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Editor's note: Vision Magazine would like to sincerely apologize for the missing contact information at the end of Lara Eisenberg's September article, "iRest Yoga Nidra" (pages 8 and 40). The remainder of her bio should have read: Lara specializes in in stress management, trauma, food addiction, anxiety, and depression. For more information on how to discover the unsung hero within you, please visit www.yogatherapysandiego.com.

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v i e w p o i n t better today. Mystics have long used death as an advisor. Framing every action in the context of, “What if this were my last act?” changes everything. Taking this powerful stance leaves no room for self-pity, regret, anger, or hate. It allows us to consciously focus our energies on what is truly important to us. by Jenna Sundell The tricky part is we don’t know the exact moment of our death. Even when confronted with a terminal illness, doctors can offer only estimates. And even don’t know which is worse: being told you have only a then, anything is possible. An accident could kill the body year to live, or being told you can expect to live another while leaving the doctor’s office. Or a miracle cure could 30 years in severe, constant pain. When I was diagnosed be discovered and suddenly the terminal illness is no longer with fibromyalgia, the doctor told me I should not be upset terminal. Finding the balance between planning for a realistic because my body would live just as long as someone with future and doing what you love today is key. The best advice rheumatoid arthritis. He didn’t understand how intense the my teacher gave me on this point is: be prepared for the worst, pain and weakness had become, or that I simply could not hope for the best, and expect nothing. accept a diagnosis with no treatment and no cure. I left his Once we realize we don’t know when the body will die, we office depressed and desperate. When I got home and began can greet every day as a precious gift because we’re not sure researching my new diagnosis, confusion overwhelmed me if we’ll get another one tomorrow. And at the same time, we as I realized I had symptoms that did not fit on the list. In can dream what we would like to do tomorrow because there the midst of my internal freak out, I wondered: if these other is a chance we’ll be here. In either case, accepting the body’s symptoms were from a terminal illness, would I want to inevitable end teaches us all we have with any certainty is this know? moment, right now. As a Buddhist, I learned about reincarnation and how Everyone faces the mortality of the body eventually. Most we move from one body to the next over the course of many I have no time to do things that people seem to prefer to ignore their impending death, feeling lifetimes. I read about the Tibetan masters who used their death do not bring joy. it somehow won’t happen to them. The truth is death makes us as a teaching tool. The master would tell their senior students The constant pain of this and every other living thing equal. No matter how wonderful or where and when he would be born next. To prove who he was, physical frame horrible you have been, no matter what you have accomplished or the child would be asked to make a selection from a variety of does not mean I must suffer. didn’t, in the end we all face the same door. The only difference is items brought by the monks. The child would then select the Enlightenment is at hand; that some are dragged through, filled with denial and resistance, item specified by the master in his previous life, and return to the while others step through with their eyes wide open to the wonder all I need to do is open to It and monastery to continue his spiritual work. After years of my own waiting on the other side. let go. practice, I began to have moments of remembrance as pieces of The way we walk through the door of death and into the It is through this disease I am my own past lives reactivated in my awareness. I cannot prove it next life is determined by the sum total of our awareness. Every to anyone, but I know I have had other bodies before this one, learning body awareness. moment we have the choice to shut down or open up to all the When to eat, when to sleep, and I will have another available to me when this one dies. different layers of experience. The more we can open, the greater Knowing this does not lessen the sting of loss when I think when to exercise, when to rest. our awareness becomes, and the wider our view of existence. As of leaving this world, or when I’ve said goodbye to others This disease cannot stop me we move higher and higher, our suffering diminishes. Just as cars departing for their next journey. Even though I cannot tell you from doing what I truly love. shrink when viewed from an airplane, we see how small our pain exactly where or when my next incarnation will be, knowing life is compared to Eternity. continues in this and other worlds removes the fear of that transition. Through the twin practices of meditation and mindfulness we expand our Once we step outside of fear, we can use the knowledge of our mortality to live awareness. We use everything in our life as an opportunity to practice. Sometimes we find ourselves stuck on the roller coaster of duality. We rise up, we go down, we twist, and we turn. Sometimes we scream; other times we laugh in sheer delight. In our terror, we wish for it to end, then we realize that it will in fact end, and that causes even more terror. In our laughter, we feel only the exhilaration of the moment. Whether we are in terror or joy, we can stand back and watch ourselves on the roller coaster. By standing firmly in the present moment, we can see the mind’s reaction to the circumstances of life and the impending death of the body. We can witness all the different games the mind plays as it moves through each twist and turn and dip. From this place of silence, we realize we are not the mind and we are not the body. At that moment, no matter what is happening to or around us, we are free. Jenna Sundell teaches Practical American Buddhism at the Dharma Center in San Diego (www.DharmaCenter.com). Despite having a chronic illness, she also offers classes in other cities across the country and is author of Worlds of Power, Worlds of Light. This article is an excerpt from her current book project, Making Peace with Pain: Your Guide to a Joyful and Productive Life in a Malfunctioning Body. Jenna will be teaching at CIIS in San Francisco on October 29. You also can find her at

Terminal Sentence

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A League of their Own

by Amanda Hinds Doyle

very year, approximately 5-7 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide, and an estimated 3-4 million are euthanized, according to research conducted by The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Abused and abandoned, what options do these animals have? After all, how does a bag of puppies survive a dumpster, and how can an innocent dog plea for help when lying on the side of the road, lifeless and paralyzed? These are true desperados, ones that survive to reveal the harsh truths of their lives. One such ruff rider is the Canis familiaris, more commonly known as the domesticated dog. These kind creatures find themselves in the worst of situations, ones that most find unimaginable. Mouseberry, a 2-year-old Chihuahua, was one

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such dog, suffering a series of unfortunate events. Whether abused or simply forgotten, she was found paralyzed on the side of the road, the epitome of helpless. Delivered to the Humane Society in March 2011, Mouseberry had suffered a severe spinal cord injury that kept her hinds legs dragging like dead weight beneath her. At a mere 10 pounds, Mouseberry, seemingly unaware of the severity of her injuries, acted quick on her ‘two’ feet, scouring the medical room for adventure. The San Diego Humane Society became Mouseberry’s sanctuary, her saviors, the hard-working employees dedicated to such causes. According to Dr. Petra A. Mertens, Director of Behavior and Training at the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA, “Last year, the Investigations Department responded to 1,842 reports of animal cruelty.” Dr. Mertens built an amazing team of highly skilled CCPDT certified trainers, staff specialized in behavior assessment, a fellow behaviorist (Crista Coppola, Ph.D., CAAB), and a research assistant (Stephen Meyer, Ph.D.) to accurately assess animals in need. “Together we are conducting clinical work with animals in our care and studies on the outcome of the intervention that we offer for dogs and cats who need help becoming a successful member of a new family,” Dr. Mertens explained. “My work is extremely rewarding.” Organized in 1880, the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA is the oldest and largest humane society in San Diego County. Dedicated to inspiring and engaging the community to end animal suffering, the society offers San Diegans a wide range of programs and services that strengthen the human-animal bond, prevent cruelty and neglect, provide medical care, and educate the community on the humane treatment of animals. Working with animals and humans alike, the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA have been able to reach out to those in desperate need. Mouseberry found continued on page 44

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distance.” Pearl also says that the various energy healing techniques act as subsets of Reconnective Healing, likening each individual technique to one letter in The Reconnection’s full alphabet. The result? Previously untapped amounts of potential. “The gift is that this new level of healing allows us to transcend our energy healing techniques and access more than all of them together ever could,” says Pearl. Just as Reconnective Healing is a “big” concept, The Reconnection has experienced expansive growth in 15-plus years of existence. Pearl’s book, “The Reconnection: Heal Others, Heal Yourself,” has been translated into over 36 languages, and more than 70,000 people around the world have been trained to conduct the work. Workshops and seminars are integral to the rapid success of Reconnective Healing; after all, though Pearl is at the forefront of this revolutionary work, he maintains that anyone is capable of harnessing the healing power he has accessed. “By the end of a weekend [seminar], attendees are able to access and facilitate any level of healing that I can,” says Pearl, readily eschewing any sort of idea that he may be a guru. “Anyone in the world can do this, whether they work in a church deep in Brazil or on a mountaintop in Tibet. If I do my job here properly, when I leave the body, this work will be on the planet and evolving for eternity.” Based on his extensive knowledge, broad following, and “success rate,” one might assume that Pearl has been doing this work for all of his life. Yet Pearl didn’t discover the gift until the early 90s, after he had already been at the helm of a thriving Los Angeles chiropractic practice for 12 years. It was then that patients began reporting astounding stories of healing and claiming that they felt his hands on him—even when he wasn’t touching them. And so went the roots of The Reconnection, which has enabled Pearl to explore this mysterious healing power with mind-blowing results. Pearl isn’t sure why he was chosen to pioneer this work, and his theories range from his mother’s own near-death experience while

Pearl of Wisdom by Jen Jones

n the age of social media, humans are either more connected or disconnected than ever, depending on whom you ask. Yet far beyond the realms of LinkedIn and Twitter, Eric Pearl and Reconnective Healing practitioners are exploring connection on a profoundly deeper level. The Los Angeles-based healing organization, The Reconnection, focuses on the idea of connecting not only to ourselves and to others, but also to the universe as a whole. “We are four-dimensional beings—height, width, depth, and time,” says Pearl. “In science, time is illustrated as a bubble. We are this bubble, and everything inside is filled with energy. Suddenly, there is a shift in time that quantum physics acknowledges as time moving faster; if time is moving faster, what happens to our bubble? It expands out into the huge multidimensional universe, and our capacity to receive in our bubble has expanded as well. The result is a new, broader healing spectrum comprised of light, energy, and information.” So how does reconnecting to the universe overcome health ailments ranging from cerebral palsy to epileptic seizures to cancer? According to Pearl, it’s as simple as fine-tuning our greater awareness and accessing new availabilities of energy, light, and information. “We are light, and not just in a spiritual, metaphysical way,” says Pearl. “When our health is diminishing, our light diminishes. As we return to a natural vibration of light, anything denser than that light—which would be most health challenges—has nothing left to hold on to. That health challenge falls away, and healing is just that simple.” Although Reconnective Healing does share similarities with well-known techniques like Reiki and Qi Gong, Pearl is quick to distinguish it from energy healing. “Reconnective Healing actually turns the laws of physics inside out,” says Pearl. “Energy healing gets weaker with distance, whereas this gets stronger with

continued on page 40

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desperado: (n.) a reckless or desperate person, esp. one ready to commit any violent illegal act An ad that pretends to be art is—at absolute best—like somebody who smiles warmly at you only because he wants something from you. This is dishonest, but what’s sinister is the cumulative effect that such dishonesty has on us: since it offers a perfect facsimile or simulacrum of goodwill without goodwill’s real spirit, it messes with our heads and eventually starts upping our defenses even in cases of genuine smiles and real art and true goodwill. It makes us feel confused and lonely and impotent and angry and scared. It causes despair. —“A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ ll Never Do Again” by David Foster Wallace Around the time of my last birthday, my wife had a present wrapped and lying around the house well in advance of the actual date. It was obviously a book; heavy and thick, it begged to be identified before a shred of wrapping paper had been removed. I hoisted it to see if its weight would somehow reveal its identity, to no avail. As I ripped the paper back I saw the word ‘Jest’—instantly I knew it was David Foster Wallace’s magnum opus, “Infinite Jest.” Hm. To modern fiction, this book is arguably the Holy Grail. More than any book published in the last 15 years, it caused a sensation whose wake was so large that even a guy like me who wasn’t immersed in fiction was aware of it and its singular impact. It was a 1,079-page leviathan that showcased the author’s range of prowess and depth of focus, all predicated on an intellect that was leavened with low-brow grenade-lobs of humor and wit that had the incongruous effect of making his prose that much more consequential and strong. As appropriate a gift as the book seemed, there was an element to it that was problematic—sooner or later I would have to sit down and scale this monolith, a feat that I would put right up there with running a marathon or climbing a mountain. But that was only half the problem; the other half being that I am one of those writers who whatever I’m reading, if it’s well done, I think should be writing my own version of it. Who put the ‘fun’ in dysfunction? That would be me. So in a low-level run-up to possibly committing to reading it, I researched Mr. Wallace. Novelist, essayist, journalist, he wrote in all manner of format and genre, losing none of his trademark glint and verve in the process. “Infinite Jest” was just his second novel. And if you were making a movie about a contemporary writer

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that you not only loved to read but that you rooted for as a person, David Foster Wallace would be that writer. Growing up in the Midwest, he came from an educated, middle-class family. He was self-effacing and charismatic, with a shambling way of speaking that brimmed with spark and promise. And if all that weren’t enough to make you want to sing his praises as a most extraordinary ordinary man, he suffered from something that acutely humanized him: depression. So much so, that on September 12, 2008, after a lengthy bout of despair in which all of the various treatments that had worked previously failed him, he hung himself on the patio of the home that he shared with his wife and two dogs. Knowing that Mr. Wallace died at his own hand made me want to understand why he wrote “Infinite Jest.” It was an inquiry that shed much light. “Fiction’s about what it is to be a fucking human being,” he once observed, and that good writing should help readers to “become less alone inside.” Specifically, with this book, Mr. Wallace wanted to address the pain that he saw in so many of his contemporaries, an affliction not of circumstance but one so fundamental as to be visceral. It would be a lofty goal under any scenario, but as the object of a piece of fiction, it approached the sublimely impossible. I think about his example when I write, not because I merit being mentioned in the same sentence as him, but because I think of the things I share with him when he wrote: the desire to somehow make things better for the person willing to partner with me by reading what I’m offering. I think about the war that is declared when a writer decides they have to write something. And I think about the enemy in that fight, the blank page. Because the minute a writer articulates what they want to write, every blank page becomes a battle ground. From that moment forward the emptiness of the blank page taunts them because in their mind’s eye they see it filled, overrun with the word-soldiers they’ve dispatched to carry their message, whatever it may be. But if the author fails in their mission, if they don’t send the troops, the blank page stares back. It is no different than the moment it was created. And the writer? The writer dangles and twists in the wind of his own fevered realization that he’s been bested by a cypher. And, for me, that is as bad as it gets. It sometimes makes me desperate because it’s hard to live knowing that out there somewhere is a blank page waiting for me. Whether you write or not, we all have our version of the blank page. David Foster Wallace stared down 1,079 of his when he wrote “Infinite Jest.” It was an effort deserving of the Purple Heart. Moving forward, I hope we can all be half as brave. Michael Raysses is a writer/NPR commentator/actor living in Los Angeles. E-mail him at MichaelRaysses@hotmail.com.

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s we enter the season of change when things in nature reach their fruition and then begin to deteriorate, so do the cycles of life. The wise person notices when aspects of his life are no longer vital and begins to plan for the next chapter. Unfortunately, most of us are so busy living life from our routines that we don’t take the time to notice that a new blueprint is emerging for our lives. With the world currently in a great evolutionary transition, this emerging new reality is appearing as a state of chaos. On November 2, I am beginning a new teleclass series to prepare us for entering 2012 with greater resilience and centeredness, along with an opportunity to design a life that fulfills your greatest potential self even if it currently feels a bit chaotic. I hope you will join me on this exciting adventure. Dear Dr. Toni: I am a psychotherapist, so I have never written to an advice columnist before. I have been involved with a wealthy man for the past six months. My career is in transition. I am hoping to become a professional speaker to augment my income. My boyfriend has been paying for my marketing efforts and medical bills.

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Recently, he told me that he didn’t think we were a long-term fit because I am not masterful at being a domestic engineer (something he says he wants in a wife) and I don’t share his passion for hard rock and roll and water skiing. The confusion for me is that we have this amazing intimate relationship, sexually, spiritually, and psychologically, and it has gotten even better in the last month. He said he is not interested in anyone else and doesn’t want to end our relationship but just doesn’t want to get my hopes up that we will get married. I do want to get married. I am in my 50s, as is he, so there is no urgency to find someone to father my children as I do not have children. Should I continue the relationship? Dazed and Confused in Chicago Dear Reader: Most shrinks would advise you to get out. I see this a little differently. My question to you is, what are your relationship needs at this time? Can you stay in the present and really enjoy this relationship as a love affair, or will you find yourself getting angry because he doesn’t see you as wife material? If he wasn’t wealthy and you knew this was not long-term, would you continue? What are you learning in the relationship that has nothing to do with what he provides for you financially? You say you want to get married—why? And what will you learn from being with this man that will support you in evolving into the woman you want to be who is ready for marriage? Most of my responses to you are questions rather than answers, as you can see. Given that you are a psychotherapist, I sense you are better served by this line of inquiry than direct advice. Good luck and have fun! 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.

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Jin Shin Acutouch by Julie Grandi What is Jin Shin Acutouch? Jin Shin Acutouch is a very gentle, yet powerful form of energy work. It focuses on the movement of energy through pathways, known as meridians, in the body. This work is unique in its ability to affect and bring balance and integration to the body, emotions, and spirit of a person. In this sense it is truly a holistic healing modality. Jin Shin Acutouch brings deep relaxation while rejuvenating and balancing the entire being. Jin Shin Acutouch is similar to acupuncture in that it works by moving energy through the meridians of the person being treated. However, needles are not used. Instead, the Jin Shin practitioner uses their hands to connect and balance the energy in the body. There are 26 points on the body, which are located on meridians, and nine chakras in the Jin Shin Acutouch system. Touching two points at the same time connects and balances the energy between the two points. When the points are touched in specific patterns, stagnation is removed and the flow of energy in the meridians is strengthened and balanced, activating the body’s innate ability to heal and change energetic patterns of illness into patterns of health.

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Jin Shin is an ancient healing art that predates written record. It originated in Tibet and China where it was passed down from generation to generation by oral tradition. Later, Buddhist monks brought the healing art to Japan where the first written record of it was found in the “Kojiki,” or “Record of Ancient Things,” which dates to the eighth century. By the 1900s, Jin Shin had fallen into obscurity. In 1912, Jiro Murai, who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness, rediscovered the healing art of Jin Shin and used it to heal himself. In the late 1940s, Murai met Mary Burmeister and asked her if she would like study with him and take “a gift” to America. She agreed, and in the 1950s, she brought the healing art to America, as Jin Shin Jyutsu. Barbara Clark, who studied with Mary Burmeister, also studied the Asian Healing Arts. From her own extensive study of both Jin Shin Jyutsu and the Asian Healing Arts, she discovered added information and increased depth in the Jin Shin Jyutsu system. From this increased knowledge, she developed Jin Shin Acutouch. Julie Grandi is a licensed holistic health practitioner who specializes in Jin Shin Acutouch. She has an office in Del Mar, CA. Her treatments are combined with education about self-care, which may include breathing, yoga, or other stretches. Grandi can be contacted at 858.523.8731 or jgrandi@pranalotus.com. You can also visit her Web site, www.pranalotus.com.

Brief History of Jin Shin Jin Shin began as a natural way of bringing healing through touch. As Plato said, “Learning is remembering,” and so it is with Jin Shin. When we, or others hurt, we hold the place that hurts. Throughout the day we may rest our hands on our hips or head. We may cross our arms and hold our elbows, or when sitting, hold our feet. In these ways we are bringing the art of Jin Shin to ourselves. We are soothing, calming, re-energizing, and healing ourselves.

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Asking for

Guidance By Sydney L. Murray

ina has a wonderful way about her. I have yet to meet her, but I was so thrilled to speak with her. Her work offers insight into one’s life and also potential life. She reads a series of tarot decks, and although I have rarely turned to this genre for insight, I was blown away by the brief time we spent on the phone together. I had to find out more about how she came to offer this service. Vision Magazine: When did you know you had a spiritual gift? Mina: Ever since I was a little girl. I started having encounters with spirits. I was really excited at first, and my mother didn’t really have the same gift, but [she] has always guided me with the information—I don’t know how. She was the one who first taught me to put the white light all around my body, to always protect myself. As I got older, I had more and more spiritual experiences. Some were good, and some were bad. But then I also had ancestors come visit me. I have had the ability to call things, without a tool, such as tarot. There are certain experiences where I’ll have a decision and I might act on it. Sometimes if I am intoxicated it will come out, and I won’t remember what I have said before, and

then a year later it will come to pass. My mom started reading my cards when I was 18—and she is the one who first taught me—and they [the cards] were right on. VM: Have you ever gotten negative responses or flack from people? M: I just started doing this and I give my own self flack. My mom has always believed that you should never do readings for money. It’s something I also feel, [and] I am really struggling with it right now because I am just starting off. I have been reading cards forever for people on the phone for the last 20 years. I finally decided to take it to another level when one of my previous roommates lived here, and he saw how much it helped people and how much I loved to do it, and I would do it on my spare time. He said, “You should start something with this.” I said, “No I shouldn’t use it for money.” He said, “Your time is valuable,” and I said, “It’s greedy and it shouldn’t be used that way.” He said, “Well then you are out of luck; this should be an equal balance.” You really become drained after [doing readings], extremely tired. I work at AT&T in the normal day, I am a mother, and I have a household to keep. I love doing this, and I feel I have always had this gift. I would like to use it to propel me to the next level, and I have dreams that would be associated with it. I would like to open up a coffee shop or a restaurant or a New Age shop, and this is kind of my

Dec. 29, 2011 to Jan. 1, 2012 Learn the liberating science of Kriya meditation, or refresh and empower your practice. Awaken to the Divine Light and Presence within you. Renew your spirit and project your intentions for the New Year. Sunburst, founded by Norman Paulsen, direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda, is located 40 miles north of Santa Barbara, CA. Please call for more information.

www.SunburstOnline.org • Email: ContactUs@SunburstOnline.org • 805.736.6528 V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

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stepping stone to get there. At the same time, I have to look at it as I am tapping into a spirit guide and ancestors for other people to give them guidance and to help make this earth better. That is the way I want to look at it. I want to help people to make the right decision, the one they were supposed to make and to lead when they chose this life.

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14 Oct 2011: Darshan: 7:30 p.m.

VM: When would you suggest someone get a reading? M: I only go to my mother when I have a need. With myself it can be when I really need to know what decision to make or if I need to know if something is going to happen, in my job or a relationship. It can be for several different reasons. It can be to make the right choice, such as, am I supposed to take this job? Or, should I leave this person? Or it could just be for confidence in what is going to happen later—are we going to be okay, will I have my job after the strike? Whatever is going on at that time. A lot of times it is just for general information. I will just do a general reading and my mother will do it with me, or my friends will do it with me, and it kind of guides you and helps prepare you for something to come your way. It could be positive or negative. VM: If there is one thing that a person can do to fi ne-tune their own inner voice, what do you think that would be? M: I think it’s meditation or prayer. Prayer and meditation mean, to me, the same thing. Even from Christianity, Wiccan, Buddhism, it’s basically tapping into energy, usually to provide a positive voice, feeling, or environment. Everybody wants a positive outcome in their life. For me I think it is always good to ground ourselves to our planet—because that is where we are from—and meditate and pray. I don’t do that every day, and I need to. I think everyone should. I think that is when you can really fine-tune yourself. I know when I go camping I am more centered, or when I am at the beach. I just sit and I thank the universe for being here and for this beautiful life I have and this family. That is when I really feel grounded and that is when you can see what choices you’re supposed to make and visualize what life you want to lead. VM: What has been the most surprising thing you have learned about yourself? M: Just the ability to be correct. In the beginning, I was surprised when it actually worked over the phone. I didn’t think it was going to work. I have a friend that moved to San Francisco, and she was going through other people and she would pay them to read her cards per minute. She wanted me to do them [for her] over the phone, and I thought, no way, it won’t work. And she said, Mina, I do it all the time and your readings are better than anyone else’s, and I pay them, please let’s try it. I

All are welcome to come and receive a personal blessing from this spiritual Master. Center for Spiritual Living 25782 Obrero Drive, Unit D, MissionViejo, CA

12 Nov 2011: Evening with Louix: 7:30 p.m. Louix will offer a discourse, followed by a Q&A session. Seaside Center for Spiritual Living, 1613 Lake Drive, Encinitas, CA

17 Dec 2011: Louix’s 50th Birthday Celebration: 6:00 p.m. This event will feature devotional singing with Pranam, delicious vegan food, and Louix will be giving darshan on this special day. 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 * 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.

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The Wisdom of Compassion: A Desperado’s Path to Awakening

Have you ever noticed how you want one thing, but somehow what you do leads somewhere else entirely? Shantideva, a great Buddhist master in India in the seventh century AD, observed this keenly when he said, “though beings wish to avoid suffering they rush headlong towards suffering itself. Though they wish for happiness, they destroy their own happiness as if it were their worst enemy.” Today teachers of many traditions are telling us this same thing, urging us to look into our own minds to find the keys – to discover why it is that we still get in our own way. In fact the heart and essence of the Tibetan Buddhist teachings are on training and taming our minds - to awaken the compassion, wisdom and vast potential that reside within. They tell us that the desperado’s passion and confusion can actually be cracked wide open into a powerful force of good. But how? How can we alter our habitual patterns? How can we slow that wild horse of ours down from a gallop to a canter, or even a trot? What do the masters know that we don’t, and how did they learn it?

By Emily Steinberg

e all have an image that comes to mind when we think of desperados. It’s someone reckless, an outlaw, probably a bandit in the old American west. It’s certainly not us, right? But what if it is… A desperado is a person “urged by furious passions, regardless of consequence,” says one source. “Desperado, why don’t you come to your senses,” says the Eagles song. Not exactly the way we like to think of ourselves. But, it could apply to each of us at least some of the time, couldn’t it? The Tibetan Buddhist teachings would say so. They say an untamed mind is like a wild horse with no rider. We’re blown by the whims of our emotions and our knee-jerk reactions to the day’s events. We may not consider ourselves desperate, but we aren’t quite the masters of our thoughts and emotions, either. It’s only once we begin to make friends with our minds that we have a chance to grab the reins.

The Wisdom of Compassion: Awakening the Heart, Opening the Mind

San Diego, CA November 12th - 20th Three Options • Public Talk // Saturday, November 12th at 7:00pm • Two-Day Option // Saturday evening, November 12th Monday evening, November 14th • Nine-Day Retreat // Saturday evening, November 12th - Sunday afternoon, November 20th

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 usa.rigpa.org, or call 619.906.4291 for more information. V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

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There’s a secret here – we’re not the only desperados. Spiritual teacher were once desperados, too.

There’s a secret here – we’re not the only desperados. Spiritual teacher were once desperados, too. Only in abandoning the ‘known’ – our habits and conventions - do we fi nd our way home. Even the historical Buddha had to make this journey. He began life as a prince born into a royal life, carefully shielded from the sight of sufferings such as old age, sickness, and death. It was only when he ventured beyond the confines of the palace walls and shed the trappings of royalty that he was able to embark upon the path to liberation. The Buddha wasn’t the only one to take this route – there are many powerful stories of Tibetan masters living quite outside convention - wanderers, hunters, even complete outlaws and criminals, who were able to take those very experiences and transform them into a compassion and a wisdom that is, thankfully, still alive and available for us today. The teachings of Tibetan Buddhism come to us now from many great living mas-

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ters, who have received them from their own teachers, in an unbroken chain that goes all the way back to the Buddha himself. Receiving these teachings is receiving a living wisdom, and to meet these teachers is to meet an embodiment of realization. It’s a tremendous gift, an experience that almost can’t be described. One of the most dynamic and engaging teachers alive today is Sogyal Rinpoche, the author of the spiritual classic, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. He has been teaching for over thirty years and continues to travel widely in Europe, America, Australia and Asia. Rinpoche has a gift for presenting the heart essence, spirit and flavor of Tibetan Buddhism in a way that is authentic and traditional, yet profoundly timely and relevant to our modern desperado minds. Sogyal Rinpoche’s next teaching retreat in the United States will be in San Diego, CA, November 12 -20th at the Bahia Resort Hotel in Mission Bay. The theme is “The Wisdom of Compassion: Awakening the Heart, Opening the Mind.” In this extraordinary retreat, Rinpoche will demonstrate just how powerful and miraculous the working of compassion can be, whether in life or in death, and how, through consistent spiritual practice, we can transform ourselves into truly compassionate, healthy and whole human beings. Complete retreat information is available at usa.rigpa.org, or call 866 200 5876 for details. The retreat begins with a public talk the night of November 12th, then continues with a weekend option through November 14th. The full retreat is nine days. Volunteer opportunities and fi nancial assistance are available, and I and other desperados would love to see you there. Emily Steinberg has been a student of Sogyal Rinpoche since 2005 and can be reached at emily.steinberg@rigpa.org. For more information on the work and teachings of Sogyal Rinpoche, or to explore Tibetan Buddhism further, please visit usa. rigpa.org

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Adoption First:

8 Reasons Supporting Adoption as a First Choice For Growing Your Family by Dina McQueen

am a 49-year-old adoptive mother of a young Ethiopian girl. This is who I am today. There was a time, though, when I did not know who I was or what I wanted out of life. Because I spent my twenties and thirties figuring out the things I needed to know in order for me to become a conscious parent, by the time I realized I did not want to die without experiencing motherhood, it was too late to give birth. At 45, I had a hysterectomy. A year later, my husband and I adopted Aster. Though we did not know then what we do now about adoption, over the years I have come to understand how important our decision was to grow our family through adoption. Below, you will find eight important reasons to choose adoption first. $4 billion a year is spent on fertility treatments. If a woman/ couple finds that they are not getting pregnant naturally, they can choose to seek medical help. The doctor will offer tests, drugs, artificial insemination, assisted reproductive technology (ART), or a combination of these. In most cases, infertility is treated with drugs or surgery. Each of these options costs money. An August 2009 report, found at MSPNews.com, states, “The baby business is booming.” Certainly with each IVF cycle costing approximately $12,000 and most people requiring more than one try, it’s easy to see how the numbers can be so astronomical. Even if 2008 saw $4.04 billion handed over to this business—and the recession may have caused the numbers to drop in later years—it is obvious that the cost of trying to become pregnant via medical intervention is high. There is less than a 50 percent chance of birthing a healthy baby when paying for ART. In 1992, the CDC instilled the Fertility Clinic Success Rate and Certification Act (FCSRCA) that mandates clinics who offer ART to disclose their annual success rates. In 2009, it was reported that women ages 43-44 who underwent ART ended Specializations Include:

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up with a live birth only 5 percent of the time. It rose to 12 percent for ages 41-42, 22 percent for ages 38-40, 32 percent for ages 35-37, and still only 41 percent for women under 35. There are nearly half a million children in the US foster care system. The US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau reported that on September 30, 2010, there were 408,425 children in foster care. Nearly 25,000 of these children were under the age of one, with the average age estimated at about nine years old. Too many foster kids “age out” every year, and are left without a source of support as they enter the world as adults. An April 2010 NPR report said that nearly 30,000 teens aged out of the foster care system that year. There are an estimated 143 million orphaned children worldwide whose parents have either died or are too poor and/or ill to care for them. It is a possibility that adoptive parents who do not use a fertility doctor to help them become parents and instead go straight to adoption, experience more satisfaction as new parents. For my book, “Finding Aster: our Ethiopian adoption story,” I interviewed many women who underwent some kind of fertility treatment. One couple spent more than $50,000 in attempt to parent a child that came from their DNA. Finally, after incalculable emotional stress, the interviewee shared that her husband said, “Let’s just adopt.” She further went on to disclose, “People who are fertile don’t have any idea how bad it is. I can’t even talk to people in the fertile world because they have no clue. I’ve had two years of therapy, and I could use five more.” By going straight to adoption, rather than spending years and tens of thousands of dollars, she perhaps would not have felt such a strong need to “heal” emotional wounds of being labeled “infertile.” Growing evidence is proving that fertility drugs can cause breast and other reproductive cancers. One of the women that I interviewed spent five years getting hormone supplements. Though she did finally give birth to a healthy girl, she is sure that the drugs caused her breast cancer. “I’m convinced that in about 20 years, if not sooner, we will see a huge rise in breast cancer linked to fertility hormone treatments,” she told me in a phone interview. “It’s pretty obvious: if you shoot yourself up with estrogen, your body is likely to rebel.” By 2050, the population on this planet is predicted to be unable to support human life as we know it. Although I do not consider myself a spokeswoman for The Voluntary Human Extinction Movement (VHEMT, http://www.vhemt.org), there is enough evidence out there for me to promote adoption as a first choice for growing a family. (See the BBC series, “How Many People Can Live on Planet continued on page 41

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Life with The Beloved

by Louix Dor Dempriey

he things that have ones so enamored the perfect love, the perfect child, the perfect income, the perfect house and job and town to live in are the very things that keep so many from God. Humanity has become so brainwashed by what the collective whole says are the ideals and attainments for which to strive. If they are an end, in and of themselves, each one of those items is a false god placed before your Lord and Creator. The same dynamic can be found in the New Age movement. The pursuit of Enlightenment, ascension, bi-location, teleportation, etc. are all pursuits of false gods. They are attachments and distractions of the mind. Desires are acts of Separation. Inherent in one’s desire for anything is the belief that one lacks something and, therefore, needs something. Thus, desire places an object of pursuit before God, which, in turn, distances one even further from God.

Life with The Beloved is not about Enlightenment. It is about falling so completely in love with Creation that you are in Oneness with everything in every given moment. Then the next moment comes and you fall in love all over again. What if it is God’s will that you do not attain Enlightenment in this embodiment? Does that mean you fail? No. The only desire worth having is to become consumed by God’s love. Place no conditions upon what that looks like. God is love. Thus, yearn to know love, to feel love, to express love, and to become love beyond limit. If that means Enlightenment, then accept it. If it means being married, single, gay, straight, rich, poor, with or without kids, famous or unknown, accept that, too. It does not matter. Those titles, positions, and attributes are simply what God needs to play this game of chess with your lives. Furthermore, all those attainments of the material world are gone forever in the instant you transit your physical form, from a life whose entirety only amounts to one blink of your soul’s eternal eye. God does not need six billion people enlightened in this decade, or in this century for that matter. God needs a surrendered, willing heart that says, “Use me according to Thy will.” There are countless people who are not enlightened Masters, yet live so completely in rapture with God, and it blesses everything they do. I have seen many working in hotels and restaurants. The love I see oozing out of them almost brings Me to tears. Some of them are going home to screaming children, no money, and fifteen people living in a one-room box of a house with no windows; yet, they walk in grace because they feel the love of God constantly in their hearts. They see it, and insist on seeing it, in every single thing they do. That is the magic which helps them transcend their circumstances. Many of them have never read a book on continued on page 46

ur M i n d nI trodutoceyourYobody.

They just might like each other.

Desire not the fruits of life with God. Desire, instead, life with God.

Study with a Master, Learn from the Best

October 8, 15, 22 - Intelligent Anatomy for Inquiring Minds: a workshop series with Russ Pfeiffer Nov. 6th & Dec. 11th - Pranayams, Drishti & the Bandhas with Nancy Goodstein 2011-2012 Ongoing 200 and 300 Hour Yoga Teachers' Training Become an RYT

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forecast

A d r i e n n e

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 gift of wisdom comes only after a long process of soul-searching. During any crisis, you can choose to waste your energy fighting, or you can move to accept the challenges at hand. A minor dilemma may come up this month, pushing you to surrender something. Though the situation will not go as planned, you have the wisdom from past experiences to discover another option. Look at the challenges around you as a doorway; you have to give up any illusions of control in order to walk through and see what lies beyond. Taurus: Death (2 of Pentacles) 4/20 – 5/21 Because transition often involves an uprooting of your security, it’s common for resistance to come up, which can lead to overlooking the value at hand. Instead of focusing solely on material consequences, turn your attention inward and find the deeper purpose. What does this free you from and what is this challenge asking from you? Attachment to security confines you to a life of fear because security is an impermanent state and can always be stripped away from you. This month will not be easy, but if you let go of fear, it can be rewarding. Hold on to your trust and be patient—greater things await.

Libra: Emperor (8 of Wands) 9/23 – 10/23 Your heart may be heavy with emotion and your mind clouded by thoughts. Nonetheless, you’ll have an important encounter this month that requires a concentrated effort to balance. Although thinking and feeling are rumored to be rivals, they’re really nothing more than different languages. To understand thoughts and emotions one must listen carefully. Notice the ease that washes over you when the two are communicating. Don’t rely too heavily on one over the other, or your actions will backfire. Take note of how your thoughts and feelings affect those around you. Someone close will express concern about your recent mood. Scorpio: Devil (5 of Cups) 10/24 – 11/22 After a long uphill battle, you will begin to reap the rewards of your efforts, but this is not a time for premature celebration—it’s a time for meaningful work. Your life has been changed in a major way that requires careful and honest upkeep. You have the responsibility to recreate the vision you once held sacred. If you hesitate or succumb to doubt, you’ll lose the momentum you need. Forgive and release any anger and be free from your past. Also, be careful about why you’re helping others, since doing so can become a distraction from helping yourself.

Gemini: Judgment (3 of Cups) 5/22 – 6/21 You will need to figure out a crafty way to overcome a minor nuisance this month, even if overcoming is not prevailing in the typical way. Although there may not be a way to win this one, you will discover the humility of honoring your own limitations. Sometimes struggle is more about learning how to lose than win. Be sure to avoid arguments and ignore antagonistic remarks. Co-workers may seem more annoying than usual, your boss more demanding, and your mate less attractive. In any case, the goal this month is to acknowledge and accept character defects—yours and others.

Sagittarius: Star (9 of Swords) 11/23 – 12/21 Asking the right questions is very important in the search for meaning. “Right” doesn’t always mean easy. To become the best you, you must be willing to dig deep and cross the river of denial. It’s your sacred duty this month to find time to honor yourself, not superficially, but in deep and meaningful ways. Have a dialogue with those inner voices, ask for guidance from your higher power, and pay close attention to where you’re losing energy. If you take what you learn and apply it to your most pressing situation, there’s potential new growth for an old vision.

Cancer: Empress (4 of Pentacles) 6/22 – 7/22 Life can sometimes seem like a constant reorganization of roles and experiences. Who are you and what are you doing? Just as you begin to feel comfortable, there will be a shift, causing something to be swept away. To the degree that you’re able to maintain composure, is a testament to your own inner strength. This month you’ll be expected to demonstrate this. Your relationship with authority will provoke a perfect example for this practice. Try not to be overly rigid though; strength is dedication and strategic compromise, not an all or nothing attitude. There’s great abundance suggested, both materially and personally.

Capricorn: Temperance (Queen of Wands) 12/22 – 1/20 Life is a mixture of many elements that, once you discover how to combine creatively, produces beautiful expressions of you. Too often, though, you take the amazing experiences encountered for granted, passing them off as difficult, boring, or time-consuming, or even getting trapped, thinking they are perfect and stable. Life, as the ever-changing dance, moves to a rhythm of many different experiences. The grace with which you dance to these rhythms has everything to do with the harmony you create—internally and externally. Now is a time to synchronize your experiences. Be who you are and open your heart to new hobbies and people!

Leo: Sun (10 of Pentacles) 7/23 – 8/23 Faith is the vehicle that moves you from victim to hero. Within faith’s calm reserve, your life becomes purposeful. During times of turbulence, it helps to look past the situation to understand the deeper correlations of your inner and outer circumstances. By working through this challenge, you’ll gain a talent that is uniquely yours. Life can change in the blink of an eye or in the shift of a thought pattern; however, you must silence the chatter in your head to hear the message of your heart. You’re not what has happened to you, you’re what you choose to become.

Aquarius: Fool (Knight of Cups) 1/21 – 2/18 Stress can be an ally or an enemy. As an enemy, it wears you down and deflates your sense of power. If used positively, you stand to gain strength, stamina, and self-esteem. Stress also affects your attitude and interpretation. A current challenging situation will lighten up as you shift your perspective. Let go of the notion that life is a battle that must be fought or won. Instead, allow stress to be a catalyst for new ideas or plans, and become aware of the many options around you. When you’re open, you’ll find a creative solution to any task.

Virgo: Chariot (7 of Swords) 8/24 – 9/22 Life is full of unlimited potential with opportunities around every corner. Yet, to experience this, you have to risk leaping into the unknown. Sometimes what we call “practical” behavior is a cover-up for fear; don’t pretend to be practical when you’re really just scared. Past experiences can instill fear, so it’s important to reflect and learn from them instead of reacting emotionally to them. Regrets are another excuse for staying stuck. Stay in the moment! A much-desired goal is awaiting your attention, but in order to attain this, you must be willing to jump in spite of your fears.

Pisces: Justice (Knight of Swords) 2/19 – 3/20 In your dreams you can fly, be invisible, and use magical powers, but upon waking, you dismiss this experience as only a dream. It’s easy to believe in the world that you can perceive through your senses, but not so easy to believe that there is an invisible world that also exists. You might recognize this other world as the place of intuition, emotion, and fantasy. These two worlds are in relationship with each other, like sleeping and waking. Take time to notice the less obvious and challenge the limitations of your senses by actively engaging your imagination. You will be amazed at what happens. Trust your intuition if something doesn’t seem right.

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Native Culture By Christopher Nyerges

ichard Toyon is standing in a large field at the edge of the San Gabriel mountain range. Aside from the fact that there is a freeway in the valley below and a busy street behind us, you could almost think we were in a wilderness. Way to our south, across the freeway, is a mountain peak that Toyon got named in honor of the local Indians who once lived here. He is smiling in the early morning and showing me berries of the toyon tree. Richard Toyon is a 14th generation Californian, according to the official records of Mission San Juan Capistrano. He is descended from the Parra clan of the Acjachemem nation (pronounced “A-HA-Sha-mem”), formerly known as the Mission Band of the Juaneño Indians. His family originates in what is now the city of San Juan Capistrano. He is a descendant of Alejo Parra, and the area was once called Rancho de los Toyones. Richard Toyon’s grandfather’s name was Ortiz de los Toyones, and after him the family name was shortened to just “Toyon.” Toyon lives in La Crescenta and is active in Boy Scouts, local politics, and in representing the Tongva Tribe for various environmental and public issues. Of course, when we first spoke, I could not wait to ask him about the native toyon tree, the tree from which his family name comes. “When I give my walks and lectures a few times a year, I talk about the native uses of plants,” he explains, “the ethnobotanical uses of plants, not necessarily just the food uses.” Toyon, who works in the film industry as a production designer, then went on to tell me about the first real estate venture just south of Griffith Park. “These guys looked up in the hills and they saw all the toyon trees with their brilliant red fruit, and they called the place ‘Hollywood Land.’ They should have called it ‘Toyonwood,’” he laughs. The toyon tree produces its fruit in the winter, which made it a bit unique among the native plants, most of which produced their fruit in summer and fall. “And the toyon fruit played a significant role in the Acjachemem diet,” says Toyon. Though there are probably a dozen common ways of preparing the fruit—ground into meal, made into a drink, made into a dessert—Toyon says that in Acjachemem gettogethers today, the fruit is cooked in a wok, fried and lightly seasoned, and served fifty-fifty with rice. He has also seen the toyon berries mashed up and served on top of potatoes, with butter. “I also take dried toyon berries on my Scout trips and sometimes mix them into the regular trail mix to see if the Scouts even notice it.” Toyon studied biology in college, has been a forest firefighter and a ranger, and now also is the leader of Boy Scout Troop 317 in Montrose. “I always try to educate the Scouts about the natural foods. For one of their merit badges, they need to know native plants, but most of them genuinely like the wild plants that I let them taste,” he explains. “We had a Scout trip to Buckhorn in the Angeles National Forest when the native rose hips were fruiting. They were the bluest rose hips I’ve ever seen. We gathered a few cups of the fruit, mashed them up, and the boys put them on their pancakes like jam. They loved it! The boys were amazed that it tasted so good.” He often gets asked about acorns, which was perhaps the most widely used plant food among all Southern California Indians. “The old-fashioned way of getting out the tannic acid and then grinding them into a mush or flour is a lot of work,” Toyon explains. “I tell people who want to try acorns to just go to a Korean store and buy some. Acorn flour is a common commodity at most Korean stores.” At home, Toyon makes a simple non-leavened bread from the acorn flour, which V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

he compares to the naan bread from East Indian restaurants. “We cook it in a pan like tortillas,” he says. “One elder once told me that the seed heads of the wild California buckwheat were one of the flours that the elder people ate because it didn’t require grinding and the seeds were very small. Since it required no grinding, there would not be tiny bits of stone in the meal that would hurt the elder people’s teeth.” California buckwheat seed heads are round and dark brown in color, and can be simply gathered, rubbed between the hands, and used in various recipes. Before we were done, we spoke about many medicinal plants and issues relating to native people today. Toyon is often outspoken against various local real estate developments, and was named Crescenta Valley Volunteer of the year in 2007. He acts as a field representative for the Tongva Nation, and has spoken on their behalf on various environmental and cultural issues. Toyon also successfully lobbied to the US Geological Survey to have a prominent peak in the Verdugo Mountains named Tongva Peak, in honor of the first people of the LA basin. (The other prominent peak in the Verdugos is called Verdugo Peak.) You can see Tongva Peak if you go to the intersection of Briggs and Foothill in La Crescenta and look south right at the peak. Christopher Nyerges is the former editor of Wilderness Way and author of Guide to Wild Foods, How to Survive Anywhere, and other books. He can be reached at www.ChristopherNyerges.com or PO Box 41834, Eagle Rock, CA 90041. Readers who are interested in contacting Richard Toyon can do so via Christopher Nyerges’ Web site. For ways to prepare Toyon Berries, go to page 40

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Is All Okay With Your World? by George Samuels

s all okay with your world? If yes, then you have no argument, no gripe, nothing to cry about, unless you are inclined to make up stuff, stuffing your own bag with drama. Are you desperately seeking something you can touch, see, and feel, or are you seeking the obscure, the invisible, the unknown? Does the dream keep you up at night or are you actually awake and sleepwalking when you should be asleep? These are only questions of the dilemma in which we sometimes find ourselves enveloped, and that occupy our minds whether we are awake or sleep. Maybe all of this is just a challenge or an opportunity for us to learn by, making us become or appear to be desperate for whatever we think or feel we need or appears to be missing in our life. Causation Versus Symptom The cause is greater than the symptom, but most of the time we tend to only treat the symptom until it gets out of control or it appears to us that it can’t be fixed. What we continue to not realize is that the symptom is sounding the alarm that there is something we need to pay attention to, and as it gets louder, we need to listen and correct the problem or challenge, no matter what it is. In

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order to do this we must go beyond the symptom and find the cause in order to cure the problem or challenge and prove we have learned the lesson. The question is, how can we see the forest for the trees without looking? We need to look, listen, seek the right advice at the right time, and not try to hide hoping it will go away. There is a solution for everything if we dare or care to seek out the answer. As a healer, we have to always seek out answers that appear to not be there but may be hidden just below the surface of our thinking or consciousness, similar to how we wait for the knock on the door from an expected friend. The healer doesn’t have the luxury to only treat the cut on the hand or the bruise on the leg or the pain in the gut. The healer is required to go where no one else will go and find the cause so that the proper advice, the proper prescription, the proper solution will correct the problem. The healer seeks to heal the challenge in order to seize the opportunity for his or her client, changing the course of the person’s life, helping them to grow and learn at the same time. This is the opportunity to be healed, but for the healer, the healing has already happened because there is no disease, no sickness, but only a challenge—an opportunity for advanced learning that will help the student to complete their lessons. So learning is continuous and we learn many lessons during our lifetime. I work with those who have chosen a path of helping others but first must help themselves. I help those who need to realize their goals of higher learning

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or growth with skills and gifts that have been bestowed upon them by a Higher Source. These gifts or skills are given to help them grow and learn and one day be ready and able to teach others or inspire them to do the same. How Do We Help Others? The best way is to first listen, because there is always a higher source, higher ideal, higher voice operating if we would just listen. There are those who have come to help, those who need to hear, want to hear, care to listen and help themselves as well as others. For some there is a Voice, that Higher Source calling to them to heal and be well. If you cannot hear or see or feel, then you must seek out those who listen, who see, who feel, who are here to help you through those times that appear to be desperate—where the wall appears to be larger than the house, where the problem is bigger than the rock—so that you can receive their guidance, healing, and learning. Is It Worth Your Time and Effort? Yes. Growth and learning are worth every effort, especially in an experiential world that we make as our home. There is light at the end of the tunnel if you will use your vision. If you can’t, then it is time to seek out those that have the vision and the Light and can see beyond the problems to where a state of bliss exists for you and everyone else. Who Is Here to Help You? I train and teach healers, light workers, coaches, guides, and those who seek higher instruction, higher vision, higher hearing than the noise next door or in the street, cars screeching on their way to where they need to go. I work with those for whom only desperation is the call to higher learning—to a higher journey—who need to clear away the clouds of misunderstanding and confusion to see their clear path out of the wilderness into the Light. I am here to help you so that you will be okay and help others to be okay. And then the world will be okay with you, and vice versa. We can’t leave you behind, but you must seek to question—ask to know, try to find out, ask the right person—and by all means have the faith and the trust that you will get the right answers and guidance that will heal you and teach you in order for you to help those who are seeking your wisdom and advice so they, too, may heal perfectly. Many are now being called to wake up and know who they are and what they need to know. At the Spiritual Life Source Center we will help you to be all you can be that is best!

Desperate is the way we waste Our time And with junk food our taste Desperately seeking ways To be and save face From all who try to make a case, That we are not up to par Par boiled, chilled And fired crispy to the bone As we seek to believe we own All that we have experienced Or all we have known But instead we desperately Realize we only pay rent For we own only our tears Upon our bed The laughter we use instead Of anger and lies That we are systematically fed To realize we are full And need to realize the cock from the bull Called “this is how it goes” To something more fulfilling instead Such as I love you, you love to do, Be happy we met And life is forever not the daily dread And smile that desperately seeking Susan Smiles that all is well instead!

The Spiritual Life Source Center can help you locally or long-distance. You can reach them at 858.367.0553 or by visiting their Web site, http://spirituallifesourcewebsite. newmis10.com/. George Samuels is an enlightened Spiritual Master, Teacher, Healer, Spiritual Coach, and Poet living in the San Diego area, and is here to teach and help heal those who seek answers and to learn in order to help others. George has written several books of poetry such as, Audacity of Poetry, Healing in a Word, With Poetry in Mind, This is Our Word, There is Only Music Brother, and Doors to Ancient poetical Echoes.

Desperately Seeking by Master George E.

Desperate is the night Seeking day Desperate is the rain Trying to land on the plain Desperate is the wound Seeking the band-aid To hide from the sun and the shade Desperate is the wound Trying to heal before it is found To have happened V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

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Desperate To Get Off— Secret Porn Fetishes and How They Play Into Relationships by Daphne Carpenter

et’s face it, this can be an uncomfortable subject. In a relationship, one person’s porn fetish may be another person’s heartache. At the same time, some couples see it as healthy, even therapeutic. But in the secretive sense, it can be damaging. Imagine the scenario: a girlfriend or wife stumbles across her man’s porn links on his computer innocently, not necessarily looking for it. What pops up may surprise her. On the left side of the screen (facing the camera) is the first woman. She’s spread-eagle, lying on her back, breasts dangling off to the sides. She’s sporting a

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perpetual tan with no tan lines, shimmery mauve lip gloss, and straight, black glossy hair. In a horny tone, she moans, “Yes, yes, lick that [vagina],” while biting her lips in a state of “ecstasy.” On the right side of the computer screen is the second woman—a blonde. She’s facing away from the camera. (Her face is somewhat obscured as she gives fellatio to the other woman.) She’s on her knees in doggy style position, swaying her hips erotically from side to side, with her goods exposed right into the lens. The camera work is exceptional, and the scene captured makes you feel like you’re literally there. The wife’s reaction is, “What the f***?” She watches the entire 13-minute session, which culminates in a steamy, juicy tongue kiss between the two, after the second woman has gotten off. Confused and bewildered, the wife freezes. She “never knew he watched porn.” In fact, when she had brought it up in the past, he skillfully brushed it off as if he had no interest in it. According to a study at Brigham Young University, 87 percent of men have looked at some form of porn in the past year, and one in five go to it daily. I’ve heard men say that porn-assisted masturbation is intense, uncomplicated, and relaxing. It seems to be compartmentalized, and in a different category from their relationships. They say it has no impact on their feelings for their partner, and that they don’t perceive porn or solo sex as a sign of infidelity. Should a girlfriend feel threatened or concerned about her man’s pornography interests? In a perfect world, no. She’d be open to it and accept the fact that, like men will arbitrarily say, “all men do it, don’t take it personally, it has nothing to do with [her].” But for many women, “discovering that their husbands have been viewing pornography is similar to uncovering an extramarital affair,” says Peter C. Kleponis, Ph.D., a Licensed Clinical Therapist, who specializes in marriage and family therapy, men’s issues, and pornography addiction recovery. She’ll feel hurt, betrayed, undesirable, and rejected. His secret porn fetish may provoke (or exacerbate already existing) feelings of insecurities on her part. “Is that what his fantasy woman looks like?” or, “What’s wrong with me?” The woman on the computer screen becomes “the other woman,” says Kleponis. This is real. I’ve talked to many women while researching for this article. The wife or girlfriend might see the situation as a violation of trust even though the man will brush it off as normal and something that should be socially acceptable. But how would the guy feel if he unexpectedly discovered on her computer, links to sites of well-endowed, muscular men, looking hot and sexy, moaning

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But how would the guy feel if he unexpectedly discovered on her computer, links to sites of well-endowed, muscular men, looking hot and sexy, moaning and masturbating, knowing that she’s going to those sites to “get off?” Would that threaten his manhood?

and masturbating, knowing that she’s going to those sites to “get off?” Would that threaten his manhood? “Totally,” said my ex-boyfriend, Fernando. “It would make me feel really insecure, personally, making me question, ‘What, I’m not good enough?’ I’d also wonder how long before she wanted to go out and explore [it] on a deeper level,” he said. “It’s that whole issue of having another person in the mind state, someone else instead of you. I believe it’s still f***king, whether physically or mentally.” Studies have shown that men crave respect from their wives more than love. Dr. Kleponis says that pornography robs men of this basic need. “Pornography use almost always leads women to lose respect for her husbands.” I met a 28-year-old single woman named Marisa who told me recently that in her opinion (regarding porn in relationships), communication is key. She feels that porn’s not a bad thing. “But often there’s this double standard,” she said. “The man puts his woman on this pedestal and is like, ‘Oh, I don’t want my woman looking at porn or dressing a certain way,’ but yet it’s okay for him to do it secretly.” I asked Marisa if she watches porn. “I wouldn’t do it alone. But if the guy wanted to, I’d be like, okay, sure, why not? I wouldn’t want it to be the focal point, though. I’d want it to be on us.” I speak for many women when I say that we’d rather a guy just tell us about his porn interests right off the bat—we’ll think you’re a better man for doing so. A woman might not like it, but at least she’ll appreciate the honesty. For example, my friend, Liliana, opened up about a guy she went out with who was “obsessed with porn.” His favorite kind was where one woman was being “hit hard by two men at the same time.” “He was very beastly with it—he was like a beast,” she said, with a scared kind of face. She was initially surprised and shocked by this porn fetish. But she respected the fact that “from the beginning, he was up front and honest about it.” She took to watching it with him, and for a time, it allowed her to “feel sexy and to role play.” But she said that eventually she felt that it had just become “this drawn-out, crazy fantasy” where “the mind would just wander.” How would Liliana feel if someone she cared about watched porn to “get off ” while she was, say, at work, I asked? “I wouldn’t feel comfortable with it at all, because I think that’s where the disconnect is.” For some couples, pornography and erotica works well as a tool in the relationship. “Is it weird that my last girlfriend and I watched porn together before we ever [had sex]? I don’t think so. To each his own. I like watching porn with a room full of couples,” said my male friend from work. “It’s exciting and sensual, but also it’s just funny and something to look at.” And that’s perfectly healthy right? “But it becomes compulsive when he feels like he has to hide it,” says sex therapist, Sandor Gardos, Ph.D. “One should ask the following questions: Is it interfering with [one’s] sex life and relationship? And is he [or she] using it to avoid something?” Actively hiding his (or her) material and making excuses to avoid having sex is cause for concern. Does he have a low sex drive? Is continued on page 46 V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

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f e a t u r e downturn, and work together to create solutions. Her lilting voice would rise in strength to make a point. This book, “Mighty Be Our Powers,” is a reminder to all of us who are fortunate enough to read it that within each one of us there is a wellspring of strength to rise up against the challenges before us.

Mighty Be Our Powers:

Recently, before she left for Ghana, I had the opportunity to speak with her. Vision Magazine: What advice would you give someone who is struggling in his or her life?

How Sisterhood, Prayer, and Sex Changed a Nation at Wars

A Conversation with Author Leymah Gbowee by Sydney L. Murray

“I believe, I know, that if you have unshakable faith in yourself, in your sisters and in the possibility of change, you can do almost anything. The work is hard. The immensity of what needs to be done is discouraging. But you look at communities that are struggling on a daily basis. They keep on—and in the eyes of the people there, you are a symbol of hope. And so you, too, must keep on. You are not at liberty to give up. Don’t stop, echoes the older Liberian lady’s voice. Don’t ever stop. My answer to her: I never will.” —Leymah Gbowee

his month our theme is desperadoes and asking the question, what happens to people when they become desperate. There is, of course, violence and self-destruction, and most of us have heard of some very horrible situations due to the economy. Here in San Diego we have had a rash of double suicides. We cannot diminish the pain and suffering of others, but we can sometimes turn our pain into triumph. Reading the new book by Leymah Gbowee, “Mighty Be Our Powers,” I was emotionally moved by the situations in other parts of the world which are so much more extreme than what we as Americans face. And I do not say now, that I do not understand the despair many are experiencing here in the United States. But reading the words of this woman and what she has had to endure made me realize that her words are powerful because she has experienced extremely desperate times. As a young woman, her life was ripped apart by the Liberian Civil War. I know I have never experienced that level of violence, so I cannot truly understand her journey, but what I do understand is that from a place of despair she has risen to a place of triumph. Caught in the trap of domestic violence as a young mother, she found the courage to transform her life and the lives of other women, and through their unity they started a movement that brought about the end of a brutal civil war. Gbowee helped create and then led the Liberian Mass Action for Peace, which was, as she so eloquently puts it, a collaboration between Christian and Muslim women. She reminded me again of the strength of community and the need for people to gather in times of strife, be it war or economic V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

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Leymah Gbowee: Sometimes I have gone through difficult things that have been overcome by this attribute of my life, or this personality that I have, and I believe that [throughout] whatever I went through, my faith was important. I think that as a Christian it is impossible to go through what I went through, or what women in conflict go through, without having that sense of a higher power in their life. It’s important to connect to that spiritual part of what is going to give you [hope] or help you get to the place you want to get to. The second thing is a sense of community. Sitting alone, feeling alone, being alone will never help the situation if it’s trauma, or what people think they need to get better. What people think is they are judged, and they need to understand people never really judged them. They have their own experiences of people who would be there and understanding that whatever they have gone through their sense of faith is important. They have no control over what they went through, yet that sense of community is very important. [For] a lot of the women that I work with, in the beginning they were in pain, but once they got involved in their community, that was the beginning of their journey to healing. My journey to healing started with a community. VM: How did you ﬁnd hope amidst so much despair? LG: The first thing is when you are in despair—and despair is a place where you cannot see anything beyond where you are—you have to start believing that image in your head and in your heart of something better than what you are seeing. Until you can create that image, it is difficult for you to stop hoping. The first thing is you need to decide that this is not where I want to be, I need to get out of this state and into a better state. And imagine for yourself what is that better space you want to get into. Until you do that, I will tell you, you will continue to stay where you are. It’s easier for people who live in oppression or depression to accept it as their fate and start seeing it as normal. Once you do that, you allow that situation to overcome you. Until you step out of this you are stuck in the situation. But when you step out of it, you create a better place for your self and then you have defeated your situation. You have to see the place where you want to go.

f e a t u r e VM: What started your desire to gather women to strike for peace? LG: The desire is exactly your last question. In the face of the despair we asked, how do you walk on? We had gotten to the place where we decided what we were experiencing was abnormal, it was not ordinary and we needed out of that space. We needed to get out of the place of despair. It was for us and our children. It started with four women and then we moved on to many more women. But the protest actually started with five people.

LB: The Mass Action was not an organization. The Mass Action was collaboration between different women, primarily Christians and Muslims. Most of these women have gone back to their communities to initiate organizations. But what is important to note is that when we have issues to rally around, we [the women] do.

VM: What was symbolic about the white shirts? LG: We felt the white shirts were our symbol. It also had a biblical look to it. That when the woman walked by the priest, she was wearing sackcloth and ashes, and we decided from the get-go that the white would symbolize peace, and the lack of makeup and earrings and jewelry would symbolize our action. We covered our hair also.

VM: Is there an organization that people could support in your work around health and education for women and children? LB: I run an organization now called the Women’s Peace and Security Africa or WIPSEN. We are doing some of the most important work with young girls and offer them a lot of support. We work with young girls on leadership and education.

VM: Was there any discord between the Muslim and the Christian women? LG: Of course there was, every day. [She laughs.] Every day when we ended the work that we did and went back to our little rooms, we did our own evaluation—what was good today, what was bad, what could we do differently. A lot of the times the conversation was about relationships and how we have to fix things. We never allowed things to go over [until the next day]. All the big issues of the day, we tackled on that day, because we felt that the next day would have their own issues. About [their] faith, the Christian women would talk about what fellowship was like and some of them left because we would not allow the exclusivity of Christian women. It was the Christian women who were the most problematic. VM: When you talk about sisterhood and prayer, how did that come about between your protests and gatherings? Did you pray together? LG: Every day we would start in the morning and have one Christian prayer and one Muslim prayer. And every evening before we dispersed, we would say a Christian and a Muslim prayer. There was nothing that we did, or the activities that we did, that didn’t have both faiths, and we always tried to be in balance. VM: What was the sex strike about? LB: It was our desperate way of bringing the attention that we felt we had to do to get the men involved. It was difficult because our movement was exclusive to women, but it felt like behind the lines, they [the men] seemed like advocates. Men would start talking to their buddies and they would see what it feels like. So it was our way of preparing them to action. VM: Was it successful? LB: No. In some areas it was like the women did not exist. They [the men] were more strategic than we were. These women went to their husbands and said, the whole fasting thing is about denying you the pleasures of the world. They are happy for peace; therefore, we can have faith. VM: Is the Liberian Mass Action for Peace organization still around?

VM: What would be the most powerful message a young woman could hear? LB: For me, I feel the world now, our young people have been socialized to believe that it is more important to have a beautiful body than a good brain. I think that it’s high time that we start to reinforce the message of the importance first of education for young people and the unique power we have to change our situation around. This is not about where you find yourself. This is about how you tap into your inner self and push yourself to get out of where you find yourself. There are people who are very successful, and they came a long way from the state of poverty they had been from. The message is one of empowerment as well as the message of finding your unique gift and making the most of it. I think that is something that we should really push toward our young people. VM: If you had one person, who would be the one that you admire most? LB: I would not say one—I admire a lot of people. Those that I admire the most are the women in communities that are affected by conflict and war and who are able, in the midst of all of the violence around them, to create a semblance of sanity in their homes. And in their communities, amidst violence, I admire those that can keep a sense of sanity in their homes and communities. VM: After everything you have lived through, do you have hope for our world? LB: Oh yes. I believe that there are more good people than bad people. But what we need to do is step out. We are too silent; the good people need to step out. They need to step up and be heard. They need to step out into their communities and work together. You can purchase Leymah Gbowee’s book, Mighty Be Our Powers: How Sisterhood, Prayer, and Sex Changed a Nation at War (published by Beast Books, $25.99), at www.thedailybeast.com or on Amazon.com. For more information on her organization, Women’s Peace and Security Africa, please visit www.wipsen-africa.org.

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I feel the world now, our young people have been socialized to believe that it is more important to have a beautiful body than a good brain.

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The Unjust Execution of Troy Davis: African Americans, Capital Punishment, and the Prison Industrial Complex by Brennan Lagasse

The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the entire world. Overall, the United States spends six times the amount of money on prisons than it does on education.

n September 21, 2011 the state of Georgia executed Troy Davis. Troy had been on death row since he was convicted of the 1989 murder of offduty police officer Mark MacPhail. At the time of the incident, Mr. MacPhail was working as a security guard. He was shot after intervening in the harassment of another man. Bullets and shell casings from a .38-caliber pistol were the only pieces of physical evidence retained from the site of the shooting. When the police came to Troy’s home to investigate, it is said that they told his mother that if she didn’t let them in, they would come in anyway. Later in court, a judge ruled that the police did not have a valid search warrant to enter the Davis’ home. That didn’t end up mattering at all. During Troy’s trial in 1991, seven witnesses testified that they had actually seen Troy shoot Mr. MacPhail. Two other people testified that Troy actually confessed the murder to them. The district attorney arguing against Troy in the case sought capital punishment. Ultimately, the jury agreed with the motion for the death penalty. Then in 2009, the Supreme Court asked the District Court V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

of Georgia to look at new evidence that had surfaced over the course of the 20-year life of the case. This new evidence was not available at Troy’s initial trial, and begged to question whether or not Troy had actually murdered Mr. MacPhail and did in fact “deserve” the death penalty. In the summer of 2010, this new evidence was presented in the form of seven of the nine trial witnesses recanting their previous testimony that helped send Troy to death row. Some of these witnesses spoke up that law enforcement officials had coerced them into saying Troy had committed the murder. Nonetheless, the conviction was upheld. Other appeals were made and denied. There were several appeals and attempts for a retrial, but none of them panned out. Before Troy was put to death, he had world leaders such as Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter, and Pope Benedict XVI arguing on his behalf. The NAACP and Amnesty International also took to Troy’s case asking for a retrial based on this new evidence, as well as many studies, papers, and projects that illuminated the unjust proceedings of the criminal justice system, specifically orientated towards people of color. In early September 2011, a hearing for Troy’s second bid at clemency was set, and denied, again. On the morning of Troy’s September 21 execution date, a formal request was made to stop the execution. Nothing ended up stopping it. Even President Obama made a statement that he would not get involved in the case before Troy was finally put to death. During this arduous process, Troy maintained his innocence. It took the criminal justice system 22 years from the time of the shooting, until the time of Troy’s death, to carry out his sentence. However, because capital punishment was the judgment in question, not even seven out of the nine witnesses recanting their previous testimony—testimony that helped lead to the original sentence of death in the first place—had the power to overturn his conviction. What happened with Troy Davis is a travesty of justice and clear watershed moment for activists and justice seekers across the world to not only critically examine the merits of the prison industrial complex, but to bring serious analysis to the death penalty. Over the course of time, not one, but seven of the witnesses who helped seal the fate of Troy’s life took back what they had said in the courtroom. As the weeks and months progressed, getting closer to Troy’s execution date, not only did world leaders come to his side, but nearly a million petitions were signed and delivered on his behalf. Clemency was not granted, and the court refused to reconsider its decision. Protests, rallies, and vigils were organized around the globe. There are so many unanswered questions, and there is so much doubt. So how could the state of Georgia just go along and take Troy’s life? They had so many chances to reinvestigate their sentence. There are two very important facts in the case of Troy Davis that not only call his own death and sentencing into question, but also furthers the debate on the fairness of the prison industrial complex, and the useful application of the death penalty. First, if Georgia was not a capital punishment state, the fact that seven out of nine witnesses recanted on their initial offerings in court may have actually helped to save Troy’s life. Second, if the prison industrial complex was fashioned as the rehabilitative center it should be, rather than a profit-making center, Troy’s life might have been looked at as worth saving rather than taking. The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the

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f e a t u r e entire world. Overall, the United States spends six times the amount of money on and without a retrial based on the new evidence brought to the court, how can an prisons than it does on education. Most inmates do not have a high school diploma intelligent person not think a racial bias is in play? What Troy’s case illuminates is how systemic inequality can lead to unjust and are illiterate based on standards adapted for 12th grade reading levels. In 2006, California spent about $8,000 on a student, compared to $216,000 on a juvenile sentences, unjust incarcerations, and even the unjust taking of a man’s life. There are safeguards in place, checks and balances, to try and steer “the system” on the path inmate. Do you see any issues here? I’m far from the first person to write about it, but what of equity. For example, if a person gets abused by a police officer, hopefully there’s if that money was allocated to students, and educating them so that perhaps they hard proof, and that person can then bring the officer to court. Mistrials by way of would be more thoughtful and less inclined to do something that would send them sentences getting handed down that are unfair have an opportunity to get a new trial, be heard by a different judge, and have a new lawyer. to prison? Of course we know that safeguards don’t always ensure a fair outcome, just as Troy Davis was an African American male. The discrepancies between African Americans in the United States going to prison juxtaposed with other ethnicities some law enforcement officials don’t protect the peace as much as they disturb it. and races are astounding. Black males are almost six times as likely to go to prison What is fair in the United States is that people can speak their minds, have a say, and bring their disgust and questioning of systemic inequalities to than anyone else. Now, I haven’t even mentioned the fact that light. However, once again, after a death sentence has been a law can consciously rule that it is rightfully fair to take the placed on a woman or man’s head, it usually stands. Is that life of a person because of the life he or she took—or in Troy’s fair? If Troy was serving a life sentence without parole, there case, was said to have taken—is grossly uncivilized. Never would still be an opportunity to challenge the system. He mind how absurd it is that we who live in this country accept a would still have a chance to get a new trial. There are no such system of law that can take more than two decades to come to safeguards in place with capital punishment. a conclusion on a particular case. The ethical lens of killing a human as a lawful means of The lens here must be placed on the fact that because the punishment has always been questioned. Not to mention the regulations that define capital punishment exist, even though methods by which capital punishment has been enforced— all those witnesses took back their initial verdicts, it did Troy lethal injection, electric chair, etc. All have examples where no good. Is that not exactly why there is a system of justice? Is the person to be executed was tortured before being put it not plausible, then, to acknowledge that sometimes mistakes to death. Some may not want to bring this argument into are made, and that mistakes should then be rewritten if they this debate, but the question must always be asked if it is are in fact found to be wrong? morally just for a governmental body to lawfully take the life Although Troy is the immediate victim in this case, it is of someone because that person was found by a court to have the criminal justice system that is really at fault because it has done the same thing. allowed questionable deaths like Troy’s to take place. If you If you’re an “eye-for-an-eye” sort of person, what do you can’t bite into the quantitative aspect of the disproportionate have to say to the perpetual possibility that innocent lives percentages that people of color, namely African Americans, have been unjustly taken because of this law? Courts are face in the United States at the hands of the criminal justice not perfect, just as people aren’t perfect, which is why a system, go qualitative and ask someone. Black folks will tell rehabilitative prison system that deconstructs the idea of you time and time again that they continue to bear the brunt of what being a prison is, and orients itself towards trying to inequity, unequal burdens, and discrimination. How can race bring a higher state of health back to the convicted, makes so not play a role in this case and others like it when quantitative much more sense than where the system lives at present. The and qualitative analyses are in such harmony? truth of the matter is, the prison industrial complex is not This brings the conversation outside of Troy because even rehabilitating inmates and getting them ready to be integral though Troy did maintain his innocence, many people across parts to society after their sentences. the country can say they know or know about a singular There are exceptions, however, like Tookie Williams. person who has been mistreated by the courts. However, when Tookie was one of the co-founders of the notorious gang, the entire system of law treats people of color unequally, it The Crips. Tookie went to jail and was sent to death row means the death penalty is likewise applied unequally as well. for killing four people. Over the course of his sentence, he If the system misidentifies Black suspects more often than Can we critically analyze the showed that man can change his ways. He became one of anyone else, while punishments to Black people are often more prison industrial complex the most well-respected anti-gang activists in the world. He stringent than they are towards anyone else, then by logic, who is more likely to host a wrongful execution? and capital punishment, authored several children’s books specifically centered against gangs and against violence. Was his life better spent being Is it not understandable today that many Black men, acknowledge there is executed or in continued repatriation? especially those located in low-income communities, are still It’s an extremely difficult question to pose. I have no idea seeking opportunities based on years and years of abuse and racial bias, acknowledge a what it feels like to have someone close to me murdered, and racism? When a father goes to jail, what happens to his children and the life of a now single mother? All unjust proceedings like dramatic paradigm shift is my deepest sorrow and respect goes out to all those affected by such instances. I also know someone will read this and Troy’s do is perpetuate a cycle of crime, hostility, and poverty, necessary to rehabilitate argue if he took the lives of someone else, he should be paid not to mention taking the life of a potentially innocent man. back in a similar manner; that is justice. Are murders committed by other races not as severe as the criminals... that Troy Davis My belief, although again, trying to maintain the utmost ones African Americans commit? Why, then, do Black men have a 38 percent greater chance of getting the death penalty may have been executed as respect for those who have lost loved ones to murder, is can than whites? In Troy’s case, many people feel he was wrongly continued on page 41 an innocent man? put to death. He is not the only person to have this happen, V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

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Ghosts 101 by James Van Praagh

“I

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Those four words from “The Sixth Sense” have weaved their way into the psyche of popular culture and will forever be synonymous with a person describing his ability to see and communicate with ghosts. Since this highly successful film was released in 1999, a whole slew of books, movies, and TV shows have been created, most of which would have never seen the light of day a decade ago. Thank God! It has made my work easier and more accessible. No one anymore seems impervious to a ghostly encounter or two. In fact, people come up to me all the time to describe their own personal and incredible stories of ghostly apparitions. I am extremely thankful that I have been a part of educating others about spirit communication and life after death. In a sense, we all are ghosts, i.e., spirits residing in physical bodies. When our spiritual work is done on this earth, our physical bodies shut down and our ghostly body exits. The solid, dense energy of our physical body begins to deteriorate. The light, transparent energy body that is an exact replica of the physical body emerges and moves into the spirit worlds. There are no mistakes and no deaths before their time. Nor are there deaths that could have been avoided. Why? Because there is no death, period. There is only a transition from a physical existence to a non-physical one. Once we are on the other side, we are officially termed “ghosts.” Ghosts are either “in the light” or “earthbound.” Most of the ghosts with whom I communicate are in the light. Most scary ghost stories are about earthbound ghosts. When the average person thinks about ghosts, he or she clumps them into the same category with werewolves, vampires, and zombies. Unfortunately, this common misconception of ghosts is derived from the inventive minds of writers and misguided psychics. The information, while entertaining, is often erroneous. Ghosts are not ghouls that roam graveyards at midnight looking to scare people out of their wits. As a

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medium, whose work is communication with ghosts, this perception couldn’t be farther from the truth. Granted, ghosts want to communicate to us, but mostly, they want to help us, not scare us. That being said, earthbound ghosts can scare us. Since they have not yet entered the light, they are caught between the earth’s dimension and the spiritual realm. Earthbound ghosts are usually fearful, angry, or lonely, and they communicate with these kinds of emotions. I believe that a ghost can invade a person’s aura and can influence the physical vessel in order to relive a particular physical experience. When a ghost invades your space, you can get frequent headaches, unusual body aches, indigestion and stomach problems, earaches, sore throats, and depression. A person may have atypical thoughts and behaviors, or dreams and nightmares that are particularly abnormal.

There are many key signs that can alert you to a ghost inhabiting your physical space: • For one, the ambience in the room seems

“

v i s i o n

When the average

person thinks about ghosts, he or she

clumps them into

the same category with werewolves,

vampires, and zombies. Unfortunately, this

common misconception of ghosts is derived from the inventive minds of writers and misguided psychics.

dark or dense. Whenever I go to a place where there is a lot of ghostly activity, the room feels a bit heavy, as if I am walking through tar. • Another sign is unexplainable electrical surges in your house or machinery like lights, computers, televisions, radios, garage doors, and Jacuzzis. If your appliances turn on and off by themselves, you can bet you’re sharing space with an earthbound entity. • Ghosts may manifest through odor. Perhaps, there is a distinct smell in the room or the scent of a perfume that is unrecognizable. • Temperature changes are also a telltale sign. You might feel cold spots in one particular area of your house. Perhaps you feel cold breezes around you, Goosebumps, or chills. Cold spots and breezes when windows and doors are closed, or the heat is on, certainly means a ghost is draining energy in those particular areas. • You may feel that someone is watching you when there is no one around. • You may feel as if someone has touched you. • You may hear a knocking or rapping sound, footsteps, banging, voices, whispers, or music. • Out of the corner of your eye, you may see a small flickering of lights. These are known as spirit lights. • Objects in your home may have been moved from one place to another without you touching them. Sometimes, objects may completely disappear, and you may never find them again. • The water in your house may turn on and off of its own

c a f é

accord. • Your pet’s behavior may seem strange. You may see your cat or dog staring at something in the air that is not there. • You may notice impressions or indentations on the bed, couch, or chairs that were not there before. • Sometimes, the telephone will ring, and no one is on the other end. Instead, you hear a lot of static. • Be aware of thoughts that may not be your own, like my friend who felt the urge to buy cigarettes and she didn’t smoke. Not all ghosts are scary. Using my book, “Ghosts Among Us: Uncovering the Truth About the Other Side,” as a guide for further resource, you will find my personal techniques, meditations, and various ways to contact ghosts, to know when ghosts have entered your life, and to cleanse any unwanted ghostly energies around you. Once you begin this journey of discovery, your world will never be the same again. James Van Praagh is a lecturer, teacher, and unique intuitive, as well as a celebrated author with best-selling books, including, Unfinished Business, Ghosts Among Us, Healing Grief, Reaching to Heaven, and Talking to Heaven. Many enjoy being part of the wonderful, supportive, and caring online community on his Web site at www.vanpraagh.com. James Van Praagh will be in Carlsbad, CA at a Halloween Psychic Festival at the LaCosta Resort and Spa on October 30 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., presented by Holistic Living Expo. For tickets and more information, please visit www.HolisticLivingExpo.com.

Sedona, Arizona - Enchantment Resort Thu., 29 December 2011 - Tue., 3 January 2012

During these six love-filled days at world-renowned Enchantment Resort, you will receive illuminating discourses on many topics, immerse yourself in the joy of ecstatic singing, have the rare opportunity for direct personal guidance from this spiritual Master, as well as enjoy nature hikes and gourmet vegan cuisine during this residential retreat. Experience the transformational power of Louix’s darshan, and move into greater areas of mastery in your life. Families are welcome, and a children’s program is provided. 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 this event consent to having their names, voices, images, and likenesses recorded and used for commercial purposes. All proceeds from this event will be used to support the Louix Dor Dempriey Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization. V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

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www.Louix.org

v i s i o n

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Good for You Good for the Planet

Practical Conscious Creation: The Key to Becoming a Better, Faster Manifestor

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By Jackie Lapin

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y now you are no doubt familiar with the principles of Law of Attraction and Conscious Creation, and have seen or read “The Secret,” and you are aware of using the power of positively directed thought to improve your life. But let’s be honest, how often do you remember to apply these? Maybe once or twice a month? Or when you come across something you really want to manifest—so you get busy visualizing? Have you really made it a way of life? Are you impatient to see things become reality, but the slowness of the process is making you crazy? Well I have news for you. Transforming your life through Conscious Creation is not a sometime thing. It requires rewiring your thinking and your lifestyle—and it requires consistency. It mandates becoming proficient at Practical Conscious Creation, applying the principles of Conscious Creation to everything you do—in decision making, energy management, relationships, attitude, mindset, rituals, activities, habits, communication, self-care, and daily chores. And when you do, the reward is in becoming a better, faster manifestor, day-by-day, and ultimately, enabling you to live a life of YOUR choosing. In writing my first book, “The Art of Conscious Creation,” I began to apply “frequency management” to my life—managing the frequency level of my thoughts and emotions so that I would increase my success at manifesting—and indeed I could directly see the correlation between that and the realization of positive, successful developments in my life. But I often got caught up in daily activities and let my vigilance slip. Low and behold, so did my consistency of manifesting what I wanted. So I realized that there had to be a way to inculcate the key principles in daily life, so much so that it would become a way of life, not an occasional thing, when you just happen to have time for a little meditation. And so “Practical Conscious Creation” was born! Practical Conscious Creation isn’t a system. It’s simply applying the wisdom of the process to your daily activities. What are some of the key elements in Practical Conscious Creation? • Setting Intentions/Visions In starting any project, you want to clear a smooth pathway. Setting an intention is like laying your V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

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h o l i s t i c Yellow Brick Road. It gives you and the Universe a shared direction and destination. • Being Clear on Where You are Heading or What Outcome You’d Like to See You can’t get there from here if you don’t know where you’re going. Be very clear about what you want— and that your heart and head are in alignment (i.e., your subconscious beliefs aren’t undermining your forward motion). True clarity allows the molecules to form into a specific reality related to your intention. • Checking Your Mindset for Negative Thinking You’ve got to root out any vibrations (thoughts, emotions) that are sabotaging your pathway. Negative thinking comes in a whole rainbow of colors—fear, anticipating all the reasons things won’t happen, limitations, distrust, lack of self-confidence, feelings of unworthiness, blame, remembering the past experiences, needing to control, anger, etc.) • Selecting Your Energy and Applying It Once you’ve recognized your negative thoughts, you have the ability to choose an alternative vibration. What’s it going to be? Optimism, Trust, Assuming the Best, Faith in Self, Faith in the Universe, Cheerfulness, Love, Compassion, Willingness, Acceptance, or a combination of these? • Being Cognizant of Your Words You must be vigilant about the words you use both in your mind and in the world because these have a tendency to become your reality. As you go about your project, what are you saying to yourself, to your colleagues, to your partner, to your friends, to your family, and to others you’d like to influence? • Opening Yourself to Assistance Too often we think of ourselves as loan wolves, everything falling on our shoulders, but if we only open ourselves to assistance, or call it forth, it can be ours. This can be in the form of tangible aid from others— people pitching in—or the Universe putting exactly what we need in our path to help us. • Being True to Yourself We must be honest with ourselves and others and be true to our desires and our values in order to fulfill our goals and our destinies. We can’t live a life of compromise for others, because that diminishes our true passion. It is the energy of passion that manifests and moves us in the direction we seek. • Allowing What Happens to Be Okay and Being Flexible Where many aspiring Conscious Creators fall down is in their rigidity of holding to a chosen outcome or expectation. While setting intentions and visions is important, being flexible with what manifests is even more important. Learn to adjust, accept, and flow. Without resistance, you can maintain a positive, gracious, and happy outlook. • Accepting the Wisdom of the Experience Find the gift in the experience, no matter how it turns out. What lesson, benefit, positive spin can you derive from the experience? These are just some of the key elements, but there are so many ways to apply them. You can apply Practical Conscious Creation to money, to relationships, to love and romance, to work, to family life, to health and healing, to all of the things that hold you back, to living life more deliciously—to anything. And here’s the fun part: You can feel the difference in the flow of everything. If you are like me, you’ll soon start seeing things manifest far more quickly for you in all phases of your life—small daily things, large achievements, wishes, hopes, dreams. There is something so delightful in thinking you’d like to see someone you’ve been missing, and the next minute they are calling you to say they are coming for a visit. Or pondering where your next client might come from to fill the gap in your cash flow, and you meet someone at a party who has the perfect project for you. Or, as in my case, I asked the Universe for a FREE vacation—and a month later a girlfriend invites me to stay at her new house in the Bahamas for a week! Practical Conscious Creation is the key to fast-tracking your manifesting. Make it a lifestyle, and you’ll be astonished at the change in your fortunes! Jackie Lapin tours the world teaching Practical Conscious Creation. She is the best-selling author of The Art of Conscious Creation: How You Can Transform the World and Practical Conscious Creation: Daily Techniques to Manifest Your Desires. Filled with specific and imaginative practices, Practical Conscious Creation offers 70 articles with step-by-step actions to achieve greater empowerment and a more satisfying lifestyle. To learn how to become a better manifestor, get a free chapter of Practical Conscious Creation, or receive Jackie Lapin’s daily manifesting tips, visit www.jackielapin.com. She is also the founder of www. LifeWisdomNetwork.com, the virtual village that is the marketplace, directory, and information resource for the fast-growing consciousness and transformational world. V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

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r e v i e w

h o l i s t i c

p r o d u c t s

Touch Transforms

n honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, Skin Authority, a highend skin care line, is introducing an initiative to benefit the millions of lives who have been touched by breast cancer. Partnering with resorts and spas across the country, Skin Authority will donate a portion of their proceeds from the initiative to Look Good…Feel Better®, a support program with the goal of improving the appearance and self-esteem of people suffering from cancer. The initiative, Touch Transforms™, began September 20 and will continue through November 5. According to Skin Authority’s Web site, “Touch Transforms is a movement to apply the power of human touch to help those around us who are in need, whether it be in health, mind, spirit, or material items.” There are a few ways to contribute to the mission of Touch Transforms. One way is to book an appointment for a Touch Transforms Facial and/or purchase the

Touch Transforms home care kit at a participating spa. (To see participating spas, visit www.skinauthority.com/touch.) For every care kit that is purchased, Skin Authority will donate $5 to Look Good…Feel Better. Some spas will also donate an additional $5 with a purchase of a facial. The facial is safe and beneficial for all skin types, featuring a citrus-infused warm towel, a Moroccan Rhassoul clay mask, and the use of various antioxidants and vitamins. Another way to contribute is by going online to purchase the Touch Transforms kit. (You can purchase the kit at www.skinauthority.com/touchkit.) What comes inside the Touch Transforms kit? This special-edition kit includes Skin Authority’s Daily Cleanser, Tri-Power Peptide Hydrator, Moisturizing Sunscreen, and Olive, Fig, Shea Butter Body Cream. These products contain no dyes, added fragrances, or parabens. By purchasing the Touch Transforms Facial and/or kit, you can “look beautiful and feel better knowing you are helping transform women as they manage their cancer treatment and recovery with greater confidence,” says Skin Authority CEO, Celeste Hilling. “Touch Transforms will make visible changes now for women with cancer. When someone looks in the mirror and likes the image they see, they instantly feel better! With up to 50 spas and resorts uniting with the Skin Authority team, millions of transformational touches will immediately benefit those with cancer.” Skin Authority is the leading skin care lifestyle company, available at more than 250 leading spa partners, through high-end retailers, and at www.skinauthority. com. Visit www.skinauthority.com/touch to purchase the Skin Authority’s Touch Transforms kit. Look Good…Feel Better® is a collaboration of the Personal Care Products Council Foundation, a charitable organization established by the Personal Care Products Council, the American Cancer Society, and the Professional Beauty Association | National Cosmetology Association. For more information, visit www. lookgoodfeelbetter.org, call 1.800.395.LOOK (5665), or contact your local American Cancer Society. —SN

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REIKI

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“Native Culture” continued from page 19

Ways to Prepare Toyon Berries Dried Put the berries in a large bowl and remove all the stems. Then put into a dish pan and gently wash in warm water. Drain and put onto cookie sheets to dry in the sun or at pilot-light temperature in the oven. Dried berries can be added to trail mix, as Toyon describes, or simply nibbled on as a trail snack. Flour To make flour, first clean and dry the berries as above. Then grind into a fine flour. Mix with other flours in various ratios until you find what you like. Try it with wheat, acorn flour, etc. to make such products as biscuits and cookies.

SPIRITUAL

CENTERS

Sunday Services on the science of yoga meditation and successful living

All

l c o m e

TOPICS ~ O C TOB E R 2 0 1 1 Oct 2 Oct 9 Oct 16 Oct 23 Oct 30

The Example of a Saintly Life Living in Constant Remembrance of God Spiritual Laws That Govern Healing How to Read Others’ Character, and Improve Our Own The Scientific Art of Living

Self-Realization Fellowship

SPIRITUAL

The teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda

San Diego Temple 3072 1st Avenue 619.295.0170 Encinitas Temple 939 Second St. 760.436.7220

Beverage If berries are fresh, they should first be boiled and the water changed to reduce the astringency of the fruit. If dried, this is not necessary. Put about half a cup of berries with half a gallon of water, and allow to simmer. The amount of berries to water can be varied; it is a personal preference. Add a small amount of honey. Mash the berries, and then strain. Can be drunk hot or cold. Dessert If fresh, boil the berries and change the water. Let simmer in water and add a little flour to thicken the water. Add a small amount of honey, and let it simmer until the berries swell and there is a paste-like gravy. This is a very filling dish and makes a good pie filling or a before-sleep snack. With Rice Use fresh berries, ideally boiled first. Add the berries to a wok or skillet, and gently sauté. Serve with cooked rice in whatever proportion you like. It can be served fifty-fifty rice and toyon berries, as Toyon describes, or in whatever ratio you enjoy. Top with some butter. There are many other ways to serve this native food. These are just a few of the more common methods.

Services every Sunday at

9:30 and 11:00 a.m. “Reconnection” continued from page 8

y o g a n a n d a – s r f. o r g

giving birth to a serendipitous encounter with a Venice Beach gypsy specializing in axiatonal alignment work. “People feel that this started through me and may have started before my physical life here,” shares Pearl. “All of these things led up to a door opening, and this level of work coming through it.” Indeed, Pearl’s patients have reported miracles with the advent of Reconnective Healing. Yet Pearl believes that we’ve just begun to experience the possibilities of its power. “I don’t believe the purpose of this work is limited just to children with cerebral palsy regaining the use of their bodies or for cancer to disappear—this is much more than that,” says Pearl. “This is about the introduction to our evolution as humankind.”

MEDIA

For more information about Dr. Eric Pearl and The Reconnection, seminar updates, or to register for an upcoming Reconnective Healing Seminar, visit www.TheReconnection. com, call The Reconnection Office in Hollywood, CA at 323.960.0012 or read Eric Pearl s book, The Reconnection: Heal Others, Heal Yourself, now published in over 36 languages. You can also e-mail Info@TheReconnection.com or call toll-free at 1.888.374.2732. V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

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“Adoption First” continued from page 16 YOGA

VEGAN

Earth?” at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF15YAvT9G0. Also visit http:// www.overpopulation.org and http://www.populationinstitute.org.) Though it is likely true that each person reading this article either knows somebody who has hired a fertility doctor or has done so her/himself, it is probably not true about adoption. Nearly all of the people I know who have adopted children to grow their families first tried to have a baby using artificial means, either via drugs or insemination. Though it is my belief that every woman has a right to control her own body, it is also my belief that as part of the human family, we each have a responsibility to act with kindness and respect to our neighbor, which, for me, means becoming mindful of how what I do affects how you live. How a person chooses to grow her family does make a difference. As Professor Emeritus at CU Boulder, physicist Al Bartlett says, “Because of our enormous per capita consumption, we can say with confidence, the world’s worst population growth problem is here in the United States… We are the problem. We have the responsibility, and we have the authority to deal with the problem here as a domestic problem in the United States.” It is my belief that when a woman’s body does not become pregnant without medical intervention, and she still wishes to experience parenthood, she should consider becoming a parent via adoption. Not only will she likely avoid unnecessary emotional/relationship/financial hardship, but she will know for sure that she has made a positive contribution to healing our planet.

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“Troy Davis” continued from page 27

back in a similar manner; that is justice. My belief, although again, trying to maintain the utmost respect for those who have lost loved ones to murder, is can “we” take a step back, and see that Tookie did wrong, that he was correcting his mistakes as best as one could, helping hordes of other troubled youths, knowing full well he took the lives of others? Can we critically analyze the prison industrial complex and capital punishment, acknowledge there is racial bias, acknowledge a dramatic paradigm shift is necessary to rehabilitate criminals, acknowledge innocent people have been taken down in the past, and that Troy Davis may have been executed as an innocent man? The time is always now. There is a heavy list of necessary measures to take in order for realized peace, justice, and sustainability to take root on this planet. In any way we can, advocates for this path must go to these difficult places and conversations, and promote whatever change we can to make sure what’s being done in the courts, the schools, the prisons and beyond is in the best interests of the people and the planet as a whole. The cycle has been created, it lives on today, we know it’s flawed, and it must be stopped. In the lasting memory of Troy Davis, do something for him, and for the future of many others, and fight back against the powers that will stop at nothing but to maintain a status quo reality based on domination, stratification, and business as usual. Brennan Lagasse is a writer and environmental consultant living in Lake Tahoe, CA. He is also the backcountry reporter for Unofficial Networks, www.unofficialnetworks. com. Brennan can be reached at brennanlagasse@hotmail.com.

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

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Calendar “star’ heralding Maitreya shown on NBC, CBS

Jerusalem Dome of the Rock

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

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OCTOBER 2 SUNDAY Self-Realization Fellowhip Services for October, Oct.2 The Example of a saintly Life, Oct.9 Living in Constant Rememberance of God, Oct.16 Spiritual Laws That Govern Healing, Oct.23 How to Read Others’ character, and Improve Our Own, Oct.30 The Scientific Art of Living Services every Sunday 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Encinitas Temple 939 Second St 760-4367220 San Diego Temple 3072 1st Avenue NBCwww.Yogananda-srf.org 1/28/11 newscast 619-295-0170

Learn about the OCTOBER 8 SATURDAY YogaWorld at the Village. Oct. 8, 15, 22 Teacher Maitreya –Intelligent Anatomy for Inquiring minds: a workshopIntroductory series with RussPresentations Pfeiffer. Nov. 6th and Dec.11th – Pranayamas, Drishti and the 3 pm 1st Sunday of 1306 month Bandhas with Nancy Goodstein. Sonora Glendale, Ca. 91201 www.YogaattheVilControversial Bookstore lage.com or call 818-265-9833 3063 University Ave - SD

OCTOBER 8 & 9 SAT.-SUN 6:30 SPIRIT pm 2nd Wed. of month BODY MIND EXPO Coming to San Diego for thePhilosophical 11th year, Oct 8-9 Library Body Mind & Spirit brings to life a positive, healing environ2091 E. ValleyofParkway ment. Weekend admission $12 includes#D all lectures and demosEscondido as well as admission to the exhibit hall. Visit our website, www.bmse. net for SD a $2cable off coupon!! San Diego channel Doublepublic access tree Mission Valley, 7450 Hazard Center Dr. Wed 9:30 pm Cox Sat 10-7 Sun 11-6.

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OCTOBER 8 SATURDAY Visit ouraspects boothof enerREIKI 1&2–LEARN various gy healing inc. at multiple for specific localtechniques street fairs conditions, psychic extractions, working with the dying and more in thisthrough a 6-week course. Serve Next Course begins OCT. 8 10:00am-3: Transmission 30pm RSVP 619.204.0504 Meditation www.sacredtransfromation.net or Tue info@sa9:30 am Sun, 7 pm and credtransformationsreiki.com

8 pm Fri in San Diego

OCTOBER 12 WEDNESDAY 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. 1210:00am3:30pm RSVP 619.204.0504 www.sacredtransfromation.net or info@sacredtransformationsreiki.com OCTOBER 14 FRIDAY Larisa Stow & Shakti Tribe Friday Oct. 14. 2011. Vegan potluck at 6 p.m. Concert at 7 p.m. $15. 4395 Lake Fork Rd. Granite Dells. Prescott, Az. Please call 928-3082146 or email Heavenly@rawspirit.com. OCTOBER 14-16 FRI.-SAT. 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 310-3904767 or visit www.drpatallen.com OCTOBER 15 – SATURDAY Energy Medicine Training. One day workshop. Master Chiropractic Physician Glenn Frieder. Oct. 15, 2001, 9:30-5:30 Encinitas. Receive tools and techniques for great clinical results. Learn: Structural, Emotional or Biochemical balancing. Bach Flower Remedies as energy medicines. How to reprogram negative Subconscious beliefs and behaviors. Space is limited. www.Trionlife.com. Preregistration 144. Trion 858.717.7060. AKASHIC RECORDS BASIC ACCESS WORKSHOP: Learn about and experience the Pathway Prayer Process to access the Akashic Records (your Soul’s energy-archive) for guidance, healing, creativity, conscious evolution. 10am-1pm, $35, LA/Burbank area. Info: Barbara Schiffman, 818. 415.3479, AkashicLA@gmail.com,www.YourLifeandSoul.comwww.Meetup.com/AkashicLA

meditation.meetup.com/430 DEEPENING INTO INTIMACY Level 1 with NATIVE AMERICAN FLUTE WORKSHOP Corey Folsom, CTE and 223-6703 Kamala Allen, Ph.D, (619) 1-4pm (introductory session from 10:30MFT Deepening Into Intimacy one-day work11:30am These workshops have been exshop Safe introduction to spiritual sexualLA/SF info about events ity andFor intimate communion for couples and& tremely popular in the past. Start with a review of the basics (breathing into the flute, Transmission Meditation singles. Del Mar, CA Oct 8, 2011 go togroups www. covering holes, the “basic scale,” and using tantracore.wordpress.com in other cities: ornaments or embellishments), and then have fun with improvising melodies. Flutes OCTOBER 11 TUESDAY LA: (818) 785-6300 are available for purchase for $55.To register, COMPREHENSIVE REFLEXOLOGY Foot, email contactus@sunburstonline.org, or call www.sharingforpeace.org Hand, SF: Ear, More. 3 Tuesdays. 9:45 am - 5:45. 805-736-6528. Please arrive a little early! Natural Healing Institute, 760.943.8485. www.share-international.org Suggested donation: $25; or $30 for both AM & PM sessions. V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

OCTOBER 16 SUNDAY

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OCTOBER 23 SUNDAY TRADITIONAL THAI MASSAGE INTENSIVE with D’vorah Swarzman RTT, LMT #7367 Oct, 23-31st, 2011: Breitenbush Hot Springs Retreat Center This class covers levels, 1, 2 &3 serving both professional bodyworkers as well as anyone interested in caring for their friends and family in a skillful, playful and sacred way. You will learn a full 2 hour sequence (50 CEU’s) and leave feeling renewed and inspired. See websites for details: www.ThaiTherapeutics.com / www.Breitenbush.com Rejuvenation through Meditation Oct. 23, 2011 Join us for a day of retreat in the beautiful country. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Nataraja Meditation and Yoga Center WWW.Evogel.NET or Call 858-731-9879 OCTOBER 26 WEDNESDAY New Moon White Tantra Yoga with Dr. Corynna Clarke: Meet local Orange County Tantrikas interested in a deeper connection with themselves and like minded

$26 offering or $6 for Goddesses (females) www.corynna.com/white-tantra OCTOBER 28-30 Fri-Sun. FRI-SUN, OCTOBER 28-30 AKASHIC RECORDS PRACTITIONER CERTIFICATION: Learn to read your Soul’s energy-archive (the Akashic Records) for yourself and others. One-weekend training includes Practitioner Certification and Past Lives Healing Workshop. LA/Burbank, advance registration required. Info: Barbara Schiffman, 818-415 3479, www.YourLifeandSoul.com., AkashicLA@gmail.com. OCTOBER 29 SATURDAY See Eckhart Tolle in Maui3 special events Beginning in late October 2011, three exciting events are taking place in Maui, Hawaii. Each of these events can be attended in person or via a live video stream: Eckhart Tolle and Wayne Dyer in Conversation | October 29 Two of the most influential teachers of our time speak together in what is sure to be an unforgettable meeting.A Dialogue with Eckhart Tolle and Ram Dass | October 28 The first-ever dialogue between these master teachers. A Hawaiian Retreat with Eckhart Tolle | November 1 - 3 A 3-day weekend retreat to assist us in opening to the silence and joy of Being. Learn more at http://eckharttolletv.com/maui/ NOVEMBER 12-20 SAT.-SUN. 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

DECEMBER DECEMBER 1 THURSDAY NLP Practitioner Certification Scholarship Training. Dec. 1-5 Discover how NLP unlocks everything you need to know to succeed in any area of you life. Visit www.NLP.com or Call 1-800-8006469(MIND)

Dec. 29, 2011 Thurs.– Jan. 1, 2012 Sun. LIGHT & RENEWAL MEDITATION RETREAT Learn Sunburst Kriya I meditation. Discover a pathway to your own direct experience of the Divine. Energize your spiritual journey among a gathering of like-minded souls! Explore conscious practices to integrate your inner experience in your daily life. We provide beautiful vegetarian meals, yoga, meditation, and quiet time. Rest amid the oaks or hike with new friends. Leave rejuvenated and purposeful! Email contactus@sunburstonline.org, or call 805.736.6528 for more information and suggestion donation.

JANUARY 2012 JANUARY 27 FRIDAY MATRIX ENERGETICS The Science and Art of Transformation Upcoming seminars and Training San Francisco, Ca. Levels 1& 2. Jan. 27 - Jan. 30, 2012. Alberquerque, NM. Levels 1 & 2. March. 2 – 5, 2012. Scotsdale, Az. Level 3. March 31- April 1. 2012. www.MatrixEnergetics.com JANUARY 28 SATURDAY Thai Therapeutics & High Desert Yoga Present: Thai Massage, kirtan & Yoga in Troncones, Mexico. Jan 28 - Feb 2/ Feb.2 - Feb.8/ Call 541-488-4006 and visit our website at www.ThaiTherapeutics.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 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 10.11

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JANUARY 29 SUNDAY NEW YEARS EVE RETREAT with Louix Dor Dempriey. Enjoy 6 love-filled days at the Enchantment Resort in Sedona, Az. Dec. 29, 2011-Jan. 3, 2012To register please visit www.LouixNYE.org or call 888-288-3735.

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. 1-800-5841640, www.iamtotaltiy.com.

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VisioN Magazine

call toll free: 866.804.8444

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

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Calendar continued SUNDAYS SPICA – WAY OF LIGHT INSPIRATIONAL SERVICES 2nd Sunday of the month at 10am, 4th Sunday at 9am. Myztic Isle Bookstore, 8036 La Mesa Blvd, La Mesa, CA. 619.588.6483 for information. 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. 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 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 10.11 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 THURSDAYS FREE DETOXIFICATION AND WEIGHT LOSS CLASS 1st Thursday of every month. 6:30p.m. Easy and successful program. Register @ Body Basics Health Center, San Diego. 619.296.7390 11.11 FRIDAYS HAPPINESS CLASSES - Based on the lifehealing teachings of VERNON HOWARD, Fridays - 8p.m.; Sundays - 10a.m. New Life Foundation, 5779 Westminster Blvd., Westminster, CA. 714.899.9300 Conquer stress, handle difficult people with ease, banish problems. Donation basis. 09.11

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Mouseberry’s saviors, she was rehabilitated to a healthy and happy state with the assistance of a tiny red wheel chair, donated by a random supporter, and therapy. After such severe trauma, Mouseberry made a full recovery, leading a healthy and happy life with her new family. Similar to Mouseberry’s story is that of another tiny Chihuahua, found abandoned on the road with two broken legs. Pumpkin received months of veterinary support and rehabilitation from the San Diego Humane Society before being adopted by a loving home. Earlier this year, Gilligan, a spaniel mix, came to the Humane Society through the Investigations Department. “He was one of the most fearful dogs I’ve ever seen,” said Dr. Mertens. “It was impossible to leash him, and human touch sent him into a state of panic.” Many hours were spent, one-on-one, training with him and putting him in playgroups to socialize with other dogs. “Gilligan made substantial progress and became more trusting of people,” Dr. Mertens said. “He went on to be adopted into a loving home and is now very affectionate.” Tiger, a very large, gentle pit bull, found himself in the care of the Dr. Mertens. With an infectious skin disease, Tiger had to be put into long-term quarantine from other animals. People also had restricted access to him. “He grew increasingly frustrated and reactive during the time it took to nurse him to health,” said Dr. Mertens. Over time, however, with persistent care and behavior training, Tiger began to change. He was adopted and now enjoys his new family and canine friend. “It was wonderful seeing the pictures of Tiger sent in by his owners, showing him completely relaxed and content,” said Dr. Mertens. While their stories may be tragic, their fetching furnishings, along with their care, at the Humane Society are quite palatial. Surrounded by fountains and play areas amidst a beautiful courtyard, these animals are well-provided for in all aspects. Individual rooms, designed by the San Diego chapter of American Society of Interior Designers, welcome animals into a new haven. Living in Paris, relaxing with a friend in a colorful pasture of flowers, or chilling in the aquarium are a few rooms offering fun facets for these survivors. It is rare, nationwide, to find a place such as this, where the accommodations almost match that of some apartments. With couches and tables, these rooms are also welcoming to potential adopters, giving them comfort and time to create a bond with the animals. In San Diego alone there are over 60 shelters and rescues where animals can find medical attention, peace, transformation and, ultimately, new homes. So it is not surprising that people all over the county are rescuing these devoted and loving creatures. Sloan Gomez and Steve Hall are two such individuals. In their initial pursuit, they were set on an older dog, but upon arriving at the Helen Woodward Center, their plans changed. “When we saw Ben, we fell in love,” Gomez said. Gomez and Hall left with 4-month-old Ben, a collie and Bull Terrier mix. “At first he was shy and very sad looking,” Gomez said. “I think being tied up for days without food or water really affected him.” Ben was born on Thanksgiving day in 2008. Such a wonderful gift to the world was thrown aside and abandoned, with his brother, after their home was foreclosed. Both dogs were left for dead, tied up in the backyard with no food or water in sight. Luckily they found themselves at the Helen Woodward Center, a no-kill animal shelter in Rancho Santa Fe. “Since adopting Ben, he has really opened up and is the most intelligent dog we’ve ever encountered,” Gomez explained. “He’s a survivor and is truly part of our family.” These are true, heart-wrenching success stories. There are animals that don’t survive, and ones that are not so fortunate to find a much deserved forever home. Bolt, a beautiful 2-year-old German Shepherd, arrived at the Humane Society with severe hip dysplasia and a spinal injury. Trucking on without care for pain,

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a r t i s t

The Magical Art of Scott Saw Scott Saw

creates vibrant, energetic paintings where dreams and current surroundings cross-pollinate with childhood memories and subconscious interpretations of the afterlife. His work entangles birth, life, and death and explores the relationship between the physical and spiritual worlds. Saw’s paintings have been regarded as romanticized gothic landscapes of nature, misfits, and oddities. “I’m inspired by space, nature, the universe, love, passion, sadness, euphoria, beauty, vitality, physics, death, the idea that there is more to our existence than this short life on Earth,” says Saw. “My art truly is a reflection of what is going on inside me. It’s a way for me to express deep feelings and ideas…a way to keep a secret and spill my guts at the same time. It’s therapy.” Saw was born in 1971 and raised in San Diego, California by artistic parents who encouraged him to learn the fundamentals of art and design at a young age. Scott received degrees in both Art and Marketing from San Diego State University in 1998. He currently runs Sawblade Design, a freelance design company, and lives in San Diego. Saw will be part of a show entitled, Memento Mori: Remember Your Mortality, October 15-30, 2011, at the Oceanside Museum of Art in the Groves Gallery (www.oma-online.org). His next solo show will take place June 8-July 6, 2012, at Subtext Gallery in Little Italy (www. subtextgallery.com). If you love his artwork as much as we do, please go to his Web site, www.scottsaw.com, and visit his online store. His artwork is available in giclée prints that would be memorable in any home or office and would make a perfect gift.

Rocketbirds

Elevate

The Good Fight V I S I O N M AG A Z I N E

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“Life with The Beloved” continued from page 17

“Asking for Guidance” continued from page 13

ascension and might think Enlightenment is what happens when you flip the light switch on a wall. Do you think it matters? Do you think they care? Their focus is on God, not on His gifts. Love is what everyone is seeking. The irony is that all have the power to have it in any moment. Many just do not give themselves permission, partly because they do not believe that they can have it. Most have been taught that life is about having to attain something. Others believe that once they become enlightened, then they will have that love. But it is the other way around. It is the love which leads one into Enlightenment. No moment lives beyond the confines of itself. All that matters is to fill each moment with the highest amount of love you can muster, then ache to give even more. It is in these moments that you are in Oneness. It is in these moments that you are living life with The Beloved.

did it and it worked very well. I started doing it again and again for other people and it worked great. I guess that was the most surprising thing, [that] even over the phone, without being [there] in person, we can still tap into the energies.

© Louix Dor Dempriey Foundation. Latest revision by Louix: July 2010. Louix Dor Dempriey is a spiritual Master who has come into this world to help others restore their inherent divinity and live as unconditional love. Louix’s darshan, as well as His illuminating discourses, meditations, and ceremonies, have invoked profound transformation in thousands of people worldwide. With grace and humor, Louix imparts timeless wisdom in contemporary, practical teachings—that transcend all faiths, paths, religions, and cultures—making self-mastery and true, inner peace attainable for all. He resides at Prema Drala Ashram, located in Laguna Hills, California. For more information, please visit www.Louix.org. “Desperate to Get Off” continued from page 23

VM: If you had one hope for your practice in the next year, what would it be? M: I would love it if new customers whom I have never met before—not just one, but several—would write a testimonial and say how I helped them, and let me know how they made the right choice or tell me how it helped them in their life and how maybe they want to go on to help other people in the same way. That would be the best hope, that I can spread a really good positive energy. I would love to be a light and help other people find their own light and spread it as well. As far as readings go, with mine, I very much believe in the light side. Of course I know there is a dark, and it all comes into play, like the yin and yang, but I really believe that we can always try and end on a good, positive note. That is why when I do my readings I don’t end until there is a positive card. Sometimes there will be 15 cards before the positive one comes. I won’t go over every single one. I will just let the person know that it will be a very hard struggle for a while. But I like to end it with a positive card. I think that is the way you should look at life. For more information on Mina’s tarot readings, or to book an appointment with her, please visit her Web site, www.minasreadings.com. You can also e-mail her at mina@minasreadings.com.

it because of the porn she’s recently become aware of, she might wonder? It’s definitely a concern when there’s not enough him to go around for her. One of my friends, who wishes to remain anonymous, told me that one time she found her (now ex) husband passed out drunk in front of the computer, with his penis in his hand, and porn still playing in the background. She was eight months pregnant and had woken up and went out to the living room. She felt “all fat and unattractive” and was upset by the situation. His response? “It’s no big deal.” What does monogamy mean? Is having sex with someone at the computer, cheating? I think that if your partner considers it cheating, it’s cheating. That’s not to say that a little porn can’t spice up the relationship from time to time. But if it makes your partner uncomfortable, then why do it? Secrets do come up and that secrecy may come back to bite us. We can’t really hide things successfully from our partners, the people we’re intimate with. If someone keeps a porn thing a secret, it’s as if revealing that they, themselves, feel like they’re doing something wrong in the relationship. And you can’t say that the person on the computer is not a “real person”—she or he is. What’s to say a guy’s not masturbating to images or pictures of his wife’s girlfriends, co-workers, or little sisters? I guess what it comes down to is, in terms of the woman, would you want her to be doing that to you? If you don’t care, then maybe she shouldn’t care either—then it’s no big deal, I agree. But the reason that some men hide it is because they wouldn’t want to open the floodgates to “his woman” becoming a porn aficionado. And as my friend Javier said it so well, “If I got together with a girl and she wanted to watch other people f***ing to get off, I would probably take it as an insult.” I’m sure many people would. Daphne can be reached at daphnestree@hotmail.com and

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