Winter 2018 by Wheel Of Life Magazine

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! We have now reached the last issue of our first year! Time flies when you are having fun and it has been quite the year for our magazine! We have grown tremendously since our first issue was released last March. We have assembled a top-notch group of writers with the most inspiring and interesting life stories. I am very thankful for my designer Amanda for an exceptional job on making the magazine look as beautiful as it does. I would also like to thank all of you for making this new publication a success! We look forward to another successful year in 2019. As this issue comes out on the Winter solstice, our writers have provided you with some of their favourite recipes and inspirational articles for the holidays. Leah writes about dealing with grief during the holidays and I share how I changed a dreadful time into a joyous time, simply by changing my perspective. My hope is these articles will help those that find this time of year difficult to turn it into a joyful one too. For those of you joining us in January and February, worry not – the entire issue is not holiday based. We have many inspiring articles from our contributors sharing their experiences and perspectives that apply all year round. We would love to hear from you! If an article has helped you in any way, please let us know! We welcome all letters from our readers, the writers especially. They would like to know the positive impact they are making in the world. From everyone at The Wheel Of Life Magazine, we wish you all the best for the holiday season, whichever way you celebrate, and we wish you a prosperous and joy filled 2019!

Blessings, Angela

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, Ana Bokstrom, Lisa Falcon, Rachel Hart, Angela Jeffreys, Carolyn Laurie, Laura Nauss, Ora North, Leah Parsons, Jeff Pilsner, Nina Ploetz, Sylvia Richards, Mark Setjo, Bernette Sherman, Holli Smith, Rylee Smith Cover Image Photo Courtesy - Paul Luftenegger Layout and Design - Marc Geuzinge © 2018 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 responsible for products, services and pricing by its contributors and advertisers. 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 issue. We assume all unsolicited material is for publication, unless otherwise stated, 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 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.

This issue is dedicated to Malcolm Jeffreys 1944-2003.

Contents 05 A Personal Journey With My Inner Child 08 Solstice Magic - A Poem 09 The Ketogenic Diet For Brain Health 15 Our Gift to You - Our Favourite Holiday Recipes 21 Be Feel Think Do - A Book Review 24 Flying Free 27 Memories of A Traditional Christmas 32 Level Up 34 Earth Rhythms 37 Ghosts Of Christmas Past 41 The Technology of Music 53 Grief During the Holidays 56 Birth Of An Idea 60 Santa: On Mushrooms 62 Healing Ancestral Abuse 65 Living With the Incurable: Endometriosis 72 The Spirit Of Christmas 74 Stepping Out of the Darkness 79 Intention: The Powerful Act of Manifestation 81 Expansion of Light 83 Be The Light - A Midwifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Christmas Story

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Has an article in the Wheel Of Life Magazine inspired or motivated you? We would love to hear all about it. Please submit your letters to wheeloflifemagazine@gmail.com to be included in a future issue. Full names must be given to qualify for publishing. Letters may be edited for clarity and space.

Dear Angela, I love the range of articles and posts covered in the Wheel of Life magazine ... and for us transformation junkies ... wow it’s so great to have a magazine like this! Thank you! ~Julie Meroiti Dear Angela, Congratulations on your new publication of “The Wheel of Life”. It is a beautifully laid out magazine with wonderful images; however, this inaugural issue is not a case of style over substance. I appreciated many of the articles, including; ‘Embracing Change’, ‘The Grief Journey’ and, of course, the interview with James Redfield, to name a few. Kudos also for your ‘Words of the Wise’ feature. It is a wonderful way to honour loved ones passed and impart some guidance for those of us still here. I found the pieces in this quarterly timely and poignant. I have no doubt that others would find it to be the same. As a person who is on a quietly spiritual path, I appreciate the tone of the magazine. It is inspirational, not “preachy”. I would encourage others to spend some time with “The Wheel of Life Magazine”. ~Joanne Matheson Sovik

A Year In Review Dear Angela, An amazing magazine filled with insights, inspirations, hopes, dreams and so much more. Amazing writers that draw you in and fill you up. Once you start reading you won’t want to put it down. ~Nina Ploetz Dear Angela, Amazing Magazine!!! You get tons of reading material in the issue - it does not disappoint! The articles are positive, interesting, inspirational and educational. You don’t have to believe in a particular religion, philosophy, or belief system to enjoy this magazine, it’s very diverse and I believe everyone can resonate with the articles! It’s simply spiritual. The articles are very well written and include professional photos. You’re also helping the Earth and saving trees by subscribing to an E-magazine! ~Brandy Burrow Dear Angela, Congratulations on the launch of Wheel of Life Magazine! I am so impressed with the quality of the layout, the contributors and content. I subscribed immediately and look forward to future issues. ~Anne O’Connell

A Personal Journey With My Inner Child

By Jeff Pilsner I’ve done a lot of work in the selfimprovement department of my life. I had an extremely challenging childhood that grew into an adulthood that was filled with angst. The juxtaposition, however, is that I was a very smart and talented soul. In the face of so much pain and frustration, I was presented with opportunities that few people ever have the chance to even dream of, let alone experience. So, here I was, presented with opportunity after opportunity to make a big splash in the pond of life, but only after capturing brief glimpses of success, something deep inside of me insisted on slamming on the brakes. Whether it was my forays in the Fortune 500, real estate, or (especially) in the entertainment industry, EVERY time I came close to making it – and I mean REALLY making it…I CHOKED!

I had the fear of success and the fear of failure in spades, and because I was always in reactive mode, I could never quite figure out why I experienced such a visceral response to the plethora of opportunities that fell at my feet. It all came to a head one day shortly after I finished production on a television show that I co-hosted for a couple of years. This gig had been my big break, it led to all kinds of other media and theater work, and in the end, I often got pointed out when I would go out in public. On one hand, it was nice to be recognized for my public skills but on the other hand I would have MUCH preferred being anonymous. Too bad I wasn’t a writer back then instead of a public performer, as you can be successful without anyone knowing what you look like.

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After a ‘perfect storm’ of events, I walked away from that life and moved to a different city in a different province. Renting a tiny 280 sq/ft apartment and keeping my living expenses to an absolute minimum, I just allowed myself to ‘be’. The new city in which I lived had a lovely river that meandered through its center with plenty of trails nestled amongst trees and bushes, and I took full advantage of this by spending many hours a day traversing these paths in quiet contemplation. After allowing myself the time to just be in the moment, communing with nature, I began to catch glimpses of my past. I had done this before! It was at the ripe old age of seven that I began going for long walks in nature to commune, it was the only way that I could decompress from early life experiences that would have broken most people. Now, as I embraced an old ritual, I began to connect with the boy that I once was, and to be honest, neither of us were in any hurry to begin what we both knew would be a difficult conversation.

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But during the countless hours quietly padding through the pathways of the park, I began to ‘see’ him as a separate person walking beside me as we navigated the various trails in the city core. I saw him as the wounded little boy, who had no clue why he was suffering so much, the older and wiser me would explain, to the best of my ability, in terms that a child would understand. As time progressed a special bond began to cement between us; we shared our thoughts, concerns, our hearts… It got to the point where we could gaze into the ‘whites’ of each other’s eyes. When we drove together, he remained buckled up in the passenger seat.When we walked together, it was with his hand in mine and in situations where we’d meet ‘scary’ people on the path, I would insist that he walk behind me and let the adult me step in front and protect him from potential danger (I laugh at this now, because if I shared this exercise with a mental health professional, they would have probably had me committed).

Speaking of commitment, it was because of making an absolute promise to my little boy that I would always look out for him and do everything in my power to protect him, that he felt safe to come out and stay out. That was my adult self’s service to my inner child, but I have to say that what he offered in return was much greater than what I offered him. It was by allowing myself to see my world through the child’s eyes that I was able to find a true sense of playfulness and peace, and it was learning to trust his voice which spoke on behalf of my soul’s integrity. It was so wonderful to spend time with my new friend, someone who cared about me and my wellbeing as much as I cared about his. It was so surreal; logically I knew he was only a construct of my own mind, but on another level, he seemed so REAL, like a totally separate person.

One morning the unthinkable happened. I was in a hurry to drive somewhere and upon opening the car door, I did not notice that the little boy was sitting in the driver’s seat smiling up at me. I wasn’t thinking as I rushed to sit down in the seat and when I realized what I had just done, I was horrified. For a moment questions like, ‘Did I squash my precious inner child?’ ‘Is he DEAD?’ flashed through my head. Almost instantaneously, I felt the sensation of not squashing a frail child under my adult body weight, but rather I felt him quickly rise up and in to the deepest core of my being. I was feeling FULL for the first time in my life. That was almost thirty years ago, but I remember the experience as if it was yesterday. By Jeff Pilsner http://shifthappensnow.ca

Winter 2018

SOLSTICE MAGIC

I Am, I Can, I Will A Jungle Dream

Shortest day Shortest night Solstice magic Mystic might Suns rise Moons set Seasons change No regret

By Nina Pauline Ploetz Author: Nina Pauline Ploetz Ninaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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

Winter wonder Summers glory Sharing space Ancient story Retrospections Visions too Phoenix fire Mysterious brew Celestial bodies Twinkling lights Impish grins Dancing sprites Fairy snow Rustling leaves Solstice magic Who believes Playful hearts Open door Unification Wanting more Solstice magic Earth transcends Too beginnings And to ends One and all Forever Bless Joy and Hope And Happiness 08

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By Nina Pauline Ploetz ninaslifelights@gmail.com

The Ketogenic Diet for Brain Health Have you or a loved one ever suffered a traumatic brain injury? Do you experience brain fog, mental fatigue, or forgetfulness? Do you have difficulty concentrating, remembering names and dates, or recalling where you left your keys? Do you have a mental health issue like anxiety, depression, Alzheimer’s, bipolar disorder, autism, ALS, MS, or Parkinson’s? If not, would you like to improve your overall cognitive performance and memory to avoid any of these issues in the future?

By Kelly Aiello

Your Brain after a TBI Let’s start by taking a closer look at what happens to the brain when someone suffers a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The moment a TBI occurs, the inner workings of that person’s brain actually changes. Free radicals are created in the energy-producing mitochondria, cell membranes become damaged, and neuronal signaling becomes abnormal. These changes can result in cognitive and motor impairments, increased oxidative stress, DNA damage, and other metabolic changes, including a diminished ability of your brain to produce energy and use glucose as fuel.

If so, proper nutrients for the brain and the ketogenic diet may be able to help! Your Brain after a TBI Let’s start by taking a closer look at what happens to the brain when someone suffers a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

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Results of these metabolic changes create the symptoms often experienced by someone with a TBI - extreme physical and neural-fatigue, mental slowness, and difficulty thinking, learning, or remembering. Their brain must work overtime to produce energy but is unable to do so. This is where a ketogenic diet comes into play. Not only can it help someone who has suffered a TBI, but it shows promise for anyone with a mental health issue or who wants to improve their brain function and restore cognition. So, what can the ketogenic diet do for you and what happens in the brain when you switch from burning glucose for fuel to burning ketones? How Ketosis Affects the Brain Normally, ingested carbs are broken down into glucose, converted into a usable form of energy, then used as fuel or stored in the liver and muscle tissue for later use. But, in a ketogenic state, we deprive our body of carbohydrates. The liver springs into action to provide the necessary glucose that feeds your organs - including the brain. But when thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no more glucose, a metabolic shift occurs. The liver begins creating ketone bodies from the fats we consume or those our body has stored, and we enter a state of ketosis. Ketones are released into the bloodstream and are then absorbed by our organs and brain. Unlike glucose, ketones readily cross the blood brain barrier where they are converted into a ready source of fuel and become a more efficient alternate energy source.

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Become Whole Food Optimized See nutritionist Kelly Aiello, R.H.N. for in-person and online nutritional services.

In fact, our brain actually prefers using ketones for energy. This is good news for sufferers of many neurological diseases where energy production is often lacking. So, if you suffer from depression, anxiety, a brain injury, or any other mental health issue, a ketogenic diet can increase oxygen flow to the brain and reduce inflammation in it to help you feel more like yourself again. If you are dealing with memory problems, slower brain function, or dementia, a ketogenic diet can help improve your cognitive function and prevent or slow the signs of aging. How does it accomplish this? By increasing oxygen flow to the brain and reducing inflammation! Why is reducing brain inflammation so important in the first place? When there is inflammation or swelling in the brain, cells cannot communicate as easily. It takes longer to send signals from one part of the brain to another, and brain functions slow. This results in brain fog, neurofatigue, forgetfulness, difficulty finding the words we want to say, and eventually, we may no longer be able to retrieve memories or create new ones. Luckily, what we feed the brain can work to prevent this from happening in the first place or reduce damage that may have taken place! Applications of the Keto Diet for Brain Health The ketogenic diet was originally used to treat drug-resistant epilepsy in children. Emerging research suggests that keto can be used therapeutically for many

other neurological issues, from sleep disorders and headaches to bipolar and Alzheimer’s. In people with these conditions, glucose can’t be converted into usable energy very efficiently. Since the brain still requires energy, and lots of it, it must come from a different source. Enter ketones. Unlike glucose, which cannot pass through the blood-brain barrier, ketones can. There, they are readily used by brain cells. Your brain can’t absorb glucose, so it circulates throughout your body until it is converted into a usable form. This may account for feeling mentally fatigued after eating a carb-rich meal or snack your body must wait for the conversion of glucose to take place before it can provide energy. Ketones, on the other hand, reach the brain much faster and keep energy levels steady, preventing mid-afternoon energy slumps and brain fog from kicking in. Ketones also work to prevent glucose uptake problems. Excess amounts of glucose can eventually lead to obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes. It can also contribute to poor mental health, age-related cognitive decline, dementia, and Alzheimer’s. However, since ketones readily pass through to the brain and are used as a quick energy source, glucose issues are no longer a problem. Winter 2018

How else can keto benefit the brain? The ketogenic diet can help: • Improve energy production: Through its efficient way of getting fuel inside damaged brain cells, energy is created faster, less oxygen is used up, and less oxidative stress is created. This means brain cells don’t have to work as hard to produce needed energy. As neurofatigue is a common complaint among people with mental health issues, an increase in energy is a great thing! • Reduce brain inflammation: The right nutrients and quality fats help fuel the brain even more efficiently and reduce inflammation in it. This inflammation creates slowed thinking, headaches, mental fatigue, and mood disorders. So, by reducing it, cognition, reaction time, moods, and mild depression can improve. • Increase oxygen flow to the brain: The organ that requires the most oxygen is the brain. If it doesn’t get enough, we experience mental sluggishness, and have a harder time thinking and learning. To fuel such a hungry brain, there must be a steady supply of blood flowing to it. This blood brings necessary oxygen and nutrients for energy production, growth, and repair. Increased oxygen flow to the brain can decrease fatigue, improve sleep, and facilitate higherlevel thinking and cognition. • Keep blood sugar levels stable: High levels of blood sugar are toxic to the brain and create more inflammation. Chronically high levels are also associated with insulin resistance and diabetes. Studies show that having diabetes increases your risk of developing Alzheimer’s - sometimes referred to as “type 3 diabetes.” 12

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• Protect the brain: Ketones have antioxidant properties that protect the brain and reduce the risk of dementia. They also help neutralize damaging oxidants and free radicals that wreak havoc on the brain. Oxidative damage is a telltale sign of aging and neurodegeneration, so reducing its harmful effects protects brain health. • Reduce Alzheimer’s risk: With reduced brain inflammation, increased oxygen flow to the brain, and the creation of new neuronal pathways, brain cells have an easier time communicating. This improves cognitive function, preserves memory, and decreases processing time. In turn, this reduces one’s risk for Alzheimer’s.

• Improve neuroplasticity: Neuroplasticity is your brain’s ability to adapt to changing environments and situations and goes hand in hand with the development of new neural pathways. Ketones work to boost levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which supports the creation of new neurons and neural pathways crucial for learning, memory, and higher thinking. • Optimize cognitive function: The quality omega 3 fatty acids that make up a good part of the keto diet are required for brain function. Because the brain is made of 60% fat, feeding it the right kinds of fat keeps it healthy and active.

Omega 3 fatty acids protect the health of brain cells, allow them to communicate better, and reduce inflammation in the brain. They also work to reduce the production of oxidants. Clearer thoughts, improved memory, and a more stable moods are the result. • Reduce brain toxicity: If followed properly, the keto diet reduces the amount of neurotoxins in the brain. By choosing quality, organic foods, we avoid most pesticides and insecticides that are toxic to brain tissue. Avoiding any type of toxin is beneficial to your brain. • Reduce stress: The keto diet stresses the consumption of nutrient-dense foods and quality fats that a healing body needs. The vitamins, minerals, enzymes and nutrients found in fresh vegetables eaten on a keto diet are vital to restore supplies used quickly under stress, while nourishing cells at the same time. • Improve anxiety and depression: Ketones increase levels of the neurotransmitter GABA while decreasing levels of glutamate to calm your mind, prevent brain cell damage and death, and improve mental focus. GABA’s calming effects counterbalance the excitability of glutamate. Too much glutamate results in overexcited brain cells that become toxic to your brain and create migraines, depression, strokes, brain fog, difficulty concentrating, and anxiety. So, by fueling your brain with ketones instead of glucose, you can better balance moods while reducing anxiety and depression. Feeding the brain the right kinds of fats and proper nutrients while depriving it of carbohydrates can produce many health benefits, including improved Winter 2018

So not only does the ketogenic diet show promise for brain injury survivors and those with mental health issues, but for anyone looking to improve cognition and memory, gain a competitive edge at school or in the workplace, or stave off dementia, as well. The idea that ketones can improve the cognitive performance of healthy individuals is fantastic. But even more remarkable is that a state of ketosis can reduce symptoms of otherwise untreatable neurological disorders.

If you are interested in improving cognition, memory and moods, a great place to start is with the ketogenic diet and the right kinds of fat. But like any new dietary plan of action, please consult your doctor before embarking on a ketogenic diet to find out if it may help you. If you’re ready to get started, here is a simple salmon recipe to help get you on your way! By Kelly Aiello www.HappiHuman.com

Simple Salmon with Kale & Cabbage Makes 2 Servings | 10 Min. Prep | 16 Min. Cooking Ingredients: • 6 cups Green Cabbage (roughly chopped) • 4 cups Kale Leaves (roughly chopped) • 3 Tbsp Avocado oil • 8 oz Wild Alaskan Salmon filet • Sea Salt & Black Pepper (to taste) • 1/4 cup fresh Dill (finely chopped) • 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar • 1 tsp Dijon Mustard Tools: • Sheet pan • Tin foil • Kitchen knife and cutting board •Small mason jar with lid Method: 1. Preheat oven to 450F and line a baking pan with foil. 2. Add cabbage and kale to the baking pan and toss with 1/3 of the avocado oil and a pinch of salt. Bake for 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir. 3. Pat the salmon fillets dry and season with salt and pepper. Lay the salmon over the cabbage and kale. Bake together for 10 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through. 4. Meanwhile, add the remaining avocado oil, dill, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper to a small mason jar. Cover with the lid and shake before serving. 5. Divide salmon, cabbage, and kale onto plates. Drizzle with your desired amount of dressing. Enjoy! Happy cooking and happy, healthy eating for life! 14

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Our Gift to You - Our Favourite Holiday Recipes A few of our writers have shared their holiday recipes with you. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Gorgonzola Parmesan Artichoke Dip

2 cans quartered artichokes in water 1 4oz container of gorgonzola or blue cheese crumbled 1 4oz container shredded parmesan cheese 1 8oz container cream cheese 2tbsp. lemon juice 6 slices cooked bacon (optional), chopped Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix all the ingredients except the bacon. Pour in a greased 9x12 inch glass baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes and stir. Bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from oven, stir, and sprinkle the bacon over the dip. Eat with assorted crackers or sliced baguette. By Rachel Hart

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Christmas Snowball Pudding This is an easy alternative to traditional Christmas Pudding. It should be started 2-3 days before needed. 1small can mandarin orange segments (in syrup if possible) 8 oz plain pound cake or sponge cake 2 oz sultanas 3 oz glace cherries 2oz raisins 4 oz butter 2 Tbs sherry 4 oz powdered sugar 2 oz ground almonds Small carton whipping cream Combine sherry, oranges, and juice to dried fruit and soak overnight. Next day, chop cherries and oranges. Crumble the cake. Grease a large basin and set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Fold in ground almonds and cherries, then the cake, and finally the mandarins and the soaked fruit with enough of the liquid to give a medium soft consistency. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t overdo the liquid, the pudding should be able to hold its shape. Press firmly into basin, cover and chill for 24-48 hours. When ready to serve, turn out of the basin onto a platter. Whip cream until stiff and use to coat the pudding - like a snowball! ~Sylvia Richards

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Wassail Bowl This is a rather extravagant (and VERY potent) recipe. Quantities are easily adjusted. This is to be served hot so use a punch bowl that will withstand the heat. Great aroma, and wonderful to warm up after carolling on Christmas Eve! 6 small apples 24 oz (3 cups) bottled ale 1 cup brown sugar 2 x 3 inch sticks cinnamon 2 whole allspice or 1 tsp ground

1 tsp whole cloves 1 tsp ground ginger 1 1/3 cups cream sherry 1 x 4â&#x20AC;? strip orange peel

Bake apples at 350Ě&#x160; for 20 mins until tender. Do not core or peel. Heat 1 cup of the ale with sugar, spices and peel. Simmer 10 mins. Gradually add the rest of the ale and the sherry. Bring to boiling, lower the heat and simmer 5 minutes. Pour into a heat resistant punch bowl over the apples (which should float). Serve hot. By Sylvia Richards

Mima’s Waffles While growing up in my grandmother’s house at Christmas time, my mother and her five siblings were given a treat from their Aunt Mima, year after year. When they grew up and had families of their own, their aunt passed down the recipe to continue on the tradition at Christmas time. In 1967, Aunt Mima gave my mother a waffle iron so that she too could make these treats for the family. Every year, until my mother passed away, she would make the waffles for me and my brothers many weeks before Christmas. My brothers and I were delighted to help her but there was a catch. This kind of waffle needs to set 6-8 weeks before they are ready to eat. They are wrapped in wax paper and tin foil, then stored in a box in a cool dry room. Oh the anticipation we had waiting, week after week, until we could dive into these delicious treats! I enjoyed sharing this tradition with my daughters and granddaughter, showing them how to make these waffles that were passed down in our family for many generations. I laughed with every frustrated cry of, “Please mom, why can’t just eat them now???” as it took me back to my childhood with fond memories of my mother. It’s just the way it was always done through the years. These days with the change in the way the ingredients are processed, I found that 6-8 weeks is now too long. As well, the humidity makes quite an impact on them so they must be stored with care for 2-3 weeks and kept very dry. I hope you enjoy our family’s waffles and may they bring you as much joy as it has brought us. By Jane Salsman

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Combine Ingredients in order:

Supplies:

1 cup Brown Sugar 1/2 cup Butter (not margarine) 5 Eggs 2 cups Flour 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

High Quality Wax Paper Tin Foil Cardboard Boxes Packing Tape

Cream sugar and butter together. Add eggs, one at a time, beating it into the mixture before adding the next one. Add flour and baking powder. Mix well. Drop from a teaspoon into waffle iron. Bake for 2 minutes. Check often, watch heat. First batch may burn. Pull out plug when it gets too hot. Storage: Completely line the inside of cardboard box with tin foil allowing extra to fold out over the box so it can be used to cover the top. Repeat with the wax paper. Place one layer of waffles in the box on the wax paper. Then add a piece of wax paper to cover them. Place another layer of waffles, then wax paper, alternating layers until the box is full. Wrap the excess wax paper so it folds and completely covers the waffles. Fold the tin foil the same way. Close the box and tape it shut. Place the boxes in a cool, dry area for 2-3 weeks. After opening, store the waffles in the fridge. Enjoy!!

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Quiche Lorraine One of our family traditions is to have Quiche Lorraine for breakfast. Here is my recipe. Enjoy! 9” single pie crust 4 eggs, beaten 2 cups light cream 1 cup bacon or ham, cooked & chopped* 1 cup Swiss Cheese, shredded 1/3 cup onion, minced Preheat oven to 425°. Beat eggs and add cream. Add all other ingredients. Pour into pie crust. Bake for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 300° and bake for an additional 30 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean. Allow to sit for 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve. *For a vegetarian version, substitute the bacon or ham for spinach. -Angela, Editor

BE FEEL THINK DO By Anne Berube, Ph.D.

A Review By Carolyn Laurie Stuck, stuck, STUCK! Have you ever been so stuck that you don’t know what to do and where to go for help? You just don’t know how to get unstuck? You may be stuck in some cycle of life where you know you aren’t living your best life. Living from paycheque to paycheque. I mean, you get all the bills paid and you have some sort selfsatisfaction with the job you are doing. You perform well in life. You make sound decisions for your life based on financial and physical circumstances and expectations, and it seems to work. BUT...you’re only just scraping by emotionally. If you really analyse it, I mean REALLY dig deep, you realize that your emotions (i.e. feelings) are secondary and you are feeling uneasy about your life and what you’ve created. You might even ask yourself some questions: Am I in the right job? Is my job my calling? Do I like my job? What’s happening with my life? Am I doing the things I want to do? Am I missing out on something? What about xxx that I loved to do when I was a child? Why don’t I do the things I love to do? You may not ever ask yourself any of these sorts of questions and that’s fine. But, if you are like me and many others, and you have, Anne Berube’s book Be Feel Think Do will be astonishingly enlightening. For that matter, even if you are 100% hunky dory with your life, this book may open some pathways to a

deeper more feeling life that you didn’t know existed. Speaking of being stuck, I was stuck when I tried to write this review for Anne’s book. I couldn’t decide where to start and what angle to take. Every word of this beautiful, compassionate book seeped into my soul. Picking and choosing 1000 words or so to describe that was daunting and seemingly impossible. Anne lays herself out in this book. It is her journey from her old self to her new self that she shares with us, so that we may benefit. Most of this book reads as a memoir. We follow along with her story, of how her life was just moving along at a normal, standard and expected pace, Winter 2018

when a near fatal car accident changed her life forever. She experienced something mystical and profound when she was in the wreckage, waiting to be rescued. It changed the trajectory of her life forever. Rather than be some sort of trite, sappy narrative of sudden transformation, Anne shares with us the years that were marked with pain and emotional turmoil. This was no overnight miracle. Years of introspection and her own personal transformation led to her own enlightenment around healing, peace and self-realization. She longed to have a life true to her soul’s calling and she did the work to get there. She shares, honestly and openly, the work she did to realize that she, and perhaps we, prioritize doing and thinking over being and feeling. “Which brings me to the main insight I want to share with you. The four things we do every day-do think feel be-are at the core of our modern suffering simply because we do them in the wrong order and in less than ideal proportions. For so long we have been taught to make our important decisions with our logical and rational minds, without taking into consideration the deeper, wiser, and more creative dimensions of our being. The invitation of this book is to consider flipping the order in which we engage our life on a moment-to-moment basis. I am proposing we reverse the order, start with be and explore what happens. Be Feel Think Do Does this resonate with you? Is there a knowing inside of you that has always

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been there, perhaps in the background of your awareness, peering out once in a while, yet you ignore it the majority of the time? Is there a gut feeling, a twinge in your solar plexus, a stirring in your heart that lets you know something important wants your attention? How do you know? What does it feel like for you? How would you describe it?”

This book, while a memoir, will cause you to examine your own life, make you feel awkward and uncomfortable, and it will push you to find the answers for yourself too. She lovingly smacks you in the face with the truths of all the distractions that we use in life to avoid the Be Feel aspect of our lives:

“We go about most of our days, reacting out of habit, on autopilot, strategizing our next move, never stopping to ask ourselves why we do what we do. Often, we do things to keep from feeling the pervasive discomfort of just being in our skin....it’s amazing we still have time to think. But think, we certainly do! Tens of thousands of thoughts a day, and most of them are recycled from the day before. From to-do lists to concerns to worries, our mind tends to chatter all day. It’s exhausting!” Throughout the book, Anne shares her memories of her life, her childhood, and the things that made her what she was and is today. Her book is layered with those memories and how they affected her. She takes all of that, and her personal transformation to guide her reader to live a fuller, richer life. She does so with love and kindness and very real strategies. I have only hit on a tenth of the valuable information in this book. There is so much to sink your thoughts and soul into. Anne also carries her words into actions. Through her workshops, called The Happy Sessions, she continues her work to help people discover their inner freedom. I can’t wait to take one in the new year. If you are asking yourself a lot of those questions I mentioned at the beginning, or you feel like you are on the verge of some sort of change or awakening, I highly recommend you read Be Feel Think Do. By Carolyn Laurie www.facebook.com/booksbecause

Photo credit Andreanne Gauthier

Winter 2018

Flying Free By Tess Adams

I consider myself an empath. What is that you ask? It means I pick up on people’s emotional pains and physical problems. Frequently I will take them on as my own, meaning I feel those same pains but am not aware of where they are coming from. I don’t do this intentionally, I naturally do it because I want to alleviate suffering in others, however it never did. I recently discovered how I can use being an empath to do that, and I would like to share my process with you. On September 2, 1998, Swissair Flight 111 crashed in the Atlantic Ocean off our Nova Scotia coastline killing all 240 people on board. It was devastating to not only the families who began to fly in to identify remains and begin to process what happened, but to the recovery crews as well. Up to this day, I loved to fly! I would look forward to trips. I loved take offs! I loved every part of it. I once asked for a tour of the cockpit so I could see the view that

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the pilots see. My first flight after September 2, 1998 was full of sheer panic for me. At this point in my life I had no idea what an empath was. I had no idea why I was experiencing the level of fear I was. I didn’t even want to admit how full of fear I was. I tried medications designed to calm me. They had absolutely no affect on me. I tried all sorts of strategies to overcome it and get past it. I was determined to not be tied up by the fear. I kept on flying. I didn’t shy away from it, but it just wasn’t getting any better. I recently planned a short trip that included two flights, and as the flights were getting closer and closer, my stomach began to knot up again as usual. It is part of my regular routine to meditate every morning to tune into anything my Guides and Angels would like to pass on to me. One morning as I was meditating on my trip, I felt the knots begin again. I reached out to my Guides and asked what this was and where it came from.

I always had a knowing it was connected to the Swissair crash. My Guides showed me it was not the panic of the passengers and crew that I had assumed it had come from. It was what those serving on the search and rescue teams and the recovery teams experienced following the crash. The overwhelming panic that still gets triggered when they think of flying or go to an airport or experience take offs or experience turbulent air, is what I was taking on as my own.

Photo Credit: Marc Geuzinge Photography

My Guides showed me how to use this as a way to help. Empaths have been given the ability to sense these things so we can help. They recommended this three-step process: Step One: Ask for help. How often do we experience real challenges and forget to ask for help? There is no weakness in asking for help. We all have a host of spiritual help all around waiting to be asked, but they cannot help until we ask. So please ask!

Step Two: Return to Sender. This may seem unkind at first, but let me explain. When you return the fear (or whatever heavy emotion you’ve picked up on) to the sender, you aren’t giving them more fear. You are sending it back to clear yourself. They are already living with it. When we take it on as our own, it doesn’t lift anything from anyone. It just weighs us down too. To return it to sender, you only need to say out loud or in your head, “Return to sender.” The energy knows what to do.

Step Three: Send love with it. This was the missing piece for me. This was huge! When I returned the fear to sender and sent it with love, knowing love has the power to heal, restore, and calm those I am sending it to, it became a tool to heal with and to make a difference. My Guides showed me the workers being set free from triggers, their loads getting lighter, and their lives becoming less filled with fear each and every time I used the process.

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So I chose to stay conscious and undistracted during the flights and even when I was preparing for the flights. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t distract myself from the panic as it welled up. Instead, I used the process and every time I did, the panic subsided. I saw it had many levels and layers to it, but I kept at it. I had lots of opportunities to use the process on the two flights. Each time I was able to let more of the fear go, and each time I knew I was helping free others from the same fears. I finally understood how I could use being an empath to truly help someone else. By the end of the second flight, I was enjoying flying again. I felt lighter and freer. I am grateful for the lesson that being an empath is not a hardship or an exercise in futility, but it is an opportunity to serve. We are not asked to be weighed down by othersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; suffering, but to use our awarenesses to help free others. Ask, return, and send love. By Tess Adams https://tessadamscoaching.com

Intuitive Life Coach Tess Helping you create new beginnings by living from your soul. TessAdamsCoaching.com tessadamscoaching@gmail.com FB/IntuitiveLifeCoachTess

Photo Credit: Marc Geuzinge Photography

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Memories of a Traditional Christmas By Sylvia Richards

Today, everyone rushes about, spending vast amounts of money and going to enormous efforts to make each Christmas “the best yet”. Many people feel that there’s something missing from Christmas, though they’re not exactly sure just what that is. So each year, the gifts get bigger, the decorations get more extravagant, the meals get more lavish and the bills (and the stresses) get higher - all in an effort to replace what I call the “nostalgia factor”, to have an “old fashioned” Christmas. Now I’ve been around a long time and let me tell you something... Old fashioned Christmases were great, but it had nothing to do with the amount of money that was spent on them. In fact, many families in “the good old days” didn’t have anywhere near the proportion of disposable income that most families these days take for granted.

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So what made these Christmases so wonderful to look back on? Well, as I examine my own memories, for one thing, I was a child. I didn’t have to worry about shopping and bills and making all the arrangements. The sense of magic and wonder was unmarred by the stress of trying to make everything perfect. But there was more to it than that. Even after I was running my own home (which I was by age 17), and creating my own Christmases, they were still - dare I say it - somehow better then. Why? One word - Christmas was special. So how do we define “special”? For me, the “special-ness” of remembered Christmases is about doing things, eating things, and having things that we didn’t do, eat, or have at any other time of the year. That, in my opinion is what made them “special”. Allow me to share with you some memories of Christmas from my childhood. Our family, like many others, didn’t have much money to spare, which I now realize, made Christmas ‘extravagances’ just that much more special. Both at school and at home, we learned the story of the Nativity, and it would have been unthinkable not to include the baby Jesus in our celebrations - so there was always a Nativity scene as part of the decorations. You could buy books in those days with press-out cardboard figures, and clever fold-out stable settings. Some you could paint yourself, others were ready coloured, and a few even had glitter sprinkled on them.

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We made most of our decorations ourselves - paper chains from strips of coloured paper, and streamers and folded garlands of ‘crepe’ paper. Once, we were given a ready-made tissue paper garland which we carefully examined then armed with tissue, scissors and glue, recreated many times! The tree was a baby pine or fir tree - always living, in a pot with a root. Ever the conservationist, my mother would replant the tree in the garden after Christmas, and dig it up the next year. When it got too big to bring into the house, she’d plant it on waste ground (lots of that around after the war), and find a smaller one. We had some little clip-on candle holders which took miniature candles. I’ll never forget our first string of fairy lights! Most of the tree decorations were handmade, and we even wrapped tiny gifts and hung them on with thread.

We would begin working on our list of Christmas gifts early. Most were handmade embroidered handkerchiefs, tablecloths or cushion covers for aunts, a knitted bed-jacket or crocheted shawl for grandma, warm socks, gloves or scarves for uncles, and so on. Often we made a cake or some other tasty treat, or forced bulbs and decorated the pots. Everyone got a calendar - a piece of cardboard covered in wall-paper, with a big picture and a pocket size pre-printed calendar stuck on the front, and a bit of ribbon for a hanger on the back. Gifts were not extravagant, nor flashy, but they were made and given with love and one felt true joy in the giving and real appreciation in the receiving.

Presents were wrapped without the benefit of sticky tape or glue, the package being tied instead with ribbon. When they were opened, there was no mad scramble to rip off the paper as there is nowadays. The knots were unpicked, and the paper removed carefully to be folded and reused the next year. We didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have much spare cash, but there were cases of real poverty in those post-war days, and there were families much worse off than us. With this in mind, Mum would set aside a few items of warm clothing, toys and food which we would wrap and leave anonymously on the doorstep of a needy family. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tell you the joy this brought to all of us.

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During the week before Christmas, we’d deliver - and collect - presents. On Christmas Eve, Dad would usually finish work early and we’d go to the meat market to buy a turkey (or whatever we could get). They usually auctioned off their remaining stock to the highest bidder, so some real deals could be found - and with our lot, we needed a big bird! Mum would usually go to church - we could go or not as we chose. Sometimes family members would visit for a few drinks. Then, we hung up our stockings (a real sock) and went to bed. I would wake up in the morning and feel around with my foot at the end of the bed for the weight of the filled stocking. We were allowed to open our stockings in the bedroom before we got up. There was always an orange in the toe and an apple at the top. There may be a colouring-book, paints and brushes, or a dot-to-dot book. Sometimes, there was a ‘magic’ painting book - you just painted clear water on the page and the colours would appear! There were magic growing crystal gardens, imitation edible cigarettes or a liquorice pipe, sugar mice and chocolate coins covered in gold foil. For a girl, there may be some knitting needles and wool or an embroidery set; for a boy, a toy car or plane.

Early on Christmas morning, my great uncle (who must have arrived really early), would drape a red blanket around his shoulders and don a paper crown, then parade through the house singing at the top (or maybe bottom) of his rich baritone voice: “Hail! Hail! King Christmas comes! A merry, merry piping and a beat of drums...... This was probably some remnant of the ancient Lord of Misrule tradition. This was our signal to get up! After a quick breakfast, one of us was chosen to be the “Postman” and deliver one gift at a time to each person, including themselves. The process took longer but everyone got to see each other open every gift and it was enjoyable. The anticipation that the next one may be for you, only added to the fun. Christmas dinner, already half cooked by this time, was served at about 2.00 p.m. Dad would carve the bird at the table and we’d pull crackers and drink wine - even the children were allowed just a sip. Dinner was followed by Christmas Pudding, which had been made and stored weeks before to mellow. Mum always arranged it so that the children got the sixpenny pieces she’d hidden in it. After dinner, the men lit cigars and then settled for a nap while the rest of us tidied up. The smell of a cigar still means Christmas to me. There was always a huge party on Christmas night. The table was set with a buffet of turkey sandwiches, cold cooked ham, pork pie, trifle, mince pies and the Christmas Cake. There would be egg nog and ginger beer for the children and beer, spirits, and home brewed wine (usually elderberry or parsnip) for the adults.

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What wonderful parties we had. Each person prepared their own “party piece” whether it be a recitation, a song, a dance, a mime, or some other thing. I recall the heaving bosom of one aunt, who always gave a rendition of “Trumpeter, what are you Sounding Now?” in a fine contralto voice. Sometimes my siblings and I would put together a short play, and perform it. But the star of the show was always my father who could tell stories and recite poetry like no one else I ever knew. With just the candles flickering, you could hear a pin drop as he recited “The Pigtail of Li Fang Foo” or “The Greeneyed Yellow Idle” or “Gungadin”. I knew all of them by heart before I was 7 years old! Then we’d all sing, sometimes with Mum at the piano, sometimes not. And we’d play party games - games now long forgotten like “Pastor of Paris” and “I went Shopping” and “The Minister’s Cat”. With 20-30 people (plus kids) this went on until the wee hours, and we often fell asleep before it was over, but eventually the guests left and we all went to bed.

But that wasn’t the end of Christmas. We were just getting started! The next day, Boxing Day, someone else would host the party and we’d do it all over again! Though people didn’t get as much time off work as they do now, celebrations continued, on a less lavish scale, till New Year’s Eve with another big party. Even after that, it was still “Christmas”! It wasn’t really over until Twelfth Night, by which time we had to have the decorations down and the tree replanted, or we’d be haunted by the “rattling of chains” for the next year. We always saved one mince pie each to eat on Twelfth Night with a final toast, as we bade farewell to Christmas for another year. By today’s standards, our Christmas was simple - some may even say cheap, but it was filled with joy, goodwill, passion and a sense of wonder. So did we feel a deep content? Was it worth it? Oooh Yeah! ........ it was SPECIAL. By Sylvia Richards www.yourspritualhaven.ca Winter 2018

Up Level

By Mark Setjo

We all have heard the phrase “man up”, which I really dislike. It’s generally aimed at boys and men in order for them to show a certain kind of behaviour. But what does that even mean? Times are changing and yet, they aren’t. Change can be very scary, yet it can be very good, too. One of the things that comes to mind is that kids toys and clothes are increasingly gendered. They’re either very girly or very butch with very little in between. I don’t remember it being that bad when I was little. Girls’ toys weren’t necessarily pink nor were boys’ toys blue by default like they seem to be these days. Children are mostly raised according to their genitalia. I’ve seen TV programs where they dress up baby boys in girls’ clothes and baby girls in boys clothes and hand them to people in a room full of toys. It’s pretty much ingrained in most people to treat a child according to the clothes they wear, so it’s interesting to see that the adults let them focus on the toys that are according to the clothes they wear. Baby girls in boys clothing were suddenly given toy cars even though they were eyeing that doll, and vice versa. By the age of seven, gender roles are pretty much set, but not so much that children can’t change their own minds. Once they’ve spoken to female car 32

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Photo Courtesy of Mark Setjo

mechanics, female firefighters, male makeup artists, male nurses, they’re easy to adjust their mindset and see that anything is possible. This seems to be harder with adults. Some are very set in their stereotypical ideas, which were typically passed down by their parents and peers, and society. Despite being raised by very traditional parents, I remember constantly challenging gender roles and

behaviours. As a tomboy I wondered why certain types of behaviour was expected of girls and boys. From an early age I was familiar with “because they’re a boy” or “because they’re a girl”. Just a side note for using the singular form of “they” in the translation into English: in Bahasa Indonesia (aka Indonesian) personal pronouns she, her, hers, and he, him, his doesn’t exist - and that’s why Indonesians often mix them up when speaking a language that isn’t their mother tongue. When I was young, I played soccer with the boys and I was pretty good at it. Not many Indonesian girls play soccer. It isn’t popular, and women’s teams mainly exist in affluent areas of the country. For the record, I got scouted when I was in primary school, but circumstances prevented me from getting proper training. Anyway, I digress.

Joe Jackson sang about “real men” in the 80s and I wondered what a real man is. The lyrics of that song still seems very relevant today. Hollywood is very slowly including more characters that aren’t all white cis heterosexuals, but the male ones are often in deep thought and not very talkative when it comes to sharing emotions, and are rugged. A lot of men try to emulate that and pass it down to their peers and sons. Every human being has emotions, so to keep it bottled up inside cannot be healthy. Boys are taught not to cry and to win. If they get frustrated or lose, they often get angry instead. Why not teach them that it’s OK to cry or to lose and teach them how to handle that? Have them embrace their empathy, nurture their caring side. (Being a stay at home dad doesn’t make you less of a man; it’s a discussion that is starting in Indonesia.) What does it mean to “man up”? Does it mean men have to take responsibility or accountability in order to be a “real” man? Don’t women already do? Does it mean men have to fight? There are many ways of fighting without getting physical. Having said that, women have the potential to fight as hard as men. I was very young when I saw Alien for the first time, but Sigourney Weaver kicking alien ass made a big impression on me. It definitely spoke to me and it’s easily one of my top 10 favourite movies of all time. Why not use the phrase “step up” or, like a friend told me, “level up”? Cheers, Mark perfectflaw75@gmail.com Winter 2018

Earth Rhythms By Holli Smith

We, in the western culture, have become an indoor people. The latest studies from the EPA suggest that the majority of people spend up to 93% of their time inside of a building or car. While that statistic isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t true for me on the whole, because of my lifestyle and the work I do with horses in nature, there are days that I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stepped outside of my house. Days when the closest I get to nature is looking out a window. Despite living off- grid, we have the same luxuries of consistent air temperature, electric lighting, and refrigeration that the majority of westerners have. The seasonal rhythms of light and dark, warmer and colder, have little impact on 34

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our lives beyond dressing warmer when we head out to plough the driveway. But I often think that this is one of the greatest downfalls of our conveniences. As we move from season to season, our energies and our bodies change, adapt and signal us that it is time for a new way of being in the world. Yet most of us donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take the time or create the space to stop and notice. For the most part we just stay inside while the changing weather on the other side of the glass is the only indication that there is a shift occurring. Yet the shifts that occur run far deeper than what we can see, and once we engage with them, we are opened up to wonderful new depths within ourselves.

The animals around us–dogs, horses, cats–all have outward signs that they are in tune, connected to the rhythms of our beautiful Mother Earth. In these not so subtle changes, there is no denying that they are still natural creatures. But for ourselves it is as though we’ve created such a deep divide–man vs nature–that we have come to believe that we are no longer part of the natural world. And it simply isn’t true. Our own signals are far more internal, but no less there. They are as much a part of us as our blood and our bones, if only we take the time to slow down and listen. For a long time, I didn’t understand the importance of living in harmony with the natural rhythms and cycles that rule the planet, and in turn, rule my body. I didn’t pay any attention to my circadian rhythm or the flow of the meridians. I didn’t have a clue about the deep and complex meaning behind yin and yang

and how it applied to my life. I barely understood my menstrual cycle and the changes it brought. When we take the time to pay attention to when we feel better - happier, healthier and more energetic, and when we feel worse - lethargic, uninterested, and disconnected, a lot of interesting things will arise. For myself, one of the things that makes the biggest difference are the days when I am outside–in nature, with animals, vs the days I spend hours online or watching tv, immersed in the fake world we’ve created for ourselves. While this isn’t new information anymore, and the majority of us acknowledge that tech filled days leave us feeling sick, tired, and unmotivated, there are many more layers to it. But spending time outside, embracing various types of weather, and admitting that we are mammals will only get us part way there. And while walking barefoot and sun gazing are great for many, many things, the earth can move us in much greater ways. Each season we feel different. Because each season we are different. It’s not enough to acknowledge when seasons change, we have to listen to our bodies

and change with the seasons. New schedules, new activities, new priorities, new food habits. I used to try to find one schedule and one way of eating that I could stick to all year round, but why? I didn’t even have a reason, it just seemed like the thing to do. And it was so out of alignment with my body and my energy that I couldn’t make it work no matter how hard I tried.

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I kept feeling frustrated and confused by it, angry and disappointed in myself. But then, while studying energy medicine, I finally got it. We come into the world flexible beings, and we’re meant to stay that way. There are no schedules that can work year round if we want to be in sync with the natural part of ourselves.

the seasons, and how we connect with the rhythms moving through us.

Winter doesn’t just make me want to get snug and cozy and eat warm comfort foods; there are biological and energetic reasons for me wanting to turn inward, reflect, and slow down. Biological reasons to eat heavier, richer foods. Just as we need rest at some point in a 24 hr cycle, we need a larger time of rest during the season when the earth rests. Throughout the day we can have a need for a quick snack times and a need for heavier meals, just as there are seasons when we need heartier sustenance than others. As we need times of physical activity in the 24 hr cycle, we need times of more intense physicality throughout the year, and to match that, we crave lighter, juicier foods.

Each of us will have one of these that is our strongest element, and therefore the element and accompanying traits we resonate with the most. But we also must keep in mind that we are each a combination of them all. There are moments when we are all feisty, social Fires (Summer), determined, hard working Woods (Spring), analytical, organized Metals (Autumn) and introvert, creative Waters (Winter).

We are more into being out and about at different times of the year, we are more into cleaning and organizing at others. And one of the most important things is that these patterns aren’t necessarily the same for every person. There are overall similarities and themes to what each season brings out in us, but we are still individuals. We each react how we do for a reason, and is dictated by how we connect to the earth, how we connect to

In doing the Five Elements quiz, my results always tell me I am an Earth Element. Earth governs the in-betweens– Solstices, Equinoxes, the transition period between the four main seasons.

We can’t box ourselves in with this, or any other label or imagined rules we have about who and what we are. We are of the earth and like her, we are constantly changing. One of the best ways we can respect and reconnect with this, and our natural selves, is to connect with and allow these changes to rise and fall as they would and adjust our lives accordingly. Make new schedules, change our diets, be more or less active or social, because in the moments when we allow ourselves the freedom to embody all of the aspects of ourselves, we allow the full range and expression of ourselves to shine. By Holli Smith

Photo Credit:The Graphics Fairy

GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST Christmas Food and Traditions from Britain By Sylvia Richards

Carol singers, the Queen’s Speech, holly, mistletoe, Christmas Pudding and Mince Pies. These are good old-fashioned British Christmas customs and traditions. Though Christmas is a Christian festival, its customs have their feet firmly planted in our pagan past. The celebration of the Winter Solstice was an important event in our ancestors’ calendar. The young Christian Church very sensibly decided to have Christ’s birthday coincide with the existing midwinter festival in hopes that the teachings of the new Church would be more readily accepted. For instance, evergreens such as holly and ivy, which remained fresh while other plants withered and died, were symbols of everlasting life to our ancestors. Magical Mistletoe Even today this strange parasitic plant retains its magical and pagan connections. It was held sacred by Norsemen and Druids, as it cured numerous illnesses and kept evil at bay! Few churches (in Britain at least) will allow mistletoe over the threshold. One

notable exception is York Minster where, every Christmas, a bough of mistletoe is laid on the altar. As long as the mistletoe is in position, a general pardon is in effect through-out the city. Kissing beneath a sprig of mistletoe appears to be a custom peculiar to Britain, and its origins are lost in the mists of time. The Ashen Faggot The Yule Log is another old tradition that’s alive and well in many parts of Britain. In Devon and Somerset, an Ashen Faggot is burned instead. Green ash sticks are bundled together into a thick faggot, bound with bands of hazel or ash. The Faggot was lit on Christmas Eve and kept burning for the Twelve Days of Christmas. Folks would wait for the hazel or ash bands securing the faggot to snap in the flames. The host was expected to refill everyone’s glass each time a band broke. Each young, single guest would choose a band and wait for it to snap. The first to do so indicated who was to be married first in the coming year.

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“Crowing of the Cock” “Plygain”, Welsh for “crowing of the cock”, is the name given to a traditional Christmas Day service held between 3 and 6 a.m. on Christmas morning. Originally everyone in the parish was expected to attend even though, for some this meant a long, journey from their remote farms in the dead of night. For many, especially the young, it was an excuse for an all-night party, there not being much point in going to bed! In West Yorkshire, ‘The Devil’s Knell’ is rung each year on Christmas Eve at the parish church of Dewsbury to proclaim the death of Satan. The bell is tolled once for every year since the first Christmas and the ringing is timed to end exactly on the stroke of midnight. Wassailling Wassail is an Anglo-Saxon word meaning “be whole or hale”. The wassail bowl was filled with a hot drink, a warming mixture of ale, spices and apples. The bowl passed around the assembled starting with master and mistress of the house. A more gregarious custom was to carry the brimming bowl from door to door offering a drink to each house holder. In later years, an empty bowl was carried round the houses with hopeful requests for treats. A wassailing tradition from Somerset shows its pagan origins clearly, Wassailing the Orchards was performed to protect the fruit from evil and to ensure a plentiful crop in the coming season. Cider is sprinkled round the trunk of each tree and a piece of toast soaked in cider is lodged in its branches.

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The tree is toasted with more cider and serenaded with verses such as:

Here’s to thee old apple tree Hats full, sacks full Great bushel bags full Hurrah! Noise was made either by firing guns, blowing horns or shouting to drive evil spirits away. The Christmas Pudding Stir-Up Sunday was an important day (and still is in some corners of Britain). The last Sunday before Advent is named for the Collect in the service for that day: “Stir up we beseech thee. O Lord, the wills of your faithful people...’ but there’s also a gastronomic reason for its name. Stir-Up Sunday is traditionally thought to be the last day on which Christmas Cakes and Puddings can be prepared if they are to be ready for the big day. The pudding mixture has been maturing in its bowl for a few days and now everyone in the family takes a turn at giving it a last stir - always clockwise and making a wish.

A silver coin is added, normally a 5 pence piece in Britain today (it used to be a sixpence when I was little, so much for inflation!). Silver charms are thrown in too - a thimble for a blessed life, a ring for marriage and a horseshoe for luck then the pudding has its first boiling. In the days before extractor fans Pudding Boiling Day in our house meant a kitchen like a Turkish bath and a wonderfully clammy, damp smell - all part of the fun! A good pud, is a dark pud. And the longer you cook it the better. Flaming the Pudding For a dramatic entrance you can’t beat walking from the kitchen with a flaming pudding and it’s quite easy to do. Heat 3 tbsps/45 ml brandy (cheap stuff will do) in a small pan, being careful not to let it boil. Pour the warm brandy over the pudding and light with a match. Wait until flames subside before serving. Remember to remove the sprig of holly from the top of the pudding before igniting the brandy! St Thomas’s Day In the past, Christmas came early to some areas of Britain. December 21 is St. Thomas’s Day. St. Thomas is the patron saint of the elderly and it was customary in England until as recently as the last century for the poor, old and young alike, to go from door to door asking for alms. This was known variously as “going a-Thomas-sing”, “mumping”, or “going a-corning”. This last name was because very often the alms given were a pint measure of wheat with which to make Christmas breads or puddings.

Frumenty One such pudding was Frumenty, which is one of the oldest recipes known to man. This mash of cereal, spices and sugar is filling and nourishing and must have saved many a poor family from starvation over Christmas. Whole wheat was boiled then left in a warm place for 24 hours or until the wheat burst, absorbed most of the liquid and turned the remainder to jelly. Then soaked dried fruit, brandy, milk, eggs, honey and nutmeg were added and the whole thing cooked over low heat till thick and creamy. It was served hot or cold with cream. The Boar’s Head From the Boar’s Head Carol:

The boar’s head in hand bring I, Bedeck’d with bays and rosemary. I pray you, my masters, be merry As you all feast so heartily The boar’s head, as I understand, Is the rarest dish in all this land, Which thus bedeck’d with a gay garland Let us serve with a song. Our steward hath provided this In honor of the King of Bliss; Which, on this day to be served is In the Queen’s hall.

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Before turkey became popular in the reign of James I, the customary feast was a boar’s head. It was treated with much ceremony - a fanfare of trumpets heralded its arrival into the dining hall. It was carried in on a silver platter garlanded with gilded bay leaves, rosemary and holly and with an apple or orange in its mouth. The bearers would sing the “Boar’s Head Carol”. At the High Table the apple was presented to the chief singer and the garnishes distributed among the guests. Fowl Fowl - peacock, swan, goose or duck, were also popular. After roasting, birds were often “re-feathered” and gold leaf was applied to their beaks and claws. This lavish fare was, of course, for the wealthy. Simple folk made do with a roasted fowl of some sort (minus the feathers and gold leaf). Fowl were popular festive food because they were easy to tend during the winter months. Mince Pies I can never resist one, or perhaps two, before teatime. Mince pies were originally a way to preserve meat, which was mixed with spices and fruit and wrapped in a pastry crust. 14th century recipes included pheasant, hare, capon, rabbit, kidneys, eggs, pickled mushrooms etc. etc. The spices symbolized the gifts of the Magi to the baby Jesus and traditionally the pies were crib-shaped and often decorated with a pastry babe on top. 40

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Mince pies and all other Christmassy things were forbidden by Oliver Cromwell. They were re-introduced by Charles l in the 1600s but they had mysteriously become round instead of oblong! Gradually meat disappeared from the filling and now, the shredded suet we mix with the fruit and spices is all there to remind us. Well that just about wraps up my Christmas stockingful of festive tidbits I hope you enjoyed them. Have a safe and happy Christmas! By Sylvia Richards www.yourspritualhaven.ca

The Technology of Music Can one person make a difference? Paul Luftenegger, Canadian singer and songwriter certainly is! Fueled by the death of his father by suicide in 2011, Paul made it his lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission to bring love, kindness, and beauty to the World. Our Editor, Angela Jeffreys, interviewed Paul on his view of the power of music and technology, including inner technology. His words are incredibly inspiring!

Photo courtesy of Paul Luftenegger

I wanted to write music to help the experience of life feel good, because we all deserve to feel love and to know that because we’re here, we matter.

How do you describe your music and the message it carries? The music I write is conscious. It is positive and kind and written with the Universe in mind. My music is written with the intention to help self-love and self-worth - from the inside out. Special care and focus is placed upon helping the heart and soul within the listener so they can feel, acknowledge, and experience its own divine holy worth. It truly is a miracle to be a divine heart and a divine soul on planet earth. You see, I believe, and deeply feel, that conscious music is a “superpower” to help human beings reach a new state of awareness and consciousness in our human evolution with divine love being the key ingredient. We are all so hard on ourselves, aren’t we? I know so many people that selfharm with their inner voice from the inside out – with their thoughts and through their self-talk. I know this because I have done it for years. 42

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Telling ourselves we’re not smart enough, good looking enough, thin enough, pretty enough, fit enough, rich enough, etc. When does the self-harm insanity stop? When do we take the knife away from our own throat? It stops when we begin to tell ourselves that we matter. That because we are here, we matter. That we have the ability to change our thoughts and in turn change our stories of not being good enough. It begins by rebooting and reprogramming the brain, the subconscious and conscious mind, with good loving kind positive thoughts – positive vibrations with good kind words to support the life we are living. If you haven’t noticed – where has all the kind and good positive music and love stories gone? They are still trickling a bit out there, but music has taken a hard-left turn and the digital age of music shifted everything. So many people don’t have access to music anymore unless you have the use of a computer. There are very few record stores that you can visit, and many radio stations are being bought up by telephone and internet companies that are huge corporations. These corporations streamline their assets and reduce labour and as a result, pretty much put on top 40 lists of music. The staff that use to make the music industry a beautiful thing, radio DJ’s, that used to find new music and share it with us all....sadly, are gone.

The airways use to be filled with kind loving music. Now we are bombarded with fear induced media and panicstricken non-sense. I deeply feel that we must all do a much better job and become conscious editors of what we are willing to expose our brains, our hearts, and our souls to. There are many people in this world that don’t care about what they are doing to you, and I am not ok with that. I care about what you expose yourself to because I understand that thoughts have incredible power to influence the quality of life you feel and, in turn, create and co-create. I have learned over the years that when we change our thoughts, we change our lives and the experience of life itself.

Einstein taught me many years ago that the most important decision that any of us will ever make in our lives, is whether we see the Universe as hostile or loving. I will always choose that the Universe is loving and kind to me because my heart and soul knows it is.

When I first became a public person, I wanted to write music to help the experience of life feel good, because we all deserve to feel love and to know that because we’re here, we matter. Our world is in chaos and it is time to find order again and that, my friends, begins when we take control of our own choices – choosing what we expose ourselves to consciously.

Many years ago, I remember hearing Dr. Maya Angelou share a teaching and lecture at a University about how words have power, and that one day we’ll be able to measure just how much power each word has.

Can I prove it? That is not my job. It is your job to choose what feels best and right for you, but if you really pause and take a good look at things, you will see that the miracle that surrounds us all – is pretty darn amazing! After all, we are living on a blue, green, brown, and white ball rotating around a fire ball called the sun and every 24 hours a day we spin 1 time around it and somehow the atmosphere on this planet magically supports life when space is truly freezing.

Something happened to me when I heard this teaching and truth, and I began to explore using the best words I could find to support the listener in all my songs. Six albums later here we are today. I have been invited to a branch of the United Nations in New York City three times as a guest musician to share my good words and positive songs. I have been invited to write books because of my good words and conscious songs. I have had my music used for iconic leaders in the self-help and wellness publishing industry, like Louise Hay.

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I have been invited to too many countries to count and so many other beautiful places and spaces on earth including the most important space there is â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the classrooms of children who dreamt of me coming to visit them to sing my loving kind conscious music for them in person. Photo courtesy of Paul Luftenegger

I say this all with absolute humility because my Father, who I loved very dearly, sadly took his own life when he was only fifty-six years old because of the painful thoughts that were running through his being. Suicide claimed his life in 2011 and here we are in 2018 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7 years later. The day my father died by suicide, I decided to help people be softer and gentler to themselves. I made it my life mission to support people being kinder to themselves from the inside out, with good words to remind them of the beauty within the heart and soul. 44

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It’s interesting all these years later – just last week I was flown to Montreal, Quebec, Canada by two fans of my music, who have become very close personal friends of ours over the years, whom I love dearly. Sadly, my friend was diagnosed with brain cancer about seven months ago.

I’ve heard you mention the power of inner technology. Can you please explain what you mean?

What is fascinating, is that he is experiencing huge healing miracles. Being able to sing my conscious music to support their hearts and souls during their time of need is a blessing and something I will cherish forever! My friend’s beautiful amazing wife arranged our visit and it was such a tremendous blessing to give back to these precious beings that have helped me so much over the years!

You see, not so long ago, I was someone who had no concept of what this meant, “Inner Technology”. Perhaps, I had simply forgotten we all have an inner sacred technology. The world doesn’t seem to talk about this particular technology very often does it? Well, let me assure you, you have an inner technology and so do I, and so does all life. That is because you and all life are sovereign beings, a being with an independent heart and independent soul with divine life force energy running through your entire being, with a brain that is able to bring your heart and soul online with the Universe so to speak.

We all witnessed the magical miraculous space of healing together seeing and feeling the power of what loving kind conscious music has been able to give to our friends. We stayed in their beautiful home where they have all 6 of my albums piped in through their home speaker system. They have been listening to my conscious music non-stop to help them stay positive, in a vibrational space of support for their hearts and souls. I will always treasure the tender space of being able to sing my conscious music live for our friends in Quebec. I met these two beautiful souls because a colleague of mine, Dr. Christiane Northrup MD, introduced them to my work. The reason I say this is because conscious music brings humanity together from the inside out – allowing peace to prosper between beings who share peaceful vibrations and consciousness and divine love with one another.

Inner technology is a very, very, important topic to discuss and I’m so glad and so grateful you asked this brilliant question!

The real question here is - are we using our heart to discern and to navigate our life in terms of the direction we are taking? Are we using our soul to light up our inner space with divine love from which we came? Are we using our brain to help the world with our heart and soul working together to integrate the Universe that surrounds us all? When we break down the fact that everything is energy, we come into an awareness that we are all energy ourselves, and as such we have very little control over what other energies do. What we do have control over are the choices we choose to make with our energy. The power to choose is another “superpower.”

Winter 2018

The choices we choose directly form, grow, build, and impact the life and world experiences we will experience and live. In many ways I like to look at choices as seeds. Choose good seeds and good gardens grow. Choose bad seeds and bad gardens grow. There are only two seeds to choose....love seeds or fear seeds. Love seeds grow more loving experiences of love. Love seeds grow everything good: peace, love, joy, happiness, prosperity, wellness, calmness, unity, blissfulness, serenity, togetherness, gratitude, thankfulness, etc. Fear seeds grow more and more fear; chaos in a nutshell. Once we all remember that our choices create and co-create the future, we change the whole world forever. Our human evolution begins to take on a whole new meaning as love flourishes with consciousness to choose love for ourselves and for our fellow human beings. The reality is, we must take responsibility for the energy (aka choices) we make from the inner technology we have inside.

I remember a great teacher once taught me a huge lesson. He gently threw a tennis ball for me to catch. After I caught the tennis ball he asked me where I experienced it? I was somewhat confused, so I laughed and said to him with reluctance, “My hands.” He said, “Yes, but where did you experience the catching of the ball?” I thought hard about this and realized I had experienced it from the inside of my being. He said, “YES that is right! You, of course, experienced this on the inside!” It made me fully integrate what it is that I am trying to explain to you. Life is really lived on the inside. The outside reflects what is going on in the inside. Yes, of course, it is the stimulation of the outside, but it is in fact the inside where all the “experience” of life takes place. Conscious music is an inner technology that is from the heart and soul, literally from the inside out, fully aware of this vital life force energy that each and every single heart and soul has and comes equipped with. The real question to ask is - are the hearts and souls in this world operating at full capacity to understand that they are the real asset and the divine space of life itself from the inside out? Our human history is not so pretty is it? We divide and divide and divide...but at what point do we choose to unite and unite and unite? There is but only one way—to honour the life force energy in each other—yes? That extends out far beyond religious doctrine/belief, race, sex, the “My God is bigger than your God” fight, etc. We are all divine beings of love, capable of being multi-sensory beings and this is possible when we understand the great superpower of the Universe is in fact Divine Love and that we can recharge, refresh, and renew our

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inner technology with Source Vibrations of Divine Love. Much like how a battery recharges itself with being plugged in. We must recharge ourselves with the Divine Life Force Energy of the Cosmos/ Source which is where the Sun and the stars all get their power from. We must plug into source...and plugging in means connecting through prayer and meditation to literally all that is, which is where and what in fact we come from: “Source” or better yet “all that is”! You call music an ancient technology, can you please expand on that and how can we use that today? Music is absolutely an ancient technology and mine is conscious music to help the soul feel it’s divine worth within. It was written to help clean up the heart and soul, allowing it to remember that it is divine love and to let go of limiting beliefs or “programs” that were placed upon us from systems that were built to manipulate and control the masses by masking the soul’s original vibrations of pure divine love. Just look at a baby as a reference point. A baby comes in entirely fresh and shining and beaming with light; no mask is placed upon their heart and soul’s light until we impose the world’s vibrations upon them by choosing what we tell them about the world–the “stories” or “programs”.

When the soul reclaims its divine love and freedom to thrive and shine with life itself, it is the game changer for unity consciousness. We must all begin to understand and integrate that everything is vibrational frequencies in variations through contrast by taking back our own steering wheel–in full control of becoming the captain and master of our own fate–ultimately as I explained above. Once we all understand that everything is energy, we are much more equipped to utilize the beauty of the cosmos and the genius of life force energy itself from the inside out. Once human beings remember that they are truly capable of bringing creation and co-creation to life, we are much more equipped and fully able beings to be the genius of the complex light and love vibrations that fill the Universe and Cosmos. When we divide and separate from one another we become hyper focused on conflict and separation. We teach our children the “MINE” game. Is anything really yours? Or is it OURS? This world is ours— who made it become “MINE” or “YOURS” or, should I say, “Theirs”?

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The “I” versus “WE” is the way we find our PEACE with SOURCE and the truth is none of us are big enough to do this life alone. No one. Not you, not me, no one! We are all co-creators and we must all remember this beautiful sacred truth because we are all here because we matter and, in fact, are the “matter” of the Universe and Cosmos.

Last time I checked: 1 planet. 1 humanity. 1 human crew. 1 Earth. Were we not all born on this 1 planet? I say this because we are, in fact, responsible for the energy we create/co-create. Have you ever heard what they call karma in the east? Or what we might refer to as “cause and effect” in the west? This world’s conflict and war or unrest has been going on for far too long. The real wars are first fought within and then the wars and conflict and unhappiness within manifest outside of us if we let them rule our paradigm. The real game changer is INNER PEACE and when we become this PEACE frequency inside— no matter what is going on outside as the stimulus—we, in turn, shift the entire world that surrounds us!

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What I feel about the ancient technology of kind music is it is able to harmonize and bring people together in unity. It is the Universal Language of vibrations and frequencies of Divine Love, as it comes from the heart and soul expressed which is a part of the Universe and the Cosmos aware of itself. We are all literally made of this very same thing and conscious music is the great Alchemist of Unity and Vibrational Peace with one another where LOVE is totally able to flourish and bloom from the inside out. I always say there is one word that must be remembered that could change the entire world forever: “Namaste” and the translation I like to share about this word’s definition is: “I honour the divine universe and divine love within you, because I know you honour the divine universe and divine love within me.”

Photo courtesy of Paul Luftenegger

Current technology has changed music so much - do you think this is a positive change? We no longer hold cd’s, albums, even books! How do you think this has affected us? First, I am all for change. In fact, I love change and we must all be willing to adapt to change. It is how we thrive our way forward, as it is the natural process of our (human) evolution. That said, I do feel that accessibility to knowledge and good vibrations and loving kindness is more in need now than ever before and as such needs to be offered in every single way possible! Knowledge truly is power, and it is how wisdom is gained as we live life with knowledge and experience fused together. I feel that there should be more music and more books in physical form, more now than ever before! We need all the help we can get to correct the world’s trajectory of separation and bring unity fully online with every single heart and soul on the planet! Is this a big task? It sure is—but at what point do we realize we are so much stronger when we are at peace with one another as the 1 planet we share?

Human beings need to remember whole technology. Whole technology utilizes everything and considers everyone’s best and highest self which takes love, care, and compassion; consideration of all hearts and souls. This is real technology; not “ego based human technology” but a collective universal technology which is where full peace and the right to thrive for all beings of love is the agenda and intention and goal. Our current technologies are based on greed. This must end. Greed will never allow harmony. Love and care are what holds the entire universe and fabric of life together. Einstein knew this and so must we as our survival as “humans” depends on it! Digital is a wonderful and great tool to access things, but it is not the only solution, of that I’m certain. We must put much more love kindness and soul vibrations in our digital technologies, so they are smart like our hearts and souls. Currently this is not happening.

When we utilize the true resources on this planet which is, in fact, the heart and soul of every being with respect and reverence for what they have to offer as their contribution to the whole. For instance, the universe is always calibrating and recalibrating, organizing and reorganizing, structuring and restructuring, with consciousness for the best outcome of thriving forward.

Winter 2018

Are we better since the digital age? Look around you. Yes, in some ways we most definitely are! I love being able to connect with people all around the world. But here’s the deal without consciousness—I recently was visiting a friend’s house and while spending the weekend visiting them, their son who is 11 years old, showed me a new video game (that is all the rage apparently right now) where the objective of the game is to kill his neighbour online—a video game with real live sounding machine guns. Is this good for him? Boys killing other boys online? Neighbours?

If you haven’t noticed lately, tech companies don’t have a very good track record with values. Have you seen the data collection arguments and the right to privacy these tech companies are having? The unbelievable algorithms they are using to collect data on you, the kids, everyone? My God wake up! We must demand consciousness in our technologies!

I remember when I was kid, instead of killing our neighbour friends we went outside and played together and experienced our hearts and souls united. The sad part is, this is that poor little boy’s childhood!!!!!? Where is the consciousness in that? And then, we wonder why we have children shooting children in schools when things go wrong? Instead of finding solutions to figure out problems, they just do what the video game showed them is an outcome or option. Mayday we have a problem!!!! Unconscious parents not really thinking things through with the best outcome in mind or in focus. You may not like me for saying this, but it is the truth. Wake up and become the heart and soul’s love and demand this in our technologies! Question: if something is needed to help the world, doesn’t it make sense that we can hold this tool in our physical hands? Music and books are tools. We must remember this and make them accessible in all formats. Period. Tools that people purchase, share and care with, to elevate our humanity and our consciousness for the best outcomes of love to prosper and flourish for all!

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I remember going to record stores and finding beautiful albums that I know I needed. Having beautiful conversations with shoppers, and music store staff...all passionate about music from the heart and soul sharing!!!! I miss these days. The experience of love and passion. The

process. I miss the beauty of discovering new musicians and then listening to a whole new album and expanding my lexicon of emotions through art from the heart and soul of others. The sharing. The caring with one another.

Is this a good idea? I don’t think so, whatsoever! Where have all the ballads gone? Just think if we all listened to kind, loving music that honoured the heart and soul, do you think the world would feel better and be better?

I feel that we need more good music than ever before and not just “life is a party” music either. There is so much to

I do, and I think this is why Plato said, “Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.” To my fellow beautiful precious musicians of love from the heart and soul—please let us all unite together and work as one to make the music industry evolve into what we are truly capable of doing; making the music industry truly spectacular! So far, the technology has been “given” to us, do you think eventually there will be a shift where the people will demand something different? What do you think that will look like? Here’s the deal – people must take action on the world that they want to manifest. There is no change when we don’t take action. Action has power; doing nothing has zero power as there is no life force energy moving. Static. Fuzz.

heal in this world and I miss those songs that make us feel reflective and self-aware. The reality is, if you don’t have a computer or internet, music is inaccessible. I always think of the recent stories about new cars not coming with a CD player in them.

Tech companies, as I’ve mentioned, have value systems that poorly reflect protecting humanity and doing what is truly right for the greatest good with and for love as the intention. On the silver lining side of things, I thank social media, specifically Facebook, because I have met so many wonderful truly awesome human beings doing incredible things to help the world with and for love! What I feel more and more is that we must find solutions and speak out about what we love and what we feel needs to change.

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You recently announced that you are working on a new album to be released next Spring. Would you like to tell us about this new album and what was the inspiration for that album? I am currently writing music for my 7th album, all based around and on Divine Peace; in particular, Inner Peace. This project is so exciting as it is going to be a tool to help people tap into the divine love of source; the cosmos. I feel this new Peace Project comes directly from the last time I sang at the United Nations in New York City this past September 21st, for the International Day of Peace. I want to make sure that Divine Peace is honoured and having an album focussed on this is vital and incredibly important at this time!

After singing at the UN in September, I travelled to India and toured the country. I was invited to the headquarters of the Brahma Kumaris on Mount Abu to meet the 103-year-old spiritual leader Dadi Janki who is amazing. Being in India, I realized that we in the west have so much to learn; how truly fortunate and blessed we all are and how much we can learn from a country with approximately 1.4 billion people. One thing that India is famous for is Yoga, the inner technology I speak of so often. It is with gratitude, I simply want to say, “Thank You India” —just like my beautiful soul sister and fellow Canadian singer/ songwriter/composer, whom I love and respect dearly for her contribution to consciousness and humanity, the amazing genius, Alanis Morissette!

Photo courtesy of Paul Luftenegger

How can our readers find out more about your projects and your music? Simply by heading over to my website www.beekindness.com Paul Luftenegger International Singer Songwriter Composer Thank you Paul for your incredible insight and inspiration. It is my hope that your words inspire others to make the changes they want and need for themselves and for the world. ~Angela Jeffreys 52

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Grief

During the Holidays By Leah Parsons Whether you celebrate the holiday season or not, you’re sure to be bombarded with the spirit of joy. Everywhere we go there are Christmas songs, people talking about family and holiday traditions. However, for the many people that are suffering deep pain, this can be an extremely difficult time of year. Perhaps you have a loved one who is no longer here in the physical realm. Maybe you and your family are estranged. Maybe your Christmas represents a time of turmoil; a childhood that was not pleasant at all. Financial burden could play into the feelings of dread. What if last year you were a happy family and this year your relationship no longer exists? Maybe there is no family close by and the loneliness becomes overwhelming? When we are grieving, there are events and/or holidays that trigger us and bring all our pain to the surface. Christmas is one of those yearly markers where we start comparing ourselves to “other happier” families. Or we silently wish we could just “snap” out if it but often we start to snap at the people around us as the pressure to conform arises.

Most often we negate our true feelings and force ourselves to be in situations we don’t want to be in. We burn out trying to put on the façade. This can leave us with a sense of guilt for feeling our sadness. Attempting to appear a certain way so others can feel their joy. What if this year you decided how YOU want to celebrate, or not celebrate, before life comes and drags you by the hand telling you “this is important” and “that is important.” Pull the hand back and allow your guidance system to be in the driver seat this year. Make 2018 the year you decide to claim as doing it your way. Here are a few suggestions to help you through this holiday season. Sit in stillness and ask your inner guidance to help show you the way to make this season as stress free as possible. The first year after my 17 year old daughter died by suicide, Christmas became a blur. Her birthday is also in December, so it was a double whammy emotionally. I knew I could not bring myself to open those Christmas boxes filled with years of memories. Winter 2018

Photo courtesy of Leah Parsons

I would have skipped the holiday season all together except I had two other daughters looking for some normalcy in a sea of trauma. I decided to hold a vigil on Rehtaeh’s birthday and asked everyone to bring an ornament to decorate a tree. That tree and the ornaments became our Christmas decorations. It was the perfect solution to a very sad first year without a beloved member of our family. Make a promise to yourself and announce to your family and friends that this year you are going to honour what feels right for you. Let them know that its nothing personal but you must take care of your inner world and cater to your emotions. This may mean you’re not cooking the big turkey dinner but you’re willing to go to someone else’s house for a change. Don’t allow anyone to make you feel guilty for honouring what you need to do for you to get through this time. How about a new tradition? Book a hotel somewhere and spend the night there. Plan a few gentle activities with family and friends before the holiday season is on top of us. If you’re mourning the loss of a loved one, is there something you can do to honour them, to bring in their energy and spirit, to know that they walk with you in this journey of sadness? Can you embrace the idea of bringing in peace this season? Is there something, as a family, you can do for someone

or a charity that might lift your spirits? Perhaps in memory of your loved one? At the beginning of December, make a list of self-care items you can do each day as the month unfolds. Taking the reigns of your emotions in the beginning of the season can help you shape the rest of the month. Make a list of celebrations that you are able to do each day. When we focus on what we can do, this sets us up for emotional success. Avoid comparing years gone by and remind yourself this is a new way of being. Sitting with our grief and honouring our pain is so very important. Our emotions long to be heard and felt. Finding someone you can confide in is always helpful. Try out this new way of being and then ask yourself “How I can grow from this place of pain?” instead of asking “Why me?” We will never get the answers to “why me” but we will get the answers to how we can grow and shift in our pain. Make new traditions and if you don’t like traditions at Christmas, then claim that as your right. Let’s celebrate Christmas by creating boundaries and pouring on the self love. You are not alone! Wishing all of you the very best that life has to offer - now and in 2019. By Leah Parsons www.rehtaehparsons.ca

Winter 2018

Birth of an Idea: A Midwife’s Perspective By Rachel Hart

Three years ago, while sitting in the carpool line to get two of my children from school, after already sitting in one carpool line getting two of my other children from school, I decided I needed more out of my life. I wasn’t sure what, but it was clear that I was lacking a creative outlet. Part of me was chastising myself for even thinking for one minute that having a comfortable life with a husband and four children, as well as a career that I loved, was somehow not enough. But it wasn’t. It had never been, and I doubted I would ever be the type to be content with a simple, familiar life of stability. Even now, the word “stable” makes me a little sick to my stomach. I was lacking a platform to showcase my talents. I hadn’t even been giving enough time to myself to create the space necessary to know what those talents were or how they could be nourished. Before children, I loved singing, acting, and dancing. I was a gymnast and a cheerleader. I loved the stage. That life felt like it had occurred on another planet or in a different dimension, yet I still longed for the joy and fulfillment I found in the arts and the creative process. As I sat in the car contemplating my past and present and finding no answers, I resolved to simply stay open to any creative opportunities that may come my way.

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I had enough faith and life experience to know that life happens when we least expect it and that the solution for a creative outlet would present itself when the time was right, and it would be exactly what I needed. A couple weeks later, while sitting in the same carpool line, I opened an e-mail from the middle school saying that they were in need of a new Haunted House Director. The haunted house was the school’s second biggest fundraiser,

aside from the one where they just ask everyone to give the school money. Ha! I instantly felt bad for the sorry sucker who accepted that role, knowing that once you agree to do anything with the school, you are roped into that commitment until your last child leaves the school. It’s an unspoken rule, of course, but no one ever breaks it. I promptly deleted the e-mail and went about the rest of my daily mommy and midwife duties. Later that evening, once everyone was in bed and I could think straight, I decided it would be a perfect time for a little meditation. I am certainly no expert on meditation, nor do I pride myself on having a disciplined routine. Rather, my practice consists of doing my best to use any peaceful, contemplative moment to just sit still and be quiet. I do believe that it is in those moments of silence that God or the Universe sends the most important messages, so imagine my surprise and borderline panic when the two words that were sent to me on that particular evening were “haunted house.” The next morning, I lay in bed and contemplated my cosmic message. Could I really orchestrate an entire haunted house? Do I even want to? Where would I begin? But then I remembered why I was at this point in the first place. I was longing to be a part of a creative project, to give birth to an idea that would not only fulfill a need inside myself, but would hopefully give joy back to my community as well. And deep down, I knew I could do it. In midwifery, most of my time is spent as a facilitator of the birth process. During prenatal visits with my clients, we spend a great deal of time identifying any

obstacles to a particular birth plan and finding solutions for them so as to create the space necessary, both physically and emotionally, for the most optimal birth possible. Potential obstacles and desires are different for each family and I am a facilitator of these goals in many different ways for a variety of personalities. To put it bluntly, I knew I worked well with all types of people and that is exactly what I would be doing as the Director of the haunted house. I had also been directing a household that consisted of a husband, four kids, two dogs, two birds, and a goldfish for the past fifteen years. I was a pro at dealing with lots of moving parts. The more I thought about it, the clearer it became; I was the perfect girl for the job. I was going to midwife the haunted house like nobody’s business. I was going to gather a team of awesome individuals, and collectively, we were

Winter 2018

going to birth the scariest haunted house this school had ever seen. I was lucky to be taking over for another amazing woman who had been responsible for the conception of the haunted house fundraiser idea. This would be the third year running, so I inherited a blueprint for the actual design of the house as well as an entire boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; locker room of storage space that held all the props that had been used in previous years. I also had a solid core team of volunteers who had helped in the past and was excited to be doing it again. Eric was my main man, a master at building, lighting, and securing anything that needed it to ensure the safety of all patrons. The Johnson family were my powerhouse volunteers. It takes a whole week to build the haunted house and

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they were with me everyday, doing anything I needed from helping to blacking out each room to going thrift store shopping for extra props and costumes. Katie was my creative partner, walking through the house repeatedly each day to spot where we could add a little more scare factor. Denise secured all my actors for the house, bringing kids from the high school as volunteers in exchange for community service hours. Other parents would come in randomly throughout the week to donate props that were needed or to help decorate the individual rooms. It was a beautiful orchestration of people coming together for a great cause and my heart was full as I reflected on the week and the countless hours of hard labor that went into creating what was soon to be the culmination of all our efforts.

The haunted house lasted for two nights. Opening night brought with it some minor technical difficulties, which is nothing out of the norm when there are so many areas that require attention. After working out the kinks, the second night ran smooth. Once the final customer had gone through and the lights were up, we all ran out of the house cheering and hugging and high-fiving one another at the amazing production we had created, each of us with a deep understanding of how much we needed each other to make it successful, and how honored we all were to be a part of such a soul nourishing experience. We raised over $10,000 that would go directly to teacher grants that would enhance the learning capabilities and environment for every child at the school. We couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be happier or more proud. I attended a birth a few weeks later for a first-time mother. Looking around her room, I reflected on how much preparation had gone into anticipating the arrival of their sweet baby. Childbirth education classes, prenatal visits, and gathering supplies enabled the couple to meet this day with confidence.

Soothing music, candles, and strategically hung affirmations created a peaceful environment for the mama to do the hard work of bringing forth her child. I thought about the haunted house and all the preparation, consulting, and manual labor that was required in order to create a one of a kind, never to be duplicated experience. I realized that any goal or creative project has the same characteristics of birth. We are pregnant with an idea, we struggle in whatever way necessary to achieve our goals or bring forth our projects, and we celebrate its arrival by acknowledging all we sacrificed to get there. And when the birth was complete and the sweet mother received her baby into her arms for the first time, the entire room erupted in cheering, hugging, and high-fiving one another, each of us with a deep understanding of how much we needed each other to make it successful and how honored we all were to be part of such a soul nourishing experience. We couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be happier or more proud. By Rachel Hart www.birthingway.com Winter 2018

By Ora North Think all of our Christmas traditions come from Christianity and Coca-Cola? Think again. Many of our most popular traditions have unexpected roots in shamanism. Santa and his magical reindeer, the Christmas tree and the giving of gifts are all traditions based on the harvest and consumption of magic mushrooms. Shamans of Northern Europe in PreChristian times would collect the red and white psychedelic mushrooms, called amanita muscaria. You have most likely seen these mushrooms in cartoons or books. They are often seen in the illustrations of folk tales, as they represent magic and are associated with fairies. When collecting the mushrooms, these Siberian shamans would dress in their traditional fur-trimmed red robes. Their cheeks and noses always had a ruddy, flushed glow, which is an effect of the mushrooms. Sounds like a certain jolly fellow weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve come to know and love, doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it? Amanita muscaria mushrooms only grow under certain trees, usually evergreens and firs. The mushroom cap is actually the fruit of the mycelium beneath the soil, which is part of a symbiotic relationship with the tree roots.

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This is where the image of gifts beneath the Christmas tree comes from. The shaman would hang the freshly picked mushrooms on the branches to start the drying process. The shamans were essentially decorating the trees as they gathered. This is why we decorate our trees in beautiful bulbs and ornaments. Once the shaman was through gathering, he would pack the mushrooms in his sack and travel from house to house (or yurt to yurt) to deliver them. The doors to the yurts were often blocked with high piles of snow from the harsh Siberian winters, forcing the shaman to climb in through the smoke-hole, or chimney, if you will.

After the jolly shaman delivered the gifts of partially dried magic mushrooms, the tribespeople would then string up the mushrooms or place them in stockings to finish the drying process over the hearth. Once dried, they would open their gifts, so to speak. The consumption of the mushrooms was a very sacred act, as it opened their eyes to insight and wisdom for the people. The most common effect of amanita muscaria consumption is size distortion and the sense of flying, either experiencing it oneself or seeing others flying. This explains the image of the jolly shaman Santa and his reindeer flying away.

processed and eliminated with the first pass through the body, but the active ingredients of the mushrooms would remain active in the urine. In other words, it was safer to consume the hallucinogenic compounds through the urine. It was common practice to drink the urine, and it could be passed through the body six or seven times before the effects wore off. Since both the tribesmen and the reindeer enjoyed the mushrooms, the human urine could be used to attract reindeer and the reindeer urine could be passed amongst the tribe. “Reindeer games” and “to get pissed” are arguably from this tradition.

Reindeer were quite fond of the amanita muscaria mushrooms as well! They sought them out and enjoyed their effects, often seen “prancing” about while under their influence. Reindeer were sacred to these semi-nomadic people, and they shared a special relationship.

While I’m not about to put magic mushrooms in my husband’s stocking or seek out a urine exchange with a reindeer, I can appreciate my Christmas traditions all the more knowing their shamanic roots. I knew there had to be a reason my favorite Christmas ornaments were always the red bulbs with white spots.

So special, in fact, that the herders and the reindeer would often exchange urine. It was said that all the toxic compounds of the mushrooms were

By Ora North

All Images from The Graphics Fairy

Winter 2018

Healing Ancestral Abuse

By Ana Bokstrom Often those of us who were abused as children form relationships with similarly wounded or abusive partners. Unfortunately, this increases the likelihood that we’ll pass the abuse on to the next generation. If you have children and are worrying that your own history might be affecting them or if you are avoiding intimacy so that you don’t pass on the abuse, there is hope. We can heal our families so that our children aren’t impacted or, at the very least, are less impacted by the ancestral patterns of abuse. Don’t be hard on yourself if you suspect that your unconscious behaviours have affected your children. It’s never too late to help them and you heal. Before we begin to address the negative patterns of our past, we first need to recognize that our family was unhealthy. It might seem obvious to some but many of us who grew up in dysfunctional families have become so conditioned to abuse that we don’t really know what

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normal is. Here are some typical characteristics of a dysfunctional family that you might recognize: Outsiders see the family member very differently – the abuser is often very good at creating a public perception that is very different from what you see behind closed doors. As a child I was often confused by friends and neighbours who would express admiration for my father. Secrecy - “We don’t share our dirty laundry with outsiders.” Secrets are encouraged, even required, to maintain the illusion of a healthy family. Not wanting to bring friends home – I didn’t have girlfriends for sleepovers because I worried that my father’s sexual remarks and touching would upset them. Shut down emotionally - Emotion is suppressed or excessive but rarely

anything in between. My mother seemed numb; I often wondered if she even cared for me. My father on the other hand was both loving and violent. As children, we weren’t allowed to have feelings – “Quit crying or I’ll give you something to cry about” was a typical expression of my father. Lack of boundaries – both physical and psychological. Privacy and respect are rarely given in abusive families and boundaries are frequently crossed. Unrealistic expectations – often when a parent has unrealized dreams, they will transfer the expectations to the children and withhold approval for normal levels of achievement. Unnaturally mature children - When one or both parents are incapable of parenting, often the child will try to fill the missing role. Strangely, the overly responsible child is often praised for their adult behaviour by outsiders but it’s frequently a sign of trouble. Unnaturally sensitive children - When you are constantly receiving mixed messages or dealing with an unpredictable or unstable parent you become keenly aware of the subtleties. A healthy family is one that is loving and nurturing, respects one another, encourages healthy boundaries, is truthful, plays together, expresses

disagreement safely, doesn’t have a double standard for parents and children, praises freely, accepts each other’s differences, is willing and able to compromise, and can acknowledge when mistakes are made. If you recognize your own family in some of the dysfunctional descriptions above, don’t despair. It is possible to stop the pattern before it irrevocably effects the next generation but it’s going to take some work.

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First, you’ll need to recognize the ways that you’ve carried these patterns forward. This takes courage, and it takes time. When I started realizing how messed up my childhood really was, I was terrified that I had unconsciously harmed my own children. It’s inevitable, if you have children, you’ve wounded them. How much and what you do about it is where the work starts. Be as honest with yourself and them as you can. One common trait of adults from abusive backgrounds is an inability to admit when they’re wrong. It can be very painful and scary to see the truth of your own behaviour but remember – we all do the best we can. If you do have the courage to see the dysfunction, how do you prevent your children, and the generations to follow, from suffering from it? You start by identifying the specific destructive traits that your family taught you and then break the pattern. For example, if your family didn’t allow you to establish healthy boundaries, start there – set your boundaries and defend them.

They will most certainly be challenged, especially at the outset. If you were taught to keep the family secrets, start telling the truth. You will be told to shut up – by the other victims just as often as the abusers. It won’t be easy, but the stakes are high and it’s worth it. If you are the first one in the family to begin to change the patterns and heal yourself there will be slap back. And don’t expect to be able to get it right immediately – these are well embedded patterns that took a lifetime to form – it will take persistence and time to create significant change. Most importantly, be kind - to yourself, to your loved ones and even to your abusers if you can. The question I ask myself when faced with opposition is “If I wasn’t afraid, what would I do?” Ask that question often enough, and you just may find that you fear less and love more. By Ana Bokstrom http://shifthappensnow.ca

Living With the Incurable:

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A mention of the word Endometriosis generally results in a great big â&#x20AC;&#x153;Endowhat?â&#x20AC;? from any given person. Yet, the women who suffer from this affliction know all too well the gravity of what this diagnosis means. There is so much to learn in managing this incredibly painful and often debilitating disease. I write this to provide hope for those strong women who struggle, and perhaps shed some light on what they are dealing with, and to those who love them. What is Endo? Endometriosis is an often painful condition in which endometrial tissue which normally grows inside the uterus, grows outside of the uterus. This tissue attaches to the fallopian tubes, ovaries, and the lining of the pelvis.

By Lisa Falcon G. In some cases it may spread to other organs in the abdominal cavity. This tissue reacts outside the uterus, as it would inside, breaking down and bleeding each month. The issue is that it has no way to exit the body, it is trapped. Surrounding tissue becomes irritated and eventually develops adhesions and scar tissue. This fibrous tissue can cause organs to stick together and create intolerable cycles of pain. Getting Help is Hard I was about 16 years old when the pain began, it almost knocked me over from a standup position. The pain, for me, came in waves: big ones, or bigger ones. I spent the next 14 years talking to emergency room doctors and OBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s when it was too much to handle.

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Despite how much I pleaded to them, explaining the pain I was feeling, the moment I said “It hurts like this when I have my period”, they patted me on the head, assumed it was just heavy bleeding and sent me home. It made me feel like I must be crazy, but I knew I wasn’t. Even the OBGYN’s would say, “Well it just sounds like you have heavy periods.” They would stick me on birth control and send me away. The birth control, for me, did not stop this vicious cycle. And, for me, the emotional and mental side effects (breaking out crying for no reason, agitation, irritability, and states of anxiety at times) were insufferable. This is the first huge obstacle many women face: getting taken seriously by an entourage of doctors who will do everything before considering it could be endometriosis. Despite the fact that this disease affects an average of 200 million women worldwide. That is one in ten women, afflicted to greater or lesser extent, by endometriosis. The trouble is, endometriosis cannot be diagnosed without a laparoscopic surgery, but they will not do a laparoscopy unless you have some other reason (ovarian cysts, fibroids etc.) So until they are willing to do an ultrasound, and agree whatever they find is worthy of the laparoscopy, you are out of luck. Aside from the devastating complications this can cause in fertility, it is also, as a bonus, intensely painful. For me, this pain was otherworldly. The kind of pain I liken to getting hit by a car that shatters your hips. Stabbing, shooting, cramping and crushing pain that shot through my midsection, down to my knees, and kept me immobilized for days at a time, every month. There was not a day that I didn’t experience some level of pain; it was just bearable, or completely unbearable, wavering between those two levels frequently. The onset of pain is swift and unpredictable. It can come at any time, during any part of your cycle from ovulation to menstruation.

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Winter 2018

Getting Heard I began to be taken seriously when I became my own advocate. I had to do my homework. I researched and continued to be persistent. I was lucky in finally getting referred to an endocrinologist. As I sat there in tears a few weeks later, pouring my heart out explaining my symptoms and suffering, she looked at me and said, “Oh Honey! You have endometriosis. I will recommend surgery to the doctor.” The first surgery resulted in the doctor admitting my case was the worst she had seen. She said the endometrial tissue was attached to everything; my bowels, my bladder, my digestive tract. She said it must have hurt to sit or stand or walk or have intercourse. I cried and said, “I tried to tell you.” I was 32 years old which meant I had waited 16 years to be validated. A year later it came back. Endometriosis is incurable. I ended up back on the operating table for a second surgery. This time she said it was worse than before, everything all twisted up like a pretzel and stuck together. She advised me she did not think I would ever have children. I had never really wanted to have a child, but still, this is an emotional blow for a woman to discover. She further advised me the only next course of action would be a hysterectomy, she said otherwise, it would just keep coming back. To Fight Harder I did not want to give up and just have everything removed. I had done enough research to realize that a hysterectomy only stalls this disease but does not cure it. Endometriosis is like a cancer that doesn’t kill, it is just incredibly painful. I decided I needed to understand how exactly the disease is fed.

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What is fueling it? Endometriosis is a hormone fed disease: meaning estrogens trigger endometrial tissue to grow where it shouldn’t. I am not a doctor and make no claim to be a nutritionist either. But understand, doctors are not, by and large, educated about nutrition and the links between diet and disease. I came to understand the estrogenic and dietary triggers that fueled the growth, and began to remove them.

Foods to Avoid for Endometriosis: • Red meat (most meat is loaded with hormones) • Dairy (for the same reason) • Wheat (gluten) • Trans fats • Soy products • Refined sugar • Caffeine • Alcohol This provided me with about 2-3 years of relief compared to what I experienced before. I still had at least a few days most months that were unbearable. But changing my diet, and going a step further to become vegan, truly did miracles for me. When it would get bad I would refocus on my discipline in diet, as I reinforced my commitments, my body would respond with less pain. The tissue will still grow, but this can help stifle its speed. Boosting and Balancing Hormones Naturally Our body makes good estrogens and bad estrogens. Some estrogen is helpful for maintaining strong bones and protecting against cancer, while others can inflame endometriosis and be a contributing factor in cancer. There are three kinds of estrogens: E1 (estrone), E2 (estradiol), and E3 (estriol). Without going too deeply into this, women with endometriosis can take an active role in our own health by finding ways to naturally regulate our own hormone levels. Our liver performs over 200 vital functions, and for women with endo, it has a big job in filtering out bad hormones.

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When our liver is not functioning well (due to poor diet) it results in issues such as; sleep issues, mental confusion, depression, heavy periods or clotting, irregular periods, fibroids or breast tenderness, hot flashes, cysts on the ovaries, mood swings or menopausal problems. All of these may point to an issue with liver function.

Exercise is also helpful in naturally boosting progesterone (otherwise commonly taken in the form of birth control). Things which impede liver function and actually harm it are; foods containing polyunsaturated fatty acids, fried foods, complex carbs (pasta, bread), alcohol, and acetaminophen if taken too often.

The great thing about the liver is we can fix its functionality by avoiding what hurts it, and introducing liver boosting foods. This is vital to do, and even those without endometriosis may find value in trying this. Liver boosting foods are; dark green leafy greens, broccoli, berries of all kinds, and beets.

Be aware this will not work magically overnight, it can take up to 3 menstrual cycles to see the positive effects. For more on this, I found a great resource online called Sexy Lady Balls with womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health nutritionist Melissa Ramos.

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Pain Management Many women, once they are finally diagnosed, are offered a concoction of assorted painkillers from dangerous opioids to nerve blockers. In search of a natural alternative some may find substantial relief with quality CBD oil. I am just beginning to try this for myself but many women who suffer with endo are saying great things. This link is a great resource for all FAQâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on this subject and I highly recommend exploring this option as an alternative to chemical pain killers. https:// www.marijuanabreak.com/bestcbd-oils-pain-relief

Living with endometriosis is incurable, but it is not un-survivable. By being educated on the issue, speaking with others, finding a doctor you can trust, and creating a healthy daily routine, life can be manageable, pain free and even joyful again. By Lisa Falcon G. Universalhiddeninsight.weebly.com

Find a Good OBGYN Finding a good doctor is key. I did a lot of research to find a specialist for endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain (which many endo sufferers are also diagnosed with). It is ultimately your body and your life. You want to make the most informed decision about what route to take. This disease typically results in many surgeries, often hysterectomy, and continued surgeries beyond that. Nancyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nook on Facebook is a great resource for doctors vetted as specialists for this particular condition. It also offers many resources and nutritional tips for women with endo. I have personally joined an online endometriosis support group which has been both validating and helpful in having others to talk to about the disease.

Winter 2018

The Spirit of Christmas How Changing My Perspective Saved Christmas

By Angela Jeffreys

Christmas time became a time of year I dreaded. I wanted to enjoy it, I truly did. I bought thoughtful gifts, took my time wrapping them to make them look beautiful, I baked and baked and baked. However, as the actual day came closer, I dreaded it twice as much as the previous day. Saying “Merry Christmas” became more difficult as the years passed, to the point I would choke on the words. I stopped saying them, replacing them with “Happy Holidays”, that seemed to be easier. I won’t depress you with the details as to why I dreaded Christmas, as that is not what is important. What I did to turn it around is.

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Eventually I became a mom. I did not want to expose my daughter to my feelings of the holiday season thus tainting her childhood like mine was. I decided I had to change my attitude – but how do I do that? One year it came to me – it was the perfect solution. The solution was to

stop celebrating Christmas. Wait! Hold on! There is more to the story. At this time of my life, I was learning a lot about how my ancestors, the Celts, celebrated this special time of year, which they called Yule.

I learned how most of the traditions we celebrate came from Old England and Europe before Christianity moved in. The Celts celebrated the Winter Solstice, more specifically, the return of the sun. At the solstice, the sun appears to stop moving for several days. When it begins to move once more (about Dec 25th), the Celts then knew the sun did not forget them. The celebrations began! So, I decided, instead of celebrating Christmas, I would celebrate Yule.

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on the floor with food or glitter, they would “drop” presents on the stairs then take them away, they would take away the stockings and leave a present in their place and they left notes. Our daughter, who was 7 years old at the time, absolutely loved it! Her eyes lit up every time there was a strange noise somewhere in the house. She’d run all over looking for the next mess or present. One year they left cheese by a note for her. Her reply was “Sorry, but I don’t like cheese”. She started to write back to the elves which made for some funny comments, on both sides. I am not sure who enjoyed it the most – her or the “elves”!

Photo courtesy of Angela Jeffreys

What does that mean, you may ask? Well, funnily enough, not much changes. We still put up a tree; however, the decorations have changed a little, to ones that have more meaning to me and the Celtic ways. I hang nutcrackers, moon ornaments, red & white mushrooms, and reindeer. We still exchange gifts. We still have a feast; however instead of a turkey, I cook a roast beef or pork. And, we do this on the 21st or the 22nd. We added in an extra feature, which seemed to just happen all on its own somehow. Elves would come play shenanigans. They would make a mess

As each year passed with this new way of celebrating, the dread eventually disappeared, and joy took its place. I began to look forward to all the festive activities, I would sing along with the music and look for new decorations. My heart finally began to fill with joy. One strange thing happened though. Although I was no longer celebrating Christmas, I realized one year, I was happily wishing people, family, friends and strangers a “Merry Christmas”. I no longer choked on the words and…I am also beginning to refer to our celebrations as Christmas once again! Merry Christmas everyone! Angela Jeffreys Winter 2018

Stepping Out Of The Darkness By Rylee Smith

In today’s world, unfortunately, it’s common for people to experience a long-lasting sense of unhappiness. Many of us experience feelings of hopelessness, inadequacy, or dejection. Most of us will, at some point, experience depression during our lifetime, whether or not it is ever formerly diagnosed. It’s not something we must hide from or feel ashamed of. But it’s not the normal default, or at least in my opinion, it shouldn’t be.

If so, what for? And if not, why not?

Many of the young people I know have struggled with depression. It can be a chronic mental illness, but we may feel depressed at times without actually having depression. We feel the pressure of trying to please our families and our peers. We’re just trying to figure life out, yet we must make so many choices which will affect our futures. Are we going to go to university?

Our culture openly criticizes its conventions more than any culture before us. We live in a time where it’s normal that our chosen leaders are thought of as villains, and our own standard way of life is constantly being criticized. We live in a time that is more conducive to equality and revolution than ever before, but that also means that we’re often forced to see ourselves as villains.

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Not only must we make these life changing decisions, we are also relatively inexperienced in most areas, and therefore often don’t know exactly what we wish to do at such a young age. Besides this we are often surrounded by negativity. It fills our world, we are constantly bombarded with bad news and things that make us feel as though there is something wrong with us.

I believe that feeling self-hatred is a huge contributor to depression. Our culture constantly tells us we are not enough, and tells us that everything we’re striving for–abundance, wealth, etc. is evil. It often tells us that wanting to have a comfortable life with financial prosperity is greedy, and taking care of ourselves means that ultimately, we’ll fall behind in life. It tells us that life is a race, when really there is no competition to get to the finish line, because what is the finish line? It seems the answer for most people is death, so why not enjoy life a bit first?

I know many people who’ve felt as though depression was a flaw. Depression is really not something to be ashamed of. I don’t believe that’s it’s something we should lock up in an emotional closet and try to keep hidden, because ironically this can add to our unhappiness. There can be many contributing factors to depression in our emotional and physical states. A fear that we’re not okay or not enough seems to be the most common one. We feel like we’re just not up to the tasks we are dealing with. We feel trapped in our lives, whether by our partner, our job, or even our society. Sadly, I like many folks. have suffered from depression and suicidal thoughts. One of the main thought patterns which contribute to suicide and more severe bouts of depression is the belief that our lives will never get better. When we don’t remember to make time for things we’ll look forward to, our lives can feel like an endless uphill battle of misery and waste. Sometimes we’ll see destruction around us, or social justice issues and wonder if there is even hope for such a world. In our culture we are hyperstressed, and over-worked.

Winter 2018

We are constantly bombarded by the media telling us we are not enough, and at times we may feel as though we’ll never be enough, but no matter who we are, we are all fundamentally enough. There is no bar we must meet, there is no prerequisite for life, we all deserve to live and be happy. Yes, we are all flawed, but we are also beautiful and unique. We deserve to be free of guilt and shame.

The only limit to what is possible is the limits we put upon ourselves. We live in a synchronistic world where many things are possible, where the impossible becomes possible as we learn to approach problems in new ways. Really, this applies to all areas of life. Personal conflict will arise. But we’re much better equipped to handle these situations when we are in a good state of mind. We’ll make more positive choices, that are in line with our morals and beliefs. One of the worst feelings is to have no hope left. This applies to every issue, big or small. When I feel as though there is nothing I can do about something, and that there is no hope left, I feel horrible. But there is always hope. 76

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Life is not a series of problems with one solution, rather a series of obstacles that can be overcome in an infinite number of ways. We forget that we are, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, or education level, valuable. We are amazing individuals with ideas and emotions, with identities and dreams, who deserve happiness and prosperity. For the martyrs amongst us, we can often forget that we can’t save anyone until we save ourselves. As human beings we are subjected to suffering and hardships, but we always retain the choice as to whether or not we’re going to support ourselves. To be there for ourselves as an ally rather than our harshest critics.

We forget that we ourselves are wonderful beings, capable of so much love and compassion, capable of supporting ourselves and those around us. So, if you are reading this, I’d just like to remind you that you are amazing, not in spite of your imperfection but because of it.

We can manifest incredible abundance and joy in our lives.While this can be difficult as the world is full of problems and reasons to be depressed, we are ultimately in charge of our own happiness. We can be as happy as we allow ourselves to be, therefore our imagination is the limit.

Negative things, or rather what appears to be negative things, will always occur in our lives. We only have control of how we react. We are living in a universe that exists in a state of creation, and destruction. Therefore, one of the best parts about the universe we live in is that change is inevitable.

It might be hard for those of us struggling with depression to remember this. People might not understand why we don’t want to go to certain events or hang out more often. They might not understand that being depressed doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate those around us. Depression can feel as though it’s caused by circumstances and judgements from the outside, but in truth we are responsible for ourselves. Having this thought in mind really helps me whenever I regress into a bout of depression. I am the one keeping me there, I am jailed by my own free will.

Experiencing life is an amazing gift. Our bodies are the ultimate tool which we have been given. A tool which can grow and evolve over time, heal, and become stronger. Our minds are a vessel for us to express ourselves.

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Therefore, I can choose to set myself free. When I feel down or hopeless I like to remember that we are scientific anomalies, that we are rare and wonderful. And that life itself is relatively young, that we have changed so much in the last century, and this means that change in our personal lives will continue. It may not be immediate, but someday things will change. I like to think about

the best, most beautiful moments in my life, my favourite people and experiences, things that, if they were to occur again in the future, would be a reason to keep going. A reason to never give in and give up hope. To strive forward, and seize the day. We all have a choice right here, right now. We can stand up for ourselves, love and support ourselves, be the best version of ourselves that we can be. Because we are incredibleâ&#x20AC;Ś we just forgot.

www.ocpublishing.ca www.facebook.com/ocpublishing www.twitter.com/ocpubhfx anne@ocpublishing.ca Developmental book editing Author mentoring/writing coaching Author profile development Social media set-up assistance Self-publishing guidance Partner publishing Book promotion assistance OC Publishing, founded by award-winning author, Anne Louise Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connell, is ready to help you finish your work in progress. Whatever assistance you need, we will create a book development program just right for your personal author journey. 78

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By Rylee Smith

INTENTION

The Powerful Act Of Manifestation By Laura Nauss Intention is an extremely powerful act of manifestation. In other words, intention is the precursor to manifestation. When we send out an intention, it becomes a signal to the universe that we are ready to co-create our desires, dreams, goals, and ambitions. Intention offers clarity, it offers direction and provides a pathway, a road map to what you want to achieve, and provides an anchor. All we have to do is listen. My own personal journey with intention setting began several years ago. I was lacking direction in my life, I did not know what I wanted. I lacked vision and did not have a clear idea of who or what I was. It was a very dark and scary time in my life; I was at a low point and could not see a way out.

It was during this time that I ended a tenyear relationship. I was living in a place of pain and brokenness. I was dead from the inside out. I was exhausted to the point of no possible explanation. As I began to put my life back together piece by piece, I knew that I needed to change, to have direction. I needed to heal the broken pieces. Everything felt so overwhelming, so monumental; I was climbing a mountain and did not know how. Then one day, I was speaking with a friend and he suggested that I create an intention as a way to frame my healing process. I was curious and intrigued; something had clicked in my mind. It was a slow process. I first had to figure out where to start. I had no idea where to start so I just started.

I knew that I had a lot of work ahead of me, so I started small. I believed that if I started with small things, it would begin to lift me up. My very first intention was to just get up and leave the house. I had been living in fear of what laid outside my door, so I decided one day to go out, to get involved back in my own life. I would no longer succumb to fear. I was coming along very well; I had gotten involved in my life, I was slowing coming back to life and the pain was subsiding. In 2008, devastation hit in a hard and unexpected way. My daughterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s father died. He was only 44 and my daughter was nine. Life shattered all over again as the pain of grieving took over my life and I fell into its paralyzing grip. It took a long time to come back from that loss, I was now on my own with my daughter. As difficult as this was, it was my intention setting that got me through. I decided to move myself and my daughter to a new city and start over entirely. Then, I set a new intention. This was a time I needed to be there the most for myself. I sat in solitude and opened my heart. I decided that no matter what it took, no matter how hard it would be, I was going to fully and completely heal myselfmind, body, and spirit.

I learned that healing requires deep inquisition into oneself and that it is no easy task. My first order of business was to allow myself to grieve. Not just for the loss of a friend, but also for the person that I was and used to be, to let that person go so that a new me could come through and flourish. Each day was a new day to start over, to start fresh. My vision of healing and growth took me to places that I never thought possible. I have learned that through this process, anything is achievable and everything is possible. By Laura Nauss

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Expansion Of Light By Bernette Sherman On December 18, 2012, I officially became a stay at home mom. I was never satisfied with being a stay at home mom though, my mind raced with ideas because my need to create doesn’t sleep.

Only then was I able to see the job as an opportunity to walk more effectively in my purpose. I saw the potential to focus my energy and my efforts. I saw it as freedom. I would be able to flow rather than force.

I toyed around with the idea of returning to the traditional workforce several times since I left on that December day six years ago. Either the timing, opportunity, or ability to work and meet my family’s needs didn’t line up. I needed something more and didn’t want to let go of what I had. There was also an internal drive to feel I was making a difference in the world, like so many of us called into a life of service feel. Once we’ve awakened to that purpose, it compels us to walk - sometimes run - towards our calling. I’ll be the first to admit it’s not always easy.

With the opportunity that showed up (which I accepted), I realize how much God showed up in delivering every single thing I wanted if I went back to work. There were no compromises. I am humbled and uplifted at the same time. I am grateful to God for blessing me so much in my life and again now. I am also grateful for family; my husband and mother who are supportive and for my children who motivate and inspire me. I know we’ve been brought together divinely as well.

When an opportunity for a job I previously applied for and didn’t get came back, I looked at it with new eyes. I saw it with a clarity and vision I didn’t have a few weeks before. During those weeks, I was vigorously trying to create a professional brand from scratch, and soon realized it might take several years to see the results. It was time spent soul searching and evaluating what was most important and what it really meant to follow God and my truth.

With this opportunity, I have space to do things I want to do (such as creative work) and to release other things I no longer need. Who would’ve thought a job would give that freedom? The year between September 2017 and September 2018, life was like a rollercoaster. A multitude of experiences happened, in which I planted many seeds in the Universe. I knew that what was meant to grow, would yield a harvest. Although I had some ideas of what I wanted it to look like, I wasn’t married to any specific outcome. I continued to use the tools that got me through the emotional challenges of this last year when I questioned my very existence (the story I shared in the Spring 2018 issue). I have pushed and pulled to make things happen. However, in gaining clarity, I recognize that I can only be and allow. I can allow myself to be ready, flexible, and open so that I can flow with the currents and winds that come. I also realize that we only receive what we are ready and willing to receive. I couldn’t receive the job until I was ready, and when I was ready, it came back to me. I came through self-doubt, questioning my values and whether it was all a waste of time. I came through hurt and rejection, and wondering whether I’d ever really find my groove. I tried so many things and found myself staring at disappointment over and over. But I refused to give up; I came here with a purpose and I know the Universe has my back - especially when I flow with it.

At least I did. When it doesn’t work, we feel disappointment. That can be part of the way, without being the only way. I am, and will always be, a creative being, but if I’m not serving in the world, I am only bouncing light, not expanding it. It’s akin to being in an echo chamber. I am, in this moment, the result of years of preparation. I certainly have my flaws but I’m ready for where I am today. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here. I made myself ready for when opportunity showed up. I have asked for what I needed (not the job itself but the qualities and lifestyle and flexibility I wanted). I have made myself open to the possibilities of life and open to opportunities that may not be what I imagined; because I can’t imagine every possibility. It was in my willingness to be open and vulnerable, along with all the preparation, that I was able to claim this blessing. Please know this. We have in our lives what we have created for our ourselves. We want the miracles, but we must be ready to claim them when they show up. We don’t know when they will come, but if we do the work now, we will be ready for them when the bigger blessings come, and be prepared to answer the call when it comes. And may the growing light of this season be upon you. By Bernette Sherman www.BernetteSherman.com

Sometimes we feel we must beat a path, create something new of our own, to share our truth and light. best selling author and writer creating miracles program

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Be the Light

The holiday season is upon us yet again. For most, the days are filled with shopping, decorating, baking, making party plans. For me it is much the same, with a sprinkle of “Hurry up and get everything done in case someone has their baby” added into the mix. And helping a sweet mother bring her new child Earth side was exactly what I was doing as I was fretting about all the tasks that still needed completing before Christmas. Eventually, the bustle of the day fell behind me as the imminence of the birth drew near, and I couldn’t help but think of Jesus’ birth, the reason for the season. According to the Bible, Jesus was born in a barn and laid in a manger amongst the barn animals because there was no room for him or his mother in the inn. There was a big, bright star that guided the three gift bearing wise men to the miracle birth. First, let me just say thank God they ended up in the barn, with no one to interfere with what some would say was the single most important birth to have ever happened in the history of mankind. Home birth for the win. Seriously, though, the birth story of Jesus has captivated

A Midwife’s Christmas Story

my attention since it was first told to me in Sunday school when I was five years old. As I watched my client labor in her birth pool with the Christmas lights from her tree illuminating the room, I felt my body soften, anxiety and tension from the expectations of the holidays relieved, replaced by a sense of peace and excitement for all the opportunities for renewal that the season represents. Anytime a baby is born, it is nothing short of a miracle. Physically, the innate perfection in conceiving, growing, and giving birth to a baby radiates with a higher intelligence, and every birthing mother is divine as she brings forth the gift of the child who is a light to their own family. Spiritually speaking, a new baby gives hope for the future because we are filled with a new sense of vigor for our desire to gift the world a better place than when we left it. As the birth of babies will remain a constant part of our existence, so will remain the opportunity to be reminded of our own ability and obligation to give the gift of our own light, in order to illuminate the path for others who may be in need of peace and hope for the future during this holiday season. By Rachel Hart Winter 2018

In The Next Issue

Angela Jeffreys writes about how the events that happen to you are stepping stones to take you to the right place.

Marc Geuzinge reveals how his bad eyesight gave him perfect vision. 84

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Tess Adams tells us How to Move From a Job You Hate to a One that Inspires You.

Mark Setjo talks about celebrating two birthdays, and what the second one actually celebrates. Winter 2018

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Event Listings Shift Happens Radio Show with Ana Bokstrom and Jeff Pilsner Thought provoking and mind-bending conversations about the Shifts in people’s lives and communities. Tuesdays 3-4pm, Sundays 11am-noon Streamed live on http://kootenaycoopradio.com Podcast on http://shifthappens.media

The Purple Frog Book Event This children’s book, written by Angela Jeffreys, will be featured at the Dartmouth Book Exchange, 1187 Cole Harbour Rd, Cole Harbour, NS. Angela will be there to sign your copy of the book. There will be colouring pages, a book reading, and purple frog cupcakes. Date: Feb 2, 2019 Time: 1-4pm The Purple Frog is available in English and Mi’kmaw (the language of the First Nations people of Nova Scotia). For more info about the the book and author https://www.ocpublishing.ca/angela-jeffreys.html Now available on Barnes & Noble, Amazon and Indigo/Chapters

The 28th Annual AFC Spiritual Retreat A.R.E. Speakers, Sidney and Nancy Kirkpatrick will share stories from the Edgar Cayce Archives. For all details: https://www.facebook.com/events/252509492055120 Location: Glengarry Best Western, Truro, NS Date: May 31, June 1 & 2, 2019 Winter 2018

Authors Lisa Falcon G Author of “The Self Beyond”, a field guide for selfdiscovery, deeper healing, and soul awakening in today’s world. Find out more at: universalhiddeninsight.weebly.com. Email: Universalhiddeninsight@yahoo.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

Herbal Apothecary Two Drunk Witches Your modern apothecary, featuring uniquely crafted botanical self-care products from soothing herbal salves to replenishing facial serums, see what we’re brewing! From Victoria, BC Phone: 250 213-9762 www.twodrunkwitches.com Email: info@twodrunkwitches.com

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

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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 Bernette Sherman Intuitive guidance coach with a goal of empowering you to live the life you want and do the things you love. Learn more about her services at www.BernetteSherman.com. Follow her on IG @IAmBernette

Life Coach Instructors Tess Adams Become an Intuitive Life Coach with Tess. www.TessAdamsCoaching.com E-mail: tessadamscoaching@gmail.com

Marketing and Admin Support 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

Midwifery Rachel Hart Certified Professional Midwife, Birthing Way Midwifery. Providing prenatal, birth, and postpartum care in the home setting. www.birthingway.com rachel@birthingway.com

Motivational Speaking Leah Parsons Speaking out on Rape Culture, Trauma & Resiliency, Cyber Abuse and Mental Health. To book Leah for your group or event, contact her at Leah@rehtaehparsons.ca www.rehtaehparsons.ca

Connections

help you on your path.

Motivational Speaking Bernette Sherman Bernette is an engaging inspirational speaker sharing life principles from personal experiences and her books. She is also a poet and vocalist fusing socially conscious and inspirational messages into her works. www.BernetteSherman.com

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

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

Publishing Anne Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connell, OC Publishing Book editing, author mentoring, writer coaching, author profile development, book promotion assistance, self publishing guidance, social media set-up assistance. www.ocpublishing.ca Email: anne@ocpublishing.ca

Reiki Laura Nauss Reiki sessions every Wednesday 301-255 Lacewood Dr, Halifax, NS Phone: 902-495-3181

Shamanism Angela Jeffreys, Blue Crow Inspirations Providing classes on various Shamanic subjects: Beginner, Soul Retrieval, Psychopomp. Offers Soul Retrieval Healing sessions. www.bluecrowinspirations.com bluecrowinspirations@gmail.com

Skin Care Two Drunk Witches Your modern apothecary, featuring uniquely crafted botanical self-care products from soothing herbal salves to replenishing facial serums, see what weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re brewing! From Victoria, BC 250 213-9762 www.twodrunkwitches.com info@twodrunkwitches.com

Spiritual Development Lisa Falcon G, Spiritual Consultant & Facilitator Offers Spiritual Life Coaching, Reiki healing, and workshops on ancient wisdom, self-healing, soul awakening, personal activation, and more. Website: universalhiddeninsight.weebly.com Email: universalhiddeninsight@yahoo.com

Tarot Readings Sylvia Richards Sylvia is a spiritual teacher, counsellor, coach, and psychic medium with over 30 years experience. Email - amalind@yahoo.com Phone 902 434 5014

Wellness 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 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

Yoga Instructors Leah Parsons One on one private yoga available. Weekly classes with Mind/Body/Spirit Gentle Yoga are held Sunday Evenings at 6pm, 122 Portland St, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. For more info Leah@rehtaehparsons.ca

Winter 2018

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Winter 2018

Articles inside

A Personal Journey With My Inner Child