ACTION~Jan.-Feb. 09

Velocity Magazine | The Law of Action | January • February 2009 1The

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ReadVelocity.com

2 www.ReadVelocity.com • Central Florida’s Premier Holistic, Green, Conscious Living Magazine

Velocity Magazine | The Law of Action | January • February 2009 3


A N I M A L S

48 Are You One of the Chosen Ones? BY COLLEEN GORDON

49 Only the Holistic Best for Your Pets

A R T S

55 The Movie Mystic - STEPHEN SIMON REVIEWS “Last Chance Harvey”

58 In My Book - A Review of “THE DOLPHIN” BY KALI TELANA

59 Music to My Ears BY PURUSHA RADHA

38-39 ASTROLOGY BY RAVEN MOONDANCE 40-41 CALENDAR

57 FREE 37 TAROT BY WANDA BARUCH

C O N S C I O U S C O M M U N I T Y

16 It’s Magic When We Come Together BY JULIE NORRIS 25 ‘Our Vital Earth’ News

F A M I L Y

27 Our First Home On Earth: The Tree of Life BY MELISSA HOLMES 29 Say No to Drugs BY SHINAH B’NAI

F O O D

12 Living Food BY MAMA J

G R E E N

10 The Truth About Fair Trade BY PEGGY ENGLISH 14 Refill, Not Landfill BY EMILY RUFF

28 Organic Resolutions BY KIMBERLY LANHAM

H E A LT H A N D H E A L I N G

15 The Law of Action and Its Active Role In Healing BY DAWN GATES 18 The Body’s 24 Hour Cycle BY RAMAH WAGNER, DC, AP

20 Personal Health: An Environmental Practice BY EMILY RUFF

23 Ionic Detoxification: An Alternative Path to Improved Health and Wellness BY LONDO, REIS-MILLER, WAXMAN-LLOYD

24 Cleansing: A Better Approach to Health and Wellness BY MARYANN HOLDEN

25 Healing Powers of Amethyst Quartz

Volume 17January • February 2009 • The Law of Action

59


Purusha K. RadhaPUBLISHER-EDITOR

Karish HavatayASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHERPRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Emily RuffCONTRIBUTING GREEN EDITOR

Ramah Wagner, D.C.CONTRIBUTING HEALTH EDITOR

Peggy EnglishCONTRIBUTING ORGANIC AND FREE TRADE EDITOR

Julie Norris CONTRIBUTING COMMUNITY EDITOR

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All material contained in this issue ©2008PKR Communications- Velocity Magazine.

All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without express

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26 Finding Our Way Back to Health and Happiness Again BY DOREEN PARADEIS-LOPES

30 How BodyTalk Changed the Way I Looked at Life Forever BY JEANNE ELLIS

I N S P I R A T I O N A L

8 Your Life in 2009 BY PURUSHA RADHA 14 Tuning In WITH MARGIE GRAY

27 From Inertia to Action BY AMBER MELENDY

31 Simply, Simplify, Simplify BY ANITA TORRES

32 What’s That About? BY JOANNA HACKLEY-DAVIS

36 Keep Rubbing the Genie’s Lamp BY DIANE J. ACKERMAN

38 A Zen Moment BY JODY WILLIAMS

43 Action Put Into Motion BY JEANINE D’ONOFRIO, PhD (ABD), LMHC, NCC

46 The Spectacular Destiny of a Washtub Tree BY ROSS HESTER, PA, CH

51 Do It! BY JOANNE M. KELLER, ARNP

52 A Message for the New Year BY REV. CAY THOMPSON, DD

54 You Can Create the Life You’ve Always Dreamed Of BY ERIKA RICHMAN

61 Making Hypnotherapy a Career BY MATTHEW BROWNSTEIN, CHT

R E L A T I O N S H I P S

56 Big Love WITH ARIELLE FORD AND BRIAN HOLLARD

60 Creating With Our Word BY DAVID WOLF, PhD

S P I R I T U A L I T Y

33 Look Who We Are Becoming BY CHRISTINE SOKOLOWSKI

42 Finding Clues About Our Past Lives BY DAVID BOTSFORD

44 From My Will to Thy Will Be Done BY DR. ALBERT NUÑEZ, DVM

53 Just Be BY REV. DONNA WEINHEIMER

also at ReadVelocity.com

Comment on the articles in this issue and find archived writings from past issues.Answer our WebPoll questions on the article pages.

Sign up for our monthly electronic newsletter.Blog with us.


A realization recently came to me about goals and desires as I was wondering why one of my long held intentions

was not yet coming to pass. In a time of medi-tation I became aware that my actions were not congruent with my desire.

It tends to take a lot longer when we desire some-thing and then go into absolutely no action to support it! By taking actions, no matter how small, we add energy and give fuel to our inten-tion. We are working with the Universe, which is not outside of us but is us, to bring together the object of our desire. The action can be as simple as placing five dollars into a jar to begin saving for a new project, making some phone calls or beginning research. “Never leave the scene of a decision without taking an action,” says Anthony Robbins and when I remember to do that, I al-ways have great success.

Sometimes, however, I find myself unable to take that small ac-tion and I have to ask, why? Do I really, really desire it or is there something else, namely my ego mind, holding me back? Some-times I begin dreading in advance the energy I’ll have to expend to accomplish my goal or I get fearful that I don’t actually have the know-how. Yup, that’s the ego mind alright, but once we cast the light of awareness on it, the ego retreats and we can feel freer to move full steam ahead.

Then there are the times when we fervently place forth our de-sires, we go into action, we visualize and hold our intention with love in our minds and hearts and — nothing. At every turn we are met with an obstacle or a frustrating dead end. But what I have more often than not been ecstatic to find is thank God I didn’t get it! Somewhere down the road I see that if I had received what I wanted, I would be in big trouble now! I’m really glad to know that the Divine, with its infinite purview, is watching out for me and presents to me something even better than I was look-ing for. That’s a terrific feeling — to know that we just can’t go wrong when we embrace the Infinite in our every moment.

When I look back over my life I can honestly say that virtually everything I have ever desired has come to pass, that or something better. Just knowing this helps as we set out to manifest the lives we’re dreaming of. It imbues our intentions with faith, the main ingredient we must have to manifest and to see our actions bear fruit. But it’s incredibly important to remember, too, that a psycho-mystical person is, at the same time, unat-tached to the fruits of his or her labor. When we take action with a sense of detachment we become truly free instead of prisoners of our desires.

Every day can be a day we start over and begin anew, not just New Year’s Day. Every moment holds the opportunity for a fresh start. And each one of us holds the power for our own destiny. That power is not held by our employer, our partner or mate, the club we belong to or the church we visit. If something isn’t working in our lives we have the unlimited power and the pre-cious responsibility to change it and to make our own way in this world. I observe with amazement billions of people who cease-lessly respond to our innate drive to create and serve. It’s one of the most beautiful aspects of living in this dimension. What we may not often realize is that this drive to create and serve is our way of giving back to the Divine who has given us so much. That active drive to ‘do’ should be embraced rather than shunned. Some say there is nothing to do but to ‘be,’ however this Yin-Yang world begs for the balance of opposites. Being in creative service and action is one magnificent way we express our love for all of Creation. It causes us to feel alive and it makes our world the richest, most spectacular tapestry of Light! Let’s dream big in 2009. All is possible!

From the Editor

Purusha K. Radha


Contributing Green Editor1 Emily Ruff, herbalist, is director of the Florida School of Holis-tic Studies, a 501c3 nonprofit educational institution committed to creating sustainable communities by empowering individuals to reclaim their radiant well-being through reconnecting with the natural world. Emily has studied herbalism on three continents over the past decade and consults individuals on holistic nutri-tion, herbalism, aromatherapy and flower essences. She is also owner of the sustainable lifestyle store, Evolve, located just a few doors down from the school in Thornton Park. Contact Emily at FSHL: 407-595-3731. Visit www.HolisticLivingSchool.org.

Contributing Organic and Free Trade Editor 2 Peggy English is co-founder of OrganicBug.com, an online business dedicated to offering a wide variety of quality contem-porary eco-friendly, fair trade and health-oriented merchandise. Peggy invites us to use our purchasing power as a vote for social and environmental change, while delivering an incredibly inter-esting and informative one-stop shopping experience for today’s busy consumer. Visit www.OrganicBug.com.

Contributing Community Editor3 Julie Norris is manager and co-proprietor of Dandelion Com-munitea Café, founding board director of the Progressive Local Alliance for Community Enrichment (PLACE) and serves on the boards of Slow Food and Mills Fifty Mainstreet. She’s an avid supporter of the local art, music and food culture, and showcases the diverse people and happenings in ‘Ourlando’ on her weekly radio program, Front Porch Radio. Her passion for community, delicious fair food, the environment and culture are the driving forces behind all her endeavors. More on her ventures at www.dandelioncommunitea.com, www.frontporchradio.wordpress.com and www.ourlando.com.

Contributing Health Editor4 Ramah Wagner, DC, AP is a third generation chiropractor with degrees from the University of Iowa and of South Dakota. She received her graduate degree from Palmer College of Chiroprac-tic (the founding college of chiropractic). Watch for Dr. Ramah Wagner’s new book, “The Health of Business - How to Balance Your Life for Greater Return.” Dr. Ramah is available for speak-ing events and intensives. Visit www.DoctorRamah.com or call 352-589-5443. www.HealthOfBusiness.com.

Create SpectacularlyVibrant HealthWhen I was a young adult my father had open heart surgery twice within a six year period. He was living the ‘default health program,’ watching television, drinking beer, waiting for his first heart attack. Default means ‘lack of positive action rather than conscious choice.’ He did nothing and ended up dying at the young age of 63 with cancer. That’s when I realized my health was my personal responsibility.

The choices we make every day have an impact on our health. We should ask ourselves, are we reactively spending our time and money dealing with our illnesses or are we proactively invest-ing in our wellness? What choice do we make — the path that doesn’t get us anywhere or the path that leads us to a long, quality, healthy life, the path of health and wellness? When we look at longevity, we have to find what inspires us. My inspiration was my two young children. I wanted to be there for them and their kids. I didn’t want to be hooked up to machines and have my kids or my kids kids having to take care of me. I wanted to be of sound mind and body, and I wanted to be making a difference in the world.

I learned the economics of health because I knew the intensity of my lifestyle today would directly impact my quality of life tomorrow. I began the path of health and wellness by reduc-ing and managing my stress: getting plenty of sleep, drinking lots of water on a daily basis, doing thirty minutes of vigor-ous activity most days of the week, and most importantly, by consuming a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.

More than anything else your health depends upon your nutrition. You can choose wisely or you can choose foolishly. Choose wisely by having a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, ab-solute critical components in our quest for better health. They contain thousands of antioxidants and other phytonutrients that work together to help prevent disease and give us optimal health. I consciously choose whole food based supplementa-tion to get the recommended variety and amount of fruits and vegetables my body so desperately needs every day and which is next to impossible to consume merely by eating! For the best supplementation I have found, I choose Juice Plus+ to bridge the gap between what I should eat and what I do eat. The health results I’ve enjoyed are the best I’ve realized in a very long time.

Today is tomorrow and I have never felt better. What are you waiting for? To learn more about Juice Plus+, call Debbie Mixon at 407-832-8746. Visit: www.dmixonjuiceplus.com. Debbie gives wellness talks for individuals and businesses in the Central Florida area.

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While developing our business, OrganicBug.com, to reflect our spread-the-word-about-organic mission, my sister Patty and I cre-ated cute little clipart product keys that we thought would be fun to attach to each product page. They would inform the potential customer of the specific ‘goodness’ of that product whether it was Fair Trade, Handmade, Made in the USA, Natural, Organic, Re-cycled, and/or Sustainable. We figured this mattered. It did and still does to more people than ever thanks to Al Gore and others who have paved the way. The funny thing is how little we realized at the time that each of these things individually is a valid starting point yet is only a part of the story. Yes, organic farming does reduce pesticide use which lessens the toxic overload on the earth’s precious non-renewable resources, most importantly air, soil, and water; not to mention the many workers who spend long hours in the fields tending crops day after day. But what else do we need to know about workers, people world-wide who are an integral part of our supply chain? Whether a product comes from India, Bolivia, China, Japan, Kenya, South Africa, the Philippines, Chile, Mexico, the USA or elsewhere, what do we learn when we question the working conditions of people throughout the world? We learn about sweatshops here and abroad. The search for cheap products is on. What does this really mean? It means that com-panies don’t mind sacrificing people to sell for greater profits in a race to the bottom where we all lose — communities, families, farmers, workers and the environment. Sweatshops are defined as suppliers who produce goods cheaply through skimping on factory and living conditions for their workers while demanding long hours and high quotas without proper compensation. This often takes place in slave-like conditions using children as labor-ers as well. We learn about the inequality of conventional international trade that started the development of Fair Trade organizations over the


last 60 years. Initially set up in re-sponse to poverty in economically marginalized countries, Fair Trade creates opportunities through awareness. As a result, fair prices are honestly and openly discussed providing equal pay for equal work by women and men, safe and healthy working conditions, and where children participate in the production process, practices are put in place to ensure their well-being, educational requirements and need for play. Additional steps are taken to encourage best practic-es for the environment through the application of responsible methods of production. Organizations like the World Fair Trade Organization and Co-Op America have brought internation-al attention to the plight of workers and trading conditions around the world. Organizations like Co-Op America’s Ending Sweatshops Pro-gram targets sweatshops and forced child labor, particularly in the ag-ricultural, clothing and textile in-dustries. Transparency and accountability across all spectrums of production, from tilling the land to the finished product we buy off the shelf, are vital components to trade at all lev-els if we are to grow and prosper as a species. The more consumers who engage in actively supporting sustainable business practices, the better chance we have for survival. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? We can’t stop the ball from rolling but we can change its direction. Sources: www.coopamerica.org; www.ifat.org

Peggy English is co-founder of OrganicBug.com, an online marketplace dedicated to of-fering a wide variety of qual-ity, contemporary, eco-friendly, fair trade and health-oriented merchandise. Peggy invites us to use our purchasing power as a vote for social and environmental change, while delivering an incredibly interesting and informative one-stop shopping experience for today’s busy consumer. Please see ad page 10.

The basic

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Entrée Salad - Serves two2 cups organic spring mix lettuce1 cup organic alfalfa sprouts1 large organic zucchini grated (in a food processor is quick and easy)1 large organic carrot grated (in same food processor – no need to clean in between)10 organic sun dried kalamata olives, pitted2 tablespoons organic hemp seeds (can be purchased at your lo-cal health food store)1 organic avocado either sliced or cubed

Fresh Dressing:½ cup organic extra virgin olive oil¼ cup organic fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)1 to 2 cloves organic garlic1 teaspoon dried oregano¼ - ½ teaspoon Himalayan sea salt1 pinch black pepper Bon AppeRAW!!!!

I m a g i n e s e e i n g . . . a dog g r i l l i n g his din-ner over a roaring

fire in the backyard, a small bird roast-ing nuts over a cozy fire so that he can feed his family, or a fierce lion skewering his gazelle on a spit and spending hours watching it roast to perfection. These images would make us laugh if they were in cartoon form. In reality, they are beyond our mythos because they have never happened. People, human beings, human animals walking on two legs, are the only known creatures that have ever cooked food before consuming it.

Now, picture a man outside his castle with a grilling area to die for — a beer in one hand and the other holding a pan full of one and a quarter inch thick steaks ready for the grill. Some may be saying, “Yeah, now that’s the life.” Scientifically, it is the cooking of food that kills and mo-lecularly alters the enzymes in the food.

Enzymes are provided in each food that are needed to digest that particular food. When enzymes are present in food, di-gestion takes place. Proper digestion and assimilation results in fuel and en-ergy. All the above allows our bodies to stay youthful and healthy. When we consume a diet of cooked foods it is easy to overeat and gain unwanted and un-healthy weight as our bodies are scream-ing for nutrition that just isn’t in cooked foods. When we have clean intestines and consume raw food, we feel nutri-tionally satisfied and more energetic; we exercise and have less stress; we sleep better and enjoy a higher quality of life. Today I want to share some thoughts on the difference between live foods and liv-ing foods, and give you a simple recipe to try.

LIVE food is the fresh produce you purchase at the grocery store. A lot of this fresh produce is grown in California

and some in other countries. It has to be picked, packaged, and shipped to ware-houses that eventually get it to your super-market. Produce can be days old by the time it appears in the supermarket. That is why you will see people being very choosy about what they select. Buyers look for freshness in the brightest color, the crisp-ness and the smooth texture of each pro-duce item they put into their grocery cart. A better choice is to locate a local farmer who grows organically, with apprecia-tion for Mother Earth and who is willing to sell his organic produce to you. If he picked it this morning and you are prepar-ing it today it is actually LIVING food.

LIVING food is your sprouting garden of jars and trays of sunflower and buck-wheat growing by your window. LIV-ING food is the produce you pick from your garden as you need it. If we go into our own backyard and pick a handful of parsley, a bright red bell pepper, lettuce, carrots, celery, broccoli, tomatoes and zucchini, and consume it within a short period of time, we are consuming LIV-

Living Food —


ING food filled with enzymes, vitamins, minerals, phytonu-trients, micronutrients, and life force just as God and Mother Nature made it. The less time a food has been separated from its life giving force, the more nutritious it is. The fresher the food, the better it tastes. People often comment on how good my home smells because of the aroma of all the fresh foods.

One of my favorite fall activities is harvesting foods my hus-band planted in all the containers that dot our backyard. Veg-etables, fruits, citrus and lots of herbs were planted so that we might enjoy and appreciate them on a daily basis. Living food is a high priority for our health. Oh my, how I love the fra-grance of our rosemary bush with fresh morning dew on it!

A raw food lifestyle is often misunderstood as eating all salads. I promise you that it is far from all salads. In upcoming issues, I will give you raw food pasta recipes with various toppings like marinara sauce, marinated mushrooms or a type of Alfredo sauce. I’ll share recipes for a mock meatloaf that is raw, live and delicious, or for raw mashed potatoes, green beans or wonderful Asian dumplings.

Whether you gather your harvest from your own organic garden, from an organic farmer or from the organic section of the super-market, try an entrée salad for dinner tonight (see recipe, page 12). This salad is easy to “build” on the number of plates needed for your family in the order each ingredient is listed in the recipe. Top with some of the dressing and enjoy.Please see Mama J’s ad below.


“Refill, not Landfill”The Myth of BottledWater

by Emily RuffContributing Green Editor

One of our school’s campaigns, “Refill, not Landfill” encour-ages us to ditch the bottled water fad and start using refill-able containers for our drinking water.

The economic costs of bottled water are an important place to start our evaluation. Bottled water can cost hundreds or thousands of times more than tap water. For most of us, tap water costs about 1/5 of a penny per gallon; using a filtration device or alkalizer, it may cost ten to twenty five cents per gallon. Bottled water typically costs more than one dollar for eight or twelve ounces — a cost of over $10 per gallon. Consider that most “purified” water simply has chlorine and minerals added, and most “spring” water comes from a tap that is fed by a spring, but not from a spring source itself.

Environmentally speaking, in the United States alone, plastic bottle production has reached 28.6 billion per year, and requires almost 18 million barrels of oil, enough to fuel more than one million cars. Bottling of water across the globe uses almost three million tons of plastic each year. Over 85% of empty plastic water bottles — almost two million tons — goes to the landfill, instead of being recycled. Most of these will be incinerated, releasing toxic gases and ash full of heavy metals. Ditching the bottle and refilling instead keeps our plastic refuse from clogging up landfills and further pol-luting our airways.

But perhaps, most important of all, is the quality of the water you are paying those high prices for. The FDA and EPA do not regu-late bottled water the same as tap water. Residential water systems must be tested 300 to 500 times per month — bottled water, just once a week. In an independent study of over 100 bottled water brands, 25% contained bacterial or chemical contamination that violated state standards. The same study found that 20% of these brands exceeded state microbial guidelines. Imagine, our tap water is more closely regulated than the water we’ve relied on for decades for “purity!”

Emily Ruff is Education Director at the Florida School for Holistic Living, See ad page 20.

Tuning In. .. .with Margie Gray

Beginnings and gratitude seem to go hand in hand. When a child is born, it is the beginning of her life and the beginning of a new phase of life for the parents. The gratitude for the life of a child is inexpressible. When we meet someone new and begin a new relationship, this is another type of birth. Whether platonic or romantic, as beings grounded in our con-nections, we are grateful for our relationships.

As we look around and see the many types of beginnings in our lives, there is much to be grateful for: the beginning of a new year, filled with possibility and potential; the beginning that lives in meeting someone new, personally or profession-ally; and the beginning that occurs when we look at our life with fresh eyes. When we express gratitude for what is and what is to come, we seem to be doubly blessed. So at this most auspicious time, I pause to express my gratitude.

I am grateful for all of the blessings, seen and unseen,in my life NOW.

I am grateful for and welcome with open armsall of the opportunities that are present in my life NOW.

I am grateful for all of the people who are blessings in my life and who continue to bless me with their friendship,

love and lessons NOW.

When we listen with fresh ears and see with fresh eyes, we tune in to the possibilities we may be missing. So let’s Tune In and start something new.

Please see Margie ad, bottom of col. 2, page 47.


TThe universe is a complicated place in which many people (in-cluding myself at times) fight against the flow of the universe try-ing to gain or maintain what is unnatural. The universal Law of Action implies that if we alone take consistent steps that include our deeds, thoughts, and philosophy to manifest our desires, we will get what we want. This is not always true; in order for the Laws of Action and Attraction to bear fruit our action must be in accord with the natural flow of the universe. When we have all of these in alignment and we act in the best interest of the universe, then we will obtain our desires. It is important to realize this as we attempt any endeavors, especially the life-changing ones.

A friend of mine wanted to sell her bookstore and move back with her family in Miami, so in accordance with both the Law of Action as well as Attraction she meditated and visualized some-one buying her store. Now, it wasn’t easy. It took months of dili-gent focus on her goals and it was sometimes hard for her to stay positive, but she did, and managed to sell her store to a lovely woman for more money then she expected. The buyer had just moved into the area precisely looking for this opportunity.

In addition to herbs, I often give my clients meditations and/or breathing exercises based on Vedic healing traditions that assist

THE LAW OF ACTIONand itsActive Role of Healing

by Dawn Gates, Master Herbalist

with the healing process. One client was severely anxious and could not sleep at night. I gave her herbs to help her sleep as well as balance and reduce her anxiety. At first, she had a hard time taking the herbs and completing the exercises. After a week she did begin the program and within a few nights she went from two hours of sleep a night to five; within a month she was sleep-ing seven to eight hours a night! Her anxiety decreased and her body moved from fight or flight reactiveness into a healing pos-ture. She is now off her prescription medications and is control-ling her anxiety with a few herbs and the breathing exercises.

Though the Law of Action’s required consistent focus on our goals can be easy, connecting with the universe can be hard. Some of my favorite herbs for aligning ourselves with the universe are yar-row and agrimony. Yarrow is an important herb that has many medicinal uses. As a spiritual aid it protects us from disharmony and helps us to align ourselves with the energy flow of the uni-verse. Agrimony helps us to center and relax our chakric centers so that they may become receptive to these changes. Both herbs can be taken as flower essences, tinctures or lovely teas.

Healing an imbalance in the body is usually acting in accordance with the will of the universe but it requires the Law of Action to manifest it fully; we must be willing to actively participate in healing or it will not work to its fullest potential.

Dawn Gates, Master Herbalist, aroma-therapist, flower essence and gemstone elixir practitioner, has studied nat-ural healing for 18 years. She has herb and aromatherapy consult-ing offices in Paisley, Deland and Orlando, Florida. See ad below.


Four years ago, I marched in Washington, D.C. to protest the inauguration of GWB. Facing an-other four years of political leadership under a disempowering fear- and war-spreading president was almost too much to bear. I observed a toxic, malnourished and disempowered people working too hard for too little pay at the expense of their bodies, their relationships, their environment, and their ability to believe that they could and should follow their dreams. I knew through personal experience that proper nutrition and independence from toxic foods (i.e., non-organic) was one way to become more powerful and energetic and opened the way for mental, physical, spiritual and emotional clarity to be brought into balance.

I also longed for a deeper connection to people in my own community and realized I was missing a sense of purpose in connection with my occupation. In the week after Bush’s re-election, a long talk with a friend helped me realize that I needed to step into my own power as a leader and start a purpose-driven and community-focused enterprise. We went back and forth about a graphic design shop since that was my background, but it wasn’t quite right. He finally asked me what activities brought me the most joy. My answer revealed that coming together with friends around delicious food and good music at dinner gatherings was when I was happiest. With no prior experience in the food service industry, I laughed when he responded: “Sounds like a restaurant to me.”

Four years later, I sit in my organic, eco-friendly, communitea café surrounded by amazing folks and witness our nation’s instantaneous transformation as Barack Obama is elected president. I can’t stop smiling as my faith in our democracy is restored, and along with it, my faith in fellow Americans who have risen above the racist roots of our nation to vote for a visionary leader who talks openly about transparency, self-reliance and hope. Instantly, the tone of our nation’s leadership swung from, “No, you can’t,” to “Yes, WE can.”

Like most of you, the weight of the economy has hit hard and the burden of responsibility can be immobilizing. Always the optimist, and forever faithful in the powers of manifestation, even I was beginning to falter this past year. I felt like I was stuck in the mud and had trouble envisioning a way through the muck. Since November’s election, I have been revisiting the past and reflecting on my motivation for opening up the café. I realized that in the name of progress I made the decision to change the café over to table service in order to better serve and engage our customers in the com-munity, but an interesting thing happened when we made that switch and I couldn’t quite pinpoint the trouble until recently.

By literally waiting on our customers we inadvertently took their power away. It was no longer a customer participation experience where regular customers explained the menu in line to the new folks walking in and the sense of place became more formal than our true character was comfortable with. As I realized this, a sense of relief washed over me and I knew that I had to act immediately to restore ownership back to the folks that make Dandelion the magical place that it is. Remembering our role as a connection place for the community also brought us back to the Farmer’s Market where we got our start and I’ve immediately been rewarded by a gazillion clapping hands and customers who are happier than ever to participate in a DIY (do-it-yourself ) Communitea.

A return to self-reliance where everyone pitches in and helps out is an essential ingredient in creating community, the magic that happens when empowered people come together is what follows. This can be applied in almost any area and I’d like to suggest a way for you to save money, reconnect with your food and nature, while learning some new skills to increase your sense of self-reliance. In honor of the transformation our nation has just undergone, I invite you to plant a Victory Garden of any size at your home, in cooperation with others in your community, or as a project at your place of work. For local resources and tips to get you started, visit www.ourlando.com/victorygarden.

Please learn more about Julie Norris by reading about her on page 9. Please also see ad, left.


Innate Gifts is proud to announce their newest arrival: Humani-T’s! Born of divine inspiration these shirts are designed to empower all who wear and share them! The ultra-soft, high quality materials and many attractive shirt styles were lovingly hand selected to provide you with the cozy feeling of your favorite t-shirt – the very first time you slip it on! Each shirt’s unisex design is sure to promote the opportu-nity for heart openings and thoughtful introspection. You may even be gifted with spontaneous Humani-T’s conversations - ranging from a mainstream exchange of ideas to deep spiritual insights and sharing. Humani-T’s designs and apparel choices are evolving as we continue

to grow in the spirit of truth, love and peace. We look forward to sharing Innate Gifts with you!

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InnateGifts.com


In my classes at the International Academy of Medical Acu-puncture, the school’s founder, Dr. John Amaro, is known for his magical stories, some of which are jaw dropping. Many of his healing stories inspired me to go further into eastern medi-cine. According to Master Amaro, the art of acupuncture is, “filled with myths, legends, folklore and shamanism.” Master Amaro is credited with the winning formula for combatting jet lag.

Master Amaro developed the formula during his time as a chi-ropractor in Kansas City, Missouri. It was back in the 70s when the TWA hub was located there. As he treated patients who chronically suffered from jet lag as a way of life, Dr. Am-aro became curious about circadian1 rhythms and the body’s 24-hour energy cycles, called the horary cycle as it relates to jet lag. This time-tested treatment was born from patients’ needs and has helped many.

You don’t need to use the formula when traveling straight north or south in your time zone. Jet lag happens only when flying across time zones. I have observed flying east was the worst for jet lag! One long 18-hour flight and lack of accessing this powerful formula was once a recipe for a major cause of suffering for me.

I wised up on the next trip! I used this technique on my trip to Spain and Italy. I left Orlando at 9:00 p.m., again traveling east which is notorious for causing my body horrible jet lag.

1 recurring naturally on a twenty-four-hour cycle, even in the absence of light fluctuations : a circadian rhythm.

I wanted to enjoy every minute of my travels so I simply went to Master Amaro’s website and downloaded the horary cycle and the corresponding acupuncture points (see picture below). Amaro took a very old concept like this and made it enormously helpful for remaining awake. My friend and I used our fingers to rub and tap these meridians in order be ready for the fiesta, not the siesta.

Here is the simple way Master Amaro shows us to conquer jet leg before on our way to our destination.

First and most importantly, before your plane even takes off, you need to find out what time it is at your destination. For my ad-venture to Spain, it was 9:00 p.m. when I left Orlando, but it was 3:00 a.m. in Barcelona. What I immediately did was move my watch to 3:00 a.m. Then I matched this time to the horary cycle chart. I saw it had 3:00-5:00 a.m. as LU or lung meridian. I pulled up my watch and stimulated the points on both the right and left wrist for the lung 8 meridian (as shown in the picture). I watched a movie and soon it was 5 a.m. on my watch and in Barcelona, Spain. I proceeded to peel off my socks. I tapped about 50 times on the liver meridian on the inside of both my big toes. This point is abbreviated LI 1 for liver 1 meridian. I fell asleep after drinking some water, knowing how easy it is to dehydrate while flying. I had my sleeping music, my headrest pillow, and my eye mask on as I dreamed bright and colorful Barcelona dreams.

I awoke to the noise of carts clinking by and children loudly Continued on page 21



by Emily Ruff, Contributing Green EditorMy teachers and ancestors have always taught me that my health and healing is inextricably linked to the health of my environ-ment. Thus, I also seek ways to heal myself and my family that are in harmony with nature.

Modern Western medicine, historically and globally speaking, is a very young minority. Having blossomed within the last cen-tury, it is only utilized by 15% of the world’s population. While many tools and techniques of the modern medical system offer us great gifts, many others are abused or used at times when natural methods can provide similar relief. When we take pharmaceutical drugs, we become involved in an ecological cycle that involves all of the pollution produced in the factories that prepare the drugs. In the process of healing ourselves, we contribute to the pollution of air and waterways, the destruction of habitats, and the death of animals in labs and in nature.

Plant- and energy-based healing offers us an alternative. You can


laughing. I looked at my watch to see 11:09 a.m. I blinked and did my best to read the horary cycle. “Let’s see here, HT 11-1. Okay, that is it.” Heart is on the crease of the hand. I held my hand up to my friend and we both began stimulating our HT 8 (heart 8) meridians. I had read that if you fall asleep, you just pick up at whatever time your watch reads. I smiled thinking I was clever to come up with this idea. I knew my friend and I would have lots of energy to dance a salsa with some dark-eyed Catalonian man!

I continued tapping and rubbing the horary meridians until we arrived with our chi in the proper time zone. “Simple,” I thought to myself. “You just adjust your watch and stimulate the points on both hands, feet, elbows or whatever. If you fall asleep,” I mused to myself, “you just start when you wake up! It’s pretty simple to speed up the movement of chi and to get my body in Spain’s time zone…Hmmm, I think I will teach this to my friends and patients if it works.”

It did work and I am thankful for this method of overcoming jet lag. Try it and you will find it is a simple and effective way to overcome jet lag even before you land. This is another energy-based healing technique, developed by a chiropractic master that can put your chi back into your travels. I bow to Dr. John Amaro for his lifetime of work of which overcoming jet lag is a small part.

Ramah Wagner, D.C. is a third generation chiropractor with degrees from the University of Iowa and of South Dakota. She received her graduate degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic (the founding college of chiro-practic). Watch for Dr. Ramah Wagner’s new book, “The Health of Business - How to Balance Your Life for Great-er Return.” Dr. Ramah is available for speaking events and intensives. Visit www.doctorramah.com or www.healthofbusiness.com. Please see Dr. Ramah’s ad page 19.

Continued from page 18sip a cup of herbal tea, or experience Reiki, and never wonder if the life of a mouse has been sacrificed for your personal healing. We can rest confidently that our healthcare does not contribute to further environmental pollution or destruction. In fact, by using plants for healing, we are coming even closer to your envi-ronment, to all cycles of life.

This said, not all plant-based healing is equal. When a corpora-tion enters indigenous lands and strips them of their native plants to package into little plastic bottles, we still feed into the cycle of environmental and cultural destruction. So, practice herbalism with mindfulness, research, and active engagement. Don’t just buy the latest fad rainforest herb advertised on television. Learn what healing plant might grow in your own backyard, safe from the threat of extinction.

I encourage you to explore the art and science of plant-based healing, not only as a way to bring your body into wellness and balance, but to restore your connection to nature and to contrib-ute to the restoration of the environment.

by Emily Ruff, Contributing Green EditorA 2005 study suggests that corporate agriculture in the United States is in the top three polluting industries of our natural water-ways. Between chemical pesticides and petroleum-based fertiliz-ers, we see the complete destruction of waterways.

We see this in Central Florida at Lake Apopka. Alligators are roam-ing about with two sets of sex organs. Some animal species are born with no sex organs at all. Corporate agribusiness is also to blame for the current crisis of our topsoil, both in this country, and around the world. Without fertile soil, how can the next generation grow their food? Every time we eat food from a corporate agribusiness, we contrib-ute to the cycle of pollution and environmental destruction. Fortu-nately, Central Florida is blossoming with new farmers and coop-eratives, so it’s easy to take a small personal step towards making a big difference. Take advantage of the abundance that Florida’s long growing season has to offer and note that you aren’t just support-ing good environmental practices, but also keeping more money in the local economy, to help insulate our community from global economic volatility. Or consider growing your own food. Now’s a great time to plant Spring veggies in your own backyard garden. Soon you’ll be harvesting environmental benefits, and some pretty tasty rewards! Emily Ruff is a Community Herbalist, offering wellness consultations and education in the areas of herbalism, flower essences, aromatherapy, and holistic nutrition. She is Director of Education at the Florida School of Ho-listic Living, a nonprofit educational organization committed to cultivating sustainable community. FSHL’s local food co-op, Homegrown, connects local organic growers to families throughout Central Florida. FSHL offers spring classes in Herbalism, Organic Gardening, and Urban Homesteading, among other offerings in its Natural Health, Spiritual Arts, and Sustainable Living depart-ments. Visit the school and co-op in downtown Orlando at 604 N. Thornton Avenue, or online at www.holisticlivingschool.org.


There is a world not far from our own that is beau-

tiful, mysterious, and long forgotten. Its salty liquid

atmosphere fills the void of space and time and is home

to one of the most powerful and amazing organisms in the

universe: the Tree of Life. With its complex, branched root sys-

tem, the Tree of Life is another form of the Great Mother herself: nourish-

ing, protecting, providing, comfort-ing. This tree is unlike any that grows on

the Earth as we know it. It is wet, pulsat-ing and alive with Divine creation. It sends

its great, intricate roots to find the energy of the universe and then uses that energy to bring forth

and sustain new life. In Western society, we have giv-en a name to this miraculous tree. We call her “Placenta.”

The placenta is the life force that sustains an infant for the first nine months of its existence inside the watery depths of the womb. It originates from the same sperm and egg

that creates the infant, and they both stay closely linked via a thick blue cord known as the umbilical cord. The placenta is large, about the size of a dinner plate, and is commonly referred to in parts: the fetal part

and the maternal part. The fetal part is shiny, smooth, and purplish blue in color. The maternal part is rough, meaty, and deep red.

The word “placenta” comes from Latin, and literally means “cake.” And what a rich cake it is! The placenta supplies oxy-gen and nutrients to the baby, and carries the infant’s de-oxygenated blood and wastes back to the mother’s body to be pro-cessed through her other organs. The placenta is born after the baby, and is therefore sometimes referred to as the “afterbirth.”

In many parts of the world, the placenta is often thought of as sacred and holy. It is treated with respect and dignity when the moth-er births it into the world. Some cultures believe the placenta is home to the spirit of one of the infant’s unborn siblings — there to watch over and protect the infant through pregnancy and birth. Other cultures believe that creating ritual with the placenta after its birth can assist the child with abundant fertility and fortune-telling. This ritual often involves burying the placenta in sacred ground, or offering it as food for spirits and gods (who are often thought to take the shape of certain animals). Still many other cultures con-sume the placenta either raw, prepared in special recipes, or by dehydrating it and grinding it into a powder (and in Traditional Chi-nese Medicine, this powder is often then prepared in capsule form). And then there is “lotus-birth,” the ceremony of leaving the baby and the umbilical cord attached until the cord falls off naturally. In lotus-birth, the placenta is salted for preservation and scented with herbs and spices. After the cord finally separates from the infant, the placenta is usually buried under a beautiful tree or bush.

Sadly, most of western culture is not as respectful of the Tree of Life as many traditional societies are. The placenta’s birth is rushed via injection of artificial hormones, or manually removed through rough abdominal massage or by pulling on the cord (commonly known as “cord traction”). Of course, there are rare instances in which a rapid delivery of the placenta can be life-saving to the mother, but these instances are just that — rare. Allowing the mother’s body to naturally deliver the placenta results in less incidence of hemorrhage caused by a placenta that is not ready to detach. It also results in less emotional stress to the mother. Still, in our culture, the placenta is simply treated as nothing more than a useless organ which must be expelled quickly and thrown away with the bio-hazardous waste.

But all is not lost. Many western women are taking back their births, including the births of their placentas. They are asserting their right to spontaneous, free birth of their placenta, allowing it to detach naturally, and then pushing it out as they did their babies. They are once again creating ritual after the birth; burying the placenta under oak trees and rose bushes, keeping their babies attached


to the placenta until the cord peacefully falls off on its own, or even consum-ing their placenta in one form or another to help the uterus contract and return to its normal size, prevent postpartum depression, and increase milk supply. And some mothers simply ask to see the placenta af-ter its birth, and this is all that is needed to honor and show respect to their child’s womb-guardian, protector, and very first companion.

In a modern age where daily living is rushed and hurried and moved right along, we must all take time to remember who we are and where we came from. If we simply take a little time each day to honor our roots, we can once again feel grounded and connected to the Earth that sustains and protects us. And if we take just a bit more time to re-member our first home, our watery universe, we may just call forth long-forgot-ten memories of the special spirit who sustained us long before we ever took our first breath of air. We may just remember the Tree of Life.

Melissa Holmes is the founder and owner of Feminine Earth, L.L.C., a local business dedi-cated to mothers, fathers, and all those who love and honor the sanctity of childbirth. Me-lissa offers holistic childbirth preparation classes in the Lake and Sumter County areas of Central Florida. Her other pas-sions include herbalism, garden-ing, singing, yoga, and taking care of animals. Please see ad for Feminine Earth on page 13.

better living through chemistry is not a sustainable pathway to health and wellness. Over 70,000 chemicals are commercially produced in the United States while thousands of new chemicals are introduced annually. The EPA has classified almost 65,000 of them as

potentially, if not definitely, hazardous to human health. Over 3,000 chemicals are intentionally added to our food supply and over 700 are routinely found in our drinking water.

It is noted in the book, “Building the Green Economy: Success Stories from the Grass Roots” (Kevin Danahar, Shannon Biggs and Jason Mark), that 287 toxins are now found in the umbilical cords of newborns. Rates of asthma are out of control and since World War II, the incidence of cancer has increased by nearly 50%.

Toxins are everywhere! They are in the air we breathe, the food we eat, as well as the water we drink and bathe in. A major symptom of toxicity seems to be a breakdown of our immune system that complicates our body’s ability to naturally fight off or rid itself of toxins. Additional symptoms include nervous system damage and emotional instability. Regardless of our efforts to lead a healthy lifestyle, today’s toxic environment results in high toxicity levels and heavy metals within our bod-ies. While our body’s natural mechanisms to eliminate these toxins work to reduce these levels, they are often overwhelmed leaving us feeling tired, sluggish, and finding it difficult to concentrate. This general feeling of malaise is due to an improper acid-alkaline pH balance and improper posi-tive and negative ion balance in our body’s energy levels — warning us to take action! So what can we do about it?

There are various ways to remove toxins from the body including hand washing, sweat-induced therapies, nutritional supplementation and internal detoxification products such as Garden of Life’s Perfect Cleanse. Further, there has been the introduction of advanced technologies that are providing significant benefits for detoxification (detox) therapy called, Ionic Detox Footbaths. These systems can greatly aid in the reduction of toxins and heavy metals and are an important therapy for people recovering from illness, injury, or surgery.

A detox footbath involves filling a footbath with clean water and adding sea salt (for high mineral content). An array is then connected to an ionic detox cleanse unit and is placed in the water. This results in positive and negatively charged ions being circulated throughout one’s body. The ions circulate primarily via the lymphatic and circulatory systems which bathe cells throughout the body, acting like magnets to attract the oppositely charged ions of toxins and heavy metals (that can be attributed to diuresis) with a resulting increase in excretion of sodium, potassium, calcium and also lead. Detox footbath sessions can be experienced privately in your home, office or through a licensed wellness provider.

Rebecca Reis has spent the last several years dedicated to both environmental and social activism, especially in the arena of food sustainability. She has served on the board for Simple Living Institute, ran a local farmers’ market and serves as the current Slow Food Convivium leader for Orlando. Contact Rebecca at 407-949-4444.

Jennifer Waxman-Lloyd works with companies to integrate sustainabilty into their business model, prod-ucts and services, and marketing communications. She uses her understanding of psyche and marketing to provide top consultation to her clients. Contact Jennifer by calling 407-949-4444.

Micheal Londo’s mission is to design and manufacture state-of-the-art instruments to aid in digestion, assimilation, elimination, detoxification, and revitalization. Body Balance System, a once small company is now a large con-glomerate providing hydrotherapy, lymph therapy, blood therapy, sound therapy and frequency instruments. Contact Micheal at 407-253-2202.


cleansing: a better approach to health and wellnessby Maryann Holden

Overeating, eating the wrong kinds of foods, stress, lack of exercise and genetics can contribute to excess fat and obesity. Studies have documented that another primary contributor is consuming preservatives and toxins as-sociated with processed foods, unfiltered water, and air pollution. House-hold chemicals and cosmetics are also a factor. Today, millions of people throughout the world cleanse on a regular basis to promote good health, giving their bodies time to rest and recover. Cleans-ing regularly helps your body to eliminate impurities and reduce unhealthy cravings. But here’s the best part — cleansing provides you an extra side benefit — losing unwanted weight quickly in a safe, natural way. In the past, I have tried traditional cleansing regimes with my clients with-out much success. Since I have introduced the technique of ‘nutritional cleansing’ – a cleanse and replenishing program – I have noticed the ease with which my clients are able to cleanse their bodies and achieve their desired outcomes. Cleansing is a way of life, not just a diet. Just as what we eat builds up over time within our bodies, how we interact with the world around us can either fill us with toxins or open us up to healing. The progression from a toxic lifestyle to a healthy, disease-free life is all about learning how the world works, learning how our bodies work, and learning what choices we have available to us to create a world of health around us.

As I work with more and more clients, I experience their success with a renewed appreciation for how unique we all are, in body and soul. And it confirms to me that we are all capable of actualizing true, meaningful change. Each of us can learn to take control of our health and become our own health advocates. After all, no one knows you better than you do! Maryann Holden is a certified holistic health counselor, graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in Manhattan and accredited with the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. She is a nurse with over 25 years in healthcare. Currently her passion lies in working as a Nutritional Cleanse Coach, both individually and in group programs, to help her clients transform their lives from sickly and exhausted to vibrant and healthy. She has a practice in her home office in Lady Lake, Florida. She can be contacted at 860-201-3879 or by emailing [email protected].

Top Reasons For Regular Nutritional Cleansing/Replenishing: 1. Strengthen the Immune System2. Cleanse your Liver3. Free Yourself From Stress4. Maximize Absorption of Essential Nutrients5. Aid Digestion6. Rejuvenate Your Cells7. Support Your Vital Organs8. Lose Weight and Feel Great9. Eliminate Unhealthy Cravings10. Enhance Cellular Communication11. Build Muscle12. Restore Healthy Blood Sugar Levels13. Beautify the Skin, Hair, Nails14. Create Abundant Energy15. Balance Your Hormonal System16. Slow the Effects of Aging17. Enhance Elimination18. Renew Your Desire to Exercise and Live Healthier!

CLEANSE BY ELIMINATING:• Sugar• Refined Carbohydrates (white bread, sugar, rice)• Coffee• Caffeine• Alcohol• Dairy• Meat

INCORPORATE INTO YOUR DIET TO CLEANSE:• 10-14 glasses of filtered water a day• Whole grains: brown rice, millet, quinoa, oats• Nuts and seeds• Phytochemical-rich foods: blackberries, blueberries, rasp-

berries, strawberries, watermelon, peaches, plums, sea veggies, cabbage, tomatoes, soy products

• Beans and legumes• Acidophilus to replenish good bacteria in intestines• Focus on organic fresh foods• Liver-supportive herbs and greens: chicory, escarole,

dandelion greens, watercress, endive, arugula, radicchio, broccoli rabe, dandelion root, licorice root, ginger root


is nature’s super conductor, scientifically found to offer the steadi-est, most powerful delivery of healthy far infrared light waves and the highest vibrational frequencies into the body. It is known to be a powerful detoxifier, assisting in releasing its user from addictions such as alcohol, food and substance abuse, as well as hangovers and toxic residues. Amethyst healing is used for the medical treatment of pain, stress, and depression. It has the ability to calm and protect the mind from constant rigorous chatter and assists in balancing the nervous system.

The amethyst BioMat is cutting edge healthcare technology which incorporates amethyst crystals, far infrared light and negative ions into one quantum therapeutic mat. It converts electricity through a computerized control panel into far infrared light, first discovered by NASA as the safest, most beneficial light wave. This invisible natural light reduces swelling, increases blood flow and has been shown to destroy cancer and viral cells without harming surrounding healthy cells. It penetrates six to eight inches into the innermost recesses of the body, stimulating healing and regeneration of nerves and muscle tissue layers.

The BioMat also produces negative ions, nature’s energizer, which deliver a molecular level massage. This accelerates and deepens all healing and cleansing processes. It balances pH by decreasing acid-ity and helps activate the body’s entire cellular communication sys-tem making every body function work better. Negative ions help to alleviate allergies, migraines and sinus problems. Negative ions and far infrared rays are transferred through amethyst quartz channels which cover the entire BioMat’s surface. Those who use the BioMat typically enter deep delta states of peace and relaxation, banish-ing everyday stress setting up the potential for the body’s greatest breakthroughs for cellular and physical regeneration, brainwave re-patterning and restoration of optimal hormonal balance.

For more information on the amethyst quartz BioMat, please refer to the ad below.

Four Winter Park elementary schools and one in Maitland are daily enjoying an experi-ential lesson on recycling and caring for the earth compliments of Whole Foods Market,

Winter Park and Our Vital Earth, Apopka.On Earth Day 2008 Whole Foods donated 5% of their gross sales for the day to Our Vital Earth, a ‘worm farm’ that provides products for vermicycling, an eco-friendly method of convert-ing waste to soil amelioration products known as worm castings (‘worm pooh’)and worm tea. The monies donated were given to Our Vital Earth to purchase several ‘Can-O-Worms’ and place them in area schools so that young children could be educated on this creative, clean way to compost and recycle.

The Can-O-Worms, made from recycled plastic, is an odorless and user friendly ‘worm hotel’ which turns household waste into worm castings, one of the best fertilizers on the planet. 12,000 to 15,000 contained worms busily eat their way up the trays and convert kitchen scraps, yard waste and even newspapers into the fertilizer. The Can’s innovative stacking tray system allows owners to use trays as needed and easily remove the rich castings product.

Between Killarney and Lakemont Elementary in Winter Park and Dommerich in Maitland, Our Vital Earth owners Bernie and Carl Moro delivered ten very valuable Can-O-Worms to the schools complete with education on how to use them. Brook-shire and Aloma schools are scheduled to receive four Can-O-Worms between them on January 8. Teachers have shared how excited and intellectually stimulated their students have become because of this project. They have also expressed appreciation for the assistance they receive from the valuable science lessons this hands-on experience is providing.

Bernie Moro estimates that more than 800 Can-O-Worms are hard at work in Central Florida alone. Each Can spares landfills of 600 pounds of garbage every year. This translates to a local grassroots effort responsible for preventing more than 240 tons of garbage from making it to a landfill.

To learn more about Can-O-Worms and other Our Vital Earth eco-friendly products, please see ads on page 11, visit OurVi-talEarth.com or call 407-814-9218.

Our VitalEarth News

Amethyst quartz


The Law of Karma states that for every action, there is an equal and op-posite reaction. My nephew calls it, “Back at you.” This is a basic prin-ciple upon which Ayurveda, the holistic medical system of India, works to maintain and regain health. This simply means that each one of us is in the driver’s seat for our own health. To some extent, most of us innately know this. We know that if we go barefoot in snow, we will likely catch cold. If we are overexposed to heat, we will burn. If we eat too many heavy foods, we become heavy ourselves. If we do not eat heavy enough foods, we may be ungrounded and deplete. If we breathe clearly and fully, we will feel full of Life. If we do not breathe enough, we feel restricted. These are simple natural laws that we either recognize and thrive according to, or ignore and suffer.

But there is a second interesting natural phenomenon which the Vedas1 call “prajña-aprada,” which means “intellectual blasphemy” (mistake of the intellect). This means that it is within our human nature to know the right thing and to keep doing the wrong thing anyway. For example, as a child, I loved nature and flowed in its harmony by living intuitively. But through societal conditioning and prajña-aprada, some time later I sold out to modern definitions of success, in exchange manifesting for myself an incapacitating case of fibromyalgia before I reached thirty years. Trying to defy nature as an adolescent, or angry at how far our universal patterns have deviated from what felt right intuitively, I gave up health voluntarily by going with the rush of temporary human trends and against the flow of natural laws. When I look back, I realize without doubt that at all stages of my experiment in self-destruction, I knew the right things and kept doing the wrong things, anyway. This is the state of our current global trends: prajña-aprada. Fortunately, there is Grace. In the dark stillness of immo-bility, after decades of wrong action and imbalanced living, Grace pulled me back again and gave me nature’s beautiful gift of rebalance.

This is not an uncommon story to Ayurveda. It is the story and the medical science of us having within ourselves the innate knowledge, formulas and empowerment to live vitally; of our human tendencies to test these simple truths; and of the techniques we can use for ourselves to find our way back to optimal health and happiness once again. Ayurveda uses daily self-care techniques, food, herbs, oils and yoga practices to help each of us return to our individual natural state of health. It provides us with everything we need to know to live healthfully. May we all be mindful of the actions we take and minimize the law of prajña-aprada in our health this year. We must trust that we know what is right, be kind to ourselves in realizing we sometimes deviate, and accept guidance in nurturing ourselves back to balance.

Doreen Paradeis-Lopes is a master’s degree certified Ayurveda practi-tioner, Registered Yoga Teacher, Reiki Master Teacher and ordained Spiritual Counselor. She currently sees clients and teaches at Shine On Yoga, 619 Thornton Avenue, Orlando. For more information, please see www.OrlandoAyurveda.com, or attend a FREE Introduction to Ay-urveda lecture on Saturday, January 17 from 1:00-3:00 p.m.

1 The most ancient Hindu scriptures, written in early Sanskrit and containing hymns, philoso-phy, and guidance on ritual for the priests of Vedic religion. Believed to have been directly revealed to seers among the early Aryans in India, and preserved by oral tradition, the four chief collections are the Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, and Atharva Veda.


We are all familiar with the phrase: action speaks louder than words. Henry Ford said, “Don’t find fault. Find a remedy.” An African proverb says, “When deeds

speak, words are nothing.” If we all know how important action is, why, then is it so difficult to act? Let’s explore the following three ways to move from inertia into action.

1. Moving from Fantasy into Reality: We have far-reaching ex-amples of what we ‘should’ be like and what everything ‘should’ look like. We tend to be dissatisfied with taking each experience fully in the moment for what it is. We hold an image or ideal of exactly what we want the final product to look like and when it doesn’t stack up we are disappointed. We need to release our expectations, because expectations set us up for failure. When we learn to drop our fantasies we will find endless possibilities. There are two phrases in Sanskrit that teach us reality: Dhrishti Shrishti, means welcoming the world as it is and Shrishti Dhrishti, means seeing the world through our own colored lens. • Witness Consciousness Meditation: Find some time each day to watch your mind. Start noticing your fantasies, habits, pat-terns and belief systems. When we cultivate an awareness of our minds, we create choices for ourselves. Do we continue with the fantasy or work to break the cycle? It’s our choice.

2. Moving from Chaos to Freedom: It’s easy to have big de-sires and plans, but sometimes the follow through gets lost in translation. Our minds can be tricky if we are not in control of its services. Our minds have a tendency to make us lazy, because we are always comparing experiences in our lives to the past or projecting our emotions into the future. Sometimes, it seems our mind bails on our greatest intentions. In order to move from chaos we must embrace discipline. Discipline creates freedom. Discipline is remembering what we want and it helps our mind weed out unnecessary clutter, in turn creating more space in our minds and greater freedom in our lives. • Freedom Meditation: Choose a time each day to set inten-tions and goals. The more we focus on what we want in our lives, the more we bring those intentions into reality. Be disciplined in your goal setting. Remember to imagine as if you already have achieved the goal by creating a feeling (happiness, joy) around receiving the goal.

3. Moving from Fear into Action: As a human being, fear is one of our biggest deterrents. Paramahansa Nithyananda says that all fear comes from fear of death. Simply put, we are afraid of the unknown. We have fear that we don’t know enough, that some-one is going to be better than us, that we might get laughed at or that we might fail. We must learn to go beyond fear and look at the unknown as an exciting adventure awaiting us every moment of every day. • Non-Attachment Meditation: What if our life was a game? For the rest of the day, imagine you are playing a game, called the game of life. Just like in a game, be unattached to the results, because it is simply a game. Try it for a day. See how much fun you can

have when you play the game called life. These tech-niques helped me begin to see the real-ity of my life. As I opened to my new reality a great f r e e d o m emerged and I moved out of fear and into action. I challenge you to start with what you are doing right now. Whatever you do right now in your life that brings you joy, do it better, do it more often and give it your all. Take more action in that particular aspect of your life. If you are a musician create more music. If you are a teacher teach at 100% of your capacity. It is your re-sponsibility to do your work to its fullest. Live every moment of your life fully and completely. Once we take responsibility for our actions it becomes easier to take action. Our brothers, sisters and planet earth need us to take action. The time is now. We need everyone on board right now to make progress socially, environ-mentally, politically and emotionally. Get involved. Take action!

Amber Melendy is the founder and co-owner of Shine On Yoga and Blissful Living Today. Shine On Yoga is a yoga studio in downtown Orlando dedicated to self-healing and self-realization. Shine On offers yoga, Ayurveda, kir-tan, meditation, drumming, sound and energy healing, workshops, events and more. Visit ShineOnYoga.com. Please see ad below.


Organic Resolutionsby Kimberly Lanham

As I think about the new year and the changes that I would like to make I keep coming back to one general concept – how to continue to lead an organic lifestyle and incorporate other items into my family’s daily routine besides food. If that is not enough to think about I am also trying to figure out how to do it in a sustainable manner that supports our community and the environment. Here is a list of items that I have compiled and I believe that it is simple enough to try and easy enough to become habit rather than a passing whim.

My list is not long yet a little ambitious, but trying is the first step towards making a difference. Even if I only stick to two or three (I really hope it’s the garden and the canning), I know that I have made a list of things to make my life and my family’s lifestyle a little more organic – and hey, there is always next year!

Kimberly Lanham, CEO of Get Green Organics whose vision it is to empower, educate and provide organic foods for the purpose of creating better and healthier lives. She has a Masters Degree in Applied Economics from the University of Central Florida and a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Rollins College. Please see ad, left.

Start the day clean and green. Take a shower (and use a bucket to collect the cold water for plants) and clean with organic soaps and shampoos. Aubrey Organics makes excellent personal hygiene items and they are located (headquarters and manu-facturing plant) in Tampa, Florida. Finally, dry off with an organic cotton towel.

Stay hydrated. It is es-sential for our bodies to have sufficient water. I am going to strive to drink at least half of my body weight in ounces of water. The water I have become addicted to is alkaline ionized water. Of course, I have to drink from a stainless steel water bottle. I am a fan of Sigg but Klean Kanteen makes great bottles as well and they both have a line of kid-friendly bottles.

Grow, Grow, Grow. I started a small organic container garden on my back porch. It won’t be huge – a few pots of toma-toes, lettuces and herbs are a good start! I can’t wait for those tomatoes to start growing.

Waste not, want not. With my new crop of tomatoes I cannot wait to start can-ning – whole tomatoes, marinara sauces, and fresh salsa. I was really nervous about how to go about canning the old fashioned way but PickYourOwn.org has instructions on how to can just about anything. Now when my garden is dormant I can still enjoy the fruits of my labor.

Green meals. For my son’s lunches I have purchased an organic cotton lunch sack and I pack his items in Wrap-N-Mats. The Wrap-N- Mats are like a reusable sandwich bag that turns into a placemat. They are great because I don’t have to worry about the surface he is eating from and I don’t have 100 plastic sandwich bags to throw away.

Cool and cozy. I really want to begin to experience the coziness of organic cotton by buying some 100% organic cotton clothing. According to the Pesticide Action Network, (http://www.panna.org/files/con-ventionalCotton.dv.html), conventionally grown cot-ton uses more insecticides than any other single crop and epitomizes the worst effects of chemically de-pendent agriculture. Many retail stores are beginning to carry 100% organic cotton t-shirts. With the Florida heat an organic cotton t-shirt will keep me nice and cool!


Many are stimulants such as amphetamine/methamphetamine or ‘speed,’ with all the associated potential side affects. Accord-ing to Dr. Mercola [www.mercola.com], Ritalin has the same pharmacological profile as cocaine. Others such as Clonidine are blood pressure medications, while Depakote is an anti-seizure medication. All of these were originally intended for adult use. What research and study has been done to create chemicals con-sidered safe for children’s growing bodies or brain chemistry?

If children are deemed slow, bored, inattentive, withdrawn or antisocial, depressed, or even autistic, we medicate. Conversely, if they are ‘hyperactive,’ overly energetic, or ‘too outgoing’ (yes, a child was medicated for this in a local school), we medicate. If they experience mood swings or have difficulty coping with stress, we often label it ‘bipolar’ and medicate.

So then, what is acceptable? A fine line has emerged between phases of normal childhood development and compliance versus what we consider extreme based on our, perhaps, intolerance of their process in our stressful modern lifestyle. In most cases, the child is experiencing a legitimate underlying stress or trauma.

Preschool children as early as two to four years old are being medicated by the millions. What possible issues could they have in these earliest phases of ego development?! What are our chil-dren really responding to which provokes these behaviors and symptoms?

What are our options? More recent studies link ADD and relat-ed disorders to nutritional deficiencies, allergies, and unresolved emotional issues or trauma. We have available to us potent al-ternatives that are completely natural and safe, such as simple nutrition, Yoga, and Flower Essence Therapy, all of which natu-rally assist imbalances and emotional healing, the thrust of true healing and lasting behavioral change and emotional well-being.

“Saying NO to drugs IS an option!” And our children deserve it.

For personal consultations call, please refer to ad for IlluminEssence just below.

Say No to DrugsOur Children Deserve Moreby Shinah B’nai

An adolescent boy we’ll call Jason was brought to me by his mother. Though creative, sensitive and very bright, his

focus on schoolwork was lost to daydreaming. Often bored in school he slipped into disruptive behaviors. It was suggested he was ‘ADD’ and that he be put on medication. Unconvinced, his mother sought a natural solution through Flower Essences. We created a personal flower remedy which he took for several months along with some creative expression exercises. He is now medication-free and doing well in high school.

Today, we are faced with a different drug epidemic. In our fast-paced American culture of easy access to instant solutions, legal pharmaceutical drugs have taken center stage. The decision to put children on stimulant medications has all too often become the challenge of many families who are influenced by the opin-ions and suggestions of those who often have no training in psy-chiatric care, pharmaceutical drugs or nutrition, not to mention alternative remedies. The statistics are both staggering and es-calating. Over 20 million prescriptions are written each year for these psychotropic medications.

Research shows there is no formal clinical diagnosis, test, or pathology to show ADD is actually a disease. It is, however, a behavior or condition, one which often occurs in response to known and often unknown emotional stressors including family issues, divorce, performance anxiety, peer pressures and lack of self-awareness. Depression is an umbrella term for such a wide range of emotions which we call ‘deep repression’ [of unresolved emotional material].

Before we say yes to the often recommended and frequently insured medications to alter the moods and physiology of our children, it is wise to first know what these chemicals truly are.


Chiropractor and Acupuncture Physician) workshop and the first person I worked on had amazing results. She was so severely de-pressed she did not even want to leave the house. She was previ-ously a well known artist but now had no joy for living or paint-ing any more. Her husband was beside himself not knowing how else to help her.

Within just one BodyTalk session she was no longer depressed and began painting again. Her husband was overjoyed. This was in 1996, and for the last 12 years of my life I have seen people with pain become pain-free. I have seen viruses leave the body, phobias disappear, cysts disappear and fibromyalgia healed. I have also seen emotional issues and unhealthy belief systems dissolve. There are too many case studies to list here. I feel I have come out of the belief of limitation box and am truly able to treat the cli-ent on all levels. The body/mind has an unlimited ability to heal itself, if addressed energetically.

Our Body Wisdom is always trying to communicate with us, but we do not listen. I now teach this amazing system of healing and listening to our Body Wisdom to others. It is my joy and my blessing to share it with others. This amazing healing therapy is gentle and has long lasting results. No drugs or diagnoses are needed. It integrates well with all other modalities including west-ern medicine. Many doctors, chiropractors, massage therapists,

Continued column 1, next page

Years ago I worked with a major hospital providing neuromus-cular therapy and Reiki for many of their patients who were dealing with very challenging health issues such as injuries and cancer. Though they all got relief, for many the improvements were temporary. Observing them, I just knew there were other issues that were not being addressed since we were not address-ing the entire system in the therapy. I felt there might be diges-tive issues, fears and phobias, emotions, endocrine imbalances, debilitating belief systems and possibly many other subconscious issues that needed resolution for the client to experience a truly enduring healing result. But how was I to do this? Understand-ing that every second in the body 100,000 chemical reactions occur, 20 million red blood cells are replaced, and 40 billion bits of information are processed in the brain, it seemed ridiculous to me to believe we could possibly completely comprehend this miraculous process run by the engine of our innate wisdom. I realized that there is a place for all of the wonderful alternative healthcare modalities however all of them were addressing only one system or certain parts but not truly treating the whole.

Then it happened. One night I attended The Florida State Mas-sage Association meeting where a man from the International BodyTalk Association was performing a demonstration. He called a lady up to the front who had pain in her shoulder and could not lift her arm without severe pain. As he used her hand to ask questions, he very lightly tapped on her head and heart/thymus complex. After just a few minutes, he asked her to raise her arm which she did with no pain and almost full range of motion. I was astounded since it usually took me at least three hour long neuromuscular therapy sessions for a client to realize this much improvement.

I took the full BodyTalk System (founded by Dr. John Veltheim,

HowBodyTalkChangedthe

Way ILooked at

Healthcare ForeverAnd How This Advanced HealingSystem Can Help You! by Jeanne Ellis


psychologists and people that just want to help their loved ones have be-come Certified BodyTalk Practitioners. BodyTalk has spread enormously over the last 12 years in 30 countries because of results.

Please see previous page for information on the

February BodyTalk events in

Central Florida.

Jeanne Ellis teaches the BodyTalk Sys-tem at her wellness center in Palm Beach, Florida and internation-ally. Contact her

at the BodyTalk Center of Palm Beach located at 4731 West Atlantic Avenue, Suite B9, Delray Beach, Florida 33445, (561)706-2834, email: Jeanne@bodytalkcen-terof palmbeach.comYour local BodyTalk Practi-tioner and Coordinator for the BodyTalk System work-shops in Mount Dora is Cathy Burdette (954)934-6929; [email protected].

BodyTalkTreatments May:

•Clear the body of viruses, infections, parasites, toxins and allergies•Clear past and present emotional blockages including phobias and fears•Balance the 12 major organs, eight endo-crines and other body parts•Balance brain func-tion, improve circula-tion•Balance energy sys-tems including merid-ians and chakras•Correct hereditary and/or environmen-tally influenced cell disorders•Repair damage from vaccines

by Anita Torres

Have you seen Rhonda Byrne’s movie, “The Secret,” or read any of Esther and Jerry Hicks’ books on The Law of Attraction? If you have, how’s it going for you? Have you been attracting exactly what you desire? If yes, I’m thrilled for you. Me? I’m still a “work in progress” when it comes to using the law in my life consistently. In some cases I do and what I asked for shows up. In other situations I’m realizing something’s missing. When I first heard the phrase “change your thinking, change your life,” I immediately said to myself “yeah … right!” My head was in doubt, but my heart was intrigued and longing for it to be true. I began to study universal laws. I really got that who I am is a strong being that has the power to create a life filled with health, wealth, love, happiness, prosperity, and abundance NOW – not later, but NOW!

The never-ending question … “How is it done?” continued to ring through every cell of my body. I did learn the formula of ask, believe, and receive from “The Secret,” and also to be clear about what you want from life. Here’s the big ‘but.’ Something didn’t feel right for me. My life felt chaotic and overwhelming at times. How could I possibly attract more when it felt like I just had too much going on? Well, my little voice or inner spirit kept repeating the words simplify, simplify, simplify, each time getting louder and stronger. Then I knew that was the first order of action (at least for me). It takes more than just thinking for the Law of Attraction to respond. It takes action and consciousness of my emotions, word choices, and decisions. I needed to take an inventory of my life in order to make room for what I truly wanted. Here are the steps I took to simplify. You may find these useful, too.

• Life is your canvas so paint your own picture. Visualize the lifestyle you desire. • Make a list of all the things and commitments that are overwhelming you, in no particular order.

Just do a “brain dump” on paper or in a journal.• Categorize the list between need to have and nice to have. It’s amazing what you’ll discover. We are

naturally drawn to being busy and wanting things we really can do without.• Consider each task and ask yourself: Which causes overwhelm? Which are you tolerating? Which

helps to create your vision? Which task helps you move forward in life?• Finally, create a plan for eliminating what does not serve you and implement those that are most

important and meaningful to you.

When I completed this analysis, I immediately felt lighter and I could breathe better. I had more focus and drive to fulfill my life goals. I was back in sync with the Universal Laws of Action and Attraction. With all the changes going on in the world today — some historical and others quite incredible — tak-ing action to examine and re-evaluate what we bring on ourselves is a good idea. Enjoy your simplification process!

Anita Torres, owner of Alternative Learning and Life Designs, is a Certified Professional in Learning and Performance and a Business Coach for individuals and organizations. She delivers personal/professional de-velopment workshops for life and at work. Contact her at [email protected]. See ad page 47, col. 3.

Simplify

SimplifySimplify


We’ve all experienced that certain moment in time when it ultimately becomes imperative we take action to succeed.

Sometimes action comes easy. The process I use that assists me to take action involves: 1) evaluating my current reality; 2) open-ing my heart; 3) waiting for, trusting and intentioning outcomes based on the inner guidance I receive; and finally, 4) realigning my energy with various changes that have come up. Most of the time this process works like a charm (much bet-ter than the old way of “evaluate/strate-gize/work”) and the action seems to fall into place entirely on its own. How-ever, sometimes moving forward is just something I cannot do. What then?

That’s when I ask myself my favorite question: “What’s that about?” It’s a very gentle question that doesn’t create the defensiveness of a “why?” It allows us to step into the role of ‘observer’ and view the situation without judgment or defense. We can simply observe what’s going on and what it’s about and thus realize what is blocking us from mov-ing with the Law of Action. Every time I’ve used this question, the result has been amazing. I can’t remember ever getting the same answer twice, and that simple, gentle query has always led to amazing discoveries.

Though only my closest friends believe me, I’ve always been a shy person. I can stand up in front of crowds of people and present inspirational and motivational seminars with great joy and love in every minute, but put me in a situation where I’m interacting one-on-one with people I don’t know and I freeze. Wow! What’s that about?

Great question! Putting all judgment aside, I realize that in those moments I’ve changed my focus from loving the people in front of me to hoping they’ll like me. I’ve gone from looking outward

with love to looking inward with judgment. Ouch. I wouldn’t do that to a friend, so am I willing to continue doing it to myself? No. Now it’s time for me to take action and make an adjustment. Not only will I look outward with love, I’ll look inward the same way. That feels better! Besides, whether I’m one-on-one or in front of thousands, my purpose in life is to be love, not worry about what someone thinks of me. Now taking action and interacting one-on-one becomes something I can do easily, and it is all due to that one simple question.

I invite you to try it on and see if it works for you. The next time there is an action you’re having a hard time taking, gen-tly ask yourself, “What’s that about?” Step out of any self-judgment and into the role of observer. Let the answer come. Maybe it’s not time, maybe there is another direction to go in, maybe there is a self-limiting belief that you can take action to release, or it may be something altogether different. Whatever the case, be gentle with yourself. You’re worth it. Your questions, comments, suggestions and thoughts are al-ways welcome! Contact Joanna Hackley Davis, Certified Life Coach at 352-874-7817, [email protected], or www.Rx4JOY.com. Joanna has been practicing healing arts for over 30 years as a licensed massage therapist, certified reflexologist, licensed esthetician, certified hypnotist, certified personal trainer, certified life coach. She also practices spiri-tual healing with energy. Please see Joanna’s ad below.?


The most common experience I hear about lately is from spiritual adventurers grappling with the realization they are healers but have no idea what that means or where to start.

Being new to the healing journey can be rather intimi-dating since there are so many classes and opportunities. Sometimes it can seem like you are the only one who has not found your passion or niche; and as you are searching it can feel like you are the awkward new kid on the block.

That was my first experience with Reiki. My Reiki Master, Oda, an Israeli woman living in the rainforest of South-east Asia led us in meditation several times a day for 20 minutes. As our first session of meditation came to a close and we went around the circle discussing our experience everyone seemed to have gone very deep and had amaz-ing insights to share. All I thought the entire time, much to the amusement of the class, was “when is she going to make it stop?!” Today it is pretty common to hear my husband as he enters my meditation space ask, “When are you going to stop?” To be honest, I never thought that day would come.

I have come a long way since that quiet day in the rainy mountains of Northern Thailand, but I still remember how it can feel to be at the beginning of the journey with no idea how to get to where I want to be.

Reiki is an incredible tool to use at this juncture. A hands-on healing modality, it allows us to connect with the divine source of all energy and become a channel for it. As this healing energy flows through us negative energies, blocks, traumas and illnesses are gently healed and we learn to heal others and ourselves.

By teaching us how to connect deeper within we are freed to connect deeper with all of humanity and one day we wake up rejoicing at who we are becoming. The journey of a thousand miles has always begun with a single step as Lao Tzu timelessly taught. I invite you to bring Reiki along with you on this journey.

Christine Sokolowski is a Reiki Master teaching free classes in Orlando. For a schedule of Free Reiki Level I, II or Master/Teacher classes or to order “Reiki: From Beginning to Master,” please contact Christine at 407-913-9280 or [email protected]. Please see ad, right.

Look Who We Are Becoming!Beginning the Path to Mastery

by Christine Sokolowski



36

With the new millennium we seem to be making a mass exodus out of our past beliefs and entering a mindset of “knowings.” We are becoming present to what is. Eckhart Tolle, Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, Byron Katie and even Joel Osteen speak more openly about the connections be-tween science and God. When we recognize our subcon-scious mind is a powerful computer, we discover that once the seed of a thought buds forth (action), the outcome or reaction is not far behind. We tend to manifest not only what we want to attract but what we do not want to attract as well. All too often we are left wondering why a relation-ship failed or why we always choose the loosing numbers in the lottery.

Is it possible our embedded beliefs sabotage our desires? The law of habit largely determines our future; it states that almost 95% of everything we do is based on habits formed from inherited beliefs which were stored in our subconscious ‘mind-lockers’ for reference at a later date. Earl Nightingale’s, “The Strangest Secret” states, “We become what we think about,” so if any of us have ever wondered why we never seem to quite ‘get it,’ we might re-examine our mind-lockers, dispose of the negative files and create action plans rather than reaction plans.

Since the release of the movie, “The Secret,” there has been a great deal of emphasis on the “Law of Attraction.” It states that if we put our minds to something we have the ability to manifest it and I believe this is true. However, one might further emphasize that we must buy the ticket to win the lottery. In other words, don’t sit on your duff waiting for things to happen. Make a plan and follow through! If by chance our genie falls short of the mark we should re-examine our plan. We may need to rub the lamp a little bit harder.

Whatever you do, don’t give up! After all, if we lose con-fidence in ourselves, we’ve lost half the battle. Practice continuous goal setting and action planning. If things are not working out, modify the plan. Remember, whatever we believe with feeling or emotion becomes our reality. To paraphrase Brian Tracy, “You do not believe what you see, but rather, you see what you already believe.” If your world is falling apart stand back, take another look, don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself and then pat yourself on the back and keep on moving.

Diane Ackerman is director of Alternate Pathways where clients are encouraged to embrace their addictions as lessons and gifts for per-sonal growth and challenge and accept themselves as perfect creators rather than defective saboteurs. Stefan Longo, founder of New Millennium Ther-apy, is Alternate Pathways’ newest associate. Alter-nate Pathways provides revolutionary alternatives to traditional counseling and offers a combined expertise (Ackerman, Longo, Singletary) of over 60 years in social services and drug and alcohol addiction. See ads cols. 1 and 3, page 35.


As we lose our jobs, our possessions, our identity with what we do and what we own, we are left to ‘being.’

‘Being’ is the silent observer and listener to our journey. As long silences slide between repetitive thoughts of what can I do?, we may discover that what we ‘are’ is far more spectacular than any award, bank account or 401K.

Explore these silences between thoughts. Meditate. Relax into doing no-thing.

You will discover how to shift through ‘time-lines’ into the future, with you or without you. In the process, your psychic right brain is commander in chief. It will reveal the real, most magnificent version of yourself.

Abuse will be revealed and stopped by you!Love will be generously available through you!

Abundance will be gathered and dispersed by you!Joy will be sung in lullabies and dance by you!

Peace on earth is truly who you are.Welcome home. Happy New Year.

Please refer to Wanda Baruch’s intuitive reading ad, top of next column.

Card OneGoing

With the Flow

Card TwoThe

Source

Card ThreeInnerVoice


ARIES (March 20-April 19) Be patient with yourself and life! Join with others in some type of service as a way to channel any ex-cess energy, impatience or anxiety. Stay in the moment! Be in gratitude! Create a vision for your life’s direction. Then be open and enjoy the journey. AFFIRMATION: I feel the Earth beneath my feet with each step I take. I AM grounded and supported in every mo-ment.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Take some time for self-reflection. Feel good about your progress over the past year. What do you wish to change or alter about yourself or your life? Create a positive vision and focus on it without doubt or worry. You know you have the power to manifest your desires, so do it! AFFIRMATION: I AM a powerful God/Goddess. I AM totally supported as I create the life of my dreams with life-affirming thoughts, words and actions.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Take care of yourself. Get extra sleep if you need it. Set healthy boundaries that truly honor your wishes. Nurture yourself. Don’t pressure yourself to make major decisions right now. Tune in and listen for the guidance you seek. Clarity will come during the time of Aquari-us. AFFIRMATION: All is in Divine Order. I AM guided. I AM loved. I AM supported on my journey one moment at a time.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) This is a creative time for you. Let your imagination run wild. Don’t get caught up in any of the drama oc-curring around you. It is just a distraction

keeping you from tuning in to a deeper as-pect of who you truly are. Draw, paint, write, or dance to express your creative ideas and have fun doing so! This is who you really are! AFFIRMATION: My creativity flows like a mountain stream bringing me joy, fulfill-ment and inner peace.

LEO (July 23-Aug.22) Trust that everything happens when the time is right. Look back over the past years to recall times when the Universe worked life issues out for you even better than you could have imagined. Take it easy. Enjoy each day and continually ask for the guidance you need. It will come when the time is right. AFFIRMATION: As I attune to the cycles of nature, my life flows in accordance to Universal timing. I AM content.

VIRGO (Aug.23-Sept.22) You are moving through a powerful time of initiation as you confront and release those aspects of yourself that no longer fit in your life. Stay grounded and connected to the Earth as you transform your inner self. Release all fears, worries and perceived limitations as you step confidently into your future self. AFFIRMATION: I AM a powerful God/God-dess birthing a wondrous new aspect of myself. With each day, I move into greater alignment with who I am becoming. I AM grateful.

LIBRA (Sept.23-Oct.22) Tap into your inner knowing to assist you in whatever you en-counter. Trust your initial gut reaction. You

The energy of 2009 brings focus to our relationships — how we relate to ourselves, others, our world, the environment and Spirit. 2008 brought challenges that pushed us beyond our comfort zone towards intense self-examination. It was a powerful time of growth and self-empowerment.

In numerology, 2009, 2+9=11 which further reduces to a 2. 2009 as a “2” year brings our fo-cus in interactions with others to adapting, cooperating, seeking harmony, patience, under-standing, unity and peace. The “11” is the higher vibration of relationships. Eleven is a master

by Jody Williams

So I’m walking out of Perkins after dinner with a friend, crossing the parking lot to my van. A very cute little girl is walking along behind the cars under her father’s watchful eye. She’s at that age, a little more than a toddler, but still finding amazement in the simple experience of being able to walk. She’s totally focused on her legs and feet, watching in awe as they continue to carry her body over the pavement. It seems she is witness-ing a miracle — neither taking credit nor pride in the fact that she has de-veloped this phenomenal ability her-self. She suddenly stops, realizing that someone is watching her, and turns her head to look at me.

I ask her, “Where ya going?”

She looks down at her now motionless feet, points to them with her pudgy little finger, and says, simply, “Here.”

Jody Williams owns the Magickal Muse Em-porium. See ad page 39.


are right on! You don’t need to rely so much on the wisdom of others. Whenever you are in doubt, tap into your hidden resources and allow your own wisdom to guide you through life’s challenges and joys. AFFIRMA-TION: I trust and honor my own inner wis-dom as my true guide. With each passing day, my confidence in myself grows stron-ger.

SCORPIO (Oct.23-Nov.21) If you feel like a victim or overly dependent on others, take back your power by being in service. If you feel vulnerable, take care of yourself. It is important to take care of your own needs first and then you can offer your time and resources to assist others. Honor the gener-ous and caring part of your nature. Don’t forget to allow yourself to receive as well as give. AFFIRMATION: I balance the care and nurturance of myself with my service to others. I love and honor myself and all my relations. I AM in balance.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov.22-Dec.21) Set the foundation for your new year by cultivat-ing a deeper sense of self-love and self-care. When we run on empty, we burn out. When we feel nurtured with regular meals, rest and relaxation time, we can be of the great-est service to others in our family and in our work. Schedule relaxation or fun time into your day. You deserve it! AFFIRMATION: I love and appreciate myself. When I am con-tent, my life flows smoothly. I am filled with peace, gratitude and joy!

CAPRICORN (Dec.22-Jan.19) As you review the past year, feel a sense of achievement. No matter how small or large your accom-plishments may be, congratulate yourself on your hard work, sustained focus and progress. As you move into a new year with your birthday, what would you like to see unfold? Create a vision, focus on it and see it evolve. Use your creativity to find alterna-tive solutions to any challenges that may arise. AFFIRMATION: My thoughts create my reality. My focus brings forth my dreams. My life is a joyful expression of my bright spirit!

AQUARIUS (Jan.20-Feb.18) As you com-plete a year and begin a new one with your birthday, allow yourself to release any emo-tional wounds, hurts or issues that may be surfacing. Give yourself time and permis-sion to feel what comes up so it can be let go of as opposed to pushed back down. Try writing down your feelings of hurt or anger and then as you burn the paper, see them release with the smoke. AFFIRMATION: I re-lease the past and move forward with love in my heart. I love myself and send love out to everyone in my life and on the planet.

PISCES (Feb.19-March 19) How are you holding up physically? Listen to your body. Pace yourself to minimize stress and del-egate or ask for help from others. Strive to maintain an equilibrium of energy by taking time to replenish yourself. Spend time with like-minded people for mutual support and sharing. AFFIRMATION: I allow room for rest, renewal and fun in my life. I give and receive support on a regular basis. My life is in balance.

number like 22, 33, 44 and so forth. A master number powerfully accentuates the vibration of the base number, namely 2, raising it to a spiritual, cosmic level.

On a day to day basis, be more aware of your interactions with others and take note of how groups, communities and nations interact with each other. Notice any awarenesses or shifts that come to light regarding the environment. Attune more deeply to Spirit allowing your intuition to be nurtured. The energies of this year offer spiritual inspiration and guidance assisting us as we move towards Oneness.


DATE EVENT TIME LOCATION TELEPHONE

1 Detox Yoga 1 pm Jeweled Lotus Yoga Leesburg 352-874-3272

1 Celebrate 2009 1:30-5:30 pm Lotus Yoga Center Apopka 407-697-6437

3 Holistic Health Club 10-11:30 am FSHL Orlando 407-595-3731

3 Introduction to Moonifestation 5 pm FSHL Orlando 407-595-3731

4 Quit Smoking with Hypnosis 1 pm FSHL Orlando 407-595-3731

4 Certified Reiki I Class 10 am-5 pm Healthy Alternatives Mount Dora 352-735-7555

6 C & E Club 10-11 am GTC for Spiritual Living Eustis 352-589-2620

7 The Big Thinker’s Group 6:45 am GTC for Spiritual Living Eustis 352-589-2620

7 Exploring Your Mystic Gifts 6 -8 pm All About Art Belleview 352-625-6924

8 Living on the Wheel of the Year 7 -9 pm Lotus Yoga Center Apopka 407-697-6437

8 ”Secret” of Weight Loss 5:30-7 pm All About Art Belleview 352-502-3898

10 Orbs, What Are They? 1pm-3 pm All About Art Belleview 352-502-3898

10 Toddler Yoga 11:30 am-12:15 pm Lotus Yoga Center Apopka 407-697-6437

10 Natural Plant Pruning Workshop 10 am FSHL Orlando 407-595-3731

10 Full Moon Moonifestation Group 5 pm FSHL Orlando 407-595-3731

11 Roots of Herbalism 3-5 pm FSHL Orlando 407-595-3731

12 Manifesting Your Heart’s Desire 10 am-1 pm All About Art Belleview 352-502-3898

13 Psychic / Mediumship Demonstration 7-9 pm Lotus Yoga Center Apopka 407-697-6437

13 Reclaiming Your Sacred Cycle 6:30 pm FSHL Orlando 407-595-3731

13 Foundations in Science of Mind 7 pm GTC for Spiritual Living Eustis 352-589-2620

15 The Power of Your Word 7 pm GTC for Spiritual Living Eustis 352-589-2620

17 Holistic Health Club 10-11:30 am FSHL Orlando 407-595-3731

17 Love Yourself in 2009 Appointment GTC for Spiritual Living Eustis 352-589-2620

17 Mind / Body Connection 12-2 pm Lotus Yoga Center Apopka 407-697-6437

18 Tantric Yoga 2-4 pm Lotus Yoga Center Apopka 407-697-6437

19 Past Life Regression 10 am-1 pm All About Art Belleview 352-502-3898

20 Hatha Yoga 7-8:30 pm All About Art Belleview 352-502-3898

20 Bandwidth: Expand Your Senses Call Lotus Yoga Center Apopka 407-697-6437

21 Healthy Home Cleaning Workshop 7 pm FSHL Orlando 407-595-3731

23 Henna 101 6-8 pm FSHL Orlando 407-595-3731

24 Pet Communication 1:30-2:30 pm Lotus Yoga Center Apopka 407-697-6437

24 Living Well, Eating Well 1-3pm Jeweled Lotus Yoga Leesburg 352-874-3272

24/5 Holistic Parenting 10 am FSHL Orlando 407-595-3731

24/5 The Way of the Shaman Workshop Visit site Casselberry Shamanism.org

25 Certified Reiki II 10 am-5pm Healthy Alternatives Mount Dora 352-735-7555

26 Introduction to Kinesiology 10 am-1pm All About Art Belleview 352-502-3898

27 New Moon Circle 6 -10 pm FSHL Orlando 407-595-3731

31 Reiki I 9 am-5pm All About Art Belleview 352-502-3898

31 Gardening Workshops 11 am-4 pm FSHL Orlando 407-595-3731

I think in terms of the day’s resolutions, not the year’s. - Henry Moore , (1898–1986), English sculptor and draftsman

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Lotus Yoga Center will host a Psychic/Medi-umship Demonstration by England’s Eamonn Downey, international lecturer of metaphysi-cal subjects. Downey has filled workshops and presentation halls in Europe and the United States for over twenty years, motivating and empowering people with his concepts de-livered with deep com-prehension and a savvy sense of humor.

Downey is a delightful and fascinating speak-er, well known for his contemporary theories on the evolving human consciousness and his interpretation skills of intuitive and energetic perception. He is an Officiant of The British Spiritualists’ National Union (SNU). His outstanding teaching ability combined with 20 years experience has earned him the Ad-vanced Teaching Award from the SNU, where he also holds Certificates of Recognition for Public Speaking and Medium-ship.

Eamonn Downey will present this Psychic/Mediumship Demon-stration connecting to audience members at the Lotus Yoga Center located at 465 Oakland Avenue in Apopka on Tuesday, January 13 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Admission is $15. Please RSVP to Janice Keifer at 407-697-6437.


DATE EVENT TIME LOCATION TELEPHONE

1 Guide to Prosperity 1:30-3:30 pm Lotus Yoga Center Apopka 407-697-6437

1 Certified Reiki I 10-5 pm Healthy Alternatives Mount Dora 352-735-7555

3 Bandwidth: Expand Your Senses Call Lotus Yoga Center Apopka 407-697-6437

5 Living on the Wheel of the Year 7-9 pm Lotus Yoga Center Apopka 407-697-6437

7 Introduction to Moonifestation 5 pm FSHL Orlando 407-595-3731

7 Toddler Yoga 11:30 am-12:15 pm Lotus Yoga Center Apopka 407-697-6437

7 Survival Skills Series 10 am FSHL Orlando 407-595-3731

8 Beatles Yoga 10 am Jeweled Lotus Yoga Leesburg 352-874-3272

9 Introduction to Reflexology 10 am-1 pm All About Art Belleview 352-502-3898

10 “Secret” of Weight Loss 10 am-12 pm All About Art Belleview 352-502-3898

10 Full Moon Circle 6-10pm FSHL Orlando 407-595-3731

11 Intro to Indian Tabla 7:30 pm FSHL Orlando 407-595-3731

11 Healing Meditations Day 9:30 am-1:30 pm Vajrapani Buddhist Center Orlando

407-245-7574

12 Ear Candling 3-4:30 pm All About Art Belleview 352-502-3898

13 Couple’s Date Night Yoga 7 pm Jeweled Lotus Yoga Leesburg 352-874-3272

14 Partner Yoga and Vinyasa Flow 2-4 pm Jeweled Lotus Yoga Leesburg 352-874-3272

14 The Yoga of Self Expression 12-4:00 pm Lotus Yoga Center Apopka 407-697-6437

14 Love Yourself in 2009 Appointment GTC for Spiritual Living Eustis 352-589-2620

14 A Valentine Vocal Concert 7-9 pm Lotus Yoga Center Apopka 407-697-6437

16 EFT (Tapping Technique) 10 am-1 pm All About Art Belleview 352-502-3898

18 Connecting with Your Spirit Guides 6-8 pm All About Art Belleview 352-502-3898

19/22 BodyTalk 4 Day Workshop 8:30 am-6 pm TBA in Mount Dora 954-934-6929

21 Reiki II 9 am-5 pm All About Art Belleview 352-502-3898

22 Certified Reiki II 10 am -5 pm Healthy Alternatives Mount Dora 352-735-7555

23 Cleanse Your Body 6 pm FSHL Orlando 407-595-3731

24 New Moon Circle 6 -10 pm FSHL Orlando 407-595-3731

27 Game Night 7-9 pm FSHL Orlando 407-595-3731

28 Canning 101: Jams & Jellies 10 am GTC for Spiritual Living Eustis 352-589-2620

28 Organic Pest Management 12 pm FSHL Orlando 407-595-3731

The quarrels of loversare the renewal of love.

- Terence, Ancient Roman Comic Playwrightand Dramatist of the Roman Republic. 195 BC-159 BC

FEBRUARYEVENTSEVENTSLOTUS YOGA

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Looking for a unique Valentine’s Day ad-venture? Lotus Yoga Center located at 465 Oakland Avenue in Apopka is hosting a “Valentine Vocal Con-cert” with Krishna Rose and Radhaji on February 14. Savor a romantic evening of beautiful music and divine, devotional love songs and chants. Spend your Valentine’s Night at Lotus Yoga sharing song and heart with Krishna Rose and guitarist husband Rad-haji.

Krishna Rose is fea-tured in the November issue of “Yoga Maga-zine” with her article, “The Yoga of Self-Expression.” Krishna Rose studied the Bel Canto style of voice training, and has been singing professionally for ten years. With three CDs to-date she is a rising star in the field of Celtic music, kirtan style chanting and devotional folk music. Visit myspace.com/krishnarosemusic or KrishnaRose.com for more information and sound samples of her music. Rad-haji is a master yoga teacher from Kripalu and founder of Mysti-cal Yoga. Krishna Rose and Radhaji. Lotus Yoga Center; Febru-ary 14 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The fee is $20 per person or $30 per couple. Please RSVP by calling Jan-ice Keifer at 407-697-

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February 13 and 14, 2009: Corazon Music Festival at the Mission Inn Resort, Howey In The Hills, Florida, with a special tribute to Nina Simone on Sunday evening. Cost: FREE!!! A free festival (thanks to United Arts of Central Florida) filled with ONLY the most amazing Florida musicians you’re sure to love! It will be one of the many free shows that are part of Arts Fest. Visit: http://www.myspace.com/mrrobertjohnson


The idea of reincarnation fascinates the imagination. People want to know who they were and what they did in past lives. They want to resolve issues from previous incarnations to bring wisdom, joy and meaning to this life. The biggest skeptics can become the strongest be-lievers. Captain Robert Snow, a complete disbeliever and homi-cide detective in Indianapolis, underwent a past life regres-sion session as a dare. During the regression, he gained vivid impressions of the life of a nineteenth-century painter. He recorded 28 impressions of this painter’s life on tape and saw a distinctive portrait of a hunch-backed woman. Powerful as the experience was, he still as-sumed that it was just imagi-nary. Using his detective skills, he searched for the portrait and found that exact painting in a gallery in New Orleans. The painting was signed by the little known artist James Carroll Beckwith. Investigat-ing further, Snow found pho-tographs of Beckwith which showed an uncanny physical resemblance to him. He found the house Beckwith had lived in and discovered the artist’s diary. This diary confirmed the accuracy of 26 out of the 28 impressions Snow had re-corded, including the painting of the hunchbacked woman, the cause of his wife’s death, and details of his home and career.

We can attune ourselves to clues about our past lives. Most people have experienced déjà vu – the sense that we have been somewhere before. In reading historical works of fact or fic-tion, people often enter a reverie in which they are living in that era. Such daydreams can occur while visiting an old building or a museum. People in love sometimes undergo spontaneous regressions in which they experience themselves as lovers in

previous incarnations. Some people suffer emotional, psycho-logical and physical challenges which cannot be adequately ex-plained by experiences in this lifetime. By meditating they can gain impressions of how these issues connect with past lives.

Reflect on your own impres-sions. Are there any issues which you feel might be addressed by accessing resources from beyond this present lifetime? Is there a particular historical time and place you feel drawn towards? Do your dreams or fantasies give you clues as to what you were before? If you make a written note of such impressions over several days, you may find clues which point towards a particular time and place. Then you can enter a trance state to explore further. You can play music as-sociated with your impressions to enhance the effect. This might be ragtime for America of the 1910s, Baroque music for eighteenth-century Europe, a performance of medieval instru-ments for the Middle Ages, or music from a particular culture. Breathe slowly and deeply. Let your eyes close and reflect on the experiences you have writ-ten down and the issues you want to address. Become a wit-ness to your thoughts, detaching yourself from them. Let them flow freely. Allow the process all

the time it requires. On awakening, immediately write down your experiences. Repeat this exercise as often as you want. David Botsford is a hypnotist and author of the book Hypnosis for Smoking Cessation. He will be running a Quit Smoking for Life Workshop at the You Health Center, 511 Virginia Drive, Orlando, on Wednesday January 14. His websites are www.4cornershypnosis.com and www.selfhypnosiscd.com. Please see “Quit Smoking” ad directly to the right, next page.

Finding Clues About Our Past Livesby David Botsford


In the current state of our nation it’s hard to keep negative thoughts from entering our mind. It can be hard not to surrender to the worrisome thoughts that creep into our heads at any time, consuming us with fear and trepidation. Now is when we should engage in actions that support only positive thoughts and emo-tions. The mind plays games so facing issues in a straightforward manner can put us back in control. Keep in mind that we can only control what is in our control, and not what is out of our control. We will expend a lot of wasted energy if we focus on trying to control things that cannot be changed no matter how much time we spend dwelling on them. In other words, we must lift the needle of our mental record player to stop the negative thoughts (Brown, 1999).

Becoming aware of our assumptions and distorted thinking will allow us the option of examining and testing them to see if they are reality based. According to Covey (2003), the first habit of highly effective people is to be ‘proactive.’ Proactive people take initiative, put action into motion, recognize that they have a choice and that they are their own agent of change.

Decide to act upon what is not working in your life and explore the origination of your assumptions and distorted beliefs. Many times the assumptions and distorted beliefs originate in child-hood (Field, 1993). Reinforcing negative thoughts will only lead you into a vicious cycle of pain and torture. Don’t feed into the idea that this is how life has to be.

Originally from Queens, New York, Jeanine D’Onofrio, PhD ABD, LMHC, NCC works with children, adolescents and adults doing individual, couples, family and group counsel-ing. She has been in private practice at Advanced Behavioral Health Center in Tavares, Florida since 2005. Please see her ad this page.

the law of action put into motionby Jea

nine D’Onofrio

Ph.D (abd), LMHC, NCC


THAT there is a Law of Action is no mystery. Nothing really gets done in either mind or in form un-less some action is actually taken and applied

towards whatever our goals, dreams, thoughts and words are. So the Law of Action is not in question. Many of us on the meta-physical path discover that we can actually will and manifest all kinds of things. Many ask in the form of prayers as beggars before God, asking Him to give them all kinds of things they want. God in Her or His infinite mercy doesn’t grant us everything we want out of compassion to our ignorance.

I remember countless times how I would set out to manifest things in my earlier days of manifestation. I set out an intention, I gave thanks in advance for the thing already having happened and then I watched as what I wanted actually came into exis-tence. I was overjoyed to receive many of them, yet sometimes some of the very things I had asked for ended up being things I prayed would go away. Sometimes we get what we ask for and then are sorry later for it.

I learned that besides the Law of Action what is really important is to get into a silent space where we surrender the will of the ego whose limited vision pales in comparison to the much broader vi-sion of the Divine. The highest form of manifestation is to merge with the Divine Will from the surrendered reference point of “Thy Will Be Done.” From that point of silence, inspiration will come up into our field that truly feels good. This inspiration gives us a sense of gratitude and then any action that is applied towards it flows effortlessly like water down a mountain.

I have found that these are the things we should be putting our attention on. We should find out what really gives us a sense of gratitude, a sense of purpose and a sense of bliss and then hold a space of silence in order to really listen to what these inspira-tions are. We can then merge with Divine Will and apply our actions towards these worthy goals that provide peace, gratitude and happiness that is not just good for ourselves but good for everyone and everything around us. This is how we may put our manifestation skills to work in service to not just the pathetic wants of the ego, but to the greater Self in and all around us.

NOTHING REALLY GETS DONE IN EITHER MIND OR IN FORM UNLESS SOME ACTION IS ACTUALLY TAKEN AND APPLIED TOWARDS WHATEVER OUR GOALS, DREAMS, THOUGHTS AND WORDS ARE.Albert J. Nuñez, DVM, CVA has owned Animal Hospital of Baldwin Park and of Lake Mary since 1995 where he has practiced integrative veterinary medicine combining cutting edge surgery, internal medicine, endoscopy and laser ultra-sound with acupuncture, herbal and energy medicine and nutrition for dogs, cats and exotics. He is a graduate of St. Thomas and Ross Universities and the Chi Institute of Veteri-nary Medicine. Please refer to ad this page.

FROM MY WILL TO THY WILL BE DONE

BY DR. ALBERT NUÑEZ, DVM, CVA



The giant’s boughs were carefully inspected. Deals were made, engineers brought in, and this very Christmas, the fruit of this wise man’s action stood proudly for the 2008 Christmas spec-tacle in Rockefeller Center, adorned with thousands of LED’s, lighted for the city, — no, for the world via satellite on Decem-ber 3.

So simple actions com-bined with good inten-tions can end up in great s u r p r i s e . Those simple actions we take can sur-prise even that aspect of ourselves who is quick to judge us, to point out our limi-tations or remind us of our fail-ures: “That won’t work,” “ T h a t ’ s too hard,” “You’ll never do it.” The wise New Yorker never dreamed his tree would one day majestically grace Rockefeller Center at Christmas.

Self-hypnosis and meditation are valuable in quieting this critic and allowing us to recognize our true infinite potential. Prayer and spirituality help us recognize that we are not alone. They re-mind us that what might seem impossible to us is possible with God’s help. With my own lymphoma now in remission, and the other Stage IV clients I have worked with to help themselves, we are living testimony to that powerful reality. Seek and ye shall receive, knock and it will be made open. Act with good inten-tion and prosper!

Ross Hester is a Physician Assistant, Advanced Certi-fied Hypnotherapist, and Certified NLP Practitioner. Ross creates recordings with a hypnosis script customized for your specific needs. He serves as active member of several professional hypnosis associations and works full-time in hypnosis, writing and teaching. He can be reached at (352)383-2300. Please refer to ad this page.

In 1931, a very wise man took a very simple step in planting his family’s live Christmas tree after the season ended. Back then, it was not un-common to find evergreens, their roots carefully bundled in burlap, on sale as Christmas trees. In my family, such a Christmas tree spent the sea-son in a decorated galvanized washtub piled with presents, but as the season ended, my grandfather dutifully hauled it out to plant it in his yard.

This wise New Yorker was a child of the Depression, that time succeeding the affluent roaring 20s when great hardships caused people to rearrange their priorities and to value small things, simple actions and to get more value from their dollars. In planting the young tree, he laughingly teased his wife that someday it might grow to be the tree in Rockefeller Plaza. She smiled, dismissing her husband’s silliness affectionately.

Years passed and nourished by the New York state rains and snow melts, and warmed by the sun’s rays, the tree grew, pro-viding shelter for hundreds of different species of creatures, in their turn. It equally provided shade from the midday sun’s harsher rays — just more life energy from the tree’s perspective, and it religiously released countless oxygen molecules to sup-port our atmosphere.

But finally, recently, a helicopter with men from the city of New York flew through the area and noticed what for seventy nine years people had taken for granted or dismissed as “just a tree.” They landed and approached the property to learn that although the farmer and his wife had passed on to that next stage of growth some years before, their legacy, twin sons (not to mention their stately evergreen tree) were still alive and thriving on that very spot.



was particu-larly sad about her husband’s passing, she discovered a helpless kitten on her door-step. Gladys began to nurse the kitten back to health and suddenly dis-covered a re-newed purpose and apprecia-tion for life.

Maria and Joe found an a b a n d o n e d shepherd by the side of the road. They de-cided to take a chance and bring the dog home. After much needed food and care, the dog returned to good health. The dog, named Kodak, seemed to be particularly fond of their two sons. One afternoon, their youngest son fell into the pool. Kodak jumped in and saved the boy. Can you imagine how grateful Marie and Joe were that Kodak was there to watch out for their son?!

Are we chosen by our pets? Are these magnificent and intuitive animals sent by the Divine? Perhaps inspired by God himself, the bond between ourselves and our pets is unmistakable and un-deniable. Pets seem to know instinctively when we need cheer-ing up, when we need love, and when we need someone to take care of. They always seem to show up just when we need them. Pets tug at our heartstrings, amuse us with their antics, and make us weep when they die.

While they are here, for even brief times, pets return our tender-ness with the most pure love — a heavenly love — without judg-ment, and with a depth that most humans never achieve. They love us like God himself loves us.

Copyright 2008 Healing For Pets & the Special People Who Love Them. All rights reserved. Content may be reproduced by special permission of author.

Colleen M. Gordon is a pet communicator, holistic pet therapist, and herb-alist. She is president and founder of Healing For Pets (HealingForPets.com), and is committed to improving the health and lives of pets and their owners. Colleen has been helping pets and owners with behavior and health issues for over ten years. Please see ad column 1.

*We recommend that all health issues be discussed with your veterinarian, and that your pet has a thorough examination by a qualified veterinarian.

petsAre You One of the Chosen Ones?Was Your Pet Sent to You for a Special Purpose?

by Colleen Gordon

The bond with our pets is very strong. They cure our depres-sion, provide unconditional love, and even save our lives.

Could it be that we are chosen by our pets? They certainly seem to have a sixth sense about what we need.

Gladys, an elderly widow for many years, began to contem-plate suicide to end her loneliness. One evening, when she


With 37 years in the pet supply business Ric and Joan Hutchens are owners of Whole Earth Pet Supply (WEPS) in Lady Lake. The store is dedicated to providing good, healthy food and a very large selection of other holistic products for animals.

For health issues, Whole Earth Pet Supply sells simple recipe raw dog and cat food, raw being the very best food for carnivorous animals. One food product comes dehydrated which is recon-stituted like raw once water is added. Two other lines of dog and cat food are almost like feeding your pet raw food because the processing is done at very low temperature and for a short time, leaving the nutritional value largely intact.

Many of Whole Earth Pet Supply’s foods, treats and snacks are grain-free since grain has been found to be a major contributor of health problems in canines and felines. For example, one regular customer of WEPS had a cat named Minx who suffered from chronic diarrhea due to grain in her diet. When she start-ing eating a brand of raw carnivorous food from Whole Earth Pet Supply, her problem quickly vanished.

Harrison’s Certified Organic Bird Food can also be found at WEPS. Harrison’s Bird Foods is a family of certified organic formulated diets created by avian veterinarians and nutritionists. The formulas require little or no supplementation.

For pets in need of supplementation, the store offers vitamins and supplements such as glucosamine. Though glucosamine is often added to petfood, it usually is not enough to address the needs of an arthritic pet. Homeopathic remedies are on hand to gently help with skin disorders, flea problems and anxiety pets feel because of lightning, thunder or travel.

Whole Earth Pet Supply carries all the products you would ex-pect to find in a petfood market and then some. Your pet can live it up in a cozy, organic cotton fabric pet bed with plush fiberfill made from recycled soda bottles. The cover zips to re-move and is totally washable.

To learn more about the store, please see ad, right.

Only the Holistic Best for Your Pet



Do It!

the changes we need to make to restore balance in the areas signaled. We cannot learn to walk without taking that first baby step toward our destination. All change begins with baby steps. The only difference between our ideals and our realities is action. Nike tells us to “Just Do It!” It really is that simple. So, back to the list. The first baby step will be for us to actually find that pencil and paper and literally answer the questions above. That will set a course in motion. Motion creates inertia which leads to momentum ... and we are off on our path of change. We will look back on this moment in time and see how easy it was to keep moving once the first step was taken.

We may have heard the sayings, “In order for things to change, we must change,” or “When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change.” Both of these sayings require some-thing — action. Things are guaranteed to stay the same if no action is taken. Once a small step is taken, it will create a monu-

mental shift in our lives!

Once we list our areas of chosen focus, then the proverbial “to-DO” list falls in line. We must envision our goals in these areas as we cannot hit a target we cannot see. How will we wake up our senses, bring balance and order back into our lives and still feel as if we didn’t really have to work very hard on it at all? — by making that list of baby steps, following them like a recipe in our favorite cookbook, and just doing them each, one by one, until we have crossed them all off our lists! We will begin to smell change in the air we breathe, to taste the sweet nectar of accomplishment around us, to hear the sound of our

inner voices with much more clarity and see how the world looks when we move into action. We will feel so much better about ourselves and our lives on all levels. So, come on and join me as we jump into the driver’s seat, program a course on our GPS and travel the highway of change together. Let’s DO IT!!

Joanne is a Holistic Family Nurse Practitioner and is Director of Women’s Health and Wellness. See ad, immediate left, page 50.

by Joanne M. Keller, ARNP

A new year has arrived! A fantastic opportunity for rebirth and renewal! Isn’t this such an awesome time of year for our bodies, minds and souls to clean house, wipe away the cobwebs and get our lives on track? So how are we doing so far? Where did we put that list of New Year’s resolutions? Is it posted in front of us on the bathroom mirror or hidden under the pile of “someday in my spare time” stuff on our desks? Take a moment right now and locate it. If you haven’t created one yet, do take a moment and make a list. As we make our lists, let’s ask these inspiring, empowering questions of ourselves: What areas of our lives are out of balance and calling for our attention? Are there areas of our health we have been ignoring? Have we looked at our finances to uncover what we may be avoiding? What situations in our lives are left unresolved that may cause us to distance ourselves from our loved ones? What creative outlets have we plugged into to celebrate ourselves? Are we listening to our inner voices or turning a deaf ear? Listen to the answers that come up for us when we read these questions. Jot them down briefly to ponder later. The point I want to make is that right in this very moment, you and I are connected in some way. I have written these words and you are reading them. Capture this moment now to step into action and re-read the questions just asked. Find a pencil or pen and a notebook to answer each of them as a way to open a conversation with Self. This will begin the process of making happen what needs to happen to bring about


Year’s Eve as a place where we make a fresh start. Our work/play in the Golden Triangle Center for Spiritual Living is a sort of counseling together. There are no gurus; we are all learning. I’m learning from our members and friends, they learn from some of the things I’ve learned from Dr. Holmes. And so our work consists of understanding the universal principles and the techniques for applying them so that they will work in our lives. We have no cut-and-dried formula. Each must establish his or her own. We openly admit that we still get to learn and per-haps unlearn much of what we have learned in life. The new year is a year to learn something new. How new? we may ask. As new as you want to make it, as new as the new ideas you have, as new as the new opportunity to exercise the most precious gift of all — the gift of choice, a new opportunity to demonstrate the answered prayer, a new opportunity to indulge in more self-consideration, a new goal to attain and a new opportunity to appreciate the gift of life. Consider, finally, these lines from an anonymously written poem:

The f lower unblown, a b o ok unread,A tree with fruit unhar vested,

A path untro d, a house whose ro omsL ack yet the hear ts that G o d p er fumes,

A landsc ap e whose wide b order l iesI n s i lent shade b eneath the sk ies,

A wonderous fountain yet unsealed,A basket with its gif ts concealed.This is the year that for you waitsB eyond tomorrow ’s mystic gates.

Rev. Cay Thompson, D.D. can be contacted at the Golden Triangle Center for Spiritual Living. See ad below.

“I always look forward to January, especially ever since Ernest Holmes, who founded our teaching, said to me, ‘George, we as teachers have a habit of getting all caught up during the course of the year, and by year’s end we begin to think we’re advanced souls when in fact we may be forgetting the principles.’ So Janu-ary is a good time to bring everybody back to the basic principles — because principles will never let you down. In fact, Dr. Holmes used to say to me, ‘People will let you down, and I may let you down, but the principles I teach you will never let you down; and if you do get let down, then you weren’t listening when I taught you.’ Think about that.” - Dr. George Bendall

January is named for the Roman god Janus, a two-faced god shown on coins with one face looking back, as though through the past year, and the other looking forward, as though to the new year. So at the beginning of the new year we stand at one of those divisions in time which we have established for our own conve-nience. When the clock strikes twelve, we put away all of last year and look forward to the new one.

The division is, of course, imaginary and arbitrary. January 1 is no more the beginning of a new year than yesterday or the day be-fore. Yet even though it’s only an illusory pause, it gives us time to think, to see what we might have learned from the past year and to establish ourselves in a pattern of growth. I think, too, of the Israelites who were about to cross the river and enter the Promised Land, because there’s a parallel there between the ancient Israelites and ourselves: there’s an unknown — and we don’t know what the new year will bring. But we can know, through the faith and belief in a Higher Power and Spiritual Principles. I look at New


for Velocity presents a challenge to offer something of inter-est that will have an impact on the readers. The words don’t always flow for me because spirituality is not a science and

all references to spiritual subjects are theory, not fact. We can only know what is in our hearts when dealing with spiritual truth versus opinion. Sometimes there are just no words to explain spiritual wisdom. The Law of Action may seem like an easy subject to write about but, for me, it is a difficult understanding, because in dealing with the mind of God, I can’t think, I must be.

The gist of the spiritual books written on this subject is basically the same. They talk about the world of energy and the science of quantum physics. They emphasize that a good attitude and positive thinking are the tools that refine our energy output thereby creating a positive or negative result. The authors give credit to God, Abraham or sci-ence which are all pretty tough sources to contend with, but as a writer and spiritual teacher I am going to say what I need to say and this is it. Enough is enough!

We all know that no matter what we do in life a positive attitude is important. To achieve success with our goals we must remain focused on the goal and follow through. I feel that too much emphasis is being placed on positive versus negative, wants versus needs, and failure versus success. All of these dualistic approaches do nothing more than create guilt and separation. Judgment is the path we take in analyzing every aspect of our lives, and judgment, wants and needs only create more of the same.

We live in a world of plenty. There is plenty of everything on this planet for everyone. There is plenty of food, clean water, money and shelter for every human and ani-mal. So why do some have and some have not? It is the experience of the individual,

not the positive or negative output of thought. We put out hundreds of thoughts every hour. Should we analyze every thought with judgment to assure the manifestation of only good things in our lives? Does a new-born baby think negative thoughts so therefore it is born with a life-threatening disease? When a child is murdered, did that child attract this to herself because of wrong thinking? When a hardworking person gets caught in a global economic downfall and looses his job and house, did a negative mind create it?

I know that most of you are saying to yourselves right now, “It’s karma,” but even karma is a judgment, and the judgment is that the persons endur-ing hardship must have done some-thing wrong in this life or another. Did we ever think that the experi-ence is simply what the soul wanted to experience, that it has nothing to do with the experience itself?

we have or have not is up to our

spirit and the will of God. The path to wholeness opens when we free ourselves of our dualistic mind and create a new mind, one mind. One mind is a mind without judgment — the mind of God. God is spirit who does not judge, so in order to have the mind of God we must have no mind. If we want the best that life has to offer then we have to allow God to create a new mind in us. This is the only way God can work through us. We have to stop doing and start being. When we start being we become God in the flesh and then the universe is ours with no limitation. The ac-tion to take is to ‘Just Be.’

Rev. Donna Weinheimer is a licensed massage therapist (MA27125, MM12675) and ordained ADL minister. She holds a third degree black belt and is a Tae Kwon Do and Chi Gong instructor. Donna is also certified in Thai Yoga Bodywork, na-tive hot stone massage, breema bodywork, shiatsu, tui na and shamanism. See ad for ‘Out of the Blue,’ above.


point in time you identified your passion and have been working toward manifesting it. If not, con-gratulations. You are now aware that you possess the ability to journey within to seek inspiration and identify your passion and innate gifts.

My most heartfelt prayer for all of humanitythis New Year is:

Whenever we receive divine inspiration may we trust the innate knowingness that made our heart jump or mind begin to whirl with excitement. As we initiate the process of bringing form to our inspiration may we trust that our knowingness is enough and that we do not require the approval of others. Our inspiration – AS WE FEEL IT – is sufficient. May we have the courage to display truth in our actions – in word, thought and deed. May we find the strength to bring inspiration to form. May we remain mindful of our thoughts and actively feed ourselves with positive uplifting affirmations and release any temptation to be criti-cal or judgmental of ourselves or others.

Taking action requires cour-age, belief in your cause or that which you wish to create, and finally, a steadfast knowing-ness that whatever we create or manifest will be of the highest integrity and service and will possess the potential to uplift the whole!

Please see Erika Richman’s ads on pages 17 and 34. Erika is an intui-tive reader, spiritual mentor and certified yoga instructor.

How many times have we received inspiration to create something with an absolute knowingness that this time we are right on track – have hit the nail on the head – yet, when we start the process of creation, our mind fills with doubt? We may even experience paralyzing fear in our gut so we tell ourselves it is a silly idea anyway and no one would ever want a “pet rock.” What did the creator of the best selling “pet rock” have that allowed him to see his inspiration come to life? He possessed the courage to move with awareness through the doubt and fear while remaining tethered to the di-vine wisdom of his inspiration. He was also able to stay connected to his heartfelt desire to see his inspiration take form and he maintained a will-ingness to do whatever it took to share his innate gift(s) with the masses.

Consider making a list of things that you would like to put into action. Thoughts, ideas or inspira-tions that you would love to bring to form. What is your PASSION? What makes your heart want to sing with excitement? Review this list often and just do what you can — no matter how small. Set aside any tendency toward procrastination or the feeling you are waiting for the “perfect time.” The time is always perfect for us to share our innate gifts. The uni-versal Law of Action will always support the blossoming of our in-nate gifts. Perhaps you have a pas-sion for working with children, animals or the elderly. Perhaps you have the ability to speak the truth with kindness, compassion and love. Identify what makes your heart skip a beat when you think about offering yourself to the cause. How do you picture yourself when you imagine the most fulfilled and peaceful ver-sion of YOU? Where are you? What are you doing? Who are you surrounded by? Do the an-swers to these questions in any way reflect your current life’s cir-cumstances? If so, congratula-tions. At some


alone. Is this really “it,” then? Am I the person that those whom I have disappoint-ed think I am? Don’t I still deserve one last chance at having all my dreams come true? It can happen at my age. I know it can. I just know it can. I’m right, aren’t I? AREN’T I?

And then, unsuspecting, you turn that one corner, walk into that one restaurant, and come to face with your dream.

Just like that.

If you’ve experienced that in your life, “Harvey” will remind you of how lucky you are.

It happens every day.

It happened to me.

It happens to Harvey and Kate.

And, if you so desire, you’re next.

Stephen Simon co-founded www.spiri-tualc inemacirc le .com. He also pro-duced such films as “Somewhere In Time” and “What Dreams May Come” and both produced and di-rected “Indigo” and the film version of “Conversa-tions with God.”

by Stephen Simon

It’s “Award” season in Hollywood.

This is the time of year when movies of “substance” finally make their way into some theaters across the country. Unfortunately, to Hollywood nowadays, “substance” more often than not means dark, depressing, nihilistic, and/or violent.

But not always.

In most years, there are at least a couple of life-enhancing gems that somehow find their way into the mix….and our hearts.

Such is the case this year with “Last Chance Harvey,” which opened in New York and Los Angeles on Christmas Day and is scheduled to open around the rest of the country on January 23. I don’t know when or even if it will play in a theater near you in January but, if it does, grab all your adult friends and head to the theater!

I say “adult friends” not because of any sex or violence, but because the film deals with issues that will, I believe, appeal much more to baby boomers than younger people. That also makes it much more important for us to support the film, or it will disappear quickly. “Harvey” deserves a much better fate than that.

“Last Chance Harvey” stars the always wonderful Dustin Hoffman as Harvey Shine, a 60-ish composer whose only income is derived from writing commercial jingles for advertisers. And he’s not doing all that great with that gig either. As he struggles to keep his job and dignity, his daughter is getting married in London where Harvey’s ex-wife and her much more successful new husband also live. Also living in London is Kate Walker (played by the also always wonderful Emma Thompson). Kate is unmar-ried, lonely, and feels totally out of place in the singles world.

Harvey has been estranged from his daughter for quite some time and is very nervous, with good reason, about how he will be welcomed by his daughter, her fiancé, his ex-wife, and others. As a very distracted Harvey deplanes in London to attend his daugh-ter’s wedding, he briefly meets and somewhat brusquely rebukes Kate who works for the airline and is taking a survey of arriving passengers.

Somehow, however, they do meet again and……..

Okay, there’s absolutely nothing unpredictable about how the film ends. And that’s part of its joy and charm. In this kind of film, the plot is really somewhat superflu-ous anyway. We’re not going to be introduced to two people with whom we fall in love and then be robbed of the ending for which we are rooting all along. (Unless, of course, it’s a Coen Brothers film or some other dark, cynical Hollywood exercise. I guarantee you that I will never lead you to a film that delights in crushing your hopes.)

Films like “Harvey” are all about the characters. Do we relate to and care about them and do the actors make the characters come to life in our hearts? In “Harvey,” the answers are yes…..and yes!!

The charm and joy in “Harvey” derive from our recognition of where both Harvey and Kate find themselves in life. Somewhat disillusioned. Out of synch with the world around them. Is this where my life was leading me? I didn’t think I would end up


Arielle Ford, author of “The Soulmate Se-

cret: Manifest The Love of Your Life With

The Law of Attraction” and her husband

Brian Hilliard, a business consultant, an-

swer your questions about life, love and

relationships. They believe that whether

you are eighteen or eighty years old find-

ing Big Love is always possible. Email your

questions to: [email protected]

Dear Arielle & Brian, Since I read the Soulmate Secret and did the exercises to heal my past relation-ships and cut the energetic cords to past lovers, four of my old boyfriends and my former husband have called wanting to reconnect with me. What’s up with that?Thanks for your help,Cindy Dear Cindy,Congratulations! The inner healing you are doing is working and the energetic dynamic is shifting. The art and majesty of your rituals and powerful intentions are literally transmuting the energetic density that was weighing down the pos-sibility of unconditional sacred love and abundance in your previous relation-ships. These men are now actually feel-ing different about themselves as well

as feeling something new and different about their earlier experience with you. This doesn’t mean that you are totally free to re-engage in these relationships (unless you carefully come to the realization that one of them is your soulmate) but it does mean that you are freed up to lovingly and seriously discern, from your deepest heart, so as to gain greater clarity on the issues that previously impacted these relation-ships. As you continue to do the inner and outer work for manifesting a soulmate the opportunities for more and more healing will spontaneously arise. Enjoy the process! Dear Arielle & Brian, I have been married for ten years. Three years ago I began a serious spiritual path to discovering the awesome abundance of possibilities in the spiritual world. I have asked my husband to join me on this jour-ney. I have told him that I love him and I long for more romance and spontaneity. His re-sponse was very negative and he says I am forcing him into something he is not com-fortable with. He surfs, windsurfs and plays guitar and he says that this is way of con-necting to Spirit. Do you think a marriage can survive if one partner embraces the spiritual journey and the other does not?

With Love,Ursula

Dear Ursula,

We can feel your pain. So many couples face similar challenges. First we want to ask you to do your best to honor your husband’s spiritual path of surf-ing, windsurfing and playing guitar. Connecting to Mother Nature and all its beauty is a powerful and direct path to God (or whatever you wish to call it). Remember, we are all riding differ-ent vehicles but hopefully arriving at the same destination. If you honor his path with devotion and respect then it will be easier for him to come around to your request for abundant intimacy and playful spontaneity (remember to make it fun and creative as well). As you know, we come into a marriage with different histories, wounds and tools to navigate this wonderful thing we call sacred union. The path is a daily opportunity to practice love, compassion, gratitude and fierce grace. Our sense is that the deeper issue for you is not so much one of shared spiritual path (because as mentioned above you both seem open to spirit in your own ways), but it may be some other deeper personal blocks that you may want to explore, as a couple, with a therapist or counselor. Sending you prayers for deep healing,

Arielle & Brian Arielle Ford has spent the past 25 years liv-ing and promoting consciousness through all forms of media. She is one of the found-ing partners of the Spiritual Cinema Circle, a DVD club dedicated to providing mov-ies about love and compassion. She is the author of seven books including “Hot Chocolate for the Mystical Soul” series and her newest book, “The Soulmate Secret: Manifest The Love of Your Life With The Law of Attraction.” Her husband and soulmate Brian Hilliard is a business consultant with a life-long interest in spirituality and the prac-tice of compassion. They live in La Jolla, California. Visit: www.soulmatesecret.com Disclaimer: Arielle Ford, Brian Hilliard, the Big Love column and its publishers as-sume no responsibility for any consequence relating directly or indirectly to any ac-tion or inaction you take based on the information, services or other material re-lated to this column.


FREE scholarship program offered by Melissa Holmes/Feminine Earth, L.L.C. for teen mothers; good for the full tuition of “Birthing From Within® childbirth prepara-tion classes. FREE birth doula services (labor support) to those teen mothers who apply for the scholarship. See ad for www.feminine-earth.com, page 13.

FREE first class at Lotus Yoga Center, Apopka. See ad page 14.

FREE shipping when you order organic coffee online at www.SevenSistersCoffee.com. See ad page 37.

FREE NRG GO3! Citrus Surge Fizzing Beverage Tablet by Arbonne® - to assist with weight loss. See Peggy’s ad page 61.

FREE 10 Grocery Bucks on your first order of $100 or more with www.GetGreenOrganics.com, Central Florida’s regional organic food co-op. Grocery Bucks can be used to pay for groceries on your next order. See ad page 28.

FREE manicure with pedicure at The Hair Affair, Mount Dora. See ad below, this page.

FREE CD: “7 Principles For Fulfilling Relationships” from Satvatove In-stitute, Alachua. Pay only very small shpg./hdlg. See ad page 60 for details.

FREE Initial Examination (value $145) at Simply Well, Office of Dr. Dominick D’Anna, D.C., Winter Park; includes thorough consultation with Dr. D’Anna, complete spinal scan and exam, follow-up discussion of findings. See ad page 5.

FREE initial phone consul-tation concern-ing your pet with Colleen Gordon of HealingForPets.com. See ad page 48.

FREE cranial bone screening during your ex-amination with Dr. Ramah Wagner, D.C. See ad page 19.

FREE one hour teleworkshop on “7 Principles For Fulfilling Relationships,” interactive with questions and answers. See ad for Satvatove Institute, page 60. Visit www.satvatove.com for more details.

FREE pack of incense (cus-tomer’s choice of fragrance) at Magickal Muse, ad page 39.

Listen to Alternate Pathways radio show on 1240AM Mondays from 1:00-2:00 p.m., call in a question and receive one FREE “Shut the Duck Up!” Anger Management or New Millennium Therapy session at Alternate Path-ways. Experience a transformation of personality through the NO step (not a 12 Step) program to happiness and lasting personal peace. See ad page 36.

FREE one hour, at-your-site workshop for your staff on The Emotional Journey of Change. Get your team ready to start the New Year completely empowered to manage personal and professional change...the #1 constant in Life! Contact Anita Torres, [email protected]. See ad page 47.

FREE Reiki Level I, II or Master/Teacher classes in Orlando. Call or write for class locations: 407-913-9280 or email: [email protected]. See ad page 33.

FREE cup of tea with any purchase at Dandelion Communitea Cafe, ad page 16.

Get a FREE live one-to-one mini-reading with hypnotist and psychic Da-vid Botsford. Based in Davenport, Florida (near Highway 27). FREE mini-readings available only until March 31 (regular $25). Call 863-420-3634 or e-mail: [email protected]. See ad page 42.

FREE 15 minute individual wellness consultation with any class or any full-length wellness consultation at Florida School of Holistic Living/Orlando. See ad page 20.

FREE Gene’s Law Bumper Stickers, “If Anything Can Go Well It Will” at Evolve Store, Thornton Park/Orlando. See ad page 20.

A FREE 30 minute coaching session on ways to be happier, healthier and more prosperous (any individual request is honored). An affirmative prayer is included. At Golden Triangle Center for Spiritual Living. See ad page 52.

A FREE initial hypnosis consultation for interested individuals and their sig-nificant others so you (and I) can better understand your needs and potential benefit before you invest in yourself (and my service). Also receive a FREE sample of Xocai Healthy Chocolate. At Hypnosis Helps/Edcom Associates in Mount Dora. See ad page 46.

Receive a FREE Jeweled Lotus Yoga t-shirt with the purchase of an unlimited monthly class package. See ad for Jeweled Lotus Yoga page 34.

Experience Life Coaching FREE! Complimentary 20 minute coaching ses-sion via telephone. Contact Joanna Hackley Davis, CLC at 352-874-7817 or visit www.rx4joy.com to schedule your FREE session today! More JOY is only a phone call away! See ad page 32.

FREE Frankincense and Myrrh essential oil samples. See ad for AncientEs-sence, page 47.

FREE first yoga class at Yoga Central, Mount Dora. See ad for Yoga Central, page 45.

One FREE book with every purchase of $15.00 or more at The Om Book-store, Mount Dora. See ad page 3.


In My BookKali Telana Reviews . . . “THE DOLPHIN” Story of a Dreamerby Sergio F. BambarenPublisher: Hay House

This story about Daniel Dolphin and his life’s journey is incred-ibly inspiring and has created a very sweet book! It brought back to me several reminders and provocative questions that are im-portant for us to continually ask ourselves. Author Sergio Bam-baren really hits home in helping us to remember the answers to these questions.

Are you a dreamer? What are your dreams? Do you follow your dreams? How important are dreams in your life?

Are you simply trying to survive? Have you given up on your dreams? Do you think you are too old to follow your dreams?

In “The Dolphin,” Daniel Alexander is perceived by other dol-phins to be preoccupied with wasting time surfing the waves. He comes to see that perhaps they are the ones who are lost, caught up in the same daily routine, reluctant to change the established ways of dolphin life. He eventually leaves the familiar reef in search of his dreams and becomes an example to the other dol-phins of steadfastly holding to one’s dreams and then fulfilling them. He shows the other dolphins how little value their lives can have without the dreams that fuel them.

When we are young and our eyes are bright and our hearts are open it’s easy to be full of dreams. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way we begin to think our dreams are too hard to ful-fill, or someone tells us that we cannot achieve them, so we let them go and start to live our lives with the burden that there is no other way.

Bambaren writes, “Who told you that you have come to this world to suffer? Always dream and never be afraid.”

It is only fear that keeps us from following our dreams. Yes, sometimes it may feel lonely to follow our dreams because no one else seems to be following theirs, but as Bambaren writes:

“There comes a time in life when there is nothing else to do but to go your own way. A time to follow you dreams. A time to raise the sails of your own beliefs.”

“Most of us are not prepared to overcome our failures, and be-cause of this we are not able to fulfill our gifts. It is easy to stand for something that does not carry a risk.”

Wow, that’s good stuff isn’t it? This is the touching inspiration woven through the pages of this gem of a book. Could you use some inspiration toward the pursuit of the dreams you know are waiting within you as we begin 2009? It’s so important that we constantly place before us all the reminders and inspiration we can find so that we do not forget our dreams and rise above the seemingly depressing news that is daily in our media. Like Daniel Alexander, let’s dream big and love big and share it with the world every day.

This book is suitable for any age group. Sergio Bambaren donates 90% of his book proceeds to environmental causes and vari-ous philanthropic efforts. Kali Telana is owner of The Om Bookstore in Mount Dora. See ad page 3.

“When you’re just about to give up, when you feel that life has been too hard on you,remember who you are. Remember your dream.”

59

New Release“Elephant Power;” Artist: MC Yogi; White Swan Records; Genre: World; Released September 9, 2008.

There’s no one I’ve shared “Elephant Power” with who hasn’t loved it and ‘love’ is an understatement. My young and older friends alike are crazy about it. I thought I didn’t like rap or hip hop music too much, but I can now say that if it’s MC Yogi’s yoga hip hop brand of music, I love it!

MC Yogi is Nicholas Giacomini who spent most of his teen years living in a group home for at-risk youth. His like took a turn when he was 18 and attended a yoga and meditation intensive with a well known spiritual teacher from India. He was so transformed that he immersed himself in the many forms of yoga. He enrolled in a teacher training program where he met and fell in love with his wife, Amanda. They now own Yoga Toes Studio in Point Reyes, California.

The remarkable thing about every track on “Elephant Power” is the seamless way MC Yogi weaves the stories of the Hindu deities with impeccable rhyme. Each song is a ‘darshan’ (a spiritual teaching), a synoptic lesson on the amazing story each deity represents. MC Yogi’s rhymes cause us to get really present to the moment as we listen intently to the story presented in the lighthearted, amus-ing upbeat hip hop verse.

Mix in the evident talent of producers Sean Dinsmore, Robin Livingston (and MC Yogi also as producer), vo-cal appearances by an incredible cast of Kirtan masters like Jai Uttal, Bhagavan Das and Krishna Das, and finally electrifying instrumentation and infectious urban hip hop beats and breaks, and we’re gifted with a spectacular musical experience that draws us in like moths to a flame.

When I want to be reminded that I am not alone, that the Divine is all around me, I listen to “Elephant Power”(“Krishna Love”). When I want to be reminded I truly can get past the challenges I face in life, I listen to “Elephant Power” (“Ganesh Is Fresh”), and when I want to feel inspired to keep on keeping on, I listen to “El-ephant Power” (“Son of Shiva” and “Be the Change”).

What more can I say? It’s awesome — start to finish.

Don’t waste a single minute — rush to get your copy of this CD. And when you listen to it with the biggest of smiles on your face, make sure you dance, too!


by David Wolf, Ph.D.

In The Beginning Was The WordJust as the Supreme creates with the word, we, too, create our lives with our word. Self-reflection is a core prin-ciple in personal growth, and it can be especially illuminating to consider our relationship with our word. In the Vedic tradition there is a literature called Upadeshamrita, or “The Nectar of Instruction.”The book concludes with a depiction of the most elevated spiritual consciousness, and it starts with a description of the importance of effective management of our words, for anyone interested in spiritual progress.

In the transformative communica-tion seminars that I conduct we ask participants to examine the effects of kept and broken agreements. Typically, experiences and feelings connected with violated agreements include hurt, embarrassment, anger, betrayal, confusion, lack of clarity, disappoint-ment and feeling devalued. Agree-ments honored are usually related with experiences such as trust, gratitude, responsibility, fulfillment, security, clarity, and respect.

The purpose of such examination is not to moralize about the importance of keeping our promises. It’s about realizing how our relationship with our word affects our experience of life. In

this regard I suggest that there aren’t big or small agreements. Consider, for example, that I say, “I’ll call you tomorrow,” and I don’t call. We may think, “It’s no big deal.” With respect to our relationship, however, will the consequences noted above be in effect? Probably they will. At some level, your trust for me will likely diminish, and our relationship will be less whole.

Commitment is essential for self-development. Without it, we’re likely not going to significantly expand our possibilities and comfort zone. When we make agreements, we’ll probably find that, despite our best efforts, we sometimes don’t follow through. A strategy for handling broken agree-ments with integrity is a valuable tool for restoring relationships.

The Five A’sAn effective approach is the “five A’s,” which are 1) Acknowledge, 2) Accept responsibility, 3) Account, 4) Apolo-gize, and 5) Amend.

“Acknowledge” means to recognize that we have a broken agreement, and to express this to the person whom we transgressed. Accepting responsibility, the second of the A’s, denotes realiza-tion that I responded in a particular way that caused me to not honor my word. The third A is Account. Expres-sion of accountability consists of genu-inely explaining what happened. Apol-ogy is the fourth A, and it’s noteworthy


that it’s fourth, not first. Oftentimes we act like apology is the first and only step in effectively handling a broken agreement. “I’m sorry” can be more about my need to restore my image, than about sincerely reinstating the soundness of the relationship. Amend is the fifth A, and consists of actively redressing the situation.

A Culture Of Trust‘Tis a season for making resolutions, when we consider things we can do to better our lives. This is a powerful opportunity to enhance the culture of trust in our relationships, and within ourselves. My proposal is that we invoke special awareness of the effects in our life and relationships when we make an agreement and keep it.

David B. Wolf, Ph.D., is a life skills coach and communications specialist, a highly sought-after teacher and speaker, and the au-thor of “Relationships That Work: The Power of Conscious Living,” (Mandala Publishing, 2008). As part of his doctoral studies he de-veloped the Vedic Personality Inventory (VPI), a personality assessment tool based on Vedic psychology. He has more than twenty-five years of professional experience in a variety of social and mental health fields, includ-ing counselor training, medical social work, and children and family counseling. Dr. Wolf founded Satvatove Institute (www.Satvatove.com), a nonprofit organization based in North Florida dedicated to spiritually based personal and group transformation through empowered communication, courageous introspection, and purposeful action. He has con-ducted personal transformation seminars in more than a dozen countries, including India, Canada, New Zealand, France and Switzerland. Please see ad for Satvatove Institute page 60.


Imagine a career where you can make your own hours, be your own boss, and go home every-day knowing that you truly transformed the lives of those that you encountered. Hav-ing been a hypnotherapist for about 12 years now, I can hon-estly say that this is the most rewarding and fulfilling career that I could ever have imag-ined. I have now logged well over 10,000 hours of clinical practice and never cease to be amazed at the miracles that occur through the use of the hypnotic state, combined with truly effective transformational techniques, which create awe-inspiring change.

The decision to become a hyp-notherapist or to add hypno-therapy to your existing heal-ing practice has to come from a place of truly wanting to be of service to others. The hyp-notherapeutic relationship is one of deep rapport, compas-sion and intimacy. It involves two people coming together to grow, to heal and to reach greater states of wholeness and

happiness. This happens not just for the client, but for the hypnotherapist as well.

The field of hypnotherapy is relatively new even though the hypnotic state has been used under various names for thou-sands of years. Today, modern hypnotherapy employs power-ful techniques that help others to reach their goals, overcome limiting behaviors and to achieve greater states of pros-perity and fulfillment in all areas of life.

To become a hypnotherapist it is important to attend a school that is licensed by the Florida Department of Educa-tion. Many trainings in hyp-notherapy are not licensed by the State, which makes their diplomas meaningless and their business practice illegal. Schools also should be certi-fied by an agency that requires the highest standards in the industry. Many trainings in hypnotherapy only require 25 to 150 classroom hours to become “certified” and many

are offered online without any direct one-on-one supervised practical hours. The American Council of Hypnotist Exam-iners is one of the oldest and most respected organizations in the industry and it requires a minimum of 300 hours to become a clinical certified hyp-notherapist.

The Florida Institute of Hyp-notherapy was the first school in the State of Florida to be-come State licensed and is the

only school in Florida certi-fied by the American Council of Hypnotist Examiners. The school offers a 6 month train-ing program with over 400 classroom hours making up a highly evolved curriculum consisting of some of the most ancient and modern tech-niques available. The Insti-tute itself only offers training in-house under our firm belief that hypnotherapy should be learned under direct supervi-sion through qualified teach-

ers, approved examiners and in a caring and loving set-ting that promotes personal growth, excellence in train-ing and the highest standards in the industry.

Matthew Brownstein, CHt is the Director and Lead Instructor of the Florida Institute of Hypno-therapy in Gainesville, Florida. He is a clinical certified hypno-therapist, approved instructor and certified examiner through the American Council of Hypnotist Examiners. For more informa-tion about the Institute’s State-Li-censed programs you can call (352) 378-5746 or online at www.tfioh.com. Next class begins March 2009. See ad, next page.



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