From the Editor
Wheel Of Life #3-644 Portland St, Suite 413 Dartmouth, Nova Scotia Canada B2W 6C4 E-mail: wheeloflifemagazine@gmail.com Tel: 1-902-404-8677
ISSN - 2561-8598
Welcome to Wheel of Life Magazine! Hello and Happy Spring! Well, we made it through our first year! It was one year ago today we launched our first issue, with James Redfield as the feature interview. A lot has happened in the past year–I met many wonderful writers, some came for an issue or two and others came to stay. I learned that a digital format magazine is a tough sell. As much excitement as there was for the magazine, I learned that people do prefer paper magazines and not on-line, which came as a great surprise to me. I did investigate printing it, however, being an individual and not a large publishing company, the prices were not feasible. Plus, it very much goes against my beliefs of not using paper, to help save trees.
Published by Blue Crow Inspirations Editor - Angela Jeffreys Design - Amanda Salsman Photography Consultant - Marc Geuzinge We recognize and respect all copyrights. Photographs Unless otherwise stated, graphics are sourced from Pixabay Advertising Sales - E-mail: adverts.wheeloflife@gmail.com Media Kits are available upon request. Contributors - Tess Adams, Kelly Aiello, Candice Dumont, Marc Geuzinge, Barbara Gunn, Kelly Harris, Rachel Hart, Montaha Hiefi, Carolyn Laurie, Jeff Pilsner, Nina Ploetz, Mark Setjo, Holli Smith, Rylee Smith Cover Image Photo Credit - Angela Jeffreys Layout and Design - Marc Geuzinge © 2019 Wheel Of Life Magazine. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any way without the prior written permission of the Editor. The information in this publication is deemed, as far as we are aware, to be accurate at the time of publishing. Wheel Of Life Magazine, it’s owner, contributors, and publishers cannot be held liable for errors or inaccuracies in its contents, contributors, advertisers, and platforms, nor be
So, it is with both excitement and sadness that I am to tell you about the future of the Wheel Of Life Magazine. This will be the last issue on ISSUU. I also learned that ISSUU was not a great choice of platform as generally people do not like having to create an ISSUU account, for a variety of reasons, just to subscribe.
responsible for products, services and pricing by its contributors and advertisers.
The exciting part is I am investigating a new platform, one that will be much better for the magazine, and will reach a lot more people. The sad part is, this may take some time, so there is a possibility one or two issues may be missed.
issue. We assume all unsolicited material is for publication, unless otherwise stated,
If you wish to submit articles, we welcome submissions. We do reserve the right to accept or decline submissions. We will attempt to respond to declined submissions, but do not guarantee a reply. In submitting an article to us, you warrant the information is correct, is your own work or have rights/permission to supply it (including illustrations and photographs), and you automatically grant Wheel Of Life Magazine a license to publish your submission in whole or a part thereof, and any edited versions in any and we reserve the right to edit, amend or adapt all submissions. Disclaimer: The information provided in the Wheel Of Life Magazine is to add to your knowledge, understanding and experiences. It is intended to give you motivation and inspiration to better your life in the ways that are the best for you. We recommend researching any suggestions offered in the magazine to see if it is right for you, and be
I want to thank all our readers, and especially our subscribers, for a wonderful first year! I do look forward to relaunching with our new platform–expect bigger things from Wheel Of Life Magazine!
Spring Blessings, Angela
sure any health recommendations are checked with your care provider. The Wheel of Life Magazine, it owner, staff, agents, and volunteers are not liable for any loss, injury, or damage that may arise directly or indirectly from the use of any information given in the magazine. Any information and methods provided in the magazine are not necessarily the opinions or beliefs of the owner, publisher, staff, agents, etc and do not make any claims or guarantees of any sort as to the effectiveness thereof.
Contents 04 The Seed Of Life 05 A Moment In Time 08 Does The Job You Have Now Feed Your Soul? 13 Changing Minds, Changing Hearts 18 Groping For Truth 23 The Gift 28 Spring Clean Yourself! 34 Will It Ever Be Enough? 37 Accepting Judgement 42 What’s Up Copper-Top? 48 10 Delicious and Healthy Natural Mood Enhancers 52 Prejudice Begins At Home 54 Happy Birthday to Me! 56 Children’s Books - A Book Review
The Seed of Life...
The seed of life starts small, yet when planted and fed it changes and grows. As it sets its roots deep into the earth, it sends up a fragile shoot into the challenges of life. If kept in the dark, the growth will fade and not flourish. Add the Warmth of the Light and the fragile shoot lifts its head stretching, reaching, gaining strength and courage to grow. The Light invigorates the seed, giving it energy and the ability to thrive.... yet, light without nourishment is not enough to sustain the seed. Storms come and challenge the seed. However, with the storm comes the nourishment of rain. Even through the darkest and toughest storms, there is something that is given to the seed. When roots run true and deep, the strength is there to weather the storms of life. If the seed is never challenged, it may not be able to withstand the strains of the cycles of life... hence, from struggle there comes strength. When the night comes and moonbeams shine, there is rest. This magical time and place can be for reflection, healing, change, and growth. It is a time to contemplate and softly resonate with life; a time to look to the stars and see the connections of life; a time to listen to the breeze and hear the wisdom of the ages; a time to dream, learn, and connect with the eternal. It is a place where new growth may want to fly with the stars, or stay and be held in moonbeams and dreams. The seasons come and go and the rotation of life beckons our inner spirit. A new dawn awakens and the day begins. We are Blessed with the power and strength of Light. Stretching towards the Light, it nourishes through the leaves, to the stem and roots. Gaining strength and health, color and glory the seed of life is nourished and grows. Each day, each cycle of life, brings with it opportunities to persevere and grow. We are but seeds of humanity gaining from our earthly experiences. By learning lessons and growing In, With and Through the Light, we find Hope, Courage, Peace, Healing and Love. Through the diversity of experiences, we can live. Our soul grows in the Light, finds nourishment with the Spirit, and thrives through the Love of the Eternal. May you germinate and grow strong roots in the soil of the Eternal Truth May you find yourself always reaching for the Light. May you Thrive with the knowledge that we are all brothers and sisters of the eternal family as One unity connected to All. May we nurture each other and grow into the beautiful Garden of the Creators design. Plant Peace Sow Kindness Be Love. By Nina Pauline Ploetz 04
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A Moment In Time By Candice Dumont
The clickety-clack of horse hooves tapping the cobblestones in the alleyway below entices me to peel back the drapes, allowing the sun’s brilliant rays to pierce the darkness of our room. My eyes, quickly trying to adjust to the brightness, lock on the majestic silhouettes directly ahead. Oddly, the outlines strike me, as both foreign and familiar—like an old story I’d almost forgotten, but with more detail, begins to come back to me. I open the window.
The smell of camels, horses and exhaust enters and lingers in the air as a fine layer of dust coats my tongue, making my mouth feel dry and gritty. My eyes scan the area below, watching the eclectic characters scurrying back and forth and calling out greetings to one another. Engrossed in the unfolding scene, I am startled when I hear your familiar coo. “Good morning, little one,” I whisper. “Are you ready?”
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I was appreciative of the slow pace, as it afforded me ample time to study the infamous Tahrir Square. It is hard to imagine that I’m looking at the same landmark I’d seen splashed across frontpages of newspapers years earlier. During the revolution, the scene was always depicted with thousands of angry protesters; yet today, the peaceful, almost deserted landmark, looks so much smaller and less relevant.
As we attempt to make our way to Cairo’s city center, it is hard to visualize how anyone could successfully make their way through the overcrowded capital on bicycle. It is true that the population was a quarter of what it is now, but the chaos is hard to discount. The sheer quantity of vehicles, street vendors and pedestrians trying to hastily navigate their way through the merging lanes, the ubiquitous sound of car horns and the overall disarray, makes me eager to arrive. I am grateful when we turn off the crowded highway onto an equally congested side road, as I know we must be getting closer. Excitement grows when I lay my eyes on the iconic Nile River. I am desperate to lower the taxi-window, impatient for an unobstructed view, but the threat of the scorching sun makes me reconsider. As we cross the murky water, I see dozens of white boats scattered up and down the river, all docked alongside the corniche. We reach the other bank and join a long procession of competing cars, all jockeying to gain the lead. 06
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My heart races when we finally arrive at our anticipated destination, the NileRitz Carlton Hotel. Granted the name has changed from The Nile Hilton, but the easily identifiable curvature of the structure and the massive, brass Lion statues guarding the close-by bridge,
assures me that we’re in the right spot. Despite my eagerness to rush through the front doors, I take a moment to pause. I am so grateful to be sharing this moment with you. The doorman smiles warmly and opens the door. With you cradled safely in my arms, I take a deep breath and together, we enter. The lobby is quiet, yet busy with tourists and employees carrying about their business. I scan the area and stare at the impressive cascading chandelier perched beautifully in the middle of the large climbing staircase. “Did you know that in 1959, your G.G. worked in this very hotel? It was here that she met your great-grandfather, a young Canadian, UNEF peacekeeper. After a year-long courtship, they made their way to Canada as husband and wife.”
“I know you’re too young to understand any of this right now” I continued, “but one day you’ll understand why your gold jewelry is adorned with small turquoise stones; why your lullabies are tenderly sung to you in Arabic, French, and English; and, why the delicious foods you eat are so varied. Despite having left Egypt so many years ago, your G.G.’s homeland always remained with her. This is where it all started, little one, the place where our east meets west.” By Candice Dumont www.facebook.com/mommabirddoula/
Providing professional compassionate postpartum support to parents with the transition into parenthood. Candice Dumont 514-237-2480 Barrie, Ontario Email: mommabirddoula@gmail.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/mommabirddoula/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/mommabirddoula/
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Does The Job You Have Right Now Feed Your Soul?
By Tess Adams For years my job was about as stressful as they come. I had days that were satisfying, but overall, it was a challenge. I dreamed of the day when I could have a job that fed my soul, that I didn’t look at it as work. Little did I know, at that point, I was already headed there. 08
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Today, I have a life that I don’t need a vacation from. My work inspires me, is a contribution to others, but most of all, it feeds my soul. What about you? Are you putting up with your job? Are you ready for a change? My story proves you can do it, and I would like to share with you how I went from just getting through the day to having a job I love.
Once you have the clarity, then set an intention around what the first step is. Take it bit by bit. Take the time to write your intentions down, it really helps you to clarify what it is you would like. If there are multiple things you would like to do, is there a way you can blend them together? Try to sort out what you COULD do versus what you would LOVE to do. There are always things we can do, but do they really feed our souls? Then begin setting intentions around the targets you can set for yourself – the little steps that will get you where you would like to go. Beginning with the first one, define it as clearly as you can, put the plan into action, get your feet moving, and then begin planning step two. Some people work best knowing what the whole plan is at the beginning, and some work best if they have only one step to focus on. You know yourself best; do what works best for you.
Setting intentions is my go-to tool. This tool helps you develop the all-important clarity so you can set targets. Working with a life coach can be very beneficial, however, you can also ask yourself some questions that will help. If you don’t know where to begin, set an intention for clarity. Clarity is the foundation you build on.
Along the way, remember that your heart begins the process, your feet and hands bring it into reality. As you set your intentions, check in with your heart. You can set intentions from your head or from your heart. Your head can set intentions very quickly. But when they come to be, they may not look like what you thought they would. This is because the heart’s intentions are more powerful than the heads. The heart always wins, so begin in your heart and save yourself some time. It has been my experience that the Universe likes to be in charge of the timing. We have freedom to choose what we would like to do, but then we do well to trust the timing to the Universe.
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This requires some patience and trust. Know you will get there. Spend some time every day envisioning yourself having the job you would like. Feel the feelings, see what life would be like. The more you connect with the emotions of it, the more energy you are adding to the process. Be there in your mind’s eye every day for at least 20 minutes. Some of my clients like to write about it, describing it, some like to use Mind Movies on the web, and some like to create vision boards and then put themselves in the pictures. There are so many ways of doing it! This is one of the energy processes I use all the time and I teach my clients to do. It begins the flow of energy into your intentions. The energy goes out ahead and begins to put the pieces together. Just 20 minutes of energy work can save many hours of struggle. However way you do it, I highly recommend it. As you are working on your plan, reach out to friends and family for support. There will be days when it seems like your dreams are so far off. Reach out for some encouragement. We are not meant to do all of this on our own. When you do, don’t allow yourself to go into what I call “Gripe Mode.” Focus on the positive. Be grateful for the little things but share that you are feeling discouraged. When we complain, we weigh ourselves down and lower our vibration. Your vibration needs to be high to create change. Gratitude is one of the highest vibrations you can be in. It changes everything! As soon as you feel discouraged, find something to be grateful for. Bounce your ideas off friends or family. Word of caution here: Choose someone who is NOT in the habit of shooting 10
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you down or is very negative. They will soon discourage you. If no one in your life fits that description, reach out to a life coach. You can accomplish a great deal from just one session of brainstorming! Times of transition can be challenging. When you use the tool of setting intentions, the Universe loves to guide you along the way with little nudges we call synchronicities. Pay attention to these. They are messages that tell you that you are on the right path. You are moving in the right direction. If an idea comes up that seems ridiculous, don’t discount it. Ask for a sign that it’s worth trying out. Your intuition is another way the Universe guides you. If something doesn’t feel quite right, play with it, see if it can be tweaked so it feels better. When something feels exciting and light, move in that direction. Finally, I would like to share with you another tool I enjoy using with my clients and one in which I use myself. This is a lot of fun with a group of friends too. In your mind, see yourself having the job that truly feeds your soul in six months, and then say, “In six months, I am ...” You may say, “In six months, I am getting
paid more money than I ever thought I would be. In six months, I am bounding out of bed to get to work. In six months, I am enjoying my co-workers. In six months, I am seeing the business grow more than I expected.� Keep going! Keep it positive. You will be surprised and delighted at what comes up. Don’t worry if it seems far-fetched or a little scary. Six months gives you lots of time for all kinds of little steps to get there. Allow the limitations on your imagination fall away. Relax and have fun with it! I am living proof it can be done, and I have witnessed many of my clients do it. We moved from jobs that were drudgery to careers that we love. It happened one little step at a time. You can get there too! I know you can!
Intuitive Life Coach Tess Helping you create new beginnings by living from your soul.
TessAdamsCoaching.com tessadamscoaching@gmail.com FB/IntuitiveLifeCoachTess
By Tess Adams https://tessadamscoaching.com Spring 2019
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Changing Minds Changing Hearts
By Rachel Hart
Not long ago, I attended the birth of a woman having her second child. When everything from the birth was cleaned up and mom and baby were all tucked in bed, the father brought the sibling in to meet her new sister for the first time. I felt my heart tug as the toddler gently kissed the baby on her cheek and crawled up on the bed to snuggle with her Mama. The Mama looked at me with tears in her eyes and whispered, “Thank you.” I smiled, knowingly and gratified that I had made a difference in how she would experience her babies in the coming months. During prenatal visits, we would talk casually about the birth in terms of who she planned to have there, what supplies she needed to gather, and whether she thought her husband would like to “catch” the baby. Most home birth midwives use the term “catch” rather than “deliver” when describing our role, so as not to diminish the power of the birthing mother’s abilities and participation in the process.
“Delivering” is something the mailman does, as one of my daughters reminds people frequently when they ask me if I’ve “delivered” any babies lately. But what this particular woman and I discussed most often was how much she feared she could not love the new baby like she loved her firstborn, and whether or not the firstborn would accept the new baby. I have four children, and have come to love them all with a fierceness only other mothers can understand, but it was not always that way. I often tell my clients that going from one child to two was one of the worst times in my life. Looking back, I may have had a smidge of postpartum depression, but that wasn’t getting much attention in those days, so awareness and resources to help women who were suffering wasn’t easily accessible. Instead, I navigated the experience the best way I knew how. And while I understand and appreciate the truth of what gifts can come unexpectedly from difficult situations,
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I still struggle with how I handled that time of our lives, and I’m pretty sure my baby #2 still suffers the consequences of my actions, almost fifteen years later. I was married the first time to a man who abused me physically, mentally, and financially. We had a daughter together, and my home birth was what gave me the nerve to get out of the destructive relationship. I was so empowered by my ability to endure labor and birth my baby at home that I adopted the mantra, “If I can do that, I can do anything.” I was living in Las Vegas at the time, and took a job in one of the casino restaurants in order to support myself and Hannah, my new baby. And I did well. I worked hard and was proud to afford a little apartment for the two of us. I figured this was my life. I would raise Hannah and probably not marry again or have anymore children. I was never interested in dating any men who had children, so I didn’t expect anyone to be interested in dating me, a single mother struggling to make ends meet. Little did I know, every future plan I had made for my life of single motherhood was about to change. I used to smoke cigarettes back then, and one day around Valentine’s Day I was out having a smoke break from work. At this casino, every restaurant shared the same employee smoking area and when I walked outside to the designated spot, I locked eyes with a handsome man in a suit. We exchanged pleasantries and went about the important work of inhaling our nicotine. The next day I saw him again as well as the next few days after that, our obvious physical attraction and light conversation growing stronger. He finally asked me out to dinner and we quickly began an exclusive relationship. 14
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I discovered I was pregnant just after we had decided to move in together. Life has a funny way of creating itself, and I could not have imagined this reality in a million years. I was excited to be pregnant and to give birth to another baby at home, but I wasn’t excited to have another baby. In fact, I was pretty distraught over it. Hannah was my whole world. I couldn’t imagine ever having that kind of love for anyone else. I also suffered from the guilt of my divorce from her dad, and not being able to give her the experience of having both of her parents raising her
together in a stable environment. I believed that she needed a firm foundation for her to grow up feeling nurtured and safe, so that when she was ready to go out into the world and make a way for herself, she would be doing it with the strength and confidence that building a fundamentally sound physical environment and emotional health status can provide.
I was worried that she would feel like I had divorced her dad to start a brand new family, and replace her with a brand new baby. Would she think I was going to divorce her next? Would she be jealous of the new baby or feel neglected by me because of how much time and energy a newborn demands? No. I wasn’t going to let that happen.
My son was born two years and eight months after Hannah. It was a beautiful home birthing experience, and I was happy to have a healthy baby. But I remember looking at him in the first weeks of his life and feeling guilty for what I had done. I had no right to go start a new family when Hannah could never have hers. I already had a child who could use as much love and attention as I could offer, and I was depriving her of that. As part of the ridiculous attempt to never let Hannah experience any upset about having a new baby around, I decided to keep the mothering of the new baby to a minimum. I would provide the bare essentials. I would clean him feed him, and change him, but would try not to hold him or show him too much affection while she was around. He spent most of his time rocking in his swing. Now that’s not to say that the new baby put up with my plan. No, he tried all he could to gain my natural affection, which manifested in lots of crying all day, everyday, and everywhere we went. This led to me being even more resentful of my situation and feeling miserable more and more frequently. I know now that I created this situation by the thoughts I was thinking, and not because any of it was actually true.
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I don’t remember why my feelings for my plan changed. Maybe it was because I came to see that not only did Hannah not seem to be suffering by having a sibling, she didn’t seem to care much at all. She was a happy child and enjoyed helping by throwing out the newly changed diapers or covering him with bubbles during his bath time. Slowly, I began to loosen my grip on my initial protocol and found myself holding my baby more, and even started talking to him and kissing him frequently. I finally claimed my son as my own and a shift in reality was what followed. I got to the point where I couldn’t imagine life without both of my babies. With my subsequent pregnancies, I made a conscious decision not to worry about the family dynamics. I knew we would all eventually come to love each other and it would become difficult to remember life any other way than the current situation. I knew that change would take some getting used to, but the way I chose to respond to change is what would ultimately decide whether the experience was positive or negative. My second born son is still my most emotional child. He is my most naturally gifted child intellectually, but struggles with his emotional outbursts and quickness to anger. My heart feels that he didn’t receive a crucial bonding component as a newborn because I thought it was the wrong thing to do to give it to him. I have shared my story with multiple expecting mothers since. Years later, I am truly able to offer perspective on the situation by showing them long term results. I am in love with all my children; and while I still regret that my behavior toward my son happened at all, I understand the necessity of the experience in order to make the decision
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to change my thoughts for the next baby, and for the way I ultimately experience life. By consciously choosing to change negative ideas and thoughts into positive ones as much as possible, I continue to create a life of awareness, understanding that while I may not be able to change circumstances, I can always choose to change the way I respond to it, and that will ultimately decide whether I live a life where joy is more prevalent than suffering. By Rachel Hart http://www.birthingway.com
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Groping For Truth My Uphill Struggle For Respect By Montaha Hidefi
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Photo courtesy of Montaha Hidefi
At a book signing event in Guelph, Ontario, of my #metoo-inspired memoir, “Groping for Truth – My Uphill Struggle for Respect”, I was asked by the host to read a passage of the book.
anyone other than the recipient, and, in some cases, the perpetrator”, I felt a gigantic lump growing massively in my throat, and I had to stop to swallow my anguish.
The night before the event, I selected a passage for the reading. I sat next to my husband and browsed the pages of the book. The first line of Chapter 18 grabbed my attention. To estimate the number of paragraphs I would be able to read in about 10 minutes, I started to read out loud. By the time I finished the first sentence, which read. “Most of us would agree the cruellest form of abuse, whether physical, psychological, sexual or financial is when it is not evident to
I forced myself to continue reading, my eyes were welling, and it became difficult to depict the words of the sentences that followed.
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My husband was listening silently. Although I had gifted him the first copy that came out of the box when I received the shipment, he had only browsed through it and did not read any of the chapters thoroughly.
The book was shaking in my hands, but I continued to read after a short pause. I had to repeat the pauses almost after each phrase, as I was crying dreadfully when I reached the second page of the paragraph, while the swell in my throat had magnified. I felt a tsunami of ambiguous emotions hit me in the heart. I was not only reading a story written in a book, I was reading my story. No - I was reliving it all over again. The fact that the story was out there on the pages of a book, did not mean I could disassociate myself from it. It took me years of self contemplation, debating whether I should write about my experiences. However, when #metoo went viral on October 16, 2017, I found myself writing on my Facebook wall “#metoo”. I don’t know how I came upon my decision to do that, however, I recognized it was bold to admit on social media that I was part of the movement and that I also had a story. I always knew I had to write a book, but I never thought I would be inspired by a hashtag on social media. Despite the years that had passed, I realized at that moment that the phantom pain of the implicit violence imprinted on my cells was persistent at the unconscious level. At the beginning, I supposed that recounting my struggle with physical abuse and describing my experiences with sexual harassment on the pages of a book may make me feel better about the concealed past. Yet, I understood that the process of writing and publishing my stories inside a nicely designed and colorful cover was not aiming to disremember my life experiences, but rather to honour them with decency and respect.
I was born and raised in Venezuela, in the early sixties, to Syrian immigrants. Like most immigrants that landed in a new nation to seek a better life, my family struggled financially, and my mother was in some way emotionally affected by the living conditions, the demise of her father in Syria, and the fact that my eldest sister was hit by polio. An uneducated woman, wedded to my father by force at the young age of 15, and having to endure the pressure of poverty, my mother’s response to the outside forces that were shaping her life, but were out of her control, was brusque and vicious. She became bitter and violent to me. The main memories of my childhood are stained with physical abuse and macabre horror stories of punishment. When I was a baby, I cried incessantly and would not fall asleep unless I was held in someone’s arms. When I was put to rest in the cradle, I would wake up, start crying and would not fall asleep until I was carried again and rocked in the arms.
Since my mother had to attend to the household chores, she had assigned the responsibility of putting me to sleep to my two eldest sisters. As they ran out of ideas to make me fall, and then remain, asleep, they improvised a horrifying way they thought would free them from the challenging task. They fetched white crab spiders from the porch, attached their silky string to one of their fingers and wound them down my face like a yo-yo. Apparently even that improvisation did not stop my crying. I grew up terrified of spiders and still am to this day.
In one occasion, my mother was so upset, she threw me onto the floor and started kicking me. She then put her foot on my fragile neck to choke me until my father came to my rescue.
At birth, my pigmentation was darker than that of my family, and I was nicknamed “Negra”. When I was called Negra, it always made me feel different; and not in a good way. I felt inferior, an outcast and ugly. Besides being visibly different from the rest of my family, I was also different in my way of being. I was over animated and played around the house with colouring pencils and whatever else I could find. My mother could not handle my difference from my siblings, so she turned to physical punishment to tame me.
In the early seventies, my father decided to return to his home country and so our family of nine; seven children and my parents, relocated to Syria. The cultural differences between Venezuela and Syria were substantial. I had a tough time adjusting and did not have guidance from my family as to how to conform.
I was often sentenced to seclusion. Whenever my mother deemed it necessary, she ordered me to get down on my knees and face the dark corner of the windowless dining room. During the time-out, I was not allowed to stand up, rest on my heels or communicate with any of my sisters. Over time, I developed a horrifying fear of darkness. My imagination invoked creepy images that sometimes took the shape of a giant, hairy spider crawling down the wall facing me. The spider would then mutate into a demonic figure with long threatening horns soaring above me, causing the hair on the back of my neck to prickle like throbbing thorns. 20
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As I grew older, the physical punishments transformed into lashings on my legs with my own nylon belt. My mother would hold me by the left arm and strike me until red blotches swelled up. This new beating treatment not only was physically painful, but it was psychologically tougher because it left visible marks on the back of my legs.
Unknowingly, I was growing defiant to the social order that required girls of my age to behave in a certain way and dress appropriately – which meant no short sleeves, no cleavage, no above-theknee length dresses, no shorts. This was difficult as I had an artist growing inside of me, and I designed and sewed most my clothing. When I walked the streets, or took a taxi, my exotic appearance and my accent attracted much attention. The Syrian males allowed themselves to make all types of advances, which included groping my thighs, forcing themselves to steal a kiss or even have a whiff of my hair. People were disapproving of me and I was labelled “sharmouta”, slut. My mother believed the vicious stories about me, invented by so-called Samaritans, and for that she beat and verbally mistreated me.
On one occasion, she was so enraged, she almost plunged a knife into my chest, but my father appeared miraculously to my rescue. Life in Syria was nothing but a long frightening nightmare that resembled sleep paralysis. I could not wake up from it. I could not scream. I could not move. I was pinned to my reality and trapped within an unforgiving culture. As a result, I instinctively created an imaginary toolbox where I wanted to gather tools to help me find the key to awakening. At the age of 16, I had the opportunity to travel to France to follow a fourmonth training in the shoe industry. The training was subsidized by the Syrian government in exchange for working at a government-owned shoe factory upon my return. Although I quit my secondary education to embark in this undertaking, it was the first instrument I placed in my imaginary toolbox. Over the years, my made-up toolbox collection grew at a slow, but steady, pace. While my struggle with society continued, I completed secondary school, went to university in Damascus and obtained a bachelor’s degree in French literature, followed by a master’s in translation. At the recommendation of one of my professors, I was then
offered a job at the Canadian Embassy in Damascus, as an official translator. By then, I spoke five languages, and thought I had enough qualifications to find a better place to live, even though I did not know where that place was. In 1991, right after Operation Desert Storm, I decided to immigrate to Canada, and start all over again. My new life in Canada was not all roses. I went through discrimination and prejudice at the work place. I lived with a violent boyfriend that pushed my envelope to the limits and ended up at a shelter for battered women in Montreal. I battled with low esteem and considered ending my life several times. But instead of giving up, I decided to seek psychological help. During therapy, I was confronted with the ugly truth that my mother’s abusive behaviour had overshadowed my character and affected me to the extent that I ended up attracting more abusive people into my life.
In 1997, at the invitation of a friend that I had not seen for 10 years, I went to Dubai for a month vacation. I stayed for 11 years. In Dubai I also had to start all over again. It is in those years that my life took unimaginable turns. I worked for two multinational companies, acquired a masters in international business and enrolled in various self-developing trainings, such as Silva Mind, Reiki and fire walking. In 2008, I was offered a job in the Netherlands as a colour trends and forecasting advisor on a global level. The move to the Netherlands with my husband was another turning point in my life. I nourished a passionate relationship with colour and the arts, a relationship that started in my early childhood in Venezuela. Although that job ended two years later due to the global financial situation, I professionally advanced to become a global resource in the field of colour trends. My transformation from a battered girl nicknamed Negra in Venezuela, to a professional woman, often referred to at an international level as “specialist in the field of colour trends and forecasting” was anything but inexpensive. The physical and psychological bill was strenuous and nothing short of silent suffering. However, with the decision to write the book, I concluded that silence was not a remedy. Silence is a Trojan Horse that may lead to death. We cannot, and should not, fight abuse by turning our eyes away. The process of disclosing the silenced voices of any kind of abuse, although throbbing and shameful, can be liberating and rewarding. The battered child that lived inside of me will remain there. Yet, it is the relationship between that girl and the 22
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woman that I am today that is most relevant to the well-being of my psyche. The profound wounds of the past will linger, but it is my attitude towards the pain that was inflicted upon me that counts. The question was; “Do I continue to hide everything in silence and feel ashamed or do I speak up and get rid of the shame?” My determination to becoming a respected woman, valued in society for who she is, fueled my drive to overcome the distress of the mistreated child. I had no support system during my teens, and I learned through frequent emotional falls that the only way out was to educate myself and acquire skills that would entitle me to transform into a qualified and respected human being. Up until as far as five years ago, it occurred to me to wish I never was and should never be. This thought might have sounded like a Led Zeppelin song, but I know it was only the echo of the muted voices crashing against the walls of perpetual silence. When I finished reading the passage to prepare for the book signing event, despite the state of mind I was in, I felt redemption. The days of shame were behind me, and it was time for those who abused my innocence to feel shameful. My husband, whose tears dribbled under his eyeglasses as he was listening without interrupting, sat at his piano and started playing a sad composition he improvised. He decided to create an arrangement that we played at the event to accompany the reading. By Montaha Hidefi https://montahahidefi.ca www.facebook.com/pg/GropingforTruth
My parents had moved to Vienna in early 1966 as part of my father’s first of many foreign assignments. Somewhere on an Austrian ski slope in the warm glow of the après ski mood I was conceived, probably in early April of 1967. My parents lived in a small three room flat on the Preindlgasse, a narrow oneway street in the southwest of the city. As it happened, my mother acquainted herself with the neighbours and their sociable cat. The neigbours would occasionally invite my parents over for a cup of tea, of course my parents dutifully reciprocated, also to the neighbour’s cat, who occasionally came by for a saucer of milk. Why all this detail? What my parents were not expecting was a problem that happened with me in utero.... This is where my gift was given to me…..by the aforementioned cat. I contracted congenital toxoplasmosis. This is a parasitic disease caused by toxoplasma gondii, found in infected cat feces. Grown adults who contract the disease are generally not affected, but the disease can be passed on to a child in utero.
By Marc Geuzinge As the disease occurred, my eyes were still developing. Both my eyes developed infections causing damage to the retinas, the back part of the eye, which contains the nerve receptors that allow you to see. Many of those receptors, rods and cones, were damaged and replaced by scar tissue. As a result, I have areas of my retinas which are unable to see anything. Both my eyes were affected, my right one more severely than my left. After my birth, my parents were told that I was nearly blind, leaving them deeply shocked and upset. Spring 2019
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They were told by the “experts” that I may have a future as a piano tuner or musician, but that any other significant career development, or any form of normal schooling, was not to be expected. That, thankfully, turned out to be bunk. I started the debunking at an early age. Laying on my back in my crib I played with the toys on the string above my head. I managed quite well and as I started walking, I clearly managed to not trip over things. At age five, I went to kindergarten, coloured, painted, said my ABC’s, and played with other kids. In 1974, my parents had me tested at a special school for the visually impaired to see whether or not I was suited there for my education. As it turned out, my eyesight was too good.
Photos courtesy of Marc Geuzinge
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Regular school it was. As such I was able join my parents in their foreign assignments. It was no picnic. By first grade I was already being teased for literally, looking differently. I have to angle my head and turn my eyes in such a way that I can make the best use of the vision that I have. Initially quite severe, some of this was remedied with two eye surgeries that I had in 1974. These surgeries reduced the head tilt but did not actually increase my vision. I had to sit in the front of the class so that I could see the blackboard. I was tall, lanky, thin, and looked oddly at people. Fodder for ridicule and exclusion. Some kids are mean, and will exploit any weakness they see – I later found out that there are quite a few adults who do that too, being confronted with it in my late thirties.
I progressed through school, college and life. I learned to grow a thick skin, but accepting that what others though of me was not my problem but theirs, took me the better part of 30 years to complete. Thankfully I had a handful of good friends who did not judge me for my eyeballs, and did accept me for my actual content. Some of these people have become lifelong friends. I received my first pocket camera at age 9 and have been fascinated with all things visual ever since. I loved taking pictures, and soon became quite good at it. When I was 14 I went for yet another eye exam. The doctor who saw me was kind and also brutally honest. I would have to accept that I would never have a driver’s license and that I would never pilot a plane – something that as an aviation aficionado really stung. My mobility and career options were somewhat limited. I went to college and studied business administration as well as Information Systems. My first job was at an advertising agency, where I worked as an account executive. Other careers followed, including 15 years in the airline business. I was frustrated with my eyesight for the longest time. More often than not it was a hindrance. No driving, no open road, always sit in front, never part of the “normal people”. Always telling people, “sorry, I can’t read that from here”, and hearing “man you need to get your eyes checked”. It even got me kicked out of a job interview once.
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When interacting with people that don’t know me, the first meeting is generally a bit weird. As the person I am meeting does not know what’s going on, or more so, doesn’t understand why I’m looking at them “funny” or staring at them. They often don’t dare ask why. Honestly, I need to. I have to stare sometimes because I need to look people over once or twice to get a good idea of what they look like – and yes, it’s been a conversation ender with several women, where my explanation is scoffed at as a sad excuse. I have a had a passion for all things visual ever since I was young – I started taking pictures when I was nine, received a pair of binoculars at age twelve and had my first SLR camera at 17. You see, pun intended, even though I did not realize it, my gift was working for me. I needed to examine things in detail to get the full picture; I needed to see composition to take a photo, I needed to add up the sum of all parts to create a complete visual. That was training that I would later use to embark on my second career as a professional photographer.
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So how did that help? Photography is a two dimensional medium, the translation of a three dimensional image to a two dimensional space. As I have little or no depth perception, I see my world largely as a two-dimensional space. As such, I can see a photograph before it becomes one. Granted, I may not see all the details at once, but I do get the big picture. This has helped me immensely as this enables me to see the composition of a photograph quickly. Someone once said, “Your problem is a gift to help you change”. It took me 25 years after I first heard that to embrace my “problem” and realize that it may not be a problem. It has become a valuable tool in a very visually oriented career. It has allowed me to challenge myself and the perceptions of others towards people with a visual impairment and to seek within myself the power to forgive the cat for what it gave me. By Marc Geuzinge https://www.marcgeuzinge.com
MGP - Marc Geuzinge Photography
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Spring Clean
Yourself! By Kelly Harris
It feels fantastic to see the return of spring here in the Northern Hemisphere, and it is a wonderful time to begin releasing the heaviness of winter. In the colder months, we are drawn to rich and heavy comfort foods, and it is also when we naturally tend to conserve energy and reduce activity levels. Your liver might be feeling a bit sluggish, and you may have acquired a couple of extra kilograms during that time, but feelings like guilt and disappointment in yourself are counterproductive. It is time to move with the seasons and spring is the time when we can start to release and renew. Giving your body a bit of a spring clean needn’t be extreme. Remember that despite the date on the calendar, there can still be a chill in the air, and there may even still be some snow on the ground outside. Throwing yourself into Instagram’s latest celery juice fast craze may in fact not be the kindest thing for your body while it still needs some warmth and nourishment. As a registered nutritional therapist, my personal approach to detoxification with my clients is gentle and nonextreme. When we lose lots of weight too quickly, we are suddenly releasing a load of toxins which have been stored in our fat cells and this can make us feel unwell, ultimately undermining our motivation and long-term health goals. What will make us feel better is having enhanced liver function and a healthy digestion with good bowel motility. We can achieve this through eating well and making a few small lifestyle changes.
Go Organic Switching to organic foods is one of the easiest changes you can make. Why “detox” when you can just reduce your toxin intake in the first place? If you’re budget conscious and need to prioritise which foods to buy organic, check out the Dirty Dozen list by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) to find out which foods are most pesticide contaminated. The 2018 list recommended avoiding the non-organic versions of: Strawberries Nectarines Grapes Cherries Tomatoes Potatoes
Spinach Apples Peaches Pears Celery Sweet bell peppers
Eat the Rainbow Focus on eating lots of seasonal fruits and vegetables. The bulk of your plate should be vegetables in all the colours of the rainbow. If you’re doing the ketogenic diet and you’re seeing mostly bacon and butter on your plate, you’re not doing it right! Around 5075% of your plate should be vegetables – the more colourful, the better. If you want to lose some weight or choose to be on any lower carbohydrate type of diet, just focus on filling your plate with lower starch fruits and vegetables like broccoli, dark leafy greens, mushrooms, tomatoes, avocados, cauliflower and even the occasional sweet potato. Berries are surprisingly low in sugar and are a great way of getting antioxidants into your diet. They taste sweet and delicious, like summer, and they can
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bring a little pleasure and joy to your taste buds along with a great nutrient profile. They’re certainly not going to be in season everywhere at this time of year, but for those living in colder climates, you can buy big bags of frozen organic berries to add into smoothies and fresh juices. Get a Happy Gut A healthy gut is so important for feeling well and looking great. Did you know that most of your immune system is based in your gut? By increasing and maintaining a diverse range of good gut bacteria, you become less susceptible to pathogens – like bad bacteria and candida overgrowth. Think of your body as a parking lot – the more parking spaces which are filled up with good bacteria, the less spaces there are for pathogens to park. Most people will benefit hugely from increasing probiotics in their diet and rather than buying expensive supplements, you can just eat fermented foods. It is cheap and often easy to make your own fermented foods and beverages, however most supermarkets and health food stores carry a good variety of these foods. Try to include at least one or two of the following fermented foods a few times a week: Kombucha Kefir Dairy or coconut yogurt Kimchi Sauerkraut (make sure it’s the fresh fermented kind) Tempeh Fermented tofu (normal tofu isn’t fermented, but fermented tofu is delicious) Miso 30
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A word of caution: if you start eating more fermented foods and you start feeling worse, do visit your doctor as there may be an underlying health condition which needs to be seen to before you can reintroduce these delicious and healthy foods into your diet. Once you populate your gut with all those good bacteria, you’ll want to make sure you’re feeding them so they decide to settle in and make themselves at home in your large intestine. That’s where prebiotics come in. Prebiotics are the food that your gut bacteria like to eat. There are plenty of prebiotics to choose from (think high fibre foods), but a few which are easy to incorporate daily are oats, flax, chia, coconut, cabbage and raw carrots. These types of foods will help support healthy bowel motility too, which is key to the detoxification process.
Love Your Liver In traditional Chinese medicine, springtime is associated with green and it is encouraged to eat young, fresh, leafy greens and sprouts to improve liver function and the movement of qi (vital energy). Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, broccoli sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, bok choi and brussels sprouts are great for enhancing liver function and balancing hormones. There are so many benefits from making the effort to look after your liver, such as improved digestion, more energy and a brighter, clearer complexion. It’s a great habit to drink a glass of warm water with the juice of half a lemon every morning upon waking. Lemon has liver protecting and antioxidant properties and if you still feel that you need a cup of coffee a bit later in the morning, go right on ahead as there are a number of proven health benefits associated with moderate coffee consumption. But try giving alcoholic drinks a miss and definitely eliminate sugary or artificially sweetened soft drinks. If you need a drink in the evening which feels “special”, try adding a shot of freshly pressed lemon, lime or ginger juice into a large glass of sparkling spring water and garnishing it with some fresh mint. Moderate Your Meat I recently read a great quote from the ketogenic diet guru, Dr Mark Hyman. He said to “think of meat as a condiment, not a main dish.” Those words really stuck with me. I wondered to myself if most people know what a portion of meat or fish looks like. In case your inner monologue is saying “ummmm....err” right now, a portion of meat is the size of a deck of cards and a portion of fish is
the size of the palm of your hand. We all feel better eating different types of diets, so if meat and fish are important to you, try to opt for organic, grass-fed meats and wild caught fish. And in keeping with the latest scientific findings, limit consumption to a few times per week. It will be impossible to find truly “clean” meat or fish these days, however opting for a smaller portion of a higher quality organic, grass-fed meat or wild-caught fish is a much better choice for your body and the environment. What Goes On, Goes In It might also be a good time to look at the personal care products you’re using. The Environmental Working Group cautions that there are many toiletries, which are toxic to the liver, contain heavy metals and have endocrine disrupting
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actions which affect our hormones. Limit this exposure by making a few simple swaps to more natural products. Remember, if it goes on your skin, it goes in your skin and it’s going to be processed by your liver. Lifestyle Lifestyle factors, in addition to diet, can play a huge role in our overall wellness and happiness. Spring is a wonderful time to embrace something new, but don’t make it a chore. By all means, join a gym if that is your picture of happiness. But maybe a gentle morning stretching routine and a brisk walk is more your style. Don’t be afraid to try something new, such as a meditation class or even aerial yoga! Last spring, I started taking regular saunas as part of my wellness routine and it was a great way to relax
and allow myself a few moments of quiet in my day while sweating out the toxins accumulated over winter. By summertime I felt refreshed, with lots of extra energy for the more vigorous activities of the warmer months. You should do whatever brings you joy and motivates you to get moving and shake off the stagnation of winter. Cook at Home The more you cook from scratch at home, the more you can control what you’re eating. And that’s an empowering thing. I’ve shared a recipe for my favourite gut nourishing miso and bok choi broth with you, so have fun getting creative in the kitchen! By Kelly Harris www.sissiboonutrition.com
Better heath for everyone through food & lifestyle. Consultations available in-person and online. info@sissiboonutrition.com www.sissiboonutrition.com
Kelly Harris, Registered Nuritional Therapist
Resources https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22546541 https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30063917 https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/research/advancements-in-research/fundamentals/in-depth/ the-gut-where-bacteria-and-immune-system-meet, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3337124/ https://drhyman.com/blog/2016/01/22/is-meat-good-or-bad-for-you/ https://www.who.int/features/qa/cancer-red-meat/en/ https://www.britishlivertrust.org.uk/liver-information/diet-and-liver-disease/coffee-and-the-liver/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5439254/ https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/
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Nourishing Bok Choi Miso Soup Ingredients 1 tablespoon organic virgin coconut oil 4 leaves of bok choi, rinsed, sliced in 1 inch ribbons including stems 4 cups water or leftover vegetable broth 1 carrot, thinly sliced 1/2 cup bamboo shoots 2 green onions finely sliced 1/4 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (or rehydrated dried shiitake) 1 teaspoon tamari (or coconut aminos) 1 garlic clove, crushed 2 tablespoons miso paste (I use brown rice miso paste) black pepper to taste Method 1. In a heavy soup pot place oil, turn to medium heat, put in carrots and garlic, sautĂŠ until almost tender. 2. Add broth, tamari and mushrooms, bring to a boil, once boiling reduce heat to low so that soup is simmering, simmer until mushrooms are almost done. 3. Add green onions, bok choi, black pepper and bamboo shoots, cook for a few minutes, then add miso paste and stir until miso is well blended. Optional: Adding a small handful of crispy baked or fried tofu cubes makes this a more filling meal. By Kelly Harris
Will It
Ever Be Enough? I am part of a group within my local community that is trying to share the message of the Pachamama Alliance “To create a spiritually fulfilling, socially just, environmentally sustainable human presence on the planet.” This sounds like such an amazing way of existing, so full of joy, hope and goodness. And yet I cannot help wondering, is this goal achievable? How could we possibly do this when it seems as if our species is the root of death and destruction? How can we ever move forward knowing what we have done? When I consider the people, animals and plant species that have been destroyed through our choices and our actions, as well as the continued suffering and degradation we are causing, even as we know the results, I am left wondering - will any 34
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By Holli Smith
action ever be enough? Or have we, in fact, gone beyond the tipping point? I try to stay positive. I really, really do. I want to be happy and hopeful, vibrating at a high frequency. And sometimes I do and am. But other times I am so exceptionally angry that I want to scream. I want to rail against everyone I see doing the slightest thing to contribute to the vast amounts of pollution and waste. Including myself. Because I am guilty of it too. It seems impossible to exist without having an impact. No - IT IS impossible to exist without having an impact. And because of the impact we, as a species, have had up until this point, I feel guilty for going about my daily life, constantly second guessing what I’m doing because I don’t know how ‘bad’ it really is.
As I pondered all of this, I came across a meme from an organization called Extinction Rebellion that said,
“Our planet isn’t dying because regular people won’t go vegan or take cold showers. It’s dying because a handful of corporations and billionaires’ profit from pumping astronomical amounts of pollution into the air and water.” This perspective makes the issues at once, simpler and more challenging. Maybe I don’t have to feel guilty for loving hot showers and raw cheese. Everywhere I look people are trying, people are working at it, and people ARE making change. Single use plastics and fossil fuels are being banned in countries around the world. Individual cities are declaring a state of emergency. And if every change we are seeing happened in the 1970s, it might have been enough action, in the right amount of time, but now things are moving too slowly to bring us back from this brink we have brought ourselves to.
According to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change we only have 12 years before we will face even more severe and devastating consequences of climate change — extreme drought, food shortages and deadly flooding. They say we must make “rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society” in order to save our planet, or at least ourselves. Because the planet could recover after the disasters. But we will not. A lot of people are saying this is the most important time to be alive, and that those of us who chose to be here, are here for a reason. We are supposed to be helping with the next step in human evolution, and I can’t help but fear we are failing. But what do we, can we, should we do? These questions keep me up at night, they bring me to tears, and shake me to my core. I pray that there is still time for our species. I pray for all the people who scoff, saying that we are over reacting, to be right, because if they are right, we will not be at fault for our own downfall. We will not have killed off over half of the animal and plant species that cohabitat this planet with us.
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On the other hand, if there is even half a chance that all of this is really happening because of us, isn’t it worth to do everything we can to stop it? One of the people I admire most in the world, Jane Goodall said, “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
I am trying my very best to hold on to that, despite my heartache. I hope and pray everyone else will too because one person can spark a movement. One person can change the course of humanity.
I know what I want to do and the way I want to move through life. I want to be part of the shift that takes down the systems that are killing everything around us. The sixth mass extinction hasn’t been enough of a wakeup call for it to change from a systematic level, so it is left to the regular people, who may or may not eat vegan and take cold showers, to stand up and stop this absolute bloody madness. We cannot be apathetic, we cannot sit back and wait for others to fix it, and we cannot give up. Because if we do, we choose suffering and painful demise. We choose misery. If the worst were to happen, I would rather see our species destroyed knowing I tried my level best to do something about it, than knowing that I was too cowed, too afraid, or too busy trying to make a fake perfect life inside this storm of chaos. So, I come back full circle to the question of what can I do? Will it ever feel like I’m doing enough? And so far, I’ve come to the conclusion that it probably won’t. Because the problems are so big, that I alone, cannot make a dent in them. But if there are enough of us, working together, united instead of divided into our own individual spaces, we can change the big things as well as the small. 36
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While we may not all have the capacity to become like Martin Luther King Jr, Nicolas Tesla, or Ghandi, we all have the capacity to act. As we seriously consider the kind of world we want to live in, adding our words and our choices to the fabric of the Universe, we cannot help but change the face of life. We are the collective consciousness and what we think, do and believe, becomes our reality, even if not immediately. Despite my slips, my falters and my fails, I want my existence- now and always- to reflect the message of a ‘spiritually fulfilling, socially just, environmentally sustainable human presence’ on this beautiful earth we call home. By Holli Smith
Accepting Judgement By Rylee Smith
In today’s world, we are surrounded by constant judgement. We judge each other, we judge ourselves, and we judge the world around us. But this judgement isn’t inherently negative because to judge something simply means to “Form an opinion or conclusion about (something),” (Apple Dictionary, 2014). There are many positives and negatives to this, which I could list if I judged judgement itself.
Judgement is a necessary part of life, and this is something that’s unlikely to change in the near future. Therefore, I propose that we more thoroughly examine the judgements we are making and take the judgements we receive with more mindfulness. In this new age of information overload and so many logical yet conflicting opinions, it’s more important than ever to find one’s own inner voice. Spring 2019
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Yesterday, I was thinking about social constructs. I had the realization that almost everyone falls into this hierarchy of judgement, based on even the smallest, seemingly irrelevant detail. As humans, we’ve always had the tendency to judge people, animals, foods, etc. It helped us simplify an all too complex world. Through generalization we formed rules and principles about people and our world, judgement and generalization was really the foundation of modern science and mathematics. However, there’s a difference from observing and trying to figure out the physics of our world and trying to fit another person into the box of our understanding. As humans we try to sum things up, we try to find general statements that apply on a bigger scale than to one particular incident or moment. But these generalizations were created simply in order to understand more thoroughly and be able to express our thoughts about things in a more precise manner. However, when used incorrectly these judgments and generalizations can become truly harmful. I myself have been subjected to some hurtful generalizations in my lifetime such as stereotypes about numerous categories of people I fall under, whether it’s something about homeschooled children, bookworms, the LGBTQ community, metaphysicians, mixed heritage indigenous peoples, etc. I find the best way to handle these painful generalizations is to realize that it’s not the label itself which is inherently bad. It’s not the quantification in the first place which is hurtful, rather the incorrect use of labels and how some labels connect to others.
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Each word by itself is neutral, connected to a meaning and put in context it is given a new kind of power. We live in an age where it’s possible to communicate with more people than ever before, with greater ease. We can start communicating with people we never intended to reach, via social media. Besides that, cities today are bigger than ever before, more chance to communicate with more and different people. As we see people passing by and begin to judge them, we must remember that they too live as complex and interesting lives as we do. We may seek to simplify based on what we observe, but we must ultimately realize whatever quantification we use for any given person will be incorrect or at least incomplete. I think it’s important for us to ask ourselves as we step into a new age of society, what measure we shall use to judge and generalize people and our world? Looking at a person’s settings is a way folks may choose to generalize. People may look at what kind of career they have, what sorts of hobbies interest them, what they spend most of their time doing, etc. Although this is perhaps often slightly more accurate than blind assumptions based on a person’s physical appearance, still this is not 100% accurate because many people feel trapped in their circumstances. They only continue to do things because that’s what they’ve always done before, or because of some external pressure. This doesn’t mean that they don’t have to take some responsibility for what they spend their time doing, it’s just to say that this is not an end-all solution. Siblings raised in the same environment are often vastly different.
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Again, this argument applies to those who favour nature over nurture, either way it’s an incomplete quantification of why people are the way they are. What if everyone is equally as complex and unique as each other, because each life is unique and complex? There are other ways we can judge the people we know, by their words or actions. This is perhaps the most popular way to judge people, because we don’t feel bad about judging people by their actions or words. Actions and words are things people get to choose, unlike many other things we could judge people by. I would recommend using mindfulness and thoughtfulness when judging actions and words too. To judge another person or thing is necessary in this world in order to have thoughts or feelings about them, however, the more we can observe and accept things as they are, the better it is for our own peace of mind, as well as those around us. Ultimately everyone has to make their own choices, and we each have to pay our own prices for doing so. We must keep in mind that people will often make choices we won’t believe is the right choice, but different people have different scales and ideas about positives and negatives, about what the “right” way is to live life. However, we do have to keep in mind that we are here with very little concrete knowledge about what is good and what is bad, everything is rather circumstantial. Therefore, I believe that when it comes to making choices in our own lives and choosing how we will attempt to quantify others, we must listen to the
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voice of our intuition, our highest self. If we can spend time each day in a mindful practice to connect with our higher self, our true self and voice, hopefully we’ll be able to see and speak more clearly. Often times what we judge in someone else, speaks volumes about our own insecurities about ourselves. Because these traits will have a strong feeling of negativity attached to them and we’re very aware of them, it could seem that perhaps everyone we meet displays these traits. One of the first things we need to do is learn to accept ourselves or try to change what we cannot accept. My mom used to say that if she felt shame about doing something it was a sign to her that it was something she should stop doing. We must learn to accept and love ourselves before we can love and accept someone else. We must learn to accept
things as they are, which is usually always a complicated jumble of emotions and experiences. If we can more fully live in the now as almost all spiritual practices recommend, we can more clearly see each situation, person, and circumstance as inherently unique, and judge based on a collection of scales instead of a few generalizations. Becoming conscious of the judgements we place on others and ourselves, and even our life circumstances is a vital part of mindful living. The world without judgement would be a stark one indeed, where nothing would really matter. Judgement gives the world and the things that happen context in a greater way. Remember we cannot love something that we never formed an opinion about. It would be emotionless, and no one would care about anything, about each other or the environments around us. We need not
stop judging, however, we must use the power of our judgement with wisdom. To judge from a place of kindness is to be able to feel compassion and empathy. We are all very different in the way that we are all unique. However, this makes us the same in a way because we’re all unique. We can often times see things in other people that remind us of ourselves. We are a part of the global community. We are a part of a greater whole. Therefore, let us treat each other and ourselves with kindness, and with honesty. We should more thoroughly examine ourselves and our judgments, in order to live a more balanced life. We shall not judge blindly, but instead choose to examine all things around us with the clarity of our deepest inner wisdom. By Rylee Smith
WHAT’S UP COPPER-TOP??? By Jeffrey Pilsner
We’ve all done it! You walk into a room with one or more people inside and after a brief period – you feel drained and lethargic. It doesn’t matter if they are perfect strangers or people you know, for some reason seemingly unbeknownst to you – you just feel tired. If you are an experienced ‘sensitive’ – you might know to immediately protect yourself once you perceive what’s going on, but for the typical unwitting soul – she/ he might ask themselves, “Am I coming down with something”? You don’t have to be a new age loopy doodle to believe that we are electric. Various modalities in modern science have proven this to be the case. It would be easy to just leave it at that statement and go about the business of doing whatever you were doing before you started reading this. 42
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Although scientific by nature, I am not an actual scientist – so I will not be sharing any new ‘discoveries’ – but if you’ll allow me – I’d like to share a metaphor. My hope is to offer some empowering perspectives to help you better maintain and possibly enhance your own personal energy levels. Before I attempt this, I’d like to ask a question, ‘If our bodies are electric – where is the battery located?’ Try and wrap your head around that one… Now I would like to say that I came to this perspective out of pure brilliance and natural wisdom, but that would be a lie – it came out of necessity! Several years ago, to walk more lightly on the land, my partner and I decided to go ‘off the reservation’ so to speak – and live off the grid. n this process we realized that we needed to adjust our priorities.
The current prevalent paradigm is to produce more and more power to keep up with increased demand – no matter the environmental cost. The fundamental philosophy of living off the grid is diametrically opposite to this! No matter the kind of system - the key to living off-grid involves careful management of our resources. The formula is quite simple: the load cannot
Although we wanted to live more simply, my partner and I were still attached to certain modern comforts. It necessitated us to sit down and make a prioritized list of must-haves and would like to haves. After careful deliberation and making the leap into a different way of living, over time we came to have a more intimate relationship… of course with each other (duh) but more importantly with (deepcycle) rechargeable batteries.
exceed the supply – PERIOD! For example, if your power supply can only provide a 2-kilowatt flow of energy, no matter what you do - you simply will not be able to run an electric range or clothes dryer. Now, if you determine that you simply have to have these ‘conveniences’ – the only way that you could do this is by increasing the amount of available energy. In an offgrid system, this would equate to significantly increased technology and thus added expense.
It turns out that rechargeable batteries are pretty sensitive creatures, they don’t like to get too cold or hot, they insist on being recharged in a variety of ways (hard and fast and as a slow trickle), discharging them past 80% of their capacity greatly reduces their life-span, when connected to other batteries in a ‘bank’ – they will condition themselves to the output level equal to the weakest battery in the system (thus don’t mix new batteries with old). These are just a few examples… Spring 2019
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When living off-grid, you develop a very acute understanding of the outflow/inflow of energy. Regarding every device in your system – you are required to ask, “How can I make this more efficient?” You are also required to ask, “How can I stop the unintentional outflow of energy?” One of the biggest culprits for unnecessary battery drain, are ‘phantom loads’ – i.e. appliances that still draw small amounts of power even though they are technically turned ‘off’. Although these loads are relatively small, when there are several of them constantly discharging energy over time – the result can be a dead battery bank. Thus, protection protocols are mandatory. So, what are the lessons that I have gained – as they apply directly to life? I will revisit what I already stated: Although it is best to avoid extremes sometimes a quick discharge/recharge
helps to ‘wake up’ our own internal batteries. I liken this to a quick powermeditation session where I ask for and generate high levels of energy to provide a quick energy boost. Most often, when recharging deep-cycle batteries the slow as you go (tricklecharge) is the best way to bring the battery levels up. I liken this to a casual stroll on the beach or in the forest, when I forget time completely. Then, when I tune it to myself, I realize that I am once again calm and at peace. When using a deep-cycle battery array, it is important to always know what the levels are and whether the batteries are charging or discharging. The most common way of determining this is via an analog or digital display connected to the battery bank.
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Unfortunately, there is no such device (or if there is, I am unaware of it) that accurately displays whether we are increasing our energy reserves or decreasing them. So, until such a device becomes available, I must have the ability to ‘tune in’ manually to know where I am at. As you will probably agree, this is not always an easy thing to do when we become embroiled in our day to day lives filled with seemingly unlimited distractions vying for our personal attention. The magic questions are: Do I know when I am getting in over my head? Do I understand my limits? Do I really know that I’m the one in control of the shut-off switch? Just as deep-cycle batteries condition themselves individually based on the other batteries that they are connected to within a battery bank – there is a similar tendency when we relate to individuals in a group. How often have I seen situations where ‘new blood’ comes into an association – where they come in with fresh ideas and high energy, only to get ‘taken down a peg or two’ by members who are stuck and resistant to change? In these kinds of situations, I’ve come to believe that it’s sometimes better to recycle the old and start afresh. Worn out batteries can provide some of the components for new refurbished power cells, and some people - well maybe they should be encouraged to go elsewhere and put their energies into other things…
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The last item on my list is phantom loads. We all have them, but am I willing to recognize and deal with mine? Am I willing to ask the hard questions, like:
Does my relationship with ‘x’ charge me or deplete me?
How much precious energy am I willing to put into a situation, and do I have an auto-shut-off switch to protect myself from excessive and damaging discharge?
Are there relationships (or memories) from my past that have a long-term chronic effect on my personal reserves— where left unresolved could end up completely stealing my life away?
Is this person/situation worth allocating my precious energy to—and if so, what percentage of my total capacity am I willing to give?
AND (MORE IMORTANTLY) for HOW LONG am I willing to allocate my reserve power to this person/situation?
Is my investment of personal energy to watch online entertainment, chatting on social media, or hanging out with people I call ‘friend’—are these activities increasing or depleting my personal energy?
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We’ve all heard the statements about personal power from the various gurus. My hope for you after reading this, is that you will be reminded of just who is in control. My further hope is that you will pay attention to your relationships, emotions (generated both from the past and the present) and activities, and ask yourself what serves you, what EMPOWERS you, and what depletes you. Then, when you face a situation like what I discussed at the beginning of this article – you should have sufficient energy to have properly functioning ‘radar’ to immediately know what’s going on and have the ability to quickly deal with the situation head on! Remember, we all have the power, and it is OUR choice how we use it! By Jeffrey Pilsner http://shifthappensnow.ca
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Delicious and Healthy Natural Mood Enhancers By Kelly Aiello
Eat your way to a happier day without throwing away your health and wellbeing in the process!
People often eat fast food and other unhealthy meals because it gives them a positive feeling. It’s difficult to deny that a greasy cheeseburger or thick slice of cheesecake hits a spot that few other foods can. But, it’s also common knowledge that eating a large amount of these foods can have a detrimental effect on your health. So, why do people eat them in the first place? Simple: to chase that previously mentioned high that it gives them. The good news is that unhealthy food is not the only way to boost your mood. There are plenty of foods that serve as natural mood enhancers that you can consume in order to have a better day and lifestyle. So exactly which foods can positively impact your mood? Here is my top 10 list:
1.Coconut
2. High-Carb Meals
Unlike most other foods, the way coconut affects your mood is slightly different. It’s actually the pleasant aroma that influences your mood, and not so much the taste.
There are plenty of diets and meal plans out there that shun carbs and say that you should consume a minimal amount of them each day. But for some people, having a rigid restriction on carbohydrate consumption can result in a poor mood, irritability, and even minor anxiety. Smart carbohydrates from sources like whole grains, sweet potatoes, and green vegetables can help boost your energy levels. So, if you are feeling irritable, depressed, or fatigued, try adding these smarter carbs to your day.
When you expose your body to something that smells sweet and soothing like a coconut does, it can help lower your heart rate and make you feel more complacent with whatever task you’re doing. Coconut can be shredded and added to other foods, such as oatmeal. 48
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3. Chocolate
6. Fish
Chocolate is a food that many people can’t help but love. In fact, it’s easy to love it a little too much. Because of its high-calorie content, you should only consume chocolate in small portions. Dark chocolate specifically is the type that benefits you the most. The antioxidants that are present in dark chocolate can help boost your mood and keep you focused. If you find yourself craving sweets, a little bit of dark chocolate should more than satisfy you.
Like eggs, fish are a great source of multiple nutrients. They have plenty of omega-3 fatty acids, which can be difficult to find in other foods, can help improve brain function and mood. Because of how powerful omega-3 fatty acids are, fish are one of the best natural mood enhancers that you can find. There’s also a large variety of fish to choose from, so you can find the one that tastes best to you. If the taste of the fish is no concern, the best fish to choose for health purposes are salmon, tuna, and trout - wild, and sustainably caught, of course.
4. Saffron Saffron isn’t something that many people think of consuming. Some people might not even know what it is. Saffron can have a great place in your diet if you find yourself in need of a natural mood enhancer. According to scientific studies, saffron has been found to be an effective way to manage mild depression. Because saffron is a spice, you can add it to a variety of dishes like soups, stews, rice, and even cakes.
5. Eggs Eggs are renowned for being one of the best, most well-rounded foods that you can eat. They have plenty of amino acids and mood-boosting B vitamins and are easy for your body to absorb, without being hard on digestion. Their high protein content will also leave you feeling fuller for longer, which can be very helpful if you’re trying to lose weight. Also, you can cook eggs in a variety of ways. You can fry them, scramble them, or even boil them and save them for later.
7. Kale Kale is commonly referred to as a “superfood.” It has a very high magnesium concentration, which is a substance that drastically helps improve depression in those who have it. It also has plenty of vitamin C, vitamin D, and iron. Because kale is so dense with nutrients, eating it every day can drastically improve your mood over a long period of time. Plus, it’s very easy to make a salad with, so you can add other foods to help enhance the taste and make it easier to consume.
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8. Almonds
10. Coffee
While they may not have omega-3 acids like fish do, almonds have plenty of other healthy fats. Similar to kale, almonds are very dense when it comes to their nutrient concentration. This allows you to get a lot of benefit from a very small serving. You can also consume almonds in the form of almond butter, which is one of the tastiest natural mood enhancers available. If you are looking for a satisfying evening snack that is nutritious and can fill the void, try almond butter on celery sticks.
Coffee is one of the most peculiar natural mood enhancers that you can consume. There have been claims that coffee causes serious health problems, that it raises awareness and comprehension, and other claims that it doesn’t do anything at all.
9. Blueberries If almonds and fish are the kings of healthy fats, blueberries (especially wild ones) are the king of antioxidants. These nutrients can drastically help improve your mood because of their positive effect on brain function. Blueberries are also one of the best sources of fibre that you have access to. It’s recommended to eat one cup a day, but it doesn’t matter how you do it. As such, blueberry smoothies are a very popular option.
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Regardless of what long-winded articles say about what coffee can or cannot do, the proof is in the science. As you can assume, coffee’s main benefit to your mood is the caffeine that it contains. Not only does it elevate your mood, it also helps you concentrate and be more productive. This increased productivity serves as an indirect benefit to your mood, as well. Natural Mood Enhancers Don’t Have to Be Unhealthy We can’t deny that unhealthy foods give us a rush of good feelings, but these foods aren’t the only ones that can benefit our mood. Food is more powerful than many people think. The health of your brain is in your hands!
If you’d like to start eating well to improve your mood, check out the recipe below!
Kale Cucumber Salad Serves 2
Photo credit: Kelly Aiello
Cucumber Dill Dressing
Salad 4 cups kale 1 cup cooked beans of your choice (white beans, chickpeas, etc.) 1 cup cooked quinoa or sorghum 1 cucumber, sliced
½ cup Tahini 2 Tbsp Dill ½ tsp Maple syrup 2 dashes Sea salt ¼ tsp Garlic, minced
½ Lemon, juiced ½ cup Cucumber, chopped 1 Green onion, chopped 2 dashes Black pepper
Instructions • Divide salad ingredients evenly between two bowls. • Add all dressing ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until creamy. You may need to add a little water to thin. Add it slowly, a tablespoon at a time until desired thickness is reached. • Add dressing to salads and gently toss. Become Whole Food Optimized • Serve & enjoy! Tip: Extra dressing can be stored in the fridge for a few days. To learn more about which foods are best for your brain (and which ones to avoid), check out Kelly Aiello’s blog at HappiHuman.com or contact her at kelly@HappiHuman.com for an individual consultation.
See nutritionist Kelly Aiello, R.H.N. for in-person and online nutritional services.
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e c i d u j e Pr s n i g e B
e m o at H
By Barbara Gunn I have come to realize that parents, and grandparents, lead our children to form prejudices that can last a lifetime. Prejudices, especially those that focus on color, can cause a great deal of trouble when the child becomes an adult. This story was inspired by an article I read about what to do with stuffed bears outgrown from childhood. Although I had little experience with childhood bears myself, I was allowed to eavesdrop on my grandson’s experience with a very special bear in his life. I purchased the perky little fellow at a yard sale my daughter’s friend had. The bear in question was brand new and my grandson was about two years old. I loved both the bear and the kid at first sight. My daughter was not pleased with my purchase, even though my grandson obviously loved his new floppy friend. The first thing out of her mouth was, “It’s pink!” “It’s pink and blue”, I corrected. The bear had equal amounts of both colors. My daughter refused to allow him to take the bear out in public. What would people think? 52
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What Now My Love? A Writer’s Journey inspiring others to be the best that they can be.
“Write On” an online writing group created to encourage others to get what is inside outside. begunn37@q.com http://subconsciousmessages.blogspot.com
From that day onward, the bear (which was allowed to travel with us in my car) was referred to as “car bear”. It stayed with me when its owner wasn’t around. It kept him company on nights he slept over at my house, was fed cereal at make believe picnics in my living room, enjoyed rides in a little plastic wagon, was sometimes transformed into a bean bag and always gave as much love as it received. One day when my grandson was visiting me, he was about eight, he decided to retrieve his old stuffed animals that were stored in the little plastic wagon. I watched with amusement as he picked them up, one by one, and either discarded or kept them. The treasured car bear was, of course, put in the keep pile. His fate was apparently to be decided some other time. Days later I was thinking about this special pink and blue bear that had given and received so much love from an equally special little boy. I realized that parents need to mind their own business and let their children choose for themselves. I also realized that love can be any color we want it to be. Recently my grandson, now sixteen, collected his toy box filled with things he no longer played with. He kept a few things and will sell or give away the rest. I held on to the pink and blue bear and told him I would give it back to him when he had his first child, boy or girl. He gave me a huge smile. Car bear now sits in an antique rocker in the corner of my bedroom. Every time I pass by it I think about the color of love and how important our job as role models is for our children. Prejudice does begin at home and as parents we need to do everything we can to stop it. Spring 2019
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Happy Birthday To Me! By Mark Setjo
I was born in the year of the Tiger, in the month of January. For the longest time I didn’t celebrate it. I just didn’t feel like it. I regularly went to other people’s birthdays, but I rarely threw a party for myself. That began to change when my brother moved to London, UK for work. I didn’t get to see him much anymore, so one year, I asked him if it was possible to visit him for a week and celebrate my birthday in London. He thought it was a great plan, and he suggested a venue quite suited for a get-together. I have a couple of friends in London and another in Oxford whom I invited. Photos courtesy of Mark Setjo
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Planning a small birthday party hadn’t felt this much fun in ages! I had a wonderful time hanging out with great friends and my brother. To me, it’s not about getting presents - don’t get me wrong; I like getting presents, but they’re not mandatory. However, spending time with lovely people is. When I finally came to the point I accepted I was trans, I started going to a therapist. She suggested I meet other transmen in real life. At that point I had only befriended some on Facebook and joined a couple online groups. I found that most members were young (teens and twenties) and predominantly white. It took a while to find transmen closer to my age, and was harder to find Asian ones. Over the past few years I found some, but none of them live close to me. I did find a trans group that meets once a month and is a 40-minute drive away. But I digress…
It may not be a significant date but it was to me. It still is. That date was the start of not only a new chapter, it was the start of a new book as well. One of my friends referred to it as “Version 2.0” and I love it. (If I’m ever going to write a memoir that is going to the title.) One year later, on July 25, 2013 my brother and I celebrated my first “manniversary” - a term I’ve seen other transmen use. I like the wordplay, so I adopted it. And now, every year on that date, my brother and I celebrate the new birthday of me. The Version 2.0 of me. By Mark Setjo perfectflaw75@gmail.com
It took a while before I could start the testosterone shots. Frankly, it took longer than I would have liked, but I kept telling myself I was already in my 30’s and a few more weeks won’t hurt. I was very excited and looked forward to it. My first shot was on July 25, 2012, which was a hot Summer day. Being injected with the hormone was like getting a flu shot, except this fluid is a lot syrupier. Plus, it needs to be injected into a muscle. I’ve seen transmen recommend (online) other things but I’ve found that a shot in the gluteus maximus works best for me.
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Children’s Books Reviews by Carolyn Laurie
Hello, fellow readers and book lovers. I hope you’ve had a wondrous winter and above all I truly hope that you have been able to take some time for yourself, doing what you love, and taking care of your self. Whether that includes massage, meditation, getting out in nature, or simply to sit down and read that book you’ve been wanting to read. Usually when I do book reviews I concentrate on one particular book but in the last few weeks my mind keeps coming back to three children’s books that have come across my path in the last year. I’ve always had a fondness for children’s books, even well after my children grew up. I particularly love books that teach children something. I love artwork and illustrations. In choosing a favourite book the words and the artwork/
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illustrations have to all come together to make a perfect story that captivates the mind and multiple senses of the child, and better yet, the adults as well. As far as the learning aspect of the book, I really respect an author that can get their message across without being preachy or didactic. In other words, the message doesn’t get shoved in the child’s face. It evolves naturally from the words and pictures. The three books I’ve chosen to review speak to issues and concerns that are relevant to our current society and world. Themes of acceptance, non-judgement, bullying, and mental health. It’s a tough world out there and I feel like if we can teach and prepare our children as early as possible, without scaring them of course, they will be better off.
Everybody’s Different on Everybody Street by Sheree Fitch Every person in this world wants to feel and be special. And we are all unique. This book celebrates this uniqueness of each of us. But not just through the aesthetics of a person. She brings to the forefront the mental health issues which plague our society. She marries her whimsical poetry with the reality of life. It is an honest portrayal of your average street (Everybody Street) with all the personalities encompassed within:
Some of us hold bags of hope Like babies in our arms Some hop over sidewalk cracks In search of good luck charms Some are hiding pride inside We’re human helium balloons! Some of us don’t love ourselves Some migrate to the moon. Some of us wear hats of worry Seven stories high Most of us are in a hurry And we often don’t know why… And we often don’t know why.
Sheree Fitch has struck gold with this book. I have read it several times now and each time it makes me catch my breath. As an adult you’ll recognize the heartbreaking reality of the lines. You’ll recognize people you know…and probably yourself! In a society that can be filled with hatred, racism, ageism, mental health problems and so many more isms, this is a lesson of acceptance of everyone in our world;
All of us are perfect and all of us have flaws. With Emma Fitzgerald’s detailed and whimsical illustrations, and Ms. Fitch’s rhyming, there is lots of opportunity to open conversation with your child as well as entertain. My prediction…this book will become another iconic book that you must read to your children. No matter what age they are.
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The Purple Frog by Angela Jeffreys In this book by Angela, we are introduced to Hubert. As we all know, frogs are green. Or are they? Hubert is a purple frog and he’s a smart frog. For both of these reasons he gets teased at school and at home. But something starts to happen to our little protagonist. He starts to get green spots! He is quite concerned with covering them up so that he doesn’t stand out even more. As days go by we see the transformation of Hubert into…well, you’ll have to read it for yourself. The main themes of this charming book are bullying and self acceptance. Ms. Jeffreys manages to write a book that not only entertains but teaches a valuable lesson to children about loving oneself and the effects of bullying.
“Only smart purple frogs get green spots. You should be proud of your spots! You should be proud of who you are! You are my special, little, smart purple frog with green spots and I am very proud of you.”
This book will be a hit for years to come and I believe it should be in all homes, preschools, and elementary schools. Hubert’s lesson is timeless. It’s easy to understand and learn from. The illustrations, by Mike Motz, are bright and attractive which is perfect for young children. An all-around success. Bravo Angela!
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The Truth Pixie by Matt Haig Matt Haig is an author I only discovered in this last year. I have simply fallen in love with his work. I’ve read several of his books. His words are honest, helpful, and hopeful, and this book is no exception. Technically, The Truth Pixie is a children’s book but it’s really for all ages. Trixie is a pixie who has been “gifted” with always having to tell the truth. The problem is that Trixie cannot stop herself from saying things that can be hurtful. She says what she thinks and this can really get her in trouble. She finds that she becomes ostracized from the town and its people. She lives in fear and sadness and experiences anxiety simply at the thought of speaking to others because no one understands her. One day she meets an ogre who she predictably offends and he throws her far away to another land with his super strength. Where she lands, she meets Aada, a little girl who is sad because she is moving away. Trixie recognizes such sadness and understands. “The truth pixie feels bad. She can see the girl’s truth, This nearly her last night under this roof. There are other things, too, that the pixie can see: Aada’s hundred worries, about what shall be.” Trixie knows that she had to dig deep and help this girl. This is her time to shine and make her truths helpful. So, Trixie begins to tell Aada how it will be. This is my favourite part of the book. Matt Haig is brilliant with his words here. Although, geared towards children, it’s a perfect reminder for adults. Through Trixie’s words he speaks of life and the ups and downs. He reminds us and prepares our children for a life that is varied with and with many emotions.
“There will be people you love, Who can’t stay forever, And there will be things you can’t fix, Although you are clever. But listen hard, and listen good. Life might not go as it should, But you are young and your life will be magic, It will be happy and funny and sometimes tragic. Don’t forget who you are. You are a fighter. As the dark in the sky makes the stars shine brighter, You will find the bad stuff has good bits too. The bad days are the days that make you you. You can’t always see goodness, but it’s always there, Just like the mouse who hides in my hair.” Spring 2019
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And so it goes on that Trixie illuminates Aada to the fact that things will not always be sad or bad. And, in the end, Trixie the truth pixie is accepted for herself by Aada and her father and invited to live with them. She has finally found her place in the world. As with the other two children’s books reviewed, The Truth Pixie teaches valuable lessons without the child even knowing. It is highly entertaining with lovely quirky characters developed by Mr. Haig and drawn by Chris Mould. The rhyming story flows effortlessly for the reader and the topics of anxiety, depression, conformity, and acceptance are interwoven so subtly. It’s brilliant! I urge you to read all three of the above books…for your children…and for yourself. “Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.” -Charles R. Swindoll By Carolyn Laurie www.facebook.com/booksbecause
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Blue Crow Inspirations by Angela Jeffreys
Helping you to discover your life’s path. -Hypnotherapy -Courses on Shamanism and spirituality -Spiritual Counselling & Readings -Shamanic Healing & Intuitive Healing www.bluecrowinspirations.com
I Am, I Can, I Will A Jungle Dream By Nina Pauline Ploetz Author: Nina Pauline Ploetz Nina’s Life Lights NinasLifeLights @ gmail.com illustrator: S.D. Lawrence Saddleback studios lawrence @ sddlebackstudios.com
Order your copy online at BARNES&NOBLE and AMAZON E-book is also available
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Barbara Loure` Gunn Author of Amazon E-book, “What Now My Love? A Writer’s Journey”. Barbara is a motivational writer and blogger. email: begunn37@q.com
2 the Power of 1 Wellness Network Need a practitioner? We are a network of client recommended wellness professionals covering a wide range of services. We help find the right practitioner for your needs. http://2thepowerof1.com
Nina Pauline Ploetz Author of “I am, I can, I will; A Jungle Dream” Nina is an inspirational writer and poet. Email: ninaslifelights@gmail.com
Books BooksBecause ...where words and people connect. https://www.facebook.com/booksbecause/ Instagram: @booksbecausehfx
Courses/Workshops Angela Jeffreys, Blue Crow Inspirations Classes and courses via on-line, e-course, in-person, and weekend retreats. Topics include Psychic Development, Mediumship, Shamanism, Dreams, Chakras, Meditation, Tarot, Healing and more. Email: bluecrowinspirations@gmail.com www.bluecrowinspirations.com
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Kelly Aiello Consultations in neuronutrition, blood sugar imbalances, and digestive disorders. Sessions can be in person or online if not local. www.HappiHuman.com Phone: 250-574-5044 Candice Dumont Professional compassionate postpartum support to parents with the transition into parenthood, newborn care, feeding information, recovery support, as well as light housekeeping, meal preparation, and community resource recommendations. https://www.facebook.com/mommabirddoula/ Kelly Harris, RNT, DipCNM, mBANT, CNHC Nutritional therapist specialising in hormonal and women’s health issues and digestive disorders and atopic conditions. In-person and online consultations available. Web: www.sissiboonutrition.com Email: info@sissiboonutrition.com
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Hypnotherapy Angela Jeffreys, Blue Crow Inspirations Provides private and group sessions to explore phobias, past lives, find life lessons and soul contracts. Offers programs such as Removing Money Blocks, Principles of the Soul. Email: bluecrowinspirations@gmail.com www.bluecrowinspirations.com
Life Coaching Tess Adams Certified Intuitive Life Coach, helping people connect with their own truths and create life altering shifts. Email: www.TessAdamsCoaching.com tessadamscoaching@gmail.com
Life Coach Instructors Tess Adams Become an Intuitive Life Coach with Tess. www.TessAdamsCoaching.com E-mail: tessadamscoaching@gmail.com
Marketing and Admin Support
Nutritional Services Kelly Aiello Consultations in neuronutrition, blood sugar imbalances, and digestive disorders. Sessions can be in person or online if not local. www.HappiHuman.com Phone: 250-574-5044 Kelly Harris, RNT, DipCNM, mBANT, CNHC Nutritional therapist specialising in hormonal and women’s health issues and digestive disorders and atopic conditions. In-person and online consultations available. Web: www.sissiboonutrition.com Email: info@sissiboonutrition.com
Photography Marc Geuzinge Provides portraits, events, architecture, and real estate photography services. Crystal and spiritual stock photography available for sale. Ph: 902-404-8677 www.marcgeuzinge.com Email: info@marcgeuzinge.com
Postpartum Doula
2 the Power of 1 Wellness Network Are you a practitioner who doesn’t enjoy the “business” side of your practice? Let us do it for you. Marketing campaigns, Video production, web design, admin support… http://2thepowerof1.com
Candice Dumont Professional compassionate postpartum support to parents with the transition into parenthood, newborn care, feeding information, recovery support, as well as light housekeeping, meal preparation, and community resource recommendations. https://www.facebook.com/mommabirddoula/
Midwifery
Shamanism
Rachel Hart Certified Professional Midwife, Birthing Way Midwifery. Providing prenatal, birth, and postpartum care in the home setting. www.birthingway.com rachel@birthingway.com
Angela Jeffreys, Blue Crow Inspirations Providing classes on various Shamanic subjects, i.e. Beginner, Soul Retrieval, Psychopomp Offers Shamanic Soul Retrieval Healing sessions and journeys to remove negative energies. www.bluecrowinspirations.com bluecrowinspirations@gmail.com
Spring 2019
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Would you like to have your advertisements, business cards, posters and promotion material look this beautiful?
MGP - Marc Geuzinge Photography Crystal Art Stock Photography
For more stunning crystal art stock images like this one, click HERE.
