that person.” Ninety-five percent of borrowers from the Grameen Bank are women (and poor at that)—a concept virtually unheard of in the traditional banking system. The loans help get them on their feet, giving them something to work with where they had nothing before. To be a recipient of a loan, the borrower must invest in some type of income-generating activity, like buy a cow, invest in a water pump, agricultural supplies, etc, and they must do it together with a group of five entrepreneurial friends or relatives who will become their support group throughout the process of becoming self-reliant. But it’s not easy for women at first, especially in Muslim countries like Bangladesh, where women are considered second class citizens, and are not allowed to talk to men outside of their husbands. These women have never had such money in their pockets. Upon being given the loan, “She is scared—she is challenged,” said Yunus. But through that challenge, “She discovers herself. So the Grameen Bank is more about self-discovery than just a lending operation.” Apparently the payback rate on these loans is high, according to the Grameen Bank—in the 90 percentile range. This concept of microcredit is a revolutionary method of social welfare which increases the quality of life for poor and desolate families who often believe that they were “born into” these indigent situations. Take notice of how in areas where governments have failed the people, smaller organizations and grassroots groups will step in and come to the rescue. Mohammad Yunis meeting with Bangladeshi women. Muhammed Yunus started small. With his students, he set out to V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

f e a t u r e help the poorest of the poor. Famine had swept through Bangladesh after the country gained independence from Pakistan in 1971. The previous government collapsed, and of course, through all the craziness that happens when a country becomes its own, wealth and resources didn’t extend out to people living in rural areas. (There’s no excuse for people not getting the basics of life, though. This is just pure greed, on many levels.) Yunus describes the horrific scene in his country during that time: “You could see skinny people all around…skeletons…either walking or sitting.” He said that it was difficult to tell whether or not the starving person on the ground next to you would ever get up again. Imagine villages of zombies— children, grandfathers. The gravity of the situation in Bangladesh at that time captured worldwide attention. Some non-governmental groups, individuals, and musicians began to organize. “The news reached me of an unfolding humanitarian crisis in my homeland of Bengal,” said Ravi Shankar, in 1971. “I expressed my concern to George Harrison. He knew about the turmoil of my mind and a concert to raise funds was initiated. An enormous amount of money was collected and this could never have been achieved without the help of dear George.” The concert became known as George Harrison’s Concert for Bangladesh, which generated more than $240,000 in aide money for UNICEF. The album sales, however, which were said to be in the $15 million range, somehow got locked into an IRS account for years because the concert organizers “had not applied for tax-exempt status.” George Harrison was said to have been “disgusted” by this.

“My position has always been [that] all human beings are born as entrepreneurs. It’s part of being a human being. But unfortunately, many of us [have] never had the opportunity to unwrap that part of our life, so that talent is hidden...” — Mohammad Yunis of us [have] never had the opportunity to unwrap that part of our life, so that talent is hidden. That’s the fault of the environment and the society we live in, not the person. They are very hardworking, they are sweating their life off, and the money they make is so little because no one gives them a fair share of their work.” If you’ve been in countries where people are hungry, or if you’ve seen immigrants working here in the United States, you might have noticed this to be true. It seems like the harder these (poorer) people work—often physically grueling labor—the less money they make.

Microcredit as a Model

Conventional banks reject poor people and women. “This is unjust,” says Yunus. In the microcredit structure, however, they do the “opposite” of what conventional banks do. They even go directly to the people, to their homes, instead of having them come to the bank. This makes sense, especially in these rural areas. “When a client gets into difficulty, conventional banks get worried about their money and make all efforts to recover it, including taking over the collateral.” This isn’t the case with Grameen, says Bonsai People Yunus. The support groups and financial assistants Five years ago, award-winning documentary film make efforts to “help her regain her strength and maker Holly Mosher traveled to Bangladesh to start overcome her difficulties.” filming her latest passion project, “Bonsai People—The Yunis recieving the 2006 Nobel prize. Maslow’s concept of the Hierarchy of Needs Vision of Muhammed Yunus.” When she arrived, she (derived from the works of the late doctor of was deeply moved. “Being in Bangladesh made me feel like I’d gone back a hundred years in time. [The villagers] were often at home doing psychology, Abraham Maslow) suggests just that the needs at the bottom of (what’s depicted as) a pyramid are of a human’s basic physical requirements—the need for chores that took hours because they still have to do everything by hand.” The film peeks into the lives of several Bangladeshi women who have become self- food, water, sleep, and warmth. A person’s “lower-level needs” have to be met before employed and empowered by microcredit loans. One of the heroes in the film is Aroti they can move on to the next level of needs, which are safety and security. This (now an elected councilwoman in her village), who has received and paid back several applies to poor people who have nothing. How can they reach their potential when Grameen loans, including an education loan for her son. She laughs as she talks about they don’t even have their lower needs met? (The needs at the top are psychological and social.) staying productive and working, “not seven hours a day,” but “twelve hours.” The Grameen Bank is not a punisher bank, they say. In our society banks don’t care At first, Aroti took out a small loan and bought a motorized irrigation pump. Her irrigation project was successful, she says, as she proudly walks us through the stream. if we’re stuck somewhere in those lower realms (although how many of us ever really Three years later, she took out a housing loan which allowed her to build three homes are?). They want their money. In unwavering attempts to recover it, they’ll call you every day, twice a day, even on Sundays. They’ll take over your collateral, whatever it on her property. She rents two of the houses out to other families. “Twelve years ago we didn’t have electricity. The difference [now] is the ground to was you put down as security for the repayment of the loan. And your “credit report” sky,” she says. Now her family sleeps “in peace under the fan.” And they used to have will now show that you have defaulted on your loans, so then you’re blacklisted from to pedal a rice husker by foot, she says, but today, with adequate tools, “it only takes potential opportunities like the “good” house or apartment you wanted, a decent auto insurance premium (yes, your credit is taken into consideration on that one five minutes.” Director Holly Mosher, an NYU Tisch School of the Arts honors graduate, said these days), and you might just kiss that dream job away as well if you have a less that she was “amazed by Grameen’s capacity to come in and provide help during than satisfactory financial history. (During my research for this article, I came across natural disasters.” She was there “during one of the worst cyclones they had had in several people who said they couldn’t get certain jobs because of their credit.) When Muhammad Yunus came up with the idea to provide microloans to the years.” Her film depicts the challenges poor people living in rural areas face when the poor so that they could acquire adequate tools needed to achieve self-sufficiency, his system repeatedly neglects them. This heartfelt documentary compels us to look concept was ridiculed and criticized. People said it was “a crazy thing to do…how deeper into the potential that all humans possess, but aren’t given the opportunity can you loan money to poor people? They will never pay you back.” Thirty-five years later, Yunus and the Grameen Bank have successfully loaned to explore. In the film, Dr. Yunus says, “My position has always been [that] all human beings are born as entrepreneurs. It’s part of being a human being. But unfortunately, many continued on page 40 V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

Community Resources classes

workshops

education

holistic health

massage

yoga

rentals

personal growth

and much more!

Line Listings are 20 words for only $20! Each additional word is only .50¢/word.

Introductory Special: Prepay for 3 months and get the 4th month free. Prepay for 6 ads and get a FREE standard 2x2 display ad. Large vertical ads (2 x 3.25) are $159. Standard size (2x2) ads are $135. Discounts for multiple issues. Call today at 866.804.8444 or email listings@visionmagazine.com or sales@visionmagazine.com. Visa & MC accepted. Deadline SEPTEMBER 15

VISION MARKETPLACE

ACCESSORIES

Visit our website www.visionmagazine.com SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY RATE ON-LINE RESOURCE ADVERTISING 50% OFF WITH THE PURCHASE OF PRINT RESOURCE LISTINGS & DISPLAY ADS.

ADVENTURES

A LT E R N AT I V E

MEDICINE

ABUNDANCE

ADDICTION

ALREADY BLESSED” PROSPERITY PACK - for reclaiming your divine birthright of Abundance. This pre-blessed collection of seven toolkit items (sage wand, quartz point crystal stone, amethyst stone, citrine stone, green candle, and prosperity oil and money card) comes with an easy to follow usage guide PLUS Goddess Tauheedah’s Money Freedom Prayer. The instructions, prayer and pack items support you in freeing and expanding your ﬂow of abundance, and show you how to manifest that ﬂow as money substance. Available exclusively at The Imagine Center, 18635 Ventura Blvd, Tarzana, CA 91356 for $21.95; via mail for $26.95 including shipping and handling. Call 818.345.1100 for current availability or to place your order for postal delivery.

ADDICTIONS, SLEEP DISORDERS Do you, or someone you know, have issues with substance abuse, addictions, sleep disorders, mood swings, ADD or ADHD? Using our custom designed light and sound technology will dramatically improve your circumstance. I will freely (with no obligation) demonstrate this custom designed technology. Call 818.268.8647. 08.11

ALTERNATIVE HEALTH

AKASHIC COUNSELING/ SOUL THERAPY AKASHIC RECORDS LIFE&SOUL COACHING with Barbara Schiffman. Tune into the wisdom of your own Soul for guidance, healing, creativity, conscious evolution. Akashic Records phone or in-person sessions available. Also, Practitioner Certiﬁcation weekend trainings and mentoring. 818.415.3479, www. YourLifeandSoul.com, www.Meetup.com/ AkashicLA 09.11

ALTERNATIVE HAPPY PEOPLE VAPORIZERS STARTING @ $49.99 The SD Smoke Shop offers the healthiest and most affordable vaporization solutions. 3146 El Cajon Blvd San Diego. CA 92104 11.11

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE BABYLON GARDENS~10%Off for New Patients & Free Gift with minimum $20 donation-New Planetary Strains Available. 3655 Ocean View Blvd #E 92113 619.316.1273

VISION MAGAZINE - OCTOBER THEME

“DESPERADOES”

CALL TO ADVERTISE! 1-866-804-8444 V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

ANNOUNCEMENTS VISION MAGAZINE IS LOOKING FOR PASSIONATE SALES ASSOCIATES. E-mail resumes to sales@visionmagazine. com or call 619.294.2393.

ASTROLOGY

GODDESS TAUHEEDAH’S ENERGY MAINTENANCE FOR WELL-BEING The state of your energy field determines your health and well-being. Goddess Tauheedah’s energy work supports you in maintaining optimum life force energy flow. Clearing, aligning and rebalancing your electro-magnetic energy brings you openness, self-healing and security. Appointment includes auric reading, auric cleansing, release of blocks and attachments, inflow of higher light, grounding and chakra rebalancing. Book your energy healing session today. $50 per half-hour. Call 818.345.1100 or book online at www. theimaginecenter.com. The Imagine Center

Animals

A NNO U NC E M E NTS

is located at 18635 Ventura Blvd, Tarzana, CA 91356

AYURVEDA

astrology THREE MONTH TO ONE YEAR BIRTHDAY REPORT is your solar return, the chart cast for the instant the Sun returns to the exact place it was when you were born, at whatever place you happen to be at that moment. Your natal chart may be the most important description of you, but your Solar Return is considered by many astrologers to be the most important chart for describing your current year. www.asrology-expert.com GALEN. 619.675.1574

BETTER HEALTH HERPES – NO MORE – GUARANTEED call 1800.605.9001. Or visit us online: HERPESCOLDSOREKILLER.COM

BODY, MIND, SPRIT

ARGAN OILS

c E NT E RS

AYURVEDIC PRODUCT that has been used for centuries by the women of Morocco. Use coupon code “Eden Allure” for 20% discount at www.edenallure.com. 11.11

AURAS/ENERGIES SHAMANISM, I N T E G R AT E D COUNSELING curandero’s mesa, years of experience in traditional psychotherapy. Bilingual. San Diego area. Lightstone, MSW. 619.220.0916. 11.11 V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

cENTERS

BOOKS & DVDS

COLON HYDROTHERAPY LIVING WATER REJUVENATION CENTERS Colonic, Lymphatic, Ionic Cleanses. 3 generations, 60+ yrs National/I-Act Certified School. San Diego, Carlsbad, Escondido. 760.737.3500 www.livingwaterrejuvenation. com 10.11

CRYSTALS

“6 NEWLY DISCOVERED & NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED secrets to Eternal Youth and Immortality” by Eternal Youth Empire. Available on Amazon.com.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES VISION MAGAZINE has created an intention to seek a partnership with a spiritually minded individual or organization. Our goal is to expand geographically as well as in our online media. If you are you looking to make a positive difference in the world and have working capital, please contact us and bring in your creative energy and share your vision with us. Ask for Sydney 866.804.8444 sydney@visionmagazine.com 11.11

cleaning

Help for Your Holistic Home Organize • Sanitize • Beautify Your Home and Office • Safe & Affordable



CENTERS THE CENTER FOR HEALTH AND WELLBEING San Diego’s Premier Holistic Integrative Medicine Center. We make Holistic Care affordable. 619.814.5500 www.IntegrativeMedicineSanDiego.com

“I sometimes need my favorite Home Helper Maria because she helps me at my office monthly and also at my home when I need her domestic support and organizational skills. I highly recommend Maria & Her Team.” - Sydney L. Murray, Publisher of Vision Magazine

Call Express Cleaning

619.954.1603 or email xprsscc2000@hotmail.com

CLASSES

c l e a nse

MARVELOUS OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN and grow with others. Immerse in a spiritual class (www.kiyamani.com) entitled Mani I. Further the learning in a group. Contact 310.348.9045

d et o x

Clean Out - Feel Better!

Whole Food Nutritionals & Cleansing

Christine’s Cleanse Corner, Inc.

Info: (858) 673-0224 Toll free Orders: (877) 673-0224 P.O. Box 28895, San Diego, CA 92198 www.TransformYourHealth.com Private Phone Consultations

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

COACHING Independent Distributor

Christine Dreher, C.C.N, C.C.H., Nutritionist, Herbalist, Cleanse Coach, Author of “The Cleanse Cookbook.” Offering Arise & Shine, Ejuva, Garden of Life, Mt. Capra & More!

SPIRITUAL COACH – JOHN ABE Learn Universal Enlightenment with “I Am Totality.” Build your life to order, do nothing to accomplish everything. In-Person or Phone. Free. 800-584-1640, www.iamtotaltiy.com. Join Meetup.com to learn times and locations of free “I Am Totality” Meetup Group.

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

OVER 50 KINDS OF HEALING CRYSTALS & Amethyst Geodes Direct Importer ~largest Inventory In San Diego South American Imports Best Quality ~ Lowest Prices. Open Every Day! 2461 San Diego Ave #104 92110 ~Old Town~ Coyote Café Shopping Center. 619. 299.3877

CRYSTAL JEWELRY CRYSTAL JEWELRY CAN IMPROVE your mental clarity & well-being 31 day money back guarantee. View testimonial videos www.meditationbangles.com.

DATING SPIRITUAL SINGLES: The largest, conscious dating site on the Internet. Dating & Events in Southern California. Free to join, browse & send “hellos”. Your soul mate awaits... join today. www.SpiritualSingles. com 10.11

EDUCATION AKASHIC RECORDS CERTIFICATION TRAININGS: Learn to read the Akashic Records for yourself and others (inc. nonhumans). Access your Soul’s energy-archive of lifetimes for guidance, healing, creativity, conscious evolution. Intro workshops and practitioner certification trainings in SoCal and nationwide. Details: Barbara Schiffman, 818.415.3479, www.YourLifeandSoul.com, www.Meetup.com/AkashicLA PROFESSIONAL LICENSE & CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS: Massage Therapies (MT), Nutrition, Herbology, Holistic Health Practitioner (HHP), Naturopathic Practitioner (NP), Aromatherapy, Spa Therapist, Yoga Instructor, Somatics & Movement Therapist, Energetic/Vibrational Healing, Thai Massage, Lomi-Lomi/Hawaiian Healing Arts, Counseling Skills, Sports Therapist & Performance Enhancement,

COACHING

Oriental Therapies, PLUS NEW DISTANCE LEARNING OPTIONS! Natural Healing Institute, Encinitas, 760.943.8485. Licensed school! www.naturalhealinginst.com. Private consultations also available. Steve Schechter, N.D., H.H.P., Director. 08.11

ENERGY HEALING ENERGY HEALING WITH JOSEPH Lightwork healing sessions to remove deep blockages in your life. Help for relieving your emotional and or physical pain. Private sessions by Phone. I am an expert on distance healing. Free 30 minute Consultation 818.842.5244 please no calls after 8:30PM or e-mail me www.lightworkerjoseph.com 10.11

GARDENING

GODDESS TAUHEEDAH’S ENERGY MAINTENANCE FOR WELL-BEING The state of your energy field determines your health and wellbeing. Goddess Tauheedah’s energy work supports you in maintaining optimum life force energy flow. Clearing, aligning and rebalancing your electromagnetic energy brings you openness, self-healing and security. Appointment includes auric reading, auric cleansing, release of blocks and attachments, inflow of higher light, grounding and chakra rebalancing. Book your energy healing session today. $50 per half-hour. Call 818.345.1100 or book online at www. theimaginecenter.com. The Imagine Center is located at 18635 Ventura Blvd, Tarzana, CA 91356

CRYSTALS

HAWAII FAMILY WELLNESS THE SANCTUARY BIRTH & FAMILY WELLNESS CENTER - Holistic Pediatrics, Natural Birth, Parenting Support. www. birthsanctuary.com 11965 Venice Blvd. Ste. 204 LA CA 90066. 10.11

VISITING MAUI? Visit MauiVision.net first! Explore our magazine’s extensive body, mind and spirit events listings and community resources. To order a sample copy call 808.669.9091, or e-mail mauivision@aol.com.11.11

GLOBAL BIZ OPPORTUNITY

HEALING

Handcrafted Nutrition 38 year old established company Stock incentives to be earned High income potential (commissions) 30 Countries recently opened 800.764.8146 www.Mazufit.biz 0112

GET PAIN RELIEF NOW - PHYSICAL & EMOTIONAL I combine 20 years of experience as an R.N. in Physical Rehabilitation and use many energy therapies including Healing Touch. This amazingly effective work decreases & can eliminate chronic and acute pain. Free 30 min introductory session Joan Wilson R.N. 858.689.0071 V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

COLON

HYDROTHERAPY

GOT COLD SORES OR CANKER SORES? Try Natural Propolis & Tea Tree Oil Lip Salve or Toothpaste. Doctor Recommended. MiracleLips.NET or call 800.856.1009.

Services. Work from home. High income potential (commissions). Patience, good communication skills required. 800.701.9364. 11.11

HEAL CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME (CFS) After 26 years I did - Now I can help you. Health & Happiness Coach/Author www.polaritybalancing.net 808.652-9599.

CONSCIOUS WHOLESALE business seeks sales reps! We provide sacred stones, crystals, minerals, natural gifts, and jewelry to retail sources throughout Southern California. Metaphysical background helpful. Grounded and enthusiastic. Outside sales experience a plus. Vehicle required. Will Train. Call Michael at Tobias & Alysha Crystal Co. 310-821-2511. 09.11

HEALTH

HEALTH INSURANCE No Broker Fees!

Traditional Medical & Dental Plans Individual & Groups! Includes Physical Exams • Prescriptions Alternative Medicine Acupuncture • Chiropractic Physical Therapy • Massage Therapy For complete details phone: Estelle Perod

949-248-5633

www.epfinancialservices.com Lic. #0821783

DENTAL

DON’T TOUCH

Your Face ‘til You… read FREE REPORT – Amazing Skin Care BREAKTHROUGH: • Men, WOMEN - all skin types; • 5 Must-Do steps to great skin; • Skin-Care Myths CRUSHED; • REVITALIZE your skin • How to test for damaged, aging skin, harmful creams, oils…

THE VITAL IMAGE 439 Talbert St., Playa del Ray, CA 90293 You’ll always be glad you called today, Get FREE Report – CALL NOW! (800) 414-4624 24 hrs./7 days www.thevitalimage.com

FREE to “Vision” Readers

Affordable Holistic Dentistry in Mexico

American BioDental Center follows the “Huggins Protocol” for dental revision and detoxification. • $50 for exam, x-rays, & cleaning • $150 wisdom teeth • Safe Mercury Filling Replacement for only $95! • Cosmetic Dentistry • Bio-compatible Dental Materials • Environmentally safe office. A five minute taxi ride from the border to “The Grand Hotel” in Tijuana.

Call today: 1-877-231-5701 Visit our website: www.americanbiodental.com

Advertise with

VISION MAGAZINE

call toll free: 866.804.8444

www.visionmagazine.com V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

HELP WANTED SALES – Natural Health/Vegan Products,

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

VISION MAGAZINE IS LOOKING FOR PASSIONATE Sales Associates. Email resumes to sales@visionmagazine.com

HERBS SAN FRANCISCO HERB & NATURAL FOOD CO. Fremont, CA 94538 The ultimate source for Herbs, Spices and Teas. All spice blends are prepared in-house, salt-free. NO additives MSG and non-irradiated. ALL NATURAL! We have spices in bulk by LB and TON ready for you. Also, toll free 800.227.2830 and website: www. herbspicetea.com

HYPNOSIS PAST LIFE REGRESSION, Weight Loss, Limiting Beliefs, Personal Issues. Heather 760.481.5126, www. carlsbadhypnosiscenter.com

HYPNOTHERAPY STOP SMOKING IN ONE HOUR— Guaranteed for life! For free consultation, call Absolutely Smoke Free—1 Hour!, Dr. Ginger Marable, PhD, CHt, 760-420-2279; www.AbsolutelySmokeFree.com.

LIFE COACH

EDUCATION

PRIVATE, GUIDED MEDITATION with goddess tauheedah. Goddess Light and Ordained Metaphysician Tauheedah Shakoor-Curry will guide you into an experience of deep peace and relaxation resulting in greater clarity and understanding for your continued growth and well being. $25 per 15 minutes, exclusively at The Imagine Center, 18635 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana 91356. Register at 818-345-1100 or online at http://www.theimaginecenter. com 09.11 MEDITATION FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE & WORK IN THE WORLD Dharma Center 5059 Newport Ave. #303 Ocean Beach CA 92107. www.dharmacenter. com 619.797.5483 Practical American Buddhism

MIND BODY SPIRIT

MASSAGE MASSAGE THERAPIST - LOS ANGELES - Call Kate for Relaxation Massage and Deep Tissue to Your Home, hotel or ofﬁce. 818.477.4646. 08.11

MASSAGE RENTAL GORGEOUS MASSAGE ROOM, CALMING & SERENE in Heart of Hillcrest in Healiing Center email Laura for prices - monthly or daily -- onegurly@hotmail.com

MEDITATION ONENESS MEDITATION SERVICE – Led by Goddess Light and Ordained Metaphysician Tauheedah Shakoor-Curry. Expanding Light means expanding abilities. Step into your vaster self. Align and renew. Give and receive higher light. Join us for inspiration and meditation from 11am-1pm on Sundays at The Imagine Center, 18635 Ventura Blvd, Tarzana, CA 91356. Each participant receives a higher light reading. $10 minimum donation. Register at 818-3451100 or online at www.theimaginecenter. com. (Note: group does not meet on fourth Sunday of the month.)

MEDICAL INTUITIVE & HEALER IN PERSON OR PHONE CONSULTATIONS. Sharon Joseph 818.912.2535 Guidance in the area’s of love, Relationships, career, ﬁnance, spiritual growth, healing energy, coping with Illness and personal crisis.

Natural Healing Institute Professional License & Certificate Programs

MUSIC

Comprehensive Training • Highest Caliber Instructors

LISA LYNNE’S CELTIC HARP MUSIC is a treat for the heart. CD’s available, live performances and “Hands-on-Harps” workshops. 818.569.5691 www.LisaLynne. com 09.11

Massage Therapist • Nutrition • Herbology • Aromatherapy Holistic Health Practitioner • Spa Therapist • Sports Therapist Yoga Instructor • Thai Massage • Lomi Healing • Shiatsu • Somatics Oriental Healing Arts • Naturopathic Practitioner • Energetic Healing • More

+ Distance Learning Options! • Special Discounts Encinitas • (760) 943-8485 • www.naturalhealinginst.com

NATURAL BODY CARE Pure Natural World. 100% Purest Natural and Organic Body Care Products. Soaps, lotions, perfume oils, shampoos, feminine hygiene products, and more. Visit our store at www. PureNaturalWorld.com 09.11

FA M I LY

WELLNESS

OXYGEN THERAPY/CRYSTALS NOW OPEN in HILLCREST! QUARTZ OXYGEN BAR & PRISM CRYSTAL SHOP. Come relax, refresh and revive in either our peaceful new shop or Mobile Oxygen Bus. We offer 92% pure oxygen. We also have Crystals. Call 619.212.1543 or visit us at www.QuartzOxygenBarSD.com

WWW.VISIONMAGAZINE.COM Classifieds continued on page 39 V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

vision cafe

Body Mind Spirit Expo

Opening Doors to Alternatives for Health and Wellness

ow in its 23rd year, Body Mind Spirit Expo has become the largest health and wellness expo in the United States. With a presence in numerous states, Body Mind Spirit creates an arena for the general public to increase their knowledge of alternative health and metaphysical topics, opening doors that may not be readily available in many cities around the country. Expo founder Steve Strickland hopes that by providing these venues, those in search of change will be enabled to take charge of their own well-being. He encourages taking a skeptical approach to the metaphysical ideas presented, while remaining open to the possibilities that will unfold. “We live in a much larger world than we normally think about,” says Strickland, “and skepticism takes a backseat when we see things proven.” Originating in Ashland, Oregon in 1986, BMSE has always maintained an equal emphasis between national holistic topics and local presenters. As the company evolved into Body Mind Spirit Expos, the awareness of our venues grew, and we now present expos semi-annually throughout the west, east, and midwestern states. In the coming year, Body Mind Spirit looks forward to many exciting events from coast to coast. Coming to San Diego for the 11th year on October 8-9, the expo will bring to life a positive, healing environment. Here they have gathered the best from your community and joined them with others from throughout the country to provide

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

the essential tools for discovering overall health and well-being. Body Mind Spirit exhibitors introduce the tools necessary for achieving full body wellness. Retail exhibitors will offer everything from natural and holistic health products to spiritual books and enlightened art. Healers at the expo will provide treatments ranging from massage and yoga techniques to intuitive readings extending advice to those seeking enlightenment regarding their current life course. Along with over 50 exhibitors, the two days of the expo will feature 40 free lectures including topics on the power of crystals and guided healing meditations. Weekend admission of $12 includes all lectures and demos as well as admission to the exhibit hall. Come rejuvenate! Get a massage, explore and open yourself to new ideas or familiar revelations, or shift your perspective altogether. The expo offers a safe environment for growth and exploration, so mark your calendars for October 8-9. See you there! Body Mind Spirit Expos are a national series of expos which emphasize holistic health and personal growth. They strive to continually provide positive, informative events that contribute to the metaphysical and alternative health communities. The upcoming expo in San Diego will take place October 8-9, 2011 at Doubletree Mission Valley, 7450 Hazard Center Dr., San Diego, CA, 92108. For more details on the event, please call Marcella at 541.482.3722 or visit www. bmse.net.

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

v i s i o n

Erhard Vogel Has Inspired Me to Change My Life

c a f é

Good for You Good for the Planet

by Pam Reed

Nataraja Yoga Ashram’s founder, Dr. Erhard Vogel, will be leading a retreat on Sunday, September 18, 2011 at the Ashram in Flinn Springs. The topic is “Rejuvenation Through Meditation: a Day of Retreat in the Beautiful Country.” Although Dr. Vogel teaches meditation in the Expert in Life program every week in La Jolla, this is the first retreat opportunity offered to students in about 10 years. The retreat is priced affordably at only $75 for the day, including lunch, and you are invited! For more information on Nataraja Yoga Ashram and Erhard Vogel, please visit www.evogel.net or call 858.731.9879.

www.solarrainwatery.com

or more than 40 years, Dr. Erhard Vogel has been guiding people to realize their true Being and contribute to the improvement of the human condition. He is recognized around the world as a Master Teacher. “Selfrealization,” he writes, “is what all life strives for. It is making real our deepest longings and highest aspirations by living, experiencing, and expressing our real identity, and thereby fulfilling our life potential.” Dr. Vogel has based a lifetime of service on the conviction that self-realization is the birthright of every human being. Erhard is a true hero to me, as he has enabled me to make profound changes in my life—in my ability to fully enjoy life, in my superb health and fitness, in my lack of stress, in my intimate relationship with my husband and all my relationships, in my internal peace and harmony, in my focus and clarity, self-love, acceptance, and confidence. He has given me the incredibly profound experiences that have helped me to clearly know who I really am. As a Master Teacher, he sees everyone as the Power of Being they are and treats them as such—with love and respect, lack of limitation, seeing their full potential, and unconditional acceptance. He is penetratingly perceptive and can deliver information and experiences to people so they get it and immediately employ it in their lives. He guides us to ultimately LIVE in the experience of meditation (awareness of our Power of Being) in continuity and thus release forever old habits and attachments that don’t serve us.

Have fun and reward yourself! Scan this QR code with your cell phone to play the iSpy game.

Relax & rehydrate with a more environmentally friendly premium drinking water, helping you make our world a better place. Ocean Sourced | Made Locally for Freshness

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

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

v i s i o n

c a f é

University Heights Arts Open/Taste of University Heights

he 6th annual University Heights Arts Open/Taste of University Heights event is both a creative and culinary arts celebration happening on Sunday, September 18 from noon to 5 p.m. in University Heights, San Diego. The first part of the event is the University Heights Arts Open. The UH Arts Open is a one-of-a-kind event that celebrates art in all its forms, and doesn’t charge you a penny. The Open features works and talks by painters, sculptors, potters, dancers, poets, and musicians. Visitors can visit studios, check out exhibitions, chat with the artists, and watch performances. The participating establishments and troupes are well worth spending time on. The Taste of University Heights is a self-guided walking tour of delectable delights, which showcases mouthwatering cuisines from prominent and diverse restaurants and eateries, from noon to 3 p.m. The grassy area in front of the Historic Teachers Annex Building is the starting point for the events and the will-call booth for the Taste of UH. The area features 60 booths of visual artists of all mediums, including painting, photography, glass art, sculpture, jewelry, and mixed media, as well as historic groups, community groups, and free parking. On the same day as the UH Arts Open/Taste of UH, many surrounding areas will be offering free events, food, demonstrations, open artist studios, etc. For instance, the Athenaeum School of the Arts will be hosting a student art exhibit and painting demonstration. The J.A. Cooley Museum will have free admission that day. Swedenborg Hall will host live music, artists and performers, and is a taste venue for Garden of Eden. Finally, there is the Birney Block Party at Birney Elementary, which features live music, food, and children’s activities. The UH Arts Open/Taste of UH will take place on September 18, 2011 from noon-5 p.m. The Arts Open is free; the Taste part of the event is $20 per ticket in advance and $25 on the day of the event, and includes raffles for prizes. To purchase advanced tickets for the Taste event, call the UHCDC office at 619.297.3166 or go to the reception at Swedenborg Hall (1531 Tyler Ave., San Diego, CA 92103) on September 16, 7-9 p.m. Limited tickets are available, so get yours before they sell out! A list of event artists is viewable at http://www.uharts.org/UHAOparticipants2011.htm. You can also view the event program with a map and schedule at http://www.uharts.org/UHartsOpenProgram2011.htm. For further details on the event, please call 619.508.4075 or visit www.UHarts.org. V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

h o l i s t i c

Dreaming Bhutan:

r e v i e w

Journey in the Land of the Thunder Dragon Review by Sydney L. Murray

have had a very challenging month where who and what I am have been tested to the extreme. Luckily I had the great gift of the new book by Nicole Grace entitled, “Dreaming Bhutan.” I sat with this beautiful book and meandered through it. Not once upon picking it up have I not found a smile on my face as well as my heart and mind lifted. As they have in the past, the words of Ms. Grace have once again soothed and inspired me. “Dreaming Bhutan” is a pictorial journey through the remote country of Bhutan, accompanied by both historical and spiritual references as well as insightful observations. The photography is stunning and truly remarkable. The colors, the vistas, the descriptions offered of sacred rituals are illuminating and inspiring. I love that Grace’s words are both powerful in their brevity as well as delicate in their movement. She distills in few words the amazing images of this sacred country, monasteries of great power so high up they touch the sky. Wedged between sheer granite cliffs, I wondered of their construction and know of the great power found in these sacred sites. I have yet to have the privilege to travel to this sacred place, but I feel closer to both the people and the majesty of this kingdom on top of the world having been introduced in such a poetic book. Reading her words was almost a meditation. There is such strength and, yes, grace in them, and they were a balm on my soul. I was transported to this very spiritual and moving place set deep within mountains that reach up into the heavens but are grounded by green valleys and adorned everywhere with prayer flags. There was an absolute serenity in having been informed where these great teachers sat and came to great wisdom and enlightenment. Even in this exotic locale her words remind me to sit, still my mind, and come back to myself. Grace’s book, “Dreaming Bhutan,” has an incredible vibrancy from the images presented, as well as a deep look into the window of the soul of these proud and majestic people.

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

Most of the images were of these amazing edifices such as Trongsa Dzong. The prayer flags everywhere never fail to lift my heart as they are physical reminders of our need to turn toward the heavens and ask for help. Even in the midst of a harrowing month I was comforted by the book, and in its elegant simplicity my mind was quieted and my heart renewed. I can only tell you that the many people who have learned and been inspired by Nicole Grace will not be disappointed. This book is a work of art. Nicole Grace’s book, Dreaming Bhutan: Journey in the Land of the Thunder, will be available for purchase in bookstores and on Amazon.com beginning September 23, 2011. To learn more about Grace and her other books, please visit www.likeswans.com/ author.

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

h o l i s t i c

p e o p l e

Giving Life

and enjoying life. On his days off, you might find him at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego where he meets with pre-and post-op kidney patients and their families.

by Merry Street

Mary Beth Bobich, age 50, Ben’s donor Mary Beth is Tracy’s sister-in-law. She lives in Pennsylvania and flew out to San Diego to donate to Ben. Even though some family members did not support Mary Beth’s decision to become a living donor, she stayed true to her vision. (We have found that this reaction is quite common among families of those contemplating live donation.) Ben is doing remarkably well because of her generosity. While I have not physically met her, we’ve stayed in touch via e-mail and phone calls. I hope to meet and thank her in person one day for giving Ben a new lease on life. There are no words to express our gratitude for what she has done for Ben and our family.

t’s Friday morning, May 7, 2010, 10:30 a.m. The surgery transplant team from San Diego has just called the lead transplant doctor in Philadelphia, where I’m located. It’s a go. The anesthesiologist leans over and asks if I’m ready. I answer, “I am prepared on all four levels: spiritual; physical; emotional; and mental.” I am about to donate a kidney to a person who I have never met, yet I feel strangely connected to. In San Diego, another living kidney donor is being asked the same question. The donor, plus their recipient, make up the other half of what’s known as a paired living organ donation. (Living donors are matched and need not be related.) Six hours later I wake up. I am oblivious to the pain but know that a miracle has just happened for all four of us. Here are our stories: Ben Street, age 19, recipient of Mary Beth’s kidney We have been living with my son’s kidney disease since 1998. We were told that on or around Ben’s 18th birthday he would need dialysis and eventually a kidney transplant. It’s been a long journey for all of us. Thank goodness for long journeys. The Living Donation program was just in its infancy then and it’s come a long way since then. When Ben received his kidney in 2010, he became the first pediatric paired organ transplant recipient on the West Coast. One year later, Ben is now attending college, eating PB&J sandwiches (dialysis restricts patients from eating foods high in potassium), surfing, running, biking,

Tracy Rogers. age 50, recipient of Merry’s kidney Tracy was a high-risk, nephrology patient, and due to other health issues she did not qualify for a cadaveric transplant. How I first met Tracy was interesting. By Divine grace, we were “accidentally” introduced to each other as she was being wheeled away to her room. (Usually donors and recipients are kept apart until both parties agree to meet at a later time.) Honestly, to this day I don’t know how she knew I was her donor. She had no clue whether her donor was a man or woman. She took one look at me and said, “Is it you?” I replied, “Is it you?” “Thank you for giving me life,” she said. One year later, Tracy is once again out and about enjoying family activities with her three children and her husband, Jack. There isn’t a month that goes by without us speaking on the phone or texting. She is really a remarkable person who has taught me a lot about the power of faith and perseverance. Classifieds continued on page 46

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

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

PAST LIFE THERAPY HAVE YOU LIVED BEFORE? Discover your past life connections - what they can do for you. Release from guilts, habits. Gary 619.929.7815 gary@15thstep.com 10.11

PSYCHIC

Professional Psychic Accurate and Powerful Spiritual Readings on:

Love • Career • Money • Health Life Purpose and Life Lessons Also Communication with Loved Ones on the Other Side Kathy Richardson Readings by Phone: 866-781-8300 www.mypsychiclady.com

FENG

REIKI

SHUI

SACREDTRANSFORMATION.NET offers 30 CEU’s to nurses, acupuncturists, LCSW & MFT for Level 1-2 Reiki along with in-depth energy healing course. Wednesday, Reiki Energy Healing Class. Contact 619.204.0504 for more info. 08.11 ENERGETIC HEALING/REIKI/MATRIX ENERGETICS! Natural method of healing/ self-improvement. Effective in treating virtually every known illness/ ailment; always creates beneﬁcial effect. $20-$40/ session. Carina 858-382-5332, CarinaQuintanar@ sbcglobal.net.

HANDCRAFTED

NUTRITION

RENTALS

ARE YOU A REBEL WITH A CAUSE? Psychic readings by Lisa, the Punk Rock Psychic. See punkrockpsychic.com for details. 07.11 NEED HELP? CALL CHAMPION. Honest. Accurate. Money Back Guarantee. Call Toll-Free 1.877.702.8598, www. davidchampion.com

PSYCHIC MEDIUM

HEALING

ARTS

RENTALS AT EYE OF BUDDHA. Rent meditation room for MEETING,YOGA 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 VENICE BEACH ECO HEALTH VACATION RENTAL 1 Block to Venice Beach, Short Term or long term. Melodie Meyer 310.425.9954.

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 866-8048444.

HYPNOTHERAPY

Motivational Institute of Hypnotherapy HYPNOTHERAPY CERTIFICATION TRAINING • Ericksonian Hypnosis • Cognitive Behavorial Hypnosis • Energy Psychology Motivational • NLP Institute of • We l l n e s s Wo r k s h o p s Hypnotherapy

www.SDHypnosisTraining.com Info@SDHypnosisTraining.com • 858.587.0422

Classifieds continued on page 41 V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

Marla Brucker DCH, R.HA

MUSIC

“Yoga Nindra” continued from page 8

The 10 Components of iRest There are 10 essential components of iRest. The first component is called Development of intention—what do you want to achieve? Second is Heartfelt desire for one’s lifetime—what do you want more than anything else in life? Third is Inner resource of well-being—in which place do you feel secure, calm, and safe? How do you feel in your body when you imagine this place? Fourth is Physical sensation/ Body sensing—what are the sensations in your body? Five is Breath and energy awareness—breath sensing—what is your breath like (calm, rapid, shallow)? The next five components of iRest have to do with “experiencing” different physical and emotional aspects of difficult life experiences. The first of these is Experiencing feelings and emotions—what feelings (hot, cold, heavy, light) and emotions (calm/angry, relaxed/tense, etc.) are present in your body? Second is Experiencing thoughts, beliefs, and imagery—what beliefs are present (e.g., “I am not good enough.”)? Where does the opposite thought live in the body? Can you think of a time you experienced being good enough? Third is Experiencing joy and well-being—what person, place, or thing evokes a sense of joy and/or wellbeing? Fourth is Experiencing witnessing and well-being—freedom from the sense of separation generated by the senses and mind. Finally, there is Integration into life (the ability to experience peace amidst the changing circumstances of life) in every moment — can you feel your innate sense of well-being regardless of life’s circumstances?

NOMINATED

PSYCHIC

Lara Eisenberg began her studies in Eastern healing practices in 1999. In 2001 she graduated from Columbia University with a master’s degree in Psychological Counseling. Lara works as a Certified Integrative Yoga Therapist, teaching workshops and providing individual and group iRest sessions. She specializes in

MEDIUM

Free Monthly Message Circles Need Answers?

Channeled Guidance for Life’s Issues & Your Soul’s Path to Joy

Rev. Elivia Melodey Psychic Medium since 1982

877-387-2357

Accurate, Reliable Professional PHONE – IN PERSON READINGS All Major Credit Cards Accepted

Call or Visit Elivia.com for Schedules

REFLEXOLOGY “Best Buy”

San Diego Reader 2007

Heal and Transform with Holistic Reflexology

Advanced Foot Reflexology

“The feet are the foundation for understanding. Changing old patterns can lead to transformation on all levels. Ariel's expertise is unmatched. A true gem.” –Louise Hay, best-selling author of You Can Heal Your Life

Special Offer $ 1 Hour Session

Nourish the soul, empower the body, enlighten the mind with Holistic Reflexology

First time only-Call now! Ask About New Package Discounts!

Ariel Talmor, PhD

Advanced Reflexology/Intuitive Healing

(619) 282-4580 www.sole-to-soul.com V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

“Mahammed Yunis” continued from page 27

to one out of every thousand people on the planet by, in essence, harnessing the power of the free market. Muhammad Yunus well deserves his 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for his effort to, as the Nobel Committee stated, “Create economic and social development from below.” Vision Magazine admires the work of Dr. Muhammad Yunus (and of other characters mentioned in this story). We feel his system to be a great example of social justice and an exceptional avenue for change. And before we go, we’d also like to mention that Yunus received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2009, and that this October he’ll be awarded the Congressional Award. Only seven people in history have received all three distinctions—Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Norman Borlaug, Aung San Suu Kyi, Jr., Elie Wiesel, and now, Muhammad Yunus who says, “There is no shame in starting small.” Holly Mosher is now screening her film locally and internationally. Check her Web site, www.hollymosher.com, for dates and locations. Don’t miss a special screening in Long Beach in late September of not only Bonsai People, but also her award-winning film, Hummingbird, about how two nonprofits in Brazil use the pedagogy of affection to help street kids and women break the vicious cycle of domestic violence. Visit http:// bonsaimovie.com/ and http://www.hummingbirdmovie.com/. Daphne can be reached at daphnestree@hotmail.com and at www.paintzflwrs. blogspot.com

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

“Patricia Bragg” continued from page 25

sugar from his diet. In other words, he cleaned up his life, and he started exercising. And Dick Gregory, who weighed over 300 pounds, stopped [drinking] two-fifths of whiskey a day, two to three packs of cigarettes a day, white sugar, white bread, swearing, mean thoughts. He said, “Patricia Bragg, if I can stop this all cold turkey… everybody can do it that wants to give up their bad, wrongful habits of living.” Dick Gregory said, “I’ve done now eight Boston marathons thanks to Bragg.” He told me, “I became the number one speaker on college campuses throughout America.” And he said, “Some days I even gave three lectures at different schools…and little did they know I do it for free.” Your health of your body and your brain and your soul are all in your hands. He learned this from the Bragg book, “Miracle of Fasting.” VM: What is your top health tip for vitality at any age? PB: The main thing is to get started on the Bragg Healthy Lifestyle. Get into action. Walking is the king of exercise [and helps with] good posture, healthy thinking, healthy foods, healthy action. Walk in your neighborhood. You’re going to meet people in your own neighborhood you never met before. Say good morning to them, good afternoon. Say, what beautiful flowers you have. Just be kind and loving and outgoing. I remember when I was staying in New Zealand in a lovely area of my friend’s home. Every morning I would get up early and walk in the neighborhood. I always have my little Bragg bag and have some health tips or some literature in it. I’d see people and say, good morning, good morning! I’d hand them a little health message, and some of those people are my friends still today. You just never know who you meet. We have the Bragg health literature and we’re always sending out health tips for healthy living. [You can go online, www.Bragg.com, to sign up for the free literature.] VM: What do you look forward to in the future? PB: The future is a challenge today in this world we live in. Politically, financially, we need to clean up people that shouldn’t be in government, people that are putting out products that are not healthy, shouldn’t be in business, like cigarettes and alcohol. I admire people that put out healthy products. I admire all the organic farmers in the world. I look forward to the future where the world is healthy—physically, financially. That our water, our soil, our air is pure and clean. We should ban fluoride, pesticides, cigarettes, alcohol, and all the dangerous products that they’re putting in American foods today. I call them “embalming agents” because that’s what they do when they put a lot of these stabilizers in the foods. Just like the breads. I’d like us to get back to Mother Nature. That miracle earthworm—she’s tilling the soil night and day, but when they put all those chemicals in the soil, they kill her. My roses are all organically grown. No chemicals, sprays, or fertilizers [are used] on the Bragg Organic Farm in Santa Barbara.

SHAMANISM

VEGAN

SOUL RETRIEVALS, PSYCHIC EXTRACTIONS, CROSSING OVER AND GRIEF WORK For more info go to SACREDTRANSFORMATION.NET or call 619.204.0504. 08.11

EVOLUTION FAST FOOD San Diego’s only vegan drive through restaurant. healthy vegan food that is affordable and tasty. 2949 5th Ave, San Diego, CA 92103 619.550.1818 evolutionfastfood. com 09.11

SHAMAN-TEACHER-SPIRITUAL GUIDE Isabella Stoloff, M.F.A. Call today to ﬁnd out about Isabella’s life changing healings & upcoming events! 714.603.8624, www. orangecountyhealingcenter.com 10.11

SAN DIEGO VEGAN CRUSADEHelp make San Diego the most vegan oriented city in the U.S. Call for Info 800.701-9364.

SPACE CLEARING

YOGA

LAND, HOME AND BUSINESS Have your property brought back into wholeness by removing negative influences and earthbound spirits. Once cleared, your space is cleansed and saturated in blessings. All locations. Contact Alicia (Dancing Light) 760.746.3006.

NEW STUDENT SPECIAL 10 Classes in 10 Days for $30!! Annual Teachers’ Training 200 and 500 hour levels available. Voted the “Best NonThreatening Yoga Studio in LA” by LA Weekly! 1306 Sonora Avenue, Glendale, CA 91201, 818.265.9833, www.yogaatthevillage.com 08.11

SURROGATE WANTED TRADITIONAL‚ SURROGATE MOM WANTED: Seek healthy, positive woman. Pay good amount plus insurance, all legal, healthy food, supplements/herbs, midwives/ medical, massage, +. You can choose to be completely non-involved after birth to being involved, at any future time and to whatever amount you wish, as separate parent up to co-custody. I am sincere, tested very healthy in all aspects, holistic, deeply caring, love kids, have time, commitment, heartfelt appreciation. I am a giving person, who rarely asks for anything; would honor this as the ultimate blessing, privilege, & assistance. Loving Dad. Committed to being conscious, considerate, supportive. E-mail: lrluke7@gmail.com 08.11

VM: Do you have hope for the world? PB: Of course I have hope for the world. Our world has been here and is going to continue to be here. I feel that, as an American, we have the best country in the world. I feel that we have a lot of honest politicians and some that are not, and we need a major cleanup and we need to get back to the principals that America was founded on. For more information on the Bragg Health Products and Books, please visit www.Bragg. com or call them toll-free at 1.800.446.1990. (Local residents can call 805.968.1020.) Be sure to check out the new Bragg Foods products—Apple Cider Vinegar All Natural Drinks and Salad Dressings—which are now available for purchase in health food stores and online at www.Bragg.com. V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

SUMMER SPECIAL: PERSONAL YOGA COACHING Private sessions and yoga classes. La Mesa & San Diego. YourYogaCoach@gmail.com 619.813.6733 http://youryogacoach.blog.com 11.11

Subscribe to

VisioN MagaziNe Today!

call toll free:

866.804.8444 www.visionmagazine.com

Calendar “star’ heralding Maitreya shown on NBC, CBS

Line Listings are 20 words for only $20! Each additional word is only .50¢/word.

Introductory Offer: Prepay for 3 ads and get the 4th free. Prepay for 6 ads and get a FREE standard 2x2 display ad. Large vertical ads (2 x 3.25) are $159. Standard size (2x2) ads are $135. Discounts for multiple issues. Call today at 866.804.8444 or listings@visionmagazine.com. Visa & MC accepted. Deadline is SEPTEMBER 15

SEPTEMBER Maitreya manifests Cairo Horseman

SEPT 8 THU

FREE OPEN HOUSE. + 3 scholarship raffles, must be present to win. 7:15 prompt – 9:00 pm. Natural Healing Institute, 760.943.8485 www.naturalhealinginst.com

SEPT 8-11 THU-SUN

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.

SEPT 9-11 FRI-SUN

Jerusalem Dome of the Rock

NBC 1/28/11 newscast

Learn about the World Teacher Maitreya

Introductory Presentations 3 pm 1st Sunday of month Controversial Bookstore 3063 University Ave - SD

6:30 pm 2nd Wed. of month Philosophical Library 2091 E. Valley Parkway #D Escondido SD cable public access channel Wed 9:30 pm Cox Sat 5:30 pm Time Warner Visit our booth at local street fairs Serve through Transmission Meditation 9:30 am Sun, 7 pm Tue and 8 pm Fri in San Diego meditation.meetup.com/430 (619) 223-6703 For LA/SF info about events & Transmission Meditation groups in other cities: LA: (818) 785-6300 SF: www.sharingforpeace.org www.share-international.org

6:30 pm FRI-SUN 2nd Wed. of month SEPT 2-4

CHEK CONFERENCE 2011 Inspiring Holistic HealthPhilosophical and Fitness. Top Library international speakers incl. Paul Chek, Parkway David Gettoff, 2091 E. Valley #D Janet Alexander, Reed Davis. Three days of lectures & workshops at Marriott MisEscondido sion Valley Hotel. $497 with discounts for multiple registrations. 760.477.2620. www. SD cable public access channel CHEKconference2011.com

HEALING THROUGH THE AKASHIC RECORDS WEEKEND with Akashic expert-author Linda Howe. Use your Soul’s energy-archive to heal limiting patterns and amplify your divine essence. Burbank, $360. Also free book signing/meditation with Linda at Bodhi Tree Books 9/8/11. Info: Barbara Schiffman, 818-415-3479, AkashicLA@gmail.com, www.YourLifeandSoul.com, www.akashicstudies.com/ healingclass.html

SEPT 10 SAT

EMOTIONAL CLEARING CLASS Trapped emotional issues in the body; NLP and body-mind techniques; Swish Pattern, Phobia Cures, Anchoring Positive Behaviors, Eliminate Unhealthy Behaviors, Rewriting History, Changing Limiting Beliefs. Natural Healing Institute, 760.943.8485.

SEPT 10-17 SAT-SUN

VISIT LEMURAI! THROUGH SHAMANIC Journeys you will experience Mount Shasta’s Powerful Vortexes and Sacred-Sites which Accelerate, Amplify and Catalyze ALL Change and Transformation on ALL Levels. Visit: SacredVoyages.Net

Wed 9:30 pm Cox SEPT 2-18

EXPERIENCE SUNBURST SERVICE Sat 5:30 pm Time Warner EXCHANGE PROGRAM Experience living in an intentional spiritual community during a two-week service Visit our exchange booth program.  Live and serve with others amidst the peaceful at beauty of street nature. fairs Give yourlocal self time to nurture your inner quest with daily spiritual practice and selfless serServeenvironment. through Enjoy vice in a supportive the company of friends as participate Transmission you Meditation in projects, consciously prepare and eat meals together, and learn7hands-on 9:30 am Sun, pm Tueabout and organic gardening and landscaping with drought tolerant Private is also 8 pmplants. Fri in Santime Diego available throughout your stay.

DR. DAVID R. HAWKINS Power vs. Force” Internationally renowned spiritual teacher, author and speaker! Join him for an all-day Saturday seminar from 10am5pm at Tim’s Toyota Center, Prescott Valley, AZ.Full Bookstore too! www. veritaspub.com, info@veritaspub.com 928.282.8722 DREAMS IN A CHANGING WORLD: Int’l Assn for Study of Dreams SoCal Conference, Marymount College, Rancho Palos Verdes, $75/general; $55/students, 9am-5pm. Beginning Dreamers Panel and CEU workshops for therapists, coaches, dreamworkers. Info: Barbara Schiffman, 818-415-3479, www.asdreams.org/2011la. CORE AROMATHERAPY – One day. Everyone welcome. Those wanting upcoming Certified Clinical Master Aromatherapy program must take this class as pre-requisite. Learn selfhelp, plus enhancing professional practice. Taught by reknowned Aromatherapist! NHI had the 1st State-Certified Aromatherapy Program in U.S.! Natural Healing Institute, 760-943-8485. www.naturalhealinginst.com

SEPT 19 MON

Certified Clinical Master Aromatherapist (CMA)™ Program -- Natural Healing Institute, 760.943.8485. www.naturalhealinginst.com

SEPT 20 TUE

CLINICAL NUTRITIONIST CONSULTANT (CNC)™. Introductory or Full Certification. Special Discounts. Most comprehensive training from nationally honored Nutritionists. Revised! 7:00-9:55 pm. Natural Healing Institute, 760.943.8485 www.naturalhealinginst.com

SEPT 21 WED

CLINICAL MASTER HERBOLOGY (CMH)™. Introductory or Full Certification. Special Discounts. Most comprehensive training from nationally honored Master Herbalists. Revised! 7:00-9:55 pm. Natural Healing Institute, 760-9438485. www.naturalhealinginst.com

SEPT 21 WED

CLINICAL HERBOLOGY. Introductory or Full Certification. Special Discounts. Most comprehensive training from nationally honored Master Herbalists. Revised! 7:00 pm. Natural Healing Institute, 760943-8485, naturalhealinginst.com.

meditation.meetup.com/430 SEPT 6 & 13 TUESDAYS BRAIN NUTRIENTS, FOODS, HERBS, (619) 223-6703 Supplements & Essential Oils. Brain and mood disorders, anxieties, depressions, LA/SF info about760-943events & more. For Natural Healing Institute, 8485. www.naturalhealinginst.com

Transmission Meditation groups

SEPT 7 &in14 other cities: WEDNESDAYS

HERBS 7 ESSENTIAL OILS FOR MEDITATION Enhance and overLA: experiences (818) 785-6300 come obstacles. Natural Healing Institute, SF: www.sharingforpeace.org 760.943.8485. www.naturalhealinginst. com

www.share-international.org V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E 42

SEPT 17 SAT

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

SEPT 24 SAT

OCTOBER

NOV 12-20

OCT. 8 & 9 SAT-SUN

BODY MIND SPIRIT EXPO Coming to San Diego for the 11th year, Oct 8-9 Body Mind & Spirit brings to life a positive, healing environment. Weekend admission of $12 includes all lectures and demos as well as admission to the exhibit hall. Visit our website, www.bmse.net for a $2 off coupon!! San Diego Doubletree Mission Valley, 7450 Hazard Center Dr. Sat 10-7 Sun 11-6.

SOGYAL RINPOCHE IN SAN DIEGO! A RARE OPPORTUNITY to receive teachings directly from Sogyal Rinpoche, world renowned Buddhist teacher from Tibet and author of the acclaimed spiritual classic, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. Three Options: Public Talk Saturday November 12th, Two Day Option November 12 – 14, Full Retreat November 12th – 20th. For more information call 619.906.4291 or go to USA.Rigpa.org

OCT 8 SAT

MASSAGE TECHNICIAN 100 hr. Program. Required for Massage Therapist License. Special Discounts. Comprehensive training with the most experienced, licensed instructor in USA! Natural Healing Institute, 760-943-8485. www.naturalhealinginst.com MASSAGE THERAPISTS Exclusive Energy Medicine Training. Treat yourself to a Wow Educational Healing Adventure You will experience and learn by doing powerful techniques taught by Master DC Glen Freider a modern day shaman, mystic, energy healer. Improve your effectiveness and efﬁciency. Principles and insights learned will advance your practice and blow away your clients. Sept 24 9:30 am to 5:30 pm Encinintas. Only $144 until the18th $188 until the 23rd and $295 day of the event. Space is Limited. Go to www.trionlife.com or Trion Victory 858.717.7060

SEPT 24-25 SAT-SUN

HOLISTIC ARTS FAIR, 10 AM-7 PM. Free psychic, health, art fair. Yoga for Your Eyes workshop, panels, speakers, etc. 1540 Hicks Ave. San Jose. Free parking in lot/along streets. Exhibitors wanted! 408.448-6726; eric@philosopherswheel. com philosopherswheel.com/haf.htm

SEPT 23-25 FRI-SUN

CELEBRATE LIFE WEEKENDS Relax - Renew - Recharge FridaySunday, Enjoy gentle yoga, meditation, inspirational sharing, nourishing meals, evening devotional jam session, and quiet contemplative time on Sunburst’s 2,000acre sanctuary. Meals and some activities by donation; please call ahead. www.sunburstonline.org 805.736.6528 or contactus@SunburstOnline.org

SEPT 28 WED

THAI THERAPY MASSAGE Thai Therapy Massage License/Certiﬁcate Program -- Natural Healing Institute, 760943-8485. www.naturalhealinginst.com

Subscribe to

REIKI 1&2–LEARN various aspects of energy healing inc. multiple techniques for speciﬁc conditions, psychic extractions, working with the dying and more in this a 6-week course. Next Course begins OCT. 8 10:00am-3: 30pm RSVP 619.204.0504 www.sacredtransfromation.net or info@ sacredtransformationsreiki.com

VisioN MagaziNe

OCT 12 WED

REIKI 1&2–LEARN various aspects of energy healing inc. multiple techniques for speciﬁc conditions, psychic extractions, working with the dying and more in this a 6-week course. Next Course begins OCT. 1210:00am-3:30pm RSVP 619.204.0504 www.sacredtransfromation.net or info@ sacredtransformationsreiki.com

Today!

call toll free:

866.804.8444

OCT 14-16 FRI-SUN

DR. PAT ALLENS’ AMAZING Weekend Retreat, Oct. 14-16, 2011 in Paciﬁc Palisades. Cost: $395 includes 2 night’s lodging and 5 meals! Space is limited! Call now for to reserve your place! Jim Hallowes 310-390-4767 or visit www.drpatallen.com

www.visionmagazine.com

OCT 26 WED

New Moon White Tantra Yoga with Dr. Corynna Clarke: Meet local Orange County Tantrikas interested in a deeper connection with themselves and like minded others. Share pranayama, mantra yoga asanas, mudras and meditation techniques. Strengthen your self practice so that your center exists inside your Self. For the ﬁnale, celebrate a sensual and healthy feast as we explore “food yoga” at the end of class! This event is PRE-REGISTARTION ONLY! Call 714-925-1331 with a mc or visa to sign up! $26 offering or $6 for Goddesses (females) www.corynna.com/ white-tantra

OCT 28-30 FRI-SUN

AKASHIC RECORDS PRACTITIONER TRAININGS/BURBANK: Learn to read your Soul’s energy-archive, aka Akashic Records, for yourself and others. Practitioner Certiﬁcation Training 10/28-29; Past Lives Healing Workshop 10/30. Info: Barbara Schiffman, 818.415.3479, AkashicLA@gmail.com, www.YourLifeandSoul.com.

Advertise with

VISION MAGAZINE

call toll free: 866.804.8444

www.visionmagazine.com V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

“Courageous Dreaming” continued from page 19

Calendar continued

ONGOING FREE MEETUP GROUP with SPIRITUAL COACH John Abe. Learn Universal Enlightenment with “I Am Totality.” Build your life to order, do nothing to accomplish everything. Join Meetup.com to learn times and locations of “I Am Totality” Meetup Group. 1-800-584-1640, www. iamtotaltiy.com.

SUNDAYS

Harmony Grove Spiritualist Association

Services

Incorporated and Serving ALL in California Since 1896

SaturdaysHealing 1:00pm Church 2:00pm Sundays Healing 10:00am Church 11:00am

Psychic Fair

1st Sat. of Month, 10:00am-4:00pm

Certification and Personal Growth Classes

• Mediumship • Healing • Ministerial • Ordinations

Private Readings Available Information about Speakers & Directions

760-745-9176

Escondido, CA www.harmonygrovespiritualist.org

THEOSOPHY CLASS IN JULIAN/SAN DIEGO, “What is Theosophy and How Does it Apply to Life?” 760.765.1090 619.283.0142 theosophy@theosconf.org www.theosophysandiego.org Sally & Jim Colbert Meets: 1st & 3rd Sunday Mornings 10:30 a.m. to Noon with cookies CALL FOR DIRECTIONS SOLAR RAIN WATER – Good for you and Good for the planet. Find out more. www.solarrainwatery.com.

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 11.11 $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

TUESDAYS

ONGOING TUESDAYS: CLINICAL NUTRITIONIST CONSULTANT (CNC)™. Introductory or full Certiﬁcation. Special Discounts. Most comprehensive training from nationally honored Nutritionists. Revised! 7:00-9:55 pm. Natural Healing Institute, 760-943-8485. www.naturalhealinginst.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 09.11

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 09.11

ONGOING WEDNESDAYS: CLINICAL MASTER HERBOLOGY (CMH)™. Introductory or Full Certiﬁcation. Special Discounts. Most comprehensive training from nationally honored Master Herbalists. Revised! 7:00-9:55 pm. Natural Healing Institute, 760-943-8485. www. naturalhealinginst.com

ONENESS MEDITATION SERVICE – Led by Goddess Light and Ordained Metaphysician Tauheedah Shakoor-Curry. Expanding Light means expanding abilities. Step into your vaster self. 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. The Group does NOT meet on the fourth Sunday of the month.

THURSDAYS

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.

we experience our connection to Infinity that we’re able to dream powerfully. In fact, it’s our sense of separation from Infinity that makes us become trapped in a nightmare in the first place. To end the nightmare, to reclaim our power of dreaming reality and craft a better reality, we need more than an intellectual understanding of how this process works. We need to have a visceral understanding of our dreaming power and experience it in every cell of our body. In fact, the intellectual understanding of our ability to create reality mimics but forestalls the kind of dreaming we’re capable of. If we don’t get beyond mere intellectual understanding of this concept, we’ll end up lowering the bar and creating a far less glorious and beautiful experience of the world than we’re capable of crafting. With a visceral understanding of our power to dream, we recognize that we can share this experience of Infinity right here, right now, and stop feeling disassociated and disconnected. It takes courage to taste Infinity. But dreaming the world requires an act of courage. When we lack courage, we have to settle for the world that is being dreamed by our culture or by our genes. We feel we have to settle for the nightmare. To dream courageously, you must be willing to use your heart. Otherwise, your dream will stall at the level of emotions, and of thinking too much, planning too much, and worrying endlessly. Then your dream will turn into a nightmare or a mere daydream, trapping you or drifting away while you wonder, “What happened?” Although your mind resists it, the fact is that you have a choice between having the life you want or having the reasons you can’t have that life. You can have joy and peace, or you can have that big black bag full of all the sorrowful incidents and accidents that happened to you in your childhood or in your last relationship. You can have your wounds or you can have your glory. You can live the life of a victim, burdened by the traumas of your past, or you can live the life of a hero, but you can’t do both. If you want to feel empowered, you need to make a conscious decision to dream a sacred dream and practice courage. Alberto Villoldo, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and psychologist who has studied the spiritual practices of the Amazon and the Andes for more than 25 years. While at San Francisco State University, he founded the Biological Self-Regulation Laboratory to study how the mind creates psychosomatic health and disease. As founder of The Four Winds Society, Villoldo instructs individuals throughout the world in the practice of energy medicine. Villoldo has written numerous best-selling books, including: Shaman, Healer, Sage; The Four Insights; Courageous Dreaming; and Power Up Your Brain. Visit www.thefourwinds.com for more information.

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 11.11

FRIDAYS

HAPPINESS CLASSES - Based on the life-healing 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. 09.11

LOOKING FOR A SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY? You are always welcome at the Celebration of Light Church. Visit our website for program. www.CelebrationOfLightChurch.org. Vicente @ 23rd St. – San Francisco. V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

Artist Bio

v i s i o n a r y

a r t i s t

ichael Vincent Manalo is a self-taught digital mixed media artist, photographer, photo-manipulator, and musician.

The themes that are mostly seen on his work revolve around surrealism, pseudo-realism, nostalgic sentiments, and human emotion. He creates his art through merging scenes that have been captured within his mind with scenes that have been captured by his camera to create the living space that his subconscious tries to convey. He does all this through Photoshop. Presently, he is one of the primary contributors for advanced photomanipulation tutorials for Photoshop Tutorials. He has created various artworks as album covers for international bands/musicians such as Presto Ballet, Michael Samson, Shahin Shahida, Blue Syndrome, and others. His works also served as covers for several books produced by international publishing companies such as Playwrights Canada Press, Isla Negra Editores, and The University of New Orleans Publishing. He has been featured in several galleries and museums in Georgia, Italy, Philippines, Poland, Great Britain and the United States. He has been featured in several magazines such as Advanced Photoshop: Issue 76; profi les section, Blanket Magazine Issue 21 (USA), KISMET Magazine Issue 9 (International), Stone Magazine Issue 21 (USA), Carpaccio Magazine Issue 14 (Italy), Fotoblur Magazine Issue 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (USA), Bayou Magazine Issue 53 (USA) and many others. His works have also won several notable awards such as: First Prize in the Digital Art Category given by the Art Museum of Chianciano Terme in Italy; a First Place Award given by the Box Heart Gallery in the United States; Best Photography Illustration from The Redmond Digital Arts Festival, and a special recognition from the Upstream People Gallery. He is currently participating in Galeria Bielska BWAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (Poland) artist-in-residency program and with Fellini Galleryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (Berlin) Mural and Installation Program. E-mail michaelvincent_manalo@yahoo.com

The Story Teller

In Understanding the Relevance

The Boy Who Flew in a Boat V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

S EP T E M B ER 20 11

The Rememberances of the Soul

“Merry Street” continued from page 38

“Kriya Yoga” continued from page 17

Merry Street, age 50, Tracy’s donor He entered the house. I guess I should confess to you that I shouldn’t even be sitting here right now. “He must be Babaji!” I thought, dazed, because the man before me had the In 2005 I nearly died from an abscessed appendix. I am pretty certain that God features of a young Lahiri Mahasaya. He answered my thought. “Yes, I am Babaji.” heard my plea as I lay dying. I said that if I could live to see my son become well, He spoke melodiously in Hindi. “Our Heavenly Father has heard your prayer. He I would do “whatever” He asked of me to serve Him. I guess God has plans for all commands me to tell you: Follow the behests of your guru and go to America. Fear of us, some larger than we could dare to ever imagine. not; you shall be protected.” On the way to becoming a paired After a vibrant pause, Babaji addressed me again. “You are the donor I found out a lot about myself. one I have chosen to spread the message of Kriya Yoga in the West. On the way to becoming a paired I found that “(Your) courage will Long ago I met your guru Yukteswar at a Kumbh Mela; I told him decide your future.” Well, actually donor I found out a lot about myself. then I would send you to him for training.” I found that saying written inside I was speechless, choked with devotional awe at his presence, I found that “(Your) courage will a fortune cookie, but it became my and deeply touched to hear from his own lips that he had guided mantra. Every time I wanted to pull a me to Sri Yukteswar. I lay prostrate before the deathless guru. He decide your future.” Cowardly Lion, I’d take a look at the graciously lifted me up. After telling me many things about my photo of my son and the fortune that life, he gave me some personal instruction and uttered a few secret prophecies. I paired with it. It helped on more than one occasion to have a carrot dangling in “Kriya Yoga, the scientific technique of God-realization,” he finally said with solemnity, “will ultimately spread in all lands, and aid in harmonizing the nations through man’s personal, transcendental perception of the Infinite Father.” For more information on Kriya Yoga and the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, visit www.yogananda-srf.org. “Unsung Heroes” continued from page 6

surprised when the staff would come out with a dessert with a candle, singing “Happy Birthday.” On the actual day of her birthday, I told her that we would have a “day of beauty” to celebrate. I took her to the beauty shop to have her hair done, then we enjoyed manicures and pedicures, and afterward, she was surprised when I took her to have her portrait taken before going to lunch. I fussed over her and joked with her during the photo session, knowing just how to get her to smile for the camera. I treasure those photos. When the proofs came back, after she’d already gone back home, I carefully chose the best one and ordered enough copies for each family member to have one. I put together photos from her stay and mailed an album of her with Charlene, with Karen, and other friends who were honored to meet her. When Louella passed away a few years later, I flew to Houston for her funeral. So many family members told me that she’d frequently recounted the details of her California trip with such a smile on her face, and that it had been a highlight of her life. It was but a small way to thank her for all the gifts she had shared with me throughout my life. Louella was an incredible teacher who taught through her very being. Every day she demonstrated patience, honesty, faith, courage, compassion, and unconditional love. “Do the right thing,” she always advised, “and be kind and loving to all.” I feel particularly honored to have this opportunity to sing the praises of this unsung hero who had such an influence on my life.

front of me. Because of this thing called courage, I took the steps necessary to help us become the first paired living kidney transplant at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego. There is so much more to know about the paired donation program that I hope you will never have the need to know. However, if you ever do, please know there are options. Please visit these Web sites for more information on paired donation: www. PairedDonation.org and www.Kidneyregister.org. If you have any questions regarding Merry Street and her family’s experience with paired donation, contact her via www. MerryStreet.com.

Kaci Christian is an award-winning broadcast journalist. She has worked for several radio stations in LA and has anchored and reported the news on TV stations throughout the country. She is currently taking a break from broadcasting to produce a women’s empowerment (WE) symposium event as a way to give back to the community and honor the legacy of the many women who have made a huge impact on her life. The WE Conference is on Saturday, October 1, 2011 in Irvine, CA. She has generously arranged a 20 percent discount for Vision readers, with the code VISION. Visit www. theWEconference.com or call 714.881.1102 for more information.

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

S EP T E M B ER 20 11